Fallen Face Phenomenon Slides
OpenSciEd Earth Science Unit Lesson 1 • Anchoring Phenomenon
Sensemaking Routine
Anchoring Phenomenon Launch
The Mystery of the Fallen Face
How could a massive, solid granite mountain profile stand for thousands of years... and then vanish overnight?
Scientist Goal Today
Observe evidence, document patterns, and develop our initial models.
Ready to Investigate
Observation 1
The Old Man of the Mountain
Franconia Notch, New Hampshire
Embedded media
Watch closely around 0:57 for before & after views May 3, 2003 Event
What do you see?
Note the size, shape, and height of the granite ledges high above the valley floor.
Timeline Mystery
It endured high winds, freezing winters, and rain for thousands of years. Why did it collapse on that specific morning?
Open your Science Notebook to page 1: Notice & Wonder T-Chart Next: Record your observations
Sensemaking
Notice & Wonder Protocol
Individual → Partner Share
What do you NOTICE?
Direct Evidence
Observable facts only — things you can point to or measure in the before/after images:
- The profile was made of five separate granite ledges perched 1,200 ft high.
- A huge pile of shattered rock and debris lies at the cliff base below.
- Deep cracks and fractures were visible behind the forehead for decades.
What do you WONDER?
Curious Questions
Questions sparked by what surprised or puzzled you:
- What broke the rock apart if granite is one of the hardest stones on Earth?
- Did it happen all at once, or was it weakening secretly for hundreds of years?
- What role did rain, snow, freezing ice, or gravity play?
Task Write at least 3 Noticings and 2 Wonderings in your science notebook.
3 Minutes
Observation 2
Rotating Photo Cards: Changing Landscapes
Land & Water Centers
Center A
Sea Arch Collapse
Ocean waves constantly slam coastal cliffs until hollow arches give way, leaving lonely sea stacks standing alone in the water.
Evidence: Water Impact & Undercutting
Center B
Desert Hoodoos
In Bryce Canyon, frost wedging repeatedly splits rock columns into weird thin spires through over 200 freeze-thaw cycles every year.
Evidence: Ice Expansion & Cracking
Center C
Split Apple Rock
A giant boulder cleaved right down the center in New Zealand as water seeped into natural faults and expanded during freezing.
Evidence: Fractures Splitting Solid Rock
Center D
River Canyon
A fast-flowing river sweeps sediments along its gravel bed, carving a trench hundreds of meters deep into solid bedrock over time.
Evidence: Sediment Abrasion & Gravity
Rotation Rules Spend 3 minutes at each station. Ask: What forces or substances are actively altering these rocks?
Rotate on Chime
Sensemaking Step 2
Build Your Initial Model
Science Notebook Page 2
Central Investigation Question
How could solid granite rock weaken, break, and fall?
Your model should show what is happening on the outside and inside the rock over time and during collapse.
Remember as Scientists:
Initial models are not about perfection — they show our hypotheses!
What to Include in Your Diagram:
1
Before & After Drawings
Show cliff standing tall vs. fallen rubble pile.
2
Zoom-In Window
Draw a close-up showing inside the rock fractures.
3
Labels, Arrows & Explanation
Show direction of forces, water, ice, and gravity.
Individual Work • Notebook Time: 7-8 Minutes
Tip: What invisible or slow forces could have been working behind the stone? Draw your ideas with confidence!
Science Talk
Comparing Initial Models
Scientists in Dialogue
Partner Compare Routine
Swap models with your elbow partner. Examine how your ideas compare:
1. Areas of Agreement
What forces, substances, or causes did both of your models include?
2. Differences & Puzzles
What did your partner include that you didn't think of? Where do you disagree?
Goal: Find what we agree on and what we still need to figure out.
Sentence Starters for Scientists
"One pattern I noticed in your model is..."
"We both think water or ice might..."
"I'm still wondering how gravity could..."
"What evidence do we have that supports..."
Be ready to share one agreed idea with the whole class.
Norm Listen actively, ask clarifying questions, and build on each other's reasoning.
4 Minutes Partner Talk
Connecting Experiences
Related Phenomena: Where Else?
Everyday World Connections
Class Brainstorm
Where else in your community or in nature have you seen hard, solid Earth materials break, crack, or move?
Potholes & Cracked Sidewalks
Roads develop deep cracks and potholes every winter and spring. How does water seep in, freeze, expand, and shatter pavement?
Muddy Hillsides & Landslides
After heavy torrential rainstorms, why do steep hillsides, riverbanks, and garden soil suddenly slide downward?
Tree Roots Splitting Boulders
Forest trails often show strong tree roots forcing their way directly through granite cracks, pushing boulders apart slowly.
Quick Note Write 1 related phenomenon you have personally witnessed on a yellow sticky note.
Add to Class Chart
Our Roadmap Ahead
Driving Question Board (DQB)
Student Questions Drive Our Unit
Key Questions We Must Answer
Q1: How do water, ice, and temperature changes break solid rocks?
Q2: How does moving water transport rocks and soil from one place to another?
Q3: Why do some landforms change gradually while others collapse instantly?
Post your questions to our classroom Driving Question Board!
What's Coming Next:
Hands-on Lab: Stream tables to model water flow, weathering & sediment transport.
Freeze-Thaw Investigation: Testing how expanding ice cracks solid materials.
Engineering Challenge: Designing solutions to prevent flood and rockfall hazards.
Great science thinking today, team!
Exit Task Place your final question sticky note onto the DQB before packing up!
Ready for Next Lab!
