ACMP ©2006-2008 UAF Geophysical Institute A-1 Vanishing Coast: Erosion

Vanishing Coast: Erosion

Overview:Students learn about erosion by observing two classroom demonstrations and listening to an Elder share local history.

Objectives:The student will:• identifyerosionfromaseriesofpictures;• listenrespectfullytoanElder;and• relateinformationfromastory.

Materials:• Plasticbottle,1-literorlarger• Beaker• Aluminumroastingpan• Soil• Water• 2Styrofoam™cups• MapofAlaska• STUDENTWORKSHEET:“Erosion”(LevelI)• STUDENTWORKSHEET:“Erosion”(LevelII)

WholePicture:Alongtimeago,peopleonAlaska’scoast lived indifferentplacesdependingontheseason.Theywouldhavedifferentcampsalongthecoastlinethatweregoodspotstocatchfish,seals,walrus,orwhales.Whentheyweredonefishing,theywouldmove,oftentoamoreshelteredareaawayfromtheocean.Nottoolongago,mostvillagersdecidedtoliveinoneplace,wherestores,postoffices,andschoolswerelocated.Someofthesevillageswereonthesitesofoldcamps,oftenrightnexttothewater.InplaceslikeShishmaref,thevillageswerebuiltonislandsmadeofsand,sometimeswithacoreoffrozensandandice.Whenhighwindsfromstormswhipuptheocean,bigwavescancrashintotheshoreandeatsomeofthesandyshorelineandthawthefrozengroundunderneath.InShish-maref,thishascausedsomehousestotipintotheocean(whennobodywasinside).ThevillagersofShishmarefandothervillagesarenowthinkingofmovingtoplacesfartherawayfromtheocean,butitwillbeexpensiveforthemtomove.Somethinkthatstormshittheirvillagesworsenow,becausetheseaiceformslaterintheyearandmeltsearlierthanitusedto.

GLEsAddressed:Science• [3-4]SA1.1Thestudentdemonstratesanunderstandingoftheprocessesofsciencebyaskingquestions,predicting,observing,describing,measuring,classifying,makinggeneralizations,inferring,andcommunicating.

• [3]SA2.1Thestudentdemonstratesanunderstandingoftheattitudesandapproachestoscien-tificinquirybyanswering“howdoyouknow?”questionswithreasonableanswers.

• [4]SA2.1Thestudentdemonstratesanunderstandingoftheattitudesandapproachestoscien-tificinquirybysupportingthestudent’sownideaswithobservationsandpeerreview.

• [4]SD2.1ThestudentdemonstratesanunderstandingoftheforcesthatshapeEarthbyobserv-

I-II

Levels

Grades K-4

ACMP ©2006-2008 UAF Geophysical Institute A-2 Vanishing Coast: Erosion

ingmodelsofhowwaves,wind,water,andiceshapeandreshapetheEarth’ssurfacebyerodingrockandsoil.

Vocabulary:erosion-theprocessofwearingawaybytheactionofwater,wind,orglacialice

Teacher’s Note: CoastalerosionisaffectingAlaska’scoasts,arearesidents,structures,andwildlife.AwarmingArcticisimpactingtherateoferosionalongAlaska’scoast.Seaice,whichonceprotectedthecoastsfromfallstorms,islesspresentinthefallmonthsthanitoncewas.Withouttheice,thewavescrashdirectlyontothebeach,increasingerosion.Severalcoastalcommunitieshaveusedseawallsandotherman-madebarriers toholdbackerosion,however, thesemeasuresserveonlyastemporary measures since wind and waves wear away at these barriers as well as the coasts them-selves.

Activity Preparation:1. Invite a local Elder to visit the classroom and share with students how the coastline has changed

physically in their memory.

2. PreparesnacksandbeveragesfortheElderandmakesureheorshehasadequatetransportationtoandfromtheclassroom.

3. Laytheplasticbottleonitssideandcutasectionfromitsothatitformsatrough.Fillthebottomofthebottlewithsoil.

4. PunchseveralholesinthebottomofoneoftheStyrofoamcupsandfillthe other one with water.

5. Fillonesideoftheroastingpanwithsoilorsand.

Activity Procedure:1. ShowstudentsamapofAlaska.Ifnecessary,explainthatthebluepartsof

themaparewater(ocean, lakes, rivers, etc.)andtheothercolorsrepre-sent land.

2. Explainthateachdotonthemaprepresentsacity.Askstudentshowmanypeoplelivebytheocean.ExplainthatmostofAlaska’sresidentsliveneartheoceanandrelyontheoceanforfoodandothermaterials.

3. Askforastudentvolunteer.Holdthebottleatanangle(lessthan45°)sothat the spout is facingdownward.Placeabeakerat thebottomof thespouttocatchrunoff.Makesurethecapisoff.

4. Instructthestudenttopourwaterslowlyintothebottleforseveralminutes.Thestudentwillneedtopositionthecupwithholesoverthebottle,thenpourthewaterintothecup.Afterthebeakerishalffullwithwater,stopandaskstudentswhathappened.

5. Askstudentsifthesoilwashedoffwiththewater.(yes)Howcantheytell?(The water should be dark-ened from the soil.)

6. Askstudentsiftheyknowwhaterosionis.ExplainthaterosionistheremovalofdirtandsoilfromEarth’ssurfacebywaterandwind.Erosionatthecoastisthemostdramatic,changingthebeachevery day.

7. Explainthaterosionalongthecoastwearsawaythebeach.Aswaterwashesagainstthebeachitslowlyerodes,orwearsaway,thebeach,changingthecoastline.Seaicehasprotectedthebeach

ACMP©2006-2008UAFGeophysicalInstitute A-3 VanishingCoast:Erosion

frommuchofthiserosion.However,seaicealongthecoastisappearinglessandlesseachyear,resulting in more and more erosion.

8. Remind students that this process of soil washingaway with water is called erosion and that water erodesthebeachwiththeactionofthewaves.

9. Placethealuminumroastingpanfilledwithdirtinacentral location so that all students can watch the demonstration.Pourafewinchesofwaterintheop-positesideofthepan.

10. Tilt thepanbackand forthso that thewater formssmallwavesagainstthesoil.Askstudentsifthesoilerodes(it may or may not).Continuetiltingthepan,butfaster,sothatthewavessplashfasteragainstthesoil.Askstudentstodescribewhatchanged.Didthesoilerodefasterormorethanthefirsttime?(yes)Asaclass,discussthedifference.

11. WelcomeandintroducetheEldertotheclassroom.Explainthatstudentsarelearningabouterosion.InvitetheEldertosharestoriesofhowthecoastshavechangedasaresultoferosions,storms,andhuman activity.

12. ThanktheElderforhisorhertime.

13. AskstudentstorecallsomeofthethingsthattheEldertoldthemabout.Liststudentideasontheboard.

14. DistributetheSTUDENTWORKSHEET:“Erosion”andassiststudentsasnecessary.AskLevelIstu-dents to dictate their answers to Question 2 to an older student or classroom aide.

Answers:

STUDENT WORKSHEET: “Erosion” (Level I)

1. B(seepictureatright)

2. Answers will vary.

STUDENT WORKSHEET: “Erosion” (Level II)

1. A)removalofsoilandsandfromEarthssurfacebywaterandwind

2. B(seepictureatright)

3. Answerswillvary.

ACMP©2006-2008UAFGeophysicalInstitute A-4 VanishingCoast:Erosion

ErosionStudent Worksheet

1. Circle the picture that shows erosion.

A. B.

C. D.

2. What is one thing that the Elder said changed along the coast?

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Name:_______________________

I

Level

ACMP ©2006-2008 UAF Geophysical Institute A-5 Vanishing Coast: Erosion

1. What is erosion?A. removal of soil and sand from the Earth’s surface by water

and windB. rain and stormsC. using machines to dig a ditch

2. Circle the set of pictures that shows erosion.

A. B.

C.

3. Describe one thing the Elder said changed along the coast.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

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ErosionStudent Worksheet

Name:_______________________

II

Level