Class 2 General Science
Explore measurement, materials, water, solids and liquids, heating and cooling, motion, forces, friction, light, shadows, sound, magnets, Earth, the Moon and scientific investigations through 30 practical and age-appropriate General Science lessons.
📏 Measurement and Material Properties
Measuring Objects with Simple Tools
Measurement helps scientists describe objects more accurately. We can use tools such as rulers, measuring tapes and simple balances to compare properties such as length and mass.
Ruler → Measures length
Measuring tape → Measures longer or curved distances
Balance → Compares mass
Use a ruler to measure the length of a pencil, notebook and eraser in centimetres.
Begin measuring from the zero mark of the ruler whenever possible.
Comparing Materials by Strength
Materials differ in how well they resist forces without breaking, tearing or changing shape. This property can be described as strength, but strength can mean different things depending on how a material is tested.
Tissue paper tears easily under a small pulling force.
Cardboard usually resists the same type of pull more strongly.
With teacher supervision, compare safe samples of paper, cardboard and cloth using the same gentle test.
A fair comparison uses similar-sized samples and the same type of test.
Testing Materials for Flexibility
Flexible materials can bend relatively easily without breaking. Rigid materials resist bending. Different materials have different levels of flexibility.
Rubber strip → Flexible
Wooden ruler → More rigid
Gently test teacher-approved materials and classify them as more flexible or more rigid.
Never force a rigid object to bend because it may snap.
Investigating Water Absorption
Some materials absorb water, meaning water enters spaces within the material. Other materials absorb very little water.
Sponge → Absorbs water well
Plastic sheet → Absorbs very little water
Place equal small drops of water on teacher-approved samples such as cloth, paper and plastic. Observe what happens.
Use the same amount of water when comparing materials.
Comparing Waterproof and Absorbent Materials
Absorbent materials take in water. Waterproof materials are designed to resist water passing through them under particular conditions.
Towel → Absorbent
Raincoat material → Designed to resist water
Compare small samples and decide which might be useful for making a towel and which might be useful for a rain cover.
Different properties make materials suitable for different jobs.
Exploring Soluble and Insoluble Substances
When some substances are mixed with water, they dissolve and form a solution. Other substances do not dissolve noticeably under the same conditions.
Salt → Dissolves in water
Sand → Does not dissolve in water
With teacher supervision, add small equal amounts of salt and sand to separate cups of water. Stir and observe.
Dissolving is different from simply disappearing. The dissolved substance is still present in the solution.
Investigating Floating and Sinking
Objects behave differently when placed in water. Some float at the surface, while others sink. Floating depends on factors including material, shape and how mass is distributed relative to the object’s volume.
Object → Predict float or sink → Test → Record result
Test several safe objects in a shallow container of water. Record which float and which sink.
An object’s size alone does not tell us whether it will float.
💧 Solids, Liquids, Heating and Cooling
Understanding Solids and Liquids
Solids and liquids are two common states of matter. A solid keeps its own shape under ordinary conditions, while a liquid flows and takes the shape of the part of its container that it occupies.
Solid → Stone, pencil, ice
Liquid → Water, milk, cooking oil
Sort pictures of familiar materials into solids and liquids.
A liquid changes shape when moved between differently shaped containers.
Observing Changes Caused by Heating
Heating can cause materials to change. For example, heating ice causes it to melt into liquid water.
Ice + heat from warmer surroundings → Liquid water
Place an ice cube in a bowl at room temperature and observe how it changes over time.
Class 2 experiments do not require flames, boiling water or hot appliances. Heating activities involving high temperatures must only be handled by adults.
Observing Changes Caused by Cooling
Cooling can also cause changes. Liquid water can freeze into solid ice when its temperature becomes sufficiently low.
Liquid water → Cooling sufficiently → Ice
Observe water before freezing and an ice cube made from water. Compare their shape and ability to flow.
Melting and freezing are changes between solid and liquid states.
🚗 Motion, Forces and Friction
Investigating Different Types of Motion
Objects can move in different ways. They may travel in a straight or curved path, rotate, roll, swing or move back and forth.
Ball → Rolls
Fan blade → Rotates
Swing → Moves back and forth
Observe several moving objects and describe the type of motion you see.
An object can sometimes show more than one type of motion.
Understanding Direction of Movement
Direction describes where an object is moving. We can use words such as left, right, forward, backward, upward and downward.
A ball can roll forward, then change direction after hitting a safe barrier.
Roll a toy car safely and describe its direction using direction words.
A force can sometimes change the direction of a moving object.
Exploring the Effects of Push and Pull
Pushes and pulls are forces. They can start an object moving, slow it down, stop it, speed it up or change its direction.
Push a toy car → It may start moving
Pull a wagon → It moves toward the pull
Apply gentle pushes of different strengths to a toy car and observe how its motion changes.
The effect of a force depends on the object and how the force is applied.
Understanding Speed Through Observation
Speed describes how quickly something moves. We can compare speed by observing objects travelling the same distance.
Same distance + different travel times → The object taking less time has greater average speed over that distance.
Race two toy cars over the same marked distance and observe which reaches the finish first.
Use the same distance when making a simple speed comparison.
Investigating Friction on Different Surfaces
Friction is a force that resists relative motion between surfaces that are touching. Different surfaces can produce different amounts of friction.
Toy moving on smooth tile
Toy moving on rough carpet
Release the same toy from the same simple ramp onto two different safe surfaces. Compare how far it travels.
Change only the surface when you want to make a fair comparison.
💡 Light, Materials and Shadows
Exploring Sources of Light
A light source produces light. Some sources are natural, while others are made by people.
Human-made: Electric lamp, torch, LED light
Sort pictures into natural light sources and human-made light sources.
An object that only reflects light is not itself a light source.
Understanding Transparent Materials
Transparent materials allow much visible light to pass through. Objects behind them can usually be seen clearly.
Clear glass • Clean water • Clear plastic
Look through several safe materials and identify which allow you to see an object clearly.
Transparent materials transmit much of the visible light that reaches them.
Understanding Translucent Materials
Translucent materials allow some light through but scatter it, so objects behind them are usually not seen clearly.
Frosted glass • Tracing paper • Some thin plastics
Compare viewing an object through clear plastic and tracing paper.
Translucent materials transmit light without providing a clear image.
Understanding Opaque Materials
Opaque materials do not allow visible light to pass directly through them in a way that lets us see objects behind them.
Wood • Cardboard • Metal sheet
Classify teacher-approved materials as transparent, translucent or opaque.
Opaque objects can block light and produce shadows.
Investigating Shadow Size and Position
The size and position of a shadow depend on the positions of the light source, object and surface receiving the shadow. Changing these positions can change the shadow.
Light → Object → Shadow on screen
Using a safe lamp or torch, move an object closer to and farther from the light source. Observe how its shadow changes.
Change one position at a time if you want to understand what caused the shadow to change.
🔊 Sound and Vibrations
Understanding How Sound Is Produced
Sound begins when an object or part of an object vibrates. These vibrations can cause vibrations in surrounding material, such as air, which can carry sound to our ears.
Strike a drum gently → Drum surface vibrates → Sound is produced
Gently tap a teacher-approved drum or stretched surface and observe or feel the vibration safely.
Sound is associated with vibrations.
Exploring Sound Through Vibrating Objects
Different vibrating objects can produce different sounds. Changing how an object vibrates can change the sound we hear.
Plucked rubber band • Tapped ruler • Shaken container
With teacher supervision, gently pluck a stretched rubber band and watch it vibrate.
Keep stretched objects away from faces and eyes, and use only teacher-approved materials.
Comparing High and Low Sounds
Pitch describes how high or low a sound seems. Faster vibration rates generally produce higher pitches, while slower vibration rates generally produce lower pitches.
High pitch → Sounds higher
Low pitch → Sounds lower
Listen to pairs of safe teacher-produced sounds and identify which has the higher pitch.
Pitch and loudness are different. A high-pitched sound does not have to be loud.
🧲 Magnets and Magnetic Forces
Investigating Magnetic Attraction
Magnets exert forces that can attract certain materials. Magnetic attraction can act across a small gap without direct contact.
Magnet near a steel paper clip → Paper clip may move toward magnet
Move a magnet slowly toward a teacher-approved magnetic object and observe when attraction becomes noticeable.
Magnetic force can act without the magnet touching the object first.
Identifying Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Materials
Some materials are strongly attracted to ordinary magnets, while many others are not. Iron and many steels are common examples of magnetic materials.
Steel paper clip → Usually magnetic
Wood → Non-magnetic
Plastic → Non-magnetic
Predict and then test several safe classroom objects. Record whether each is attracted to the magnet.
Not all metals are strongly attracted to ordinary magnets.
Exploring Magnetic Poles
Every ordinary bar magnet has two poles, commonly called north and south. When two magnets are brought near each other, their poles can attract or repel.
Unlike poles → Attract
Like poles → Repel
With teacher supervision, bring the ends of two bar magnets near one another and observe attraction or repulsion.
Magnets can both attract and repel other magnets.
🌍 Earth and the Moon
Understanding Earth’s Shape and Movement
Earth is approximately spherical and moves in space. It rotates on its axis and also travels around the Sun.
Rotation → Earth turns on its axis
Revolution → Earth travels around the Sun
Use a globe to model Earth’s rotation while a stationary lamp represents the direction of sunlight.
Earth’s rotation is responsible for the regular cycle of day and night experienced at a location.
Observing Patterns of the Moon
The Moon appears to change shape over time because we see different portions of its sunlit half as the Moon moves around Earth. These repeating appearances are called phases.
Crescent • Quarter • Gibbous • Full
With an adult, observe the Moon on several suitable evenings. Draw its appearance and write the date.
The Moon is not actually changing its overall shape during the phases. Our view of its illuminated portion changes.
🔬 Working Like a Scientist
Recording Results of a Science Experiment
Scientists record observations so that results can be remembered, compared and discussed. Young scientists can record information using words, drawings, numbers, simple tables or charts.
| Object | Prediction | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic Cap | Float | Float |
| Stone | Float | Sink |
Perform a teacher-approved investigation and record each result instead of relying only on memory.
Record what actually happened, even when the result is different from your prediction.
Making Predictions in Scientific Investigations
A prediction is what we think may happen before an investigation. A useful scientific prediction is based on what we already know or have observed, but it does not have to turn out to be correct.
Question → Will the paper clip be attracted to the magnet?
Prediction → I predict it will be attracted because I think it is made of steel.
Test → Use the magnet safely.
Result → Record what actually happens.
Choose three safe objects. Predict whether each will float, sink, be magnetic or non-magnetic depending on the investigation. Then test your predictions and record the evidence.
A prediction being wrong is not a failed experiment. Unexpected results can help us learn something new.