Grade 2

What is attracted to a magnet?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items...

• Your science journal

• Magnet (refrigerator magnet or other household magnet)

• Nail

• Paperclip

• Metal and nonmetal objects from around the house

Let's explore...

• • Test different items around the house with a magnet. What do you notice? Make some predictions about what you think will be attracted to the magnet and what won’t be attracted to the magnet. Draw pictures or write down your observations in your science journal. Group or classify the objects based on the ability to attract to a magnet.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• predict which materials will be attracted to magnets, test the predictions, and create a chart that shows the results, classifying materials as to whether they are attracted to magnets (2.2b)

How do substances change from a solid to a liquid or to a gas?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Your science journal

• Ice

• Water

• Steam

• Heat source

Let's explore...

• • During the day, how many things do you notice that are a solid, liquid or a gas? Which did you notice more of?

  • Test what happens when you add heat to a solid or a liquid. With the help of an adult, put some ice in a pan on the stove, and put the same amount of ice in a pan on the counter. Heat the ice on the stove. What happens? Continue heating until you notice that the water is boiling. What is happening to the liquid water? Did it change more quickly on the stove or on the counter? Keep track of your observations in your science journal.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• classify and compare materials as liquids, solids, or gases (2.3 b)

• investigate the effect of heat on the state of matter (i.e., ice to liquid water and liquid water to water vapor) (2.3 c)

Why should we keep track of the weather?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Weather log (could be in your science journal) or a calendar Thermometer or cell phone weather app

• Rain gauge (soda bottle, ruler, tape, marker, scissors, pebbles)

• Wind vane (straw, 2 paper plates, marker, glue, scissors, pin, pencil with eraser, modeling clay, compass)

Let's explore...

• • Keep track of the weather in a weather log or on a calendar. Can you record the daily temperature, the amount of precipitation that has fallen, and the direction of wind? You can make these measurements by using a thermometer (or cell phone weather app), a rain gauge, and a wind vane.

  • There are many ways to build a rain gauge and weather vane. You can find videos on YouTube and other websites. One website for building a wind vane (weathervane) is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnZ5LYI19Vo.

  • Directions for making a rain gauge can be found here . Make sure that there is an adult to help you make the rain gauge and the weathervane.

  • As you keep the log throughout the year, make predictions on weather by being your personal weatherman! You can also make a pictograph or bar graph to show the number of rainy days in a month, or show the changes of temperature over a week.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• observe, describe, and record daily weather conditions using weather instruments; graph and analyze data to identify patterns; predict weather based upon identified patterns (2.6 b)

• observe and describe seasonal weather patterns and local variations (2.6 c)

How do flowering plants change over time?

Let's investigate...

Grab the following items:

• Your science journal

• Flowering plants (marigolds, roses, dandelions, clover)

• Books or videos about plants

Let's explore...

• • When do you see flowers on a plant? What do you notice about the parts of the flower? Are the flowers always on the plant? What happens when the flowers disappear? Take a look at some plants with flowers, and record your observations over time.

  • Read a book about the life cycle of a plant. Do you have any plants in your neighborhood that have the same life cycle?

  • Write down what you have learned about flowers in your science journal.

Essential Knowledge and Practice (connection to the science curriculum)

• investigate the question, “What is the life cycle of a flowering plant?” and record observations using a table and/or graph; explain the results of the investigation (2.4 b)