Does It Soak Right In? Session 2

Session 2

Print version of "Does It Soak Right In?" PDF • Word

Conduct this session in the classroom.

Have each student write a summary of the data collected by his or her group. Direct them to answer the following questions in their summaries:
- Were your predictions correct? Why, or why not?
- Which surfaces had quick percolation rates? Which had slow rates?
- Were there any surfaces that did not percolate at all? What is the impact of these types of surfaces on the Bay or other waterways?
Ask each group to report orally their results for each land surface tested. Create a class chart to display the reported data. Have students analyze the data in the chart. If math skills allow, ask students to find the average number of seconds it took for each land surface to absorb the water. (Fifth- and sixth-grade teachers may choose to have students also find the mode, median, and range.)
As a class, discuss the results of the percolation tests. You may choose to ask the following questions:
- Which land areas around the school have a high rate of percolation? Which have a low rate?
- What does the percolation rate tell about the soil's ability to filter?
- What does the percolation rate tell about runoff from various surfaces in the schoolyard?