4th Grade Science Fair Projects - Preventing Soil Erosion 4th Grade Science Fair Project

by Magriet du Plessis

This is one of our 4th grade science fair projects where we are going to find out what can be done to prevent soil erosion. Soil erosion is a big problem world wide and it is important to learn about preventing it from a very early age. This is why we have this 4th grade science fair project on soil erosion. We all need to take responsibility today.

Here are some of the Scary Facts making these 4th grade science fair projects essential!

• Did you know that the world's deserts grows by about 16,000 square miles a year?
• In the US alone about 7 billion tonnes of very valuable topsoil is eroded by streams and rivers, as they carry the topsoil away.
• Did you know that about 75% of the rocks on earth are made up of small grains and particles that are pressed together under the weight of tons of water over very long periods? These rocks are called "sedimentary rocks."

This is a really worrying situation, don't you agree?

Well this is one of the reasons for our 4th grade science fair projects. Here we are going to be looking at one of the methods we can use to prevent this. We are going to do an elementary science fair project to find out whether planting grass or other plants in areas with a lot of erosion can help.

What you will need for this science experiment:

• Some easy growing grass seeds
• Two rectangular cake pans
• 2 Tick books of the same size
• Enough soil to fill the pans
• A jug to pour the water with
• Water

What you have to do

1. First of all you have to fill one of your cake tins with the soil.
2. Plant your grass seeds in this cake tin.
3. Water this tin thoroughly with water.
4. Place this tin in a sunny spot where the grass can grow well.
5. Now you have to gently water your seeds and make sure that the soil in the pan is moist at all times without over watering.
6. Wait for your grass to grow about 3 inches high.
7. Fill up the other cake tin with soil.
8. Water it just enough to be as moist as the tin with your grass in it.
9. Now you have to place the one end of both your tins on your books to make them lie at an angle.
10. Fill your jug with water and pour the water down the cake tin without the grass.
11. Note what happens.
12. Now you pour the water down the cake tin with the grass growing in it.
13. Make a note of what happens.
14. What is the difference?
15. What is the reason for the difference?.
16. write down your explanation.

What happens here is that in the pan without grass some of the dirt is carried away with the water. This is what happens in nature in places where there is nothing to stem the flow of water. In the pan with the grass growing in it, the grass stems the flow of the water and less soil is carried away with the water. So, by planting indigenous grass and other indigenous plants in areas where soil erosion is a problem, the soil erosion can be slowed down.

This is one of our 4th grade science fair projects that stresses the importance of caring for nature. Damage done today will take a very long time to repair and it is all of our responsibility to preserve nature as best we can.

Warning! Science fair projects needs to be done according to proper scientific method. Have a look at: Science Fair Projects Made Easy e-Book

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