Second graders love to learn about science. They are at an age when they can complete tasks and read directions independently, but they still have a lot of enthusiasm for learning. They love to learn about the world around them and to understand what things mean and why things happen. Science lessons for this age group need to prepare them for more rigorous lessons in the intermediate grades.

Light
In preparation for lessons on the solar system and electricity, students need to understand how light works. Teaching them about transparent objects, translucent objects, opaque objects and reflective objects will assist with this concept. You should provide each student with a flashlight and a set of objects like tissues, mirrors, leaves, Saran wrap, rocks, cloth and/or paper. In the dark, students should use their flashlights with each material and then sort the material by level of transparency or fill out a checklist about the objects. The firsthand experience will help them remember the meanings of the words far better than simply memorizing the definitions.

Plants
Most second graders have already had the opportunity to grow plants at school, often small bean plants. They may have even watered the plants themselves and/or kept track of the plant growth on a chart. But what they probably have not done is learned the consequences for not taking care of the plants and how sunlight and water and soil are all necessary for plant growth. You can then encourage second graders to plant four bean plants, one that will miss sunlight, one that will miss being watered, one that will miss having soil (use rocks or paper instead) and one that will have everything. Next, you can give second graders science notebooks and encourage them to record growth and to write observations on how their plants are doing. Second graders will enjoy class discussions about which ingredient is most important for healthy plant life based on their observations.

Water
Encouraging students to understand solids and liquids through a lesson on water and ice is another second-grade science lesson. You can prepare some ice cubes and place them in plastic see-through cups for observation. While students pass around the cups, ask them to observe the ice cubes by discussing how they feel and whether they change when touched or removed from the cups. Next, you can ask students to predict what will happen to the cubes if they are not place back in the freezer.

When the ice cubes have melted, pass the cups around to the students again. You can then have student make observations about the water and how it reacts when touched or put into a different container. Finally, the class could make a Venn Diagram (a graphic organizer consisting of two overlapping circles, see resources) comparing and contrasting ice cubes and water.