Grade: 2
Units of Study
Unit 6
Trimester 2
English Language Arts
Rhythm, Rhyming, Re petition and Literature
Number of Instructional days: 15 Days (1 Day = 90 Minutes)
Overview
Students will read a variety of literature (stories, poetry, drama) and analyze how
the use of rhythm, rhyme, repetition, and regular beats, conveys meaning and tone
in a story. Students will also use the structure of a text, including the introduction
and the conclusion, to determine how they contribute to the overall meaning of the
text. Students will write an opinion piece focused on a specific topic or book. Their
opinion writing should include a well-organized introduction of the topic that states
the writers’ position, clear reasons to support their opinion reinforced with evidence,
adjectives and adverbs to make their writing more descriptive, and a well stated
conclusion. In addition, students will make strategic use of digital media that
includes creating an audio recording of a story or poem, add a drawing or other
visual display, to clarify their opinion piece. Students will also demonstrate
command of the standard English language such as, spelling patterns when writing
words.
Teachers can model the brainstorming process to help students develop an opinion.
Leading up to their own opinion writing, daily mini-lessons should include
demonstration on how to use spelling patterns to write unknown words, how to
appropriately use adjectives and adverbs, and how to determine the meaning of
unknown words and phrases in text. The use of a thesaurus will be a helpful
resource for this unit to show students how to select words. Through teacher-led
discussions, students will identify literary elements such as tone, and word choice.
Instruction should also include lessons on how to teach students to think more
abstractly and how the literature touches on feelings and the senses. Teachers
continue to use “think alouds” model reading strategies. Asking and answering
questions is an additional strategy that can be used whole group and small group, to
help students understand literature.
This unit is taught at the end of the 2 nd trimester, 90 days into the ELA units of
study. The standards in this unit require students to build on the standards taught in
the previous units such as structure of text. This is the last opportunity that
students will have to write an opinion piece. Unit 7 is a more advanced unit as it
provides opportunities for students to explore literature in more depth by making
inferences and critical thinking skills necessary for close reading of a text.
As with all units aligned to the CCSS, students need to read texts within the
appropriate range of complexity. Students need to have the opportunity to read texts
that are challenging for them, with support from the teacher as necessary, and texts
that they can read fluently. Additionally, students should focus on doing close
readings and supporting their analyses in reading and writing with evidence from the
texts they read.
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 1 of 13
Reading Anchor Standard
CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make
logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or
speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCRA.R.4
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and
analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
CCRA.R.5.
Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences,
paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter,
scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
Writing Anchor Standard
CCRA.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or
texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
Speaking and Listening Anchor Standard
CCRA.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to
express information and enhance understanding of presentations.
Language Anchor Standard
CCRA.L.2.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Concepts to Be Learned and Skills to Be Used







ASK and ANSWER such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
DEMONSTRATE understanding of key details in a text.
DESCRIBE how words and phrases supply rhythm and meaning in a story,
poem, or song.
ASK and ANSWER such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
DEMONSTRATE understanding of key details in a text.
DETERMINE the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2
topic or subject area.
WRITE opinion pieces in which they
o INTRODUCE the topic or book they are writing about,
o STATE an opinion,
o SUPPLY reasons that SUPPORT the opinion,
o USE linking words to CONNECT opinion and reasons, and
o PROVIDE a concluding statement or section.
CREATE audio recordings of stories or poems;
o ADD drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of
experiences when appropriate to CLARIFY ideas, thoughts, and
feelings.
DEMONSTRATE command of the conventions of standard English
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 2 of 13
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when WRITING.
o GENERALIZE learned spelling patterns when WRITING words.
Essential Questions




How do authors create mood and tone in literature?
How do text features and digital tools enhance a text?
How do I write effective opinion pieces? How can collaboration with others
strengthen my opinion writing?
What is the purpose of rules of spelling? What would happen in the absence of
these rules?
Assessment
Task Name:
Written Curriculum
Standards that are the
Focus in the Unit of Study:
Reading Standards: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
RL.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and
how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Craft and Structure
RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration,
rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem,
or song.
RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the
beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
Reading Standards: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
RI.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and
how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
Craft and Structure
RI.2.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a
grade 2 topic or subject area.
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 3 of 13
Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
The Common Core State Standards Foundational Skills define end of the year
expectations. Researchers have been able to determine a general progression of
how children acquire these skills. Therefore, follow a program that provides a
systemic and explicit approach to the foundational skills (Vandervelden & Siegel,
1995; Adams, 1996; Ehri, 1998; National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development, 2000). Use either Fundations or the Core Reading Program.
Writing Standards
Text Types and Purposes
W.2.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are
writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion,
use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and
reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
Speaking and Listening Standards
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.2.5
Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other
visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to
clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
L.2.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
d.
Standards that
Standards:
Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g.,
cage  badge; boy  boil).
Reinforce/Support the Unit of Study Focus
Reading Standards: Literature
No support standards identified for this unit.
Reading Standards: Informational Text
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 4 of 13
No support standards identified for this unit.
Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
Fluency
RF.2.4
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
a.
Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.
b.
Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and
expression on successive readings.
c.
Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and
understanding, rereading as necessary.
Writing Standards
Production and Distribution of Writing
W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and
strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
W.2.6
With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to
produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Speaking and Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.2.1
SL.2.2
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about
grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger
groups.
a.
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in
respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a
time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b.
Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to
the remarks of others.
c.
Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the
topics and texts under discussion.
Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or
information presented orally or through other media.
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 5 of 13
SL.2.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify
comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding
of a topic or issue.
Language Standards
Conventions of Standard English
L.2.1
L.2.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
d.
Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular
verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).
e.
Use adjectives and adverbs, and choose between them depending
on what is to be modified.
f.
Produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound
sentences (e.g., The boy watched the movie; The little boy
watched the movie; The action movie was watched by the little
boy).
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
c.
Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring
possessives.
e.
Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as
needed to check and correct spellings.
Knowledge of Language
L.2.3
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening.
a.
L.2.4
Compare formal and informal uses of English.
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning
words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing
flexibly from an array of strategies.
b.
Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known
prefix is added to a known word (e.g., happy/unhappy, tell/retell).
c.
Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning of an unknown
word with the same root (e.g., addition, additional).
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 6 of 13
d.
L.2.5
Use knowledge of the meaning of individual words to predict the
meaning of compound words (e.g., birdhouse, lighthouse,
housefly; bookshelf, notebook, bookmark).
Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word
meanings.
b.
Standards that
Distinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g.,
toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin,
slender, skinny, scrawny).
Recur
in the Unit of Study:
Reading Standards: Literature
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RL.2.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including
stories and poetry, in the grades 2–3 text complexity band proficiently,
with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading Standards: Informational Text
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
RI.2.10
By the end of year, read and comprehend informational texts, including
history/social studies, science, and technical texts, in the grades 2–3
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high
end of the range.
Reading Standards: Foundational Skills
No recur standards identified for this unit.
Writing Standards
No recur standards identified for this unit.
Speaking and Listening Standards
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
SL.2.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in
order to provide requested detail or clarification. (See grade 2 Language
standards 1 and 3 on pages 26 and 27 for specific expectations.)
Language Standards
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 7 of 13
Knowledge of Language
L.2.6
Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and
being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and
adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me
happy).
Clarifying the Standards
Key =
RL
RI
RF
Reading Standards for
Literature
Reading Standards for
Informational Text
Foundational Skills
W
Writing Standards
SL
Speaking & Listening
Standards
Language Standards
L
RL In grade 1, students ask and answer questions about key details in text. In
grade 2, students will ask and answer more specifically who, what, where,
when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
In grade 3, students will ask and answer questions demonstrating understanding,
referring explicitly to text as the basis for the answers.
In grade 1, students identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest
feelings or appeal to the senses. In grade 2, students will describe how words
and phrases supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song. In grade
3, students will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
In grade 1, students explain major differences between books that tell a story and
books that give information, drawing on a wide range of reading of a range of text.
In grade 2, students will describe the overall structure of a story, including
describing how a story includes a beginning to introduce the story and an
ending to conclude the action. In grade 3, students will refer to parts of stories,
dramas, and poems when writing or speaking about text, using terms such as
chapter, scene, and stanza; describe how each successive part builds on earlier
sections.
RI In grade 1, students ask and answer questions about details in text. In grade
2, students will ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when,
why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in text. In grade
3, students will ask and answer questions demonstrating understanding, referring
explicitly to text as the basis for the answers.
In grade 1, students ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the
meaning of words or phrases in text. In grade 2, students will determine the
meaning of words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject
area. In grade 3, students will determine the meaning of general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject
area.
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 8 of 13
W In grade 1, students write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or
book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and
provide some sense of closure. In grade 2, students will also use linking words
(e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a
concluding statement or section. In grade 3, they will also create an
organizational structure that lists the reasons.
SL In grade 1, students add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts and feelings. In grade 2, students will
create audio recordings of stories or poems. In grade 3, students will create
engaging audio recordings of stories or poems that demonstrate fluid reading at an
understandable pace. They will also add visual displays to emphasize or enhance
certain facts or details, when appropriate.
L In grade 1, students demonstrated command of the conventions of standard
English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing including
Capitalizing dates and names of people, use end punctuation for sentences, use
commas in dates and to separate single words in a series, use conventional spelling
for words with common spelling patterns and for frequently occurring irregular
words, spell untaught words phonetically, drawing on phonemic awareness and
spelling conventions. In grade 2, students demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling
when writing including capitalizing holidays, product names and
geographic names, using commas in greetings and closings of letters, using
apostrophes to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives,
generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words, consult reference
materials, including beginning dictionaries as needed to check and correct
spellings. In grade 3, students will demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing including
capitalizing appropriate words in titles, use of commas in addresses, use commas
and quotation marks in dialogue, form and use possessives, use conventional
spelling for high frequency words and adding suffixes to base words, use spelling
patterns and generalizations in writing words, consult reference materials including
beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.
Resources:
References to Appendices A, B, and C and Other
Resources
Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards and
Glossary of Key Terms
Argument, pg. 23
Arguments are used for many purposes—to change the reader’s point of view, to
bring about some action on the reader’s part, or to ask the reader to accept the
writer’s explanation or evaluation of a concept, issue, or problem. An argument is a
reasoned, logical way of demonstrating that the writer’s position, belief, or
conclusion is valid. In English language arts, students make claims about the worth
or meaning of a literary work or works. They defend their interpretations or
judgments with evidence from the text(s) they are writing about. In history/social
studies, students analyze evidence from multiple primary and secondary sources to
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 9 of 13
advance a claim that is best supported by the evidence, and they argue for a
historically or empirically situated interpretation. In science, students make claims in
the form of statements or conclusions that answer questions or address problems.
Using data in a scientifically acceptable form, students marshal evidence and draw
on their understanding of scientific concepts to argue in support of their claims.
Although young children are not able to produce fully developed logical arguments,
they develop a variety of methods to extend and elaborate their work by providing
examples, offering reasons for their assertions, and explaining cause and effect.
These kinds of expository structures are steps on the road to argument. In grades K–
5, the term “opinion” is used to refer to this developing form of argument.
Three Tiers of Words, pg. 33
Isabel L. Beck, Margaret G. McKeown, and Linda Kucan (2002, 2008) have outlined a
useful model for conceptualizing categories of words readers encounter in texts and
for understanding the instructional and learning challenges that words in each
category present. They describe three levels, or tiers, of words in terms of the words’
commonality (more to less frequently occurring) and applicability (broader to
narrower). While the term tier may connote a hierarchy, a ranking of words from
least to most important, the reality is that all three tiers of words are vital to
comprehension and vocabulary development, although learning tier two and three
words typically requires more deliberate effort (at least for students whose first
language is English) than does learning tier one words.
 Tier One words are the words of everyday speech usually learned in the early
grades, albeit not at the same rate by all children. They are not considered a
challenge to the average native speaker, though English language learners of
any age will have to attend carefully to them. While Tier One words are
important, they are not the focus of this discussion.
 Tier Two words (what the Standards refer to as general academic words) are
far more likely to appear in written texts than in speech. They appear in all
sorts of texts: informational texts (words such as relative, vary, formulate,
specificity, and accumulate), technical texts (calibrate, itemize, periphery),
and literary texts (misfortune, dignified, faltered, unabashedly). Tier Two
words often represent subtle or precise ways to say relatively simple things—
saunter instead of walk, for example. Because Tier Two words are found
across many types of texts, they are highly generalizable.
 Tier Three words (what the Standards refer to as domain-specific words) are
specific to a domain or field of study (lava, carburetor, legislature,
circumference, aorta) and key to understanding a new concept within a text.
Because of their specificity and close ties to content knowledge, Tier Three
words are far more common in informational texts than in literature.
Recognized as new and “hard” words for most readers (particularly student
readers), they are often explicitly defined by the author of a text, repeatedly
used, and otherwise heavily scaffolded (e.g., made a part of a glossary).
Appendix B: Text Exemplars and Sample Performance Task
Stories, pg. 37
Gannett,Ruth Stiles. My Father’s Dragon, pg. 37
Averill, Esther. The Fire Cat, pg. 37
Steig, William. Amos & Boris, pg. 38
Shulevitz, Uri. The Treasure, pg. 38
Cameron, Ann. The Stories Julian Tells, pg. 38
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 10 of 13
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall, pg. 38
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their
Adventures, pg. 39
Stevens, Janet. Tops and Bottoms,pg. 40
LaMarche, Jim. The Raft, pg. 40
Rylant, Cynthia. Poppleton in Win ter , pg.40
Rylant, Cynthia. The Lighthouse Family: The Storm, pg. 41
Osborne, Mary Pope. The One-Eyed Giant (Book One of Tales
from the Odyssey) pg.41
Silverman, Erica. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa, pg. 42
Poetry, pg. 43
Dickinson, Emily. “Autumn.”, pg. 43
Rossetti, Christina. “Who Has Seen the Wind?”, pg. 43
Millay, Edna St. Vincent. “Afternoon on a Hill.”, pg. 43
Frost, Robert. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”, pg. 44
Field, Rachel. “Something Told the Wild Geese.”, pg. 44
Hughes, Langston. “Grandpa’s Stories.”, pg. 44
Jarrell, Randall. “A Bat Is Born.”, pg. 44
Giovanni, Nikki. “Knoxville, Tennessee.”, pg. 44
Merriam, Eve. “Weather.” , pg. 45
Soto, Gary. “Eating While Reading.”, pg. 45
Read-Aloud Stories, pg. 46
Kipling, Rudyard. “How the Camel Got His Hump.”, pg. 46
Thurber, James. The Thirteen Clocks, pg. 46
White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web, pg.47
Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square, pg. 47
Babbitt, Natalie. The Search for Delicious, pg. 48
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy, pg.48
Say, Allen. The Sign Painter, pg. 49
Read-Aloud Poetry, pg.49
Lear, Edward. “The Jumblies.” pg. 49
Browning, Robert. The Pied Piper of Hamelin, p g . 51
Johnson,Georgia Douglas. “Your World.”, pg. 51
Eliot, T. S. “The Song of the Jellicles.”, pg. 52
Fleischman, Paul. “Fireflies.”, pg. 52
Sample Performance Tasks for Stories and Poetry, pg. 53
Informational Texts, pg. 53
Aliki. A Medieval Feast, pg. 53
Gibbons, Gail. From Seed to Plant, pg. 54
Milton, Joyce. Bats: Creatures of the Night, pg. 54
Beeler, Selby. Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions Around
the World , pg. 54
Leonard, Heather. Art Around the World, pg. 55
Ruffin, Frances E. Martin Luther King and the March on Washington, pg.
55
St. George, Judith. So You Want to Be President?, pg. 55
Einspruch, Andrew. Crittercam, pg. 55
Kudlinski, Kathleen V. Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs, pg. 56
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 11 of 13
Davies, Nicola. Bat Loves the Night, pg. 56
Floca, Brian. Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11, pg. 56
Thomson, Sarah L. Where Do Polar Bears Live?, pg. 57
Read-Aloud Informational Texts, pg. 57
Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography, pg. 57
Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby Bridges, pg. 58
Wick, Walter. A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and Wonder, pg. 58
Smith, David J. If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World’s
People, pg. 59
Aliki. Ah, Music!, pg. 56
Mark, Jan. The Museum Book:A Guide to Strange and Wonderful
Collections, pg. 59
D’Aluisio, Faith. What the World Eats, pg. 60
Arnosky, Jim. Wild Tracks! A Guide to Nature’s Footprints, pg. 60
Deedy, Carmen Agra. 14 Cows for America, pg. .60
Sample Performance Tasks for Informational Texts, pg. 61
Appendix C: Samples of Student Writing
Student Sample: Grade 2, Argument (Opinion): “Owl Moon” pg. 15
Terminology:
Challenging Concepts
Online Resources:
General state and common core websites:
 Achieve the Core
 APS
 Edmodo
 Engage NY

Fisher and Frey
 HoJo’s Teaching Adventures Common Core Resources for 5 th Grade Literature
 NM PED
 North Carolina CCSS Support Tools
 Watch Know Learn (videos)
Additional Resources
Word Q is a Universal Tool that can be used by all students. (Regular education,
special education and ESL students) Word Q works with all applications. Word Q is
ready to help with any reading and writing assignments that involve electronic text
applications such as:
 Web browsers (i.e. Internet explorer, Safari, Chrome)
 Word Processing applications (i.e. MS Word, iWorks, Notepad, PDF’s saved as
text files)
 Graphic Organizers (i.e. Inspiration, Wespiration, Kidspiration)
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 12 of 13
 Email clients (i.e. Outlook, Gmail, Hotmail)
Albuquerque Public schools owns a District License for Word Q. You can install Word
Q on your APS computers by going to tech.aps.edu
The standards listed below include all the CCSS linked to this
Unit of Study. The list does not distinguish among FOCUS,
SUPPORTING and RECURRING standards in this Unit of Study.
Albuquerque Public Schools – June, 2013
ELA Grade 2 Unit 6
Page 13 of 13