Elementary Science

Science Focus Lesson SC.4.E.6.4Weathering and Erosion

Polk County Public Schools

SC.4.E.6.4Benchmark: Describe the basic differences

between physical weathering and erosion

Essential Question:How does weathering and erosion

affect the Earth's surface?

Vocabulary:weatheringerosionsediments

Weathering and ErosionMany of the changes to

Earth’s surface happen so slowly that they are barely noticeable.

Water and bits of rock rushing down stream causing pieces of the surrounding land to break off and move down stream.

It took the Colorado River six million years to carve out the Grand Canyon pictured on the right.

Earth’s surface is exposed to water, wind, ice and growing plants. Each of these can break down rocks into smaller pieces. This breaking down of rock is called weathering.

Weathering

How does water cause weathering?Moving water can

carry bits of sand and rock that chip away at other rocks.

Water can dissolve the minerals that make up rocks. Minerals in rocks dissolve at different rates. This can cause caverns to form.

How does wind cause weathering?Wind contains

sand that scrapes against rocks and wears it away.

How does ice cause weathering?When water gets

into the cracks of rocks it can freeze and expand. The expanding water can break a rock into pieces.

How do plants cause weathering?Roots can get into

the cracks of rocks. These roots spread out inside the cracks causing the rock to break apart.

SummarizingDraw this

graphic organizer in your science notebook. Fill in each bubble.

Define Weatheri

ng

Name one weatherin

g agent

Name one weatherin

g agent

Name one weatherin

g agent

Name one weatherin

g agent

Guided PracticeTalk to your shoulder partner about the

answer to each question. Check your work.Frost wedging is a type of weathering that occurs in many northern states during the early springtime. Which best describes how frost wedging weathers rocks?

A. Water freezes and puts pressure on the rocks underneath it.

B. Water collects in the crack of a rock and expands when it freezes. 

C. Frozen water is absorbed by rock layers and warms too quickly as it thaws.

D. Water freezes and forms a glacier that scrapes and drags rocks with it as it moves.

The answer is BWeathering is breaking larger rocks into smaller pieces. As ice freezes, it takes up more space than it originally needed. As it expands, it pushes on the rock and breaks pieces away!

Guided PracticeTalk to your shoulder partner about the

answer to each question. Check your work.Alisha is trying to compare physical weathering to things she might do around her house.

A. piling up dirty clothesB. raking up a pile of leavesC. washing dirt off a drivewayD. peeling the layers of an onion

The answer is DWeathering is breaking larger rocks into smaller pieces. Each layer of the onion is a smaller piece of the whole onion. The other examples are talking about moving pieces to another place.

ErosionErosion is the

movement of weathered materials by water, wind, or ice.

Erosion moves sediments to new locations.

Erosion can be a very fast or very slow process.

What causes erosion?Erosion is the

movement of weathered material to a new location.

Moving water, wind or ice can cause broken down rock to be carried to a new location.

Gravity can also cause erosion in the form of landslides.

Summarizing1. Turn to your shoulder partner.2. Partner A define weathering.3. Partner B define erosion.4. Partner A explain why weathering

must occur before erosion can take place.

5. Partner B paraphrase why weathering occurs before erosion can take place.

Guided PracticeTalk to your shoulder partner about the

answer to each question. Check your work.Dry, loose materials are easily eroded by the wind. Where would the most wind erosion occur?

A. along a sandy beachB. in a forestC.along a rocky beachD. in a rocky canyon

The answer is AA sandy beach has small weathered particles (sand) which are easily moved by wind. There is also nothing blocking the wind on a beach so it blows very steadily!

Guided Practice

What is the best explanation of the unusual rock formation shown in the photograph?

A. Water erosion carried rock particles to a new location

B. Rocks are made of a mixture of minerals which weather at different rates

C.Plant roots caused the rock to break apartD.The rock formed this way

The answer is BErosion does not wear away rock. Weathering happens at different rates depending on the hardness of the mineral. Rocks are a mixture of minerals so one part of a rock might weather faster than another part.

SummarizingPass a piece of paper around the

table. Each group member adds a detail that answers the question. Keep the paper moving until time is called- see how many ideas your group can generate!

Essential Question:How does weathering and erosion affect the Earth's surface?

Check Your UnderstandingNumber your paper from 1-3, select

the answers that you think are correct

1. Which of the following is an example of erosion?

a. A crack in a rockb. Plant roots growing through a rockc. A landslided. Water dissolving rock

Check Your Understanding2. What is the best explanation of

what might cause a beach to erode?a. Plant rootsb. Rainc. Wavesd. Ice

Check Your Understanding3. Which change in the Earth’s

surface is an example of weathering?

a. A mountain range becomes worn down over time

b. A rock slide occurs on a steep mountain

c. Small pebbles are carried along by a river current

d. A sand dune grows larger from blowing sand

Check Your Answers1. C 2. C3. A

In your science journal compare and contrast weathering and erosion.

Summary Question