Grade 2 Read-Aloud

Cycles in Nature: Supplemental Guide | Pausing Point 103

Note to Teacher

You should pause here and spend one day reviewing, reinforcing,

or extending the material taught thus far.

You may have students do any combination of the activities listed

below, but it is highly recommended you use the Mid-Domain

Student Performance Task Assessment to assess students’

knowledge of cycles in nature. The other activities may be done

in any order. You may also choose to do an activity with the whole

class or with a small group of students who would benefi t from the

particular activity.

Core Content Objectives Up to This Pausing Point

Students will:

 Explain that a cycle is a sequence of events that repeats itself

again and again

 Recognize that the rotation of Earth causes day and night

 Explain that it takes twenty-four hours for Earth to rotate once

on its axis

 Recognize that living things have a life cycle

 Recognize that Earth orbits the sun

 Explain that it takes one year for Earth to orbit the sun

 Describe the seasonal cycle: spring, summer, autumn, winter

 Identify that the tilt of Earth’s axis in relation to the sun causes

the seasons

 Explain effects of seasonal changes on plants and animals

 Describe animal processes in spring, summer, autumn, winter

 Describe plant processes in spring, summer, autumn, winter

PPausing Pointausing Point

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