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How Do Wind and Water Change the Earth?- Natalie Hyde

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How Do Wind and Water Change the Earth?- Natalie Hyde

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Media: Text, Informational Tradebook
Summary: This informational book is all about the different ways wind and water change the earth through weathering and erosion.  This book explains how wind and water break off rock and soil and move them to change the earth.  It discusses the fast and slow changes of the Earth due to the weathering and erosion.
Theme Connection: This connects to the theme as students need to understand how the different landforms and bodies of water are made, in order to be able to correctly represent them on a map.  Understanding these processes helps us understand how the Earth is shaped.
Complexity: (Guided Reading L) This is considered a grade level text but due to the amount of information and new vocabulary presented in this text, it would definitely be difficult for second graders.
Instructional Uses: I would recommend using this text for an interactive read aloud with modeling questioning technique as their is a lot of information to obtain from this text. Using the questioning technique could help students better understand what their reading and organize their thoughts.

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This fascinating book explains how the shape of Earth is changed by weathering and erosion--the breaking down of rocks and minerals which are then carried from one place to another by water, ice, wind, and gravity. It is this movement that carves out valleys, causes trees to topple over, and creates or destroys good farmland.

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This Land is Your Land- Catherine Ciocchi 

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This Land is Your Land- Catherine Ciocchi 

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Media: Text, Informational Tradebook
Summary: This book takes you around the world to describe and observe different landforms through rhyming.  Each page has a new landform from coastlines, to mountains, to plains, to canyons, and many more.  You can find out how unique each landform is.
Theme Connection: This connects to the theme as students learn about different landforms around the world that are created from the processes that shape the Earth.  It's important to have background knowledge on the landforms that make up the world so students can describe them and point them out on a map.
Complexity: (Lexile 580L) This book would definitely be considered more difficult for second graders as it is a higher Lexile level.  Also, the scientific vocabulary makes the text more complex.  The images definitely provide help in clarifying the vocabulary which helps the students better understand the text.
Instructional Uses: I would use this text for a read aloud.  Also, I would have students break into small groups and pairs, assign a landform to each group and have them draw and describe the landform they have.  I would have them complete this after watching the landforms video so they have more background knowledge to draw from.

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This Land is Your Land book. Read 4 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Take a trip around the world to discover a wide variety of Ea...

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Media: Text, Literary Tradebook
Summary:  The Cat In the Hat takes kids on a journey to show different kinds of maps, how they look, and what they represent.  This book follows a rhythmic pattern to explain the different parts of maps and tell you facts in an interesting way.
Theme Connection: This is a great book to explain the many different kinds of maps that contain different features.  It's important to identify landforms and bodies of water as they are what shape our Earth.
Complexity: (Lexile 580L) This could definitely be challenging for some readers as it's a lot of new information and new words, but I think since it's written in rhyme and very similar to Dr. Seuss's books children will be more inclined to read this and stay engaged.
Instructional Uses: I recommend using this book as a read aloud with emphasis on the parts that would be significant to students completing their authentic writing task. Since this book explains many different kinds of maps, I would tag the pages relevant to their end goal so they can use it as a resource. Also, having it available for partner reading would be beneficial

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There's a Map on My Lap! book. Read 37 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The Cat in the Hat introduces beginning readers to maps-th...

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Media: Text, Informational Tradebook
Summary: This book has great details on how weathering and erosion affect our Earth.  It describes how wind, water, ice, sun, people and chemicals change Earth's surface by eroding rocks and land or moving them.
Theme Connection: This book explains how Earth is constantly changing which connects to the them of how processes shape the Earth. If students don't understand weathering and erosion they can't explain how landforms were created and how the Earth develops.
Complexity: (Lexile 460L) Depending on the time of the year this unit is taught and the students background knowledge, this text could be very complex or mildly complex. The concepts of weathering and erosion can definitely be difficult to grasp as young child which would make this text difficult to comprehend but there aren't that many challenging vocabulary words, especially when this is read with these other texts as the same vocabulary is reoccurring.
Instructional Uses: I would use this text in combination with the How Wind and Water shape the Earth as they discuss many of the same concepts. Then, I would have students complete an interactive SmartBoard activity on the different kinds of weathering and erosion based off the two books. Also, I would have students compete the two hands-on activities in the back of the book as they would be very beneficial to their learning.

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"Earth is constantly changing. Wind, water, and even humans change Earth's surface. The land is broken down and worn away by erosion. The...

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Media: Text, Informational TradeBook
Summary: This book describes how to make a physical map and all the features included in a map.  It explains what a map is, what a  physical map is, map symbols and colors, reading and measuring a map, bodies of water, landforms and the uses of physical maps.
Theme Connection: This text will help students understand how to make a physical map. Understanding how to map landforms and bodies of water is important in building students knowledge of the Earth's processes.
Complexity: I was unable to find an actual level for this text but due to the amount of text on each page and new vocabulary this would definitely be a difficult text for a second grader to read on his/her own and understand.
Instructional Uses: This book should be used for a read aloud and a reference for the authentic writing task. Due to the many new vocabulary terms it'll be most beneficial if the teacher reads it out loud and thoroughly explain the new terms and concepts. Also, the teacher should only address the information relevant to the students needs. Students need to know symbols, and where to place landforms and bodies of water on a map in order to complete the authentic writing task.

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Physical maps use colors and symbols to describe landscape features like mountains, deserts, and bodies of water. Learn how physical maps can be used to relate to the world around us.

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Media: Text, Literary Tradebook
Summary: This story follows Sally and her four friends in search of her missing dog, Max, and her cat Ollie.  The children follow different maps through the neighborhood, city, country, and world to find Max and Ollie while giving important information about each map.
Theme Connection: This book is a great to build on students' background knowledge on what belongs to a map.  Knowing what goes on a map helps us understand the world more.
Complexity: (Lexile 590 L)  This book definitely seems more kid-friendly as it follows 5 friends on a journey so it uses kid-friendly terms, but there is added information on each page about the map which can be more complex to understand.
Instructional Uses:  I would use this book as an interactive read-aloud, engaging students to follow the 5 children through each map which the book is set up to do.  Also, I would add in more questions to keep students more engaged and relate the maps to their lives.

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Follow That Map! book. Read 30 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Maps are about far more than getting from a to b. Maps can help ch...

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How I Learned Geography- Uri Schulevitz 

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How I Learned Geography- Uri Schulevitz 

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Media: Text, Literary Tradebook
Summary: This story is about a boy and his family living in poverty because of war.  One day his father brought home a map instead of bread and the family was furious at the father.  The father hung the map up and the boy came to realize his appreciation of the map as he could travel anywhere and see different places without actually leaving home.
Theme Connection:  This connects to the theme as students learn the importance of maps and the Earth from this little boy.  Learning how beautiful and important our world is factors into our understanding of the processes that shape the Earth.
Complexity: (Lexile AD660L) For the most part I would say this isn't a complex text for a second grader to read just based off the words, but I think the concepts discussed are harder to understand and there are a few unfamiliar terms used  that would definitely need defining.  This would not be a good book for a second grader to read independently for the first time unless he/she was reading above grade level.
Instructional Uses:  I would use this book to introduce maps to students as this is a great story to do that with.  Also, I could connect this to other subjects such as social studies and the topic of  community and people.

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Having fled from war in their troubled homeland, a boy and his family are living in poverty in a strange country. Food is scarce, so when...

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Media: Text, Literary Tradebook
Summary: This book is about the different ways water is found on Earth.  The story follows water in each stage of it's life using poetic language.
Theme Connection: This connects to the theme as water changes the Earth.  This is a great introduction to the many types of water on Earth  which will help students better understand how water changes the Earth.
Complexity: (Lexile 310L)  The writing of this text is a little challenging because it uses poetic language which is challenging for many students at any grade level.  Also, some of the vocabulary throughout the book is definitely unfamiliar to 2nd graders.
Instructional Uses: I would use this book for a read aloud as it would be challenging for students to read on their own.  It would be important to make sure students understand the poetic language which is why a read aloud would be great for this text.

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Water Dance by Thomas Locker | Scholastic

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Beautiful text and illustrations describe the beauty and volatility of water. The back of this book contains interesting facts about water.

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Smash: When continents collide!- Brains On

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Smash: When continents collide!- Brains On

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Media: Audio, Podcast
Summary: This podcast discusses in-depth about tectonic plates and what happens when they move.  Multiple people come on to discuss these plates to explain the reasons for volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountains.
Theme Connection:  Understanding tectonic plates and how they create different landforms is important in understanding how the Earth is shaped.  People need to understand the importance of tectonic plates.  Also, this podcast helps us identify slow and fast changes of the Earth.
Complexity:  The whole podcast is definitely complex for second graders as there is many unfamiliar vocabulary terms and processes discussed.  Also, there isn't a visual to accompany the audio which makes it harder for students to comprehend.
Instructional Uses:  I would only use the first 3:10 minutes of the podcast as that is enough information for students to process.  I would have them listen to those few minutes and see if they can connect it to anything else we've read so far.  Also, for students who are above grade level in comprehension for this unit I would have them listen to the rest of the podcast to expand their learning.

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Smash: When continents collide! | Brains on! A podcast for kids & curious adults

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How are mountains made? What causes an earthquake? How does hot lava come bubbling up? The answer in each case is...tectonic plates!

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Media: Audio, Song
Summary:  This is a catchy song that explains the 7 continents and 5  oceans.  Each continent is described with distinct features from that continent.
Theme Connection:  This song connects to the theme because it's important to know the names of the continents and oceans to better understand where the processes that shape Earth take place.  Also, it's important to be able to identify these areas on a map as they are key landforms and bodies of water.
Complexity:  This song gives a decent amount of information about each continent which can make it hard for students to remember, but I think if they listen to it multiple times they'll easily remember the information.
Instructional Uses:  I would use this song in combination with the map texts when the topic of continents and oceans first arise.  It'll be a nice break from reading information, and that way musical learners can get a chance to excel too.

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FULL SONG: 'Continents and Oceans!' 🌍 ABCmouse Sing-Along Music Video | Preschool and Kindergarten

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Wind and Water Shape the  Land- Erik Koskinen 

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Wind and Water Shape the  Land- Erik Koskinen 

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Media: Audio, Song
Summary: This song is about how wind and water change the land.  It describes how running water and wind moves sand and wears down rocks.
Theme Connection: This song connects to the theme because it discusses wind and water shaping the land which are very important  processes that shape the Earth.
Complexity: At times it's a little difficult to hear what the singer is saying because of the tone of her voice, but overall this song isn't complex.
Instructional Uses:  I would pair this with the informational book How do wind and water change the Earth?  I would play this song before reading the book as an introduction to the topic.

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Media: Visual, Map
Summary:  This is a map of my town Somers, NY from Google Maps.  The town could be changed at any time.
Theme Connection: It's important to see land and water displayed on a map from a smaller perspective as a map is different depending on the scale.  This show the Earth processes that shaped this area of land.
Complexity: This map is a little more complex than the world map as it highlights different features in different ways with different coloring but overall students can identify where the land and water areas are by observing this map.
Instructional Uses: I would show this map to students and explain all the different features that are relevant to them.  Also, I would make sure they have it as a reference for their authentic writing task.

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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

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Media: Visual, Map
Summary:  This is a map of the physical features of the United States.  It shows the most important bodies of water, land areas, and cities.
Theme Connection: It's important to see physical features of a country as there are more processes within each landform that shape the Earth.
Text Complexity: This map would be hard for second graders to process independently as there are many places they have never heard of and probably can't pronounce which will hinder their comprehension, but it is a good map to show physical features of the U.S.
Instructional Uses: I would show this map to students and explain all the different features that are relevant to them.  Also, I would make sure they have it as a reference for their authentic writing task.

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Physical map of the United States. Illustrating the geographical features of the United States. Information on topography, water bodies, elevation and other related features of the United States

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Media: Visual, Map
Summary: This is a physical map of the world showing the continents, oceans, major bodies of water, and other geographical features.
Theme Connection:  This is a great map to understand where the major landforms are in the world and it's good to compare to a map of Pangea to show the continental drift which would show a process that shaped the Earth.
Complexity:  This map would definitely be difficult for second graders to understand on their own as the representation of mountains, deserts and lowlands would be new to them.
Instructional Uses:  I would show this map to students and explain all the different features that are relevant to them.  Also, I would make sure they have it as a reference for their authentic writing task.

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Free Physical Maps of the World - Mapswire.com

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Media: Visual, Photographs & Diagrams
Summary: These are 8 pictures of changes that happen on Earth.  The pictures are of a Tsunami, Hurricane, Volcano, Mountain Formation, Canyon Formation, Shoreline Change, Tornado, and Continental Drift.
Theme Connection:  These are pictures of slow and fast processes that change the Earth.
Text Complexity:  These pictures aren't difficult to comprehend as there aren't many follow up questions to what is being shown.  The diagram pictures are more complex as diagrams are usually harder to understand and the students would probably need an explanation of what's happening.
Instructional Uses:  I would use these cards to have students identify whether they are slow or fast Earth changes and give a reason why.

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Media: Non-traditional text, article
Summary: This article is about the basics of the Earth and how it's displayed on a map.  It also discusses the importance of maps and of Alfred Wegener who thought the continents looked like a jigsaw puzzle.
Theme Connection: This is an introduction to the idea of continental drift and the way maps look.  Continental drift is a process that shapes the Earth.
Complexity: (Lexile 610) Considering the vocabulary and length of texts used in my other sources I feel that this text isn't that complex as it is just an introduction that can lead to main topics of this unit.  Honestly, I think it just depends on your students and their background knowledge of this subject.  If they have no background knowledge, then it will be difficult.
Instructional Use: I would use this article for a partner read as an introduction to maps and the world.  I think an independent read would be too difficult but could work for higher achieving students.

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Improve your students' reading comprehension with ReadWorks. Access thousands of high-quality, free K-12 articles, and create online assignments with them for your students.

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Media: Non-traditional text, article
Summary: This article is all about canyons and more specifically the Grand Canyon.  It describes how big the canyon is and how the it was formed.
Theme Connection:  This article describes one of the processes that shapes today's Earth.  It's important to learn about all the processes and the formation of canyons is one.
Complexity: (Lexile 710L)  I think the multisyllabic words makes this text more complex for second graders.  Also, science concepts tend to be more difficult to grasp for students which can be said about most of these texts.
Instructional Use: I would use this text to accompany the informational texts about landforms so students can continue to build their background knowledge.  I would have students either work in partners or small groups to read this article and have a discussion about it with modeling and guidance from the teacher.

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Why are there Earthquakes? - Rachel Kreisman 

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Why are there Earthquakes? - Rachel Kreisman 

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Media: Non-traditional text, article
Summary: This article describes why and how Earthquakes form by briefly explaining the movement of the tectonic plates.  It also explains how often they occur and the damage they can create.
Theme Connection: This connects to the theme of processes that shape the Earth because it discusses tectonic plates which change the structure of the Earth.
Complexity: (Lexile 620) The first part of the text isn't complex as it is describing earthquakes in simpler terms, but the second part is more complex.  The second part uses more scientific terms that are unfamiliar to young students and the process of how an earthquake forms becomes more complex as students can't connect the terms together.
Instructional Uses: I would pair this article with the podcast and ask students what the connection between the two sources are.  I would implement a think-pair-share about the two sources.

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Curious kids: How do Mountains form? - Ray Patrice 

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Curious kids: How do Mountains form? - Ray Patrice 

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Media: Non-traditional texts, website/written conversation
Summary: This written text describes how mountains are made by the movement of tectonic plates in kid-friendly language.  Also, he suggests a little experiment that could help students understand how mountains are formed.
Theme Connection: This connects to the theme because mountains are one of Earth's landforms created and affects the shape of the Earth.
Complexity:  The first part of the text is easier to read as the vocabulary is simpler, but the second part is not.  The second part shows explains how mountains are made using more difficult science terms and shows a diagram labeled with complex terms.
Instructional Uses:  I would use this text to increase students background knowledge on how specific landforms were made as it's important to know how they were made.

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This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children. The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they'd like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome - serious, weird or wacky! You might also like the podcast Imagine This, a co-production between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, based on Curious Kids.

How do mountains get made? - Astrid, age 6, Marrickville

Hello Astrid. You may not believe this but when I was about your age my teacher (Mr Rouve) explained to the class how mountains get made.

He took a sheet of paper and put it flat on the table. Then, he put the tips of his right and left hands' fingers on each side of the flat sheet and slowly moved his hands toward each other. Try to do it and you will see that the middle part of the paper will lift off the table to form a nice fold.

My teacher explained that mountains form in a similar way, when flat layers of rocks are pushed toward each other they move upward forming tall mountains.

My teacher was really excited by a discovery made by geologists at that time, when I was a kid. These geologists had figured out that the surface of the Earth was, like a giant jigsaw puzzle, made of pieces. Those pieces, called "tectonic plates", move and bump into each other.

This bumping creates earthquakes, which slowly push the ground surface upward to make mountains. It happens so slowly that, in fact, you are getting taller faster than mountains do, except mountains keep growing and growing and growing for many millions of years until they are so heavy they can no longer grow taller, only wider.

In fact, Australia and New Zealand are sitting on two different "tectonic plates" that move towards each other at the speed of a few centimetres per year. Where they bump into each other, the ground gets lifted to form the stunning New Zealand Alps, the top of which stands close to 4,000 metres. Can you imagine about 4,000 people as tall as you, standing straight up on each other shoulders? That's how tall these mountains are.

Shutterstock

Mountains also form when the Earth's crust is pushed upward from underneath. At the same time the New Zealand Alps started to form, a large hot bubble of rocks raising from deep in the Earth, like a giant air balloon, was pushing upward the surface of the eastern part of Africa forming a 4,000 metre high plateau. This plateau split to form what is known as the East African Rift, a valley twice as long as the New Zealands Alps.

There are many mountains at the surface of the Earth. Some we can see, some we can't because they are under the sea. If you could take a submarine and dive under the sea, for instance in the ocean in between Australia and Antarctica, you could visit a long mountain where the Australian and Antarctica tectonic plates move away from each other.

Thank you again for your fantastic question.

Read more: Curious Kids: What existed before the Big Bang? Did something have to be there to go boom?
Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you'd like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au

CC BY-ND

Please tell us your name, age and which city you live in. We won't be able to answer every question but we will do our best.

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This is an article from Curious Kids, a series for children. The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they'd like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome - serious, weird or wacky! You might also like the podcast Imagine This, a co-production between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, based on Curious Kids.

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Media: Video, YouTube
Summary: Mr. DeMaio explains landforms through an animated video by talking to some landforms.  He talks to mountains, plateaus, plains, lakes, and rivers.
Theme Connection: The explanation of each  landform and body of water helps make the connection to processes that shape the Earth.  Each landform changes the Earth in some way so understanding what each landform is, is very important.
Complexity: I think the language used was easy to understand and put together except for a couple of the names of the landforms.  Also, the talking geographical features help explained each feature more making it easier to understand.
Instructional Uses: I would use this video with the other video so that students get a great explanation of each geographical feature.  Also, the students will work in groups to make graphic organizers about the features.

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How is shore form, erosion. - Raindrop Cartoon Series 

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How is shore form, erosion. - Raindrop Cartoon Series 

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Media: Video, Cartoon Series/YouTube
Summary: This cartoon is about shoreline erosion explained by a raindrop.  The raindrop explains to his friend how the coast changes due to the waves constantly pounding the shore.  Then he sings him a song about erosion.
Theme Connection: Coastline erosion is a process on Earth that affects the shape of Earth as it depletes the coast.
Complexity: This is perfect for second graders as the raindrop really explains coastline erosion.  The focus on one concept makes this video easier to understand.
Instructional Uses: I would show this video to students when reading How do Wind and Water Change Earth after page 13 where it discusses this topic.  I think this would pair well with this text and would offer students a little brain break from all the new facts from the informational book.

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How is shore form, erosion. Educational cartoon videos Raindrop

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Media: Video, Television/YouTube
Summary: Bill Nye explains the different ways our planet is eroding through wind, water, chemicals, ice, sun, and chemicals.  Then he shows actual experiments of how some of these factors actually erode the land in his lab.
Theme Connection: Erosion is a process on Earth that affects the shape of Earth and this video does a great job at explaining this process.
Complexity: The concepts are a little challenging to understand but the experiments shown help explain the concept more making it easier to understand.
Instructional Uses: I would pair this video with the Weathering and Erosion book so that students can gain more background knowledge on the topic and actually see some experiments done of how erosion works instead of just being told about it.

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Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for Kids- FreeSc 

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Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for Kids- FreeSc 

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Media: Video, YouTube
Summary: This video describes the different landforms and bodies of water created on Earth's surface.  It describes mountains, islands, peninsulas, hills, rivers, and many more.
Theme Connection: Each landform or body of water described is explained in how they are made.  These natural features help shape our Earth.
Complexity: This video is very long and discusses some natural features that aren't usually taught until later years so that increases the complexity.  Also, it is 9 minutes of a lot of different information so it would be hard for second graders to absorb all the information at once.
Instructional Uses: I would pair this video with the other Landforms video but break this video up so it's not an overload of information. Students can work in groups to make a graphic organizer of all the landforms they've learned to help them remember which one is which.

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Exploring Landforms and Bodies of Water for Kids - FreeSchool

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Media: Audio, Podcast
Summary: This podcast is told by a young boy who travels to space during the time of Dinosaur's to examine the Earth from above.  He explains what continents are, how they were formed, and explains tectonic plates which leads to earthquakes.
Theme Connection:  Aaron's explanation of the Earth reveals many processes that have shaped the Earth over time and quickly.  He explains the shift in continents and tectonic plates which has a major factor on Earth.
Complexity: Since Aaron is a young boy, I think the podcast was at a comprehension level of a second grader.  The discussion of each topic was clear and kid-friendly making it easier to comprehend.
Instructional Uses:  I would share this podcast with the students and pause at different spots so they can do a think-pair-share about some of the topics.  Discussing with partners is important in students' comprehension.

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An imaginative science podcast for kids.