2nd Grade Science : Earth and Space Science
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for 2nd Grade Science
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Example Questions
Example Question #121 : 2nd Grade Science
Dejah's class is creating models to represent the shapes of landforms in different areas. She was assigned to a mountain.
Which material(s) would be the best to use to represent a mountain?
Water, rocks, sticks, and ice
Leaves, mud, sticks, and sand
Ice, dirt, water, and leaves
Rocks, dirt, sand, and water
Rocks, dirt, sand, and water
The best materials to select would be rocks, dirt, sand, and water. Mountains are usually tall, jagged, and rough. They are solids and have a defined structure. Dejah could wet the dirt and sand and form it into a mountain shape like she would with a sandcastle. Then she can place rocks on the outside to demonstrate the texture of a mountain.
Example Question #2 : Use A Model To Represent The Shapes Of Land In An Area
Maps do not show the shape of landforms or land in an area, so they are not useful when making a model.
True
False
False
Maps are a perfect way to show the shapes and kinds of land or landforms that are in an area. By mapping the land, people can see the shape, size, and how the surrounding bodies of water are shaped as well. Making a map is a clear way to demonstrate details about the land.
Example Question #3 : Use A Model To Represent The Shapes Of Land In An Area
Which answer choice is NOT a landform?
Skyscraper
Canyon
Mountain
Volcano
Skyscraper
Three of the listed answer choices are naturally occurring landforms that would be mapped or could be modeled; a mountain, volcano, and canyon. These are all formed naturally from rocks and earth over many years through weathering and erosion. A skyscraper is a human-made building that is not a landform or naturally occurring.
Example Question #2 : Use A Model To Represent The Shapes Of Land In An Area
What is NOT a characteristic of Earth’s landforms?
Landforms can be modeled and mapped.
Landforms were created by weathering and erosion.
Landforms were all made by humans and planned.
Landforms can be found all over the world.
Landforms were all made by humans and planned.
Characteristics that all of Earth's landforms have in common is that they were created over time through natural processes, they are due to the process of weathering and erosion, and found all over the world. As the Earth is changed, existing landforms change, and new landforms are created. Landforms were NOT all made by humans and planned.
Example Question #1 : Speed Of Various Earth Events
Which Earth event happens quickly?
Events take place on Earth every day that change and shape our land. The three wrong answer choices show changes that happen over many years and are very slow. Beach erosion, the formation of a lake or canyon, all happen after thousands, if not millions of years. A tornado is a rapid event. The tornado forms quickly and ends quickly. It changes the land around it in minutes.
Example Question #2 : Use Sources To Show That Some Earth Events Occur Quickly
Pompeii is an ancient city in Italy. It was a very popular and busy city. There were restaurants, shops, farms, and lots of people. That changed in the year 79 A.D. A nearby volcano called Mount Vesuvius erupted. When it exploded, it threw ash and rock into the air for two days. Tons of ash covered Pompeii. The city was covered in twenty-three feet of debris. Thousands of people died. No one was expecting the volcano to erupt. Even with technology, today, scientists cannot accurately predict when a volcano will erupt. Residents near the volcano do not get much of a warning to escape the danger.
What three sentences in this text hint that this event happened quickly?
"Pompeii is an ancient city in Italy. It was a very popular and busy city. There were restaurants, shops, farms, and lots of people."
"No one was expecting the volcano to erupt. Even with technology, today, scientists cannot accurately predict when a volcano will erupt. Residents near the volcano do not get much of a warning to escape the danger."
"Tons of ash covered Pompeii. The city was covered in twenty-three feet of debris. Thousands of people died."
"That changed in the year 79 A.D. A nearby volcano called Mount Vesuvius erupted. When it exploded, it threw ash and rock into the air for two days. Tons of ash covered Pompeii."
"No one was expecting the volcano to erupt. Even with technology, today, scientists cannot accurately predict when a volcano will erupt. Residents near the volcano do not get much of a warning to escape the danger."
Volcanic eruptions are an Earth even that happens very quickly. The three sentences in the text that give information about the speed of the event include keywords like, "no one was expecting," "cannot predict," and "not much of a warning." These all let readers know that this event happened quickly, and because of that, there were devastating consequences.
Example Question #2 : Speed Of Various Earth Events
Pompeii is an ancient city in Italy. It was a very popular and busy city. There were restaurants, shops, farms, and lots of people. That changed in the year 79 A.D. A nearby volcano called Mount Vesuvius erupted. When it exploded, it threw ash and rock into the air for two days. Tons of ash covered Pompeii. The city was covered in twenty-three feet of debris. Thousands of people died. No one was expecting the volcano to erupt. Even with technology, today, scientists cannot accurately predict when a volcano will erupt. Residents near the volcano do not get much of a warning to escape the danger.
Why did the residents not leave the area, so they were safe?
They did not know what a volcano was, so they didn't think it was dangerous.
The residents ignored all of the warnings.
This event happened very slowly, so they were not paying attention.
This event happened very quickly, so residents had no time to escape.
This event happened very quickly, so residents had no time to escape.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius was devastating to Pompeii. The residents did not leave the area and head for safety because this event happened so quickly they had no time to escape. Some Earth events happen very quickly, and there is little time to prepare or protect oneself, others happen slowly so we can prepare.
Example Question #4 : Use Sources To Show That Some Earth Events Occur Quickly
Earthquakes are a natural disaster caused by the Earth’s surface moving. The Earth’s crust is made of plates called tectonic plates. They usually move slowly, but sometimes they get stuck. When the plates pull apart, energy is released, and this causes an earthquake. The larger the amount of energy released, the more massive the quake. Earthquakes usually only last for 30 seconds or less. Despite earthquakes being very quick, they can be very destructive. Strong earthquakes can damage homes, towns, bridges, roads, and more. Earthquakes can also be deadly. Earthquakes are very hard to predict, so we don’t know when they are going to happen. Often people don’t have time to leave the area before it happens.
Which two sentences support the idea that earthquakes are an event that happens quickly?
"Earthquakes are very hard to predict, so we don’t know when they are going to happen. Often people don’t have time to leave the area before it happens."
"Earthquakes are a natural disaster caused by the Earth's surface moving. The Earth's crust is made of plates called tectonic plates."
"Strong earthquakes can damage homes, towns, bridges, roads, and more. Earthquakes can also be deadly."
"They usually move slowly, but sometimes they get stuck. When the plates pull apart, energy is released, and this causes an earthquake."
"Earthquakes are very hard to predict, so we don’t know when they are going to happen. Often people don’t have time to leave the area before it happens."
Earthquakes are an event that cause a lot of destruction very quickly. Many people have supplies ready in their homes, but there is no time to escape. The sentences in the text that support this idea include the phrases "hard to predict" and "people don't have time to leave the area." These phrases tell readers that the event is happening quickly.
Example Question #3 : Speed Of Various Earth Events
Which photo shows an Earth event that would happen quickly (in days or weeks)?
Three of these photos depict events that happen very slowly over time. Beach erosion and the creation of canyons or rock formations take thousands, if not millions of years. The photo showing what looks like a severe tropical storm would happen quickly. The storm may build or form over a week or so, but within a day or so, the bad weather will pass. The way the storm changes the landscape may stay around longer, but the event itself happens quickly.
Example Question #4 : Speed Of Various Earth Events
Which Earth event happens suddenly and can have no warning?
The Earth event that can happen suddenly and have no warning is a volcanic eruption. Scientists can monitor volcanos but cannot predict precisely when they will erupt. It happens quickly and with little time to prepare. Islands forming, mountainside waterfalls, and canyons all take thousands, even millions of years to develop.
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