In this elementary science fair project we are going to find out what can be done to prevent soil erosion. I think we all know that soil erosion is a very big problem all over the world.
Here are some of the Scary Facts:
Did you know that the worlds’ deserts grows by about 16 000square miles a year? In the US alone about 7 billion tones of very valuable topsoil is eroded by streams and rivers, as they carry the topsoil away. Did you know that about 75% of the rocks on earth are made up of small grains and particles that are pressed together under the weight of tons of water over very long periods? These rocks are called “sedimentary rocks.”
This is a really worrying situation, don’t you agree?
Well in this elementary science fair project we are going to be looking at one of the methods we can use to prevent this. We are going to do an elementary science fair project to find out whether planting grass or other plants in areas with a lot of erosion can help.
What you will need for this science experiment:
Some easy growing grass seeds Two rectangular cake pans 2 Tick books of the same size Enough soil to fill the pans A jug to pour the water with Water
What you have to do
First of all you have to fill one of your cake tins with the soil. Plant your grass seeds in this cake tin. Water this tin thoroughly with water. Place this tin in a sunny spot where the grass can grow well. Now you have to gently water your seeds and make sure that the soil in the pan is moist at all times without over watering. Wait for your grass to grow about 3 inches high. Fill up the other cake tin with soil. Water it just enough to be as moist as the tin with your grass in it. Now you have to place the one end of both your tins on your books to make them lie at an angle. Fill your jug with water and pour the water down the cake tin without the grass. Note what happens. Now you pour the water down the cake tin with the grass growing in it. Make a note of what happens. What is the difference? What is the reason for the difference?. write down your explanation.
What happens here is that in the pan without grass the some of the dirt is carried away with the water. This is what happens in nature in places where there is nothing to stem the flow of water. In the pan with the grass growing in it, the grass stems the flow of the water and less soil is carried away with the water. So, by planting indigenous grass and other indigenous plants in areas where soil erosion is a problem, the soil erosion can be slowed down.
By: Magrietha Du Plessis
Posts Tagged ‘Sunny Spot’
Elementary Science Fair Projects – Preventing Soil Erosion Elementary Science Fair Project
March 3rd, 2010Easy Science Projects For Kids – Science Made Simple and Fun
March 2nd, 2010
Easy science projects for kids can be found anywhere, even in your own house or backyard! There are many fun and easy projects kids can do, such as testing to see what flavor of water ants will prefer, like plain water, lemon water or sugar water. Other projects can focus on racing snails, or seeing if cockroaches have a sense of direction.
Another easy project involves learning how plants grow. All you need is paper cups, dirt, water and some seeds. Fill a few cups with soil and plant some seeds in each one. Place one in a sunny spot such as a windowsill, place another in a shady spot such as in your living room, perhaps on a shelf, and place one in a closet. Water them all regularly and let your child see which one grows best. A similar project is to show your child how plants absorb water. Simply get a few paper cups and fill them with water, add a different food coloring to each cup and place a white carnation in each one. The next day, let you child observe the flowers. By then, they should have changed color to match the food coloring you put in.
You could also show your child how sound is caused by vibration. To do this you need a few small drinking glasses, a spoon and some water. Fill each glass with a different amount of water and have your child tap each glass with the spoon and observe how each glass makes a different sound, depending on how much water is in the cup.
By: Dee Schrock
