Research & Modeling Projects

MS-ESS2-2 & MS-ESS2-3 • Constructing explanations from evidence

Beyond hands-on organizers, this unit includes three projects that ask students to think and write like scientists — building an evidence-based argument, imagining what Earth was like at any point in its history, and reasoning through the evidence for meteor impacts.

Project 1

Scientific Argumentative Writing: Earthquakes

Students take a position on an earthquake-related question and build a written argument using claims, evidence, and reasoning — the same structure scientists use to support their conclusions. This activity connects directly to the grade 6-8 literacy writing standards for science and technical subjects.

  1. Students read background information about a real earthquake scenario.
  2. They form a claim that answers the guiding question.
  3. Students gather supporting evidence from the provided readings and data.
  4. They write a structured argument connecting their evidence to their claim with clear reasoning.
Photo: Scientific argumentative writing organizer

Project 2

Time Machine Mini Research Project

Students imagine traveling back to any point in Earth's history and must research what conditions they would actually encounter — from the atmosphere they'd breathe to the equipment they'd need to survive. The project blends creative framing with real geologic research.

  Earth Think Sheet

Students research land masses, day length, climate, and Earth's magnetic field at their chosen point in time.

  Equipment Think Sheet

Students determine what gear they'd need based on atmospheric gases, temperature, and physical hazards of the era.

  Research & Citation

Students cite credible sources for their findings, practicing research skills alongside science content.

Photo: Completed Time Machine think sheets
Photo: Time Machine project cover page

Project 3

Meteor Impact Evidence

No human has ever witnessed the impact of a large meteorite — but scientists have built a clear picture of these events using scaled experiments and the impact structures preserved on Earth's surface.

Meteorite size and impact frequency A diagram comparing three meteorite size categories with their approximate impact frequency on Earth, showing that larger meteorites strike far less often than smaller ones. 1 km size Strikes about once every 1 million years 10 km size Strikes about once every 100 million years 100 km size Strikes extremely rarely in Earth's history Scientists estimate frequency using radiometric dating of the 170+ confirmed impact structures found on Earth's surface.

Meteor Impact Vocabulary & Writing Foldable

Students learn six related vocabulary terms, then use evidence about crater size and impact frequency to write a paragraph explaining how scientists know large meteorites have struck Earth.

MeteorA small body of matter from outer space that enters Earth's atmosphere
MeteoriteA meteor that survives its passage through the atmosphere and strikes the ground
MeteoroidA small body in the solar system that would become a meteor if it entered Earth's atmosphere
Meteor showerA number of meteors that appear to radiate from one point in the sky on a particular date each year
AsteroidA small body orbiting the sun
CometA celestial object of ice and dust that forms a tail of gas and particles near the sun
Photo: Meteor impact vocabulary foldable, open
MS-ESS2-1 • MS-ESS2-2 • MS-ESS2-3

Want the Complete Geology Unit?

This page covers just one piece of a full NGSS-aligned Earth's Systems: Geology unit — over 370 pages of interactive notebook activities, mini posters, organizers, mini research projects, and Check for Understanding pages covering the rock cycle, plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, weathering, erosion, and the evidence for plate tectonics.

View the Full Unit on TPT  
Copyright © Book Units Teacher 2000–Present  |  Gay Miller