Thinking like a scientist
Students start the year asking questions about the world around them and learning to notice patterns. They sort objects, sketch what they see, and explain how they figured something out.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start acting like scientists about the world around them. They ask questions they can actually test, like what happens when ice sits on the counter or which paper airplane flies farthest, then collect simple data to find the answer. Students notice patterns in plants, animals, weather, and materials, and they sketch or build models to show how something works. By spring, they can run a small experiment, record what they saw, and explain their thinking with evidence.
- Asking questions
- Simple experiments
- Plants and animals
- Weather patterns
- Materials and matter
- Building and testing
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
Matter and how things move
Students explore what different materials are made of and how they change when heated, cooled, bent, or mixed. They push and pull objects to see how forces make things move, stop, or stay put.
- 3
Living things and habitats
Students look at plants and animals and what each one needs to live. They notice how parents and babies are alike, and how living things depend on water, sunlight, and one another.
- 4
Earth, sky, and weather
Students track weather, watch the sky across the seasons, and look at how land and water shape the places people live. They talk about wind, rain, and storms, and how people prepare for them.
- 5
Designing and building solutions
Students wrap up the year acting like engineers. They pick a small problem, sketch ideas, build a simple model, test it, and make it better based on what happened.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.
Science and Engineering Practices
Science and Engineering Practices
-
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Students learn to turn their curiosity into testable questions: not just "why is the sky blue?" but "what happens to ice when we put it in sunlight?" They practice spotting problems that a real experiment or a built solution can actually answer.
-
Developing and Using Models
Students draw pictures or diagrams to show how something in nature works or how a design solves a problem. The model helps them explain their thinking before they can test it.
-
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
Students plan a simple test, collect information from it, and use what they find to check whether their idea holds up.
-
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Students look at collected data, like a chart of rainy days or plant heights, and describe what the numbers or pictures show. They spot patterns, such as which result happened most or how something changed over time.
-
Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Students use counting, measuring, or simple patterns to help explain what they observe in science. A ruler, a tally chart, or a number can make a scientific idea easier to understand and share.
-
Constructing Explanations
Students look at what they observed or tested, then use that evidence to explain why something happened or figure out how to solve a problem.
-
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Students look at two possible explanations or solutions to a science problem, then use what they observed or tested to argue which one holds up better.
-
Communicating Information
Students read and talk about science topics using books, pictures, and other sources. They share what they find with words, drawings, or charts.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Asking Questions and Defining Problems | Students learn to turn their curiosity into testable questions: not just "why is the sky blue?" but "what happens to ice when we put it in sunlight?" They practice spotting problems that a real experiment or a built solution can actually answer. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.1 |
| Developing and Using Models | Students draw pictures or diagrams to show how something in nature works or how a design solves a problem. The model helps them explain their thinking before they can test it. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.2 |
| Planning and Carrying Out Investigations | Students plan a simple test, collect information from it, and use what they find to check whether their idea holds up. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.3 |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Data | Students look at collected data, like a chart of rainy days or plant heights, and describe what the numbers or pictures show. They spot patterns, such as which result happened most or how something changed over time. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.4 |
| Mathematics and Computational Thinking | Students use counting, measuring, or simple patterns to help explain what they observe in science. A ruler, a tally chart, or a number can make a scientific idea easier to understand and share. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.5 |
| Constructing Explanations | Students look at what they observed or tested, then use that evidence to explain why something happened or figure out how to solve a problem. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.6 |
| Engaging in Argument from Evidence | Students look at two possible explanations or solutions to a science problem, then use what they observed or tested to argue which one holds up better. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.7 |
| Communicating Information | Students read and talk about science topics using books, pictures, and other sources. They share what they find with words, drawings, or charts. | NH-SCI.SEP.2.8 |
Physical Science
Physical Science
-
Matter and Interactions
Students sort, touch, and describe everyday materials to figure out what things are made of and why some materials behave differently from others.
-
Motion and Stability
Students push, pull, and observe how objects start, stop, and change direction. They learn why a kicked ball slows down and why heavier objects are harder to move.
-
Energy
Students explore how energy shows up in different forms, like light, heat, and sound, and figure out how it moves from one place to another. Energy doesn't disappear; it just changes form.
-
Waves and Information
Students explore how waves move energy from place to place, like ripples on water or sound traveling across a room. They also look at how waves carry information, the way a phone call or radio signal does.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Matter and Interactions | Students sort, touch, and describe everyday materials to figure out what things are made of and why some materials behave differently from others. | NH-SCI.PS.2.1 |
| Motion and Stability | Students push, pull, and observe how objects start, stop, and change direction. They learn why a kicked ball slows down and why heavier objects are harder to move. | NH-SCI.PS.2.2 |
| Energy | Students explore how energy shows up in different forms, like light, heat, and sound, and figure out how it moves from one place to another. Energy doesn't disappear; it just changes form. | NH-SCI.PS.2.3 |
| Waves and Information | Students explore how waves move energy from place to place, like ripples on water or sound traveling across a room. They also look at how waves carry information, the way a phone call or radio signal does. | NH-SCI.PS.2.4 |
Life Science
Life Science
-
Structures and Processes
Students look at how living things are built and how they work, from tiny cells up to whole body systems like digestion or breathing.
-
Ecosystems
Students learn how living things in a habitat depend on each other for food and survival. They look at how animals eat plants or other animals, and how that energy moves through the whole community.
-
Heredity
Students look at how traits like eye color or hair type get passed from parents to children, and notice that offspring look similar to their parents but not exactly the same.
-
Biological Evolution
Students look at how living things are alike and how they are different, then begin to explore why those differences matter for survival.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Structures and Processes | Students look at how living things are built and how they work, from tiny cells up to whole body systems like digestion or breathing. | NH-SCI.LS.2.1 |
| Ecosystems | Students learn how living things in a habitat depend on each other for food and survival. They look at how animals eat plants or other animals, and how that energy moves through the whole community. | NH-SCI.LS.2.2 |
| Heredity | Students look at how traits like eye color or hair type get passed from parents to children, and notice that offspring look similar to their parents but not exactly the same. | NH-SCI.LS.2.3 |
| Biological Evolution | Students look at how living things are alike and how they are different, then begin to explore why those differences matter for survival. | NH-SCI.LS.2.4 |
Earth and Space Science
Earth and Space Science
-
Earth's Place in the Universe
Students learn where Earth fits in the solar system and why the sun, moon, and stars appear to move across the sky. They also explore how Earth itself has changed over a very long time.
-
Earth's Systems
Students learn that land, water, air, and living things are connected. They look at how a rainstorm shapes the ground, how plants hold soil in place, and how living things depend on the water and air around them.
-
Earth and Human Activity
Students explore how things people do, like building roads or burning fuel, change land, water, and air. They also look at how storms, floods, and earthquakes affect the places where people live.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Earth's Place in the Universe | Students learn where Earth fits in the solar system and why the sun, moon, and stars appear to move across the sky. They also explore how Earth itself has changed over a very long time. | NH-SCI.ESS.2.1 |
| Earth's Systems | Students learn that land, water, air, and living things are connected. They look at how a rainstorm shapes the ground, how plants hold soil in place, and how living things depend on the water and air around them. | NH-SCI.ESS.2.2 |
| Earth and Human Activity | Students explore how things people do, like building roads or burning fuel, change land, water, and air. They also look at how storms, floods, and earthquakes affect the places where people live. | NH-SCI.ESS.2.3 |
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
-
Engineering Design
Students look at a real problem, sketch or build a solution, test it, and then improve the design based on what they find out.
-
Links Among Engineering, Technology, and Society
Students explore how inventions change daily life, and how the needs of everyday life push inventors to build something new.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Design | Students look at a real problem, sketch or build a solution, test it, and then improve the design based on what they find out. | NH-SCI.ETS.2.1 |
| Links Among Engineering, Technology, and Society | Students explore how inventions change daily life, and how the needs of everyday life push inventors to build something new. | NH-SCI.ETS.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 science look like this year?
Students explore living things, materials, weather, and simple forces by asking questions and testing ideas. Most lessons involve hands-on activities like sorting objects, watching a plant grow, or building something that solves a small problem. The goal is curiosity backed by evidence, not memorizing facts.
How can I help my child with science at home?
Notice things together and ask why. A walk outside, a melting ice cube, or a ball rolling down a ramp are all science. When students wonder about something, help them test it instead of giving the answer.
Does my child need to memorize science vocabulary?
Some words help, but understanding matters more than memorizing. If a student can explain what happens when water freezes or why a plant leans toward the window, the vocabulary will follow. Talking through observations builds the science thinking that lasts.
How should I sequence science units across the year?
Many teachers anchor each season to one strand: life science in fall when plants and animals are visible, earth and weather in winter, physical science with forces and materials in spring. Science practices like observing, measuring, and explaining run through every unit rather than living in their own block.
Which science skills usually need the most reteaching?
Writing a clear question that can actually be tested is hard at this age. So is using evidence in an explanation instead of guessing or repeating a fact. Plan repeated practice with sentence frames like "I think this because I saw..."
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can ask a testable question, plan a simple investigation, and explain what their observations show. They can describe basic patterns in plants, animals, materials, weather, and motion using evidence from what they saw or measured.
How much of science this year is engineering?
A meaningful portion. Students define small problems, sketch a possible solution, build it with simple materials, test it, and improve it. Think paper bridges, wind-powered carts, or a shelter for a toy animal, not abstract design theory.
How do I know my child is ready for next year's science?
Listen for how students explain things. A ready student says what they noticed, what they think is happening, and why. If a student can run a small test at home and talk about the results, the foundation is in place.