Special Collections
District List: NYC Core Curriculum 2nd - Social Studies
Description: The New York City Core Curriculum program aims to provide a high-quality curricula to NYC students through a seamless instructional program across grades and subjects. This list has been curated by NYCDOE for 2nd Grade Social Studies materials.
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Building Manhattan
by Laura VilaA picture book for city lovers everywhere! Vibrant illustrations and a spare text come together in this striking picture book to tell the story of the building of Manhattan. There was a time when the city was little more than an undeveloped island. But as the small patch of land shifted from Native American to Dutch to English to American hands, it was built, layer on top of layer, into the bustling metropolis it is today.
Living in Urban Communities
by Kristin SterlingAn introduction to the common characteristics of a urban community.
Living in Suburban Communities
by Kristin SterlingAn introduction to the common characteristics of a suburban community.
Living in Rural Communities
by Kristin SterlingAn introduction to the common characteristics of a rural community.
A Walk in New York
by Salvatore RubbinoA wide-eyed boy and his dad explore the Big Apple’s busy streets and towering views in this child-friendly tribute to an incomparable city.
New York City — the perfect place for a boy and his dad to spend the day! Follow them on their walk around Manhattan, from Grand Central Terminal to the top of the Empire State Building, from Greenwich Village to the Statue of Liberty, learning lots of facts and trivia along the way. In this unabashed ode to America’s biggest city, Salvatore Rubbino’s fresh, lively paintings and breezy text capture the delight of a young visitor experiencing the wonders of New York firsthand.
Native New Yorkers (Revised Edition)
by Evan T. PritchardA comprehensive and fascinating account of the graceful Algonquin civilization that once flourished in the area that is now New York.
The City Kid & The Suburb Kid
by Deb PiluttiTwo cousins, one from the city and one from the suburbs, spend a day and a night together at the other's house, and each decides he likes his own home better
My Local Government
by Denny O'NanMy Local Government is aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts, addressing Literacy.RI.3.2 and Literacy.L.3.5c. Readers learn about all the different roles in local government, illustrated by full-page color photographs accompanied by narrative nonfiction text.
Monster Musical Chairs
by Stuart J. Murphy and Scott NashEvery time the music stops, one more monster is OUT! Kids won't be able to sit still for this musical introduction to subtraction at its simplest.
Explorers of the Americas
by Margaret Mcnamara and Michael SandlerPerform this script about an ancient Maya love story. (Set of 12 with Teacher's Guide)
Make Way for Ducklings
by Robert MccloskeyThis classic tale of the famous Mallard ducks of Boston was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1941. Make Way for Ducklings has been described as 'one of the merriest picture books ever' (The New York Times). Ideal for reading aloud, this book deserves a place of honor on every child's bookshelf. Images and image descriptions available.
Transportation Then and Now
by Amanda LeittenThis eBook for Emerging Readers teaches students the changes in the mode of travel from past to present. Part of a series of 18 titles, this book helps teach readers the basics of change, improvement, and technology through easy-to-follow language.
Abe's Honest Words
by Doreen Rappaport and Kadir Nelson and Gary KelleyFrom the time he was a young boy roaming the forests of the unsettled Midwest, Abraham Lincoln knew in his heart that slavery was deeply wrong. A voracious reader, Lincoln spent every spare moment of his days filling his mind with knowledge, from history to literature to mathematics, preparing himself to one day lead the country he loved towards greater equality and prosperity. Despite the obstacles he faced as a self-educated man from the back woods, Lincoln persevered in his political career, and his compassion and honesty gradually earned him the trust of many Americans. As president, he guided the nation through a long and bitter civil war and penned the document that would lead to the end of slavery in the United States. The passion for humanity that defined Lincoln's life shines through in this momentous follow-up to Martin's Big Words and John's Secret Dreams. Told in Doreen Rappaport's accessible, absorbing prose, and brought to life in powerful illustrations by Kadir Nelson, Abe's Honest Words is an epic portrait of a truly great American president.
Symbols of the United States
by Etta JohnsonPhotographs and simple text describe three of America's symbols, the U.S. flag, the Liberty Bell, and the bald eagle.
Local and State Government
by Etta JohnsonIt's about the responsibilities and functions of local and state government.
What Does a Congressional Representative Do?, First Edition
by David J. JakubiakDiscusses the duties of congressional representatives, how they get into office, how states are represented, the leadership of the House of Representatives, working with the Senate, committees, and where the House meets.
My New York
by Kathy JakobsenBecky, a young New Yorker, takes the reader and a friend on a tour of her favorite places in the city
The Doorbell Rang
by Pat HutchinsEach time the doorbell rings, there are more people who have come to share Ma's wonderful cookies.
My Great-aunt Arizona
by Gloria M. HoustonBestselling author Gloria Houston lovingly recounts the story of her great-aunt's quiet yet remarkable life. Born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains, Arizona spent her childhood dreaming of all the faraway places she would one day visit. Though she never did travel to those places, Arizona did become a teacher and helped generations of children craft their own dreams.
Three Immigrant Communities NEW YORK CITY in 1900
by Monica HalpernMiranda has one messy desk. It's full of books, pencils, science projects and…other stuff. Too much stuff, says her teacher, Ms. Basil. On a family visit to her Uncle Aldo's one night, Miranda wonders if some of his magician's tools might offer a solution to her messy-desk problem. Sneaking off to the magic room, Miranda finds Uncle Aldo's impressive collection of top hats. Miranda knows that magic top hats can hold lots of things—why not the mess from her desk? At first, the hat seems to do the trick, but soon things start to go horribly wrong. As Uncle Aldo says, you have to be careful with magic.
Ox-Cart Man
by Donald HallChildren's book about the ox-cart man and his hard work throughout the year.
You Can't Buy A Dinosaur With A Dime
by Harriet Ziefert and Amanda HaleyClink, clink, clink, clink...Clink, clink, clinkity... Money saved in a bank makes your brain think-thinkity!
Children are fascinated by money how it looks, feels, smells, and most of all, what it buys. And Pete is no exception. The rhymed verse describes how Pete saves his allowance, spends too much of it, has second thoughts, and starts over.
Young readers will not only applaud Pete's decisions, but join him in his computations as he saves, spends, and strategizes over future purchases. The lively combination of fact and fiction, plus humorous art, will prove both thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable.
On This Spot
by Susan E. GoodmanOn This Spot… See buildings soar and traffic zoom, a kaleidoscope of color and movement. Now turn the page and time-travel back 175 years, where on the same spot carriages bumped and pigs raced across cobblestones. Turn again and go back 400 years to when a Lenape Indian trail crossed the spot. Now travel farther still, to when glaciers crept . . . dinosaurs preyed . . . a tropical sea teemed with ancient creatures . . . back 540 million years, when rock was all you could see. What happened on this spot?What will happen next?Look out your window. What happened on that spot?
The Big Buck Adventure
by Shelley Gill and Grace Lin and Deborah TobolaOne little girl and one very big dollar set out on a great adventure at the store.
However, what seems like a pleasant afternoon of shopping soon turns perplexing as the challenge of her buying options becomes overwhelming. She doesn't know what to do. There are so many choices, but she only has one buck. A fun and perfect example of how we use math in our daily lives.