All standards
2-ESS2-1 · Science
Earth's Systems
Your child should understand erosion and compare ways people try to stop it (retaining walls, planting grass, etc.).
What the standard actually says
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.
Domain: Earth's Systems — Understanding how Earth changes over time and how water, wind, and land interact.
Next Generation Science Standards*Examples and home activities
- Build a sand/dirt hill. Pour water over it. 'What happened? How could we prevent that?'
- Try adding grass (toothpicks), rocks, or a 'wall' — test which prevents erosion best.
Printable practice worksheet — 2-ESS2-1
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Standard: 2-ESS2-1
1. What did you observe? Draw it.
2. Write one question you want to investigate.
3. What do you predict will happen? Why?
4. Record your data in a simple chart.
5. What did you find out?
6. What would you change if you tried again?
secondgrade.com · Science · 2-ESS2-1
Lessons that teach this
12 lessons list 2-ESS2-1.
Week 20
- Monday · Science — Students will observe that some Earth changes happen quickly and others slowly, and model weathering by breaking rock into smaller pieces (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Students will model erosion by water and wind and describe how moving water and air carry soil from one place to another (2-ESS2-1).
- Friday · Science — Students will conclude that wind and water break down and move land, and that plants can slow erosion (2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS1-1).
Week 22
- Wednesday · Science — Students will model how a glacier moves and carries rock, and explain that ice can shape land like water does (2-ESS2-3, 2-ESS2-1).
Week 23
- Monday · Science — Students will observe and record daily weather, build a simple wind tool, and describe wind as moving air that can change the land (2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS1-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Students will measure wind strength with a homemade tool, compare readings across the day, and connect strong wind to fast changes on Earth (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1).
- Friday · Science — Students will use a week of weather data to describe patterns and explain that wind and weather cause both fast and slow changes to Earth's surface (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1).
Week 24
- Monday · Science — Students will review the unit by building a single model that shows land, liquid water, ice, and wind acting on Earth's surface (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, 2-ESS2-3).
- Friday · Science — Students will state the big ideas of the unit in their own words and celebrate their work with a combined Earth science and history showcase (2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, 2-ESS2-3).
Week 36
- Monday · Science — Students will review the year's science units by sorting portfolio work into topics and choosing their best piece from each (2-PS1-1, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS2-1, K-2-ETS1-1).
- Wednesday · Science — Students will write a caption for each portfolio piece explaining the science idea it shows and the evidence behind it (all Grade 2 science standards reviewed).
- Friday · Science — Students will present their science portfolio, reflect on their growth as a scientist, and receive awards tied to real skills demonstrated during the year (all Grade 2 science standards reviewed).
Where it lives in our curriculum
This standard is taught in these weeks: