Teaching Earth Sciences - Earth Science Teachers' Association

Idea Title:
Presenter:
Brief description:
Stable slopes – another angle
Pete Loader, St Bedes College, Manchester, peteloader@yahoo.co.uk
An old, clear plastic CD case with the internal moulding removed is marked on the outside with a
selection of appropriate slope angles (e.g. 30˚, 40˚, 60˚ etc) with a permanent marker pen. The empty
CD case is part-filled (trial and error) with dry sand. Children’s “playsand” works well but can be
adapted to investigate stable slope angles in other fine materials (shape, size sorting of grains). The
CD is tilted to the vertical and the sand finds its own stable angle (~32˚). This is useful in the classroom
and in the field for demonstration
The CD case before tilting …
…. and after
Age range:
Apparatus/
materials needed:
All
An empty clear CD case with inner moulding removed.
Dry sand (Children’s play sand is good)
Sellotape and/or sealer
Permanent marker pen for writing on plastic case.
Idea Title:
Presenter:
Brief description:
Age range:
Apparatus/
materials needed:
Papier-mâché palaeo
Dave Turner, Highfields School, Matlock.
Dave showed how his students had made mega models of macro fossils as teaching aids using the
resources of his friendly school art department.
Any
Chicken wire
PVA or cellulose glue
Newspaper
Paint
www.esta-uk.net Vol 35 No 1 2010 Teaching Earth Sciences 15