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2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 3 of 10

Talking and Deciding Together

Listening, giving reasons and voting fairly

What your child practices

Democratic habits start small: listening to every idea, waiting for a turn, giving reasons, disagreeing kindly and voting fairly. These help children take part in class and community decisions.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 2.1.1.1 · taking part in a fair vote

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Listen to every idea and give reasons for yours.
  2. Invite quiet people to share.
  3. A fair way to decide is to vote. The idea with the most votes wins.

Example: Your class must pick a game. Everyone has a different idea. What is fair? First, hear everyone's idea. Then let everyone vote. Answer: listen, then vote

Talking and Deciding Together in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 3 of 10 in 2nd grade Social Studies, after Climate & Ways of Life and before Working Together Fairly.

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.

Source: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Another student shares a different idea from yours. What is a polite thing to say?

    • “That is dumb.”
    • “Thanks for sharing. I think differently.”
    • “You can't say that.”

  2. Question 2

    A quiet student has not had a turn to share. What can the group do?

    • laugh
    • skip them
    • invite them to speak

  3. Question 3

    Two friends both want the swing. A fair plan is…

    • take turns
    • break the swing
    • fight

  4. Question 4

    Put the steps for a class vote in order.

    • 💬Share ideas
    • 🔢Count the votes
    • 📣Say the result
    • 🗳️Vote

  5. Question 5

    Does it help a group decide well? Tap an item, then tap its basket.

    Sort into: 👍 helps · 🚫 does not help

    • 👂listening to every idea
    • 😝making fun of an idea
    • 📢shouting over others
    • 💬giving a reason for your idea
    • 🙉refusing to listen
    • ✋waiting for your turn

  6. Question 6

    Why do rules help a group?

    • They are only for teachers
    • They stop all fun
    • They help everyone be safe and fair

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