Lesson
Activity
(For
printable directions to this exercise, click here)
Exercise
2: Layer upon Layer
(The
teacher will need to prepare the clay layers before the lesson. For preparation
instructions, click here.)
1. Each group or student should have a plastic straw (with a large diameter) and a single edge razor (or exact-o knife or small, sharp scissors).
2. Make a hypothesis about the different layers of clay. What will the layers look like? What do you think you will find? You may draw your hypothesis on a journal page.
3. Each student or one person from each group should take a core sample of the clay layers with the straw. (Stick the straw straight down into the clay layers and pull up. The clay layers should be captured by the tube, giving you a core sample.) Using the razor or knife, carefully cut away the straw from the clay. You will be left with a long, round core sample of the different layers.
4. Draw the layers that you see. What is different about the layers? Which one was laid down first? Which one is newest?
5. The student or groups may compare samples from different parts of the clay layers. Is the clay the same throughout? Have students share what they see/found in their core samples.
