Weathering, Erosion, Deposition Relay

I saw this on a few pins and tried to adapt it to work in my classroom.  Since I teach science to two difference classes, I was able to refine it for the second group to make it work better. 

Objective: Students kinesthetically create an analogy for weathering, erosion, and deposition. 

Procedure:

1.  Before class - Create two different "landforms" using the same number of blocks.  I used my kids' mega blocks which were nice because they were large and easy to see.  On other pins, people have used legos.  Since I did the relay in the grass, I was worried the students would lose small legos.

*Since my students would later analyze the relay utilizing google docs, I took some before pictures for them to add to their document.

2.  Set up the course (if possible, do this before class).  I set my landforms on upside down blue bins to give the "before" landform and the "after" landform a platform.  It was also nice to have parameters for the students to deposit their blocks.  Set it up like a usual relay with the "before" landform" where the students will line up and the platform for the "after" landform approximately twenty yards away.

3.  Divide the class into two teams. (I just counted off.)

4.  Instruct the students to break off (weathering) one block (rock/sediment) from the landform.  Then, they run moving the block (erosion) to the other platform.  Once there, there nicely set the block down or build upon an existing block (deposition).  Then, they run back to the end of the end and another team member repeats the same instructions.  They continue going through the line until all of their pieces are moved.

*Other pins had students crab walk.  I tried that with my first group, but it took way too long.  They also didn't really have an effective way to hold the block.  They tried putting it under their chin, but it was kind of awkward.  I also used a lot of blocks.  If you used fewer blocks, crab walking would be a good way to demonstrate the time it takes to move an entire landform.

**I also took pictures (with an iPad) during this portion of each student for them to include in their analysis.  I uploaded the pictures to our google classroom drive for them to access.