Give your students an unforgettable experience with this hands-on science investigation focused on soil erosion and deposition! Designed for 4th grade classrooms, this engaging station encourages students to observe, test, and analyze how water and slope affect the movement of soil.

Aligned with NGSS 4-ESS2-1, this resource builds essential skills in scientific inquiry, data collection, and evidence-based conclusions through an easy-to-set-up classroom experiment.

🔬 Skills Covered:

• Investigating effects of water and slope on erosion
• Identifying deposition patterns
• Recording observations and data
• Forming and revising evidence-based explanations
• Applying scientific vocabulary in context
• Following multi-step experimental procedures

📦 What’s Included:

• 4-page student text
• Step-by-step experiment instructions
• Materials list and setup guidance
• Vocabulary support and guiding questions
• Student response pages (observations, diagrams, conclusions)
• Answer key and teacher notes for easy prep
• Ideal for print & use in a science station, small group, or whole-class demo

💡 Ways to Use in the Classroom:

• Science station rotation
• Small group lab or guided experiment
• Whole-class demonstration
• Extension for NGSS 4-ESS2-1
• Assessment of science practices and content knowledge

✅ Why Teachers Love It:

• Engages students in authentic scientific inquiry
• Reinforces earth science concepts with real-world relevance
• Provides clear structure and support for independent or partner work
• Saves prep time with ready-to-go materials
• Fosters critical thinking and observation skills

Empower your students to become scientists with this hands-on, standards-aligned erosion and deposition activity! 🌍🔎

This INVESTIGATE station is also available in a larger bundle of 8 stations at a discount.

Weathering & Earth Materials & Systems, Biogeology Fourth Grade Next Generation Science Stations include 12 different science stations where students deepen their understanding of how the weathering and erosion change the Earth’s surface. The focus is on 4-ESS1.A and 4-ESS2.E. Concepts include weathering, erosion, how landforms are created, rock formations, river erosion and deposition, the effect of vegetation on soil erosion, glaciers, physical and chemical weathering, forces that cause changes on earth as well as animals and plants that weather the Earth.

By working through this set of mega-stations, students will gain a robust understanding of weathering and erosion and how it has changed our Earth over time. Every Station in this set meets the Crosscutting Concept: Cause and Effect. “Cause and effect relationships are routinely identified, tested, and used to explain change.” Each Station addresses how weathering and/or erosion cause the Earth to change.

TERMS OF USE

Copyright © What I Have Learned, Jessica Boschen

Permission to copy for single classroom or homeschool family use only.

This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view.

Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.