5

Science
Quarter 4 – Module 2
Investigating the Extent of Soil
Erosion in the Community and its
Effects on Living Things and the
Environment
Science – Grade 5
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 – Module 2: Investigating the Extent of Soil Erosion in the
Community and its Effects on Living Things and the Environment
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Princess N. Soliman
Editors: Gypsy B. Corpuz, Cecilia J. Miguel, Ph. D, Ann Fhel F. Gutierrez,
Merilyn B. Sanchez, Jenet A. Novilla, Jomarick DL. Mapindan,
Lourdes I. Esteron, Mark Clester A. Rufino
Reviewers: SDO Cabanatuan City
Illustrators: Princess N. Soliman, Tricia Stepanie S. Constantino
Layout Artist: Princess N. Soliman
Management Team: May B. Eclar, PhD, CESO III – Regional Director
Librada M. Rubio, PhD - CLMD Chief
Ma. Editha R. Caparas, PhD – Reg’l EPS in LRMS
Nestor P. Nuesca, PhD – Reg’l ADM Coordinator
Priscilla D. Sanchez, PhD – CID Chief
Romeo R. Hipolito – EPSvr in Science
Ever M.inSamson,
Printed PhD – EPSvr
the Philippines in LRMS Name of Division EPS In Charge of LRMS
by ________________________
Name of Division ADM Coordinator
Department of Education – Region III – Schools Division of Cabanatuan City

Office Address: Maharlika Highway, Bantug Norte, Cabanatuan City,

Philippines, 3100
Telefax: (044) 463 – 7334
E-mail Address: www.cabanatuan.city@deped.gov.ph
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. The scope of
this module permits it to be used in many different learning situations. The
language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons
are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course. But the order in
which you read them can be changed to correspond with the textbook you are
now using. In this module, you will investigate extent of soil erosion in the
community and its effects on living things and the environment (S5FEIVb-2).

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. define soil erosion;
2. describe the effects of soil erosion in the community and its effects on
living things and the environment; and
3. suggest different ways to control soil erosion.

What I Know

A. Arrange the jumbled letters to form the word being described in each
item. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

MAILNSA 1. When they dig the ground, some rocks and soil particles
stick to their bodies and as they move from place to place,
they carry such particles, too.
AWTRE 2. As it flows, it transports rock and soil particles from one
place to another.

NUMHAS 3. Whenever we walk, the soil clings to our shoes, so the

soil gets transported from place to place.

DINW 4. As it blows, it carries light particles of rocks and soil

transporting and depositing them in another place.

OLPSE 5. It is an inclined surface of a land that affects the rate of

soil erosion.

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B. Write TRUE if the statement is correct or FALSE if not. Write your answers
on a separate sheet of paper.

1. The movement of rocks from one place to another is called erosion.

2. The faster the running water is, the slower the soil erosion would be.

3. A slope is a flat surface of land.

4. Landslide can be caused by water, wind, animals, and humans.

5. Sand dunes are ridges of sand formed by wind.

Investigating the Extent of Soil

Lesson Erosion in the Community and its
1 Effects on Living Things and the
Environment
In this lesson, the learners will understand the extent of soil erosion in
the community. It also explains how soil erosion in the community affects the
living things and the environment.

What’s In

A. Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answers on a

separate sheet of paper.

For numbers 1 and 2, refer to the following choices:

A. mineral C. soil
B. rock D. weathering
1. It is a natural solid material usually made up of one or more minerals.
2. These are what rocks made up of.
3. It is the breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces.
A. minerals C. soil erosion
B. rocks D. weathering
4. These are tiny pieces of rocks which are combined with water and remains
of animals and plants.
A. minerals C. rocks
B. pebbles D. soil
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5. Rocks have eroded away over time. Eroded means ____.
A. carried away C. stay still
B. fixed D. steady
B. Using the graphic organizer, list down the five agents of weathering.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Agents of
Weathering

What’s New

Study the picture below and answer the following questions.

1. What can you say about the downward movement of soil as shown in
the picture?
2. What do you think causes the downward movement of soil?
3. How does it affect us?
4. How can we lessen its harmful effects?

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 What is It

What is soil erosion and how does it affect us?

Soil erosion is the moving or carrying away of soil from one place to
another. It is a continuous process that gradually changes the natural
environment overtime (Sarte et al., 2016).

Agents of Soil Erosion

 Water
As water flows, it transports rock and soil particles
from one place to another. The speed of flowing water
affects the rate of soil erosion. The faster the water flows,
the faster and farther the erosion would be. Faster
movement of water can cause many sediments to be carried
away by the water (Sarte et al., 2016).

 Wind
As the wind blows, it carries light particles of rocks
and soil, transporting and depositing them in another
place. Strong winds carry the particles of soil in a distant
place. Wind erosion can take place in any area where the
soil is not compacted (Sarte et al., 2016).
 Animals
Animals also contribute to the transportation of
sediments. When burrowing animals dig the ground, some
rocks and soil particles stick to their bodies. As they move
from place to place, they carry such particles, too (Sarte et
al., 2016).

 Humans
Humans have a major contribution to the rate of soil
erosion in the environment. Whenever we walk, the soil
clings to our shoes, so the soil gets transported from place
to place. There are other human activities that can also
cause soil erosion: gardening, quarrying, mining, and house
and infrastructure constructions (Sarte et al., 2016).

 Slope of a Land
A slope is an inclined surface of a land. The slope of a land affects the
rate of soil erosion.

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Effects of Soil Erosion

Every natural process here on Earth, like soil erosion, affects both living
and non-living things. Soil erosion does not only shape Earth’s landforms, it
also affects the ecosystem as it happens abruptly.
Human activities such as deforestation, illegal logging, overgrazing, and
quarrying also aggravate the effects of soil erosion in the environment.

Effects of Soil Erosion on Landforms

Soil erosion can destroy large masses of land. It can also transform a
mountain to a hill or a plateau. Excessive deforestation, mining, and
conversion of mountains to residential or commercial lands could trigger
erosion that can be destructive to the environment (Sarte et al., 2016).

Effects of Soil Erosion on Living Things

Plants get most of its nutrients from the topsoil. The topsoil contains
the organic materials produced by dead plants and animals. However, this
topsoil is usually carried away by wind and water.
Too much soil erosion makes the soil unable to hold or absorb water.
This makes the soil dry, coarse, and eventually unfit for vegetation. In
addition, sediments that are washed away by water can clog irrigation
systems and can further inhibit the plant’s water supply.
The effect of soil erosion on plants would mean less food production.
This can affect animals and humans since plants are their main source of
food and nutrients.
Another negative effect of erosion is the prevalence of mine tailings.
Mine tailings are the mineral wastes or leftovers after the mining process.
Erosion brought about by water can wash mine tailings to nearby bodies of
water and pollute them (Sarte et al., 2016).

Ways to Control Soil Erosion

1. Natural Vegetation
The simplest and natural way of controlling soil
erosion is through natural vegetation, which is allowing
plants and trees grow naturally without human
interference.
Trees can also serve as windbreaks. A windbreak is
a row of trees planted in a straight path shielding and protecting plants and
crops from strong winds and gales. Windbreaks prevent strong wind to
directly blow the soil, thus lessening the soil erosion that takes place (Sarte
et al., 2016).

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2. Contour Plowing
This method is similar to terracing, but on a
smaller scale. Instead of planting crops in straight
vertical rows, crops are planted following the contour of
the landscape to slow down the flow of water that
prevents soil erosion (Larisma et al., 2017).
3. Strip Cropping
In this method, the plants are arranged in strips with
rows of the main crop alternated with rows of a cover
crop. The cover crop further helps to protect the soil from
erosion (Mariano et al., 2017).

3. Terracing
This type of farming method uses the topography of
the land to slow down the flow of water through a series
of terraces. This will control the water from flowing fast
which can wash the soil from the farm land (Larisma et
al., 2017).
4. Crop Rotation
Farmers use crop rotation not just to prevent pests
from destroying the plants but also to maintain the good
quality of the soil. Crop rotation refers to planting crops
in different spot of the year (Sarte et al., 2016).

5. Riprapping
Another way of controlling soil erosion is by building
ripraps or chunks of stones or rocks arranged on the
edge of slope. This arrangement of stones does not just
serve as a foundation but also a ridge to control soil
erosion (Sarte et al., 2016).

How Forest Helps in Controlling Soil Erosion

The forest canopy, the uppermost layer of the forest where most tree
branches and leaves are found, acts like an umbrella that lessens the impact
of rain on the forest floor. This also lessens the rate of soil erosion.
Since a lot of trees and plants grow in the forest, more root systems
hold the soil together. Roots of trees spread out underground and keep the
soil more intact. The more intact the soil is, the less prone it is to soil erosion
(Sarte et al., 2016).

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 What’s More

Activity 1
Given the pictures below, describe the effects of soil erosion. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. 3.

2. 4.

Activity 2

Draw a happy face  if the situation shows a good effect of soil erosion
or sad face  if not. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.

1. shaping of landforms
2. deposition of mine tailings
3. formation of soil
4. loss of soil fertility
5. clogging of irrigation canals
6. decrease in food production
7. pollution of water
8. inability of soil to hold water
9. change in appearance of mountains into hills
10. large masses becoming wonders of nature
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Activity 3
Match the items in column A with the items in column B. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper.

Column A Column B

1. It allows plants to grow naturally without A. trees

human interference. B. terracing
2. The farmers should plow across the slope to form C. riprapping
ridges instead of plowing up and down. D. windbreaks
3. It is the planting of different crops in strips E. crop rotation
alternately.
4. It involves planting on terraces or steps built F. deforestation
on slopes of mountainside. G. reforestation
5. It is the planting of crops on a different spot H. forest canopy
of each year.
6. It is the arrangement of chunks of stones or rocks I. strip cropping
on the edges of the slope. J. contour plowing
7. These living things prevent soil erosion as they K. natural vegetation
grow.
8. It is the process of replanting an area with trees.
9. It is a row of trees planted in a straight path.
10. It is the uppermost layer of the forest where
most tree branches and leaves are found.

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 What I Have Learned

Fill in each blank the correct words. Choose from the words inside the
box. Write your answers on separate sheet of paper.

animals contour plowing riprapping water human

erosion crop rotation terracing wind sediments

The movement of rock fragments and soil from one place to another is
called (1)_________________. Materials that are transported due to erosion are
called (2)_________________. Just like weathering, there are different agents of
soil erosion. These include (3) _________________, (4) _________________, (5)
_________________, and (6) _________________.

Soil erosion cannot be prevented, since this is naturally occurring in

the environment. However, there are practices that can help control soil
erosion and its harmful effects. The ways to control soil erosion are
(7) _____________________, (8) _____________________, (9) ___________________,
and (10) _____________________.

What I Can Do

Write the most effective way to reduce the effects of erosion in these places.
Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. newly harvested field
2. riverbanks
3. crop field on a slope
4. curved mountainside
5. shoreline

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 Assessment

Read each statement carefully and choose the letter of the correct
answer. Write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.
1. When is wind an agent of soil erosion?
A. when it presses down rocks
B. when it stops picking up rocks
C. when it breaks rocks into pieces
D. when it blows rock pieces to other places

2. Landslides on mountain slopes show the force of____________.

A. wind
B. runoff
C. gravity
D. running water

3. What makes the water muddy after a heavy rain?

A. the pebbles picked up by water
B. the animals playing on the ground
C. The soil and sand are mixed with water and carried by it
D. The goddess of rain makes muddy rain fall on the ground.

4. Which of the following shows that soil erosion is caused by animals?

A. Men are mining.
B. Hen is digging the soil.
C. Root of plants are growing.
D. Construction workers are building a housing project.

5. Which of the following is NOT a cause of soil erosion?

A. animals
B. people
C. sun
D. water

6. Which of these can occur due to soil erosion?

A. rain mud
B. pollute air
C. create acid rain
D. pollute water bodies

7. Which of the following can prevent soil erosion?

A. reforestation
B. deforestation
C. damming lakes
D. reducing air pollution
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8. What can occur in an area experiencing soil erosion?
A. The soil quality is reduced.
B. Water pollution is cleared up.
C. Vegetation is able to grow easily.
D. Crops are planted at an off-site location.

9. Which of the following is NOT an effect of soil erosion?

A. water pollution
B. reduced soil quality
C. decreased crop yield
D. improved water quality

10. Which of the following situations is MOST likely to lead to soil erosion?
A. adding vegetation to an area
B. excessive tilling of a farmer's field
C. lack of sun for three weeks in a row
D. an unusually long dry spell for an area

Additional Activities

At home, make a simulation of soil erosion in the community and record

your observation through a video or a picture.
Rubric for Simulation of Soil Erosion
Criteria 4 3 2 1
It covers all the topic It includes basic It includes The content
in depth with details knowledge about essential includes minor
and examples. The the topic. The information details and it has
Content
knowledge of the content seems to be about the topic several mistakes.
topic is excellent. good. but it has 1-2
mistakes.
The product shows The product shows The product The product uses
great originality. The certain originality. It uses ideas from ideas from other
ideas are creative and shows the use of other people but people without
Originality
witty. new ideas and of there is little quoting them.
shrewdness. evidence of
original ideas.
The overall quality of The overall quality The overall The overall
Videography the video/picture is of the video/picture quality of the quality of the
or picture very good. is good. video/picture is video/picture is
clarity slightly good. poor.

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 12
What I Know What’s In What's More
A. Activity 1
A.
1. B Possible answers:
1. ANIMALS 1. soil carried by water
2. A
2. WATER 2. shaping of landforms
3. D
3. HUMANS 3. dry and coarse soil
4. D
4. WIND 5. A 4. landslide
5. SLOPE B.
B. 1. water Activity 2
1. True 2. wind 1.  6. 
2. False 3. temperature 2.  7. 
3. False 4. plants 3.  8. 
4. True 5. animals 4.  9. 
5. True humans 5.  10. 
Activity 3
1. K 6. C
2. J 7. A
What I Can Do 3. I 8. G
4. B 9. D
1. crop rotation 5. E 10. H
What I have Learned 2. riprapping
3. terracing
1. erosion Assessment
4. contour plowing
2. sediments
5. riprapping
3-6 1. D
water 2. D
wind 3. C
human Additional Activities 4. B
animals 5. C
7-10 Answer may vary 6. D
contour plowing 7. A
terracing 8. A
crop rotation 9. D
riprapping 10. B
Answer Key