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Arizona STEM

Acceleration Project

Modeling Earth Events-Slow and Fast

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Modeling Earth Events-Slow and Fast

A 2nd grade STEM lesson

Kelsey Kendrick

1/17/2024

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Notes for Teachers

This lesson takes place in a classroom for one or more hours.
Students may work in small groups of 2-4.
An emphasis on the target (creating a model of a quick change of the Earth and a model of a slow change of the Earth).
This can easily be modified for younger and older students.

-I used this lesson with STEM buddies comprised of first and sixth grade students.

List of Materials:

Paint liner trays (1 per group)

Enough sand to create a small “mountain” (2-3 inches high)
Enough potting soil to create a small “mountain” (2-3 inches high)
Newspaper, or something similar, to place under the soil/sand.
Straws
Spoons
Containers to pour water from (water bottles)
Recording Sheet- Click here
Crafting materials- glue, scissors, construction paper, and other crafting materials I had on hand -popsicle sticks, pom-pom balls, pipe cleaners. You could use other materials as you see fit.

Notes and Materials: This slide can be hidden or skipped when delivering the lesson. At our school, our first graders cover these standards, so I chose to partner my sixth graders with the first graders for this lesson. The first grade teachers used this as a culminating activity after completing their unit on Earth changes.

This activity works great in groups of 2-4, smaller groups are ideal because then the students have more opportunities for a “hands on” experience, however if materials are limited, groups of 4 work fine too! I used roughly 3-4 cups of sand and soil per tray. I used just regular sand and regular potting soil. The spoons worked great for modeling erosion on the sand. We used water bottles that we collected that week, to pour water on the soil for our landslide. I included straws in the material list. I chose to have the students use the straws to create wind. We did this before modeling coastline erosion on the sand. It was a good way for the students to see that wind can also erode the coastline, not just water. At the bottom of the supplies list I included crafting materials. If time permits, you can have students make houses (or any other structure) out of paper to place on top of their mountains. This helps students visualize the effects of Earth changes, however the activity can work without this step as well.

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Arizona Science Standards

Science Standards:

2.E1U1.4 Observe and investigate how wind and water change the shape of the land resulting in a variety of landforms.

● Wind and water can change the shape of the land.

ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth

Some events happen very quickly; others occur very slowly, over a time period much longer than one can observe.

Science and Engineering Practices

ask questions and define problems
develop and use models
plan and carry out investigations
analyze and interpret data
use mathematical and computational thinking
construct explanations and design solutions
engage in argument from evidence
obtain, evaluate and communicate information

Arizona ELA Standards

2.RI.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

2.RI.2 Identify and explain the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.

2.RI.3 With prompting and support, describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical

procedures in a text.

2.SL.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

2.SL.2 Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

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Objectives:

Today we will read a text about slow and fast changes to the Earth and use the information in the text to discuss what creates slow and fast changes to the Earth.

After reading the text, I can compare and contrast slow and fast changes to the Earth.

Today we will model and investigate slow and fast changes to the Earth.

Today we will collaborate with our partners to make model of a landslide and a model or coastline erosion.

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Agenda (60 minutes)

What are slow and fast changes to the Earth?

Earth’s Changing Surface by, Conrad J. Storad

Class Discussion/Activity

Construction of structures or vegetation

Landslide/Coastline Erosion Models

This is the agenda that I followed for this lesson. I started with the story. I had some copies of the story, so we read it aloud. However, I did find a read aloud on YouTube that I linked to the title. The story serves as a great starting part for the lesson and helps drives a good discussion. My students have already had a unit on changes to the Earth’s surface, so the story was all they needed, but if your classroom has not gone over these types of changes to the Earth’s surface, then you may want to spend a little more time going over different types of changes to the Earth and words like weathering and erosion. We had a class discussion following the story and then a whiteboard activity. The next day, we made our models and modeled landslides, and coastline erosion. This could be all done in a single day if you have a couple hours to work on it. I did not want to rush, so I chose to break it into two days.

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What are some examples of how our Earth’s surface changes over time? What can cause the Earth’s surface to change?

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Erosion

Erosion is a process where natural forces like water, wind, ice, and gravity wear away rocks and soil.

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Read-Aloud

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Partner Talk

What is the difference between slow and fast changes to the Earth?

Partner A-

“The difference between a slow and fast change to the Earth is….”

Partner B-

”I agree because in the story it said…”

OR

“I disagree because in the story it said…”

What is an example of a slow or fast change?

Partner B-

“One example of a (slow or fast) change is… because….”

Partner A-

“Another example of a (slow or fast) change is… because…”

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Whiteboard Activity

The following slides have images of slow and fast changes.

Do:

Discuss the image on the slide with your group and decide what type of change is pictured.
On your whiteboard you will write what type of change is pictured on the slide.
When prompted, hold your whiteboard in the air.
When prompted, discuss what force caused the change pictured with your group and write it on your whiteboard.
When prompted, hold your whiteboard in the air again.

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Structures/Vegetation Engineering

Using scissors, glue, and construction paper, construct a lighthouse, building, or tree to place at the top of your mountains. Be sure to work together with your group to design and create your structure. If time permits, you may choose to make more than one item!

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Hands-On Activity Instructions

In a group of 2-4 create a model that demonstrates a slow and quick change to Earth’s surface.

Materials:

1 tray
pre-measured sand
pre-measured soil
1 plastic bottle
1 straw
1 spoon
newspaper
Structures created by group in the engineering activity

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Lab Sheet

With your group:

Please write the names of each group member on the top of your lab sheet.
Read over the lab sheet given to your group.

Be sure to read over the instructions carefully before beginning!
Double check that you have all the materials listed on your sheet.

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Assessment

Check for understanding during whole group activity.

Circulate the room while students conduct the hands-on activity, listening to student conversations, and asking clarifying questions as they work.

Final assessment is the completed lab sheet.

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Differentiation

One way to differentiate this lesson, or make it accessible to all students, is through student grouping. Placing students that may need additional support with students that can provide the assistance they need, allows those students more opportunities to work without the assistance of the teacher.

The short answer questions on the lab sheet may be turned into multiple choice, or you may choose to provide sentence starters.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

This lesson can be extended by asking students to try and engineer a way to protect the coastline from erosion, or a way to prevent a landslide from happening.