research skills 2nd grade

• ELEMENTARY TEACHING , LITERACY

How to Teach Research Skills to Elementary Students in 2024

Research skills are incredibly important in the world we live in today. When we come across a problem or a question, what do we do? We quickly search online to find the answer. We are using our research skills while we are doing this. Read below to learn how to teach research skills to elementary students! This will help you prepare your twenty-first century learners for the ever-changing world we live in. You’ll have the confidence to create opportunities to apply these skills to research projects like this animal research project .

What are Research Skills?

Research skills is the ability to search for information about a topic, evaluate that information efficiently, and share findings in an organized way.

What Research Skills do Elementary Students Need?

Your elementary students are required to learn research skills if your state uses the Common Core or TEKS.  Read below to learn what specific research standards your grade level covers.

Research Standards in Common Core

The standards listed below are a good starting point for figuring out how to teach research skills to your elementary students.

Kindergarten

• ELA.W.K.7 : Participate in shared research and writing projects.
• ELA.W.K.8 : With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

First Grade

• ELA.W.1.7 : Participate in shared research and writing projects.
• ELA.W.1.8 : With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Second Grade

• ELA.W.2.7 : Participate in shared research and writing projects.
• ELA.W.2.8 : Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Third Grade

• ELA.W.3.7 : Conduct short research projects that build knowledge about a topic.
• ELA.W.3.8 : Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories.

Fourth Grade

• ELA.W.4.7 : Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
• ELA.W.4.8 : Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. 
• ELA.4.9 : Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• ELA.4.9.B : Apply grade 4 Reading standards to informational texts.

Fifth Grade

• ELA.W.5.7 : Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
• ELA.W.5.8 : Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
• ELA.W.5.9 : Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
• ELA.W.5.9.B : Apply grade 5 Reading standards to informational texts.

Research Standards in TEKS

The standards listed below are a good starting point for figuring out how to teach research skills to your students.

• Generate questions for formal and informal inquiry with adult assistance. (TEKS 12A)
• Develop and follow a research plan with adult assistance. (TEKS 12B)
• Gather information from a variety of sources with adult assistance. (TEKS 12C)
• Demonstrate understanding of information gathered with adult assistance. (TEKS 12D)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 12E)
• Generate questions for formal and informal inquiry with adult assistance. (TEKS 13A)
• Develop and follow a research plan with adult assistance. (TEKS 13B)
• Identify and gather relevant sources and information to answer the questions with adult assistance. (TEKS 13C)
• Demonstrate understanding of information gathered with adult assistance. (TEKS 13D)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 13E)
• Identify and gather relevant sources and information to answer the questions. (TEKS 13C)
• Identify primary and secondary sources. (TEKS 13D)
• Demonstrate understanding of information gathered. (TEKS 13E)
• Cite sources appropriately. (TEKS 13F)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 13G)
• Generate questions on a topic for formal and informal inquiry. (TEKS 13A)
• Identify and gather relevant information from a variety of sources. (TEKS 13C)
• Recognize the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials. (TEKS 13F)
• Create a works cited page. (TEKS 13G)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results. (TEKS 13H)
• Generate and clarify questions on a topic for formal and informal inquiry. (TEKS 13A)
• Develop a bibliography. (TEKS 13G)
• Use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results . (TEKS 13H)
• Understand credibility of primary and secondary sources. (TEKS 13D)
• Differentiate between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials. (TEKS 13F)

20 Research Mini Lesson Ideas

Below are 20 research mini lessons for how to teach research skills to elementary students.

• Research and What it Looks Like
• The Steps in the Research Process
• Types of Resources
• Text Features in Websites
• Finding Resources on the Internet
• Finding Information in Non-Fiction Books
• Text Features in Non-Fiction Texts
• How to Use an Encyclopedia
• Conducting an Interview with an Expert
• Reading a Newspaper and Getting Information from it
• Previewing a Text for Research
• Evaluating a Resource to Determine if it is Reliable
• Citing Sources
• Facts vs. Opinions
• Taking notes
• Paraphrasing
• Summarizing
• Organizing Information
• Writing Like an Informational Writer
• Presenting Findings

What are the Research Steps for Elementary Students?

Here are the 4 steps of the research process for elementary students:

• Choose a topic.
• Search for information.
• Organize information.
• Share information.

Ideas for Elementary School Research Topics

Below are research topic ideas for elementary students.

Animal Research Topics for Elementary Students

1. ocean animals.

Oyster, tuna, cod, grouper, shrimp, barnacle, barracuda, shark, bass, whale, lobster, starfish, salmon, clam, conch, coral, crab, sea otter, dolphin, eel, seal, sea turtle, flounder, octopus, sea star, haddock, jellyfish, krill, manatee, marlin, seahorse, sea otter, sea cucumber, sea lion, sea urchin, stingray, squid, swordfish, and walrus

2. Land Animals

Aardvark, elephant, frog, dog, tortoise, ant, anteater, antelope, fox, rabbit, baboon, camel, badger, owl, bat, bear, beaver, bison, rhinoceros, spider, bobcat, buffalo, bumble bee, butterfly, cat, chameleon, cheetah, chicken, chipmunk, cockroach, cougar, cow, coyote, gorilla, deer, donkey, dragonfly, eagle, emu, ferret, flamingo, goat, goose, hedgehog, heron, hippopotamus, horse, hummingbird, hyena, iguana, jaguar, kangaroo, koala, lemur, leopard, lion, llama, meerkat, mongoose, monkey, moth, mouse, mule, panther, parrot, peacock, pelican, peacock, pheasant, pig, platypus, porcupine, possum, puma, quail, raccoon, rattlesnake, sheep, skunk, sloth, squirrel, swan, termite, tiger, turkey, vulture, walrus, weasel, wolf, woodpecker, yak, and zebra

3. Endangered Species

Bengal tiger, polar bear, Pacific walrus, Magellanic penguin, leatherback turtle, bluefish tuna, mountain gorilla, monarch butterfly, Javan rhinoceros, giant panda, amur leopard, sei whale, Asian elephant, sumatran elephant, pangolin, African wild dog, amur tiger, blue whale, bonobo, chimpanzee, dugong, Indus river dolphin, orangutan, red panda, sea lion, vaquita, whale shark, yangtze finless porpoise, North Atlantic right whale, and yellowfish tuna

Resources for Teaching Elementary Research Skills

Below are resources for teaching elementary student research skills.

Animal Research Project

Learn more about the animal research project below!

What is the animal research project?

The animal research project is a printable and digital research project where students learn about any animal they choose. You can also choose the animals for them. The resource can be used over and over again all year long by just picking a new animal.

What grades is the animal research project appropriate for?

This resource includes tons of differentiated materials so it is appropriate for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students.

What is included in the animal research project?

The animal research project includes the following:

• teacher’s guide with tips and instructions to support you with your lesson planning and delivery
• parent communication letter to promote family involvement
• graphic organizers for brainstorming a topic, activating schema, taking notes, drafting writing
• research report publishing printables including a cover, writing templates and resource pages
• grading rubric so expectations are clear for students and grading is quick and easy for you
• research activities (KWL, can have are chart, compare/contrast Venn diagram, habitat map, vocabulary pages, illustration page, and life cycle charts)
• flipbook project printables to give an additional choice of how students can demonstrate their understanding
• flap book project printables to offer students another way to demonstrate their learning
• research poster to serve as an additional way to demonstrate student understanding
• poetry activities to offer students an alternative way to demonstrate their learning
• digital version so your students can access this resource in school or at home

4 Research Websites

Below are 4 research websites for elementary students.

• http://www.kidrex.org
• https://www.kiddle.co
• https://www.safesearchkids.com
• https://www.kidzsearch.com/boolify/

You might also like...

Thanksgiving Reading Comprehension Activities for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade

Turkey Reading Activities for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade

Bones Reading Comprehension Activities for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Grade

Join the email club.

• CLUTTER-FREE TEACHER CLUB
• FACEBOOK GROUPS
• EMAIL COMMUNITY
• OUR TEACHER STORE
• ALL-ACCESS MEMBERSHIPS
• OUR TPT SHOP
• JODI & COMPANY
• TERMS OF USE
• Privacy Policy

The Trapped Librarian

Make your library the center of your school

April 16, 2021 by: Laura

Strengthen Research Skills for 2nd and 3rd Grades

Last Updated on June 15, 2021 by Laura

Teaching research skills in second and third grades is fun when you remember a few important guidelines. The key is looking at the big picture. What have your students learned up until this point? And what will your students need as they progress though school? Research skills for second and third grade students build upon an early foundation and lay the groundwork for future learning and success. Think of these skills as continuing to build a strong foundation.

Scaffold Research Skills

We started small when approaching research skills for kindergarten and first grade students . We want to build upon that learning as we look to the future needs of our students. If you begin with the end in mind (5h grade? 8th grade? 12th grade?), you will be helping your students understand concepts that will serve them well in later learning. It is important to  teach skills each year that build upon one another .

Use Research Vocabulary

It’s important to use the proper vocabulary while teaching research skills to your youngest students. This is one way to build that strong foundation for future learning. Make sure you continue to use the same words with your second and third grade students, taking time to review their meanings and give examples as you go. These words will be familiar each year as you do more research lessons. Some important words to include:

• Informational Text

Give Choices

A key to engaging learning activities is the element of choice. You want your students to know they can use library resources to explore topics of personal interest at any time. You want them coming back to the library, driven by their own curiosity! Even within a guided project, students can choose an animal to research , or a U.S. president to learn about. You can always narrow choices ahead of time if you want to be sure that you have resources to support their chosen topic.

Guide the Process

Does your school use a research process like the Big 6 or Super 3 ? Plan, Do, Review from the Super 3 is a nice framework to follow. It’s easy for you and the students to remember, and all the important steps needed for effective research can fit into those 3 categories. My students plan by reviewing a note taking outline that I provide. Knowing the information they are looking for will help them be productive when looking at their sources.

I choose an animal or president for my topic and demonstrate each step of the process using a document camera with the source projected on the screen. Students use their own devices to access online resources and to search for print resources in our library collection. The “Do” step involves note taking, which I model on my own outline, giving time for students to complete their notes along with me.

Use Kid-Friendly Resources

Over the years I’ve purchased sets of animal books from the Blastoff Readers series, and a president biography from Abdo. Of course we also have animal and president books from other series as well. When students search the library catalog for print resources, they are usually able to find what they need (again you can narrow the list of possibilities ahead of time if you want to be sure). I like being able to demonstrate how to use the index, glossary, charts, timelines, and other text features in these books and have students find them in their own copies as well.

We also use our online databases such as Abdo Zoom Animals and Biographies and World Book Kids and Student. When each student can find their animal or president in the same database, it’s nice to be able to explore the features together. Make sure students know how to have the text read aloud, how to use the glossary (often you just click or double click on the word), and how to cite the source.

Make a Fun Project

Students are motivated when they like the end product they will create. I like to help my second and third grade students create fun projects to share with our school community. In second grade we use PowerPoint (or Google Slides) to create a set of bookmarks about our animal or president. Students can choose one bookmark to display on our bulletin board, take one home, and have two to trade with friends. My third graders also use PowerPoint or Google Slides to create a fun lift-the-flap poster that we display on our library bulletin boards as well. Other students and staff members are drawn to these attractive displays to learn more about animals or the presidents.

Make it Easy on Yourself!

If you’re looking for made-for-you activities to help you teach research skills to your second and third grade students, I can help! These popular resources can be used for in person or distance learning, and include tutorial videos to guide students to success in making fun projects to showcase their learning.

• Animal Research 2-3   is fun and engaging any time of year!
• President Research 2-3  is great for February activities around President’s Day.

Research Skills for Elementary Students

Research skills for second and third grade students continue to lay the foundation for future learning. If you’re looking for scaffolded lessons to take the learning from kindergarten to fifth grade, check out the resources in this  Ultimate Research Bundle . You’ll get lessons and activities for animal research projects and president research projects. Each grade builds upon skills taught the previous year. Help your students progress in their mastery of research skills throughout their elementary school years!

When you make research skills for second and third graders fun, students will remember the process later. And they are more likely to apply it to their own personal interests or future information needs.

Be the light!

April 19, 2021 at 5:38 PM

Hello Laura, Thank you for sharing your wonderfully laid out process of teaching research skills to primary-grade students. I appreciate your step-by-step, organized process and advice on how to keep the project on track by building upon each skill. Admittedly, I often jump ahead too fast, which causes the project to stall and drag on until everyone has lost interest!  Also, I absolutely love the idea of making each researched animal into a fact-filled information bookmark!  This would be perfect in our library, and the students would be so pleased to have their work featured in such novel way –they think bookmarks are one of the best parts of our library (I am the teacher-librarian). I also use the Blastoff Readers in my research project lessons and find these books ideal for teaching nonfiction text features too when I only have time for brief incidental teaching during our book exchange days.

I am so glad to have found your blog and look forward to learning more from you via your posts.

April 23, 2021 at 6:56 AM

Hi Kristin – I’m glad you found some good ideas here! Have fun with your research activities!

May 11, 2021 at 3:26 PM

I really enjoyed this post about research skills for younger grades. I am currently teaching a grade 2/3 class and have found it challenging to really teach these skills to my students. The way that you broke it up with the “Super 3” of Plan, Do, Review, is something I think my students would grasp; breaking down each section with simple instructions. Like the comment above, I too can sometimes jump ahead too quickly which can cause challenges for the students needing extra time fully understand each skill. You mentioned, “It’s important to use the proper vocabulary while teaching research skills to your youngest students,” I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. Ensuring that students are aware of the language that goes along with the process will help make connections in future years and projects.

With research, the notion of giving students choice with an overarching topic is something I too see great value in. I plan to have my students research animals this spring and these ideas and pieces of information will be extremely helpful to help guide my students in the right direction. I noticed your ideas for kid-friendly resources are seen in print and through your school’s databases. Do you find most students gravitate to resources found online rather than in print? I know my students are more intrigued with finding information with screens (or just being on devices in general) and many would put the books as their second option. How do you find the motivation levels when doing your research with books versus technology? At this level, is your main focus of research using whatever intrigues them most or ensuring students are using all available technologies to aid in their research skills?

Looking forward to using these ideas this spring!

May 24, 2021 at 12:37 PM

Hi Robyn – I’ve actually found that often my older elementary students prefer to do research using books rather than technology. But I do like giving them a choice. In the younger grades I want them to learn how to navigate the database(s), so I create my lessons to address that need. As they get older they can make choices regarding the sources they use. Overall, our students need to be comfortable using both print and digital resources.

thetrappedlibrarian

📚 Elementary School Librarian 🌟 NBCT 2011 👩🏻‍🏫 Teacher Author Blog: trappedlibrarian.org

• Research Skills

50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills

Please note, I am no longer blogging and this post hasn’t updated since April 2020.

For a number of years, Seth Godin has been talking about the need to “ connect the dots” rather than “collect the dots” . That is, rather than memorising information, students must be able to learn how to solve new problems, see patterns, and combine multiple perspectives.

Solid research skills underpin this. Having the fluency to find and use information successfully is an essential skill for life and work.

Today’s students have more information at their fingertips than ever before and this means the role of the teacher as a guide is more important than ever.

You might be wondering how you can fit teaching research skills into a busy curriculum? There aren’t enough hours in the day! The good news is, there are so many mini-lessons you can do to build students’ skills over time.

This post outlines 50 ideas for activities that could be done in just a few minutes (or stretched out to a longer lesson if you have the time!).

Learn More About The Research Process

I have a popular post called Teach Students How To Research Online In 5 Steps. It outlines a five-step approach to break down the research process into manageable chunks.

This post shares ideas for mini-lessons that could be carried out in the classroom throughout the year to help build students’ skills in the five areas of: clarify, search, delve, evaluate , and cite . It also includes ideas for learning about staying organised throughout the research process.

Notes about the 50 research activities:

• These ideas can be adapted for different age groups from middle primary/elementary to senior high school.
• Many of these ideas can be repeated throughout the year.
• Depending on the age of your students, you can decide whether the activity will be more teacher or student led. Some activities suggest coming up with a list of words, questions, or phrases. Teachers of younger students could generate these themselves.
• Depending on how much time you have, many of the activities can be either quickly modelled by the teacher, or extended to an hour-long lesson.
• Some of the activities could fit into more than one category.
• Looking for simple articles for younger students for some of the activities? Try DOGO News or Time for Kids . Newsela is also a great resource but you do need to sign up for free account.
• Why not try a few activities in a staff meeting? Everyone can always brush up on their own research skills!

• Choose a topic (e.g. koalas, basketball, Mount Everest) . Write as many questions as you can think of relating to that topic.
• Make a mindmap of a topic you’re currently learning about. This could be either on paper or using an online tool like Bubbl.us .
• Read a short book or article. Make a list of 5 words from the text that you don’t totally understand. Look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary (online or paper).
• Look at a printed or digital copy of a short article with the title removed. Come up with as many different titles as possible that would fit the article.
• Come up with a list of 5 different questions you could type into Google (e.g. Which country in Asia has the largest population?) Circle the keywords in each question.
• Write down 10 words to describe a person, place, or topic. Come up with synonyms for these words using a tool like  Thesaurus.com .
• Write pairs of synonyms on post-it notes (this could be done by the teacher or students). Each student in the class has one post-it note and walks around the classroom to find the person with the synonym to their word.

• Explore how to search Google using your voice (i.e. click/tap on the microphone in the Google search box or on your phone/tablet keyboard) . List the pros and cons of using voice and text to search.
• Open two different search engines in your browser such as Google and Bing. Type in a query and compare the results. Do all search engines work exactly the same?
• Have students work in pairs to try out a different search engine (there are 11 listed here ). Report back to the class on the pros and cons.
• Think of something you’re curious about, (e.g. What endangered animals live in the Amazon Rainforest?). Open Google in two tabs. In one search, type in one or two keywords ( e.g. Amazon Rainforest) . In the other search type in multiple relevant keywords (e.g. endangered animals Amazon rainforest).  Compare the results. Discuss the importance of being specific.
• Similar to above, try two different searches where one phrase is in quotation marks and the other is not. For example, Origin of “raining cats and dogs” and Origin of raining cats and dogs . Discuss the difference that using quotation marks makes (It tells Google to search for the precise keywords in order.)
• Try writing a question in Google with a few minor spelling mistakes. What happens? What happens if you add or leave out punctuation ?
• Try the AGoogleADay.com daily search challenges from Google. The questions help older students learn about choosing keywords, deconstructing questions, and altering keywords.
• Explore how Google uses autocomplete to suggest searches quickly. Try it out by typing in various queries (e.g. How to draw… or What is the tallest…). Discuss how these suggestions come about, how to use them, and whether they’re usually helpful.
• Watch this video  from Code.org to learn more about how search works .
• Take a look at  20 Instant Google Searches your Students Need to Know  by Eric Curts to learn about “ instant searches ”. Try one to try out. Perhaps each student could be assigned one to try and share with the class.
• Experiment with typing some questions into Google that have a clear answer (e.g. “What is a parallelogram?” or “What is the highest mountain in the world?” or “What is the population of Australia?”). Look at the different ways the answers are displayed instantly within the search results — dictionary definitions, image cards, graphs etc.

• Watch the video How Does Google Know Everything About Me?  by Scientific American. Discuss the PageRank algorithm and how Google uses your data to customise search results.
• Brainstorm a list of popular domains   (e.g. .com, .com.au, or your country’s domain) . Discuss if any domains might be more reliable than others and why (e.g. .gov or .edu) .
• Discuss (or research) ways to open Google search results in a new tab to save your original search results  (i.e. right-click > open link in new tab or press control/command and click the link).
• Try out a few Google searches (perhaps start with things like “car service” “cat food” or “fresh flowers”). A re there advertisements within the results? Discuss where these appear and how to spot them.
• Look at ways to filter search results by using the tabs at the top of the page in Google (i.e. news, images, shopping, maps, videos etc.). Do the same filters appear for all Google searches? Try out a few different searches and see.
• Type a question into Google and look for the “People also ask” and “Searches related to…” sections. Discuss how these could be useful. When should you use them or ignore them so you don’t go off on an irrelevant tangent? Is the information in the drop-down section under “People also ask” always the best?
• Often, more current search results are more useful. Click on “tools” under the Google search box and then “any time” and your time frame of choice such as “Past month” or “Past year”.
• Have students annotate their own “anatomy of a search result” example like the one I made below. Explore the different ways search results display; some have more details like sitelinks and some do not.

• Find two articles on a news topic from different publications. Or find a news article and an opinion piece on the same topic. Make a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences.
• Choose a graph, map, or chart from The New York Times’ What’s Going On In This Graph series . Have a whole class or small group discussion about the data.
• Look at images stripped of their captions on What’s Going On In This Picture? by The New York Times. Discuss the images in pairs or small groups. What can you tell?
• Explore a website together as a class or in pairs — perhaps a news website. Identify all the advertisements .
• Have a look at a fake website either as a whole class or in pairs/small groups. See if students can spot that these sites are not real. Discuss the fact that you can’t believe everything that’s online. Get started with these four examples of fake websites from Eric Curts.
• Give students a copy of my website evaluation flowchart to analyse and then discuss as a class. Read more about the flowchart in this post.
• As a class, look at a prompt from Mike Caulfield’s Four Moves . Either together or in small groups, have students fact check the prompts on the site. This resource explains more about the fact checking process. Note: some of these prompts are not suitable for younger students.
• Practice skim reading — give students one minute to read a short article. Ask them to discuss what stood out to them. Headings? Bold words? Quotes? Then give students ten minutes to read the same article and discuss deep reading.

All students can benefit from learning about plagiarism, copyright, how to write information in their own words, and how to acknowledge the source. However, the formality of this process will depend on your students’ age and your curriculum guidelines.

• Watch the video Citation for Beginners for an introduction to citation. Discuss the key points to remember.
• Look up the definition of plagiarism using a variety of sources (dictionary, video, Wikipedia etc.). Create a definition as a class.
• Find an interesting video on YouTube (perhaps a “life hack” video) and write a brief summary in your own words.
• Have students pair up and tell each other about their weekend. Then have the listener try to verbalise or write their friend’s recount in their own words. Discuss how accurate this was.
• Read the class a copy of a well known fairy tale. Have them write a short summary in their own words. Compare the versions that different students come up with.
• Try out MyBib — a handy free online tool without ads that helps you create citations quickly and easily.
• Give primary/elementary students a copy of Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Citation that matches their grade level (the guide covers grades 1 to 6). Choose one form of citation and create some examples as a class (e.g. a website or a book).
• Make a list of things that are okay and not okay to do when researching, e.g. copy text from a website, use any image from Google images, paraphrase in your own words and cite your source, add a short quote and cite the source. 
• Have students read a short article and then come up with a summary that would be considered plagiarism and one that would not be considered plagiarism. These could be shared with the class and the students asked to decide which one shows an example of plagiarism .
• Older students could investigate the difference between paraphrasing and summarising . They could create a Venn diagram that compares the two.
• Write a list of statements on the board that might be true or false ( e.g. The 1956 Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia. The rhinoceros is the largest land animal in the world. The current marathon world record is 2 hours, 7 minutes). Have students research these statements and decide whether they’re true or false by sharing their citations.

Staying Organised

• Make a list of different ways you can take notes while researching — Google Docs, Google Keep, pen and paper etc. Discuss the pros and cons of each method.
• Learn the keyboard shortcuts to help manage tabs (e.g. open new tab, reopen closed tab, go to next tab etc.). Perhaps students could all try out the shortcuts and share their favourite one with the class.
• Find a collection of resources on a topic and add them to a Wakelet .
• Listen to a short podcast or watch a brief video on a certain topic and sketchnote ideas. Sylvia Duckworth has some great tips about live sketchnoting
• Learn how to use split screen to have one window open with your research, and another open with your notes (e.g. a Google spreadsheet, Google Doc, Microsoft Word or OneNote etc.) .

All teachers know it’s important to teach students to research well. Investing time in this process will also pay off throughout the year and the years to come. Students will be able to focus on analysing and synthesizing information, rather than the mechanics of the research process.

By trying out as many of these mini-lessons as possible throughout the year, you’ll be really helping your students to thrive in all areas of school, work, and life.

Also remember to model your own searches explicitly during class time. Talk out loud as you look things up and ask students for input. Learning together is the way to go!

You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

How To Evaluate Websites: A Guide For Teachers And Students

Five Tips for Teaching Students How to Research and Filter Information

Typing Tips: The How and Why of Teaching Students Keyboarding Skills

8 Ways Teachers And Schools Can Communicate With Parents

10 Replies to “50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills”

Loving these ideas, thank you

This list is amazing. Thank you so much!

So glad it’s helpful, Alex! 🙂

Hi I am a student who really needed some help on how to reasearch thanks for the help.

So glad it helped! 🙂

seriously seriously grateful for your post. 🙂

So glad it’s helpful! Makes my day 🙂

How do you get the 50 mini lessons. I got the free one but am interested in the full version.

Hi Tracey, The link to the PDF with the 50 mini lessons is in the post. Here it is . Check out this post if you need more advice on teaching students how to research online. Hope that helps! Kathleen

Best wishes to you as you face your health battler. Hoping you’ve come out stronger and healthier from it. Your website is so helpful.

Comments are closed.

Teaching Research Skills to Elementary Students

Teaching research skills to elementary students takes the entire year. Start with short, teacher-generated activities. Continue with guided subject-area projects. Finally, your students will be ready for independent research.

Table of contents

Introducing genres of writing, teaching point of view, front-loading writing skills, locating and analyzing information, choosing a topic, evaluating, selecting, and citing sources of information, gathering information, organizing information, drafting and revising, enjoy teaching research skills to elementary students.

Our favorite fourth grade teacher sat at the side table with her student teacher. “Let’s continue planning our ELA block ,” she said. “Today, we’ll talk about teaching research skills to upper elementary students.”

“Great!” Mr. Grow responded. “When does the project start?”

Ms. Sneed smiled slightly. “Not one project,” she said. “Dozens. Let me explain.”

What to Do Before Teaching Research Skills

“Before we begin teaching research,” Ms. Sneed said, “we’ll build some background skills. For example, kids need to know the difference between fiction and nonfiction, as well as first- and third-person.”

Without warning, Ms. Sneed spread her arms out wide. “First,” she said, “we’ll talk about the two sides of writing .

“On this side,” she said, wiggling the fingers on her right hand, “we have expressive writing. This is where we find fiction. On this side, writers use a story arc for narrative writing. Elements include characters, settings, plots, and themes. Writing on this side tends to use sensory language and dialogue.”

Now Ms. Sneed wiggled the fingers on her left hand. “Over here, we find informative writing. Obviously, research belongs here. On this side, writers use what I refer to as the hamburger format. The top bun introduces the topic and tells the main idea. The burgers offer the meat of the piece with sup

porting information. Finally, the bottom bun concludes.”

Pointing to the portion of her left arm nearest to her body, she continued. “Argumentative writing falls on this side. It’s written with the hamburger format and offers lots of facts. The purpose, however, is to persuade. Therefore, the author carefully organizes information to support their own opinion. Before they can choose reliable sources, kids should be able to spot writing slanted to a certain point of view.”

Mr. Grow nodded. “I never thought about writing that way before. When will we teach this?”

“Early and often,” Ms. Sneed responded. Every time kids read or write, I spread my arms out wide. Then we discuss where the piece will fall on this spectrum . This simple practice improves kids’ writing, as well as their reading comprehension.”

Next, the mentor opened her laptop. With just a few clicks, she opened a unit on point of view . “In fourth grade,” she explained, “I focus on first- and third-person points of view. Of course, understanding pronouns like I and me, they and them, helps. This lays the groundwork for discriminating between informative and argumentative writing.”

Mr. Grow shook his head slightly. “Honestly, I never knew that all of these concepts were interconnected. Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Before teaching research writing, kids need to understand point of view. But in order to do that, they need to know first- and third-person pronouns.”

“Yep,” his mentor replied with a grin. “Nothing’s really taught in isolation. Good teachers purposefully sequence learning experiences. That way, students have the background information needed for each activity.”

“As we move through the first quarter,” Ms. Sneed continued, “we’ll also work on writing skills. Regardless of the genre, kids will use transition terms to link ideas, select precise language, and vary sentences.”

Ms. Sneed turned her attention to her laptop. Then she turned the screen toward Mr. Grow.

“For this activity ,” she said, “kids don’t actually research. Instead, they check facts about several animals. We provide questions and sites. As the students look for information, they also analyze each site’s features. Finally, they rank the sites and list three top features. For example, they might say that a good website includes images, sidebars, and graphs.”

Teaching Research Skills with Guided Subject-Area Research

“After teaching these research skills, I like to engage kids in a variety of seasonal or subject-area reports. For example, as we study women’s suffrage, each student can research a key figure .”

Once again, Ms. Sneed clicked around on her laptop. “Check this out. For a super short research project, kids can fill out this first page. It only asks for basic information about the person. If, however, you want kids to look deeper into the person’s life, they can analyze difficulties in their life and who helped them. To promote greater historical awareness, students can also consider how history changed the person and the person changed history.

“When they finish, kids write multi-paragraph essays on themed paper and hang it with a picture of the person. It makes a great display in the hall or classroom.”

“Nice,” said Mr. Grow. “Then they can read one another’s papers to learn more.”

“Exactly. It also helps if the principal comes in for an observation. That way, he sees learning in action – right on the classroom wall.”

Teaching Research Skills with Independent Projects

Ms. Sneed shifted in her seat and smiled. “Once kids have a few guided projects under their belts, they’re finally ready to try it on their own. Of course, we’ll continue teaching research skills along the way.”

Once again, she turned to her laptop. “I’d like to show you a project that’s ready to go. As you’ll see, the teacher will still provide guidance. But kids become much more independent.”

She pointed at the screen and explained page by page.

“This activity focuses on birds and their adaptations . In groups of three, kids select a tropical, temperate, and arctic bird from a specific group. Here, we’re teaching research skills related to limiting a topic. Students need to know that topics shouldn’t be too broad or too narrow.”

“In other words,” Mr. Grow said, “they should be just right. Sort of like the Goldilocks principle.”

Ms. Sneed nodded. “Additionally, kids need to be able to find plenty of information on the topic. After they choose their birds, I ask them to do a quick search. If they can’t find enough, they must choose another topic. Furthermore, if everything out there is written for adults, they should choose something else.

“This step is critical. Otherwise, a student may waste several days on a dead-end topic.”

“Before moving on, we spend time teaching an important research skill: evaluating sources. They must be relevant, reliable, factual, accurate, and objective.

“You can do this in several ways. At first, you may want to talk through the list while kids look at a site. Then they can use a checklist . Eventually, we want this to be second nature.”

Ms. Sneed slid a list across the table for Mr. Grow to see.

• Relevant – Does this source contain information that will support my research topic? Was the source created for someone like me (e.g., for a fourth grader)?
• Reliable – Was it created by a trustworthy person or organization?
• Factual and Accurate – Is the information factual? Can I confirm this information with other sources (or does the source cite it sources)? Is the information up-to-date?
• Objective – Has the creator presented information to support multiple points of view?

Returning to her laptop, Ms. Sneed scrolled through some note-taking sheets. “When teaching research skills to elementary students, we must provide guidance for gathering and organizing information.”

She pointed to a sample page. In the middle, Mr. Grow noticed a picture of a nest. Branching out in a web, he saw notes about eagles’ homes.

“This,” said Ms. Sneed, “is a mind map. It promotes divergent thinking. As you can see, this student has found and listed lots of facts.

“At this grade level, I provide mind maps for specific categories of information. In this case, for example, kids get pages for appearance, habits, and habitat. Of course, they can add other information on a blank sheet.”

Note Sheets

Next, she scrolled to a page with four sections. “When I first began teaching, I tried traditional note cards with my students. What a disaster. At this age, kids lose the cards and have trouble sorting them. Then I came up with the idea of note sheets.

“Each page has four cards, all with similar topics. For example, on this sheet, kids take notes on food and adaptations. They sort the information by what they eat, how they get it, how they eat it, and adaptations that accommodate all of this.”

“That’s brilliant!” Mr. Grow exclaimed.

“Thanks. Best of all, it works. With this method, we train students to categorize. It really helps to organize their writing.

“In fourth grade, my students are only allowed to take notes in short phrases. They’re not allowed to quote until fifth grade. This way, kids master paraphrasing, and plagiarism isn’t an issue.”

Quickly, she scrolled to the next page. “As you see here, I like to use boxes and bullets. Kids write the main idea, or topic sentence in the box and supporting details next to the bullets.”

“After filling in the boxes and bullets, the paper practically writes itself. Drafting is easy.

“When that’s finished, kids revise using familiar strategies: improving word choice, adding transitions, varying sentences, etc.

“I like to use checklists for peer or individual editing. That encourages them to be self-sufficient, and my life is easier.”

“So there you have it! Everything you ever wanted to know about teaching research skills to elementary students. In fourth grade, we start with prerequisite concepts. Then we conduct a bunch of short research related to seasonal or subject-area topics. Finally, kids work on independent research projects. I love watching them become autonomous learners!”

• WordPress.org
• Documentation
• Learn WordPress
• Members Newsfeed

11 Research Project Strategies for Second Graders

• Elementary Education

Engaging second graders in research projects can be a rewarding experience for both students and teachers. It provides an opportunity for young minds to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. In this article, we will explore 11 strategies to help second graders succeed in research projects.

1. Choose age-appropriate topics: Select topics that are interesting and relevant to second graders’ lives. This will help them stay engaged and excited about the project.

2. Break the project into smaller tasks: Breaking the research project into smaller tasks makes it more manageable for young learners. Assign specific tasks like choosing a topic, gathering information, and creating a presentation.

3. Use visuals aids: Visual aids such as posters, illustrations, and multimedia presentations can help second graders better understand complex concepts and make their research more engaging.

4. Teach note-taking skills: Encourage students to take notes while conducting research. This skill will not only help them in their current project but also prove valuable throughout their academic career.

5. Encourage group work: Divide students into small groups to work on the research project. Working in teams will promote collaboration and teach them how to work together toward a common goal.

6. Provide access to age-appropriate resources: Offer a variety of age-appropriate resources like books, websites, videos, and articles that cater to different learning styles and preferences.

7. Integrate technology: Introduce students to educational apps or websites that can support their research projects. Tech tools can make learning more interactive, accessible, and fun.

8. Teach citation skills: Teaching second graders how to cite their sources is crucial for understanding plagiarism and giving credit where it is due.

9. Guide with questions: Encourage students to ask questions throughout the research process. Ask guiding questions that lead them to developing their ideas and discovering new information independently.

10. Celebrate achievements: Recognize and celebrate the effort and accomplishments of students as they work on their research projects. This will help boost their confidence and motivation.

11. Reflect and learn: After the project is completed, discuss what went well and what could have been improved. This reflection will help students learn from the experience and apply it to future projects.

Incorporating these strategies into your second-grade research projects can inspire a love for learning, improve their research skills, and lay a strong foundation for their future education.

Related Articles

As summer ends and the new school year beckons, educators from preschool…

On Inauguration Day, educators have a unique opportunity to engage children in…

Unit Introduction: Understanding time is a critical skill that students need to…

Pedagogue is a social media network where educators can learn and grow. It's a safe space where they can share advice, strategies, tools, hacks, resources, etc., and work together to improve their teaching skills and the academic performance of the students in their charge.

If you want to collaborate with educators from around the globe, facilitate remote learning, etc., sign up for a free account today and start making connections.

Pedagogue is Free Now, and Free Forever!

• New? Start Here
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service
• Registration

Don't you have an account? Register Now! it's really simple and you can start enjoying all the benefits!

We just sent you an Email. Please Open it up to activate your account.

I allow this website to collect and store submitted data.

GET TEACHING TIPS AND FREE RESOURCES

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

The Brown Bag Teacher

Teach the Children. Love the Children. Change the World.

January 12, 2020

Organizing Research in 1st & 2nd Grade

Independent research in 1st and 2nd Grade is not something that just magically happens. Organizing writing is not something that just happens automatically. Both of these skills have to be explicitly modeled and scaffolded for students. The great news? When given the opportunity, students rise. The Common Core Standards ask our 1st and 2nd grade students to “Participate in shared research and writing projects”, as well as, “…gather information from provided sources to answer a question.” Our students are very capable of participating in real-world research with the appropriate scaffolds, supports, and explicit instruction. But how do we get there?

Where Do We Get Our Research in 1st & 2nd Grade?

Initially, research in 1st and 2nd Grade begins with books ( Pebble Go and National Graphic Kids are some of our favorites). I’ll also print articles and books from Reading AZ and Read Works if they are available. (If you have RAZ Kids, then you can just assign the Reading AZ texts to specific students and they can access them online. #savethetrees). Starting with print resources help me better manage the research and allows us to learn basic research skills before integrating technology.

Then, we slowly branch to ebooks using EPIC . I’m able to create topic specific collections for students and share them directly to their EPIC accounts. From there, we model using videos from YouTube ( SciShow Kids ). Now, the SciShow Kids videos are on Epic , so it’s even safer!! (Note – These are 6 and 7 year olds. In my classroom, they will not have the privilege or responsibility to freely roam the internet or YouTube.)

Finally we branch into online databases (all KY schools have free access to Kentucky Virtual Library) and teacher-chosen websites. I link specific websites students are allowed to visit from Google Classroom. As we explore these online resources, we have frequent conversations about internet safety and internet expectations. When online, our choices should always help us become better readers, writers, and humans.

Scaffolding research collection in this way allows me the opportunity to model expectations for each resource and how to use it, as well as, ensure students are safe.

Why Organize Research in 1st & 2nd Grade?

Organizing and structuring writing is not a skill that is innate within students. Students have to be explicitly taught executive functioning skills – such as organization. Additionally, when we research I don’t want students just copying down an entire book or webpage. The world’s most random collection of information will not be helpful in sharing our learning down the road. Researching in 1st and 2nd Grade means we invest the time to learn, read, model, practice, and tweak together.

When teaching students to gather and organize information, there are DOZENS of structures for doing it. As a teacher, I typically pick 3-4 different ways that are developmentally appropriate for my 1st and 2nd graders, as well as, lend themselves to the types of research we will be doing.

Planning of Instruction

Reading and writing are forever connected and they should be. We can leverage each one to ensure that students see both subjects in context, as well as, part of their daily lives. Additionally, as I am preparing for our research unit , we will leverage whatever we are learning in science and/or social studies. This ensures students have the background to do specific research about a topic, rather than “All About Monkeys”.

As new strategies for organizing research are explored we do not abandon all the others. Rather, the strategies we learn are ones that can easily be combined. Sketch noting is the best example of this. It can be a part of a concept map, questions and answers, and/or creating subtopics.

As I introduce ways to organize writing , I will typically do it as a part of our reading or science mini-lessons. The strategy is modeled in the context of content and then, we practice again together during writing. Next, students typically work in partners to try the strategy out and ultimately, they work independently. Some students will need more teacher support in independently researching and that’s okay.

Sketch Noting

Sketch noting is typically the first way students to collect research. It is the most kid-friendly and non-threatening. As a class, we read a text from our science or social studies learning and then, consider the big ideas. (At this point, we haven’t talked about developing a research question, so our information gathering is broad.) We talk about the ideas and what symbols or pictures represent them. Then, we discuss importance of including captions that contain important vocabulary, people, ideas, and numbers. Sketch notes don’t need to be in complete sentences, so it’s fine to write single words, bullets, or fragments.

Teaching students to create subtopics is a great way to start narrowing the research field. From all-the-random-facts to these-facts-fit-the-subtopics-I-have-chosen, students are to start differentiating between important information and “fun extras”.

The use of subheadings is easily modeled using the table of contents in informational texts. We spend time looking at these texts, noticing what subtopics the author chose to write about, and what types of information he/she included (and didn’t include).

As students choose subtopics, we put each subtopic as a heading on a different page in their writing notebook. Then, research collected for each subtopic is placed on the page specific to the learning. This can be done using bullets or sticky notes. Although expensive, I prefer the sticky-note route. It allows the details to be easily manipulated/moved around and seem less daunting for students who are reluctant writers.

Concept Mapping

Additionally, concept mapping is very similar to creating subtopics. Ultimately, this strategy becomes a little nebulous. Often times I will introduce it before subtopics sometimes after. There is no hard and fast rule. If taught after subtopics, we will create concept maps with ALL the information and then, create subtopics into which to sort the information. If teaching after subtopics, we natural embed subtopics into our mind maps.

The student sample belows shows a general collection of information with some sketch noting. That’s okay! It is a signal to me, as the teacher, we may need more support in structuring our thinking or we may not be focused on a specific research question.

Question & Answer

Hands-down the question/answer strategy is THE most effective for helping students explore specific research questions and avoiding the “All About” book filled with lots of random facts.

To begin this strategy, we read an informational text aloud and identify a sentence or idea in the text that we want to learn more about. We write this sentence or details from the text on a sticky note and stick it at the top of a page in our writing journal. From there, we make a bulleted list of questions from that detail. What do we want to know more about? What would our reader want to know more about?

Now, as we read/listen/write, these become our research questions. This strategy is gold because it means students are driving the inquiry, we are looking at something specific, and the questions will determine which sources we need. Therefore, using multiple information sources become authentic.

We Have the Information…Now What?

Now that we have completed research on several different topics, questions, and/or questions, we are ready to publish and share our learning. The science or social studies unit our learning aligned with determine how the information is shared. Sometimes we use Google Slides, paragraphs , letters, and sometimes we’ll share our ideas in a speech.

Research in 1st and 2nd Grade is a tough task. There will be missteps – not so great mini-lessons, skipping of steps, moving too fast, hard-to-find-research topics – and that’s okay. All of these things help us, as teachers, and students grow. Research in the real-world is not perfect, and it shouldn’t be in our classrooms either.

So, my challenge to you – offer students real opportunities to learn and research without over scaffolding. Be brave in teaching students’ strategies that allow choice, flexibility, and curiosity to reign. You’ve got this, friends.

Related Posts

Reader Interactions

April 22, 2024 at 4:51 am

Thank you for providing a useful framework for using sketch notes as an information gathering tool, especially in the early stages of research before developing specific research questions. If you are also feeling free, you can try some online games like a small world cup .

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to create a feed.

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Second Grade teachers! Join me Around the 2nd Grade Kampfire on Facebook! JOIN HERE

• Facebook Group
• Search this website

Around the Kampfire

Elementary Teaching Blog

Last updated by Chelsea Swiecinski on December 9, 2022 • Leave a Comment

20 Second Grade Science Experiments That Build Essential Skills

Looking for fun and hands-on ways to teach your students about science concepts? In this post, I’ll share twenty 2nd grade science experiments that will get your students excited AND help them build essential critical thinking skills.

Second Grade Science Experiments

In 2nd grade, students are building a lot of content knowledge in science. They are also developing critical thinking and problem solving skills that will set them up for success in future grades. One of the best ways to build these crucial skills is through experiments.

The twenty second grade science experiments in this post are tried and true activities to teach science content and help students develop critical thinking skills.

Pollination STEM Lab

Pollination is an important topic that we cover in 2nd grade during our Plants, Animals, and Life Cycles unit. This pollination lab helps students visualize the process of pollination in a hands-on way.

In this fun pollination STEM activity, students make a model bee, then simulate pollination using macaroni and cheese powder. Read more about pollination and how to complete this lab here: Pollination STEM Activity

Animal Seed Dispersal Lab

This easy animal seed dispersal activity is a great opportunity for students to design and build models and simulate how animals help plants grow. It’s the perfect activity for demonstrating plant and animal interdependence.

In this lab, students will use a variety of materials to create a model animal. Then, they will test out how seeds stick to their model animal. Learn more about animal seed dispersal here: Animal Attachment Seed Dispersal STEM Activity

Map a Mountain Topographic Map Activity

Add math and map skills to your science activities with this topographic map landforms lab. In this 3D topographic map activity, students will use clay to make a 3D model, then section it with dental floss to make a topographic map. 

Students will begin by making a simple model of a mountain out of clay. Then, they will use dental floss to section their model into equal slices. Check out how to do this activity with your class here: Topographic Map Landform Activity for Kids

Exploding Seed Pod Experiment

In second grade, we take time in science to study a variety of ways that seed dispersal happens. One way plants disperse their seeds is through an adaptation called exploding seed pods.

In this activity, students are challenged to build a model of an exploding seed pod using balloons and seeds. Learn more about how your students can make exploding seed pods here: Seed Dispersal Activity: Build an Exploding Seed Pod

Plant Adaptation Models

Plants and animals that live in water have special adaptations that allow them to survive. Help students understand plant adaptations by creating simple models with everyday craft supplies.

In this 2nd grade science experiment, students will design, make, and test simple models of water plant adaptations. It’s a great activity for introducing or practicing with engineering and design practices and concepts. Check out how to do this activity with your class here: Plant STEM Activities for Kids: Making Models of Adaptations

Second Grade Science Experiments for Teaching Properties of Matter

Ice cream in a bag experiment.

The ice cream in a bag lab is an excellent 2 nd grade science experiment to introduce or reinforce the states of matter.

In this lab, students investigate the effect of temperature on matter as they observe a liquid mixture turn into a solid.

This experiment is always a favorite for my 2 nd graders because they get to learn about the science behind one of their favorite treats. Read more about how this lab is done here: Ice Cream in a Bag Lab

Pop Rocks Lab

In this high-engagement 2 nd grade science experiment, students will explore carbonation using Pop Rocks candy and soda.

The Pop Rocks Lab allows students to see how combining a solid and a liquid can form a gas. Learn about how carbonation is made and how this lab can be conducted here: Pop Rocks Experiment

Sharpie Solubility Science Experiment

This Sharpie solubility experiment explores the question: Are permanent markers really permanent? It’s an excellent simple experiment to use for introducing and practicing the scientific method.

Students will test the solubility of Sharpie pen ink in water, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. Then they will observe and describe the results in their test. Learn more about how to conduct this 2nd grade science experiment with your class here: Sharpie Solubility Experiment for Kids

Chlorophyll Paintings

Did you know you can make art with chlorophyll? Chlorophyll paintings are a fun and creative way to integrate art and science as students learn about plants, the process of photosynthesis, and how a plant makes its own food.

To complete this activity, you’ll just need white paper, a metal spoon, and some leaves. Check out how we did chlorophyll paintings in my classroom here: Chlorophyll Paintings: Incorporating Art in Science

Cookie Dunk Lab

Get students engaged and learning by using milk and cookies in your 2nd grade science experiments! In this fun and simple science experiment, students explore buoyancy as they learn and practice the steps of the scientific method.

Students will observe and record the properties of various mini cookies. Then, they explore whether each cookie sinks or floats. Read more here: Milk & Cookies and the Scientific Method

Properties of Matter Cracker Lab

In second grade, students learn that matter has observable, physical properties. This 2 nd grade science experiment reinforces this concept by allowing students use their senses to observe, describe, and taste properties of matter.

Students look at, feel, and taste different types of crackers in order to describe their properties. Click the link to read more about the cracker lab: Properties of Matter Cracker Lab

Blubber Glove Experiment

Learning about adaptations is a key component to second grade science lessons about habitats and ecosystems. The blubber experiment demonstrates how arctic animals stay warm in icy water.

Blubber is a thick layer of fat just under the skin of all marine mammals. It is an important and interesting adaptation that allows these animals to survive in cold water.

This 2nd grade science experiment recreates the layer of fat that keeps an animal warm. During this hands-on activity, students will compare the cold they can feel with and without wearing a “blubber glove”. Learn more about how you can make a blubber glove here: Arctic Animal Adaptations: Blubber Science Experiment for Kids

Cheese Powder Pollination Activity

Pollination is an important process in the life cycle of plants, and it can be very easy and fun to demonstrate. In this 2nd grade science experiment, students will use cheese powder from a box of macaroni and cheese to develop a simple model that mimics the function of an insect pollinating flowers.

There’s only a few simple materials needed for this experiment, and all of them can be found at the dollar store. Check out how to do this pollination experiment with your students here: Cheese Powder Pollination Activity for Kids

Flexibility Lab

Flexibility is one of the key observable properties of matter that we learn about in second grade. In this fun and simple 2 nd grade science experiment, students will test and record the flexibility of several objects.

Giving students the opportunity to plan and conduct simple investigations is crucial to promote learning in 2 nd grade. This flexibility experiment is a great way to give students this experience. Learn more about the flexibility lab here: Exploring Flexibility Lab

Parts of a Seed Lab

Learning about plant life cycles is a huge part of second grade science. Give your students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the parts of a seed in a hands-on way with a lab activity.

Have your students dissect and examine the parts and functions of a seed using lima beans. Then, have students identify and label the seed parts they saw first-hand. Check out how to do this easy seed lab with your class here: Easy Seed Science Experiments

Butterfly Life Cycle Labs

Raising butterflies and learning about their life cycles is always a highlight in the second grade school year. Enrich your butterfly life cycle lessons by giving students the opportunity to learn about, observe, and write about the process of caterpillars transforming into butterflies. Learn more here: Butterfly Life Cycle Activities & Free Printables

Lighthouse Water Erosion Experiment

The Save the Lighthouse Lab is a fun and exciting way for students to learn more about slow earth changes and erosion. This activity is more of a simulation to demonstrate how ocean waves can cause erosion and affect the coastline.

Students will use sand, water, and a paper lighthouse template to create a miniature coastline. Then, they will simulate ocean waves and observe what happens to the lighthouse. Check out more on the lighthouse lab here: Water Erosion Science Experiment: Save the Lighthouse!

Landslide Lab

Have you ever thought about how people can protect a town from a landslide? This landslide experiment allows students to explore how people can reduce the impact of landslides.

In this lab, students will complete a simulation of a landslide to design and test ways to help protect towns. It’s an excellent opportunity for students to practice problem solving skills with real-life implications. Learn more here: Landslide Science Experiment to Teach Fast Earth Changes

Gill Demonstration

When I teach my Habitats & Ecosystems science unit, we take time to learn about animal adaptations. In this lab, students explore a well-known fish adaptation: gills. 

This 2nd grade science experiment helps students to visualize the process of gills working in a fish’s body. It is basically a simulation that represents a simplified version of gills allowing a fish to breathe underwater. Read more about how to do this simulation with your class here: How Do Fish Breathe Underwater? Ocean Animal Adaptations Activity

Plant Needs Experiment – Can Plants Grow in the Dark?

Students will get the opportunity to explore why plants need sunlight in this 2nd grade science experiment.

In this lab, students will make observations on two plants over time. One plant will be left in the sunlight, while the other will be left in the dark. Learn more about how to do this experiment in your classroom here: Plant Needs Experiment: Can Plants Grow in the Dark?

Science experiments should allow students ample opportunity to practice critical thinking and problem solving skills. I hope these 2nd grade science experiments help your students have fun while learning key science content and skills! You can find all of these labs with ready-to-use lesson plans, student workbooks, lesson videos and assessments in individual units or in money-saving bundles. 

See the Second Grade Science Curriculum HERE .

Looking for more help teaching science? Check out these posts:

Activities to Teach Science Tools & Safety Rules At The Beginning of The Year

Free Science Movie Day Activities

Free Science & Engineering Practices Posters

Share this:

Back to School

Free Grammar Review Activities!

Start the year in grammar off right! Grab a full week of lesson plans, teaching slides, and printables to review and practice parts of speech!

You May Also Enjoy These Posts

Reader Interactions

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of new posts by email.

Hello Friends

I’m Linda Kamp, a 20 year primary grade teacher with a passion for creating educational materials that excite students and make learning fun! I'm so glad you're here!

Best Back to School Ideas 🍏

African American Inventors Research Project for 2nd Grade

Share this post:.

So I’m more of a “teach African American history all year” type of teacher, but February is Black History Month and that makes it the perfect time to shine the spotlight on even more important African Americans who contributed to America’s history.  One of my favorite ways to do that is with a research project on African American inventors. This simple project not only helps students learn more about some of the amazing inventors of our past, but it also helps my second graders hone their research skills. #teacherwinning

Please note this post contains affiliate links.  If you do follow my links, please know that I do make a very small commission from your purchase. There is no cost to you, but this extra coinage helps to feed my book addiction.

African American Inventors

We use the Macmillan reading series, Treasures , and one of the stories included is about African American Inventors.

Here’s a link to a video reading of the book !

Now, we don’t always do every story from our series, but this one is PERFECT for teaching research skills without being overwhelming. Bonus: we’re able to spotlight some amazingly brilliant inventions that were engineered by people of color who had to overcome adversity to bring their inventions to light.

If you don’t have access to this text, here are a few other books I found on Amazon that would be great to pull to help students learn more about African American inventors.

You can find these, as well as some other great books for February, in my Amazon Store here.

If you have access to technology in your room, you could also use the Google Safe Search feature for students to look up famous inventors for their African American research project. I would just be sure to supply a few names as starting points.

These are some of my favorites:

• Benjamin Banneker- Almanac author
• Lyda Newman- invented the modern-day hairbrush
• George Washington Carver- so many inventions!
• Garrett Morgan- the traffic light
• Madam C.J. Walker- hair products
• Patricia Bath- laser cataract surgery
• George Crum- the potato chip
• Henry Thomas Sampson Jr.- invented the gamma-electric cell (used to power cell phones)

African American Inventors Trifold

To help us gather information about each inventor we made these easy tri-folds.

To make the tri-fold, print out enough sheets for each student. Then, cut and paste a section onto a piece of construction paper that has been accordion-folded into thirds. You could alternatively print the tri-folds double-sided and have students fold them. I just found it to be easier to write on the papers first, then cut and paste the information onto a piece of construction paper for our tri-folds.

First Read of African American Inventors

For our first read of the book, we mainly focused on each of the inventors and worked to make connections. We discussed their inventions and how we now use that item, or something similar, in our everyday lives. This helped build interest for our research portion later in the week.

We also discussed how many of the inventors mentioned in the book were incredibly brave considering the social norms of when they were alive. We discuss how in the past, people of color were not always allowed to go to school or learn to read. This made it difficult to file a patent or write out directions. Building this background piece allowed my students to see just how determined the inventors covered in the text must have been.

Gathering Information for our Research

Later in the week, we were ready to start gathering information to complete our African American Inventors research project. Before reading again, we discussed important information and how that can help us better understand a topic or in our case a specific person. We reviewed how to know when information is important. Mainly we were looking for details that could help us answer the questions:

• Why? or How?

Responding to Text Writing with African American Inventors

African american inventors trifold research project template.

Sign up to snag these!

Receive all these classroom management tools right to your inbox!

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

• Categories: 2nd Grade , FREEBIE , reading , research projects

Hi, I'm Leigh.

The Applicious Teacher is all about creating hands-on and engaging lessons that align with the standards while still having time for your life. This is your place for ideas, tips, and resources for the REAL teacher!

Recent Posts

Popular in the Store

You may also enjoy...

Expo Dry Erase Markers with Ink Indicator: My New Favorite Marker

What to Teach the First Week of 3rd grade

A {Not so} Spooky Week

An Apple a Day Linky Party- Small Group Style!

© 2021 The Applicious Teacher. All Rights Reserved

Designed by Ashley Hughes

Use of Cookies

Privacy overview.

What your 2nd grader should have learned

by: The GreatSchools Editorial Team | Updated: December 13, 2023

Print article

Did your child master the skills they need to be ready for next year? Here’s a rough idea of the academic and social-emotional skills that kids acquire in second grade. If your child is not proficient in some of these areas, don’t worry. No two kids are alike, especially when it comes to hitting developmental benchmarks. Choose a few to work on this summer, but keep things low pressure — for you and for your child! Keep in mind the bigger goal, which is helping your child love learning.

By the end of 2nd grade, kids should be able to:

• Concentrate on tasks for longer periods of time (20 to 30 minutes or more).
• Make a plan on how to achieve a personal goal.
• Have a bigger vocabulary (get practice with vocabulary worksheets , 2nd grade academic vocabulary words , and 2nd grade books that boost vocabulary ).
• Read aloud fluently and with expression. ( Watch an example of a second grader reading fluently with expression. )
• Identify the personality traits of characters in a story.
• Use words to explain their feelings and resolve conflicts .
• Recognize and spell irregularly spelled words, such as because and upon . ( Try our 2nd grade spelling lists. )
• Write a letter to a friend or a relative , or a shopping list before going to the grocery story.
• Add and subtract 1- and 2-digit numbers up to 100 ( get addition practice ).
• Count up to 1,000. (Read more about what kids learn in 2nd grade math .)
• Understand the concept of multiplication (for example, that 2 x 3 is two rows of three; get multiplication practice ).
• Solve word problems with dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies ( get money-math practice ).
• Tell time to the nearest 5 minutes ( get time-telling practice ).

Find out more about your second grader and reading , writing , language arts , math , science , social studies , art , music , and physical education .

Homes Nearby

Homes for rent and sale near schools

3 things to say when your child says, "I'm bad at math."

5 ways to respond when your child says, "I hate reading!"

6 ways to improve a college essay

Yes! Sign me up for updates relevant to my child's grade.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up!

Server Issue: Please try again later. Sorry for the inconvenience

Downloadable Resources

• Amplify CKLA Skills Publisher Response Amplify CKLA Skills Publisher Response

Amplify CKLA Skills

Report release, {{ report.published }}, review tool version, {{ report.version }}.

EdReports reviews of foundational skills supplements determine if a program meets, partially meets, or does not meet expectations for alignment to research-based practices and college and career ready standards. This rating encompasses all grades covered in the program.

Alignment (Gateway 1)

Materials must meet or partially meet expectations for standards alignment in order to be reviewed for usability. This rating encompasses all grades covered in the program.

Usability (Gateway 2)

Key areas of interest.

This score is the sum of all points available for all foundational skills components across all grades covered in the program.

The maximum available points depends on the review tool used and the number of grades covered.

This score represents an average across grade levels reviewed for: integrated reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language, and promotion of mastery of grade-level standards by the end of the year.

Learn more about EdReports’ educator-led review process

Additional Publication Details

{{isbn.title}}

{{isbn.edition}}

• Overview Overview
• Kindergarten Kindergarten
• 1st Grade 1st Grade
• 2nd Grade 2nd Grade

Report Overview

Summary of alignment & usability: amplify ckla skills | ela, ela k-2, product notes.

Amplify CKLA K-2 Skills Readers have been redesigned to increase student engagement and a sense of connection with the decodable stories and their characters. Stories with human characters have improved diversity, inclusivity, and authenticity, while others have fantastical creatures to bring more excitement and whimsy to the tales. For all units, Student Reader thumbnail images in the © 2022 Teacher Guides and illustrations in the © 2022 Activity Books have changed. Please note these revisions have been reviewed and verified by EdReports. No additional changes have been made to the curriculum.

The instructional materials reviewed for Core Knowledge Language Arts Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 meet the criteria for alignment to standards and research-based practices for foundational skills instruction. The instructional materials use a synthetic approach to phonics. Materials include a scope and sequence that clearly delineates an intentional sequence in which phonological and phonics skills are to be taught. Instructional materials include explicit instruction in letter identification and formation and provide instruction in general concepts of print. Materials provide systematic and explicit instructions for phonological awareness and frequent student practice opportunities (K-1). Instructional materials include consistent systematic and explicit instruction in phonics skills with repeated teacher modeling across all Skills in the Teacher Guide. The materials provide frequent opportunities for students to decode phonetically spelled words using phonemes and/or syllables. The materials include explicit, systematic teacher-level instruction and modeling to demonstrate the use of phonics to encode sounds to letters and words in writing tasks through dictation work. Instructional materials include systematic and explicit instruction of high-frequency words through Tricky Word instruction. Materials include frequent and explicit instruction of word analysis strategies as well as explicit instruction for decoding familiar words. Materials include limited opportunities for explicit, systematic instruction in fluency using grade-level text in the form of decodable readers. Materials include decodable readers that align to the phonics and high-frequency word scope and sequence. Materials also regularly and systematically provide a variety of assessment opportunities over the course of the year to demonstrate student progress toward mastery of all foundational skills.

Kindergarten

Standards and Research-Based Practices

Report for {{ report.grade.shortname }}

Alignment summary, {{ report.grade.shortname }}, gateway {{ gateway.number }}.

{{ gateway.name }}

{{ report.alignment.name }}

{{ report.usability.name }}.

• Gateway {{ gateway.number }} Gateway {{ gateway.number }}

Overview of Gateway {{ gateway.number }}

{{ gateway.title }}, criterion {{ gateway.number }}.{{ criterion.number }}: {{ criterion.name }}, indicator {{ indicator.name | indicatorname }}.

Copyright 2024. EdReports.org, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

2nd grade research projects

Resource type.

Habitats | Animal Habitats Desert Habitats & More Research Project 2nd Grade

2nd Grade Animal Research Projects | Animal Reports and Templates | Bundle

ANIMAL REPORT RESEARCH PROJECT 2nd Grade Writing Graphic Organizer GOOGLE SLIDES

Second Grade Natural Disasters Research Project

Second Grade Community Helpers Research Project - Print Version

Volcano Craft Natural Disaster Research Project Landforms 2nd 4th Grade Activity

50 US STATE REPORT 2nd 3rd Grade RESEARCH PROJECT Printable GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

Animal Research Project for Second and Third Grades - Library Skills

Orca Arctic Ocean Animal Research Project Reading Passage 2nd grade Writing

Informational Writing Prompts Graphic Organizers 2nd Grade Research Project

Second Grade Animal Research Project - Ocean Habitat Worksheets

Independent Research Projects Templates 2nd , 3rd Grades

50 US STATES 2nd 3rd Grade RESEARCH PROJECT & GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS Google Slides

ANIMAL REPORT RESEARCH PROJECT 2nd 3rd Grade GOOGLE SLIDES Graphic Organizers

Second Grade Dinosaur Research Project

Biography Research 2nd 3rd Grade Writing Project FAMOUS INVENTORS Google Slides

Presidents Day Activities & Research Project - 2nd & 3rd Grade Government Lesson

Second Grade Animal Research Project - Grassland Habitat Worksheets

Animal Research Project 2nd Grade Reading Comprehension Passages

Second Grade Animal Research Project - Polar Habitat Worksheets

Presidents Research Project for Second Grade & Third Grade Library Skills

Second Grade Animal Research Project - Woodland Habitat Worksheets

Second Grade Animal Research Project - Wetland Habitat Worksheets

Second Grade Animal Research Project - Desert Habitat Worksheets

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

Skills kids need going into second grade

By Amanda Morin

Expert reviewed by Whitney Hollins

At a glance

Kids entering second grade are expected to read short sentences or phrases.

Most kids start second grade knowing how to add numbers up to 20.

In second grade, kids are expected to think about how they approach solving problems.

Being ready for second grade involves more than just knowing certain facts. Second graders need to be able to think about how and why they’re solving problems. Your state’s academic standards outline the skills kids are expected to learn by the end of first grade in order to be prepared for second grade. Here are some of the big ones.

Skills to get ready for grade 2: English language arts and literacy

One way kids get ready for second grade is by continuing to work on connecting letters and sounds to make words. (This is sometimes referred to as phonological awareness .) Second graders use this skill to write short sentences. They also read stories and poems and learn to talk about what they read . Here’s a sample of the reading and writing skills kids are expected to learn by the end of first grade:

Show an understanding of the lesson in a story by asking and answering questions about it (who, what, where, when, why, and how)

Compare and contrast elements of different stories, including characters, settings, and major events

Explain how texts that tell stories are different from texts that provide information

Learn the basic rules of spoken and written English and use these rules to describe people, events, ideas, and feelings

Talk with others, using the rules of listening, asking questions, and waiting their turn to respond (like in class discussions)

Write in small groups as well as on their own about a single topic and provide a few facts or details about it

Learn more about trouble with reading and writing . And explore fun ways to increase phonological awareness , build reading skills , and encourage writing .

Skills to get ready for grade 2: Mathematics

By the time kids start second grade, they’re expected to know about whole numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, etc.) and place value in two-digit numbers (like knowing that the “2” in “24” means “20”). Kids begin grouping numbers into tens and ones by the end of first grade. They also use charts, tables, and diagrams to solve problems. Here are some other key skills kids need to be ready for second-grade math:

Add and subtract numbers up to 20 (like 10 + 10 or 20 ‒ 10)

Understand basic rules of addition and subtraction (like 6 + 2 is the same as 2 + 6)

Solve word problems and problems with one- and two-digit numbers up to 20 (See a video on how second graders solve word problems .)

Understand the meaning of the “tens” and “ones” places in two-digit numbers and learn to compare two-digit numbers using > (more than) and < (less than)

Recognize that the equal sign means both sides of the equation have the same value and know whether an equation is false (like 3 + 4 = 9)

Measure objects and put them in order by length

Read a clock and be able to tell the time to the nearest hour

Sort items into categories by shape, size, color, and function

Learn more about the different ways kids can get tripped up by math problems . Explore questions to ask your child’s school about math instruction and changes that can be made in the classroom to help struggling math students. Take a look, too, at how games can help kids work on math skills .

How to help your rising second grader

Kids develop at different rates . But if your child is having trouble, it’s better to speak up sooner rather than later. If your child is struggling to keep up in an academic area or can’t seem to stay focused, talking to the teacher can make a big difference. Together you can create a plan and keep track of your child’s progress .

Key takeaways

In second grade, kids are expected to answer questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how about what they read.

Understanding the “tens” and “ones” in numbers is important for second-grade math.

Working with your child’s teacher to keep track of progress is a good way to have a plan to help your child learn.

Explore related topics

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Get Your Free 21st Century Timeline Poster ✨

26 Fun Second Grade Reading Comprehension Activities

Help your students dig deeper into texts.

Second graders are some of the most enthusiastic readers out there. They are transitioning from the basics into readers looking for meaning. As they build upon their comprehension skills, they are beginning to make connections to themselves and the world at large. These second grade reading comprehension activities will help your students dig deeper into texts on their own as well as with their peers.

1. Build a pyramid

This idea was born out of one teacher’s students’ eternal love for constructing cup towers at any opportunity! The cups are coded with symbols to represent different story elements. After reading their leveled text, students share each story element while building their cup pyramid from the bottom up. They can then record the story elements on the matching graphic organizer.

Learn more: Teach Outside the Box

2. Clip together a reading strategy fan

Modeling is the best way to guide students through reading comprehension strategies. But unless they’re actively participating in the process, they simply won’t retain enough of the strategy to make any meaningful difference in their own independent comprehension of text. That’s where these strategy fans come in. The link below shows how this teacher uses the cards in her class.

Learn more: Organized Classroom

3. Use a volcano graphic organizer

Demonstrate how to draw a simple volcano shape, divided into three sections, and have students draw one in their reading journal. After reading the first few pages of the story, ask students to write first impressions at the base of the volcano. This is also a good place to make predictions about where they think the story is going. At about the halfway point, have students write what they think and how they think the story is changing. Once they have finished reading, they will write what they think the story is really trying to teach them and what they took away from the story at the top of the volcano.

Learn more: Student Treasures

4. Compare characters

Encourage your students to think more deeply about the characters in a story. In the head of each figure, ask students to write a character’s name. Then have them write specific attributes about the character in the torso section. In the circle between the characters, have them write shared characteristics between the two figures.

Learn more: Florida Center for Reading Research

5. Construct a comprehension cootie catcher

Once the bane of classroom teachers, cootie catchers have become a novel way to practice skills that kids can get excited about. This free download from the Classroom Game Nook includes three versions with questions about characters, setting, plot, and more.

Learn more: The Classroom Game Nook

6. Put on a retelling glove

Retelling is a vital skill for young readers to work on to help them understand what they are reading. These gloves are a snappy accessory with labels that you can easily change. For fiction retellings, you can include setting, characters, problem, events, and solution. For nonfiction retellings, you can include main idea and supporting details. At the bottom of the glove, you can focus on making connections.

Learn more: One Giggle at a Time

7. Create a Wanted poster

This free lesson from Education.com is a fun writing and drawing activity that has students take what they know about the bad person in the story and turn the details into a colorful Wanted poster.

Learn more: Education.com

8. Roll and chat your way to understanding

If you’re looking for fun second grade reading comprehension activities that work well for stations or small-group work, try Roll & Chat. Players take turns rolling dice and answering questions about their reading.

Learn more: Playful in Primary

9. Toss a story ball around

Kids will love this version of toss using a beach ball customized with questions that can be used for any reading passage. It’s a great activity for review or when you want to keep the learning going, but your kids need to get up and move.

Learn more: Coffee Cups and Crayons

10. Follow a yellow brick road

This fun lesson is another way to work on retelling skills. Print out these free story-element cards. Then, lay them out to create a road. As students hop from one yellow “brick” to the next, they retell the story.

Learn more: Cara Carroll

11. Make a shutter book

This lovely foldable book is a great way for students to show their understanding of story elements in a colorful way. This is a great guided reading project to go along with a read-aloud.

Learn more: Upper Elementary Snapshots

12. Make book talks a regular part of your literacy block

Book talks are a great way for students to demonstrate their reading comprehension. But sometimes when students get up in front of others, they’re not quite sure what to talk about. Download these adorable topic cards to guide students as they tell their classmates about what they are reading.

Learn more: Teacher’s Takeout

13. Celebrate the joy of reading with Flashlight Fridays

I can’t think of a better way to end the week than implementing Flashlight Fridays into your ELA block. The students absolutely love reading in the dark and out of their desks. Add to the fun by allowing them to bring in cozy blankets and their favorite squishy!

Learn more: Flashlight Fridays

14. Implement Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures

When it comes to cooperative learning and active engagement, Dr. Spencer and Laurie Kagan are the ultimate masters. My personal favorite Kagan strategy is called “Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up.” Using this strategy, students are out of their seats and mix around the room. When they are signaled to stop, they find their nearest peer, partner up, and discuss whatever topic you choose. 

Learn more: Kagan Online

15. Play Fan-n-Pick

This is another Kagan strategy to use for second grade reading comprehension activities. Group students into teams of four, assigning each student a different role, which rotates each round. Students answer questions from a deck of index cards with questions relating to a text. The student roles are: Student 1 fans the cards; student 2 picks and reads a card; student 3 answers the question; and student 4 paraphrases and praises the answer. Make one set with generic story element questions for fiction, and another with informational text–type questions. Then you can use them over and over for anything you are reading!

Learn more: What Are Kagan Strategies?

16. Use digital workspaces to show off what was learned

Go a step further from written reports by using digital workspaces in your classroom. Use them for fiction book reports by labeling a slide for each story element (setting, characters, problem, solution, and plot) then have students fill in as they go. See how I used PebbleGo Create with my second graders to make visual interpretations of our nonfiction animal reports.

Learn more: How My Students Use Digital Workspaces

17. Play Kahoot!

Kahoot! has ready-made quizzes for every book under the sun. If you are feeling creative or can’t find what you are looking for, make your own. Students can play on their individual device or play in teams. Let the fun begin!

Learn more: Kahoot Ideas and Tips for Teachers

18. Design a timeline

This can be done in a number of ways. One way is to provide students with strips containing different story events and they can manipulate them to put them in order. An even more fun and creative idea? Have students fold a large piece of construction paper into six or eight squares. Each square can then be filled with a story event and accompanying picture. Dig even deeper by choosing one character from a story and making a timeline of his or her life.

Learn more: The Sunny Side Up Blog

19. Dress up a pumpkin as your favorite book character

This is the perfect fall book report project. Students fill in candy-shaped pages with different story element prompts. Have kids cut them out and place them in a bag designed with scenes from the story. Then use a pumpkin (real or fake) and dress it up as a character from the book. This can be tailored to other seasonal ideas, such as a bouquet of flowers in spring or a watermelon in the summer.

Learn more: Blog Hoppin’

20. Make a movie poster book report

Lights! Camera! Action! Your second graders will love this fun and creative movie poster book report. They will review all of the main story elements while creating an Oscar-worthy project.

Learn more: Happy Teacher Happy Students

21. Toss around reading comprehension cubes

These are great conversation starters that will encourage your students to discuss different aspects of a story with their classmates. Use them in centers, small groups, or as a whole-group activity. 

Buy it: Reading Comprehension Cubes at Amazon

22. Make a story-retelling paper bag book

These cute booklets are easy to make and focus on important story elements. Your students will have so much fun making them, while honing in on those important ELA skills. 

Learn more: Comprehension Connection

23. Create a lap-book-style book report

Lap books are another creative way to put thoughts to paper in writing, while still fostering those artistic vibes. Use this as a whole-group assignment after a read-aloud, or have students make one after reading a book independently.

Learn more: Cara’s Creative Playground

24. Complete a story element map

Students can handwrite their ideas or draw pictures describing each story element with this handy story map template. Kick things up a notch by making a double-sided copy to allow students to both write and draw their ideas!

Learn more: Katie Byrd

25. Play a storytelling-themed board game

Players draw random story elements and use them to tell a tall-tale type of story. With five different ways to play, it is easy to reach all types of learners and learning styles with this adaptable and fun game. 

Buy it: Tall Tales Storytelling Board Game on Amazon

26. Hold a Book Character Day

Book Character Day is one of those second grade reading comprehension activities that kids will remember forever! It gives them a chance to show how much they really know about one of their favorite characters. Encourage them to dress as their character and carry props that are part of their story. Maybe they’d even like to act like and talk in the voice of their character. Be sure to set aside time for each student to tell their classmates about the character they chose and why.

Learn more: Shann Eva’s Blog

If you like these second grade reading comprehension activities, check out our favorite second grade books .

Plus, get all the latest teaching tips and tricks by  signing up for our newsletters .

You Might Also Like

15 Engaging First Grade Reading Comprehension Activities

Moving beyond decoding to understanding what they read Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Rags to Riches: Answer questions in a quest for fame and fortune. This activity was created by a Quia Web subscriber. 202 COMMENTS 11 Research Project Strategies for Second Graders The more often they do it, the easier it will be for them! 7. Break down the skills and teach them as mini-lessons. "Teach the steps as individual lessons the culminate in a research paper or presentation.". — Hayley B. ADVERTISEMENT. "Give your students graphic organizers to help them keep organized.". — Helene E. 8. How to Teach Research Skills to Elementary Students in 2024 Generate questions for formal and informal inquiry with adult assistance. (TEKS 13A) Develop and follow a research plan with adult assistance. (TEKS 13B) Identify and gather relevant sources and information to answer the questions with adult assistance. (TEKS 13C) Demonstrate understanding of information gathered with adult assistance. How I Use Research Tools with My Second Graders PebbleGo is a curricular content hub specifically designed for K-3 students. Your students will love exploring PebbleGo time and time again. Get your free preview! Research skills are super important, but when you teach second grade hybrid like I do, they can be quite a challenge to teach. It's difficult to find age-appropriate digital ... Strengthen Research Skills for 2nd and 3rd Grades Use Research Vocabulary. It's important to use the proper vocabulary while teaching research skills to your youngest students. This is one way to build that strong foundation for future learning. Make sure you continue to use the same words with your second and third grade students, taking time to review their meanings and give examples as ... 50 Mini-Lessons For Teaching Students Research Skills It outlines a five-step approach to break down the research process into manageable chunks. This post shares ideas for mini-lessons that could be carried out in the classroom throughout the year to help build students' skills in the five areas of: clarify, search, delve, evaluate, and cite. It also includes ideas for learning about staying ... Teaching Research Skills to Elementary Students Teaching Research Skills with Guided Subject-Area Research. Choosing a Topic. Evaluating, Selecting, and Citing Sources of Information. Gathering Information. Organizing Information. Drafting and Revising. Enjoy Teaching Research Skills to Elementary Students. Our favorite fourth grade teacher sat at the side table with her student teacher ... 11 Research Project Strategies for Second Graders It provides an opportunity for young minds to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. In this article, we will explore 11 strategies to help second graders succeed in research projects. 1. Choose age-appropriate topics: Select topics that are interesting and relevant to second graders' lives. This will help them ... 11 Good 2nd Grade Research Topics You Haven't Thought Of Specific 2nd grade research topics to explore include…. Forms of energy. Renewable vs. nonrenewable resources. Advantages of renewable resources. Solar energy. Law of conservation of energy. 2. Scientists and Inventors. We can thank scientists and inventors for advancements in technology. Organizing Research in 1st & 2nd Grade The Common Core Standards ask our 1st and 2nd grade students to "Participate in shared research and writing projects", as well as, "…gather information from provided sources to answer a question.". Our students are very capable of participating in real-world research with the appropriate scaffolds, supports, and explicit instruction. 65+ Ideas, Tricks, and Tips for Teaching 2nd Grade Check out 49 of our favorites for teaching second grade here. 23. Use digital research tools to write reports. Research skills are super important, but they can be quite a challenge to teach to second graders. PebbleGo is a research tool specifically designed for K-3 students, and it covers topics in science, social studies, and more. 5 Tips and Tricks for Teaching Research in Elementary Here are five tips and tricks I have learned for teaching research skills to young children. Have a Process. Having a defined process that is appropriate for the age of your learners helps to organize your lessons. With my students, we use a modified version of the Super3 model, called the Super3+1. This includes the steps of plan, do, review ... 20 Second Grade Science Experiments That Build Essential Skills In second grade, students learn that matter has observable, physical properties. This 2 nd grade science experiment reinforces this concept by allowing students use their senses to observe, describe, and taste properties of matter. Students look at, feel, and taste different types of crackers in order to describe their properties. African American Inventors Research Project for 2nd Grade African American Inventors Trifold Research Project Template. These African American Inventors Research Tri-folds turned out great. They were the perfect way to teach how to pull out important information from a text AND use it! This would such a great project to use in your second grade classroom for Black History Month, or any time of the year! What second-grade academic skills typically look like in action By The Understood Team. Español. Kids in second grade are practicing the basic skills they already have in reading, writing, and math. But they're also building on them to learn more complex skills. Find out what second graders usually learn during the school year. Video: What second graders learn about adding and subtracting numbers. What your 2nd grader should have learned Write a letter to a friend or a relative, or a shopping list before going to the grocery story. Add and subtract 1- and 2-digit numbers up to 100 ( get addition practice ). Count up to 1,000. (Read more about what kids learn in 2nd grade math .) Read and write large numbers (For example: "nine thousand, four hundred, twenty-two". Second Grade Research Skills: BUNDLE by Vr2lTch This makes it easy to differentiate for students while teaching them critical research and media literacy skills that build the foundations for digital citizenship. AFTER downloading this resource you'll get: ⭐ Standards Based lessons that explain step - by - step how to teach second grade students: ️ how to develop research questions. Developmental milestones for second and third graders What you'll learn. Physical milestones. Cognitive milestones. Language milestones. Social and emotional milestones. By the time kids start second and third grade, school isn't new to them. But the skills they develop in these years are. At this age, kids make leaps in language and in the ways they think. Their social-emotional skills grow, too. Amplify CKLA Skills (2020) ELA K-2. Product Notes. Amplify CKLA K-2 Skills Readers have been redesigned to increase student engagement and a sense of connection with the decodable stories and their characters. Stories with human characters have improved diversity, inclusivity, and authenticity, while others have fantastical creatures to bring more excitement and whimsy ... 50 Fun and Easy 2nd Grade Science Experiments & Activities Drop a Mento in soda and watch it erupt. Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Medium. Here is another 2nd grade science experiment that will make your students explode with excitement. Drop a Mento candy in different types of soda, and see which one causes the tallest geyser. 2nd grade research projects This Best Selling Animals Habitat research packet leads learners on a project-based research adventure through various habitats (oceans, wetlands, swamps, grasslands, rainforests, and deserts). Students will work cooperatively to investigate habitats. This unit was also developed to allow students to take a more active role in their own learning. Skills kids need going into second grade Here are some other key skills kids need to be ready for second-grade math: Add and subtract numbers up to 20 (like 10 + 10 or 20 ‒ 10) Understand basic rules of addition and subtraction (like 6 + 2 is the same as 2 + 6) Solve word problems and problems with one- and two-digit numbers up to 20 (See a video on how second graders solve word ... 26 Fun Second Grade Reading Comprehension Activities 15. Play Fan-n-Pick. This is another Kagan strategy to use for second grade reading comprehension activities. Group students into teams of four, assigning each student a different role, which rotates each round. Students answer questions from a deck of index cards with questions relating to a text. Quia Research Skills - 2nd Grade. Tools. Copy this to my account; E-mail to a friend; Find other activities; Start over; Help; This activity was created by a Quia Web subscriber. Learn more about Quia: assignment essay homework paper phd review speech thesis