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Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 45 minutes

Ways to slow wind and water from wearing away land

Earth and rocks

CCSS NGSS.2-ESS2-1CCSS NGSS.K-2-ETS1-3England: KS2 Y3 RocksEngland: KS1 Geography links

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Ways to slow wind and water from wearing away land.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Earth changes: fast or slow?

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Rock samples, Hand lenses, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Earth changes: fast or slow?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Is this a fast change or a slow change: a volcano erupting? (fast (minutes to days) / slow (many years)) → fast (minutes to days)Prompt: Could you watch it happen in one day?
  2. Three of these are slow changes. Which one is NOT? (a glacier carving a valley / a volcano erupting / mountains wearing down / a river carving a canyon) → a volcano eruptingPrompt: How long does each change take?
  3. Scientists say the Grand Canyon took millions of years to form. What evidence suggests this? (The river wears away only a tiny amount of rock each year, but the canyon is very deep. / Canyons are always old. / The canyon looked the same last week. / People dug it with spades.) → The river wears away only a tiny amount of rock each year, but the canyon is very deep.Prompt: Small changes add up over a very long time.

Hook · 5 min

  • Pass round different rocks and ask how each one might have formed.
  • Share the objective: Ways to slow wind and water from wearing away land. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Does this slow erosion or make it worse: walking new paths through dunes?
  • Step 1: These leave soil bare or speed up wind and water.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: makes erosion worse
  • Answer: makes erosion worse
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Does this slow erosion or make it worse: cutting down all the trees on a hill? (slows erosion / makes erosion worse) → makes erosion worsePrompt: Do plant roots or barriers hold the ground, or is the ground left bare?
  2. Engineers test two designs to stop a hill washing away. How should they decide which is better? (Test only one of them. / Ask which one is cheapest and never test. / Pick the one with the nicest colour. / Test both in the same way and measure how much soil is lost.) → Test both in the same way and measure how much soil is lost.Prompt: How do scientists compare ideas fairly?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Does this slow erosion or make it worse: cutting down all the trees on a hill? (slows erosion / makes erosion worse) → makes erosion worsePrompt: Do plant roots or barriers hold the ground, or is the ground left bare?
  2. Engineers test two designs to stop a hill washing away. How should they decide which is better? (Ask which one is cheapest and never test. / Test only one of them. / Test both in the same way and measure how much soil is lost. / Pick the one with the nicest colour.) → Test both in the same way and measure how much soil is lost.Prompt: How do scientists compare ideas fairly?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Earth changes: fast or slow?.
  • Use concrete materials: rock samples.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-2.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Ways to slow wind and water from wearing away land

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Waves are washing away a beach near some houses. Which plan would help most?

    • A. dig the sand away faster
    • B. paint the houses
    • C. remove the plants on the dunes
    • D. build a sea wall or rock barrier

  2. Question 2

    Does this slow erosion or make it worse: leaving fields bare in winter?

    • A. slows erosion
    • B. makes erosion worse

  3. Question 3

    The bare tray lost 304 g of soil and the grassy tray lost 139 g. What is the best explanation?

    Soil washed off the tray (g)0100200300400304bare soil139soil with grass
    • A. Water does not move soil.
    • B. The grassy tray was watered less.
    • C. Plant roots hold soil in place.
    • D. Grass makes soil heavier than rocks.

  4. Question 4

    Signs on sand dunes ask people to stay on the paths. Why?

    • A. Paths are prettier.
    • B. The sand is too hot.
    • C. Feet crush dune plants whose roots hold the sand.
    • D. The dunes belong to the birds only.

  5. Question 5

    Does this slow erosion or make it worse: cutting down all the trees on a hill?

    • A. slows erosion
    • B. makes erosion worse

  6. Question 6

    Two sloping trays of soil were watered with the same watering can. One tray had grass growing in it. How many more grams of soil washed off the bare tray?

    Soil washed off the tray (g)0100200300400317bare soil56soil with grass

    Answerg

  7. Question 7

    Does this slow erosion or make it worse: walking new paths through dunes?

    • A. slows erosion
    • B. makes erosion worse

  8. Question 8

    Does this slow erosion or make it worse: a row of trees as a windbreak?

    • A. slows erosion
    • B. makes erosion worse

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Answer key: Ways to slow wind and water from wearing away land

  1. 1. D. build a sea wall or rock barrier

  2. 2. B. makes erosion worse

  3. 3. C. Plant roots hold soil in place.

  4. 4. C. Feet crush dune plants whose roots hold the sand.

  5. 5. B. makes erosion worse

  6. 6. 261 g

  7. 7. B. makes erosion worse

  8. 8. A. slows erosion