MC	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

The Grand Canyon is a result of two forces. What are they?

a. weathering and erosion

b. erosion and uplift

c. earthquakes and faulting

d. volcanoes and magma

Correct Answer: a

I	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

Use this drawing to answer the next two questions:

1.   What forces have made this butte?

a.  volcanoes and earthquakes

b.  weathering and wind erosion

c.  water erosion and uplift

d.  glaciers and ice

2.  In 100 years, how will this butte change?

a.  very little

b.  it will be half its size

c.  it will be gone

d.  a hole will form in the ground

Correct Answers:

1. c

2. a

P	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

Researching the Grand Canyon

Activity Description:

Students will research facts about the Grand Canyon and how it was formed. They will then fill in the worksheet about what they have learned.

Time Needed:

30-60 minutes

Procedure:

1. Students may work individually or in cooperative groups to find facts about the Grand Canyon (textbook, internet site, library book, encyclopedia, etc.).

2. Students will fill in facts on the worksheet, then write how the Grand Canyon was formed. (Answers vary slightly depending on source.)

3. If extra time is available, students may design a brochure for the Grand Canyon, draw a poster, or integrate other writing projects.

4. Suggested website: http://kaibab.org/gc/geology/gc_geol.htm

Scoring Guide:

0 No attempt made

1 One or two questions answered correctly. Little or no essay written.

2 Three or four questions answered correctly. Little or no essay written.

3 Five or six questions answered correctly. Erosion and uplift not addressed well in essay.

4 All questions are answered correctly. Student has correctly included erosion and uplift in

essay.

Correct Answers:

(Answers may vary, according to source)

1. About 277 miles long

2. Averages 10 miles wide

3. About 5,700 feet deep, or about one mile deep

4. The oldest rocks are about 2 billion years old.

5. The youngest rocks are about 250 million years old.

6. It took millions of years for the Grand Canyon to form.

The essay could include some of the following:

The primary force of erosion in the Grand Canyon is water (and ice), and then wind. In the winter, solid ice forms in cracks, expands, and then pushes rocks apart.

The layers of rock have been forming for the last 2 billion years. About 20 million years ago, the Colorado River started eroding the canyon. About 17 million years ago, the Colorado Plateau began to uplift. This was caused by forces deep in the earth pushing up. This uplift continued until about 5 million years ago. Then, with continued erosion from the water, wind, and ice, the canyon looks like it does today.

Name ____________________________________

Researching the Grand Canyon

Choose a book or internet site to answer the following questions:

Source of Information __________________________________________________________

1. About how long is the Grand Canyon?

2. About how wide is the Grand Canyon?

3. About how deep is the Grand Canyon?

4. About how old are the oldest rocks, which are at the bottom of the canyon?

5. About how old are the youngest rocks, which are at the bottom of the canyon?

6. About how long did it take for the Grand Canyon to form?

7. Explain in your own words how the canyon was formed. Be sure to include how erosion and uplift affected the formation of the canyon.

MC	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

It has taken millions of years for the Grand Canyon to build up and break down. Where would the oldest rocks of this canyon most likely be?

a. top of the canyon

b. bottom of the canyon

c. middle of the canyon

d. eroded away

Correct Answer: b

MC	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

Underground salt deposits can be dissolved by ground water and carried away. What may happen next?

a. The ground may collapse.

b. A volcano may go off

c. An earthquake may happen.

d. The ground may form a dome.

Correct Answer: a

E	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

Explain how deposition is related to erosion and give an example of deposition found in Utah.

Correct Answer:

Erosion is the process of moving sediment from one place to another, and deposition is the dropping of sand and rock carried by wind or water. In Utah, deltas, sandbars, and sand dunes are all examples of deposition.

MC	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

How long has it taken for the Grand Canyon to form?

a. 100 years

b. 1000 years

c. 2000 years

d. over 5,000 years

Correct Answer: d

P	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

Place the letter of the events indicated on the correct place on the time life, then answer the questions. The events are listed by the time they began. MYA means million years ago.

Geologic Events that occurred in Utah:

A. ÒbasementÓ rocks deposited ∆ 2000 MYA

B. Utah is under warm seas ∆ 1000 MYA

C. Sand and mud deposited in thick layers ∆ 350 MYA

D. Desert environments, sand dune deposits ∆ 200 MYA

E. Mountain building and compression of land ∆ 100 MYA

F. Uplift of Uinta Mountains ∆ 65 MYA

G. Volcanic activity occurs, above and below the ground ∆ 35 MYA

H. Earthquakes, glaciers, Lake Bonneville, water erosion ∆ 15 MYA

1. How is geologic time measured?

2. Why?

3. What evidence did Lake Bonneville leave behind showing that it once existed?

4. How do geologist know that sand dunes existed in Utah millions of years ago?

5. How does this time line help explain the many different geologic features found in Utah?

6. Which part of Utah Geologic History do we seem to know the most about?

7. Why?

Correct Answers:

1. Geologic time is measured in millions of years.

2. Because the span of time is so large.

3. Lake Bonneville left terraces cut into the sides of valleys in Northern Utah.

4. The sand dunes form a certain type of rock when they are buried.

5. The geologic events that happen most recently are near the surface. The time line tells us how old they are.

6. Volcanoes, earthquakes, and water erosion.

7. Because they happened most recently and are nearer the surface where we can see them.

E	5^th Grade	Standard: 02
Objective: 03. Relate the building up and breaking down of EarthÕs surface over time to the various physical land features.
ILO:

The earth is constantly being shaped and reshaped by mountain uplift, weathering and erosion. These processes form mountains and canyons. Given this information, describe how the earth would appear if there were no mountain uplift, weathering or erosion.

Reasonable Prediction:

The earth would be relatively flat. Mountains cannot form without uplift. Canyons cannot form without erosion.

Scoring Guide:

3 points Student includes all three ideas.

2 points Student describes the earth but gives only one explanation.

1 point Student describes how the earth would appear but gives no explanation.