Grade 2

Individual Development and Cultural Identity

Civic Ideals and Practices

Geography, Humans, and the Environment

Economic Systems

A community is a population of various individuals in a common location. It can be characterized as urban, suburban, or rural. Population density and use of the land are some characteristics that define and distinguish types of communities.

People share similarities and differences with others in their own community and with other communities.

The United States is founded on the principles of democracy, and these principles are reflected in all types of communities.  

Communities have rules and laws that affect how they function. Citizens contribute to a community’s government through leadership and service.

Geography and natural resources shape where and how urban, suburban, and rural communities develop and how they sustain themselves. 

Identifying continuities and changes over time can help understand historical developments.

Cause-and-effect relationships help us recount events and understand historical development.

Communities face different challenges in meeting their needs and wants. 

A community requires the interdependence of many people performing a variety of jobs and services to provide basic needs and wants.

An urban community, or city, is characterized by dense population and land occupied primarily by buildings and structures that are used for residential and business purposes.

Suburban communities are on the outskirts of cities, where human population is less dense, and buildings and homes are spaced farther apart.

Rural communities are characterized by large expanses of open land and significantly lower populations than urban or suburban areas. 

Activities available for people living in urban, suburban, and rural communities are different. The type of community a person grows up in will affect a person’s development and identity.

People living in urban, suburban, and rural communities embrace traditions and celebrate holidays that reflect both diverse cultures and a common community identity.

A community is strengthened by the diversity of its members, with ideas, talents, perspectives, and cultures that can be shared across the community.

The United States is founded on the democratic principles of equality, fairness, and respect for authority and rules.

Government is established to maintain order and keep people safe. Citizens demonstrate respect for authority by obeying rules and laws.

The process of holding elections and voting is an example of democracy in action in schools, communities, and the nation.

Symbols of American democracy serve to unite community members.

Communities have the responsibility to make and enforce fair laws and rules that provide for the common good.

Communities have leaders who are responsible for making and enforcing laws.

Citizens provide service to their community in a variety of ways.

Urban, suburban, and rural communities can be located on maps, and the geographic characteristics of these communities can be described by using symbols, map legends, and geographic vocabulary.

The location of physical features and natural resources often affects where people settle and may affect how those people sustain themselves.

Humans modify the environment of their communities through housing, transportation systems, schools, marketplaces, and recreation areas.

 The location of physical features and man-made structures can be described using symbols and specific geography vocabulary. 

Continuities and changes over time in communities can be described using historical thinking, vocabulary, and tools such as timelines.

Continuities and changes over time in communities can be examined by interpreting evidence such as maps, population charts, photographs, newspapers, biographies, artifacts, and other historical materials.

Cause-and-effect relationships help us to understand the changes in communities.

The availability of resources to meet basic needs varies across urban, suburban, and rural communities.

People make decisions to buy, sell, and use money based on their needs, wants, and the availability of resources.

Scarcity, the price of goods and services, and choice all influence economic decisions made by individuals and communities.

Taxes are collected to provide communities with goods and services. 

Goods are the products a person or group of people makes. Services are actions performed by a person or group of people with a certain skill.

Members of a community specialize in different types of jobs that provide goods and/or services to the community. Community workers such as teachers, firefighters, sanitation workers, and police officers provide services. 

At times, neighboring communities share resources and workers to support multiple communities.

Students will use geographic reasoning to identify the characteristics of urban, suburban, and rural communities. 

Students will use comparison and contextualization skills to describe the available activities in urban, suburban, and rural communities including the effects on community members’ lifestyles. 

Students will use comparison and contextualization skills to describe the traditions and holidays that reflect diverse cultures in community events. 

Students will gather, interpret, and use evidence to identify how different ideas, talents, perspectives, and cultures are shared across their community. 

Students will use civic participation skills to understand the United States is founded on the democratic principles of equality, fairness, and respect for authority and rules.

Students will use civic participation skills to describe the ways government provides order and keeps people safe, and how citizens can demonstrate respect for authority.  

Students will use civic participation skills to identify the voting process and opportunities adults in the community have for participation.

Students will use civic participation skills to participate in voting opportunities within the classroom and school.  

Students will gather, interpret, and use evidence to describe symbols of American democracy. 

Students will use civic participation skills to identify the importance of fair laws and rules, including community benefits and consequences of violating them.  

Students will use civic participation skills to identify community and school leaders responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws.

Students will use comparison and contextualization skills to describe ways children and adults provide services to their community and school. 

Students will use civic participation skills to plan a service-learning project that could benefit their local community or school. 

Students will use geographic reasoning and maps to locate and describe the geographic characteristics of urban, suburban, and rural communities using symbols, map legends, and geographic vocabulary. 

Students will use geographic reasoning to determine how physical features and the availability of natural resources affect settlements and the way people sustain themselves.

Students will use chronological reasoning and causation skills to describe the ways humans modify the community environment and the potential effects of those modifications. 

Students will use geographic reasoning, symbols, and specific geography vocabulary to describe the location of physical features and man-made structures on published and student-created maps.

Students will use chronological reasoning to create a timeline of important community events. 

Students will use chronological reasoning to describe a community’s change over time using evidence.

Students will use chronological reasoning and causation skills to recognize the causes and effects of changes in the community.

Students will use an understanding of economics to identify the variety of resources available to meet basic needs in urban, suburban, and rural communities.  

Students will gather, interpret, and use evidence to investigate what resources are available in their community and what resources are obtained from other communities or locations.

Students will use an understanding of economics to identify the costs and benefits of decision making.  

Students will use an understanding of economics to explain how scarcity, the price of goods and services, and personal choice influence economic decision making.  

Students will use an understanding of economics to identify the purpose and benefits of tax collection in a community. 

Students will use an understanding of economics to identify goods and services. 

Students will use an understanding of economics to describe the services and jobs performed in their community.  

Students will use an understanding of economics to describe how communities share resources and services with other communities.