South Dakota Science K-ESS3-3

ScienceKindergartenEarth and Space Science

The Standard

Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and living things in the local environment. (SEP: 8; DCI: ESS3.C, ETS1.B; CCC: Cause/Effect) Alignment may include K-2-ETS1-2

South Dakota Science Standards (2024) · Earth and Human Activity

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students notice ways people can harm nearby land, water, air, and living things. They draw or tell about an action that helps, such as putting litter in a bin or walking instead of riding in a car.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can name a problem they see nearby and suggest a doable fix. They can explain that keeping wrappers out of a storm drain helps keep nearby water clean.
Common Misconceptions: Some children think rain makes litter disappear, rather than carrying it into drains and streams. Others say “help the Earth” without naming an action, or think picking up litter also cleans car exhaust from the air.
How to Assess It: Show a picture of wrappers by a school drain. Ask each child to draw what someone should do with the wrappers and tell how it would help the water or animals.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Put paper scraps beside a pond drawn on a tray, spray water, then clear the scraps and spray again and explain the change.
Show a photo of litter near the school drain and ask, “Where might rain carry it, and what could we do?”
Match picture cards: wrappers with a bin, car exhaust with walking, and crushed plants with staying on the path.
Take a supervised schoolyard walk to spot litter, then draw a sign asking classmates to put wrappers in the bin.

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