Drought and dust

Bring some soil into the classroom. It can be soil from your garden or potting compost. Make it damp and spread it out over a plate. Then pretend you are a tractor wheel, and run a rolling pin or a jam jar over the soil. Watch what happens. Blow it to see if it will blow away.

Now leave the soil for two weeks in the dry air of the classroom. Then pretend you are a tractor wheel, and run a rolling pin or a jam jar over the dried soil. Watch what happens. Now try to blow it away.

Can you use this activity to explain why the drought area in America is called the Dust Bowl?