Second graders are diving into their first social studies unit over the environment. This unit teaches students how they have positive and negative impacts on their environment. Students started the unit by watching a hook video that shows how a community changes over time and brainstorming a list of questions. Students then learned about primary and secondary sources and when it is appropriate to use each type.
After looking at real-life examples and having a class discussion over each type of landform, such as mountains, hills, valleys, plains, volcanoes, etc., students participated in a class game where they were given a set of clues and had to identify the landform described.
Students then learned about different types of bodies of water on Earth. They again looked at real-life examples, had class discussions and worked together to identify each. To review, partners worked together to match a picture to the body of water or landform shown.
As a final project over the landform part of this unit. Students created their own islands by drawing a map and including at least 6 landforms or bodies of water that were previously taught.
Students will continue this unit by learning about renewable and non-renewable resources and the impact that they have on our environment.