Barbara J. Baker's Web Page
Land Formations

              

  

• Did someone dig in and carve the opening in the cave?
• Is it the result of a volcano eruption?
• Did weather wear the opening in the cave?

II.  Let's Make a model of a cave.

    A.  List of items needed:

1. Play clay                                         9. weeds
2. Play dough                                     10. leaves   
3. Flour                                              11. herbs
4. Salt                                                12. baseball ball or tennis ball
5. Water
6. Food color
7. Pebbles
8. Sand

III. Preparing the Layers of land Used In Making the Cave    

•    A.  Take 2 cups of flour, any kind, 2 cups of salt and 1 cup water any temperature  mix these ingredients together for a play dough consistence
•  
•     B Mold dough in a rectangular, square or round shape.  You may use a container in any of the previously named shapes to put your dough in.  Turn your container over and ease your dough out.
•     C.  Push your ball in from the bottom edge leaving about an inch of dough above the ball.

IV. Next you will place  another layer of land on top of your model of the cave.

• The order of layers is optional.  For example, you can place small pebbles across the top of your model
• Layer three can be sand.  Put the sand above the pebbles.  You might mix some water with the sand to make a muddy substance. 
• You can place a few herbs on the 4th layer
•  Use the play dough or commercial clay for your 5th layer  

V. Now its time to show how water is going to erode the layers of the model cave

    A. Remove the ball from the model.  Pour water on top.  Students can take turns pouring this water on top of the model until you see crevices and cracks develop in your model.

1.    Each student pouring will equate to 100 years of erosion. This is purely a guess. 
2.    Homework is to figure out how long it takes for water to erode land.