Changes in plants and animals can be naturally observed as students compare and contrast changes that occur with each season. Students already have a basic understanding of the seasons from Kindergarten. Students in second grade are starting to see relationships between ideas and should be able to draw conclusions about how the seasons influence changes in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals. Animals are very different in the way they care for their young. In Kindergarten, students explore the idea that animals do not behave like humans.
Different species have unique behaviors.
Influences on these behaviors will be discussed thoroughly in the third and fourth grades. In the second grade, students will focus on how different animals care for their young and what this care means for their survival. When animals such as fish produce large numbers of offspring, the young must quickly learn how to protect themselves and survive on their own. The study of seeds and how they are dispersed will help students understand how things change as they watch the process of plant growth from a seed to an adult plant with flowers and seeds. The role of weather, animals, and humans on seed disposal is also discussed.