
Soil Erosion, Turf, and Levee Construction
Medium
Does grass-covered soil wash away as easily as loose dirt? You set up a tilted board at a 45-degree angle and place loose soil on one side and a piece of turf on the other. Then you blow on both samples with a straw to test wind erosion. Next you pour water over both to test water erosion.
You also build a small levee from sand-filled bags and see if it can hold back a pitcher of water poured down the board.
Before all of that, you examine a real soil sample with a hand lens to find the different populations (groups of organisms) living inside it. This project connects what lives in soil to what holds it together.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that soil contains many different populations and that less erosion occurs in areas where turf exists.
Method & Materials
You will analyze the soil using a hand lens, observe water and wind erosion, and construct a levee flood control technique.
You will need a soil sample, water and wind erosion materials, and levee construction materials.
Results
After completing this project, students will understand that soil contains many different populations, less erosion occurs in areas where turf exists, and when levee construction is needed and how levees are built. The observation that stands out is that water and wind erosion can be observed in different soil samples.
Why do this project?
This science project is so interesting and unique because it allows students to explore the fascinating world of soil and observe the effects of water and wind erosion.
Also Consider
Experiment variations to consider include testing different types of soil samples and observing the effects of different amounts of water and wind erosion.
Full project details
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