2-ESS2-1
The standard
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land.
Next Generation Science Standards
What this standard means
Students need to compare ways people try to protect land from wind and water. They should look at two or more designs, such as grass, rocks, walls, trees, or sandbags, and decide which works better in a given place and why.
Mastery looks like using evidence from a model, photo, or simple test to explain a choice. Students often get stuck saying one solution is “best” without naming the problem, the landform, or the tradeoff. Push them to compare fairly, using the same wind or water test.
Ways to teach it
- Build sand trays with a cup of water, then test rocks, craft sticks, grass clumps, and sandbags to see which slows erosion best.
- Ask students to write: Which design protected the hill best, and what evidence from the test proves it?
- Show two erosion model photos and have students circle the stronger solution, then write one reason using the word because.
- Connect to a local park, beach, riverbank, or roadside ditch, and identify what people placed there to keep soil from moving.
Plan a lesson for 2-ESS2-1
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related standards
- K-ESS3-3
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.
- 3-ESS3-1
Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.
- MS-LS2-5
Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- 4-ESS3-2
Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of natural Earth processes on humans.