Investigating the Smallest Size Rock: Clay!

2nd graders are finishing up their unit on Pebbles, Sand and Silt by investigating the smallest size rock...clay.  It is so small, that you can't isolate one grain.  We described how it felt, looked and even smelled. 

We then made two balls of clay and put the larger ball into a paper cup and the smaller ball into a vial filled with water.  We made predications about what the clay would look like the next science class.

It was not a surprise to most of the 2nd graders, that the following week, the clay in the paper cup was hard. Hard as a rock! They were surprised that even though the clay was hard, it still could break!  We put a little water into the cup to see what would happen....the clay softened up again.

The clay in the water broke apart and settled in the bottom of the vial.  The water changed from milky looking to clear!

It's always fun to play with clay no matter how gooey it is!

Investigating the Smallest Size Rock: Clay

2nd graders are investigating the properties of the smallest size rock...clay.  It's so small, you can't isolate one grain on its own! We made observations about how the clay looked, felt and smelled.  

The clay looks gray and feels smooth.

It's hard to roll the clay into a ball after using it.

It smells earthy.

I can see the clay on my hands.

It smells stinky!

The clay dries out after using it!

Next we rolled the clay into two balls.  The larger sized ball of clay was put in a cup while the smaller sized ball of clay was put in a vial that was filled with water.  Most of the classes noticed that when the vial was shaken, the clay started to break apart and dissolve.

Shaking as hard as possible to see if the clay would totally dissolve.
(It didn't!)

The more you shake the darker the water
becomes.

It looks like milk.

Look at the cracks.

Is the clay dissolved yet?

The last thing we did is to make two predictions about what the clay in the cup and the clay in the vial will look like the next science class.  Most people thought the clay in the cup would become hard.  There were various predictions about the clay in the vial, some felt it would be completely gone, others thought that it would absorb all the water.

Next science class.....we were both surprised and "knew it"!

Making observations about the clay in the cup (it's hard) and the
clay in the vial (the water is clear and clay flattened out).

The water in the vial is clear again!

It was easy to get the hard dry clay soft again,
just add water! And does it ever feel good!