Unit 5 — Changes to Earth's Land
Description
Students use evidence from multiple sources to distinguish between Earth events that occur quickly, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, and those that occur slowly, such as erosion. They apply engineering design to compare multiple solutions designed to prevent or slow wind and water erosion, examining examples such as dikes, windbreaks, and use of plants. Students ask questions, make observations, and gather information about erosion problems in their community, then develop sketches or models to illustrate how designs help solve these problems. Throughout the unit, students construct explanations for why changes occur and design solutions based on evidence.
Essential Questions
- What evidence shows that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly?
- In what ways do humans slow or prevent wind and water from changing the land?
- How do designs help solve erosion problems?
Learning Objectives
- Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events occur quickly or slowly
- Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water erosion
- Ask questions and gather information to define problems related to land changes
- Develop sketches, drawings, or models illustrating how designs prevent erosion
Supplemental Resources
- Chart paper for documenting erosion solutions and comparisons
- Markers for creating design sketches and labels
- Paper for drawing before-and-after erosion diagrams
- Sticky notes for organizing information about erosion prevention
- Lined journals for recording observations of erosion in the community
Earth and Space Sciences
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Students participate in shared research and writing projects using trade books and digital resources to support science learning across all units. They ask and answer questions about key details in informational texts, describe connections between scientific ideas and concepts, recall and gather information from provided sources to answer questions, write opinion pieces with evidence to support claims, create audio recordings and add visual displays to clarify ideas, and recount key ideas from texts read aloud or presented through media. These literacy practices are explicitly referenced in connection with standards 2-PS1-1 through 2-PS1-4, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, 2-ESS2-3, K-2-ETS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2, and K-2-ETS1-3.
Students apply mathematical practices and content standards throughout the science units. They reason abstractly and quantitatively, model with mathematics, and use appropriate tools strategically when collecting and analyzing data from investigations. Students draw picture graphs and bar graphs with single-unit scale to represent data sets with up to four categories, read and write numbers to 1000 using base-ten numerals and expanded form, and use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve word problems involving lengths. These mathematical connections are explicitly referenced in relation to standards 2-PS1-1, 2-PS1-2, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1, 2-ESS1-1, 2-ESS2-1, 2-ESS2-2, K-2-ETS1-1, and K-2-ETS1-3.
Formative Assessments
- Evidence collected from texts, videos, and models showing fast and slow Earth changes
- Observations of erosion examples in the school or community
- Comparisons of different erosion prevention designs recorded in charts or drawings
- Sketches or physical models illustrating erosion prevention strategies
Summative Assessment
Students determine what slow and fast changes to landscapes are caused by mudslides and develop a prevention plan.
Benchmark Assessment
Plan and carry out investigations relating to soil, rocks, and minerals; chart similarities and differences.
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding through a teacher-led discussion or recorded oral response describing fast and slow Earth changes, using visual aids such as labeled pictures or video clips to support their explanations. Simplified graphic organizers or sentence frames may be provided to help organize information about erosion solutions.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students with IEPs may benefit from visual supports such as labeled diagrams and photo-based sorting activities that distinguish fast and slow Earth changes, reducing the demand on print-based processing. Oral explanations, dictation, or drawn sketches should be accepted as valid alternatives to written responses when students are documenting observations or comparing erosion solutions. Directions for multi-step tasks such as building or explaining a model should be broken into numbered steps with visual cues, and teachers should check in frequently during hands-on work to provide corrective feedback before misconceptions solidify. Vocabulary related to Earth changes and erosion prevention should be pre-taught using picture-supported reference cards that students can keep at their workspace throughout the unit.
Section 504
Students with 504 plans should be given extended time during observation and comparison tasks, particularly when recording findings in charts or drawings. Preferential seating near demonstrations and anchor charts displaying key Earth science vocabulary will support focus and access during whole-group instruction. Physical models and hands-on materials should remain accessible so students can return to concrete representations when processing explanations about erosion and land change.
ELL / MLL
Multilingual learners will benefit from a visual word bank featuring illustrations of key unit terms such as erosion, volcano, earthquake, dike, and windbreak, displayed prominently and referenced throughout instruction. Teachers should use simple, direct language when presenting comparisons between fast and slow Earth events, pairing explanations with video clips, photographs, or physical demonstrations whenever possible. Students may respond to observation and design tasks through drawings, labeled sketches, or verbal explanations in their home language before transitioning to English, allowing them to demonstrate understanding of scientific concepts while continuing to develop academic language.
At Risk (RTI)
Students who need additional support should begin with concrete, observable examples of erosion — such as examining soil samples or watching a simple water-flow demonstration — before engaging with more abstract comparisons across multiple sources. Comparison charts for erosion prevention solutions can be partially pre-filled to lower the entry barrier while keeping the focus on scientific reasoning rather than recording mechanics. Connecting unit concepts to familiar local landscapes or weather events the student has experienced can activate prior knowledge and help make fast and slow Earth changes feel meaningful and accessible.
Gifted & Talented
Students who are ready for greater depth can investigate the long-term consequences of erosion on ecosystems or human communities, going beyond the comparison of individual solutions to evaluate trade-offs among multiple prevention strategies using criteria such as cost, environment impact, and effectiveness. These students may be challenged to research a real-world engineering solution to a land-change problem and present a reasoned argument — supported by evidence from multiple sources — for why one approach is superior to another. Encouraging students to identify an erosion-related problem in their own community and propose an original prevention design, justified through scientific reasoning, extends both the engineering design process and the depth of content engagement.