Academy Curricular Exchange
Columbia Education Center
Science

TITLE:    WHY IS THE SEA SALTY?

AUTHOR:   Pam Hansen and Christy Bingham
          Cleveland Elementary School, Cleveland, UT

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:    K-3;  Science/ Art

OVERVIEW:
In preparing for an ocean unit, do a 'K W L' organizer. 'K'
is for what we know about the ocean.  'W' is for what we
want to learn about the ocean.  'L' is for what we have
learned about the ocean.  The following lesson was developed
because the students wanted to know why the ocean is salty.

PURPOSE:  For students to observe how salt concentration
increases in water.  Also, how the salt remains after the
water evaporates.

OBJECTIVES:  The student will be able to explain why the sea
is salty.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
Rock salt, water, containers, strainers.
Book: Oceans, Instructional Fair, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1.  Students pour water over the rock salt which is
    contained in a strainer.  The water plus dissolved
    salt will be collected in a plastic cup.  Students
    will taste the water sample.
2.  Students will allow the water to evaporate, observing
    that the salt remains.
3.  The above procedure is repeated over a 3 or 4 day
    period.  The students will observe that the salt
    increases each time new water is added.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
     Students will do a Saltwater Painting to once again
observe the evaporation process.  Mix warm water, salt, and
food coloring.  Paint pictures with the mixture on white
paper.  Let dry.  The water evaporates, but the salt
remains, creating beautiful pictures.
     Also included on Big Sky is a script for an ocean
program.  It is entitled "Under the Sea".
** (see 'CECmisc.47' lesson)**  This is a good culminating
activity for an ocean unit.

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