Second Grade Science Vocabulary

Science is one of the most extensive subjects that second graders will study, with many varying subcategories and multifaceted elementary science vocabulary words. Making connections between second grade science concepts and the vocabulary that supports and describes them plays an undeniable role in learning and appreciating science.

Students can understand and evaluate these linkages easily at VocabularySpellingCity. Comprehensive second grade science curriculum lists have been developed to include the most common terms used to teach classroom science concepts. Students have the opportunity to have the words read to them, to play second grade science games, and to test their understanding online.

The seven categories below are available either at a glance (see “Summary Lists” below) or in extended form in the following categories: Scientific Inquiry, Matter, Energy, Motion, Space, Earth, and Life Science. Learning to use and understand vocabulary words from these science areas at the second grade level is key for students to advance to third grade science and beyond.

The activities available here will guide students in grasping the most complex terms by providing them with a fundamental understanding of their definitions. When students use animated interactive games to study essential second grade science terms, science is fun!

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2nd Grade Science Vocabulary
Words at a Glance

2nd Grade Scientific Inquiry

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Actions: classify, combine, decrease, definite, increase, produce, alter, cycle, add , drag, grow, magnify, mix, prevent, sort

Appearance: shine, silver, color, size, straight, surface, appearance, rectangle, circular, combination, rough, shimmer, shiny, smooth, texture, triangle, circle, square, luster, characteristics, dull, soft

Behavior: characteristics, float , gas, liquid ,, shine, sink, solid, warm, attract, cold, hot, magnetic, nonmagnetic, nonmetal, repel, temperature, composition, beaming, nonrenewable, silver, weaker, stronger, heat

Direction: east, left, north, right, south, west, direction, across, angle, back, down, far, farther, through, zigzag

Measurement Descriptors: distance, height, nonstandard measurement, standard measurement, technology, weight, width, time, greater, estimate, exact , heavy, less, longest, loud, shortest, more, length, standard, equal, touch, scent, see, smell, taste

Measurement Units: Celsius, centimeter, gram, meter, milliliter, unit of measure, year, Fahrenheit, hour, kilogram ,liter ,month, ounce, pound

Position: around, center, east, left, north, right, south, west, above, below, inside, outside, front, high, low, middle, near, position, over, under, away, behind, between, bottom, close, closer, in front, location, next to, top

Properties: gas, liquid , solid, matter, phase, volume, takes up space, substance, property, shape, mass, material, metal, mixture

Scientific Communication: bar graph, chart, data doesn't support, data supports, evidence, make conclusions, notebook, relationship, using models, share, graph, communicate, identify, imagine , infer , journal, model, predict, reconstruct, solutions

Scientific Jobs: scientist, biologist, geologist, physicist, zoologist, astronomer, engineer

Scientific Tools: meterstick , pedometer, ruler, thermometer , yard stick, metric system, tool, analog watch, balance scale, beaker, container, digital stopwatch, hourglass, scale, bar magnet, calendar, measuring cup, stop watch, tape measure, hand lens , horseshoe magnet, microscope , senses, telescope

The Scientific Method: attempt, balance, gather data , hypothesize , measure, observe , record, observation, problem, scientific method, investigate, control, differences, similarities, trials, variable, qualitative observations, quantitative observations, data, explore, compare,, pattern , scale, sequence, stronger, subtract, tally chart

2nd Grade Matter

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The Changes in Matter: boil, chemical change, condense, cool, evaporate, irreversible change, mix, phase changes, physical change, water vapor, phase, freeze, heat, melt, mixture, reversible change, irreversible change, rust, contract, condensation, change of state

The Properties of Matter: matter, nonmetal, phase, rubber, size, solution, substance, volume, wood, trait, atoms, chemical properties, light, mass, metal, molecules, physical property, solar energy, states of matter, texture, steam, solid, similarities, plastic, phases of matter, nonmagnetic, material, liquid, float, characteristics

2nd Grade Energy

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Electricity: circuit, coal, electricity, fossil fuel, heat energy, light, nonrenewable, power, renewable, electric current

Energy - Calories: calories,energy, heat gain, model energy system, nutrients,nutrition, resource, digestion, power, heat loss

2nd Grade Motion

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Spatial Relationships: heavy, center, loud, down, far, zigzag, above, back, below, power, direction, between, across, balance, in front, spring, behind, middle, greater, position, around, east, bottom, distance, equal, front, less, next to, weight, location

Force: attract, bar magnet, friction, horseshoe magnet, magnet, iron, motion, nonmetal, position, push, ring magnet, metal, repel, magnetic field, force, magnetism, pull, poles, away, nonmagnetic, gravity

Simple Machines: fixed point, fulcrum, inclined plane, pulley, ramp, screw, simple machine, wedge, wheel and axle, work

2nd Grade Space Science

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The Earth: rotation, attract, day , hour, morning, sunrise, sunset, gravity, planet, time, shadow, sphere, orbit, night , axis, direction, earth, magnetic field

The Moon: sphere, gravity, beaming, crater, crescent, moon , reflect , waning, waxing, full moon, visible, orbit, night , rotation, revolve, new moon, phases of the moon, third quarter moon, wane, wax

The Planets: Earth, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, Venus, revolution, color, composition, crater, material, moon , revolve, rotation, orbit, planet, appearance, attract, gravity, reflect, ellipse

The Seasons: distance, revolve, axis, direction, revolution, seasonal change, autumn, time, summer, winter, tilt of the axis, year, fall, month, season, spring, orbit

The Stars: appearance, gravity, reflect , revolution, light energy , solar system, star, material, composition, orbit, constellation, direction, distance, visible

The Sun: sphere, attract, visible, shiny, solar energy, solar system, space, sun

The Universe: solar system, asteroid , astronomer, astronomy, comet , galaxy, space science, telescope, universe, distance, expand, far, farther, model solar system, sequence, spaceship, meteor

2nd Grade Earth Science

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Earth's Surface: heat energy, map, surface, cast, Earth's surface, gravity, plants, sand, soil

Formation: erosion, flood, glacier, water , weathering, wind energy, physical change, water energy, landslide, substance

History of the Earth: air, big bang, absolute age, archaeologist, earth, extinct, imprint, ocean, paleontologist, reconstruct, ancient, cast, earth science, fossils, geologist, continent, land mass, lava, prehistoric animals, water

Inside the Earth: axis, core, crust , earthquake, equator, lava, magnetic field, mantle, north pole, south pole

Landforms: appearance, boulder , characteristics, crater, landform, map, mountain, plain, surface, valley, volcano

Minerals: geologist, luster, material, metal, mineral, mining, rock properties, silver, heat energy, rock

Resources: natural gas, natural resource, nonrenewable, oil, pollution, recover, recycle, renewable, water , biosphere, gasoline, nutrients, ocean, reduce , resource, heat energy, litter, nonliving, fossil fuel, gas , reuse, water pollution

The Water Cycle: ocean, freeze, accumulation, condensation, evaporation, water cycle, water, humidity, melt, weather, evaporate, liquid , water vapor

The Weather: air, climate, cloud, cold, cycle, drought, precipitation, sleet, temperate climate, tropical climate , water , rain, snow, thaw, smog, weather, humidity, cirrus clouds, cumulus clouds, freeze, hail, melt, stratus clouds

2nd Grade Life Science

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Animal Body Parts: scales, beak, tail, paw, wing, claw, feather, fin, flipper, gills

Animals: amphibian, animal, bird, fish, insect, mammal, population, reptile

Ecosystems: community, conservation, cycle, endangered, habitat , nonliving, relationship, savannah, tundra, Arctic, biosphere, desert, environment, forest , fresh water , grassland, lake , rain forest, salt water, ecosystem , aquarium , everglades, mangrove, ocean, pond, river , shelter, terrarium , marsh

Heredity: offspring, parent , heredity, inherit , survival, reproduction, characteristics, differences, trait, adapt

Life Cycle: life cycle, grow, adult, life form, hatch, egg, embryo, metamorphosis

Living Things: organism, appearance, basic needs, classify, community, extinct, cells, need, habitat

Natural Selection: adapt, adapt, characteristics, compete, differences, survival, want, population, variation, natural selection

Plants: flower, leaf, root, stem, blade, photosynthesis, root, absorb

Resources: air pollution, energy, fossil fuel, gasoline, need, recycle, renewable, resource, nonrenewable, smog, natural resource, water, farm, garbage, heat energy, natural gas, oil, plastic, pollution

The Body: backbone, breathe, digestion, ears, eyes, lungs, mouth, nose, skeleton, teeth

The Food Chain: community, plants, species, carnivore, consumer, herbivore, omnivore, predator, prey, producer, consumer, organism, food chain, nutrients, predator, prey, producer, food, compete, water, carnivore, food web, herbivore, omnivore

The Weather: accumulation, climate, evaporation, freeze, hail, melt, precipitation, rain, snow

For a complete online Science curriculum in First Grade Science, Second Grade Science, Third Grade Science, Fourth Grade Science, Fifth Grade Science, Sixth Grade Science, or Seventh Grade Science visit Time4Learning.com.

Educational Science Games

Here are some fun Science Games from LearningGamesForKids by category: Science Songs, Science Videos, Science Experiment Videos, Space Games, Weather Games, or Science Experiment Games.

For more kindergarten learning resources, kindergarten math vocabulary words, kindergarten homeschool curriculum, free kindergarten vocabulary games, free science games, and a school science curriculum.