What does social studies look like this year?

Students learn how their community works, how maps show places, how people trade and spend money, and how the past connects to today. They also learn about Maine and the Wabanaki Nations. The focus is on asking good questions and backing up answers with what they read or see.

How can families help with social studies at home?

Talk about everyday things. Look at a map before a car trip, point out a town hall or fire station, and chat about how money gets saved or spent at the store. Asking students what they think and why builds the same thinking they practice at school.

Does a student need to memorize a lot of facts and dates?

Not really. The work is more about noticing how things change over time, comparing how different people saw the same event, and explaining ideas with reasons. Knowing a few key people and places helps, but rote memorizing is not the goal.

How should the year be sequenced across the five strands?

Many teachers anchor the year in inquiry and weave the other strands into themed units. Geography and community civics tend to land early, economics in the middle, and longer history and Wabanaki studies units later, once students can hold multiple perspectives. Revisit each strand more than once.

What should be included about the Wabanaki Nations?

Wabanaki content runs through the whole year, not a single unit. Plan for accurate place names, present-day tribal governments alongside state and federal ones, and Wabanaki voices when looking at historical events. Use materials made by Wabanaki educators whenever possible.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Asking a real question and then finding evidence to answer it is the hardest part. Students also need practice telling the difference between a fact from a source and their own opinion. Build in short, repeated chances to do both across every unit.

How can reading at home support social studies?

Mix in picture books and short articles about real people, places, and events, including Wabanaki authors and stories from Maine. After reading, ask what the author wanted readers to know and how they could check if it is true. That mirrors the source work done in class.

How do I know a student is ready for next year?

By the end of the year, students can pose a question, pull evidence from a map, photo, or short reading, and explain a claim out loud or in writing. They can also describe how a local choice involves trade-offs and share more than one perspective on an event.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year social studies stretches beyond the classroom and into the wider community. Students start asking real questions about how their town works, who makes the rules, and how people earn and spend money. They read simple maps, learn about the Wabanaki Nations and Maine's history, and notice how the land shapes the way people live. By spring, students can name a leader in their community, point out their state on a map, and explain why a story might sound different depending on who tells it.

Community and government
Maps
Wabanaki Nations
Maine history
Needs and wants
Asking questions

Source: Maine Maine Learning Results

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
Our community and its people
Students start the year close to home. They learn what makes a community work, who lives and works there, and how people in Maine, including the Wabanaki Nations, share the same places.
2
Rules, leaders, and citizens
Students look at how groups make decisions, from the classroom to the town to the state. They learn what leaders do and what it means to be a good citizen.
3
Maps and the places we live
Students read simple maps and pictures to find places, landmarks, and routes. They notice how rivers, coasts, and weather shape where people live and how they get around.
4
Needs, wants, and money choices
Students sort needs from wants and think through real trade-offs. They follow how goods get made, bought, and sold, and they practice saving and spending small amounts.
5
Then and now in Maine
Students compare life today with life long ago in Maine, including Wabanaki stories and traditions. They learn that one event can look different depending on who tells it.
6
Asking questions and sharing answers
Students wrap up the year by picking a question that matters to them, gathering facts from books and pictures, and sharing what they found through writing, speaking, or a small project.

Mastery Learning Standards

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

Application of Social Studies Processes

Ask Questions and Plan Inquiries

ME-SS.INQ.2.1

Students come up with a big question worth digging into, then break it into smaller questions that help them find answers about history, geography, or how communities work.
Use Sources and Evidence

ME-SS.INQ.2.2

Students decide whether a source is trustworthy, then use facts from it to back up what they think. They practice telling the difference between a firsthand account and something written later about the same event.
Communicate and Take Action

ME-SS.INQ.2.3

Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, drawing, or presenting. Then they use that knowledge to make a decision or take a next step.

Standard	Definition	Code
Ask Questions and Plan Inquiries	Students come up with a big question worth digging into, then break it into smaller questions that help them find answers about history, geography, or how communities work.	ME-SS.INQ.2.1
Use Sources and Evidence	Students decide whether a source is trustworthy, then use facts from it to back up what they think. They practice telling the difference between a firsthand account and something written later about the same event.	ME-SS.INQ.2.2
Communicate and Take Action	Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, drawing, or presenting. Then they use that knowledge to make a decision or take a next step.	ME-SS.INQ.2.3

Application of Social Studies Processes

Ask Questions and Plan Inquiries

ME-SS.INQ.2.1

Students come up with a big question worth digging into, then break it into smaller questions that help them find answers about history, geography, or how communities work.
Use Sources and Evidence

ME-SS.INQ.2.2

Students decide whether a source is trustworthy, then use facts from it to back up what they think. They practice telling the difference between a firsthand account and something written later about the same event.
Communicate and Take Action

ME-SS.INQ.2.3

Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, drawing, or presenting. Then they use that knowledge to make a decision or take a next step.

Standard	Definition	Code
Ask Questions and Plan Inquiries	Students come up with a big question worth digging into, then break it into smaller questions that help them find answers about history, geography, or how communities work.	ME-SS.INQ.2.1
Use Sources and Evidence	Students decide whether a source is trustworthy, then use facts from it to back up what they think. They practice telling the difference between a firsthand account and something written later about the same event.	ME-SS.INQ.2.2
Communicate and Take Action	Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, drawing, or presenting. Then they use that knowledge to make a decision or take a next step.	ME-SS.INQ.2.3

Civics and Government

Civic and Political Institutions

ME-SS.CIV.2.1

Students learn why governments exist at the town, state, and national level and what each one actually does. They look at how local, tribal, and federal institutions make rules and decisions that affect people's daily lives.
Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation

ME-SS.CIV.2.2

Students learn what citizens have the right to do and what they're responsible for, then practice the skills that help people take part in a democracy, like listening, sharing opinions, and making group decisions.
Maine and Wabanaki Governance

ME-SS.CIV.2.3

Students learn how Maine's state government works, how the Wabanaki Nations govern themselves, and where the two connect. That includes who makes decisions, how rules get made, and why both forms of government matter in Maine.

Standard	Definition	Code
Civic and Political Institutions	Students learn why governments exist at the town, state, and national level and what each one actually does. They look at how local, tribal, and federal institutions make rules and decisions that affect people's daily lives.	ME-SS.CIV.2.1
Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation	Students learn what citizens have the right to do and what they're responsible for, then practice the skills that help people take part in a democracy, like listening, sharing opinions, and making group decisions.	ME-SS.CIV.2.2
Maine and Wabanaki Governance	Students learn how Maine's state government works, how the Wabanaki Nations govern themselves, and where the two connect. That includes who makes decisions, how rules get made, and why both forms of government matter in Maine.	ME-SS.CIV.2.3

Civics and Government

Civic and Political Institutions

ME-SS.CIV.2.1

Students learn why governments exist at the town, state, and national level and what each one actually does. They look at how local, tribal, and federal institutions make rules and decisions that affect people's daily lives.
Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation

ME-SS.CIV.2.2

Students learn what citizens have the right to do and what they're responsible for, then practice the skills that help people take part in a democracy, like listening, sharing opinions, and making group decisions.
Maine and Wabanaki Governance

ME-SS.CIV.2.3

Students learn how Maine's state government works, how the Wabanaki Nations govern themselves, and where the two connect. That includes who makes decisions, how rules get made, and why both forms of government matter in Maine.

Standard	Definition	Code
Civic and Political Institutions	Students learn why governments exist at the town, state, and national level and what each one actually does. They look at how local, tribal, and federal institutions make rules and decisions that affect people's daily lives.	ME-SS.CIV.2.1
Rights, Responsibilities, and Participation	Students learn what citizens have the right to do and what they're responsible for, then practice the skills that help people take part in a democracy, like listening, sharing opinions, and making group decisions.	ME-SS.CIV.2.2
Maine and Wabanaki Governance	Students learn how Maine's state government works, how the Wabanaki Nations govern themselves, and where the two connect. That includes who makes decisions, how rules get made, and why both forms of government matter in Maine.	ME-SS.CIV.2.3

Economics

Economic Decision Making

ME-SS.ECON.2.1

Students look at a choice (like spending allowance or picking an activity) and weigh what they gain against what they give up. They practice explaining why some things are limited and why every choice has a cost.
Economic Systems and Markets

ME-SS.ECON.2.2

Markets are places where buyers and sellers set prices and compete for goods. Students explore how those prices signal what to make, sell, and buy in communities near and far.
Personal Finance

ME-SS.ECON.2.3

Students learn that money choices matter: spending now, saving for later, borrowing carefully, and putting money to work over time. They practice deciding what to do with a dollar before it's gone.

Standard	Definition	Code
Economic Decision Making	Students look at a choice (like spending allowance or picking an activity) and weigh what they gain against what they give up. They practice explaining why some things are limited and why every choice has a cost.	ME-SS.ECON.2.1
Economic Systems and Markets	Markets are places where buyers and sellers set prices and compete for goods. Students explore how those prices signal what to make, sell, and buy in communities near and far.	ME-SS.ECON.2.2
Personal Finance	Students learn that money choices matter: spending now, saving for later, borrowing carefully, and putting money to work over time. They practice deciding what to do with a dollar before it's gone.	ME-SS.ECON.2.3

Economics

Economic Decision Making

ME-SS.ECON.2.1

Students look at a choice (like spending allowance or picking an activity) and weigh what they gain against what they give up. They practice explaining why some things are limited and why every choice has a cost.
Economic Systems and Markets

ME-SS.ECON.2.2

Markets are places where buyers and sellers set prices and compete for goods. Students explore how those prices signal what to make, sell, and buy in communities near and far.
Personal Finance

ME-SS.ECON.2.3

Students learn that money choices matter: spending now, saving for later, borrowing carefully, and putting money to work over time. They practice deciding what to do with a dollar before it's gone.

Standard	Definition	Code
Economic Decision Making	Students look at a choice (like spending allowance or picking an activity) and weigh what they gain against what they give up. They practice explaining why some things are limited and why every choice has a cost.	ME-SS.ECON.2.1
Economic Systems and Markets	Markets are places where buyers and sellers set prices and compete for goods. Students explore how those prices signal what to make, sell, and buy in communities near and far.	ME-SS.ECON.2.2
Personal Finance	Students learn that money choices matter: spending now, saving for later, borrowing carefully, and putting money to work over time. They practice deciding what to do with a dollar before it's gone.	ME-SS.ECON.2.3

Geography

Geographic Reasoning

ME-SS.GEO.2.1

Students use maps, photos, and simple tools like compasses or scales to learn about places and spot patterns in the world around them.
Human-Environment Interaction

ME-SS.GEO.2.2

Students look at how people change the land around them (by building roads or clearing forests) and how the land shapes people's choices (like living near water or farming flat ground).
Movement and Migration

ME-SS.GEO.2.3

Students look at why people move to new places and how their traditions, food, and language spread when they settle somewhere new.

Standard	Definition	Code
Geographic Reasoning	Students use maps, photos, and simple tools like compasses or scales to learn about places and spot patterns in the world around them.	ME-SS.GEO.2.1
Human-Environment Interaction	Students look at how people change the land around them (by building roads or clearing forests) and how the land shapes people's choices (like living near water or farming flat ground).	ME-SS.GEO.2.2
Movement and Migration	Students look at why people move to new places and how their traditions, food, and language spread when they settle somewhere new.	ME-SS.GEO.2.3

Geography

Geographic Reasoning

ME-SS.GEO.2.1

Students use maps, photos, and simple tools like compasses or scales to learn about places and spot patterns in the world around them.
Human-Environment Interaction

ME-SS.GEO.2.2

Students look at how people change the land around them (by building roads or clearing forests) and how the land shapes people's choices (like living near water or farming flat ground).
Movement and Migration

ME-SS.GEO.2.3

Students look at why people move to new places and how their traditions, food, and language spread when they settle somewhere new.

Standard	Definition	Code
Geographic Reasoning	Students use maps, photos, and simple tools like compasses or scales to learn about places and spot patterns in the world around them.	ME-SS.GEO.2.1
Human-Environment Interaction	Students look at how people change the land around them (by building roads or clearing forests) and how the land shapes people's choices (like living near water or farming flat ground).	ME-SS.GEO.2.2
Movement and Migration	Students look at why people move to new places and how their traditions, food, and language spread when they settle somewhere new.	ME-SS.GEO.2.3

History

Change, Continuity, and Context

ME-SS.HIST.2.1

Second graders look at how life has changed over time and what has stayed the same, in their town, across the country, and around the world.
Perspectives

ME-SS.HIST.2.2

Students look at the same historical event through more than one set of eyes, including the views of Wabanaki and other Indigenous peoples. They practice asking: who else was there, and what did they see?
Causation and Argumentation

ME-SS.HIST.2.3

Students look at why a historical event happened and what changed afterward, then back up their thinking with facts. In second grade, that might mean explaining why a town was built near a river or how a new invention changed daily life.

Standard	Definition	Code
Change, Continuity, and Context	Second graders look at how life has changed over time and what has stayed the same, in their town, across the country, and around the world.	ME-SS.HIST.2.1
Perspectives	Students look at the same historical event through more than one set of eyes, including the views of Wabanaki and other Indigenous peoples. They practice asking: who else was there, and what did they see?	ME-SS.HIST.2.2
Causation and Argumentation	Students look at why a historical event happened and what changed afterward, then back up their thinking with facts. In second grade, that might mean explaining why a town was built near a river or how a new invention changed daily life.	ME-SS.HIST.2.3

History

Change, Continuity, and Context

ME-SS.HIST.2.1

Second graders look at how life has changed over time and what has stayed the same, in their town, across the country, and around the world.
Perspectives

ME-SS.HIST.2.2

Students look at the same historical event through more than one set of eyes, including the views of Wabanaki and other Indigenous peoples. They practice asking: who else was there, and what did they see?
Causation and Argumentation

ME-SS.HIST.2.3

Students look at why a historical event happened and what changed afterward, then back up their thinking with facts. In second grade, that might mean explaining why a town was built near a river or how a new invention changed daily life.

Standard	Definition	Code
Change, Continuity, and Context	Second graders look at how life has changed over time and what has stayed the same, in their town, across the country, and around the world.	ME-SS.HIST.2.1
Perspectives	Students look at the same historical event through more than one set of eyes, including the views of Wabanaki and other Indigenous peoples. They practice asking: who else was there, and what did they see?	ME-SS.HIST.2.2
Causation and Argumentation	Students look at why a historical event happened and what changed afterward, then back up their thinking with facts. In second grade, that might mean explaining why a town was built near a river or how a new invention changed daily life.	ME-SS.HIST.2.3

No state assessments at this grade

Students take their next one in Grade 4.

National Monitoring

NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.

When given:: biennial in winter
Frequency:: every two years

Official source

Common Questions

What does social studies look like this year?
Students learn how their community works, how maps show places, how people trade and spend money, and how the past connects to today. They also learn about Maine and the Wabanaki Nations. The focus is on asking good questions and backing up answers with what they read or see.
How can families help with social studies at home?
Talk about everyday things. Look at a map before a car trip, point out a town hall or fire station, and chat about how money gets saved or spent at the store. Asking students what they think and why builds the same thinking they practice at school.
Does a student need to memorize a lot of facts and dates?
Not really. The work is more about noticing how things change over time, comparing how different people saw the same event, and explaining ideas with reasons. Knowing a few key people and places helps, but rote memorizing is not the goal.
How should the year be sequenced across the five strands?
Many teachers anchor the year in inquiry and weave the other strands into themed units. Geography and community civics tend to land early, economics in the middle, and longer history and Wabanaki studies units later, once students can hold multiple perspectives. Revisit each strand more than once.
What should be included about the Wabanaki Nations?
Wabanaki content runs through the whole year, not a single unit. Plan for accurate place names, present-day tribal governments alongside state and federal ones, and Wabanaki voices when looking at historical events. Use materials made by Wabanaki educators whenever possible.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Asking a real question and then finding evidence to answer it is the hardest part. Students also need practice telling the difference between a fact from a source and their own opinion. Build in short, repeated chances to do both across every unit.
How can reading at home support social studies?
Mix in picture books and short articles about real people, places, and events, including Wabanaki authors and stories from Maine. After reading, ask what the author wanted readers to know and how they could check if it is true. That mirrors the source work done in class.
How do I know a student is ready for next year?
By the end of the year, students can pose a question, pull evidence from a map, photo, or short reading, and explain a claim out loud or in writing. They can also describe how a local choice involves trade-offs and share more than one perspective on an event.