What Is Under Our
Feet?
TM
hands on science for elementary students
Welcome to MySci™
Students learn science best when they can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch for themselves.
Inquiry-based classrooms help students pose their own questions, explore the world around
them, and become invested in the answers that they discover.
The life and earth sciences are well suited for hands-on learning. Observations of living and
non-living things, measurements of size and weight, exercises in comparison and contrast, and
the development of classification systems all provide learning in science, as well as math and
literacy.
The MySci™ program gives early elementary students all over St. Louis the chance to study
science through inquiry. It provides curriculum and classroom kits in plants, animals, and
earth science. The program also includes a visit from the newly designed Investigation
Station, a roving vehicle of innovative exhibits and specimens which makes learning through
climbing, crawling, seeing, hearing, and smelling more exciting than ever. MySci™ is getting
an early start on recruiting the next generation of scientists.
MySci™’s approach to learning science helps students build creative and analytic skills.
5 E’s Learning Cycle
5 E’s Learning Cycle
The 5 E’s are an instructional model in which children construct their understanding of science
concepts over time.
ENGAGE
Get the students interested in what you are going to do. This could be a warm up activity,
brainstorming session, or demonstration.
EXPLORE
Students should spend time looking at, asking questions about, making predictions and or
participating with instruments, manipulatives, specimens, and objects to gather information
and resources, they could also construct a model.
EXPLAIN
This is a time of discussion; it may involve students with students, students with the teacher,
students with the Internet, students with writing. The students would compare, classify, and
conduct error analysis.
ELABORATE
At this stage you want your students to take the information they have gained and use it in
another way; they may create an illustration, a project, or a connection to self, the world, other
subjects.
EVALUATE
This can be done by the teacher with discussions, in test or quiz format, using rubrics to
analyze understanding; it may be in portfolio format, or production.
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5 E’s Learning Cycle
What the student does that is consistent with this model:
• Asks questions
• Explains answers and possible solutions to others
• Uses previous information to ask questions, make decisions, and design experiments
• Shows interest in topic
• Records observations and explanations
• Evaluates his/her progress and knowledge
• Tests predictions and hypotheses
• Asks related questions that would encourage further investigations
What the teacher does that is consistent with this model:
• Creates interest
• Generates curiosity
• Raises questions
• Asks for evidence and clarification from students
• Encourages students to explain concepts and definitions in their own words
• Encourages students to apply or extend the concepts and skills in new situations
• Assesses students’ skills and knowledge
• Observes the students as they apply new concepts and skills
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Meeting Missouri Grade Level Expectations
Meeting Missouri Grade Level Expectations
(Grades K–2)
Strand 1: Properties and Principles of Matter and Energy
Standard 1: Changes in properties and states of matter provide evidence of the atomic
theory of matter
Concept A: Objects, and the materials they are made of, have properties that can be used to describe and
classify them.
a. Describe physical properties of objects (i.e. size, shape, color, and weight by using the
senses, simple tools, (e.g. magnifiers, equal arm balances), and/or nonstandard
measures (eg. bigger/smaller; heavier/lighter)
b. Identify materials (i.e. cloth, paper, wood, rock, metal) that make up an object, and
some of the physical properties of the materials (e.g. Color, texture, shiny/ dull, odor,
sound, taste, flexibility)
c. Sort objects based on observable physical properties (e.g. size, material, color, shape, mass)
d. Classify objects as “one kind material” or a mixture
Strand 5: Processes and Interactions of the Earth’s Systems (Geosphere,
Atmosphere, and Hydrosphere)
Standard 1: Earth’s systems (geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere) have common
components and unique structures
Concept A: The Earth’s crust is composed of various materials including soil, minerals and rocks with
characteristic properties
a. Observe and describe the physical properties (e.g. odor, color, appearance, relative
grain size, texture, absorption of water) and different components (i.e. sand, clay,
humus) of soils
b. Observe and describe the physical properties of rocks (e.g. size, shape, color, presence
of fossils)
Standard 2: Earth’s systems (geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) interact with one
another as they undergo change by common processes
Concept A: The Earth’s materials and surface features are changed through a variety of external processes
a. Observe and recognize examples of slow changes in the Earth’s surface and surface
materials (e.g., rock, soil layers) due to processes such as decay (rotting), freezing,
thawing, breaking, or wearing away by running water or wind
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Meeting Missouri Grade Level Expectations
Strand 7: Scientific Inquiry
Standard 1: Science understanding is developed through the use of science process skills,
scientific knowledge, scientific investigation, reasoning, and critical thinking.
Concept A: Scientific inquiry includes the ability of students to formulate a testable question and
explanation, and to select appropriate investigative methods in order to obtain evidence relevant to the
explanation.
a. Pose questions about objects, materials, organisms and events in the environment
b. Conduct a simple investigation (fair test) to answer a question
Concept B: Scientific Inquiry relies upon gathering evidence from qualitative and quantitative
observations.
a. Make qualitative observations using the five senses
b. Make observations using simple tools and equipment (e.g. magnifiers/hand lenses,
magnets, equal arm balances, thermometers
Concept C: Evidence is used to formulate explanations.
a. Use observations as support for reasonable explanations
b. Use observations to describe relationships and patterns and to make predictions to be
tested
Concept D: Scientific inquiry includes evaluation of explanations (hypotheses, laws, theories) in light
of scientific principles (understandings).
a. Compare explanations with prior knowledge
Concept E: The nature of science relies upon communication of results and justification of explanations
a. Communicate observations using words, pictures, and numbers
b. Communicate simple procedures and results of investigations and explanations
through: graphs, writings, data tables, oral presentations
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Assessing Students’ Work
Assessing Student Work
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
•
Observe and describe the physical properties of soils.
•
Observe and describe the different components of soils.
•
Observe and describe the physical properties of rocks.
•
Describe ways humans use Earth’s materials in daily life.
•
Describe ways to separate components of a mixture by their physical properties.
Assessment
Each MySci™ curriculum unit is built around key questions that motivate students’
exploration of their natural world. As students investigate questions about the earth, the
MySci™ curriculum offers multiple ways of assessing student learning. These include:
MySci™ Journal folder
A MySci™ Journal folder is provided for students to collect their observations and descriptions
of objects and phenomena related to the earth. If students record what they do and learn
consistently, then the MySci™ Journal folder can provide valuable insight into their
understanding. It serves as an important documentation of a conversation among students,
their teacher, and the world around them.
Assessment within lessons
Some lessons include activity sheets that may be used for individual student assessments.
Other lessons are structured so that teachers may assess student understanding by observing
performance during the lesson itself. A third group of lessons will result in student-produced
portfolio items such as writing, pictures, or other projects, and these may be assessed. All of
these instruments, when used consistently and in concert with a teacher’s favored assessment
strategies, can help the teacher know and describe how the student’s understanding of earth
science has grown and changed as a result of their MySci™ experience.
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Background Information:
Soils, Caves, Rocks
Background Information
Soils
“Dirt is what you find under your fingernails. Soil is what you find under your feet.” (http://
school.discovery.com/schooladventures/soil/down_dirty.html)
The critical component of soil that is missing from dirt is the “living” piece. Living things live
in the soil and at the same time create the soil. Soil is significantly more than dirt and rock
pieces.
Soils are as diverse as the many locations in which they can be found. Rainforest soils are not
like soils from the grasslands; they are not even like the soils from other kinds of forests. Soils
are the product of the physical, chemical, and biological actions that go on within and around
them. Depending on the relationships of the three components, the soil in any given place will
have its own identity.
From the surface to the bedrock, the layers, or horizons, of soil have a fairly consistent pattern
called the soil profile.
Soil Profile
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Background Information
•
At ground level, plants and animals live and grow. Plants provide a protective cover that
moderates the temperature of the soil and preserves moisture. In this layer decomposers
recycle organic materials like plant and leaf litter and dead animals into humus.
•
The topsoil layer is similar to the surface layer but more concentrated with organic
material. The richness of this organic material helps to make it the site of healthy plant
growth. Decomposers are active in this layer as well.
•
In the subsoil layer, there are many mineral nutrients that have washed down from the
layers above. There is very little organic material in this layer, but plants send their roots
to this level in search of those nutrients.
•
In the next layer there is only weathered parent material. There is no organic material in
this layer, only rock particles weathered from the materials above and minerals. These
rock particles may or may not resemble the rock in the lowest layer, the bedrock.
•
Bedrock is solid rock formed before the material above it. Only when this material is
raised up by internal earth forces or exposed by erosion, will the process of soil production
begin again.
There are some common basic ingredients in soils and they include sand, clay, and humus.
Each of these adds its own character to the soil, based on its amount in relation to the other
two. (E.g. if there is more sand in the soil, it will feel grittier. If there is more humus, it may
have a stronger smell, etc.)
Sand can be of different particle size and, depending on how much of it there is in the sample,
it can make the sample feel more or less gritty. If the particles are small or there aren’t too
many, students may not even realize it is present. But if there is more or the particles are
larger, the students should be able to feel it with their fingers and see it with the magnifier.
Humus is what’s left of anything that may once have been living (e.g. plant material, remains
of small invertebrates, insect casings, etc.).
Clay is the “glue” in soil, especially when it is moist or wet. It holds things together.
Absorption is a function of porosity, which is dependent upon the size of the spaces between
the particles in the sample. Sand particles are the largest and therefore have the biggest spaces
between then. Clay particles are just the opposite; they have the smallest spaces between
particles. Humus is somewhere in between sand and clay. The spaces between sand particles
allow for very little absorption; the water typically flows through easily. Clay absorbs water,
but the spaces fill up quickly, and water flows through very slowly; clay absorbs the water and
holds it in place. Humus allows for the most absorption.
Erosion is the process by which soil is moved from one place to another. Erosion can be a very
destructive process especially in areas where good soil is essential for money crops. The
agents of erosion are water, wind, and ice. (In this unit we will be observing what water can
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Background Information
do to soil.)
The degree and extent of erosion depends on a number of different factors:
1. The amount of water
2. The kinds of material in the water
3. The slope of the ground over which the water is flowing
4. Whether there is any protective plant cover
When water moves unimpeded over soil it can do great damage, carrying away the loose
material and leaving behind rocks, gravel, and other heavier materials. If there is a steeper
slope to the land, or if there is more water, the damage is magnified. One ingredient that can
minimize erosion is vegetation. The roots of plants, sunk deep into the soil, act as anchors,
holding the soil in place.
Soils form from different parent materials, one of which is bedrock. When rocks are exposed
at the earth’s surface, weathering begins. Rocks are altered physically and chemically. They
are transported by wind and water to new destinations. These processes go on continuously
until the rock particles are no longer recognizable as rocks and have taken on the appearance
of soil.
Caves
Caves formed in limestone are called solution caves. After a rain, water seeps into cracks and
pores of soil and rock and percolates beneath the land surface. In time, this water reaches an
area where the pores and cracks are already full of water. (The upper surface of this water
filled area is called the water table.) Because the rainwater has chemically combined with
carbon dioxide in its movement downward, if forms a weak carbonic acid solution that slowly
dissolves calcite in the limestone, forming larger cavities and passageways. Eventually, when
the water table lowers, spaces are left open to the air and speleothems (stalagmites and
stalactites) start to form.
Speleothems, sometimes referred to as formations or decorations, are cave features formed by
the deposition of minerals. The word speleothem is derived from the Greek words spelaion
meaning “cave” and thema meaning “deposit.” The speleothems with which most people are
familiar are stalactites and stalagmites. Stalactites grow down from the cave ceiling, while
stalagmites grow up from the cave floor. It’s easy to remember which is which: stalactites
have a “t” for top and stalagmites have a “g” for ground.
Speleothems actually form because of water. As rainwater passes through organic material, it
picks up carbon dioxide gas, creating carbonic acid. This weak acid passes through joints and
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Background Information
cracks in the limestone. The mineral calcite is dissolved from the limestone rock. When this
water that now holds dissolved rock is exposed to air in a cave, it releases carbon dioxide gas,
much like when a bottle of soda is opened. As the carbon dioxide is released, calcite is
precipitated (redeposited) on cave walls, ceilings, and floors. As the redeposited minerals
build up after countless water drops, a stalactite is formed. If the water that drops to the floor
of the cave still has some dissolved calcite in it, it can deposit more calcite there, forming a
stalagmite.
Speleothems form at varying rates as minerals build up. Several factors can determine the rate
of growth. Two important factors are the temperature outside (which affects the rate of decay
of plants and animals, hence the amount of carbon dioxide in the soil), and the amount of
rainfall. The shapes of speleothems are determined by how acidic water enters the cave (by
dripping, seeping, or splashing) and how the water stands or flows after entering the cave.
USGS
Rocks
Rocks are a constant mystery and source of curiosity for children. The simplest, most
nondescript piece of gravel is spied, grabbed, admired, and carried home to a special place.
Although the manner in which rock groups are formed would be very complex for a young
child, there are some pieces of the puzzle they can put together.
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Background Information
No matter where we live on Earth, rock is under our feet. Rock can be found under country
and city roads. Underneath every ocean, river, stream, and lake, you will find rock.
Rocks are the building blocks of the Earth. They make up the crust, mantle, and the core. But
unlike minerals, rocks are not the same all the way through. Although some rocks are made
up of mainly one type of mineral, most rocks are made up of several major minerals, as well as
a few minor ones.
There are several types of rock. Igneous rocks are formed from melted rocks that have cooled
and solidified. Sedimentary rocks are formed at the surface of the Earth when a layer of sand,
mud, or other debris becomes compacted and cemented together. When sedimentary and
igneous rock are subjected to extreme heat and pressure deep within the earth, they become
metamorphic rock.
Sand is any earth material of loose grains of minerals or rocks larger than silt but smaller than
gravel. (Geologists measure sand by shaking it through a very fine wire screen or mesh.)
Most sand grains come from solid rocks that have crumbled away as the rock breaks down
from the forces of water, air, ocean waves, and frost.
Geologists find many types of minerals in sand, but the most common are basalt grains from
volcanic activity. By carefully examining the composition, size, rounding, surface texture, and
kind of organic material present, we can make an interpretation as to the depositional
environment of the sand, how far it has traveled, and its ultimate source area.
Sand is used to make chemicals and glass. It is also used in mortar and concrete.
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Background Information
Vocabulary Terms
Absorption: the act of being soaked up
Bedrock: solid rock present beneath any soil, sediment or other surface cover—in some
locations it may be exposed at Earth's surface
Cave: A naturally formed opening beneath the surface of the Earth, generally formed by
dissolution of carbonate bedrock
Clay: An extremely fine-grained (< 1/256 mm) natural earthy material composed primarily of
hydrous aluminum silicates
Erosion: The group of physical and chemical processes by which earth or rock material is
loosened or dissolved and removed from any part of the Earth’s surface. It includes the
processes of weathering, solution, corrosion, and transportation
Geologist: A scientist who studies rocks. Geologists use many tools to observe and classify rocks
Humus: Dark-colored, organic, well-decomposed soil material consisting of the residues of
plant and animal materials together with synthesized cell substances of soil organisms and
various inorganic elements
Igneous Rock: A rock or mineral that solidified from molten or partly molten material
Metamorphic Rock: A rock formed when the minerals, textures and composition of rock is
altered by exposure to heat, pressure and chemical actions
Parent Material: The source from which a given soil is chiefly derived, generally consisting of
bedrock or sediment
Property: A physical or chemical characteristic of a material
Sand: a loose granular material resulting from the disintegration of rock, commonly
composed of the mineral quartz
Sedimentary Rock: A rock formed from the accumulation and consolidation of sediment in
layered deposits
Soil: Superficial material that forms at the earth’s surface as a result of organic and inorganic processes
Speleothems: A mineral deposit of calcium carbonate that precipitates from solution in a cave
Stalactite: Icicle-shaped accumulation of dripstone hanging from cave roof
Stalagmite: Post of dripstone growing upward from cave floor
Subsoil: the stratum of weathered material that underlies the topsoil, there is very little
organic material in this layer
Topsoil: the stratum of soil rich in organic material that directly underlies the ground level
Water table: A level beneath the Earth's surface, below which all pore spaces are filled with
water and above which the pore spaces are filled with air
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Supplies You Will Need for this Unit
Supplies You Will Need for this Unit
Lesson
Activity
Kit Materials
Teacher Provided
Materials
1. What Is in
Soil?
A. How Does Soil
Look, Feel, and
Smell?
Sandwich size plastic bags
Small plastic spoons
Wooden popsicle sticks
Sieve
Paper plates
Hand lenses
Soil sample bag
Trough
Soil by Robin Nelson (book)
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Copies of MySci™ Activity
Sheet 1A
B. How Are Soils
Alike and
Different?
Plastic spoon
Hand lenses
1 bag of each: sand, clay, humus
Compartment trays
Snack size plastic bags
Paper plates (dessert and large)
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Glue sticks
Student soils from home
Plastic cups
Bags of soil sample
Samples of sand, clay, and humus
Plastic spoon
Eyedroppers
Popsicle sticks
Small paper cups
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Water
Plastic container
Paper towels
2. What
A. What Happens
Happens
to Water in Soil?
When Soil Gets
Wet?
B. How Can Water Modeling clay
Sugar cubes
Make a Cave?
Toothpicks
Clear plastic cups
Eyedroppers
Food coloring
Spray bottles
Cave diagram
Cave video
Pictures of cave formations
Cave brochures
Caves and Caverns by Gail Gibbons
(book)
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Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Water
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Supplies You Will Need for this Unit
Lesson
Activity
Kit Materials
3. How Are
A. What Properties Small plastic bags
Mini rock collection
Soils and
Do Rocks and
Let’s Go Rock Collecting by Roma
Rocks Related? Minerals Have?
Gans (book)
4. Why Are
Soils and
Rocks
Important?
Teacher Provided
Materials
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Copies of MySci™ Activity
Sheet 3A
B. How Do Rocks
Make Soil?
Sieves
Hand lenses
Pumice and sandpaper
Sandstone and small jars
Soil sample bags that contain small
rocks
Paper plate
Rock by Robin Nelson (book)
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Water
Newspaper
White paper
A. What Type of
Soils Grow Plants
the Best?
Pictures of plants
Sand, clay, and humus
Small paper cups
Bean seeds
Rulers
Plastic spoons
Spray bottle
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Water
B. How Are Rocks
Used?
Pictures of rocks and minerals
Earth big book
Copies of MySci™ Journal
pages
Copies of MySci™ Activity
Sheet 4B
Modeling clay (optional)
NOTE TO TEACHER: You will need MySci™ Journal folders provided in kits, as
well as crayons, markers, and pencils for every activity.
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