What does science look like this year?

Students spend the year noticing how the world works. They sort materials by what they can see and feel, watch plants grow, learn how animals move seeds and pollen, and look at how land and water shape the ground around them.

How can I help with science at home?

Go outside and notice things together. Point out puddles freezing, ice melting, bees on flowers, or rocks in a stream. Ask what students think is happening and why. Ten minutes of real observation beats a worksheet.

My child says science is just playing. Are they learning?

Yes. At this age, careful play is how science gets learned. Stacking blocks, mixing water and dirt, or watching a seed sprout teaches students to observe, predict, and explain. Those are the same habits scientists use.

What kinds of materials questions should students be able to answer?

Students should be able to describe an object by its properties, such as hard, soft, bendy, or smooth, and pick the right material for a job. They should also explain that melting ice can refreeze, but a burned piece of toast cannot go back.

How should the year be sequenced?

A common order is materials in the fall, living things in the winter, and Earth systems in the spring. Plants take weeks to grow, so start seeds early. Save outdoor erosion and landform work for warmer months when students can get outside.

Which topics usually need the most reteaching?

Reversible and irreversible change is the sticky one. Students often think anything that looks different is permanent. Plan extra time with melting, freezing, and cooking examples so students can compare what can come back and what cannot.

How much of this can happen outdoors?

A lot of it. Erosion, habitats, landforms, and water on Earth all show up on a walk around the school. Build in short outdoor observation trips every few weeks. Students remember what they saw with their own eyes.

How do I know students are ready for next year?

By spring, students should sort materials by properties, explain what plants need to grow, give an example of an animal moving seeds or pollen, and describe how wind or water can change the land slowly or quickly.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year science becomes hands-on investigation. Students test materials to see which ones bend, soak up water, or hold heat, and they figure out which changes can be undone and which cannot. They grow plants to learn what plants need and compare the animals and plants living in different places. By spring, they can run a simple experiment, record what they see, and explain their findings with evidence.

Materials and properties
Heating and cooling
Plants and animals
Habitats
Land and water
Simple experiments

Source: Alaska Alaska Standards

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Exploring everyday materials
Students sort and test things like wood, fabric, and metal by how they look and feel. They figure out which materials work best for a job, such as keeping water out or holding weight.
2
Building, melting, and freezing
Students take small pieces apart and rebuild them into something new. They also watch what happens when things heat up or cool down, and notice which changes can be undone and which cannot.
3
Plants, animals, and habitats
Students test what plants need to grow and look at how animals help move seeds and pollen. They compare the plants and animals living in different places, from forests to ponds.
4
Earth's land and water
Students map the hills, rivers, and coastlines in an area and find where water shows up as ice or liquid. They also look at how some Earth events happen fast, like a landslide, and others take ages.
5
Protecting the land
Students compare ways to slow down wind and water before they wear away the ground. They test simple ideas like plants, walls, or rocks and decide which one holds up best.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.

Structure and Properties of Matter

Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…

2-PS1-1

Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, fabric, and plastic by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, collect findings, and group what they find.
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…

2-PS1-2

Students test materials like wood, plastic, and fabric to find out which one works best for a specific job. A raincoat needs to block water; a bridge needs to hold weight. Students use that data to explain their choice.
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…

2-PS1-3

Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The activity shows that materials can be rearranged without being destroyed or changed.
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…

2-PS1-4

Heating and cooling can change materials in ways that can be undone (melting ice) or can't (cooking an egg). Students collect examples and explain why some changes are permanent and some aren't.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…	Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, fabric, and plastic by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, collect findings, and group what they find.	2-PS1-1
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…	Students test materials like wood, plastic, and fabric to find out which one works best for a specific job. A raincoat needs to block water; a bridge needs to hold weight. Students use that data to explain their choice.	2-PS1-2
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…	Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The activity shows that materials can be rearranged without being destroyed or changed.	2-PS1-3
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…	Heating and cooling can change materials in ways that can be undone (melting ice) or can't (cooking an egg). Students collect examples and explain why some changes are permanent and some aren't.	2-PS1-4

Structure and Properties of Matter

Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…

2-PS1-1

Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, fabric, and plastic by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, collect findings, and group what they find.
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…

2-PS1-2

Students test materials like wood, plastic, and fabric to find out which one works best for a specific job. A raincoat needs to block water; a bridge needs to hold weight. Students use that data to explain their choice.
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…

2-PS1-3

Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The activity shows that materials can be rearranged without being destroyed or changed.
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…

2-PS1-4

Heating and cooling can change materials in ways that can be undone (melting ice) or can't (cooking an egg). Students collect examples and explain why some changes are permanent and some aren't.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…	Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, fabric, and plastic by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, collect findings, and group what they find.	2-PS1-1
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…	Students test materials like wood, plastic, and fabric to find out which one works best for a specific job. A raincoat needs to block water; a bridge needs to hold weight. Students use that data to explain their choice.	2-PS1-2
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…	Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The activity shows that materials can be rearranged without being destroyed or changed.	2-PS1-3
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…	Heating and cooling can change materials in ways that can be undone (melting ice) or can't (cooking an egg). Students collect examples and explain why some changes are permanent and some aren't.	2-PS1-4

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and…

2-LS2-1

Students plan a simple experiment to find out whether plants grow better with or without sunlight and water. They observe what happens and draw conclusions from what they see.
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing…

2-LS2-2

Students make a model that shows how an animal, like a bee or a squirrel, moves seeds or pollen from one plant to another. The model doesn't have to be complicated, just clear enough to show how the animal helps plants survive.
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…

2-LS4-1

Students look closely at the plants and animals living in places like a pond, a forest, and a backyard, then compare what they find. The goal is to see that different habitats are home to different kinds of living things.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and…	Students plan a simple experiment to find out whether plants grow better with or without sunlight and water. They observe what happens and draw conclusions from what they see.	2-LS2-1
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing…	Students make a model that shows how an animal, like a bee or a squirrel, moves seeds or pollen from one plant to another. The model doesn't have to be complicated, just clear enough to show how the animal helps plants survive.	2-LS2-2
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…	Students look closely at the plants and animals living in places like a pond, a forest, and a backyard, then compare what they find. The goal is to see that different habitats are home to different kinds of living things.	2-LS4-1

Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and…

2-LS2-1

Students plan a simple experiment to find out whether plants grow better with or without sunlight and water. They observe what happens and draw conclusions from what they see.
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing…

2-LS2-2

Students make a model that shows how an animal, like a bee or a squirrel, moves seeds or pollen from one plant to another. The model doesn't have to be complicated, just clear enough to show how the animal helps plants survive.
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…

2-LS4-1

Students look closely at the plants and animals living in places like a pond, a forest, and a backyard, then compare what they find. The goal is to see that different habitats are home to different kinds of living things.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and…	Students plan a simple experiment to find out whether plants grow better with or without sunlight and water. They observe what happens and draw conclusions from what they see.	2-LS2-1
Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing…	Students make a model that shows how an animal, like a bee or a squirrel, moves seeds or pollen from one plant to another. The model doesn't have to be complicated, just clear enough to show how the animal helps plants survive.	2-LS2-2
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…	Students look closely at the plants and animals living in places like a pond, a forest, and a backyard, then compare what they find. The goal is to see that different habitats are home to different kinds of living things.	2-LS4-1

Earth's Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth

Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can…

2-ESS1-1

Students gather facts from books, videos, and images to show that some Earth events happen in seconds (like an earthquake) and others take thousands of years (like a canyon forming).
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…

2-ESS2-1

Students look at different ways people try to protect land from wind and water erosion, such as planting trees or building barriers, and decide which solutions work best.
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…

2-ESS2-2

Students draw or build a simple map showing the landforms and bodies of water in a place, such as hills, rivers, or lakes. The map is their model.
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be…

2-ESS2-3

Students find out where water exists on Earth, from oceans and rivers to ice and snow, and learn that water can be liquid or frozen depending on where it is.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can…	Students gather facts from books, videos, and images to show that some Earth events happen in seconds (like an earthquake) and others take thousands of years (like a canyon forming).	2-ESS1-1
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…	Students look at different ways people try to protect land from wind and water erosion, such as planting trees or building barriers, and decide which solutions work best.	2-ESS2-1
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…	Students draw or build a simple map showing the landforms and bodies of water in a place, such as hills, rivers, or lakes. The map is their model.	2-ESS2-2
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be…	Students find out where water exists on Earth, from oceans and rivers to ice and snow, and learn that water can be liquid or frozen depending on where it is.	2-ESS2-3

Earth's Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth

Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can…

2-ESS1-1

Students gather facts from books, videos, and images to show that some Earth events happen in seconds (like an earthquake) and others take thousands of years (like a canyon forming).
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…

2-ESS2-1

Students look at different ways people try to protect land from wind and water erosion, such as planting trees or building barriers, and decide which solutions work best.
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…

2-ESS2-2

Students draw or build a simple map showing the landforms and bodies of water in a place, such as hills, rivers, or lakes. The map is their model.
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be…

2-ESS2-3

Students find out where water exists on Earth, from oceans and rivers to ice and snow, and learn that water can be liquid or frozen depending on where it is.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can…	Students gather facts from books, videos, and images to show that some Earth events happen in seconds (like an earthquake) and others take thousands of years (like a canyon forming).	2-ESS1-1
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…	Students look at different ways people try to protect land from wind and water erosion, such as planting trees or building barriers, and decide which solutions work best.	2-ESS2-1
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…	Students draw or build a simple map showing the landforms and bodies of water in a place, such as hills, rivers, or lakes. The map is their model.	2-ESS2-2
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and that it can be…	Students find out where water exists on Earth, from oceans and rivers to ice and snow, and learn that water can be liquid or frozen depending on where it is.	2-ESS2-3

Common Questions

What does science look like this year?
Students spend the year noticing how the world works. They sort materials by what they can see and feel, watch plants grow, learn how animals move seeds and pollen, and look at how land and water shape the ground around them.
How can I help with science at home?
Go outside and notice things together. Point out puddles freezing, ice melting, bees on flowers, or rocks in a stream. Ask what students think is happening and why. Ten minutes of real observation beats a worksheet.
My child says science is just playing. Are they learning?
Yes. At this age, careful play is how science gets learned. Stacking blocks, mixing water and dirt, or watching a seed sprout teaches students to observe, predict, and explain. Those are the same habits scientists use.
What kinds of materials questions should students be able to answer?
Students should be able to describe an object by its properties, such as hard, soft, bendy, or smooth, and pick the right material for a job. They should also explain that melting ice can refreeze, but a burned piece of toast cannot go back.
How should the year be sequenced?
A common order is materials in the fall, living things in the winter, and Earth systems in the spring. Plants take weeks to grow, so start seeds early. Save outdoor erosion and landform work for warmer months when students can get outside.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Reversible and irreversible change is the sticky one. Students often think anything that looks different is permanent. Plan extra time with melting, freezing, and cooking examples so students can compare what can come back and what cannot.
How much of this can happen outdoors?
A lot of it. Erosion, habitats, landforms, and water on Earth all show up on a walk around the school. Build in short outdoor observation trips every few weeks. Students remember what they saw with their own eyes.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By spring, students should sort materials by properties, explain what plants need to grow, give an example of an animal moving seeds or pollen, and describe how wind or water can change the land slowly or quickly.