Super Soaking Materials

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
In this activity, learners will test cups full of potting soil, sand, and sphagnum moss to see which earth material is able to soak up the most water. Using a scale and a simple calculation, learners can determine the amount of water held by a material, in reference to its original weight. Relates to the linked video, DragonflyTV GPS: Bogs.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
1 to 2 hours
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • potting soil, about 1 pound per pair of learners
  • sphagnum moss, from a garden supply store
  • sand
  • 16 oz plastic cups, 3 per pair of learners
  • water
  • a scale, capable of registering up to 5 pounds

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Structure
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Oceans and Water
      • Biosphere
    • Earth's History
      • Geologic Time
  • Life Sciences
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
  • Mathematics
    • Algebra
      • Equations and Inequalities
    • Data Analysis and Probability
      • Data Analysis
      • Data Collection
    • Measurement
      • Units of Measurement
    • Number and Operations
      • Decimals
      • Multiples and Factors
  • The Nature of Technology
    • The Design Process
      • Problem Solving
  • Physical Sciences
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Mass and Weight
      • Volume and Density
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data

Informal Categories

  • Nature and Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Source Collection

  • DragonflyTV

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Twin Cities Public Television, Inc., 2006

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation, 515566