Minnesota Academic Standards 2nd Grade Science Activities
Printable Second Grade Science Worksheets? Study Guides and Vocabulary Sets.
Fossils and dinosaursMany animals have lived on Earth and many still live on the Earth.
Some lived on Earth millions of year ago. Many of these animals unfortunately do not live on Earth anymore. Fossils are things that provide evidence (or proof) of things that lived long ago. A fossil is the outline or piece of something that died millions of years ago. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 Moon, star and planetsThe moon moves around the Earth. A star is a hot ball of gas, stars give off light. The Sun is a star. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2 Rocks, Soil and waterWhat are Rocks? Rocks are solid objects found in nature. Rocks are made up of minerals. What is Soil? Soil is the loose material the covers much of the Earth. Soil is also nonliving. Soil can be made of clay, sand, and humus. All living things need WATER to survive and to grow. The movement and recycling of the Earth’s water is called the water cycle. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2 The sun and earthThe Sun is a large hot ball of gas. It is also a star. The Sun gives Earth light and heat. Living things need the Sun to live! Sun rays shine on the moon at night which makes the moon bright! The Earth is the third planet from the Sun. There are four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 Using and saving natural resourcesNatural resources are found on the Earth and are important to living things. People, plants, and animals need air to live. Air is a natural resource that never runs out! Water is another natural resource that people and animals use – they drink water in order to survive. Plants also need water to grow. Some natural resources are renewable. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2 MagnetsWhat Is a Magnet? A magnet attracts certain kinds of metal. Attract means to pull towards. If something is magnetic, that means it is attracted by a magnet. Magnets come in different shapes and sizes. Magnets are used most every day. Example: You may have magnets on your refrigerator to hang up pictures and notes. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 AnimalsFreeThere are many different kinds of animals. The five main groups of animals are: Fish, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 Land HabitatsWhat is a habitat? A habitat is the place where plants and animals live. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2 Mammals and birdsWhat are Birds? Birds are warm-blooded animals that have: wings, feathers, a beak, no teeth, bones. Birds lay eggs. Their young hatch from those eggs. What Are Mammals? Mammals are animals that have hair. Mammals are the only animals with hair. Mammals are also warm-blooded. This means their body temperature stays the same, even if it is very cold or hot outside. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 Reptiles, amphibians and fishReptiles have scales. Reptiles are born on land. Reptiles are cold-blooded which means their bodies change temperatures with the outside temperature around them. Reptiles lay eggs, and their babies hatch from those eggs. All amphibians begin their life in water with gills. As they grow, they develop lungs – which is
what they use to breathe with on land. They grow legs to use on land too. Fish use gills to breathe. A fish stays in the water for its entire life! Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 Water HabitatsWe already know that a habitat is the place where plants and animals live. Now, let’s look at WATER habitats... Water covers nearly 75% of the Earth:
which means there is a lot more water than land on Earth! Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 2 What is science?Science is the study of the world around us. Scientists study the world around us. When studying things like plants, animals, and rocks, scientists use their senses: Eyes - to see. Nose - to smell. Ears - to hear. Hands - to touch. Mouth - to taste. Scientists study many things – like the things YOU study in 2nd grade: plants, rocks, weather, fossils, solar system, animals. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1Vocabulary Sets: 1 MN.2.1. The Nature of Science and Engineering
2.1.1. The Practice of Science
2.1.1.2. The student will understand that scientific inquiry is a set of interrelated processes incorporating multiple approaches that are used to pose questions about the natural world and investigate phenomena.
2.1.1.2.1. Raise questions about the natural world and seek answers by making careful observations, noting what happens when you interact with an object, and sharing the answers with others.
Hands-on Lab Skills/Science Inquiry - 3rd gradeScience Process Skills: Observing, Classifying, Estimating, Predicting/Hypothesis, Making Inferences, Models, Investigating, Collecting Data, Interpreting Data. Scientific Method: Ask a question, Write an Hypothesis, Create a control variable, Conduct an Experiment, Record Your Data, Decide Your Final Answer, State Your Final Answer. Science Tools. Safety in Science. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Earth yesterday and todayLife on Earth Has Changed. Many kinds of animals that used to live on Earth are no longer living. They are extinct. Reasons for Extinction: Big changes in the climate. Many times animals could not handle these big changes in the weather. Good news: Many animals have adapted to many changes that happen on Earth so that they CAN survive and NOT become extinct! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Math in ScienceCharts and Graphs. Studying Plants. Studying Animals. Studying Water Habitats, Studying How Living Things Grow and Change. Studying Energy Needs. Studying Earth's Weather. Studying the Sun and the Earth. Studying the Moon, Stars, and Planets. Studying Earth, Yesterday and Today. Using and Saving Natural Resources. Hands-on Lab Skills. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 Did you know... 2nd GradeGas is all around us. There is a layer of gas that surrounds Earth, which is called the atmosphere. Scientists who study the weather are called meteorologists. Some plants like ferns do not have flowers. They make new plants using spores instead of seeds. The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world. Cheetahs can run up to about 113 kilometers per hour. The arctic is the coldest habitat. Brrrr! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 MN.2.2. Physical Science
2.2.1. Matter
2.2.1.1. The student will understand that objects can be described in terms of the materials they are made of and their physical properties.
2.2.1.1.1. Describe objects in terms of color, size, shape, weight, texture, flexibility, strength and the types of materials in the object.
Matter and its propertiesEverything around us is made out matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. All matter is made up of many different kinds of particles that are combined together in different ways. A property of matter is a feature, trait, or characteristic. Read more...iWorksheets :5Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Hands-on Lab Skills/Science InquiryScientists use MANY different tools while they are observing and conducting experiments. Here are some tools scientists use: RULER, MEASURING CUP, CLOCK, HAND, LENS, THERMOMETER, BALANCE. Scientists often put objects into piles or groups based on their color, shape, texture, size and weight. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Hands-on lab skills/Science InquiryPredictions Based on Patterns. Scientists often make predictions based on all the things they already know are true. Predict means to tell what you think is going to
happen. Scientists then test their predictions to see if they are right! Scientists often compare and sort objects based on color, shape, texture, size and weight. Scientists use a METER STICK to measure the length of an object. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Math in ScienceCharts and Graphs. Studying Plants. Studying Animals. Studying Water Habitats, Studying How Living Things Grow and Change. Studying Energy Needs. Studying Earth's Weather. Studying the Sun and the Earth. Studying the Moon, Stars, and Planets. Studying Earth, Yesterday and Today. Using and Saving Natural Resources. Hands-on Lab Skills. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 2.2.1.2. The student will understand that the physical properties of materials can be changed, but not all materials respond the same way to what is done to them.
2.2.1.2.1. Observe, record and recognize that water can be a solid or a liquid and can change from one state to another and that the amount of water stays the same when it melts and freezes.
Matter and its propertiesEverything around us is made out matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. All matter is made up of many different kinds of particles that are combined together in different ways. A property of matter is a feature, trait, or characteristic. Read more...iWorksheets :5Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Comparing matterWhat is matter? Matter is all around you. Matter is anything that takes up space. Mass is the amount of matter in an object. It is how much stuff an object is made of. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Math in ScienceCharts and Graphs. Studying Plants. Studying Animals. Studying Water Habitats, Studying How Living Things Grow and Change. Studying Energy Needs. Studying Earth's Weather. Studying the Sun and the Earth. Studying the Moon, Stars, and Planets. Studying Earth, Yesterday and Today. Using and Saving Natural Resources. Hands-on Lab Skills. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 2.2.2. Motion
2.2.2.1. The student will understand that the motion of an object can be described by a change in its position over time.
2.2.2.1.2. Demonstrate that objects move in a variety of ways, including a straight line, a curve, a circle, back and forth, and at different speeds.
Forces and motion-how things moveMotion is the process of an object changing place or position. Position refers to an object's location. The position of an object all depends on how a person is looking at the object and what it us being compared to, which is known as an object's relative position. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Force and motionWhat Makes Things Move? Forces make things move! A force is a push or pull that can make something move. Gravity is a force! Gravity is a force that pulls things down. Speed is how fast or how slow an object moves. Objects can move straight, up, down, to the left, or to the right. Objects can curve and swerve when they move too! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Did you Know... 1st GradeAir is a nonliving thing. The air we breathe in is called oxygen. Herbivores are animals that only eat plants. Can you believe a HUGE dinosaur called a brachiosaurus was an herbivore? A whale is NOT a fish. It is a mammal that lives in the ocean. You have almost 10,000 taste buds in your mouth! These taste buds
help you TASTE food. You can taste things that are sweet, sour, salty, and bitter! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Energy needsWhat is Energy? Energy is the ability to do work. Energy is what allows living things and objects to do things. Different Kinds of Energy are: Heat Energy, Energy of Motion, Light Energy, Sound Energy, Electricity or Electrical Energy. Some Sources of Energy are: The Sun, A candle, A stove, Food. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 All about sound and lightHow is Sound Made? Sound is made because of something vibrating. You hear sounds when vibrating air causes your eardrum to vibrate. How Are Sounds Different? How Does Sound Travel? How Do People and Animals Make Sounds? What is Light? Light is also a form of energy. Light is energy that travels at very high speeds. Where Does Light Come From? Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 2.2.2.2. The student will understand that the motion of an object can be changed by push or pull forces.
2.2.2.2.1. Describe how push and pull forces can make objects move.
Forces and motion-how things moveMotion is the process of an object changing place or position. Position refers to an object's location. The position of an object all depends on how a person is looking at the object and what it us being compared to, which is known as an object's relative position. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Force and motionWhat Makes Things Move? Forces make things move! A force is a push or pull that can make something move. Gravity is a force! Gravity is a force that pulls things down. Speed is how fast or how slow an object moves. Objects can move straight, up, down, to the left, or to the right. Objects can curve and swerve when they move too! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Did you Know... 1st GradeAir is a nonliving thing. The air we breathe in is called oxygen. Herbivores are animals that only eat plants. Can you believe a HUGE dinosaur called a brachiosaurus was an herbivore? A whale is NOT a fish. It is a mammal that lives in the ocean. You have almost 10,000 taste buds in your mouth! These taste buds
help you TASTE food. You can taste things that are sweet, sour, salty, and bitter! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Energy needsWhat is Energy? Energy is the ability to do work. Energy is what allows living things and objects to do things. Different Kinds of Energy are: Heat Energy, Energy of Motion, Light Energy, Sound Energy, Electricity or Electrical Energy. Some Sources of Energy are: The Sun, A candle, A stove, Food. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 All about sound and lightHow is Sound Made? Sound is made because of something vibrating. You hear sounds when vibrating air causes your eardrum to vibrate. How Are Sounds Different? How Does Sound Travel? How Do People and Animals Make Sounds? What is Light? Light is also a form of energy. Light is energy that travels at very high speeds. Where Does Light Come From? Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 2.2.2.2.2. Describe how things near Earth fall to the ground unless something holds them up.
Forces and motion-how things moveMotion is the process of an object changing place or position. Position refers to an object's location. The position of an object all depends on how a person is looking at the object and what it us being compared to, which is known as an object's relative position. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Energy needsWhat is Energy? Energy is the ability to do work. Energy is what allows living things and objects to do things. Different Kinds of Energy are: Heat Energy, Energy of Motion, Light Energy, Sound Energy, Electricity or Electrical Energy. Some Sources of Energy are: The Sun, A candle, A stove, Food. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 All about sound and lightHow is Sound Made? Sound is made because of something vibrating. You hear sounds when vibrating air causes your eardrum to vibrate. How Are Sounds Different? How Does Sound Travel? How Do People and Animals Make Sounds? What is Light? Light is also a form of energy. Light is energy that travels at very high speeds. Where Does Light Come From? Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 MN.2.3. Earth and Space Science
2.3.2. Interdependence Within the Earth System
2.3.2.2. The student will understand that weather can be described in measurable quantities and changes from day to day and with the seasons.
2.3.2.2.1. Measure, record and describe weather conditions using common tools.
WeatherWhat is the weather like outside? Weather is the condition of the air outside. Weather involves many things, such as clouds, temperature, water in the air, and the wind. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 WeatherWhen someone asks, “What is the weather today?” you know what they are asking. They are asking what it is like outside. They want to know what nature is doing in your area – raining, snowing, blowing… How We Measure Weather: We measure temperature using a thermometer. A wind vane measures the direction of the wind. A rain gauge measures how much rain falls.Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Earth's weather and seasonsWhat is Weather? Weather is what it feels like outside right now: hot, cold, windy, wet... There are Four Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. Seasons always come in the same order every year. Each season brings different weather. Winter is the coldest season and summer is the warmest. Some Kinds of Bad Weather: A thunderstorm, A blizzard, A hurricane. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Did you know... 2nd GradeGas is all around us. There is a layer of gas that surrounds Earth, which is called the atmosphere. Scientists who study the weather are called meteorologists. Some plants like ferns do not have flowers. They make new plants using spores instead of seeds. The cheetah is the fastest animal in the world. Cheetahs can run up to about 113 kilometers per hour. The arctic is the coldest habitat. Brrrr! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 MN.2.4. Life Science
2.4.2. Interdependence in Living Systems
2.4.2.1. The student will understand that natural systems have many components that interact to maintain the living system
2.4.2.1.1. Recognize that plants need space, water, food and air and they fulfill these needs in different ways.
How do plants grow?Plants need many essential things in order to grow, such as: water, air, nutrients, sunlight, and warm temperature. Plants need their space too! If a plant grows too close to other plants, it may not grow healthy and strong, because the plants may compete over the available water, nutrients, and space in the soil for their roots to grow. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Did you Know... 3rd gradeThere are so many amazing scientific facts out there, waiting to be discovered by you! Check out some of the incredible ‘Did You Know? facts that have to do with many of the science topics you learn about in 3rd Grade. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 How do plants and animals live together?Plants need air, water, sunlight, and room to grow in order to live.
Animals need air, water, food, and shelter in order to live. What is a Shelter? It’s a safe place for an animal! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1 Earth yesterday and todayLife on Earth Has Changed. Many kinds of animals that used to live on Earth are no longer living. They are extinct. Reasons for Extinction: Big changes in the climate. Many times animals could not handle these big changes in the weather. Good news: Many animals have adapted to many changes that happen on Earth so that they CAN survive and NOT become extinct! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Science in our worldWhat is Technology? Technology is using science in order to solve different problems. Technology uses things we know about science to make tools for people to make doing work easier. Technology can be as simple as a hammer. Technology keeps us safe (in our houses, our cars). Technology supplies us with the things we need to live. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 2.4.3. Evolution in Living Systems
2.4.3.1. The student will understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes during their life cycles.
2.4.3.1.1. Describe the characteristics of plants at different stages of their life cycles.
How do plants grow?Plants need many essential things in order to grow, such as: water, air, nutrients, sunlight, and warm temperature. Plants need their space too! If a plant grows too close to other plants, it may not grow healthy and strong, because the plants may compete over the available water, nutrients, and space in the soil for their roots to grow. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 PlantsWhat are the Parts of a Plant? Let’s go from the bottom to the top: ROOTS, STEM, LEAVES, FLOWERS. Who Needs Plants? EVERYONE! Plants give off a gas called oxygen which is what we (and animals) need to breathe in to live. A plant's life cycle is how long a plant lives or how long it takes to grow, flower, and make seeds. All plants need water, air, and warm temperatures to grow. Read more...iWorksheets :4Study Guides :1Vocabulary :2 Earth yesterday and todayLife on Earth Has Changed. Many kinds of animals that used to live on Earth are no longer living. They are extinct. Reasons for Extinction: Big changes in the climate. Many times animals could not handle these big changes in the weather. Good news: Many animals have adapted to many changes that happen on Earth so that they CAN survive and NOT become extinct! Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Science in our worldWhat is Technology? Technology is using science in order to solve different problems. Technology uses things we know about science to make tools for people to make doing work easier. Technology can be as simple as a hammer. Technology keeps us safe (in our houses, our cars). Technology supplies us with the things we need to live. Read more...iWorksheets :3Study Guides :1Vocabulary :1 Standards
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