In March, fourth-grade students at S.G. Reinertsen Elementary School used bothscience standards and art standards to complete a clay project that reinforces what they learned regarding soil types. Special guests, including the superintendent, mayor and School Board members, joined the students for the project.
First the students conducted an experiment to learn what soil types are best when it comes to building a dike. The objective was that students would understand why clay is used to build dikes and why sand is contained in bags. The students created three channels â€” one made of sand, one of topsoil and one of clay. Pouring water down the channels caused the sand and topsoil channels to erode.
Students then made clay tiles with a meandering river down the center. Texture was added to portions of the tile to represent the houses and businesses in the city.