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2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 7 of 14

Our Community Changes

See how life in communities changes.

What your child practices

Practices how communities change over time: daily life long ago and today, changes made by people and by nature, finding out about the past from photos, museums and older people, and timelines. It follows the Grade 2 outcome on change in the community.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 2.6a; 2.7a · putting community events in order and the causes and effects of change

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Communities change over time. Some changes are made by people, some by nature.
  2. Old maps and photos show how a place has changed.
  3. Older people can tell us how things used to be.

Example: Which change is caused by nature: a storm knocking down trees or a new school? People build schools. Storms come from nature. Answer: a storm knocking down trees

Our Community Changes in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 7 of 14 in 2nd grade Social Studies, after Then & Now and before Needs & Wants.

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: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

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

    Long ago, families kept food cold with…

    • a modern fridge
    • a microwave
    • ice in an icebox

  2. Question 2

    Long ago, people got news from…

    • phone apps
    • newspapers
    • websites

  3. Question 3

    Before telephones, people sent news far away by…

    • sending texts
    • writing letters
    • making video calls

  4. Question 4

    Which is a way to see how your town changed?

    • compare an old map with a new map
    • count your toys
    • look at the clouds

  5. Question 5

    Which change can make streets safer for people walking?

    • taking away sidewalks
    • a new crosswalk
    • turning off streetlights

  6. Question 6

    If a big factory in town closes, what might happen?

    • everyone gets more jobs
    • nothing changes
    • some people may need new jobs

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