Unit Plan 16 (Grade 2 Social Studies): Caring for Our Environment

Focus: Identify ways to protect land, water, and wildlife in the community; explain how people adapt to, use, and care for their environments; plan a small civic action to help the environment.

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: Social Studies (Geography • Environment • Civic Action)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students explore what it means to care for our environment—the land, water, and wildlife around them. Using photos, short videos, and simple texts, they notice examples of pollution, litter, and habitat damage, as well as examples of people protecting nature (planting trees, cleaning up trash, saving water). Students learn that people both use and depend on natural resources, and that even young children can take small actions to help. By the end of the week, they help plan a class civic action—such as a mini clean-up, a poster campaign, or a school reminder project—to protect land, water, or wildlife in their community.

Essential Questions

• What is our environment, and why are land, water, and wildlife important to our community?
• How do people use and adapt to the environment where they live?
• What are some ways people can harm the environment, and how can they protect it instead?
• How can children take action to help care for the environment at school, at home, and in the community?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Describe their local environment and identify examples of land, water, and wildlife in and around the community.
2. Sort examples of actions into “hurting the environment” (e.g., littering, wasting water) and “helping the environment” (e.g., recycling, planting, picking up trash).
3. Explain at least two ways people adapt to, use, and care for their environment (e.g., using water wisely, planting trees, using trash and recycling cans).
4. Work with classmates to plan a small civic action (such as a clean-up, poster campaign, or reminder project) to protect land, water, or wildlife.
5. Create a Caring for Our Environment Action Poster/Plan that shows a problem, a solution, and how the class or student will take action.

Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (C3-based custom)

• 2.C3.Geo.5 — Explain how people adapt to, use, and care for environments (resources, conservation).
  • Example: Give two ways the community reduces waste or protects water.
• 2.C3.Inq.5 — Plan and participate in a small civic action informed by learning.
  • Example: Design a poster campaign about crosswalk safety or recycling.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name examples of land, water, and wildlife in our community.
• I can sort actions into hurting the environment and helping the environment.
• I can explain at least two ways people care for the environment (like saving water or picking up litter).
• I can help my class plan a small civic action to protect land, water, or wildlife.
• I can make a poster or plan that shows a problem, a solution, and how we will take action.