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Finding Out Before Deciding

A 50-minute Grade 2 lesson on gathering information about a real situation before defining the problem to solve.

Finding Out Before Deciding is a free 50-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 science lesson plan for Common Core standard K-2-ETS1-1 — ask, look and gather information to define a problem worth solving. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.

Grade:
Kindergarten to Grade 2
Length:
50 minutes
Standard:
K-2-ETS1-1

Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Engineering Design

K-2-ETS1-1

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

Objective

Students will be able to gather information and use it to write a problem statement.

Students are successful when they can

  • Gathers information from more than one place.
  • States the problem in a way a solution could be judged against.
  • Changes the statement if what they found requires it.

What you need

  • A real site problem in the grounds, such as a washing bank or a muddy path
  • Clipboards, a tape measure and a camera or sketch pad
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — the first idea

5 min
  1. Show the eroding bank and take the first solution anybody offers.
  2. Ask what we actually know about the problem so far. Very little.

Teach — gather, then define

13 min
  1. List what information would help: how much soil moves, when, and who it affects.
  2. Measure the bank and sketch it.
  3. Ask the caretaker or read a note about how long it has been happening.
  4. Write the problem: how to hold the soil on the bank in heavy rain.
  5. Show a definition that is not usable: 'make the bank better'.
  6. Say the test: could a solution be judged against this statement?
“What do we actually know, and what are we still guessing?”

Investigate — gather on site

17 min
  1. Groups go to the site and gather three pieces of information.
  2. They record a measurement, an observation and something somebody told them.
  3. They write a problem statement from what they found.
  4. They compare with their first idea and note what changed.

Independent practice

12 min
  1. Students complete the 'Finding Out Before Deciding' page.
  2. Check the statement could be used to judge a solution.

Close

3 min
  1. Read out the statement that changed most after gathering.

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Gathers information after deciding the solution.

Why: The idea came first.

Fix: Ask what would have to be true for that idea to work, then check it.

Treats one person's account as the whole picture.

Why: They were asked and they answered.

Fix: Gather from more than one place. A measurement is not an opinion.

Writes a statement nothing could be judged against.

Why: 'Better' feels like a goal.

Fix: Ask how you would know it was solved. If you cannot say, rewrite it.

If they are not there yet

  • One piece of information to gather.
  • A statement frame with the first half written.

If they finish early

  • Gather information that contradicts your first idea.
  • Write two statements and say which is more useful.
  • Say what you would measure to know it was solved.

Exit ticket

You gathered information about the eroding bank. Write the problem so a solution could be judged against it.

What to look for: A how-to statement naming the soil, the bank and the rain. 'Make it better' means the judgeable test needs another run.

Printable practice for K-2-ETS1-1

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about Finding Out Before Deciding

How long does the Finding Out Before Deciding lesson take?

50 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, investigate 17 min, independent practice 12 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.

Which standard does Finding Out Before Deciding teach?

K-2-ETS1-1 — K-2-ETS1-1, Engineering Design for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.” In plain terms, ask, look and gather information to define a problem worth solving.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

A real site problem in the grounds, such as a washing bank or a muddy path, clipboards, a tape measure and a camera or sketch pad and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.

What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?

Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: gathers information after deciding the solution; treats one person's account as the whole picture and writes a statement nothing could be judged against. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.

How do I know whether the lesson worked?

The exit ticket asks: “You gathered information about the eroding bank. Write the problem so a solution could be judged against it.” A how-to statement naming the soil, the bank and the rain. 'Make it better' means the judgeable test needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.

Is there a worksheet to go with Finding Out Before Deciding?

Yes — 1 printable K-2-ETS1-1 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.

Is Finding Out Before Deciding free to use?

Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.

Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to K-2-ETS1-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.