4th Grade “Rocks”

How does weathering and erosion affect rocks? This question was investigated by our 4th graders in their Rock Cycle Unit. Hands-on experiments bring learning to life and keep students engaged in the learning process. To answer this question, students took sugar cubes, placed them in a jar, and shook the jar 200 times. These shakes represented the weathering and erosion process, much like a rock tumbling down a mountain. What does a sugar cube that has been shaken 200 times look like? 4th grader predictions included: the sugar cube turning into dust, a much smaller sugar cube, and small pieces of a sugar cube. After the experiment we learned the truth: they turn round! 4th graders learned that most rocks we encounter are smooth because of the weathering and erosion process.