Maryland

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Skills available for Maryland second-grade social studies standards

Standards are in black and IXL social studies skills are in dark green. Hold your mouse over the name of a skill to view a sample question. Click on the name of a skill to practice that skill.

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Maryland Social Studies Framework (revised in 2025): 2nd grade Maryland Social Studies Framework (revised in 2025): 2nd grade
Maryland Social Studies Framework Maryland Social Studies Framework
Maryland State Curriculum Maryland State Curriculum

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1 Civics

1.1 Common Good
- 2.1.1 Students will analyze the role of the common good by:
  - 2.1.1.a defining equality as the same freedoms that are held by all people.
  - 2.1.1.b defining equity as people having what they need to be successful regardless of their identities.
  - 2.1.1.c recognizing that people are sometimes not treated fairly for reasons beyond their control.
  - 2.1.1.d explaining that the common good strives for goals of freedom, equality, equity, and fairness within a community.
    - Purpose of government (2-D.1)
1.2 Government
- 2.1.2 Students will analyze democracy by:
  - 2.1.2.a identifying that leaders in a democracy address the wants and needs of the people they serve.
    - Purpose of government (2-D.1)
  - 2.1.2.b exploring governing powers at school and their local community, and how they can harness those powers.
  - 2.1.2.c contrasting challenges governing powers face based on where they are located, and the resources that are available to them.
  - 2.1.2.d exploring how voting rights and the opportunity to participate impact the voting process and outcomes.
  - 2.1.2.e exploring tools of communication that Americans use to have their voices and ideas heard by those in government.
1.3 Democracy
- 2.1.3 Students will understand democratic ideals by:
  - 2.1.3.a identifying how multiple perspectives in a democratic society can complicate conflict resolution.
  - 2.1.3.b comparing how various systems of government have resolved conflict in the past and today.
  - 2.1.3.c identifying the communities in which they belong are democratic and those that are not.
  - 2.1.3.d recognizing how democratic symbols represent American values.
  - 2.1.3.e explaining what makes the United States a democratic community.
  - 2.1.3.f identifying the local, state, and federal levels of government.
1.4 Civic Engagement
- 2.1.4 Students will analyze responsible civic engagement by:
  - 2.1.4.a describing characteristics of good citizenship through historic figures and ordinary citizens.
  - 2.1.4.b explaining how participating in civic activities engages citizens with their communities.
  - 2.1.4.c identifying civic engagement activities on the local, state, and national level.

2 Geography

2.1 Place
- 2.2.1 Students will be able to explain how location makes their community unique by:
  - 2.2.1.a locating Maryland using cardinal directions on maps, globes, GPS, and Google Earth.
    - Read a map: cardinal directions (2-A.4)
  - 2.2.1.b describing the relative location of Maryland by identifying the equator and north and south poles.
  - 2.2.1.c identifying continents and oceans near and far from Maryland on maps and globe.
    - Identify oceans and continents (2-B.3)
    - Select oceans and continents (2-B.4)
  - 2.2.1.d locating key physical features and human-made features in their school community using maps and other geographic tools.
    - Use a map key (2-A.5)
  - 2.2.1.e describing where places are located in their school community on a map using relative distance and direction, such as near-far, above-below, and cardinal directions.
    - Introduction to cardinal directions (2-A.3)
  - 2.2.1.f analyzing the school's community using bird's eye view that includes important landmarks in a school or community.
2.2 Human and Environmental Interaction
- 2.2.2 Students will analyze the human and environmental interactions in their school community by:
  - 2.2.2.a contrasting how regions across Maryland modify their environment to meet changing needs for shelter.
  - 2.2.2.b describing why and how people in Maryland protect the environment.
  - 2.2.2.c explaining how people adapt to changes in the environment.
    - John Deere (2-H.6)
    - George Washington Carver (2-H.14)
2.3 Movement of People, Goods, and Ideas
- 2.2.3 Students will describe how transportation and communication link people and places by the movement of goods and ideas by:
  - 2.2.3.a explaining how transportation links goods and people both near and far.
  - 2.2.3.b explaining how communication links people to ideas both near and far.
  - 2.2.3.c identifying goods and ideas that make their community special and come from both near and far.
    - Natural resources (2-F.2)

3 Economics

3.1 Producers
- 2.3.1 Students will analyze producers by:
  - 2.3.1.a explaining how producers and consumers use natural, capital, and human resources.
    - Natural resources (2-F.2)
    - Producers and consumers (2-F.4)
  - 2.3.1.b determining the key economic questions of what to produce, how to produce, and for whom to produce as guiding economic questions economists.
    - What is economics? (3-H.1)
  - 2.3.1.c identifying the government as a producer who uses tax money to produce goods and services.
    - Purpose of government (2-D.1)
  - 2.3.1.d connecting the goods and services that are produced by local businesses and government to address the wants and needs of their community.
  - 2.3.1.e explaining how goods and services have changed over time.
  - 2.3.1.f identifying how technology and transportation have changed how goods and services are produced and exchanged.
3.2 Consumers
- 2.3.2 Students will analyze consumer by:
  - 2.3.2.a explaining that because of scarcity, people must make choices about what they consume.
    - Scarcity and choices (2-F.1)
  - 2.3.2.b differentiating between goods and services.
    - Goods and services (2-F.3)
  - 2.3.2.c explaining how consumers make decisions based on the costs and benefits of goods and services.
  - 2.3.2.d identifying how incentives influence consumers.
  - 2.3.2.e identifying opportunity cost and trade-offs as the result of choices.
  - 2.3.2.f determining how consumers acquire goods and services.
3.3 Personal Finance
- 2.3.3 Students will describe an economy by:
  - 2.3.3.a explaining how available resources, wants, and needs influence family decisions.
  - 2.3.3.b identifying how people earn money.
  - 2.3.3.c identifying age-appropriate financial goals.
  - 2.3.3.d describing situations in which saving is necessary.
  - 2.3.3.e explaining the meaning and purpose of taxes.
  - 2.3.3.f developing a spending and saving plan including income and expenses.

4 History

4.1 Context
- 2.4.1 Students will analyze change over time by:
  - 2.4.1.a creating timelines of key events from earlier time periods.
  - 2.4.1.b analyzing events from the past using evidence that includes the voice of the people involved in the event.
  - 2.4.1.c explaining why multiple perspectives emerge from people who experience a common event.
  - 2.4.1.d analyzing the role that time, place, and surrounding events have on influencing how people interpret the present and past.
4.2 Life in the Past
- 2.4.2 Students will analyze life in the past by:
  - 2.4.2.a analyzing photographs, images, and text from the past.
  - 2.4.2.b comparing images and text descriptions of the past with today.
  - 2.4.2.c explaining how life today is similar and different than in the past using evidence from a variety of sources.

Maryland

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1 Civics

1.1 Common Good

2.1.1 Students will analyze the role of the common good by:

2.1.1.a defining equality as the same freedoms that are held by all people.

2.1.1.b defining equity as people having what they need to be successful regardless of their identities.

2.1.1.c recognizing that people are sometimes not treated fairly for reasons beyond their control.

2.1.1.d explaining that the common good strives for goals of freedom, equality, equity, and fairness within a community.

1.2 Government

2.1.2 Students will analyze democracy by:

2.1.2.a identifying that leaders in a democracy address the wants and needs of the people they serve.

2.1.2.b exploring governing powers at school and their local community, and how they can harness those powers.

2.1.2.c contrasting challenges governing powers face based on where they are located, and the resources that are available to them.

2.1.2.d exploring how voting rights and the opportunity to participate impact the voting process and outcomes.

2.1.2.e exploring tools of communication that Americans use to have their voices and ideas heard by those in government.

1.3 Democracy

2.1.3 Students will understand democratic ideals by:

2.1.3.a identifying how multiple perspectives in a democratic society can complicate conflict resolution.

2.1.3.b comparing how various systems of government have resolved conflict in the past and today.

2.1.3.c identifying the communities in which they belong are democratic and those that are not.

2.1.3.d recognizing how democratic symbols represent American values.

2.1.3.e explaining what makes the United States a democratic community.

2.1.3.f identifying the local, state, and federal levels of government.

1.4 Civic Engagement

2.1.4 Students will analyze responsible civic engagement by:

2.1.4.a describing characteristics of good citizenship through historic figures and ordinary citizens.

2.1.4.b explaining how participating in civic activities engages citizens with their communities.

2.1.4.c identifying civic engagement activities on the local, state, and national level.

2 Geography

2.1 Place

2.2.1 Students will be able to explain how location makes their community unique by:

2.2.1.a locating Maryland using cardinal directions on maps, globes, GPS, and Google Earth.

2.2.1.b describing the relative location of Maryland by identifying the equator and north and south poles.

2.2.1.c identifying continents and oceans near and far from Maryland on maps and globe.

2.2.1.d locating key physical features and human-made features in their school community using maps and other geographic tools.

2.2.1.e describing where places are located in their school community on a map using relative distance and direction, such as near-far, above-below, and cardinal directions.

2.2.1.f analyzing the school's community using bird's eye view that includes important landmarks in a school or community.

2.2 Human and Environmental Interaction

2.2.2 Students will analyze the human and environmental interactions in their school community by:

2.2.2.a contrasting how regions across Maryland modify their environment to meet changing needs for shelter.

2.2.2.b describing why and how people in Maryland protect the environment.

2.2.2.c explaining how people adapt to changes in the environment.

2.3 Movement of People, Goods, and Ideas

2.2.3 Students will describe how transportation and communication link people and places by the movement of goods and ideas by:

2.2.3.a explaining how transportation links goods and people both near and far.

2.2.3.b explaining how communication links people to ideas both near and far.

2.2.3.c identifying goods and ideas that make their community special and come from both near and far.

3 Economics

3.1 Producers

2.3.1 Students will analyze producers by:

2.3.1.a explaining how producers and consumers use natural, capital, and human resources.

2.3.1.b determining the key economic questions of what to produce, how to produce, and for whom to produce as guiding economic questions economists.

2.3.1.c identifying the government as a producer who uses tax money to produce goods and services.

2.3.1.d connecting the goods and services that are produced by local businesses and government to address the wants and needs of their community.

2.3.1.e explaining how goods and services have changed over time.

2.3.1.f identifying how technology and transportation have changed how goods and services are produced and exchanged.

3.2 Consumers

2.3.2 Students will analyze consumer by:

2.3.2.a explaining that because of scarcity, people must make choices about what they consume.

2.3.2.b differentiating between goods and services.

2.3.2.c explaining how consumers make decisions based on the costs and benefits of goods and services.

2.3.2.d identifying how incentives influence consumers.

2.3.2.e identifying opportunity cost and trade-offs as the result of choices.

2.3.2.f determining how consumers acquire goods and services.

3.3 Personal Finance

2.3.3 Students will describe an economy by:

2.3.3.a explaining how available resources, wants, and needs influence family decisions.

2.3.3.b identifying how people earn money.

2.3.3.c identifying age-appropriate financial goals.

2.3.3.d describing situations in which saving is necessary.

2.3.3.e explaining the meaning and purpose of taxes.

2.3.3.f developing a spending and saving plan including income and expenses.

4 History

4.1 Context

2.4.1 Students will analyze change over time by:

2.4.1.a creating timelines of key events from earlier time periods.

2.4.1.b analyzing events from the past using evidence that includes the voice of the people involved in the event.

2.4.1.c explaining why multiple perspectives emerge from people who experience a common event.