1 .34 2nd Grade Science Vocabulary Words

Science in second grade is a lot of fun! There are many interesting topics to be studied and many new vocabulary words to be learned. Read on to find out about the topics and vocabulary that you will study in second grade!

Science Vocabulary for Second Graders

The world is a busy place! From plants and animals to the weather, there is a lot happening all around us! As a second grader, you will learn about these topics, plus many more. Let’s take a look at some of the science topics that you will study this year and the vocabulary words that go with each topic!

1. Main points:

The text introduces the wide array of science topics that a second grader will explore, ranging from plants and animals to weather phenomena.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What are some of the science topics that a second grader might learn about?
• Contextual Analysis: Why is it important for second graders to learn about a variety of science topics?
• Linguistic Analysis: How does the text create a sense of excitement and curiosity about learning science?

3. Further Discussion:

• What science topic are you most excited to learn about and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: The text doesn’t provide specific examples of the science topics, but mentions "plants and animals to the weather" as areas of study.
• Contextual Analysis: The text doesn’t explicitly state the importance, but it implies that learning about a wide range of topics helps understand the diverse and active world around us.
• Linguistic Analysis: The text uses engaging phrases like "The world is a busy place!" and "Let’s take a look at some of the science topics" to generate enthusiasm for learning.

Earth Science

Have you ever dug a hole in the ground before? As you dug, you probably noticed that the surface of the Earth is made up of different materials, such as fine sand, thick dirt, small pebbles, and larger rocks. These materials make up different shapes in the land, as well. Here are some of the materials and landforms that make the Earth’s surface so unique!

Valley

Boulder: A very, very large rock.

Mountain: A very large hill.

Plain: A flat area of land.

Rock: A hard material found on Earth. It is not living.

Sand: Tiny pieces of rock.

Soil: The top layer of Earth’s surface. This is usually loose, and not packed tightly together.

Valley: A very low area of Earth’s surface, usually set between two higher pieces of land, such as mountains.

1. Main points:

The text introduces various natural materials and landforms found on Earth’s surface, such as boulders, mountains, plains, rocks, sand, soil, and valleys, highlighting their unique characteristics.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What are the differences between a boulder and a rock?
• Thematic Analysis: Why might it be important to learn about different landforms like mountains and valleys?
• Linguistic Analysis: How does the text describe the natural elements to make them understandable for young learners?

3. Further Discussion:

• If you could visit any of these landforms, which one would you choose and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "Boulder: A very, very large rock." compared to "Rock: A hard material found on Earth. It is not living."
• Thematic Analysis: Learning about landforms helps to understand the variety and structure of Earth’s surface.
• Linguistic Analysis: The text uses simple definitions and comparisons, such as "Mountain: A very large hill." and "Plain: A flat area of land.", to make complex geological concepts accessible to young learners.

Life Science

Take a walk through the woods and you will notice a busy community of living things. Plants are growing and animals are scurrying around. You may even notice animals and plants relying on one another; an animal might be curled up in a nest in a tree or eating the leaves off of a plant. This is called life science, and it is a big topic that you will study in second grade! Here are some of the many vocabulary words that are used to describe life science!

Forest

Adaptation: Something that an animal does or has in order to survive. For example, a porcupine has quills to defend itself against predators.

Camouflage: What an animal does to blend with its environment. For example, a chameleon will turn green when sitting on a leaf, so it will not be seen.

Endangered: When a species of animal is in danger of not living anymore.

Environment: All of the things that make up a certain place. These things can be living, such as trees, or nonliving, such as rocks.

Extinct: An animal or plant that is not living anymore. For example, dinosaurs are extinct.

Food Chain: Animals eat plants and other animals in a particular order. For example, a mouse eats a plant, a snake eats the mouse, and an owl eats the snake.

Habitat: A place where an animal finds everything it needs to survive including shelter, water, and food.

1. Main points:

The text provides an introduction to life science, focusing on the interdependent relationships between plants and animals in their natural environment and explaining key vocabulary such as adaptation, camouflage, endangered species, environment, extinction, food chain, and habitat.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What is the relationship between a habitat and the survival of an animal?
• Thematic Analysis: How do concepts like adaptation and camouflage help animals survive in their environment?
• Contextual Analysis: Why is it important to understand the concept of endangered and extinct species?

3. Further Discussion:

• If you could have any animal adaptation, what would it be and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "Habitat: A place where an animal finds everything it needs to survive including shelter, water, and food."
• Thematic Analysis: "Adaptation: Something that an animal does or has in order to survive…" and "Camouflage: What an animal does to blend with its environment…"
• Contextual Analysis: "Endangered: When a species of animal is in danger of not living anymore." and "Extinct: An animal or plant that is not living anymore…" Understanding these concepts helps to grasp the importance of conservation and the impact of human activities on wildlife.

Matter

Have you ever noticed that an ice cube turns into a puddle if it’s left on the floor and a pot of water can disappear into the air when it is boiled? This is matter! Matter is what everything in our world is made of and is one of the fun topics that second graders get to explore. Here are some of the vocabulary words that describe matter.

Boiling Water

Matter: What all things in the world are made of!

Solid: Matter can be solid, like a basketball or a building block. These are objects that have a shape.

Liquid: Matter can be liquid, like milk or water. This type of matter does not have a shape and can move freely.

Gas: Matter can be a gas, like the air you breathe. This type of matter does not have a shape and can completely fill another object, such as a balloon.

1. Main points:

The text introduces the concept of matter and its different states – solid, liquid, and gas – explaining how matter changes form through everyday examples like melting ice and boiling water.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What are the three states of matter mentioned in the text?
• Thematic Analysis: Why is it important for second graders to understand the different states of matter?
• Contextual Analysis: How does the text use everyday examples to explain the concept of matter?

3. Further Discussion:

• Can you think of an example from your daily life where you observe the change of matter from one state to another?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: The three states of matter mentioned are "Solid: like a basketball or a building block," "Liquid: like milk or water," and "Gas: like the air you breathe."
• Thematic Analysis: Understanding the different states of matter helps in grasping basic scientific concepts and observing the world around them.
• Contextual Analysis: The text uses relatable examples, such as "an ice cube turns into a puddle" and "a pot of water can disappear into the air when it is boiled," to illustrate the concept of matter in a way that is easy for second graders to understand.

Weather

Chances are, you woke up this morning and looked out the window to check the weather. You probably checked to see if it was warm or cold outside, and whether it was rainy or sunny. Weather influences a lot of the decisions that we make throughout our day! So, what are the different types of weather that you will study in second grade?

Tornado

Blizzard: A type of storm that has both strong winds and heavy snowfall.

Hurricane: A type of storm that has strong winds and heavy rain. It often happens near the ocean and creates big waves, as well!

Thunderstorm: A type of storm that has rain, thunder, and lightening.

Tornado: A cloud that spins and creates a funnel shape. It has very strong winds, as well.

1. Main points:

The text highlights the importance of weather and introduces different types of severe weather phenomena, including blizzards, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes, that second graders will study.

2. Questions:

• Content Analysis: What are the characteristics of the weather phenomena described in the text?
• Thematic Analysis: Why is it important for children to learn about different types of severe weather?
• Linguistic Analysis: How does the text describe complex weather events in a way that’s understandable for a second grader?

3. Further Discussion:

• If you could experience one of these weather events safely, which one would you choose and why?

4. Answers:

• Content Analysis: "Blizzard: A type of storm that has both strong winds and heavy snowfall." "Hurricane: A type of storm that has strong winds and heavy rain." "Thunderstorm: A type of storm that has rain, thunder, and lightening." "Tornado: A cloud that spins and creates a funnel shape."
• Thematic Analysis: Learning about severe weather helps children understand natural phenomena and prepares them for weather-related safety.
• Linguistic Analysis: The text uses clear and simple descriptions, like "a cloud that spins and creates a funnel shape" for a tornado, making complex weather events understandable to young learners.

Lesson Summary

As you can see, there is a lot to learn in second grade science! You will learn about everything from the life that is found on Earth, to the surface of our planet, and to the weather that surrounds us. Hopefully you learned some new vocabulary words to get you started on your second grade science journey today. Enjoy!