Our classroom, our community
Students start the year by learning how groups work together. They talk about fair rules, how to disagree kindly, and why a classroom needs shared agreements just like a town does.
What does a student learn in
This is the year social studies stretches from the classroom out to the wider community. Students start asking real questions about how their town and state work, then look for answers in pictures, maps, and stories from the past. They learn what a good citizen does, how families earn and save money, and why people moved to different parts of Maryland. By spring, students can read a simple map, share a fact they found, and explain one way their community has changed over time.
- Asking questions
- Maps and globes
- Good citizenship
- Community helpers
- Saving and spending
- Maryland history
- Past and present
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
- 2
Maps and the places we live
Students read simple maps and globes to find their neighborhood, their state, and the country. They notice rivers, mountains, and cities, and talk about why people settle where they do.
- 3
Maryland then and now
Students look at how life in Maryland has changed over time. They compare old photos, tools, and stories from different communities, including Native nations, to see what has stayed the same and what has changed.
- 4
Needs, wants, and choices
Students learn the difference between something they need and something they want. They practice making choices with limited money or time and talk about saving for later.
- 5
People who shaped our story
Students hear stories of people from many backgrounds who worked for fairness in Maryland and the country. They ask their own questions about an event and share what they learned through writing, drawing, or speaking.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.
Inquiry, Disciplinary Skills, and Processes
Inquiry, Disciplinary Skills, and Processes
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Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries
Students come up with big questions worth exploring and smaller questions that help dig into them. Then they plan how to find answers using maps, books, photos, or other sources.
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Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence
Students learn to tell the difference between trustworthy and unreliable sources, then use what they find to back up an idea. They practice deciding whether a photo, book, or article is a good source before using it as proof.
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Communicate Conclusions
Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, or drawing. Then they decide what to do about it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries | Students come up with big questions worth exploring and smaller questions that help dig into them. Then they plan how to find answers using maps, books, photos, or other sources. | MD-SS.INQ.2.1 |
| Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence | Students learn to tell the difference between trustworthy and unreliable sources, then use what they find to back up an idea. They practice deciding whether a photo, book, or article is a good source before using it as proof. | MD-SS.INQ.2.2 |
| Communicate Conclusions | Students share what they found out about a topic by writing, talking, or drawing. Then they decide what to do about it. | MD-SS.INQ.2.3 |
Civics
Civics
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Civic Reasoning and Participation
Students practice habits like fairness, honesty, and respect in school and the community. They learn how these values shape rules and decisions in the places where they live.
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Government Institutions
Students learn how Maryland's state government, the U.S. federal government, and tribal governments are set up, what each one does, and how they work together.
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Rights, Laws, and Public Issues
Citizens have rights (like free speech) and responsibilities (like following rules). Students learn how laws are made to solve real problems in communities.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civic Reasoning and Participation | Students practice habits like fairness, honesty, and respect in school and the community. They learn how these values shape rules and decisions in the places where they live. | MD-SS.CIV.2.1 |
| Government Institutions | Students learn how Maryland's state government, the U.S. federal government, and tribal governments are set up, what each one does, and how they work together. | MD-SS.CIV.2.2 |
| Rights, Laws, and Public Issues | Citizens have rights (like free speech) and responsibilities (like following rules). Students learn how laws are made to solve real problems in communities. | MD-SS.CIV.2.3 |
Economics
Economics
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Economic Decision Making
Students learn to weigh options before making a choice, comparing what they gain against what they give up. When spending money or time, they practice asking whether the trade-off is worth it.
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Markets and Exchange
Markets are places where things get bought and sold. Students learn how prices rise and fall depending on how much of something is available and how many people want it.
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Personal Finance
Students learn that money has different uses: you can save it, spend it, borrow it, or grow it over time. Second graders practice deciding which choice fits a goal, like saving up for something instead of spending right away.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Students learn to weigh options before making a choice, comparing what they gain against what they give up. When spending money or time, they practice asking whether the trade-off is worth it. | MD-SS.ECON.2.1 |
| Markets and Exchange | Markets are places where things get bought and sold. Students learn how prices rise and fall depending on how much of something is available and how many people want it. | MD-SS.ECON.2.2 |
| Personal Finance | Students learn that money has different uses: you can save it, spend it, borrow it, or grow it over time. Second graders practice deciding which choice fits a goal, like saving up for something instead of spending right away. | MD-SS.ECON.2.3 |
Geography
Geography
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Geographic Representations
Students use maps and photos to explore what different places look like, where they are, and how they connect to each other.
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Human-Environment Interaction
Students learn how people change the land around them and how the land shapes the way people live. They look at real places in Maryland to see how farming, building, and other activities affect the environment.
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Movement and Connections
Students look at why people move to new places, where they settle, and how their food, language, and traditions spread to neighbors and nearby communities.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Representations | Students use maps and photos to explore what different places look like, where they are, and how they connect to each other. | MD-SS.GEO.2.1 |
| Human-Environment Interaction | Students learn how people change the land around them and how the land shapes the way people live. They look at real places in Maryland to see how farming, building, and other activities affect the environment. | MD-SS.GEO.2.2 |
| Movement and Connections | Students look at why people move to new places, where they settle, and how their food, language, and traditions spread to neighbors and nearby communities. | MD-SS.GEO.2.3 |
History
History
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Continuity and Change
Students look at how life in Maryland and the United States has changed over time and what has stayed the same. They compare different periods in history to understand why things shifted or held steady.
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Perspectives
Students look at the same historical event through more than one point of view, asking how different people in Maryland, including different communities, may have lived it differently.
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Causation and Argumentation
Students explain why a historical event happened and what changed because of it. They back up their thinking with real facts and details from what they have studied.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Continuity and Change | Students look at how life in Maryland and the United States has changed over time and what has stayed the same. They compare different periods in history to understand why things shifted or held steady. | MD-SS.HIST.2.1 |
| Perspectives | Students look at the same historical event through more than one point of view, asking how different people in Maryland, including different communities, may have lived it differently. | MD-SS.HIST.2.2 |
| Causation and Argumentation | Students explain why a historical event happened and what changed because of it. They back up their thinking with real facts and details from what they have studied. | MD-SS.HIST.2.3 |
Peoples of the Nation and World
Peoples of the Nation and World
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Diverse Communities and Cultures
Students look at the lives, traditions, and ideas of different groups of people, from their own community to places around the world, and think about what those groups have contributed and how they see things differently.
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Movements for Equity
Students look at real moments in history when groups of people pushed for fair treatment, such as the right to vote or equal pay, and think about why those efforts mattered then and still matter today.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Diverse Communities and Cultures | Students look at the lives, traditions, and ideas of different groups of people, from their own community to places around the world, and think about what those groups have contributed and how they see things differently. | MD-SS.PEOPLES.2.1 |
| Movements for Equity | Students look at real moments in history when groups of people pushed for fair treatment, such as the right to vote or equal pay, and think about why those efforts mattered then and still matter today. | MD-SS.PEOPLES.2.2 |
No state assessments at this grade
Students take their next one in Grade 4.
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
Common Questions
What does second grade social studies actually cover?
Students learn how their school, town, and state work together. They look at maps of Maryland, talk about fair rules, think about needs and wants, and hear stories about people from the past and from different communities today.
How can I help with social studies at home?
Talk about your neighborhood on short walks or drives. Point out the post office, a fire station, or a park, and ask who pays for it and who uses it. Read a picture book about a real person from the past and ask what was different back then.
My child brought home a question to investigate. What is that?
Students are learning to ask a question, find a few clues, and share what they think. At home, treat it like a small project. Help find one book or one short video, then ask them to tell the answer in their own words.
How should I sequence the year?
A common arc is self and school first, then neighborhood and Maryland, then the wider country and world. Civics and economics ideas fit naturally into each unit, so rules and fairness come up early and money choices come up once routines are set.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
By spring, students can read a simple map of Maryland, explain why communities have rules, give an example of a need versus a want, and tell a short story about a person or event from the past using one or two facts.
How do I help with map skills at home?
Pull up a map of your town or the state and find your street, a relative's town, and the bay. Ask which direction the water is, or how someone would get from home to grandma's house. Five minutes is plenty.
How do I teach hard history honestly to seven-year-olds?
Stick to real people and real events, told in plain language. Include voices from Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and other Maryland communities from the start, not as add-ons. Let students ask questions and answer the ones they ask without piling on more.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Map directions, the difference between a need and a want, and putting events in order on a timeline. Short, frequent practice works better than one long lesson. A weekly map warm-up and a class timeline on the wall go a long way.
Does my child need to memorize facts about Maryland?
A few anchor facts help, such as the state being on the Chesapeake Bay and Annapolis being the capital. Beyond that, the goal is understanding, not memorizing. Talking about why places and people matter sticks better than a list of names.