Second grade is a great time to introduce children to maps and how they are used to represent the world around us. The Utah Education Network suggests starting with a map of your classroom or school. You can also have students draw their own maps of their homes and neighborhoods. Introduce such basic concepts and symbols as direction, map keys, bodies of water, roadways and political boundaries. Use Internet programs to show students maps of their state, of the United States, and of the globe.
Introduce students to the idea that we are all citizens of a country and a community, and that we agree to a certain set of rules and a set of punishments for harmful behavior. Explain very basically how laws are made in this country, from introduction to bill to law. You can have groups of students split into groups and try to pass a law, or research a local law and how it came to be passed. You might also help students explore what makes a responsible citizen of a community.
Introduce second grade children to the idea of culture and traditions. Begin by exploring the traditions that students have within their own families. Activities can be planned around pertinent holidays. Compare the holidays and traditions of the students and community with those of other communities and peoples around the world. Have students do basic genealogical research to connect their current family traditions with the places their family came from.
Looking at the lives of famous historical figures is an informative and entertaining way to get young students to connect to the past, and to understand how humans interact with and alter their societies. Start by reading grade-level biographies together as a class. Progress to students doing their own research and producing their own illustrated biographies of famous figures from the past. Have students explain how some famous people helped to change the world, and then have them tell how they might like to change the world they live in.