Nova Scotia · Grade 2
Science, Grade 2
Nova Scotia’s Grade 2 science course, from Earth and Space Science: Air and water in the environment to Physical Science: Motion.
- Units
- 4
- Lessons
- 6
- Skills
- 16
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.
Unit 1 · 4 skills
Earth and Space Science: Air and water in the environment
Moving Air and Water
How warmth makes air move
I can show that warm air rises up and cool air sinks down, so temperature makes air move.
Skill 1.1
How air and water work together
I can show that air and water work together - water can dry up into the air and come back down as rain.
Skill 1.2
Caring for Air and Water
Mi'kmaw people, air, and water
I can tell that the Mi'kmaw people have long depended on and cared for clean air and water in Nova Scotia.
Skill 1.3
Keeping air and water clean
I can name things I can do to help keep the air and water clean, and tell why they help.
Skill 1.4
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- 1.1
- Investigate the effect of temperature on the movement of air
- 1.2
- Investigate the relationship between air and water
- 1.3
- Investigate the interconnectiveness of Mi’kmaw people, air and water
- 1.4
- Analyse how personal actions can contribute to healthy air and water
Key ideas
Air is all around us even though we cannot see it; moving air is wind.
The Mi'kmaw people are the first people of Nova Scotia.
Warm air rises up (it is lighter); cool air sinks down.
Air and water give all people what they need: air to breathe, water to drink.
This moving air makes breezes and helps things like a hot-air balloon float.
Watch out for
- Thinking air is nothing because you cannot see it - air is real stuff that takes up space and can move.
- Thinking water is only for drinking - it is also home to fish, cleans us, and grows plants.
- Thinking warm air sinks - warm air actually rises and cool air sinks.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 5 skills
Life Science: Animal Growth and Changes
Growing Up and Life Cycles
Comparing how living things grow
I can compare how different living things grow - some grow slowly, some fast, and some change a lot as they grow.
Skill 2.1
Life cycles of familiar animals
I can describe the life cycle of a familiar animal and compare it to another animal's life cycle.
Skill 2.2
Keeping Animals Healthy
Conditions for healthy growth
I can name the conditions an animal needs to grow up healthy: good food, clean water, air, and a safe home.
Skill 2.3
Environments that support animals
I can tell which environment supports an animal's health and growth, and why that place is a good home for it.
Skill 2.4
How animals connect to the environment
I can show that animals and their environment are connected - the environment gives animals what they need, and animals change the environment too.
Skill 2.5
The official wording · 5 outcomes
- 2.1
- Compare patterns of growth
- 2.2
- Compare the life cycles of familiar animals
- 2.3
- Investigate conditions for healthy growth
- 2.4
- Analyse environments that support the health and growth of animals
- 2.5
- Investigate the interconnectiveness of animals and the environment
Key ideas
Growth means getting bigger and changing over time.
Conditions are the things around an animal that it needs to be healthy.
Living things grow at different speeds (a puppy grows faster than a person).
Animals need the right food, clean water, air, space, and a safe shelter.
Some living things look like a small version of the grown-up (a kitten looks like a cat).
Watch out for
- Thinking all animals grow at the same speed - different animals grow at very different rates.
- Thinking an animal can eat any food - many animals get sick from the wrong food (chocolate harms dogs).
- Thinking babies are just tiny adults with nothing to change - many change a lot as they grow.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 3 skills
Physical Science: Liquids and solids
Liquids, Solids, and Mixing
States of matter: liquids and solids
I can tell whether something is a liquid or a solid by how it acts.
Skill 3.1
Properties of liquids and solids
I can describe properties of liquids and solids - like a liquid pouring fast or slow, or a solid being hard or soft.
Skill 3.2
Mixing liquids and solids
I can find out what happens when I mix a liquid and a solid - some dissolve, some float, some sink, some make a mess!
Skill 3.3
The official wording · 3 outcomes
- 3.1
- Investigate states of matter
- 3.2
- Investigate the properties of liquids and solids
- 3.3
- Investigate various combinations of liquids and solids
Key ideas
A solid keeps its own shape (a block, an ice cube, a spoon).
A liquid flows and takes the shape of its container (water, juice, milk).
The same stuff can be a solid or a liquid (ice is solid water; melted ice is liquid water).
We can test: does it pour and take the container's shape (liquid) or keep its shape (solid)?
Liquids have properties: some pour fast (water), some pour slowly (honey, syrup).
Watch out for
- Thinking anything that pours is a liquid - sand and sugar pour but are made of tiny solids.
- Thinking a solid can never become a liquid - ice melts into water when it warms up.
- Thinking all liquids pour the same way - thick liquids like honey flow much slower than water.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 4 skills
Physical Science: Motion
How Things Move
Types of motion
I can name and show different types of motion: rolling, sliding, spinning, swinging, and moving in a straight line or a curve.
Skill 4.1
What changes how things move
I can tell what changes how something moves - like a harder push making it go faster, or a rough surface slowing it down.
Skill 4.2
Position and point of view
I can describe where something is compared to other things, and see that where I stand changes what I see.
Skill 4.3
Testing ramps and motion
I can test how a ramp changes motion - like a steeper ramp making a ball roll faster and farther.
Skill 4.4
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- 4.1
- Investigate types of motion
- 4.2
- Investigate factors that affect motion
- 4.3
- Investigate relative position and impact of perspective and orientation
- 4.4
- Test ramp properties for their impact on motion
Key ideas
Motion means moving from one place to another.
Things move in different ways: rolling (a ball), sliding (a book on a table), spinning (a top).
Some things swing (a swing) or go straight (a train) or curve.
A push or a pull makes things move (a force).
A bigger push or pull makes something move faster or farther.
Watch out for
- Thinking things move on their own - a push or pull (a force) is needed to start motion.
- Thinking rolling and sliding are the same - rolling turns over and over; sliding glides flat.
- Thinking a harder push has no effect - a bigger force makes things move faster or farther.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Nova Scotia’s own curriculum for Science, Grade 2.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Science, Grade 2 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Science, Grade 2 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 27
- Fillable fields
- 1,195
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Science, Grade 2
What is Science, Grade 2?
Nova Scotia’s Grade 2 science course: 4 units and 16 skills, from Earth and Space Science: Air and water in the environment to Physical Science: Motion.
What units are in Science, Grade 2?
1. Earth and Space Science: Air and water in the environment, 2. Life Science: Animal Growth and Changes, 3. Physical Science: Liquids and solids and 4. Physical Science: Motion.
Is there a provincial exam for Science, Grade 2?
No. Nova Scotia gives no provincial exam for Science, Grade 2.
What comes after Science, Grade 2?
Science, Grade 3.
Can MapleMind help with Science, Grade 2?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Science, Grade 2, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Science, Grade 2
Practise every skill of Science, Grade 2 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
