INSTRUCTION (50 MINS)

Group Activity

1. Divide the class into groups, and asks each group to appoint a scribe who documents the answers

of the group.

2. If online resources and equipment are available, learners watch the following videos:

I. USGS (2013)

II. News Direct (2013)

III. BBC Earth Unplugged (2013)

3. If online resources and/or equipment is not available, teacher downloads the following materials

and prints out enough copies for learners to read in lieu of watching the above videos.

I. USGS Water Science School. (http://water.usgs.gov/edu/sinkholes.html)

4. 4. Learners answer the following questions.

I. What are sinkholes? Try paraphrasing in your own words?

II. In what type of geologic conditions do sinkholes occur? What is Karst?

III. What are the different types of sinkholes and what are the major differences regarding the rate

they can occur.

IV. What are some man made causes of sink holes?

5. After 10 minutes, learners share their answers with the class.

II. Sinkhole.org (http://www.sinkhole.org/facts4.php)

Definition:

Sinkholes are depressions or openings in

the ground surface. They are generally

formed as the result of a collapse in the

ceiling of an underground cavity or cavern.

Sinkholes typically develop slowly, but can

also form suddenly when a collapse occurs.

Sinkholes naturally occur in areas underlain

by soluable carbonate or evaporite rocks

like limestone, dolomite, gypsum, and salt.

The three types of sinkholes are: Dissolution

sinkholes; Cover-subsidence sinkholes; and

Cover-collapse sinkholes.

Dissolution sinkholes occur where there is little soil or vegetation over the soluble rock. Aggressive
disssolution occurs where flow is focused in pre-existing openings in the rock , such as along joints,
fractures, and bedding planes, or in the zone of water – table fluctuations where the ground water is in
contact with the atmosphere. They typically develop gradually. Cover-subsidence sinkholes tend to
develop gradually where the covering sediments are permeable and contain sand. Cover-collapse
sinkholes tend to develop abruptly and cause catastrophic damages. They occur where the coverning
sediments contain significant amounts of clay. Karst terrain is a type of topography that is formed by
dissolution of bedrock in areas underlain by limestone, dolostone or, as in some western states, gypsum.
Such terrain has underground drainage systems that are reflected on the surface as sinkholes, springs,
disappearing streams or even

EVALUATION (5 MINS)

Definition of Sinkhole

1. Explain in your own words what a sinkhole is.

2. Explain the different types three different types of sinkholes.

3. Explain some of the causes of sinks holes.

4. Suggest some other causes of sinkholes not discussed in the lecture materials.

EVALUATION (5 MINS)

Definition of Sinkhole

1. Explain in your own words what a sinkhole is.

2. Explain the different types three different types of sinkholes.

3. Explain some of the causes of sinks holes.

4. Suggest some other causes of sinkholes not discussed in the lecture materials.

ENRICHMENT

Alternative Activities

1. Do an internet search of recent or well-documented landslides that have occurred in the past.

2. Perform a do-it-yourself landslide experiment as shown in the following videos:

I. Saferworldcomm (2013) (https://youtu.be/6tSnA9I6uL4)

II. Luke Pajer (2014) (https://youtu.be/mb4O7YDX7N8)

3. Perform the following a simulation-experiment for a sinkhole.