What your child learns in Grade 2 in Nova Scotia
In Grade 2, reading becomes smoother and writing gets longer. Math moves to numbers to 100, addition and subtraction, patterns and graphs. Science covers growth, liquids and solids, and social studies looks at communities and what people contribute.
Grade 2 subjects in the Nova Scotia Curriculum
Math
Big Ideas
- Number: Develop number sense.
- Patterns and Relations: Use patterns to describe the world and solve problems.
- Measurement: Use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems.
12 units, including skip counting, tens & ones, bigger or smaller, even, odd and ordinals.
English Language Arts
Big Ideas
- A1 Foundations of Language: Learners will apply listening, speaking, and non-verbal communication skills and strategies to understand and communicate meaning for various audiences, purposes, and contexts.
- A2 Foundations of Language: Learners will apply understanding of foundational language knowledge and skill when reading and writing.
- A3 Foundations of Language: Learners will apply knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation when reading and writing.
12 units, including listen and speak, ask and answer, rhyme time, sound detectives.
Science
Big Ideas
- Earth and Space Science: Air and water in the environment. Learners will analyse the interconnectiveness of air and water in the environment, inclusive of a Mi’kmaw perspective.
- Life Science: Animal Growth and Changes. Learners will analyse the relationship between animal growth and the environment.
- Physical Science: Liquids and solids. Learners will investigate liquids, solids, and mixtures.
7 units, including water world, air & water for life, life cycles, animal life cycles.
Social Studies
Big Ideas
- Investigate change in the community. Learners will investigate change in the community.
- Investigate how individuals and diverse cultural groups have contributed to change. Learners will investigate how individuals and diverse cultural groups, including Acadians, African Nova Scotians, Gaels, and Mi’kmaq, have contributed to change.
- Investigate how decisions are made as consumers. Learners will investigate how decisions are made as consumers.
5 units, including then & now, people who shaped our communities, needs & wants, smart shoppers.
French Immersion
Big Ideas
- French Immersion is first and foremost a language program: French is both the language students learn in and the language they learn.
- Early French Immersion begins in Primary and Late French Immersion in Grade 7, and both follow Français arts langagiers.
- Students listen, speak, read and write in French for real purposes and audiences.
6 units, including le, la, un, une, les adjectifs, l'ordre des mots, les contes.
What to look for on the report card
Look for fluent reading, longer writing, comfort with adding and subtracting, and the ability to explain thinking.
Nova Scotia report cards describe learning with Needs development, Developing as expected, Well developed, Well developed and extending. See what each level means.
The Essential Graduation Competencies grow through every subject from Primary to Grade 12. Read about graduation competencies.
Ready for Grade 2?
Grade 2 builds on what your child practised in Grade 1. If a skill feels shaky, a few short practice sessions before or early in the year can help:
- Math: numbers to 20, make 10, adding, take away, equal or not
- English Language Arts: blend it, short vowels, word families, sh, ch, th, sight words
- Science: sky & seasons, living things, animal survival, a healthy environment, materials
- Social Studies: different & alike, our land, needs & wants, maps, mi’kmaw communities
- French Immersion: je me présente, majuscule et point, est-ce que…?, les verbes d'action, couleurs et adjectifs
Common questions
What do kids learn in Grade 2 in Nova Scotia?
Grade 2 covers math, english language arts, science, social studies, french immersion in the Nova Scotia Curriculum. In Grade 2, reading becomes smoother and writing gets longer. Math moves to numbers to 100, addition and subtraction, patterns and graphs. Science covers growth, liquids and solids, and social studies looks at communities and what people contribute.
How is Grade 2 reported in Nova Scotia?
Nova Scotia report cards describe learning with Needs development, Developing as expected, Well developed, Well developed and extending.
How can I help my Grade 2 child at home?
Short, regular practice works better than long sessions: 10 to 15 minutes a few times a week, on the skills your child's teacher flags. Read together, use math in real life, and praise effort.
Practise Grade 2 skills with Gradelings
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