3-ESS3-1: Judging Designs That Reduce Weather Hazards
Also called NGSS 3-ESS3-1 · Topic: Weather and Climate · Earth and Space Science
The Official Wording
Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.
Clarification statement: Examples of design solutions to weather-related hazards could include barriers to prevent flooding, wind resistant roofs, and lightning rods.
NGSS Lead States, 2013 · Read it on nextgenscience.org · checked October 15, 2026
What 3-ESS3-1 Means in Plain English
Third graders look at a design that protects people from dangerous weather, like floods, strong winds or lightning, and make a claim about how well it works. They test or study the design and back their claim with evidence about its strengths and weaknesses.
Students learn that people cannot stop storms, but good designs can lower the harm they cause, such as levees, storm shutters or lightning rods. This builds on K-ESS3-2 and pairs with the design process in 3-5-ETS1-2 and 3-5-ETS1-3.
3-ESS3-1 I Can Statements
- I can name a weather hazard and a design that reduces it.
- I can test how well a design protects a model.
- I can make a claim about a design using evidence.
3-ESS3-1 Worked Example
A flood test in a storage bin with a model town of sugar cube houses.
Which barrier keeps a model town driest when a flood comes?
Set It Up: A plastic storage bin, five sugar cube houses, snack bags filled with sand, kitchen sponges, wooden blocks, and a pitcher holding 1 liter of water.
- Set the houses at one end and pour the water at the other with no barrier.No barrier: 5 of 5 houses wet
- Rebuild the town and line up the wooden blocks between the water and the houses.Blocks: 3 of 5 wet, leaks at the gaps
- Try a wall of sand-filled snack bags pressed together.Sandbags: 1 of 5 wet
- Try a row of kitchen sponges.Sponges: 2 of 5 wet once they filled up
- Score each barrier for dry houses and how easy it was to build.Sandbags score best
The sandbag wall kept the most houses dry because the soft bags squeezed together and left no gaps for water.
Why it works: Floodwater flows through any gap, so barriers that seal tightly against the ground hold back more water, which is why real towns stack sandbags before floods.
Common Mistakes with 3-ESS3-1
Thinking a design can stop the weather
“Our wall will stop the flood from happening.”
Try this: Separate the hazard from the harm. A barrier cannot stop rain, but it can keep water away from homes.
Claiming a winner without data
“Blocks are best because they look strong.”
Try this: Count the wet houses for each barrier and run each test twice. Let the numbers decide which design works best.
Changing the flood between tests
Pouring a full pitcher for one barrier and half for another
Try this: Use the same amount of water, poured from the same spot at the same speed, so every barrier faces the same flood.
Where 3-ESS3-1 Fits
Practice 3-ESS3-1
Quick Check
- Name a design that protects a house from lightning.
- Why do towns stack sandbags before a flood?
- How do you decide which flood barrier is best?