Kansas
depends on the Ogallala Aquifer for a water source to water crops and provide
water for other human needs. “What
exactly is an aquifer and how does it work? “ is a question that the students
have been researching.
6th
graders are studying types of groundwater in science. They have learned that an underground layer
of permeable rock or sediment that contains water is called an aquifer. Usually the groundwater is located over impermeable
rock that keeps the water from draining away.
Substances
that make up the earth can be classified into permeable, water can flow through
them, or impermeable, water cannot flow through them. Gravel, sand, and soil are all permeable. However, the speed in which water travels
through them can differ according to the particle size of the substance. 6th graders conducted an experiment
and wrote lab reports of the results.
They tested
how many seconds it took for 30cc of water to drain through 30cc of the
different materials. Three trials were
run on each substance and the mean was found.
Comparisons were recorded into an excel worksheet and converted into a
bar graph. Students found that the clay
soils were significantly slower at draining the water than sand or gravel
because the particle size of the soil is much smaller.
