2nd Grade
2nd Grade
Embedded Files
Unit 1
(coming soon)
Unit 2
(coming soon)
Unit 3
(coming soon)
Unit 4
(coming soon)
Science Pacing Rationale
Science Pacing Rationale
120 total days, 30-minute days
The USBE recommends “daily science instruction” in grades K–6, though the exact structure looks different at each grade level. According to the Elementary and Secondary School General Core Rule (R277-700): “The Superintendent shall place a greater emphasis on a student’s mastery of course material rather than completion of predetermined time allotments for courses.”
To ensure students achieve mastery of the SEEd Standards at their described proficiency levels (outlined in the SEEd Core Guides), we have allotted the following time for 2nd-grade science:
Second Grade 120 Total Days - 30-minute days
Curriculum Days ( days): Core OpenSciEd lessons.
Other Days/Flexible ( days): Reserved for assessment, reteach, enrichment, digital tools (Gizmos, Mission.io), and other district-supported resources.
We intentionally paced for 120 instructional days instead of the full 180 to reflect the realities of elementary classrooms. This structure:
Provides time at the beginning of the year for building classroom routines.
Accommodates end-of-year testing.
Preserves space for holidays, school breaks, and traditional school events that are central to the elementary experience.
2nd Grade Unit Order Rationale
2nd Grade Unit Order Rationale
The Utah SEEd 2nd grade standards are organized into three strands: 2.1 Changes in the Earth’s Surface, 2.2 Living Things and Their Habitat, and 2.3 Properties of Matter. These “strands” describe major areas of learning and outline the key ideas, practices, and ways of thinking students develop across the year. The strands are not required to be taught as individual units or in the order they appear, but instead represent connected learning goals that build over time.
The OpenSciEd 2nd grade curriculum has been adapted for SEEd and organized into four connected units. This structure ensures that all SEEd standards are addressed in a logical, meaningful sequence that reflects how students make sense of the world through observing phenomena, asking questions, analyzing evidence, and designing solutions. Each unit builds on prior experiences and integrates the Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts outlined in the SEEd standards.
The order of units in 2nd grade is intentional. Unit 1 introduces Earth surface processes and provides a strong foundation for understanding change over time and the role of wind and water. Unit 2 focuses on the properties of matter and uses engineering design to help students apply what they learn about materials in purposeful ways. Units 3 and 4 address living things and their habitats, first by exploring patterns in where plants and animals live, and then by focusing more deeply on plants and how they grow and survive. Together, the four units ensure all three SEEd strands are fully addressed while maintaining a coherent learning progression across the year.
Unit 1 – Changes in the Earth’s Surface
Students begin the year by investigating how land can change shape even when people and animals are not causing those changes. Using real-world examples and local observations, students figure out how wind and water can slowly or quickly change the land over time. They analyze evidence, compare fast and slow changes, and act as engineers to design and test solutions that can slow or prevent land change in their communities.
Addresses SEEd standards 2.1.2 and 2.1.3
Unit 2 – Properties of Matter
In this unit, students explore how the properties of materials influence how objects are designed and used. Through an engineering design challenge, students investigate different materials, test their properties, and observe how materials can change when heated, cooled, disassembled, or reshaped. Students apply what they learn by designing and improving toys, using evidence from their investigations to justify their material choices and design decisions.
Addresses SEEd Strand 2.3
Unit 3 – Habitats and Biodiversity
Students investigate patterns in where plants and animals live by examining their schoolyard, local environments, and national parks across the United States. They use maps, texts, and media to compare land and water features and observe how different habitats support different kinds of living things. Students communicate their findings by comparing plants and animals that live on land and in water across a variety of environments.
Addresses SEEd standards 2.1.1, 2.2.1, and 2.2.2
Unit 4 – Plants
Placed last in the sequence, this unit builds on students’ understanding of habitats by focusing specifically on plants and how they grow, survive, and interact with their environment. Students explore plant structures, model how plants disperse seeds or are pollinated, and apply engineering thinking by designing solutions inspired by plant structures and functions. This unit completes the SEEd strand on living things and their habitats.
Addresses SEEd standards 2.2.3 and 2.2.4
Page updated
Report abuse