2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 1 of 10
Needs & Wants
What do we really need?
What your child practices
Telling needs from wants and how communities help meet people's needs.
Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 2.E1.2 · reasons to spend or save, and choosing with limited resources
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- A need is something we must have to live: food, water, shelter, clothing and care.
- A want is nice to have, but we can live without it.
- Communities help meet needs: farms grow food, stores sell it, doctors and nurses care for us.
Example: Which one is a need: clean water or a new game? Ask: can we live without it? We can live without a game, but not without water. Answer: clean water
Needs & Wants in Arizona
In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 1 of 10 in 2nd grade Social Studies, before Globes & World Maps.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
- 2nd grade guide for Arizona parents
- Printable 2nd grade Social Studies sheet
- Arizona report cards explained
Source: Arizona Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which one is a need?
- 🍭a lollipop
- 🧸a new toy
- 💧clean water
💧 clean water
Hint: A need is something we must have to live.
Question 2
Where does a lot of our food come from?
- 🚜farms
- 🌙the moon
- 🧸the toy store
🚜 farms
Hint: Farmers grow fruit, vegetables and grain, and raise animals.
Question 3
Everyone needs a safe place to live. What is that called?
- 🏠shelter
- 🛝a playground
- 🏪a store
🏠 shelter
Hint: Shelter keeps us safe, warm and dry.
Question 4
Where can families buy food in a community?
- 🚒a fire station
- 🛒a grocery store
- 📚a library
🛒 a grocery store
Hint: Grocery stores, markets and farms help people get food.
Question 5
Who helps people when they are sick?
- 🚌a bus driver
- 🧑⚕️a doctor or nurse
- 🎨a painter
🧑⚕️ a doctor or nurse
Hint: Doctors and nurses help us stay healthy.
Question 6
Is it a need or a want? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: 🏠 need · 🎁 want
- 🍦ice cream
- 💧water
- 🤖toy robot
- 🛹skateboard
- 🧥warm clothes
- 🏠a home
🏠 need: water, warm clothes, a home · 🎁 want: ice cream, toy robot, skateboard
Hint: Needs are things we must have to live and be healthy. Wants are nice to have, but we can live without them.