LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Social Studies — Grade 2

Goal 3: The learner will analyze how individuals, families, and communities are alike and different.

Objective 3.05. Identify historical figures and events associated with various cultural traditions and holidays celebrated around the world.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

Traveling on the Mayflower
Students will participate in a role-play to understand the experiences of Pilgrims on the Mayflower.
Format: lesson plan (grade 2–3 English Language Development, Social Studies, and Theater Arts Education)
By Ellen Douglas and Melissa Park.

Resources on the web

Packing the Pilgrim's trunk: Personalizing history in the elementary classroom
This theme exploration helps students explore who the Pilgrims were, learn about their journey aboard the Mayflower, and discover how they adapted and built new lives at Plymouth Colony. After participating in an activity that activates prior knowledge... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Olympic competition
This Xpeditions lesson introduces students to the ancient and modern Olympic Games. They discuss the concept of competition, see pictures of people participating in Olympic sports, and compare and contrast ancient and modern sports. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Native American cultures across the U.S.
Students discuss the differences between five Native American tribes within the U.S. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities
Martin Luther King, Jr. and me: Identifying with a hero
This lesson from ReadWriteThink explores ways to help students make connections to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities that not only provide a glimpse into Dr. King's life, but empower students to help... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
Human migration: The story of a community
In this Xpeditions lesson, students come to understand some key concepts of human migration through the examination of maps and migration patterns. Students research and document the impact of migration on a region's cultural landscape. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Dr. King's dream
In this lesson from EDSITEment, students will learn about the life and work of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Students will listen to a brief biography, view photographs of the March on Washington, hear a portion of King's “I Have a Dream”... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Social Studies)
Provided by: EDSITEment
Culture goggles: Same holy land, different holidays
Students visit the Culture Goggles exhibit in National Geographic's Xpedition Hall, where they will select a religion to see how a Christian, a Jew, or a Muslim might view the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
Cultural connections: The tapestry of life
In this Xpeditions lesson, young students use a variety of media to explore culture as the sum of learned patterns of behavior, institutions, values, and belief systems. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic