Georgia S3E1.c
The Standard
Make observations of the local environment to construct an explanation of how water and/or wind have made changes to soil and/or rocks over time.
Georgia Standards of Excellence for Science · Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about the physical attributes of rocks and soils.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students observe nearby soil and rocks for clues such as channels, sediment piles, exposed roots, and worn surfaces. They use those clues to explain how moving water or air caused changes over time.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students record clear observations and connect them to a cause. They explain that repeated wind or water movement can slowly wear rock, remove soil, and deposit material elsewhere.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think all changes happen during one storm or that wind cannot move soil. They may also confuse direct observations with guesses about what happened.
How to Assess It
- Show a photo of soil below a downspout. Ask students to name two visible clues and explain how the changes likely happened over time.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Take a schoolyard walk with hand lenses and rulers, then sketch channels, sediment piles, exposed roots, and worn rock surfaces.
Use the prompt, “What changed here, what caused it, and which two observations support your explanation?”
Sort photo cards into water, wind, both, or unclear, then defend each choice with one visible clue.
Inspect soil below a gutter downspout and beside a wall, then explain why the two spots look different.
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Printable S3E1.c Worksheet
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Related Standards
- SKE2.a
Ask questions to identify and describe earth materials—soil, rocks, water, and air.
- SKE2.c
Use tools to observe and record physical attributes of soil such as texture and color.
- S6E5.e
Develop a model to demonstrate how natural processes (weathering, erosion, and deposition) and human activity change rocks and the surface of the Earth.
- SKE2
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to describe the physical attributes of earth materials (soil, rocks, water, and air).
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