Connect & Explore - Slow Changes to Earth's Surface

bluff eroded by waves

Activities

  • Exploration Stations

    • wind erosion
    • weathering
    • deposition

    At each station ask yourself the questions. Answer and/or formulate responses to the three questions at your station. Record your thoughts.    

    • What do you SEE? 
    • What do you THINK?  
    • What does it make you WONDER? 

    Wrap Up Gather questions from each table and generate discussion leading to researchable questions.

    • Thin questions - These questions can often be answered quickly. These questions usually start with When? Where? Who? How many?  We call these THIN questions because they don’t have a lot of meat to the answers.
    • Thick questions - These questions take a little more effort and research to answer. You will often have to look in more than one resource to find a full answer. They can start with “Why do you think? What if? How would you feel? What might?.  We call these THICK questions because they have more meat and filling to them.
    • Help students determine which of their wonderings and questions are more researchable, and connect with the essential question how does wind, water, and ice cause change?
Phase: Connect & Explore

  • This phase is intended to:

    Connect students to the topic and spark their interest in learning more.

    Key ideas:

    • Activate background knowledge
    • Build curiosity
    • Allow time for further topic exploration independently or in small groups
    • Begin questioning

Station Resources

  • Station visuals and task cards 

    Individual note-taking option

    Cover each table with large paper for students to take notes right there on the table

    Allow students 10-15 minutes per station

    Each station includes a hands-on activity, images with captions (QR code link), and note-taking

    Optional BrainPop videos can be used:

    • deposition - use "Glaciers" video
    • wind erosion - use "Erosion" video
    • weathering - use "Weathering" video

    Thick and Think Questions poster