Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 71528
The Science of Sinkholes
In this lesson, students investigate how sinkholes form, identify sinkholes that have filled with water and are now permanent water features, and find
relationships between geology, natural processes, and sinkhole formation in Florida.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 9
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Computers for Students,
Internet Connection, Overhead Projector
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s)
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: sinkhole, karst, florida, geology, calcium, carbonate, limestone, lake, pond
Instructional Design Framework(s): Direct Instruction
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Earth Systems
ATTACHMENTS
kwl chart photo.docx
Modeling Sinkhole Formation Lab.docx
Sinkhole Webquest.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will be able to:
explain how sinkholes form.
explain how the geology of Florida contributes to sinkhole formation.
identify sinkholes in the Florida landscape and around the world.
explain how human population and agriculture contribute to sinkhole formation.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Content Knowledge:
SC.6.E.6.1- Describe and give examples of ways in which the Earth's surface is built up and torn down by physical and chemical weathering, erosion, and
deposition.
Karst topography
Dissolving properties of water
Groundwater
Florida aquifer
Skills:
Use a key to read maps.
Use the internet to search for information.
page 1 of 4 Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
What is a sinkhole, and how do they form?
Cavity in the ground formed by erosion, usually by water
Hole in the ground caused by erosion and the drainage of water
Tell me a story that you have heard in the news about a sinkhole forming.
Guatemala sinkholes in the middle of the city in 2007 and 2010
Seffner, FL sinkhole swallowing a man in his home in 2013
What factors (geographic and human) contribute to the location and frequency of sinkholes in Florida?
Karst formation of Florida
Depletion of groundwater due to increased human population and agriculture
Increased population leading to increased weight on the surface (building construction)
Excessive water run-off
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
Class Period 1:
1. Use a KWL chart to assess student prior knowledge about sinkholes. A photograph of a KWL chart, as well as the explanations for how the students complete it, can
be found in the Guided Practice section.
2. After completing the chart, students will share what they "know" and what they "want to learn" with their classmates either in pairs or with the entire class.
3. Hand out copies of the article "The Science of Sinkholes" that you have printed for students to read. Students will independently read and respond to questions (see
Independent Practice).
4. Review the students' answers and check for accuracy. The answers are:
1. When water from rainfall moves down through the soil, the limestone dissolves; spaces and caverns develop underground; if there is not enough support for
the land above the spaces, a sudden collapse of the land can occur.
2. Florida is underlain by limestone which is highly soluble.
3. Cover collapse and cover-subsidence sinkholes.
4. Above old mines (where rock has been removed); leaky faucets; collapse of sewer systems; groundwater pumping; construction; runoff retention ponds;
groundwater pumping for urban water supply or irrigation.
5. For visual learners, the teacher can also show the video that is on the page, also called "The Science of Sinkholes." If there are any commercials, make sure to skip
past them.
6. The students will now construct their own model sinkholes in an activity called "Modeling Sinkhole Formation." The teacher preparation instructions and answer key
can be found on page 2 and 3 of the document, respectively.
7. The students will read the materials list and instructions for the activity, and then write a prediction for which type of sinkhole they will be modeling (see
Independent Practice).
8. During "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," the teacher will walk around the room, asking students the questions listed in the Guided Practice section.
9. On the back of their handout, students will reflect about whether their prediction for sinkhole type was correct (see Independent Practice).
10. The teacher will collect the students' lab questions, grade them, and return them the following day.
Class Period 2:
1. Begin the class by handing back the students' lab worksheet, and by reviewing the material the students learned the previous class period during attendance (see
Guided Practice).
2. Students will complete a WebQuest about sinkholes in Florida and around the world. An answer key is included in the same document.
3. As the students are working, the teacher will circulate around the room and ask students to verbally explain their answers to the questions on their worksheet.
4. Students will complete their KWL chart, as described in the Closure section.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
Class Period 1:
1. The students will create a KWL chart at the beginning of the period and fill in the "K" section (the students will list everything they Know about sinkholes), and the
"W" section (the students will list everything they Want to know about sinkholes).
2. During "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," the teacher will walk around the room and ask students the following questions:
1. How does a sinkhole form? Limestone or other porous rock dissolves, leaving a cavity or space in the bedrock. Eventually, there is not enough support for the
ground above, and there is a collapse.
2. What type of sinkhole did you predict that we were modeling in this lab, and what made you come to that conclusion? We are modeling cover-collapse
sinkholes because the sugar is going to dissolve, leaving a cavity that cannot support the weight of the sand above it.
3. How would this experiment be different if we added water from the top rather than through the bottom? The sinkhole would form more rapidly. Water would
be able to get to the sugar faster, thus dissolving it faster.
4. What materials could we have used instead of the sponge to avoid the sinkhole's formation? Clay, concrete, wood, gum
Class Period 2:
1. During attendance, each student will tell the teacher something they learned or found interesting the day before. It may be a word or phrase, but students should
not repeat material already stated by another student.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Class Period 1:
1. Students will answer the following questions about "The Science of Sinkholes" (the teacher will write them on the board) independently in their notebooks:
1. In three steps, outline how a sinkhole forms.
2. According to the article, why is Florida so prone to sinkholes?
3. What are the two types of sinkholes?
4. Tell me three ways in which humans contribute to sinkhole formation.
2. Before beginning the "Modeling Sinkhole Formation" activity, students should read over the instructions and predict which type of sinkhole they will be creating
(either cover collapse or cover-subsidence). Students will write a reflection after the activity to see whether or not they were correct, so do not tell them the
answer at this point. Students are creating a cover collapse sinkhole, where a cavern will form when the sugar dissolves, and the sand above it will collapse due to
page 2 of 4 lack of support.
3. After "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," students will reflect about their predicted sinkhole type. If it was correct, the student should provide evidence from their
model. If it was not correct, students should explain why their thinking was wrong.
Class Period 2:
1. Students complete the sinkhole WebQuest.
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
Class Period 2:
To close the two-day lesson, students should take out their KWL chart and, with a different color pen or pencil, fill in the "L" section with what they have Learned
about sinkholes today. They should also lightly cross out any information from the "K" section that was actually incorrect and write their new, more accurate
knowledge next to it (hence the reason for a different color pen). Students will each share with the class one thing that they learned over the past two class
periods, either with the entire class or with a partner.
Summative Assessment
The teacher will collect and grade the questions at the end of "Modeling Sinkhole Formation."
The students will reflect on their modeling activity by reviewing whether their prediction for the type of sinkhole formed was accurate.
The students will complete the "L" portion of their KWL chart with what they have learned, and will edit any incorrect information that they placed in their "K"
column.
Formative Assessment
KWL chart: In the first class period, students will complete the K (what they KNOW about sinkholes) and the W (what they want to know about sinkholes).
Prior to "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," students will predict what type of sinkhole they will be modeling.
During "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," the teacher will walk around the room, asking questions.
To review content at the beginning of the second teacher, students will share one thing they either learned or enjoyed about the previous day's lesson.
As the students complete their WebQuest, the teacher will circulate around the room and ask students to verbally explain their answers to the questions on their
worksheet.
Feedback to Students
After giving students about 5 minutes to complete the KWL chart at the beginning of the period, spend the next 5-10 minutes having students share what they wrote
down. Keep a notepad and write down any misconceptions or incorrect information the students share so that they can be addressed at some point over the next
few days.
When asking the questions during "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," the teacher can clear up any misconceptions or lack of knowledge the students are experiencing.
As the teacher is asking questions to students about their WebQuest, the teacher will tell the students whether their responses are correct to give the students an
opportunity to rethink their answers.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
The lesson plan is written so that every student is working individually on both the lab and the WebQuest, but you can modify it so that special needs students are
paired or put in groups with higher achieving students.
In the WebQuest, special needs students do not need to complete Part 2, which does not provide website URLs.
Extensions:
In "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," give the students the supplies but no procedure, turning it into an inquiry lab.
In "Modeling Sinkhole Formation," using the last question from the activity, the teacher may extend the activity by providing additional supplies to act as a "plug"
construct a barrier to both groundwater and surface water to avoid a sinkhole forming.
Have the students research another famous sinkhole in Florida or internationally, and create a brochure explaining its history and the tourism aspect.
The USGS link in the WebQuest is challenging; the teacher can add more to the WebQuest for this particular resource for honor students.
Students can look for inaccuracies in "Modeling Sinkhole Formation" and create an activity that better models cover-collapse sinkholes. They can also create a new
activity to model other types of sinkholes.
Suggested Technology: Computers for Students, Internet Connection, Overhead Projector
Special Materials Needed:
"Modeling Sinkhole Formation" requires specific materials that are outlined in the document. The document also contains teacher preparation instructions.
Further Recommendations: This resource covers two standards over two days, but the teacher may modify it to fit his or her needs, or only use one day of the
lesson.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Kathryn Marshall
Name of Author/Source: Kathryn Marshall
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Polk
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
page 3 of 4 Name
SC.912.E.6.2:
Description
Connect surface features to surface processes that are responsible for their formation.
Remarks/Examples:
Identify various landforms (e.g. dunes, lakes, sinkholes, aquifers) and describe how they form (erosion,
physical/chemical weathering, and deposition). Explain how sea level changes over time have exposed and
inundated continental shelves, created and destroyed inland seas, and shaped the surface of the Earth.
Analyze how specific geologic processes and features are expressed in Florida and elsewhere.
SC.912.E.6.4:
Remarks/Examples:
Describe the effect of ocean and Gulf water currents, gravel mining, beach erosion, dune development, aquifers
and ground water, salt water intrusion, springs, and sink holes on the formation of the Florida peninsula. Explain the
effects of latitude, elevation, topography (land surface type), proximity to large bodies of water, and temperature
of ocean currents, on climate in Florida.
Related Access Points
Access Point Number
SC.912.E.6.In.4:
Access Point Title
Identify natural geological processes that change the land and water in Florida, including beach erosion and sinkholes.
Attached Resources
Text Resource
Name
How Sinkholes Form:
Description
This informational text is intended to support reading in the content area. This article discusses how sinkholes form,
ways to recognize impending sinkholes, and ways to prevent them.
page 4 of 4