Backyard Investigation
Educators
To support you as this situation evolves, Arizona Science Center is collecting and creating resources that allow you to plan, prepare and respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Below are a collection of guides and curriculum for use in your online classroom.
Target grade level(s): 3rd-5th grade
Backyard Investigation
Engage students in actively observing how Earth’s surface changes over time in small ways, in their very own backyards!
Materials Needed
Adult/parental supervision
Safe, accessible outdoor space (backyard, front yard, park, etc.)
Notebook
Crayons/colored pencils
Pens/pencils
Access to weather forecast
How-To
1. By accessing this week’s weather forecast for Phoenix, select a time in which there will be no active precipitation or strong winds.
2. Prompt students to engage in a discussion of current weather patterns by showing students this week’s forecast. Ask questions such as:
- What have you noticed about the weather outside? What have you already seen or experienced?
- What do you notice about the rest of this week’s weather? What should we expect?
- How might the upcoming weather impact us at home/school? What about our outside areas, like our front yard or backyard? Although we are protected inside from rain and wind, what changes may occur outside due to the rain and wind?
3. With adult/parental supervision, engage students in an investigation of a safe, outside area in order to observe small changes to the surface.
4. Select a specific area outside to focus on. This outside area should be easily accessible for students and adults/parents, as well as easily influenced by precipitation and wind.
5. Prompt students to draw and label a “before” picture of the area, including the area’s main features. Features may include:
- Earth material type - soil, gravel, sand, etc. Vegetation - grass, plants, trees, etc. Surrounding man-made markers - benches, lawn furniture, poles, etc.
6. After students have created their “before” pictures, ask students to predict what will happen to the surface and to the surface’s features, including reasoning to support their ideas.
- Prompt students to use resources such as the weather forecast chart and/or prior knowledge/experiences with rain/wind to make predictions.
7. Using the weather forecast and by actively observing outside conditions, provide time for forces such as water and wind to act upon the surface.
8. When weather conditions are stable and safe, return to the outside area.
Prompt students to now draw and label an “after” picture of the area, including the area’s main features.
9. After students have created their “after” pictures, ask students to revisit their predictions and engage in a discussion by asking questions such as:
- What changes happened to your surface and its features? What created or drove these changes?
- How does your prediction compare to the investigation results?
- Based on our discussions and the investigation, how does Earth’s surface, like your selected area, change over time?
- What do you think may happen if this area continues to receive exposure to forces like wind and rain?
Classroom Use
This activity can also be easily utilized at school by engaging in an investigation of outside school areas, for example, school gardens, courts and fields or by creating models of outside school areas and applying water/wind forces inside the classroom.
