Changes

to the
Earth

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 Changes to
the Ear th

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ISBN-13: 978-0-15-366626-1
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CXEGA09ALR2X__BL15.indd 1 4/24/07 5:22:32 PM

 Weather Makes
Changes

flood

Rain may make a river too full.

Some water runs onto the land.
It is a flood.
Flood water may carry away soil.
2

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 drought

It may not rain for a long time.

Streams and ponds dry up.
The land gets very dry.
It is a drought.
Wind may blow some soil away.
3

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 Fire Makes
Changes

Lightning may hit trees in the forest.

The trees may burn.
Animals must move to safer places.
4

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 Lightning can start a fire.

New plants grow after the fire.

Many animals come back.

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 Water Makes
Changes

Moving water changes the land.

It carries rocks and soil to new places.
This is called erosion.
6

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 Animals Make
Changes

A beaver
changes
where
water
can go.

An environment has living things.

An environment has non-living things.
Animals change their environments.
7

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 Plants Make
Changes

These plants are

called sea oats.

Plants help their environments.

Plant roots hold soil in place.
This helps stop erosion.
8

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 This plant grows fast.

Plants can harm their environments.

Plant roots may grow in sidewalk cracks.
The plants break up the sidewalk.
Some plants grow over others.
The other plants do not get enough light.
9

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 People Make
Changes

pollution

People make pollution.

It is waste that harms air, water, or land.
Smoke from cars makes the air dirty.
It can harm plants, animals, and people.
10

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 Pollution runs into the water.

Oil and waste make the water dirty.

Dirty water can make living things sick.

11

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 Litter is trash people did
not put into trash cans.

Litter makes the land dirty.

Plants get covered by litter.
They can not get the light they need.
Animals may eat litter and get sick.
12

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 Put litter in trash cans.
It will go to a landfill.
Then it will not pollute water and land.

13

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 People Waste
Resources

People can waste resources.

They may want to use the land.
They cut down all the trees.
The trees may be wasted.
14

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 People may cut down trees to build houses.
Animals use the trees for homes and for food.
The animals must find new homes and food.
If they do not, they will die.
15

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 Vocabulary
drought, p. 3
environment, p. 7
erosion, p. 6
flood, p. 2
pollution, p. 10

16

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 Think About the Reading
1. What have you learned about changes
to the Earth from reading this book?
2. What more would you like to learn
about changes to the Earth?

Hands-On Activity
1. Put water on a sponge.
2. Set the sponge out in the sun.
3. Leave the sponge outside for a week.
4. Pick up the sponge. How does it feel?
That is how the ground feels in a
drought.

School-Home Connection
Take a walk in your neighborhood with a
family member. Look for ways the land
has changed. How did weather change it?
How did plants change it? How did people
change it?

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