Social Studies - 2nd Grade (2024)
Course Preface
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Core Standards of the Course

Strand 1: History

Students use historical thinking skills to explore continuity and change in their community, Utah, and the United States.

Compelling Questions:

• What is history, and what lessons can we learn by studying history?
• What criteria should be used to determine the significance of historical events?
• Why are historical events often interpreted differently through different points of view?
• How has your personal and family history helped influence who you are?
• Why do historians look at multiple primary sources to interpret historical events?

Standard 2.1.1
Use primary sources (for example, artifacts and documents such as interviews, photographs, newspapers, speakers, stories, songs) to document the chronology of important events in their personal, family, school, local, or broader community history (including three significant events).

Standard 2.1.2
Use primary sources to identify how their community has changed or remained the same over time, and make inferences about the reasons why.

Standard 2.1.3
Summarize key ideas included in the Declaration of Independence (for example, purpose of government, equality, representative government, limited government, rule of law, natural rights, common good).

Standard 2.1.4
Retell the histories of key people and events connected to state and national symbols, landmarks, and essential documents (for example, Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence, Francis Scott Key and The Star Spangled Banner, Abraham Lincoln and the Lincoln Memorial, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson and national parks, Utah pioneers and Utah’s nickname and motto).

Standard 2.1.5
Identify the achievements of significant Americans, including those from local and other diverse perspectives, and explain their importance.

Strand 2: Geography

Students develop an understanding of the relationship between people and their physical environment using geographic tools, technology, and map skills.

Compelling Questions:

• Why do people use maps?
• How is learning to read a map similar to and different from learning to read a story?
• What are different ways our natural environment helps meet human needs of living, working, and playing?
• What relationships do you, your family, and your community have with the vegetation, animal life, and physical features of your region?

Standard 2.2.1
Locate and identify the poles, equator, continents, oceans, the United States, Utah, and their town or city. Identify and name the states that border Utah and the countries that border the United States.

Standard 2.2.2
Interpret and construct physical maps using the title, key, symbols, 8-point compass rose, cardinal directions, and alphanumeric grids.

Standard 2.2.3
Identify examples of major geographical features in their local region, state, and country and their significance for the people who live there.

Standard 2.2.4
Describe how location, climate, and physical features affect where people live and work, and how communities modify the environment to meet their needs over time (for example, irrigation, dams, reservoirs, roads, buildings, bridges).

Standard 2.2.5
Describe and give examples of interdependent relationships between vegetation, animal life, geographic features, and people specific to a local region (for example, irrigation, water conservation, farming, helping neighbors, ranching, providing vegetation that supports pollinators, protection of endangered animals).

Standard 2.2.6
Identify natural resources, and cite ways people show stewardship through responsible use, conservation, protection, and replenishment.

Standard 2.2.7
On a map of the world, locate where their families or other families in the community historically came from. With support, curate and share information about the traditional food, cultural customs, recreation, religion, and music of that country and/or region.

Strand 3: Civics

Students are introduced to the concept of government. Students learn about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, explain how people must work together to resolve conflict, and understand the importance of respecting differences.

Compelling Questions:

• What are the benefits and responsibilities of being good citizens?
• How do classrooms, communities, and families work together to resolve conflicts they face?
• What are the traits of effective leaders?
• How do people decide who governs us? Why is it important for citizens to learn about candidates and to vote?

Standard 2.3.1
Define the essential qualities of good community members (for example, honesty, integrity, morality, civility, duty, honor, service, respect, and obedience to law).

Standard 2.3.2
Describe the rights and responsibilities of citizens in the United States and Utah.

Standard 2.3.3
Provide examples of ways in which responsible community members have worked together to resolve conflicts, solve problems, and create unity within their community.

Standard 2.3.4
Consider why it is necessary for cities and towns to have governments, and describe ways local representative government promotes the general welfare of their community (for example, water, sewer, garbage pick-up, road and trail maintenance, public schools).

Standard 2.3.5
Identify current leaders (for example, family, school, community, governor, national leaders) and their responsibilities. Discuss the traits of effective leaders.

Standard 2.3.6
Identify celebrations and state and national holidays that remember and honor people and events in the history of Utah and the United States.

Strand 4: Economics

Students develop an understanding of basic economic concepts necessary to make informed individual and family decisions. Students use basic economic principles to explain how businesses supply goods and services to consumers.

Compelling Questions:

• What is money used for, and how could a student earn it?
• What are goods, and what are services?
• What resources affect business choices?
• What are the different ways goods arrive in our homes?

Standard 2.4.1
Explain the benefits of personal savings.

Standard 2.4.2
Explain how scarcity of resources and opportunity cost require people to make choices to satisfy wants and needs.

Standard 2.4.3
Describe and compare a variety of services provided by local economic institutions, including businesses and non-profit organizations.

Standard 2.4.4
Describe how people can be both producers and consumers of local goods and services.

Standard 2.4.5
Identify the specialized work necessary to manufacture, transport, and market goods and services.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Robert  Austin and see the Social Studies website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.