Virginia Standards of Learning (adopted in 2023): Grade 2
Skills available for Virginia second-grade social studies standards
Strand
Print skill plan
Skills
2 The student will apply history and social science skills to the content by
2 The student will apply history and social science skills to the content by
a: viewing and exploring information sources, including, but not limited to artifacts, primary and secondary sources, charts, graphs, and diagrams;
a: viewing and exploring information sources, including, but not limited to artifacts, primary and secondary sources, charts, graphs, and diagrams;
b: applying geographic skills to identify and understand geographic features and connections;
Geographic skills
Geographic features
b: applying geographic skills to identify and understand geographic features and connections;
Geographic skills
Geographic features
c: demonstrating curiosity and critical thinking through questioning and drawing conclusions;
c: demonstrating curiosity and critical thinking through questioning and drawing conclusions;
d: sequencing and organizing information;
d: sequencing and organizing information;
e: identifying similarities and differences to clarify and explain content;
Identify symbols, landmarks, and monuments
Symbols
Landmarks
Types of communities
e: identifying similarities and differences to clarify and explain content;
Identify symbols, landmarks, and monuments
Symbols
Landmarks
Types of communities
f: recognizing cause-and-effect relationships;
f: recognizing cause-and-effect relationships;
g: using economic decision-making models to make informed economic decisions;
g: using economic decision-making models to make informed economic decisions;
h: practicing civility, respect, hard work, honesty, trustworthiness, and responsible citizenship skills; and
h: practicing civility, respect, hard work, honesty, trustworthiness, and responsible citizenship skills; and
i: using content vocabulary to demonstrate comprehension.
Holidays
Famous people
Economic vocabulary
Geographic vocabulary
Urban, suburban, and rural
i: using content vocabulary to demonstrate comprehension.
Holidays
Famous people
Economic vocabulary
Geographic vocabulary
Urban, suburban, and rural
Civics
2.1 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
2.1 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
a: exercising freedom of expression;
a: exercising freedom of expression;
b: exercising freedom of religion;
b: exercising freedom of religion;
c: understanding equal protection;
c: understanding equal protection;
d: voting for local, state, and national representatives;
d: voting for local, state, and national representatives;
e: respecting and following laws;
e: respecting and following laws;
f: practicing honesty and trustworthiness; and
f: practicing honesty and trustworthiness; and
g: respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others.
g: respecting the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others.
2.2 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand citizenship by
2.2 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand citizenship by
a: identifying the benefits of being an American citizen; and
a: identifying the benefits of being an American citizen; and
b: identifying the responsibilities of being an American citizen.
b: identifying the responsibilities of being an American citizen.
2.3 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
2.3 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
a: Labor Day;
a: Labor Day;
b: Columbus Day (Yorktown Victory Day);
b: Columbus Day (Yorktown Victory Day);
c: Election Day;
c: Election Day;
d: Veterans Day;
d: Veterans Day;
e: Thanksgiving Day;
e: Thanksgiving Day;
f: Christmas Day;
f: Christmas Day;
g: New Year's Day;
g: New Year's Day;
h: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day;
h: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day;
i: George Washington Day (commonly known as Presidents' Day);
i: George Washington Day (commonly known as Presidents' Day);
j: Memorial Day;
j: Memorial Day;
k: Juneteenth; and
k: Juneteenth; and
l: Independence Day.
l: Independence Day.
2.4 The student will apply history and social science skills to recognize state and national symbols, including, but not limited to
2.4 The student will apply history and social science skills to recognize state and national symbols, including, but not limited to
a: locating the Virginia and United States capitals and Capitol buildings;
a: locating the Virginia and United States capitals and Capitol buildings;
b: explaining the meaning behind symbols, including, but not limited to the American flag, bald eagle, Washington Monument, Liberty Bell, and Statue of Liberty; and
Symbols, landmarks, and monuments
Symbols
Landmarks
Monuments
b: explaining the meaning behind symbols, including, but not limited to the American flag, bald eagle, Washington Monument, Liberty Bell, and Statue of Liberty; and
Symbols, landmarks, and monuments
Symbols
Landmarks
Monuments
c: learning about the meaning of the American flag and the words chosen in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.
c: learning about the meaning of the American flag and the words chosen in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem.
History
2.5 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
2.5 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
a: Indigenous nations and tribes of the Eastern Woodlands;
a: Indigenous nations and tribes of the Eastern Woodlands;
b: Indigenous nations and tribes of the Plains;
b: Indigenous nations and tribes of the Plains;
c: Indigenous nations and tribes of the Southwest; and
c: Indigenous nations and tribes of the Southwest; and
d: understanding Tribal Sovereignty, including but not limited to the importance of land, history, and culture.
d: understanding Tribal Sovereignty, including but not limited to the importance of land, history, and culture.
2.6 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.
2.6 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.
2.7 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
2.7 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
a: John Adams;
a: John Adams;
b: Benjamin Franklin;
b: Benjamin Franklin;
c: Alexander Hamilton;
c: Alexander Hamilton;
d: Patrick Henry;
d: Patrick Henry;
e: Thomas Jefferson;
e: Thomas Jefferson;
f: James Madison ("Father of the Constitution");
f: James Madison ("Father of the Constitution");
g: Paul Revere; and
g: Paul Revere; and
h: George Washington ("Father of our Country").
h: George Washington ("Father of our Country").
2.8 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
2.8 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
a: identifying reasons for the settlement of the thirteen colonies;
a: identifying reasons for the settlement of the thirteen colonies;
b: explaining the relationships between the colonies and Great Britain; and
b: explaining the relationships between the colonies and Great Britain; and
c: identifying key components of the Declaration of Independence.
c: identifying key components of the Declaration of Independence.
2.9 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand key events in United States history including, but not limited to
2.9 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand key events in United States history including, but not limited to
a: recognizing the reasons for moving the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., and the importance of the nation's capital; and
a: recognizing the reasons for moving the nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., and the importance of the nation's capital; and
b: describing the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on the westward expansion of the United States.
b: describing the impact of the Louisiana Purchase on the westward expansion of the United States.
2.1 The student will describe the contributions and roles of changemakers in United States history, including, but not limited to
2.1 The student will describe the contributions and roles of changemakers in United States history, including, but not limited to
a: 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;
a: 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;
b: Explorers and Adventurers: Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea, Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart;
b: Explorers and Adventurers: Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagawea, Neil Armstrong, Amelia Earhart;
c: 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.
c: 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.
Geography
2.11 The student will apply history and social science skills to develop geographic mapping skills using world maps and globes by
2.11 The student will apply history and social science skills to develop geographic mapping skills using world maps and globes by
a: locating the countries of North America and the bordering oceans;
a: locating the countries of North America and the bordering oceans;
b: identifying major rivers, mountain ranges, lakes, and other physical features in the United States.
b: identifying major rivers, mountain ranges, lakes, and other physical features in the United States.
2.12 The student will apply history and social science skills to connect geography to landmarks and historic events, including, but not limited to
2.12 The student will apply history and social science skills to connect geography to landmarks and historic events, including, but not limited to
a: Jefferson Memorial and Lincoln Memorial;
a: Jefferson Memorial and Lincoln Memorial;
b: Valley Forge and George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River; and
b: Valley Forge and George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River; and
c: Yellowstone National Park.
c: Yellowstone National Park.
Economics
2.13 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand basic economic principles by
2.13 The student will apply history and social science skills to understand basic economic principles by
a: 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);
a: 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);
b: distinguishing between needs and wants;
b: distinguishing between needs and wants;
c: 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; and
c: 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; and
d: explaining that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choices about producing and consuming goods and services.
d: explaining that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choices about producing and consuming goods and services.