South Dakota Science 2-ESS1-1

Science2nd GradeEarth and Space Science

The Standard

Use information from several sources to construct an explanation that Earth events like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, weather, and erosion can occur quickly or slowly. (SEP: 6; DCI: ESS1.C; CCC: Stability/Change)

South Dakota Science Standards (2024) · Earth’s Place in the Universe

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students use photos, dates, and short reports to figure out how long Earth changes take. They use details from more than one source to explain why an earthquake happens quickly while riverbank erosion can happen slowly.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can identify a quick change and a slow change in a set of sources. They point to time clues in at least two sources to explain their choices.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think an earthquake takes years because the cracks it leaves can last that long. They may also think erosion happens only in one storm, rather than through repeated rain or flowing water.
How to Assess It: Show a news photo captioned “Earthquake cracked this road in seconds” and two riverbank photos dated five years apart. Ask, “Which change was quick, which was slow, and what clue in each source tells you?”

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Build two sand hills; pour water over one, drip water onto the other for five minutes, and compare the erosion each causes.
Read a one-day flood report and view two riverbank photos dated ten years apart; ask, “Which change took longer, and how do you know?”
Give pairs captioned cards about an earthquake, a daylong storm, and years of riverbank erosion; race to sort them by duration.
Read today's local forecast and a park webpage about a river-carved canyon; write which change takes hours and which takes many years.

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