Explore fun and meaningful summer activities in English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. All second grade students will bring home their iPads for easy access to digital learning tools.
Why Summer Learning Matters: Research shows that consistent engagement with learning during summer months helps maintain academic momentum. Students who continue educational activities over the break return to school better prepared and confident. Our Summer Learning Liftoff program is designed to support your child’s ongoing growth with engaging and enjoyable activities that reinforce key skills.
For more grade levels, visit the Summer Learning Liftoff page.
Need iPad help? See Family Resources for iPad Support.
Early Summer
At the start of summer, encourage your exiting second grader to stay engaged with a variety of playful and interactive activities. Early Summer resources provide opportunities to review what they’ve learned, explore new interests, and build confidence—all while having fun and making the most of the beginning of break.
English Language Arts
2nd Grade ELA Review Choice Board
- Explore a variety of fun reading and writing activities to keep your child learning over the summer.
- Choose any activity from the board to complete —do them in any order!
- Some activities include links or codes for online tools. Just click the links and follow the directions.
- If you’d like a printable version, you can print via the Grade 2 Beginning of Summer ELA Choice Board Google Doc.
Choices
Fictional Reading
- Choose a fiction book to read of your choice. Remember, you can always read on Sora!
Comparing Characters
- Choose 2 characters from your book and identify all their similarities and differences.
- Type a paragraph in a Google Doc explaining how the characters are similar as well as different.
Letter Writing
- In a Google Doc, write a letter to a character from your story.
- In your letter, share your opinion about the character’s actions in the story.
- Would you have made the same choices as the character? Why or why not?
Story Illustrator
- Using the Book Creator app in Self Service, draw a new front cover for the book you read showing an important event from the story.
- Make sure to include:
- The title
- The author
- The illustrator (if there is one)
Write a Story with the Same Characters
- Choose a character or multiple characters from your book to focus on.
- Plan a completely new story using the same characters and what you know about them using a Flow Map.
- Then, write your story in a Google Doc.
Visual Glossary
- 2nd Grade topic: Floods
- Find 5-7 important words from the topic above.
- Using the Book Creator app in Self Service, create a visual glossary by writing the word, writing its meaning, and drawing a picture of what it is.
Informational Writing
- 2nd Grade topic: Floods
- Using the Book Creator app in Self Service, create an informational book on the natural disaster you read about.
Marking
- Using the draw tool on Nearpod and complete the activities:
- 2nd Graders Use Code: LHA7B to sign in
Reading Aloud for Fluency
- Pick a short book or favorite chapter from your book and read it to:
- An adult in your home
- A pet
- Your favorite stuffed animal or toy
- Remember to read with expression and pausing at all the appropriate punctuation.
Fill in the Word
- Using the fill in the blank activity on Nearpod, complete the activity.
- 2nd Graders Use Code: XFDWI to sign in
Social Studies
2nd Grade Geography Summer Review Choice Board
- Explore a variety of fun social study activities to keep your child learning over the summer.
- Tic-tac-toe, you pick three in a row! See how many your child can complete over the summer
- Some activities include links or codes for online tools. Just click the links and follow the directions.
- If you’d like a printable version, you can print via the Grade 2 Choice Board Geography Summer Review Google Doc.
Choices
Virtual Field Trip
- Let’s visit schools around the world! What do they look like? Can you imagine being a student in these schools?
- Visit Google Earth.
- What do you notice about these schools? How are they similar and how are they different? Talk with someone at your home about these differences.
Map My Products
- Take an inventory of your kitchen cupboards and note where each product was made.
- Use a blank outline map of the world to mark the country in which each product originated.
- Do most of the products come from the same region? If so, why do you think that is true? Which products came from farthest away?
Picture Collage
- Where in the world do you want to go? Go to Pics4Learning website and choose a country you would like to explore.
- Print off the pictures or put them in a Google Doc as a collage. Add words or phrases to describe the place.
Watch a Film
- Explore the Great Wall in China! Learn about the history of the Great Wall while experiencing it today.
- After you watch the video, draw a picture of the Great Wall and write down three facts about the wall that you learned from the video.
Neighborhood Safari
- Go on a safari around your neighborhood with your family. As you explore, see how many things you can spot!
- Print out the safari cards you can use to practice your observation skills.
Touchable Earth
- Start learning about different places in the world from other kids around the world! Choose a place you want to learn about.
- Watch the videos and look at the maps to learn about what life is like for kids around the world. How is your life similar or different to these kids?
Interactive Wonders: What is the Continental Divide?
- Go to Wonderopolis and learn about the Continental Divide. You can have it read to you, test your knowledge, and watch a short video on hiking the Continental Divide.
- Share what you have learned with a family member.
Travel to Egypt with Buster
- Join Buster Baxter, a character from the ARTHUR television show, on a trip to Egypt in this interactive geography lesson.
- You will learn about Cairo, ancient Egypt, the pyramids, and the Nile River.
- Then write about what you have learned on a postcard to one of the Egyptian children you encountered in the videos.
Read a Book
- Go to Storyline Online and listen to the book, The Empty Pot. It is a story about a Chinese emperor.
- Look at a map of the world. Find China on the map, which is where this story takes place.
- Tell someone about what you learned about China from this story.
Late Summer
As summer comes to a close, help your rising third grader get ready for the year ahead with resources designed to reinforce important skills and spark excitement for new learning. Late Summer activities support a smooth transition back to school, so your child can start the new year feeling prepared and enthusiastic.
English Language Arts
2nd Grade Choice Board: Preparing for 3rd Grade
- Help prepare your second grader for the year ahead with a variety of fun reading and writing activities to help them get ready for the upcoming school year.
- Choose any activity from the board to complete —do them in any order!
- Some activities include links or codes for online tools. Just click the links and follow the directions.
- If you’d like a printable version, you can print via the Grade 2 End of Summer ELA Choice Board Google Doc.
Choices
Fictional Reading
- Choose a fiction book to read of your choice. Remember, you can always read on Sora!
Character Interview
- In a Google Doc, come up with five creative questions you could ask the main character.
- Then, answer the questions the way you think the character would answer them.
Diary Entry
- In a Google Doc, write a diary entry from the main character’s point of view.
- Remember to include what they might have done that day and how they felt.
Write a New Title & Cover
- Using the Book Creator app in Self Service, come up with an alternative title for the book. Then, draw a new front cover that supports the new title.
- Make sure to include:
- The title
- The author
Write an Epilogue
- An epilogue is an update on the story and characters later in the future.
- In a Google Doc, using what you know about the characters and the plot, write an epilogue for your book.
Create a Diagram
- 2nd Grade topic: Moon Phases
- Using the Book Creator app in Self Service, create a diagram on the topic you read about from your grade level.
- Make sure your visual is an accurate representation and your labels directly name the parts of your visual.
Explain Why
- 2nd Grade topic: Moon Phases
- 2nd Grade: Which moon phase do you think would be the best for telling spooky stories at night? Explain why or why not.
Marking
- Using the Draw tool on Nearpod, complete the marking activities:
- 2nd Graders Use Code: F8RYE to sign in
Read Aloud for Fluency
- Pick a short book or favorite chapter from your book and read it to:
- An adult in your house
- A pet
- Your favorite stuffed animal or toy
- Remember to read with expression and pausing at all the appropriate punctuation.
Drag & Drop
- Using the Draw tool on Nearpod, complete the dictation activities.
- 2nd Graders Use Code: 6RNZD to sign in
Social Studies
2nd Grade Choice Board: Preparing for 3rd Grade
- Help prepare your second grader for the year ahead with a variety of fun social study activities to help them get ready for the upcoming school year.
- Choose any activity from the board to complete —do them in any order!
- Some activities include links or codes for online tools. Just click the links and follow the directions.
- If you’d like a printable version, you can print via the Grade 2 Choice Board: Preparing for 3rd Grade
Choices
Read a Book
- Read about living in Colorado. Read this book, or you can have it read to you by clicking the icon.
- After you read the book, draw a picture and write a short paragraph about some of the characteristics of Colorado.
Interactive Wonders: What is the Continental Divide?
- Go to Wonderopolis and learn about the Continental Divide. You can have it read to you, test your knowledge, and watch a short video on hiking the Continental Divide.
- Share what you have learned with a family member.
Read a Book
- Read about money in this book. You can read it yourself or click on the icon to have it read to you.
- After you have read the book, draw a picture of one thing you would like to save your money to buy. Be sure to label your picture.
Watch the video
- Watch this video about one region in Colorado: the San Luis Valley. As you watch the video, think about how this region is the same and different from the region where you live.
- On one side of a piece of paper, draw a picture of some of the characteristics that make the San Luis Valley unique, and on the other side, draw a picture of the region where you live.
- What is similar and different about the two regions? Label your pictures.
Analyze the Map
- Check out this map of Colorado! Can you find where you live? What city is it? Now see if you can figure out which region you live in (they are different colors on the map).
- Describe where in Colorado the region you live in is located and what it is like there. Write a paragraph about your region. Include where it is located in Colorado, what regions it is next to, and details about the region that a visitor might be interested in.
Inquiry Project
- What do you wonder about when you see this picture? Write down the questions you would like to find the answer to.
- Skim this article from the Colorado Encyclopedia and see if you can find answers to any of your questions.
Watch the video
- Watch this video about money.
- Choose one of the questions the kids were asked, and answer it for yourself. Draw a picture of your answer and label your picture.
Justify your Decisions
- Look at this picture. In a sentence, identify what are the two items you need to choose from for your lunch today.
- Explain which item you will choose and why it is the best choice.
- Then explain what you are giving up when you make that decision (what are the benefits you will not get by choosing the other item)?
Inquiry Project
- What do you want to save your money for? Think about things you need or want. Make a list of these things.
- Choose the top three things you really want to buy with your money.
- Brainstorm ways you could make and save money to buy those items.