Grade 2 · Earth Science · FireFlash pack
Explore hills, valleys and rivers, and how wind and water change land.
Some land changes happen in minutes, like a landslide. Others take a very long time, like rock slowly breaking apart. Shaping the Land compares fast and slow changes, then asks which design best protects a streambank or a field from erosion.
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What students investigate
Students learn that evidence shows how a place changed. They see an earthquake shake the ground quickly, a landslide move soil downhill, and weathering change rock in place, and they use different sources to compare these changes.
The second half is about erosion and solutions. Water and wind move loose soil and sand, and students compare two designs to protect a streambank and see how tree rows and fences act as windbreaks. A fair comparison helps them pick the design that meets the goal.
Who it is for
Shaping the Land is written for Grade 2 Earth science. It works well with a stream table or a tray of sand and a fan, so students can test a windbreak or a bank design themselves.
Before and after pictures always say which came first, so students can focus on what changed.
What students learn
10 learning ideas, one at a time. Each one is a silent animated Learn card, then Review and Mastery questions.
- Evidence shows how a place changed.
- Some earthquakes shake the ground quickly.
- A landslide can move soil downhill.
- Weathering can change rock in place.
- Different sources help compare land changes.
- Erosion moves loose soil away.
- Wind erosion can move loose sand.
- Two designs can help protect one streambank.
- Tree rows and fences can act as windbreaks.
- A fair comparison helps us meet our goal.
Science words in this pack
Each word is taught on its Learn card, then used again in Review and Mastery.
- evidence
- change
- earthquake
- landslide
- slope
- weathering
- source
- erosion
- wind erosion
- design
- streambank
- windbreak
- goal
- fair comparison
Inside the pack
How it works in class
- Learn. 10 silent whiteboard animations, one idea per card. No audio, so it works on a classroom screen or a quiet device.
- Review. 30 practice questions with feedback. Ideas a student misses come back.
- Mastery. 30 questions to show what each student knows on their own.
- Certificate. A student who finishes can print a certificate or save it as a PDF. It shows first-try Review and Mastery results and the ideas that needed a retry.
Standards connections
These cards support parts of the following NGSS performance expectations. They do not replace hands-on investigations.
- 2-ESS1-1 — core ideas
- 2-ESS2-1 — core ideas
Questions teachers ask
Which changes are fast and which are slow?
Earthquakes and landslides are fast. Weathering and most erosion are slow.
Does it include engineering?
Yes. Students compare two solutions to reduce wind or water erosion and reason about fair tests. Building and testing models in class is still the full engineering task.
How do I open it after buying?
Enter your unlock code on the Unlock page, then share the pack with students from Share with students.
Get Shaping the Land
Already have an unlock code? Unlock this pack, then open it in FireFlash.