Second Grade Science Vocabulary

1


Unit - Investigation Design and Safety
Word Definition
data Science information
conclusion The last part
predict To say what you think will happen
describe Saying or drawing what you see, hear, touch, taste or smell
observe To see, hear, touch, taste or smell
record To write or draw
identify To tell what something is
investigate To gather information
evidence Information or facts that make you believe something is true
analyze To observe something carefully in order to understand it
recycle To use again, especially to reprocess
dispose To place or set in a particular order; arrange
reuse
To use again, especially after salvaging or special treatment or
processing.
goggles
A pair of tight-fitting eyeglasses, often tinted or having side shields,
worn to protect the eyes from hazards such as wind, glare, water,
or flying debris.
Unit - Magnets
Word Definition
magnet an object that pulls on some metal objects
Unit Motion
Word Definition
force push or pull
motion the act of changing place or position
pattern a repeating event
position where an object is placed
sliding
to move from one place to another with the same part of an object
touching the surface
rolling to move from one place to another by turning over and over
spinning repeating motion that turns around a point
Second Grade Science Vocabulary

2


Unit - Heat
Word Definition
condensation the change from a gas to a liquid
cooling to make less warm
energy the ability to cause movement or create change
evaporation the change from a liquid to a gas
freezing to change from a liquid to a solid by losing heat
heat energy the energy of moving particles
heating to make warm or hot
melting to change from a solid to a liquid by adding heat
temperature how hot or cold something is
thermometer a tool used to measure temperature
Unit - Light
Word Definition
light energy energy that you can see
dim less light
bright more light
Unit - Sound
Word Definition
sound energy energy you can hear
vibrate to move back and forth quickly
Unit - Properties of Matter
Word Definition
matter anything that has mass and takes up space
physical property attributes that can be observed and measured
shape the outward form of an object
mass the amount of matter in an object
temperature a measure of the amount of heat
texture how a substance feels
flexibility ability to bend
state of matter a form that matter can take such as solid, liquid, or gas
solid a state of matter that has a definite shape and volume
liquid
a state of matter that has a definite volume but takes the shape of
its container
Second Grade Science Vocabulary

3


Unit - Changing Matter
Word Definition
property an attribute that can be observed and measured
combine to put together
folding to bend so that one part covers another
sanding the smoothing of a surface
structure a collection of parts held together
Unit Water Cycle
Word Definition
condensation the change from a gas to a liquid
evaporation the change from a liquid to a gas
model something that helps us learn about the way it works
precipitation
water or ice that falls to Earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet, and
hail
water cycle the movement of water between the air and Earth
Unit Weather
Word Definition
air gases that surround the Earth
cloud a clump of tiny water drops that hangs in the air
pattern a repeating event
precipitation water that falls from clouds in the sky, includes rain, snow, and hail
rain gauge a tool used to measure how much rain has fallen
season a time of year that shows a certain weather pattern
temperature the measure of the amount of heat
thermometer a tool used to measure temperature
weather a description of the outside air in a certain place at a certain time
wind moving air
wind vane a tool used to show which direction the wind is blowing
Unit Objects in the Sky
Word Definition
moon a natural object in space that orbits around a planet
pattern events that repeat over and over again
star a big ball of hot gases that gives off light
Sun the star at the center of our solar system
Unit Rocks
Word Definition
mineral a solid material found in nature that has never been alive
property
characteristic of a material that helps to identify or classify
something
rock a solid material made up of minerals
texture the appearance and feel of a substance
Second Grade Science Vocabulary

4



Unit Water
Word Definition
freshwater water that does not have salt in it
natural resource something found in nature that people can use
saltwater water that has salt in it
water a clear liquid that has no color, taste, or odor
Unit Natural Resources
Word Definition
conservation the saving of resources by using them carefully
natural resource materials in nature that people use to make things
manmade resource materials that people make
recycle to collect things so they can be remade into new things
reuse to use things again
soil made of broken down rock and once living things
Unit Animals
Word Definition
animal
a living thing that can move on its own, eats plants and other
animals for food and produces offspring
environment the living and nonliving things in an area where an organism lives
basic needs something an organism must have to survive and produce offspring
factor a cause of something changing
behavior
a response to a change in an organisms environment that helps it
survive
migration
when an animal moves to a new environment because the current
one is difficult to live in
hibernation
a deep sleeplike state when an animals temperature, heart rate,
and breathing slow down
precipitation water or ice that falls to Earth in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail
temperature a measure of the amount of heat
Unit Plants
Word Definition
environment the living and nonliving things in an area where an organism lives
factor a cause of something changing
basic needs something an organism must have to survive and produce offspring
behavior
a response to a change in an organisms environment that helps it
survive
dormancy when plant growth is slowed down or stopped
plant
a living thing that cannot move from place to place on its own,
makes its own food, and produces offspring
temperature a measure of the amount of heat
precipitation water or ice that falls to Earth in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail
Second Grade Science Vocabulary

5


Unit Life Cycles
Word Definition
molt the process of shedding the outer skin of an insect as it grows
larva hatches out of an egg, often worm-like
life cycle
series of stages that an organism passes through as it is born,
grows, and dies
nymph
hatches out of an egg, looks like a smaller adult but does not go
through a pupa stage
pupa occurs as the larva changes completely inside a cocoon
adult fully developed and mature
Unit Interdependence
Word Definition
food chain transfer of energy from one organism to another
interdependence need for another living thing and the environment