What science will my child learn this year?

Students study three big areas: how materials behave (like why a paper towel soaks up water but plastic does not), how plants and animals live in different places, and how land and water on Earth change over time. They also try simple engineering, like building something to stop dirt from washing away.

How can I help with science at home?

Notice materials together during normal chores. Ask which spoon gets hot fastest, why an ice cube melts but a cooked egg cannot go back to raw, or which fabric dries quickest on the line. Short kitchen and yard conversations build the exact thinking students need.

How should I sequence the year?

A common order is materials and their properties in the fall, reversible and irreversible changes in winter, then plants, habitats, and Earth's land and water in spring. Engineering and environmental projects work best woven through each unit rather than saved for the end.

Does my child need to memorize science vocabulary?

Not really. Students should be able to describe what they see and explain their thinking in their own words. Knowing that ice melting can be undone but a burnt piece of toast cannot matters more than naming the process.

What does mastery look like by June?

By spring, students can plan a simple test, record what they observed, and use that evidence to explain a choice. For example, they can pick the best material for a raincoat and say why, using data from their own tests.

Which topics usually need the most reteaching?

Reversible versus irreversible change trips up many students, especially telling melting apart from burning or cooking. The idea that water on Earth can be solid or liquid in the same place also takes repeated exposure across the year.

How do I fit in the environmental and engineering projects?

Anchor one project per term to the science unit already running. An erosion model fits the land and water unit, and a habitat cleanup fits the living things unit. Local partners, including tribal community contacts, can shape the question students investigate.

What can we do outside to support science?

Walk the same block or park across the seasons and notice what changes. Look at puddles after rain, cracks in sidewalks, plants growing in odd spots, and animals using different spaces. These small observations are exactly what students practice in class.

How do I know my child is ready for next year?

Students are ready when they can ask a question, test it in a simple way, and point to what they saw as the reason for their answer. Comfort with being wrong and trying again matters as much as any single fact.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year science becomes about testing ideas and building a case. Students sort materials by what they can see and feel, then figure out which ones work best for a job like keeping water out or holding weight. They watch how heating and cooling change things, compare plants and animals in different habitats, and study how wind and water reshape the land. By spring, students can run a simple test, write down what they noticed, and explain their thinking with evidence.

Materials and properties
Heating and cooling
Plants and animals
Habitats
Landforms and water
Erosion
Simple investigations

Source: Washington Washington K-12 Learning Standards

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
Sorting and testing materials
Students look closely at everyday materials like wood, fabric, metal, and plastic. They sort objects by what they can see and feel, then test which materials work best for jobs like soaking up water or holding heat.
2
Building, taking apart, rebuilding
Students see that a small set of pieces can come apart and become something new. They also test what happens when things are heated or cooled, noticing which changes can be undone and which cannot.
3
Plants, animals, and habitats
Students watch what plants need to grow and compare the living things found in different places, like a forest, a pond, and a desert. They notice why certain plants and animals live where they do.
4
Land, water, and changes to Earth
Students map the hills, rivers, and lakes in an area and learn where water shows up on Earth as liquid or ice. They also test ways to slow wind and water from wearing away the land.
5
Caring for the local environment
Students walk the school grounds, gather information, and look at a real problem in the community. They weigh a few possible solutions and pick one to share or try out with classmates and local partners.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.

Physical Science

Use evidence, data, and investigation to describe matter and its properties

WA 2.PS1

Students test everyday materials (wood, plastic, fabric, metal) to figure out what each one can do. Then they use what they learned to explain why certain materials work better than others for a specific job.
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…

2-PS1-1

Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, plastic, and fabric by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, gather results, and group what they find.
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…

2-PS1-2

Students test different materials, like cloth, metal, or plastic, to find out which one works best for a specific job. The data from those tests shows why one material is a better choice than another.
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…

2-PS1-3

Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The goal is to show that materials can be reused and reshaped without adding or losing any parts.
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…

2-PS1-4

Heating and cooling can change materials, but not always in the same way. Students learn which changes can be undone (like melting ice) and which ones can't (like burning wood), and practice explaining why with real examples.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use evidence, data, and investigation to describe matter and its properties	Students test everyday materials (wood, plastic, fabric, metal) to figure out what each one can do. Then they use what they learned to explain why certain materials work better than others for a specific job.	WA 2.PS1
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…	Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, plastic, and fabric by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, gather results, and group what they find.	2-PS1-1
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…	Students test different materials, like cloth, metal, or plastic, to find out which one works best for a specific job. The data from those tests shows why one material is a better choice than another.	2-PS1-2
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…	Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The goal is to show that materials can be reused and reshaped without adding or losing any parts.	2-PS1-3
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…	Heating and cooling can change materials, but not always in the same way. Students learn which changes can be undone (like melting ice) and which ones can't (like burning wood), and practice explaining why with real examples.	2-PS1-4

Physical Science

Use evidence, data, and investigation to describe matter and its properties

WA 2.PS1

Students test everyday materials (wood, plastic, fabric, metal) to figure out what each one can do. Then they use what they learned to explain why certain materials work better than others for a specific job.
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…

2-PS1-1

Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, plastic, and fabric by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, gather results, and group what they find.
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…

2-PS1-2

Students test different materials, like cloth, metal, or plastic, to find out which one works best for a specific job. The data from those tests shows why one material is a better choice than another.
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…

2-PS1-3

Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The goal is to show that materials can be reused and reshaped without adding or losing any parts.
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…

2-PS1-4

Heating and cooling can change materials, but not always in the same way. Students learn which changes can be undone (like melting ice) and which ones can't (like burning wood), and practice explaining why with real examples.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use evidence, data, and investigation to describe matter and its properties	Students test everyday materials (wood, plastic, fabric, metal) to figure out what each one can do. Then they use what they learned to explain why certain materials work better than others for a specific job.	WA 2.PS1
Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of…	Students sort everyday materials like wood, metal, plastic, and fabric by what they can observe: color, texture, hardness, and flexibility. They plan a simple test, gather results, and group what they find.	2-PS1-1
Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which…	Students test different materials, like cloth, metal, or plastic, to find out which one works best for a specific job. The data from those tests shows why one material is a better choice than another.	2-PS1-2
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made…	Students take apart a simple object and use the same pieces to build something new. The goal is to show that materials can be reused and reshaped without adding or losing any parts.	2-PS1-3
Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or…	Heating and cooling can change materials, but not always in the same way. Students learn which changes can be undone (like melting ice) and which ones can't (like burning wood), and practice explaining why with real examples.	2-PS1-4

Life Science

Use evidence, investigation

WA 2.LS2

Plants need sunlight, water, soil, and sometimes help from animals to grow and make new plants. Students investigate and build models to show where plants get what they need and how those needs are met.
Use evidence and data to identify and compare the variety of living things in…

WA 2.LS4

Students look at plants and animals from different places, like a pond or a forest, and compare what lives where. They use real observations and data to explain why different habitats support different kinds of life.
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…

2-LS4-1

Students look closely at plants and animals in different places, like a pond versus a forest, and compare how many different kinds live in each spot.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use evidence, investigation	Plants need sunlight, water, soil, and sometimes help from animals to grow and make new plants. Students investigate and build models to show where plants get what they need and how those needs are met.	WA 2.LS2
Use evidence and data to identify and compare the variety of living things in…	Students look at plants and animals from different places, like a pond or a forest, and compare what lives where. They use real observations and data to explain why different habitats support different kinds of life.	WA 2.LS4
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…	Students look closely at plants and animals in different places, like a pond versus a forest, and compare how many different kinds live in each spot.	2-LS4-1

Life Science

Use evidence, investigation

WA 2.LS2

Plants need sunlight, water, soil, and sometimes help from animals to grow and make new plants. Students investigate and build models to show where plants get what they need and how those needs are met.
Use evidence and data to identify and compare the variety of living things in…

WA 2.LS4

Students look at plants and animals from different places, like a pond or a forest, and compare what lives where. They use real observations and data to explain why different habitats support different kinds of life.
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…

2-LS4-1

Students look closely at plants and animals in different places, like a pond versus a forest, and compare how many different kinds live in each spot.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use evidence, investigation	Plants need sunlight, water, soil, and sometimes help from animals to grow and make new plants. Students investigate and build models to show where plants get what they need and how those needs are met.	WA 2.LS2
Use evidence and data to identify and compare the variety of living things in…	Students look at plants and animals from different places, like a pond or a forest, and compare what lives where. They use real observations and data to explain why different habitats support different kinds of life.	WA 2.LS4
Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in…	Students look closely at plants and animals in different places, like a pond versus a forest, and compare how many different kinds live in each spot.	2-LS4-1

Earth and Space Sciences

Use research, evidence

WA 2.ESS1

Students look at photos, maps, and data to explain how Earth's surface changes, from an earthquake that shifts the ground in seconds to a river that carves a canyon over thousands of years.
Use research, maps, and modeling to understand and represent land and water on…

WA 2.ESS2

Students learn to read maps and identify where land and water are found on Earth. They also look at how rain and wind wear land down over time, then compare ways people try to slow or stop that change.
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…

2-ESS2-1

Students look at different barriers, berms, or ground covers that people build to stop wind or water from washing soil away, then decide which ones work better.
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…

2-ESS2-2

Students draw or build a map or model showing the land and water in a place, such as hills, flat ground, rivers, and lakes.
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and understand…

2-ESS2-3

Water covers most of Earth's surface and exists in different forms. Students learn where water is found on Earth, from oceans and rivers to frozen ice, and why it appears as a liquid in some places and solid ice in others.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use research, evidence	Students look at photos, maps, and data to explain how Earth's surface changes, from an earthquake that shifts the ground in seconds to a river that carves a canyon over thousands of years.	WA 2.ESS1
Use research, maps, and modeling to understand and represent land and water on…	Students learn to read maps and identify where land and water are found on Earth. They also look at how rain and wind wear land down over time, then compare ways people try to slow or stop that change.	WA 2.ESS2
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…	Students look at different barriers, berms, or ground covers that people build to stop wind or water from washing soil away, then decide which ones work better.	2-ESS2-1
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…	Students draw or build a map or model showing the land and water in a place, such as hills, flat ground, rivers, and lakes.	2-ESS2-2
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and understand…	Water covers most of Earth's surface and exists in different forms. Students learn where water is found on Earth, from oceans and rivers to frozen ice, and why it appears as a liquid in some places and solid ice in others.	2-ESS2-3

Earth and Space Sciences

Use research, evidence

WA 2.ESS1

Students look at photos, maps, and data to explain how Earth's surface changes, from an earthquake that shifts the ground in seconds to a river that carves a canyon over thousands of years.
Use research, maps, and modeling to understand and represent land and water on…

WA 2.ESS2

Students learn to read maps and identify where land and water are found on Earth. They also look at how rain and wind wear land down over time, then compare ways people try to slow or stop that change.
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…

2-ESS2-1

Students look at different barriers, berms, or ground covers that people build to stop wind or water from washing soil away, then decide which ones work better.
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…

2-ESS2-2

Students draw or build a map or model showing the land and water in a place, such as hills, flat ground, rivers, and lakes.
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and understand…

2-ESS2-3

Water covers most of Earth's surface and exists in different forms. Students learn where water is found on Earth, from oceans and rivers to frozen ice, and why it appears as a liquid in some places and solid ice in others.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use research, evidence	Students look at photos, maps, and data to explain how Earth's surface changes, from an earthquake that shifts the ground in seconds to a river that carves a canyon over thousands of years.	WA 2.ESS1
Use research, maps, and modeling to understand and represent land and water on…	Students learn to read maps and identify where land and water are found on Earth. They also look at how rain and wind wear land down over time, then compare ways people try to slow or stop that change.	WA 2.ESS2
Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from…	Students look at different barriers, berms, or ground covers that people build to stop wind or water from washing soil away, then decide which ones work better.	2-ESS2-1
Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water…	Students draw or build a map or model showing the land and water in a place, such as hills, flat ground, rivers, and lakes.	2-ESS2-2
Obtain information to identify where water is found on Earth and understand…	Water covers most of Earth's surface and exists in different forms. Students learn where water is found on Earth, from oceans and rivers to frozen ice, and why it appears as a liquid in some places and solid ice in others.	2-ESS2-3

K–2 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Use modeling, investigation

WA 2.ETS1

Students pick a simple problem, build or draw a solution, test whether it works, and use what they learn to make it better. It's hands-on problem-solving: try it, check the results, improve the design.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use modeling, investigation	Students pick a simple problem, build or draw a solution, test whether it works, and use what they learn to make it better. It's hands-on problem-solving: try it, check the results, improve the design.	WA 2.ETS1

K–2 Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Use modeling, investigation

WA 2.ETS1

Students pick a simple problem, build or draw a solution, test whether it works, and use what they learn to make it better. It's hands-on problem-solving: try it, check the results, improve the design.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use modeling, investigation	Students pick a simple problem, build or draw a solution, test whether it works, and use what they learn to make it better. It's hands-on problem-solving: try it, check the results, improve the design.	WA 2.ETS1

Environmental and Sustainability Education

Through project-based learning, synthesize information from multiple sources…

WA.2.ESE.1

Students research a local problem (like a polluted creek or a dying park), gather information from neighbors and community groups, and work with others to plan and share a real solution.
Research multiple perspectives to understand and communicate ideas about how…

2.ESE.1-1

Students look up different viewpoints on a local environmental problem, such as trash in a park or water in a stream, and explain how money and community choices affect whether the problem gets better or worse.
Use the school grounds and campus to identify connections between the natural…

2.ESE.1-2

Students walk the school grounds to spot how nature and human-made structures affect each other, then collect and analyze what they find to draw simple conclusions.
Apply knowledge and skills to select a cost-effective approach to solve an…

2.ESE.1-3

Students pick a real environmental problem, weigh a few solutions by cost and results, then take action by carrying out or explaining their best choice to others.

Standard	Definition	Code
Through project-based learning, synthesize information from multiple sources…	Students research a local problem (like a polluted creek or a dying park), gather information from neighbors and community groups, and work with others to plan and share a real solution.	WA.2.ESE.1
Research multiple perspectives to understand and communicate ideas about how…	Students look up different viewpoints on a local environmental problem, such as trash in a park or water in a stream, and explain how money and community choices affect whether the problem gets better or worse.	2.ESE.1-1
Use the school grounds and campus to identify connections between the natural…	Students walk the school grounds to spot how nature and human-made structures affect each other, then collect and analyze what they find to draw simple conclusions.	2.ESE.1-2
Apply knowledge and skills to select a cost-effective approach to solve an…	Students pick a real environmental problem, weigh a few solutions by cost and results, then take action by carrying out or explaining their best choice to others.	2.ESE.1-3

Environmental and Sustainability Education

Through project-based learning, synthesize information from multiple sources…

WA.2.ESE.1

Students research a local problem (like a polluted creek or a dying park), gather information from neighbors and community groups, and work with others to plan and share a real solution.
Research multiple perspectives to understand and communicate ideas about how…

2.ESE.1-1

Students look up different viewpoints on a local environmental problem, such as trash in a park or water in a stream, and explain how money and community choices affect whether the problem gets better or worse.
Use the school grounds and campus to identify connections between the natural…

2.ESE.1-2

Students walk the school grounds to spot how nature and human-made structures affect each other, then collect and analyze what they find to draw simple conclusions.
Apply knowledge and skills to select a cost-effective approach to solve an…

2.ESE.1-3

Students pick a real environmental problem, weigh a few solutions by cost and results, then take action by carrying out or explaining their best choice to others.

Standard	Definition	Code
Through project-based learning, synthesize information from multiple sources…	Students research a local problem (like a polluted creek or a dying park), gather information from neighbors and community groups, and work with others to plan and share a real solution.	WA.2.ESE.1
Research multiple perspectives to understand and communicate ideas about how…	Students look up different viewpoints on a local environmental problem, such as trash in a park or water in a stream, and explain how money and community choices affect whether the problem gets better or worse.	2.ESE.1-1
Use the school grounds and campus to identify connections between the natural…	Students walk the school grounds to spot how nature and human-made structures affect each other, then collect and analyze what they find to draw simple conclusions.	2.ESE.1-2
Apply knowledge and skills to select a cost-effective approach to solve an…	Students pick a real environmental problem, weigh a few solutions by cost and results, then take action by carrying out or explaining their best choice to others.	2.ESE.1-3

Common Questions

What science will my child learn this year?
Students study three big areas: how materials behave (like why a paper towel soaks up water but plastic does not), how plants and animals live in different places, and how land and water on Earth change over time. They also try simple engineering, like building something to stop dirt from washing away.
How can I help with science at home?
Notice materials together during normal chores. Ask which spoon gets hot fastest, why an ice cube melts but a cooked egg cannot go back to raw, or which fabric dries quickest on the line. Short kitchen and yard conversations build the exact thinking students need.
How should I sequence the year?
A common order is materials and their properties in the fall, reversible and irreversible changes in winter, then plants, habitats, and Earth's land and water in spring. Engineering and environmental projects work best woven through each unit rather than saved for the end.
Does my child need to memorize science vocabulary?
Not really. Students should be able to describe what they see and explain their thinking in their own words. Knowing that ice melting can be undone but a burnt piece of toast cannot matters more than naming the process.
What does mastery look like by June?
By spring, students can plan a simple test, record what they observed, and use that evidence to explain a choice. For example, they can pick the best material for a raincoat and say why, using data from their own tests.
Which topics usually need the most reteaching?
Reversible versus irreversible change trips up many students, especially telling melting apart from burning or cooking. The idea that water on Earth can be solid or liquid in the same place also takes repeated exposure across the year.
How do I fit in the environmental and engineering projects?
Anchor one project per term to the science unit already running. An erosion model fits the land and water unit, and a habitat cleanup fits the living things unit. Local partners, including tribal community contacts, can shape the question students investigate.
What can we do outside to support science?
Walk the same block or park across the seasons and notice what changes. Look at puddles after rain, cracks in sidewalks, plants growing in odd spots, and animals using different spaces. These small observations are exactly what students practice in class.
How do I know my child is ready for next year?
Students are ready when they can ask a question, test it in a simple way, and point to what they saw as the reason for their answer. Comfort with being wrong and trying again matters as much as any single fact.