Science – 2nd Grade

COURSE OVERVIEW

The second grade Science curriculum consists of the implementation of thematic units through the incorporation of instructional lessons, cooperative learning activities, scientific experiments, and individualized projects allowing students to build critical thinking skills through scientific concepts/skills and to learn about the world around them - past, present, and future - through life sciences, physical sciences, and earth sciences.  The scientific areas of focus are biology, astronomy, ecology, physics, and earth science.

Students will be able to…

Identify the basic needs; water, air, food, and shelter of domestic animals.

Identify the Woodland Forest, Rain Forest, Desert, and Arctic habitats and plants and animals that live there.

Compare and Contrast Salt and Fresh Water Habitats, their plants and animals, and food webs in each.

Identify the flow of a food web.

Identify the flow of a food chain. 

Identify the phases of the moon.

Identify the planets of the solar system.

Describe how types of weather affect people.

Understand poles, magnetic poles, earth’s poles and earth’s magnetic pull (gravity).

Describe how day and night are caused by Earth’s rotation on its axis. Seasons are caused by Earth’s orbit around the Sun.  

Describe the causes and effects for water erosion and volcanoes. 

Identify recycle, reuse, and reduce.  Give examples of things that can be recycled such as tires to mulch, paper to paper, etc.

Identify the steps in the water cycle.

Identify the steps of life cycles.

Life Science: Plants and Animals

Life Science:  Homes for Plants and Animals (habitats)l  Land habitats and Water habitats

Earth Science: Changes on Earth – Weather and Other Changes – Slow and Fast Earth Changes

Earth Science: The Sun and Its Family – The Sun and Earth – Moon, Stars and Planets

Physical Science: Matter and Energy

Physical Science: Forces and Magnets