Washing Away: How Do Plants Protect the Land From Erosion?
Sim Lesson
Students use the Washing Away simulation to run a storm on bare land, then the same storm on densely planted land, and compare how much soil washes downhill. Lesson Purpose Students often think all land erodes the same in a storm. Comparing bare and planted land under the same rain shows that plant cover slows erosion.
After a heavy rain, you might see muddy water running down a bare hillside, carrying soil away, while grassy ground stays put. How do plants change how much soil a storm washes away? In this lesson, you will use the Washing Away simulation to run the same storm on bare land and on planted land and compare how much soil erodes.
Topics and standards: Science, Environmental Science, Earth Science, Simulation, Watersheds, Lithosphere, Weathering & Sediments, 4-ESS2-1, Grades 3-5, Earth Systems, Water Air & Ice, TEKS Science 4.10.B, 4-ESS2-1, SC.4.E.6.4, 3.3.4.B