2nd Grade Science
The natural world is the basis of most science study in the second grade,
just as it was during kindergarten and the first grade. My primary goal is to
foster the children's sense of curiosity about the world and their skills of
inquiry. Frequent use of questions are used that stimulate the critical
thinking of the children: Why is that? How does that happen? What if...?
Science study is very active in the early primary years. Whenever possible,
children interact directly with science materials and observe phenomena
firsthand. They learn about pollution and the problems it causes; they become
familiar with the relationships between oceans, seas, rivers, and ponds; they
study animals and plants in increasing detail; they learn about the different
planets and the solar system; they use simple machines; they experiment with
electricity, principally through batteries and bulbs; they begin to
understand the history of life on earth, primarily through studying the
dinosaurs; and they add scientific terms -- matter, environment, machine,
heat, electricity, extinction, and experiment -- to their vocabularies.
Reading Rainbow is always a fun place to visit!
http://gpn.unl.edu/rainbow/