Grade 2 Lesson plan
Pickerel Pond Window: Layering Tissue to Show Muddy Water
Grade 2 students test which collage materials let light through, then layer tissue on clear film to show how muddy runoff dims the plants in a made-up pond.
NGSS · Grade 2
2-PS1-1 Classify materials by their observable properties
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.
Clarification statement: Observations could include color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. Patterns could include the similar properties that different materials share.
Why water teaches this standard well
Ice and liquid water make an ideal pair of materials to describe and classify: one is hard and cold, the other pours and takes the shape of its container. Comparing them alongside sand, gravel, and filter cloth also previews the materials students will later use to clean water.
Materials tagged with this code are written to the full standard , including its clarification statement , and each carries a written note explaining the alignment. See how we review materials.
6 materials aligned to 2-PS1-1
Lesson plans
Grade 2 Lesson plan
Two Covers for the Ambledown Garden Tub: A Drying Test
A three-session grade 2 test of an open tub against a solid lid and a mesh cover, tracking water lines to find where a garden tub's stored water goes.
Worksheets
Grade 2 Worksheet
Four Spots on Thistleford Creek: Finding the Cloudy Water
Grade 2 students compare four water samples taken down the length of a creek after a rainy night, find where the water turns cloudy, and name the source.
Grade 2 Worksheet
The Wet Bus Loop at Pinebank School: A Grade 2 Yard Sheet
Grade 2 students use a chart of six school yard spots to explain why a storm puddle stays in the paved bus loop and to pick a fair pair for a soak test.
Labs & experiments
Grade 2 Lab / experiment
Ivyford Pond's Cloudy Jar: Testing Two Strainers
Grade 2 groups describe a cloth and a screen by their properties, then pour cloudy pond-style water through each and compare which strainer catches more bits.
Grade 2 Lab / experiment
Ashfield's Cold Pipe Wrap: A Grade 2 Insulation Test
A two-session grade 2 investigation comparing a paper towel wrap and a felt wrap on cups of ice, then refreezing the melted water to show the change reverses.