Scope and sequence · History & Geography
Grade 2 Geography: Our Country, Coast to Coast
A year of true stories about the land of the United States, from the fifty states on the map and the little stream at Lake Itasca that grows into the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains, the deserts and the harbors, the longhouses, pueblos and cedar canoes of the first peoples, the wagons of the Oregon Trail and the riders of the Pony Express, and at last the telegraph and the golden spike that shrank the trip west from months to days, each one drawn in a map notebook and built in miniature at the kitchen table.
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What to cover
32 of 36 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: The Map of the United States
- MUST COVER 1.1 Fifty States ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 The Capital and the Capitals · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 Borders You Can See and Borders You Can’t · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 Our State on the Map · unit test
Unit 2: The Regions
- MUST COVER 2.1 The Northeast ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 The Southeast · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 The Midwest · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 The Southwest and the West · unit test
Unit 3: Great Rivers
- MUST COVER 3.1 The Mighty Mississippi ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 The Missouri and the Ohio · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 Steamboats on the River ⚙ · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 The Colorado and the Grand Canyon · unit test
Unit 4: Mountains and Plains
- MUST COVER 4.1 The Appalachians ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 The Great Plains · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 The Rocky Mountains · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Mountain Passes · unit test
Unit 5: Deserts, Forests and Coasts
- MUST COVER 5.1 American Deserts ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Forests · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Coasts and Harbors · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 Islands: Hawaii and the Florida Keys · unit test
Unit 6: The First Peoples and the Land
- MUST COVER 6.1 Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Peoples of the Plains · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Peoples of the Southwest · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 Peoples of the Northwest Coast · unit test
Unit 7: Trails and Travelers
- MUST COVER 7.1 Lewis and Clark's Map ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 The Oregon Trail ★ ⚙ · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 The Pony Express ⚙ · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 Rivers and Forts on the Trail · unit test
Unit 8: The Country Grows Closer
- MUST COVER 8.1 The Telegraph ★ ⚙ · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 The Transcontinental Railroad ★ ⚙ · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 From Months to Days ⚙ · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 My Country, My Home · unit test
Unit 9: Bonus: Map Lab OPTIONAL unit
- OPTIONAL 9.1 States Bingo
- OPTIONAL 9.2 Road Trip Planner
- OPTIONAL 9.3 Postcard Swap
- OPTIONAL 9.4 License Plate Map
36-week pacing calendar
From the course’s own 36-week pacing guide, with catch-up and review weeks added to fill a 36-week (180-day) year.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Session 1: Lesson 1.1 Fifty States: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 The Capital and the Capitals: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 Borders You Can See and Borders You Can’t: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 Our State on the Map: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 1 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 The Northeast: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 The Southeast: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 The Midwest: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 The Southwest and the West: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 2 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 The Mighty Mississippi: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 The Missouri and the Ohio: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 Steamboats on the River: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 The Colorado and the Grand Canyon: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 3 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 The Appalachians: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 The Great Plains: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 The Rocky Mountains: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Mountain Passes: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 4 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 17 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 American Deserts: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 Forests: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 Coasts and Harbors: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 Islands: Hawaii and the Florida Keys: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 5 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Peoples of the Plains: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 Peoples of the Southwest: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 Peoples of the Northwest Coast: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 6 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 Lewis and Clark's Map: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 The Oregon Trail: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 The Pony Express: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 Rivers and Forts on the Trail: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 7 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 The Telegraph: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 The Transcontinental Railroad: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 From Months to Days: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 My Country, My Home: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 8 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 9.1 States Bingo: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.1 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 34 | Session 1: Lesson 9.2 Road Trip Planner: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.2 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 35 | Session 1: Lesson 9.3 Postcard Swap: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.3 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook | ||
| Wk 36 | Session 1: Lesson 9.4 License Plate Map: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.4 project, worked examples, practice and map notebook Session 3: Unit 9 review and unit project |
Grading: Projects (effort, care and telling back what was made) 35%, Map notebook (dated pages, labels, a sentence about each map) 25%, Unit reviews 15%, Unit projects 25%. Scale: A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69. Below 60: redo the project or review together.