Make your own dip and strike model - a DIY clinometer

Thinking about doing fieldwork? 'The do-it-yourself dip and strike model (with DIY clinometer); using a model to measure and understand dip, dip direction, strike and apparent dip'.

This ELI involves making and using a model that explains dip, strike and apparent dip, and gives exercises on these measurements.

Many activities related to fieldwork can be found in out Fieldwork category in 'Investigating the Earth'.

Exploring the rock cycle

Following the deposition of sediments last week, we now move on to considering the Rock Cycle  'Laying out the rock cycle: product and process; sorting out the rock cycle products – and then adding the processes'.

In this ELI, students are asked to place a series of rock cycle products in the correct places on a diagram of the rock cycle, then to consider how all these are linked by rock cycle processes.

Many related activities can be found in the Rock Cycle category in Earth as a System.

Erosion, transportation and deposition in a river

Today's ELI is 'Mighty river in a small gutter; sediments on the move'.

This activity investigates the effects of flowing water on loose sediment to see how it is eroded, transported and deposited. A teaching video is available.

Other related activities can be found in our Sedimentary Processes category.

Weathering of rocks

Our ELI for today is 'Weathering- rocks breaking up and breaking down; Matching pictures and descriptions of weathered rocks with the processes of weathering that formed them'.

This activity encourages pupils to study the appearance of weathered rocks and to understand the processes which produce weathering.

Related activities can be found in our Sedimentary processes  in our Earth energy / processes category.

Factors affecting soil erosion

Our new ELI today is 'Soil erosion; an animated model of the factors affecting soil erosion'.

This ELI involves an activity  where the students vary the factors affecting soil erosion, via an animated graphic. The animation provides a visual way of learning the effects of several factors in soil erosion.

Other activities about soils can be found in our Soils category in Earth materials.

Surface processes affecting the landscape, now, in the past and in the future

This ELI is useful for teachers planning their lessons. It is also fun to do while out and about.  'View to the future – and the past; using a viewpoint or overview educationally'.

This ELI provides a strategy for helping pupils to interact with the outdoor environment they are viewing. They will examine the landscape for surface processes that attack the land and then they will try to visualise the effects of these processes in the past and the future.

Many related activities can be found in our Fieldwork - Investigating the Earth category.

Make your own bricks . . . with mud

A good children's activity for outside in hot weather is 'Mud, Mud, glorious mud; make your own bricks'.

This activity involves carefully measuring ingredients to make a pliable mud. The mud is then baked in the sun or in an oven to make bricks. The bricks can then be painted and/or used to make structures.

Other ideas for young children can be found in our ELI Early years category.