Grade 2 Social Studies SOL Standards

The student will apply history and social science skills to distinguish between the rights and responsibilities that individuals have in the United States, including, but not limited to

exercising freedom of expression

exercising freedom of religion

understanding equal protection

voting for local, state, and national representatives

respecting and following laws

practicing honesty and trustworthiness

respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others

The student will describe the contributions and roles of changemakers in United States history, including, but not limited to

Scholars and Inventors: Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Banneker, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington Carver, Booker T. Washington, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Steve Jobs, Jonas Salk, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Mary Jackson

Explorers and Adventurers: Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea, Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart

Reformers and Champions: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, Cesar Chavez, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Sen. Daniel Inouye, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama

The student will apply history and social science skills to develop geographic mapping skills using world maps and globes by

locating the countries of North America and the bordering oceans

identifying major rivers, mountain ranges, lakes, and other physical features in the United States

The student will apply history and social science skills to connect geography to landmarks and historic events, including, but not limited to

Jefferson Memorial and Lincoln Memorial

Valley Forge and George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River

Yellowstone National Park

The student will apply history and social science skills to understand basic economic principles by

identifying natural resources (e.g., water, soil, wood, coal), human resources (i.e., people at work), and capital resources (e.g., machines, tools, computers, buildings)

distinguishing between needs and wants

distinguishing between the use of barter and the use of money in the exchange for goods and services and describing how money makes trading easier than barter

explaining that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choices about producing and consuming goods and services

The student will apply history and social science skills to understand citizenship by

identifying the benefits of being an American citizen

identifying the responsibilities of being an American citizen

The student will apply history and social science skills to explain how communities honor local and national traditions and recognize designated Virginia holidays, including but not limited to

Labor Day

Columbus Day (Yorktown Victory Day)

Election Day

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day;

Christmas Day

New Year’s Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

George Washington Day (commonly known as Presidents’ Day)

Memorial Day

Juneteenth

Independence Day

The student will apply history and social science skills to recognize state and national symbols, including, but not limited to

locating the Virginia and United States capitals and Capitol buildings

explaining the meaning behind symbols, including, but not limited to the American flag, bald eagle, Washington Monument, Liberty Bell, and Statue of Liberty

learning about the meaning of the American flag and the words chosen in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem

The student will use history and social science skills to identify the geographic location, use of resources, and contributions of Indigenous peoples past and present, including

Indigenous nations and tribes of the Eastern Woodlands

Indigenous nations and tribes of the Plains

Indigenous nations and tribes of the Southwest

understanding Tribal Sovereignty, including but not limited to the importance of land, history, and culture

The student will use history and social science skills to identify the geographic location, use of resources, and contributions of European explorers, and their influence on the development of North America, including, but not limited to the English, French, and Spanish

The student will apply history and social science skills to describe the revolutionaries who fought for America’s freedom (1764–1781), including, but not limited to

John Adams

Benjamin Franklin

Alexander Hamilton

Patrick Henry

Thomas Jefferson

James Madison (“Father of the Constitution”)

Paul Revere

George Washington (“Father of our Country”)

The student will apply history and social science skills to understand the principles of American democracy and relate them to the founding of the nation by

identifying reasons for the settlement of the thirteen colonies

explaining the relationships between the colonies and Great Britain

identifying key components of the Declaration of Independence

The student will apply history and social science skills to understand key events in United States history including, but not limited to

recognizing the reasons for moving the nation’s capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., and the importance of the nation’s capital

describing the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on the westward expansion of the United States

Skills

Economics

History

Geography

Civics

The student will apply history and social science skills to the content by

viewing and exploring information sources, including, but not limited to artifacts, primary and secondary sources, charts, graphs, and diagrams

applying geographic skills to identify and understand geographic features and connections

demonstrating curiosity and critical thinking through questioning and drawing conclusions

sequencing and organizing information

identifying similarities and differences to clarify and explain content

recognizing cause-and-effect relationships

using economic decision-making models to make informed economic decisions

practicing civility, respect, hard work, honesty, trustworthiness, and responsible citizenship skills

using content vocabulary to demonstrate comprehension