Science Vocabulary for 2nd Grade
39 terms
JamWise Education Team·Updated March 2026
In 2nd grade, students in the early elementary (K-2) band encounter 39 essential science vocabulary terms. These words form the foundation for classroom discussions, reading comprehension, written assignments, and standardized assessments. Mastering this vocabulary gives students the language they need to express their understanding with clarity and confidence.
Below you will find every science term for 2nd grade, organized by topic where applicable. Each term links to a detailed definition page with grade-level explanations, related vocabulary, and connections to JamWise learning resources.
earth-science
View topic hubContinent
A continent is a very large area of land. Earth has seven continents.
Erosion
Erosion is when wind or water slowly wears away and moves rock and soil.
Glacier
A glacier is a huge, thick sheet of ice that moves very slowly across the land.
Island
An island is a piece of land completely surrounded by water.
Landform
A landform is a natural shape on Earth's surface, like a mountain, valley, or hill.
Map
A map is a drawing that shows what a place looks like from above.
Mountain
A mountain is a very tall landform that rises high above the land around it.
Natural resource
A natural resource is something found in nature that people use, like water, trees, and minerals.
Ocean
An ocean is a huge body of salt water. Oceans cover most of Earth's surface.
Soil
Soil is the top layer of Earth made from tiny pieces of rock, dead plants, and animals. Plants grow in soil.
Stream
A stream is a small, narrow body of moving water that flows over rocks and through fields.
Valley
A valley is a low area of land between two hills or mountains.
Volcano
A volcano is a mountain with an opening where hot melted rock and ash can come out of the earth.
Weathering
Weathering is the slow breaking apart of rocks by wind, water, ice, or plant roots.
life-science
View topic hubFood chain
A food chain shows the order in which living things get energy by eating other living things.
Gills
Gills are the body parts a fish uses to breathe underwater. They take oxygen out of the water.
Habitat
A habitat is the natural home or environment where a plant or animal lives and finds what it needs to survive.
Hibernate
To hibernate means to sleep through the cold winter to save energy.
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. Worms, insects, and jellyfish are invertebrates.
Larva
A larva is the young form of an insect before it changes into an adult. A caterpillar is a larva.
Life cycle
A life cycle is all the stages a living thing goes through from birth to adult.
Life span
A life span is how long a living thing usually lives. A mayfly lives one day; a tortoise can live 150 years.
Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a big change in an animal's body as it grows, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
Migrate
To migrate means to move from one place to another when the seasons change.
Pollination
Pollination happens when pollen moves from one flower to another, helping plants make seeds.
Predator
A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals. An eagle is a predator.
Prey
Prey is an animal that is hunted and eaten by other animals. A rabbit can be prey.
Pupa
A pupa is the stage when an insect is inside a case and changing into its adult form.
Seed dispersal
Seed dispersal is how seeds travel away from the parent plant to grow in new places.
Skeleton
A skeleton is the frame of bones inside your body that gives you shape and protects your organs.
Vertebrate
A vertebrate is an animal that has a backbone. Dogs, fish, and birds are vertebrates.
physical-science
View topic hubAbsorb
To absorb means to soak up a liquid. A sponge absorbs water.
Energy
Energy is the power that makes things work, move, or change. Light, heat, and sound are types of energy.
Flexibility
Flexibility is how easily something can bend without breaking.
Heat
Heat is energy that makes things warmer. The sun gives off heat.
Matter
Matter is anything that takes up space and has weight. Everything you can touch is matter.
Texture
Texture is how something feels when you touch it — smooth, rough, bumpy, or soft.