Becoming a Land Detective
In second grade, students will learn how to look for clues on the land, and investigate how they tell the story of what happened there. Students will become detectives, as they discover how careful observation of earth’s features can depict how water, plant, animal, and human activity have shaped the land. Second graders will discover what plants need to grow and how plants depend on animals for seed dispersal and pollination. Through fun, hands-on activities, stories, songs, and action-based learning, students will deepen their connection to our changing planet and the diversity of life it supports.
NGSS Supported: 2-ESS2-1, 2-LS2-1, 2-LS2-2, 2-LS4-1
Topics and activities to choose from:
Farm-to-Table
Where does your food come from? Students will learn about food production as they learn to plant, grow, tend, harvest, prepare and eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. How does growing our own food compare to contemporary food systems? Who are the people we depend on to get food onto our plate? Classes may include establishing a school garden, seed planting, native food preparation, food preservation, companion planting, seed saving or other related topics that best suit the school’s needs and interests.
Field-to-table classes will connect students to the food they eat as they learn about food production and consumption, both long ago and today. Sample activities may include seed planting, establishing a garden, crop selection and rotation, relationships among plants, composting, harvesting, and food preparation.
HSS Supported: 2.4.1
Wonderful Weeds
Most people think of weeds as unwanted plants, but weeds are important plants with amazing adaptations. Weeds are a valued food source to different cultures around the world. Learn about seed dispersal, soil protection, and more as you befriend several of the weeds growing around your school’s campus.
Pollinators and Plants
Explore pollinator and plant relationships, and discover how they rely on each other to survive. Learn about native plants and their vital role in the food web. What happens to native insects and birds when these plants are removed? Attract pollinators to your school campus by planting native plants in a pocket garden.
Native Bees
How are native bees different from European honey bees? What do they need to survive? Learn about native bees and make a mason bee house to support these vital insects where you live.
