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Bring Science Alive! Exploring Science Practices Grade 2
Bring Science Alive!

Exploring Science Practices Grade 2

Second graders investigate the properties of matter, the diversity of life, and how land and water shape our world, designing solutions to real problems as they think and build like engineers.

What Students Will Explore

Unit 1

Plant and Animal Survival

Let's figure out what plants need to live. You'll use what you know to plant your own garden.

Unit 2

Materials and Their Uses

Do you like playing outside? If you go out when it's cold, you might see a frozen pond or frost on leaves. If it's rainy, you might bring an umbrella to keep you dry. Let's find out how different weather can affect materials!

Unit 3

Earth's Surface

Let's go on a tour of America's national parks! Explore Earth's surface and how it changes. Then you'll use what you learned to make a model of a park and find out ways to protect a park beach.

Explore the Program

How Are Materials Used for Different Purposes?

Four children and a teacher work on a colorful craft project at a classroom table with maps in the background. LESSON

In this lesson, students design a bridge using various materials and test its strength when wet and dry.

Experience the Lesson
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Science materials mockup

Student Materials

  • Close-up of stacked steel rebar with a label for a grade 2 science journal titled Materials and Their Uses..

    Student Journal

    The colorful, easy-to-use, print consumable Science Journals combine standards-based content and rich activities that challenge students to ask questions, investigate phenomena, and demonstrate their learning. Also available in Spanish.

Teacher Materials

  • Close-up of metal cables with yellow clamps; cover of a Grade 2 science teachers guide titled Bring Science Alive!.

    Teacher's Guide

    Teacher's Guide supports everything from lesson planning to grading—step-by-step procedures, time estimates, differentiation strategies, and answer keys, ready to use offline or as a quick reference while teaching. Also available in Spanish.

  • Blue cover of Bring Science Alive! Picture Cards with text about charts, diagrams, and photographs.

    Picture Cards

    Picture Cards are reusable handouts for investigations that engage students in analyzing powerful images, maps, and graphs. Also available in Spanish.

  • Clear plastic storage box with purple handles, labeled Bring Science Alive! on the side, contains classroom materials.

    Materials Kit

    Bring Science Alive! comes with ready-to-use Materials Kits that support in-class investigations. Kits are thoughtfully organized for ease of use and to reduce waste. If you run low on consumable materials, order a refill kit from TCI's online store.

Reviews & Recognition

At TCI, we don't just say our programs work — we invite independent reviewers to put them to the test. Our social studies and science programs are reviewed by respected third-party organizations that analyze our resources for quality, effectiveness, and alignment with standards.

In addition to national recognition, our programs are reviewed and approved by individual states to ensure they meet specific requirements and standards. We also participate in landscape analyses that compare our offerings with those of other leading programs, so educators and districts can make informed choices.

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