Te Manawa : Museum Gallery Science Centre

Flooding and Erosion

Explore currents in a purpose built river! Experiment with objects that float and sink, keeping heavy objects afloat, and/or floating “pooh sticks” down a purpose built river to see how and where the water is moving. Play the farming game on a sand landscape, observing and discussing water and how it affects the land. Make individual and group decisions in the face of erosion, floods, land disputes and land reclamation.

Teacher Resource:pdf Flooding and Erosion Teacher Resource (0.09MB) 

Information for Teachers
Programme Objectives:
  • Explore some of the properties that make an item float or sink
  • Investigate how erosion changes landscapes
Numbers of Students:

maximum 16

Class Level:
New Entrant  - Adult
Programme Duration:
2 hours (may be shortened for younger students)
Possible Focus Topics:
  • Water cycle
  • Land use
  • Resource planning
  • Geographic processes
Related Programmes:
  • Wonderful Water
  • Water Quality
  • Manawatu Gorge (Te Apiti) History
  • Fossils, Rocks and Soil
  • Floating and Sinking