Science Centers: Candy Erosion Lesson

Teacher: Emma, Ashlyn, and Wendi

Date: November 10th, 2021

Subject/grade level: 4th/5th science

Materials: Each Students Needs

● 2 Powerade Bottles
● 2 Cups of Water
● 2 Peppermints
● 2 Skittles
● 2 Buttermints
● 1 Plate
● 1 Sticky Note
● 1 writing utensil

NC SCOS Essential Standards and Clarifying Objectives

4-ESS2-1: Make observations and/or measurements to provide evidence of the effects of

weathering or the rate of erosion by water, ice, wind, or vegetation.

Lesson objective(s):

I can recognize the different levels of erosion between the 3 types of rocks.

I can recognize that erosion occurs more dramatically with moving water than water that is
standing still.

Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:

Guide of the rocks vs. candy

Lesson in Spanish (Thanks, Wendi :) )

ENGAGEMENT
“Have you ever seen rocks by a river? What do they look like? Why?”

Erosion: Gradual breakdown of an object

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqsTS67BKmA

EXPLORATION

Students will place one piece of each candy and 1-2 cups of water into each powerade bottle.
They will set one aside to be the control, and represent still water. Then they will shake one of
the bottles to represent moving water.

What is the difference between erosion with still and moving water?

EXPLANATION

Why did the candies, our rocks in this experiment, break down faster in fast water than in slow
water?

How would this experiment be different if you used ocean water rather than fresh water? What
is in the ocean water that is different from tap water?

ELABORATION

Vocab: erosion, sedimentary rock (skittles), igneous rock (buttermint), metamorphic rock
(peppermint).

How can we apply this in real life? How do rocks on riverbanks erode?

EVALUATION

Exit ticket on sticky note:

What types of rocks does erosion affect the most? (Sedimentary)

Does water erode things more when it is in motion or when it is still?