Everything grade 2 science expects a child to be able to say, in 45 short statements. Read it together before a test, or use it to decide which skill quiz to do next.
Describing and Sorting Materials
- Every object is made of a material, like wood, metal, plastic, cloth, or glass.
- We describe materials by their properties, such as hard, soft, bendy, rough, or shiny.
- Sorting objects into groups by one property, like color or texture, helps us see patterns.
- Test hardness fairly by scratching each material the same way with the same nail.
- One object can fit two groups, because a coin is both metal and shiny.
Words to know: Material, Property, Texture, Sort, Flexible, Observe
Choosing the Right MaterialChoosing the Right Material
- A material is chosen for its properties, like rubber boots that keep feet dry.
- Windows are made of glass because glass is transparent and lets light through.
- A good towel is absorbent, so cloth soaks up a spill better than plastic.
- To find the strongest paper towel, pour the same amount of water on each one.
- Change only the material you are testing and keep the size and shape the same.
Words to know: Waterproof, Absorbent, Transparent, Strong, Flexible, Fair test
Taking Apart and RebuildingTaking Apart and Rebuilding
- A small set of pieces can be taken apart and built into something new.
- The same bricks can make a wall today and a tower tomorrow.
- Build a tower twice with the same blocks to see which design stands longer.
- Change only one thing, like how wide the base is, to see what makes it steady.
- Draw a plan before you build so you can rebuild the same structure again.
Words to know: Structure, Design, Rebuild, Base, Plan, Test
Heating and Cooling ChangesHeating and Cooling Changes
- Heating ice melts it into water, and cooling that water freezes it back into ice.
- Melting, freezing, and dissolving can be undone, so those changes are reversible.
- Baking a cake, cooking an egg, and burning wood cannot be undone.
- Rusting is not reversible, because rust will not turn back into shiny metal.
- Put one ice cube in the sun and one in the shade to see which melts faster.
Words to know: Melt, Freeze, Dissolve, Reversible, Irreversible, Heat
What Plants Need to GrowWhat Plants Need to Grow
- Plants need light, water, air, and space to grow well.
- Plants make their own food using light, so they do not eat the soil.
- Roots take in water from the soil and hold the plant in place.
- Leaves catch sunlight, and the stem carries water up to the leaves.
- Give two bean plants the same water but different light to test if light matters.
Words to know: Roots, Stem, Leaves, Sunlight, Soil, Grow
Seeds and PollinationSeeds and Pollination
- A seed holds a tiny plant inside and sprouts when it gets water and warmth.
- Pollination happens when bees, birds, or wind carry pollen from flower to flower.
- After pollination, a flower can make seeds, often inside a fruit like an apple.
- Seed dispersal moves seeds away from the parent plant so they have room to grow.
- Plant seeds in wet soil and in dry soil to see which ones sprout.
Words to know: Seed, Pollen, Pollination, Flower, Seed dispersal, Sprout
Habitats and the Variety of LifeHabitats and the Variety of Life
- A habitat is the place where a plant or animal finds food, water, and shelter.
- Different habitats, like a pond, a forest, and a desert, hold different living things.
- Animals live where their needs are met, so a fish lives in water.
- Count the plants and animals in one square of the schoolyard to compare two habitats.
- Watch a habitat many times, because you will miss animals if you look only once.
Words to know: Habitat, Shelter, Living things, Desert, Pond, Compare
Fast and Slow Earth ChangesFast and Slow Earth Changes
- Some changes to Earth are fast, like earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and floods.
- Other changes are slow, like a river carving a canyon over many, many years.
- Weathering slowly breaks rock into smaller pieces, and mountains also rise very slowly.
- Wind and water carry sand and soil from one place to another.
- Pour water down a tray of sand the same way each time to model erosion.
Words to know: Earthquake, Volcano, Landslide, Weathering, Erosion, Canyon
Land, Water, and MapsLand, Water, and Maps
- Landforms include mountains, hills, valleys, plains, and islands.
- Water on Earth is found in oceans, lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams.
- Most of Earth's water is salty ocean water, so people cannot drink it.
- Most fresh water on Earth is frozen in ice at the poles and in glaciers.
- A map uses colors and symbols, so draw your schoolyard map then walk it to check.
Words to know: Landform, Valley, Ocean, Glacier, Fresh water, Map