Grade 2 Science
9 units matched to the Alberta Curriculum.
Organizing ideas
- Materials: students examine properties, types and suitability of natural and processed materials.
- Light and sound: students investigate the sources and behaviours of light and sound.
- Earth: students examine landforms, bodies of water and Earth's relationship to the Sun.
- Living things: students investigate how plants and animals grow and develop, and how people affect them.
- Computer science: students apply creativity to design precise, reliable and efficient instructions.
- Nature of science: students describe the purposes and procedures of investigations.
Units
Unit 1
Think Like a Scientist
How scientists and engineers work: tools for measuring, fair tests, safety, sharing results, simple algorithms and how new technology changes everyday life.
Learning outcome: 2SM 1.1, 2SM 1.2 · asking questions, carrying out simple investigations and recording what you observe
Unit 2
Materials and Their Uses
Natural materials come from plants, animals, the land or the sky; processed materials are made by people from natural ones. Children test properties such as see-through, absorbent and bendy, and choose the best material for a job.
Learning outcome: 2M 1.1, 2M 1.2, 2M 1.3, 2M 1.4, 2M 1.5 · natural and processed materials, their properties and choosing materials for a purpose
Unit 3
Light and Sound
Sound is made by vibrations and can bounce, travel and be absorbed. Light comes from sources such as the Sun, fire and electricity, travels in straight lines and bounces off surfaces. Children also learn to protect their eyes and ears.
Learning outcome: 2E 1.1, 2E 1.2 · sources of light and sound, vibration, shadows, reflection and echoes
Unit 4
Landforms and Earth
Earth is made of land, water and air, and holds plants, animals and people. Alberta has mountains, hills, valleys, plateaus and prairies, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as Dinosaur Provincial Park, Wood Buffalo National Park and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.
Learning outcome: 2ES 1.1, 2ES 1.2 · the parts of Earth, and Alberta landforms such as mountains, valleys, hills, prairies and plateaus
Unit 5
Lakes, Rivers and Oceans
Most of Earth's surface is covered by water. Children name oceans, glaciers, lakes, wetlands and rivers, follow water as it flows downhill from small creeks to the ocean, and tell fresh water from salt water.
Learning outcome: 2ES 1.3 · bodies of water, how water flows from creeks to the ocean, and fresh and salt water
Unit 6
Earth and the Sun
A day is one spin of Earth. A year is one trip of Earth around the Sun. When our side of Earth faces the Sun it is day, and when it faces away it is night.
Learning outcome: 2ES 1.4 · Earth spins to make day and night and goes around the Sun in a year
Unit 7
Life Cycles
Life cycles of butterflies, frogs and BC salmon, and how babies compare with their parents.
Learning outcome: 2LS 1.2, 2LS 1.3 · how plants and animals are like their parents and the stages of their life cycles
Unit 8
Animals & People
Helpful and bothersome ways animals affect us, and how building, litter and clean water affect animals and the places they live.
Learning outcome: 2LS 1.1 · positive and negative ways people affect plants and animals
Unit 9
Clear Instructions
Children build three- to four-step instructions with action words, put steps in order, and see how repeating a step can make instructions shorter. This is a first step into computational thinking, with no screen needed.
Learning outcome: 2CS 1.1, 2CS 1.2, 2CS 1.3 · designing clear steps in order, using exact words, and repeating steps
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