Sediment Jar

Approximate time to complete: 10-30 minutes + waiting time + questions and journal time

Experiment Card

Click below to download and print this experiment card:

About This Activity

In this activity, you will mix dirt and water, and see what happens to the dirt when you stop mixing.

You’ll Learn

• Sediments settle in layers according to their density.

Pre-Activity Questions

• Do you know or remember what happened when we mixed sand and water?

Materials

• Dirt
• Water
• Jar or bottle with lid

Procedure

1. Fill your jar halfway with dirt. The more different materials in your dirt, the better.
2. Fill the rest of your jar with water.
3. Shake the jar to mix the water and the dirt.
4. Put the jar down and observe what’s happening inside. Write notes or draw a picture to describe what it looked like.
5. Make a prediction: what will the jar look like if you leave it to sit?
6. Leave the jar for 10 minutes, then 1 hour.
7. Each time you check the jar, write notes or draw a picture to describe what it looked like. Then, make a prediction about what it will look like the next time you check it.

Questions & Further Research

Use these questions as a guide to write a journal entry, make a poster, give a presentation, or write a research report about this activity or a related topic.

1. What did your jar look like right after you stopped mixing it?
2. What did your jar look like after 10 minutes?
3. What did your jar look like after 1 hour?
4. Can you explain why your jar looked the way it did?
5. Can you make any connections between your jar and a river, lake, or pond?