Social Studies Vocabulary for 2nd Grade
36 terms
JamWise Education TeamยทUpdated March 2026
In 2nd grade, students in the early elementary (K-2) band encounter 36 essential social studies 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 social studies 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.
civics
View topic hubAuthority
A person who has the power to make rules and decisions for a group.
Ballot
A piece of paper or screen used to cast a vote in an election.
Cooperation
Working together with others to get something done.
Neighborhood
The area around where you live, including the people and places nearby.
Patriotism
Love for your country and pride in belonging to it.
Pledge
A promise to do something or to be loyal.
President
The leader of the United States who makes important decisions for the whole country.
Symbol
A picture, shape, or object that stands for something else, like a bald eagle stands for the United States.
Volunteer
A person who helps others without being paid.
economics
View topic hubConsumer
A person who buys and uses goods and services.
Goods
Physical products that are made, grown, or gathered to sell.
Market
A place where people buy and sell goods.
Price
How much money something costs.
Producer
A person or company that makes or grows goods for others to buy.
Resource
Something that people use to meet their needs, such as water, food, or wood.
Services
Activities that people do for others in exchange for payment, such as haircuts, medical care, or car repair.
Spend
To use money to buy something.
geography
View topic hubCoast
The land next to the ocean.
Continent
One of the seven large landmasses on Earth: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.
Direction
The way something is facing or moving, like north, south, east, or west.
Geography
The study of Earth's land, water, weather, and the people and animals that live on it.
Globe
A small, round model of the Earth that shows where land and water are.
Landform
A natural shape on the surface of the Earth, like a mountain, hill, or valley.
Location
The place where something is found.
Map scale
A tool on a map that tells you how far apart things really are in the real world.
Plain
A large flat area of land, often covered with grass.
Rural
An area in the country with farms, open land, and few people.
Suburb
A neighborhood near a city where many families live in houses.
Urban
An area in a city with many buildings, roads, and people.
Valley
A low area of land between hills or mountains.
history
View topic hubAncestor
A person in your family who lived a long time ago, like a great-great-grandparent.
Culture
The way of life of a group of people, including their food, music, art, and beliefs.
Custom
A way of doing things that has been done for a long time in a group or family.
Explorer
A person who travels to new places to learn about them.
Invention
Something new that someone creates or makes for the first time.
Settler
A person who moves to a new place to live and build a home.
Explore more
Social Studies subject page
All social studies resources on JamWise
Learn moreFull glossary
Browse all 1,700+ vocabulary terms
Learn more2nd Grade overview
All subjects for 2nd grade
Learn moreFor teachers
How JamWise works in the classroom
Learn moreLearning games
20+ interactive vocabulary games
Learn more