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A: Scientific inquiry is a multifaceted activity; The processes of science include the formulation of scientifically investigable questions, construction of investigations into those questions, the collection of appropriate data, the evaluation of the meaning of those data, and the communication of this evaluation.

B: The processes of science frequently do not correspond to the traditional portrayal of "the scientific method."

C: Scientific argumentation is a necessary part of scientific inquiry and plays an important role in the generation and validation of scientific knowledge.

D: Scientific knowledge is based on observation and inference; it is important to recognize that these are very different things. Not only does science require creativity in its methods and processes, but also in its questions and explanations.

Big Idea 1 : The Practice of Science
Cluster Standards

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Visit the specific benchmark webpage to find related instructional resources.

  • SC.2.N.1.1 : Raise questions about the natural world, investigate them in teams through free exploration and systematic observations, and generate appropriate explanations based on those explorations.
  • SC.2.N.1.2 : Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools.
  • SC.2.N.1.3 : Ask "how do you know?" in appropriate situations and attempt reasonable answers when asked the same question by others.
  • SC.2.N.1.4 : Explain how particular scientific investigations should yield similar conclusions when repeated.
  • SC.2.N.1.5 : Distinguish between empirical observation (what you see, hear, feel, smell, or taste) and ideas or inferences (what you think).
  • SC.2.N.1.6 : Explain how scientists alone or in groups are always investigating new ways to solve problems.
Cluster Information
Number:
SC.2.N.1
Title:
The Practice of Science
Type:
Big Idea
Subject:
Science
Grade:
2
Body of Knowledge
Nature of Science
Cluster Access Points

This cluster includes the following Access Points.

  • SC.2.N.1.In.1 : Ask questions and make observations about things in the natural world.
  • SC.2.N.1.In.2 : Identify information about objects based on observation.
  • SC.2.N.1.In.3 : Recognize that the results of a scientific activity should be the same when repeated
  • SC.2.N.1.In.4 : Recognize that scientists work to solve problems.
Cluster Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials
  • Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 2: Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

  • Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 2: Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

  • Comparing Observations Using Tally Marks Part 1: Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school. You will interpret data represented with tally marks and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

  • Comparing Observations Using Tables Part 1: Learn to record and compare observations a group of students made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented in tables and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

  • Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 1: Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

  • Comparing Observations Using Pictographs Part 2: Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as pictographs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

  • Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 2: Join a class of students as they record and compare observations made during nature walks in the woods near their school.  You will interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups in this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

    This is part 2 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 1.

  • Comparing Observations Using Bar Graphs Part 1: Learn to interpret data represented as bar graphs and compare observations made by different groups of students during nature walks with this interactive S.T.E.M. tutorial.

    This is part 1 of 2-part series, click HERE to view part 2.

  • How Do You Know?: Learn how scientists answer the question, "How do you know?" by making observations and gathering evidence in this interactive science tutorial.

  • A Garden of Repeated Results: Join a young girl and her grandmother in the garden as they discover the importance of repeating and replicating results to arrive at similar conclusions in this interactive science tutorial.

  • On the River: Observations and Inferences: Learn to make observations and inferences as you take a virtual kayak trip down the beautiful Suwannee River with this interactive tutorial.

  • The Flu and You: Part 2: Discover what a virus is, actions that cause viruses like the flu to spread from one person to another, and strategies to decrease the spread of viruses to others.

    This interactive tutorial is part 2 in a two-part series. Click to open part 1.

  • The Flu and You: Part 1: Discover what a virus is, actions that cause viruses like the flu to spread from one person to another, and strategies to decrease the spread of viruses to others.

    This interactive tutorial is part 1 in a two-part series. Click to open part 2.

Assessment
  • Classification Performance Task: Using simple items, colored shapes, students use a binary classification system to divide objects, then justify their scheme. The task assesses primary students' abilities to perform process skills such as classification by using observable differences and similarities.

    This task is designed to take students approximately 8 minutes to complete.
Lesson Plans
  • Not Easy Being Green: Students will apply their understanding that materials’ properties can change, to explain why objects made of copper typically turn green over time. From the Statue of Liberty to pennies, students will know that when copper is exposed to air it will eventually turn green in this integrated lesson plan.

  • A Whale's Tale:  

     This lesson covers:

    • A humpback whale’s basic needs and how they are similar to humans
    • A humpback whale’s feeding habits and social behaviors
    • Threats to humpback whales and how scientists work to protect them
  • Gr. 2 Lesson 3-Wet Season-Dry Season Fish Relay: Students will run a relay race imitating parent Wood Storks feeding their babies; one team during the wet season, the second team during the dry season. Students will draw connections from this relay to what happens to aquatic life as the waters in the Everglades dry.

  • Taking Flight: Students will explore airplanes in this project-based lesson/unit with multiple lessons that are all tied to a final project.

  • What Goes Up Must Come Down! : This is a second grade science lesson that incorporates math, science, and engineering as students work in collaborative groups to investigate gravity using real-world situations.

    Students will investigate the following problem:
    How can you design an invention that keeps a balloon in the air instead of letting it be pulled to the ground by gravity? Can you keep your balloon in the air longer than the other teams?

  • Animal Sanctuary Engineering Design Challenge: This Engineering Design Challenge is a hands-on investigation in both math and science. Students will be able to use prior knowledge and problem solving skills to solve non-routine problems and real-world situations, using mathematical and scientific models. It is a great way to introduce your students to real-world problem solving. Students will be engaged in hands-on learning by designing and creating an enclosure for zoo animals. Both math and science standards have been incorporated for an integrated lesson.

  • The Perils of a Plant: Watering Can - An Engineering Design Challenge: This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of life cycles, the understanding that all living things have basic needs, a knowledge of habitats and practice working with money as they build and experiment with containers to meet the water needs of bean plants in all stages of their life cycle. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.

  • Nature Journaling: This is a detailed lesson plan for introducing the importance of detail accuracy through nature journaling. Students will find a leaf, flower and insect to draw in their nature journals. From this lesson the students will conclude that it is important to pay attention to detail when observing and identifying objects in nature.
  • Tadpole Habitat - An Engineering Design Challenge: This engineering design challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of life cycles, the understanding that all living things have basic needs, build on their knowledge of habitats, and practice working with money as they build structures to meet the needs of a tadpole. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.

  • Helen Keller: A Journey in Time: After reading the biography, A Picture Book of Helen Keller by David Adler, students will retell the life of Helen Keller using the central idea and relevant details by answering who, what, when, where, why and how questions. In addition, students will write a nonfiction narrative piece retelling the events of her life in proper sequential order using transition words.

  • South of the Border with Borreguita: An Engineering Design Challenge: This is an integrated lesson that includes an Engineering Design Challenge, a study of Mexico using an informational text, and a traditional folktale, Borreguita and the Coyote by Verna Aardema. The Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students investigate and generate explanations and practice working with money as they design and build flagpoles to display a flag representing story concepts. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.

  • If the Shoe Fits...: In this lesson, students will create line plots based on linear measurements that they collect while participating in the practice of scientific inquiry.

  • Crazy Crayons!: In teams, students will make a decision on how to select the best crayons for a school supply store based on various crayon characteristics such as cost, transfer to paper, vibrancy of color, color residue, and breakage.

    Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

  • Model Paper Airplane Kits for Sale?: In this Model Eliciting Activity (MEA), students are being asked to evaluate a Paper Airplane Kit that will be sold in a Model and Toy shop. Students are being asked to provide the store owner with their thoughts as to which kit they think would sell the best and leave customers happy with their purchase.

    Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

  • Mac-N-Chz Please!!: This MEA (Model Eliciting Activity) is written at a second grade level. In teams of 3-4, students will help determine which Mac-N-Chz Carrot Grocery should stock on their shelves by reviewing sets of data provided on taste, healthiness, cost and cheese content.

    Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx

  • Three Pigs 2.0 - An Engineering Design Challenge: This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of force from SC.2.P.13.1 (investigate the effect of applying various pushes and pulls on different objects) and the concept of wind from SC.2.E.7.4 (investigate that air is all around us and that moving air is wind) as they build structures to withstand the force of high-speed winds. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.

  • Insects Everywhere!:

    This resource was completed on a general lesson plan template, but also includes the 5E lesson model. It is an interactive lesson that includes an outdoor exploration. If you do not have the ability of taking your students outdoors you can complete the lesson by having an ant farm in the classroom available for student observations.

  • Three Billy Goats Gruff Build a Bridge - An Engineering Design Challenge: This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of force as they build bridges to hold the greatest load. It is also intended to help students apply the concepts of money as they strive to construct the most cost effective bridge. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.

  • Double Bubble Science: In this lesson, students will understand how to use the scientific method to find answers to questions. Students will understand how an inventor uses a question to solve a problem. Students will investigate how to make bubbles with household items and identify different steps of the scientific method that help solve a problem.
  • Is It Hot In The Light?: In this activity, students will make observations that things in direct sunlight are warmer than things that are not in as much sunlight. Also, they may notice that there may be more heat near asphalt, brick, or cement because heat can be stored and radiated from these materials.
  • Rocks, Rocks, Everywhere: The students will be able to sort rocks based upon color, hardness, texture, layering and particle size.
  • Hatching Chickens: This lesson will help students understand the importance of carefully observing and caring for eggs and chickens in the classroom.
  • Butterfly Life Cycle: In this lesson, students will explore the life cycle of the butterfly through different centers and observation of a living butterfly going through its life cycle.

  • Energized: In this lesson, students explore different ways we use energy and then use those concepts to create a functional solar oven.

  • The Plant Life Cycle (using lima beans): In this lesson, students observe the life cycle of a lima bean.

  • What's the Weather?: In this lesson, students use daily observations, videos, and activities to learn about meteorology and the changing nature of weather. Students also identify weather events that are commonly reported in the news and discuss how weather affects lives.
  • A Tour of Soils: With teacher guidance students will have an opportunity to discover the makeup of different kinds of soils.

  • Effect of Shape on Volume: The students will learn that volume is not affected by a container's shape.
  • Henry and Mudge Meet Leonardo da Vinci: This is an integrated lesson that includes an Engineering Design Challenge, a review of forces, an introduction to drawbridges, and a literary text Henry and Mudge and The Long Weekend by Cynthia Rylant. The Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students investigate and generate explanations and practice working with money as they design and build movable drawbridges. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.

  • If the Shoe Fits...: In this lesson, students will create pictographs or bar graphs based on linear measurements that they collect while participating in the practice of scientific inquiry.

  • Investigating Soil Composition - Soil Soaks Up Water: This activity is a classroom lab where students explore sand, soil, and water in relation to absorption and permeability.
  • The Physical Changes of Matter: Students will be using the open inquiry (student-driven) approach to conducting a science investigation. They will be looking at matter and how it can be affected physically by its size, shape, color, and by adding/taking away heat.

  • You Name It!: Students are given a variety of materials and asked to identify each material as a solid, liquid or gas. They use their five senses — sight, sound, smell, texture and taste — to identify the other characteristics of each item.
Teaching Ideas
  • The Study of Life Cycles: This teaching idea overviews a project by second grade students who studied life cycles of insects and created a book with illustrations about insects. Each entry contained descriptive information about the insects being studied- including habitat, life cycle, diet, behavior, predators, and interesting facts.

  • What Snake Am I?: This teaching idea shares an activity that students completed after a study of snakes. Second-grade students created a "what am I" book, written in the first person from the perspective of a snake. The first page includes information about a particular species of snake, including a description of physical appearance, habitat, food, predators and reproductive cycle. Students also created realistic drawings of each snake.

  • The Gummi Bear Experiment: Students will have an opportunity to conduct an investigation about Gummi Bears and how they dissolve.
  • A Shrimpy Home-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, students will demonstrate how changes in an environment can affect the survival of an animal.

  • A Slick Operation: Oil Spill Lab-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, given selected materials, the students will be able to demonstrate and discuss the effects of oil on a bird's feathers and discuss a variety of ways humans might be able to remove it.

  • Here Comes The Sun: This activity will have students predict, measure and record temperatures and provide evidence showing that the sun is the source of heat and light for Earth.

  • Shadows: Students will explore and measure shadows and their relationships to time of day. Students will measure the lengths of a meter stick's shadow at different times of the day (or seasons) to determine when a shadow casts its longest and shortest shadows.
  • Dolphin Polo-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, students will play a game to experience how dolphins use echolocation to find their food.
  • Focused Observation: Recording A Hike: Students will learn how to focus their observations during a nature hike. The children record their observations on a sheet of paper which has been horizontally divided into thirds. Alongside the divisions is a stick figure with the top of the head touching the top line and the knees directly touching the bottom line. This way the paper is divided to record things observed above a student's head, below the student's knees and in between the student's head and knees.
  • How Degrading-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, given examples of trash generated by a family over a 24-hour period, the student will be able to demonstrate how some materials degrade in salt water better than others. They will be able to generate ideas for ways to reduce plastic pollution.
  • Introducing The Nature Journal: This is an introduction to the nature journal. Students will get an opportunity to use their nature journals when we visit the prairie garden at our school. Students will choose one plant and describe it in words and with a drawing. As a classroom follow-up, students will try to match their journal entry with photographs of the plants from the garden.
  • Investigating Motion With Marbles: In this guided inquiry activity, students will use 2 marbles of different size and a box to investigate what makes the marbles move and what will cause the marbles to change speed and direction.
  • Investigating Oobleck: Solid or Liquid?: The students will make their own predictions and conclusions on whether Oobleck is a solid or liquid by using focus observations, conducting focus explorations, raising questions, clarifying questions, and making conclusions about Oobleck.
  • Investigating The Water Cycle - Evaporation: In this water cycle activity, students investigate the evaporation process by participating in an outdoor evaporation experiment held on the school grounds. Students will determine where evaporation takes place the fastest and how nature and humans can affect the process. Observations will be done and data is recorded in each student's science notebook so that the process can be discussed and analyzed.
  • Manatee Musical Chairs-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, students will learn about factors that affect manatee populations.
  • Mighty Macros-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, students will be able to identify three macro invertebrates that are part of the food web found in a compost pile. Students will be able to sort animals into herbivores and carnivores.
  • More About Wet Soils: Students discover unique components of soil when dry or wet.

  • No Place to Hide-SeaWorld Classroom Activity: In this activity, students will learn how the destruction of a coral reef affects the animals that live there.
  • Solid and Liquid Stations: Students investigate the properties of solids and liquids.
  • Solid or Liquid?: In this chemistry lesson students will investigate if certain materials are solids or liquids. Students are expected to make predictions, record observations, draw conclusions, and formulate questions for further investigation.
  • Sorting Solids: Students are asked to sort solids in a variety of ways and justify their reasoning for sorting the solids.

  • Sports Equipment - What Kind of Force?: Children discuss, observe and "play" with equipment used in familiar sports. They discuss how the equipment is used and predict how the equipment is put into motion or stopped from continuing to be in motion.
  • Webcams: Animal Inquiry and Observation: Observe animal habits and habitats using one of the many webcams broadcasting from zoos and aquariums around the United States and the world in this inquiry-based activity that focuses on observation logs, class discussion, questioning, and research.

  • What Makes Things Move?: Students will use an inquiry based approach to discover how things move. They will discover that a push and a pull are forces that put things into motion. They will also investigate how friction is a force that slows a moving object.
  • What Makes Things Move?: Students will use an inquiry based approach to discover how things move. They will discover that a push and a pull are forces that put things into motion. They will also investigate how friction is a force that slows a moving object.
  • Wiggly Worms: In this inquiry-based worms lesson, students will compare and contrast red worms and earthworms through exploration (magnifying glasses provided) and a read-aloud.
Unit/Lesson Sequences
  • Matter: Solids: In this unit, properties of matter are introduced and solids are explored. Exposure to the engineering design process synthesizes information learned about solids and asks students to create a homemade play dough recipe.

  • Parts of the Human Body: In this unit, students explore the major parts of the body in different stations. An engineering design process lesson allows students to design and construct a helmet that protects the "main computer" for your body: the brain.

  • Rock Composition and Classification: In this unit, the class is introduced to how rocks are formed, where they come from, and the many shapes and sizes that they are found. A class rock collection is made from samples collected around the school and a final lab shows the concept of erosion through rock "shakers."

  • Water and Wind in Weather: This unit builds on concepts learned in the "Weather Measure" resource for Grade 2. Students are introduced to evaporation and wind. "Windmills" synthesizes information about how wind can move objects by engaging students in the engineering design process in a project that calls for the design and construction of a functioning windmill that can lift a weighted cup.

  • Soil Composition and Classification: This unit builds on the previous lessons about rocks to explore soil. Different types of soil samples are observed, classified by various attributes, and manipulated by adding water. Finally, the "Cement" lesson involves synthesis of information learned from previous lessons in an engineering design lab that asks students to build a wall from their own mortar mixture creation that will withstand the force of a rolling ball.

  • Weather Measure: In this unit, students learn about meteorology and act as meteorologists, predict and take temperature measurements, and create a severe weather preparedness plan.

  • How do Objects Move | Engineering Design Challenge: In this unit, students explore and explain the many different ways that an object moves and how its properties affect its movements. In one lesson ("In What Ways"), students predict and test their predictions on how different objects will move when gently pushed on their desks. In "Do All Tops Spin Alike?," students use different materials to construct their own tops and test its movements. "Making Objects Move" introduces the concept of acceleration and allows students to use different sizes and types of balls and other materials to build tracks that will be used to stop the ball at a certain location. "Playground Equipment" gives an engineering experience by engaging students in a competition with a given scenario and asking them to design, test, and re-design (if necessary) a functioning piece of new playground equipment (the terms "force," "motion," "gravity," and "simple machine" are introduced).

Worksheet
  • Changing States of Matter: In this activity, students will see that the liquid water can change state again and freeze to become ice.