How Can We Stop Soil From Washing Away?

How Can We Stop Soil from Washing Away? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a brand new curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is aligned to a group of grade 2 standards. It has a focus of engineering with a secondary focus on Earth science. In this module students:

• Use evidence to make claims about the similarities and differences between soil and sand
• Carry out an investigation to provide evidence for how wind and water can change the shape of the soil and sand
• Analyze the effectiveness, structure, and function of models for four materials that could be used to prevent or slow down erosion
• Develop a measurement scale to determine how much sand is washed away by water during tests
• Compare multiple solutions designed to reduce the ways water and wind have changed the shape of the land
• Use their understanding of erosion to design a way to save sand towers from destruction caused by water

Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module.