Scope and sequence · Science
Grade 2 Life Science: Animal Families
A year of read-aloud visits with the great families of animals God made, from Dürer’s armored rhinoceros and the platypus skin that puzzled the scholars of London to Audubon’s eagles, the hummingbird at the feeder, the salmon leaping home up the river, the dancing bees of the hive, Maria Merian’s caterpillars and the bones of the dinosaurs, each one looked at closely, sorted, counted, measured and then tried at the kitchen table with a child’s own hands.
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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: Mammals
- MUST COVER 1.1 Fur and Milk ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 Bats Fly · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 Whales Breathe Air · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 The Platypus Puzzle · unit test
Unit 2: Birds
- MUST COVER 2.1 Hollow Bones ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Eagles Mount Up with Wings · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 Hummingbirds · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 The Bald Eagle’s Comeback · unit test
Unit 3: Reptiles
- MUST COVER 3.1 Scales and Cold Blood ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 Snakes ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 Crocodiles and Alligators · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 Turtles · unit test
Unit 4: Amphibians
- MUST COVER 4.1 Two Lives ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 Tadpole to Frog · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Salamanders · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Raise Tadpoles · unit test
Unit 5: Fish
- MUST COVER 5.1 Gills ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Sharks ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Salmon Run Home · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 Peter’s Great Catch (Luke 5) · unit test
Unit 6: Insects
- MUST COVER 6.1 Six Legs ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Monarch Migration · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 The Bees’ Dance · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 Bug Hotel · unit test
Unit 7: Dinosaur Kinds
- MUST COVER 7.1 Lizard-hipped and bird-hipped ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 Armored dinosaurs · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 Horned dinosaurs · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 Build a dinosaur model to scale · unit test
Unit 8: Life Cycles
- MUST COVER 8.1 The Butterfly’s Life Cycle ★ · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 The Chicken’s Life Cycle · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 The Frog’s Life Cycle · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 The Bean Plant’s Life Cycle · unit test
Unit 9: Bonus: Nature Lab OPTIONAL unit
- OPTIONAL 9.1 Nature Journal Walk
- OPTIONAL 9.2 Backyard Survey
- OPTIONAL 9.3 Zoo, Farm or Museum Visit
- OPTIONAL 9.4 Specimen Collection
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 Fur and Milk: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 Bats Fly: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 Whales Breathe Air: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 The Platypus Puzzle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 1 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 Hollow Bones: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 Eagles Mount Up with Wings: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 Hummingbirds: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 The Bald Eagle’s Comeback: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 2 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 Scales and Cold Blood: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 Snakes: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 Crocodiles and Alligators: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 Turtles: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 3 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 Two Lives: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 Tadpole to Frog: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 Salamanders: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Raise Tadpoles: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 4 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 17 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 Gills: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 Sharks: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 Salmon Run Home: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 Peter’s Great Catch (Luke 5): warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 5 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 Six Legs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Monarch Migration: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 The Bees’ Dance: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 Bug Hotel: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 6 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 Lizard-hipped and bird-hipped: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 Armored dinosaurs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 Horned dinosaurs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 Build a dinosaur model to scale: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 7 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 The Butterfly’s Life Cycle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 The Chicken’s Life Cycle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 The Frog’s Life Cycle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 The Bean Plant’s Life Cycle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 8 review and unit project | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 9.1 Nature Journal Walk: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.1 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 34 | Session 1: Lesson 9.2 Backyard Survey: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.2 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 35 | Session 1: Lesson 9.3 Zoo, Farm or Museum Visit: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.3 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook | ||
| Wk 36 | Session 1: Lesson 9.4 Specimen Collection: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 9.4 experiment, worked examples, practice and notebook Session 3: Unit 9 review and unit project |
Grading: Oral narration (tells the story or lesson back in his or her own words) 40%, Make and do (takes part, follows steps, counts, sorts or measures) 25%, Nature notebook (one dated drawing each lesson) 20%, Unit reviews (oral, 20 points each) 15%. Scale: No letter grades. Mark each checklist item: Got it ✓, Growing ~, or Try again later. If a report is needed, use Satisfactory, Needs time, or Excellent.