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Shifting Ground

Activity

Reshaping Houston’s Landscape

Shape small clay slabs and stand them up like dominoes. Slowly drip water over them and watch how they soften, shift, or collapse—just like Houston’s clay-rich soil during heavy rains. How do you think expanding, shrinking, and eroding clay impact roads, buildings, and flood patterns? Who can create the longest chain reaction of collapsing clay?

Science Seed

Geology is the study of the Earth, its structure, and the processes that shape it over time. One important geological process is erosion, where natural forces like wind, water, or ice wear down rocks and soil, shaping the landscape over time. Landslides occur when large amounts of rock, soil, and debris slide down a slope due to gravity. This can be triggered by factors like heavy rain, earthquakes, or weakening of the land over time. When you arrange clay like dominoes and drip water on them, you’re mimicking how small changes can lead to a bigger chain reaction, just like how a single piece of rock or soil can start a landslide or how erosion slowly breaks down rock formations over time.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Billy Reagan K-8 Education Center

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.