Discover Nature Schools 2nd Grade Unit

This Discover Nature School (DNS) program Second Grade: Life and Land in Missouri is designed specifically for Second Grade students. This curriculum is aligned to all Missouri Learning Science (MLS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) including the four components of Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Life Science and Engineering and Technology Science.  

This curriculum follows the school year with 6 units and 21 lessons. All lessons use the 5E instruction model beginning with Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate and tie into Missouri-focused phenomena and guiding questions such as “How do insects and birds help plants?”, “How and why do seeds disperse and scatter?”, “Where would a sunflower grow best in your schoolyard?”, and “How do landforms shape Missouri and the world?” Each lesson concludes with a Claim, Evidence, Reasoning student page where students revisit the investigative questions and provide evidence from their learning to support their claim and reasoning. There are 6 lessons that explore the Engineering Design Process. Each unit concludes with a Unit Review and a Putting It All Together student assessment task. 

The teacher training introduces teachers to the free student guide and teacher guide as well as the MDC Teacher Portal and other resources. The MDC Conservation Educator will prepare you to teach the lessons both indoors and outdoors and address any concerns with outdoor structured activities. Participating classroom teachers who are certified following training receive the DNS Second Grade Teacher Kit and funding to transport students on their field experience outside of school grounds.