Social Studies — Grade 2

Creating a community

Students will design a community and take into consideration the structures and human resources necessary for a balanced community. They will evaluate their community as they evaluate differences between wants and needs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Social Studies)

By Helen Byrd.

Resources on the web

Working hard for a living

Students learn that work is a means for obtaining money. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

What do other people want to be?

Sudents graph people's job choices and identify the goods and services each job provides. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Mathematics and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

Vincent van Gogh's "Flower Beds in Holland"

Students gain an understanding of opportunity costs. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

To market to market

Students will participate in a marketplace simulation by role-playing producers and consumers. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

This little piggybank went to market

Students understand that work is a source of income. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

The Right Job for 'The Tortoise and the Hare'

Students will learn how specialization benefits a community. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

The rhythm of rice production

In this Xpeditions lesson, students explore the importance of rice in Asian communities. They then learn about the "rhythm" of rice production as they are introduced to its growing cycle. (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

Little Bill the producer!

After watching the video and completing an activity about producers, they produce their own books about Little Bill, Alice the Great, or Dr. King. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

Lean on Me -- We Depend on Each Other!

Students discern how an assembly line works, reinforcing the underlying principles such as interdependence, specialization and division of labor. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

Every penny counts

Students will learn about choice as consumers. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

Dog gone job!

In this lesson from EconEdLink, students will watch a video of a workers at a kennel and talk about the types of jobs that they saw. They will also complete a drag and drop activity to learn about job specialization. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: EconEdLink

Communities - What They Provide for Us

Students learn that a job is work people do to earn a living. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education

Build your community

Students identify businesses that provide goods and services desirable to people in most communities. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council on Economic Education