Grade 2 English Language Arts, Quarter 2, Unit 2
Title: Elements of Fiction and Writing Opinions
Overview
Number of instructional days: 20 days (1 day = 90 minutes)
Unit Summary
In this unit, students will read and listen to fables and folktales from diverse cultures to determine the
lesson, message, or moral. Students will compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story.
In addition, they will describe how words supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song. While
writing they will use evidence from the text to answer questions. Also, they will develop and write
opinions about the books they read and their life experiences. Students will learn to share their
viewpoints and clearly develop arguments to support their opinions. They will learn to distinguish
between formal and informal language and when it is appropriate to use each type. During the writing
process, students will consult reference materials to check and correct spelling.
When writing or speaking, second graders will demonstrate a command of the use of reflexive
pronouns. They will also explore real life connections between words and their use. Students will
further develop and strengthen their writing by cycling through the process of planning, revising,
editing, and publicly sharing their opinions.
Second graders will learn to apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills when decoding words.
They will decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels and recognize and read gradeappropriate irregularly spelled words. In addition, they will identify words with inconsistent but
common spelling-sound correspondences.
It is important to note that the recurring standards of all units require students to read and comprehend
both fiction and non-fiction texts.
Concepts to Be Learned and Skills to Be Used
•
RECOUNT stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and DETERMINE their
central message, lesson, or moral.
•
DESCRIBE how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines)
supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.
•
COMPARE and CONTRAST two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by
different authors or from different cultures.
•
DECODE regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels, IDENTIFY words with
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inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences, and RECOGNIZE and READ gradeappropriate irregularly spelled words.
•
•
•
•
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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.
USE reflexive pronouns
CONSULT reference materials including beginning dictionaries to CORRECT spelling
USE knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading or listening.
o COMPARE formal and informal uses of English
KNOW and APPLY grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
c.
DECODE regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.
e.
IDENTIFY words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
f.
RECOGNIZE and READ grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
Essential Questions
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•
•
•
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How do writers state and support a personal opinion on a topic or a book in a review?
How does identifying the author’s central message, lesson, or moral help you better understand
the story?
Why do author’s include a central message, lesson, or moral?
How do words and phrases add rhythm and meaning to a story?
Why do readers compare and contrast stories?
Written Curriculum
Grade-Level Expectations
The Common Core standards for this unit are listed in their complete form, including all numbering and
strand information and exactly as they appear in the CCSS. Any portions of the standard(s) not addressed
in this unit will be marked with a strikethrough to clarify the focus of this unit’s activities. There will most
likely be standards from more than one strand in this section.
Standards that are the Focus in the Unit of Study:
RL.2.2
Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their
central message, lesson, or moral.
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.2.9
Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by
different authors or from different cultures.
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.
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W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a
question.
RF.2.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
c. Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.
e. Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.
f. Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
L.2.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
c.
L.2.2
Use reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
b. Use commas in greetings and closings of letters.
e. Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and
correct spellings.
L.2.3
L.2.5
Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Compare formal and informal uses of English.
Demonstrate understanding of word relationships and nuances in word meanings.
a.
Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe foods that are
spicy or juicy).
Standards that Reinforce the Unit of Study Standards:
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.
RL.2.5
Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the
story and the ending concludes the action.
RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate
understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
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.
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.
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.)
Standards that Recur through many/all of the Units of Study:
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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.
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
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.
Clarifying the Standards
Key: RL = Reading Standards for Literature, RI = Reading Standards for Informational Text, RF=
Foundational Skills, W = Writing Standards, SL = Speaking & Listening Standards, L = Language Standards
RL - In first grade, students are asked to retell stories, include key details, and demonstrate
understanding of their central message or lesson. As the move to grade two they recount stories
including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or
moral. In grade three, they will be asked to explain how the message or moral is conveyed through key
details in the text.
In first grade students, identified words and phrases in stories or poems that suggested feelings or
appeal to the senses. As they move to grade two students describe how words and phrases supply
rhythm and meaning in a poem or song. In grade three, students determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
In first grade, students compared and contrasted the adventures and experiences of characters in
stories. Second graders are expected to compare or contrast two or more versions of the same story
by different authors. In third grade, students compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of
stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters.
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RI – no standards in this unit
RF – In first grade, students learned final –e and common vowel team conventions for representing long
vowel sounds, were able to decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words
into syllables, and read words with inflectional endings. By grade 2 students learn to decode regularly
spelled two syllable words with long vowels, identify words with inconsistent but common spelling
sound correspondences and recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words. By third
grade, learners will learn meanings of prefixes, derivational suffixes, and be able to decode multisyllabic
words and words with common Latin suffixes.
W – Students in first grade, wrote opinion pieces that introduced the topic or named the book that they
were writing about, stated an opinion, and provided some sense of closure. Second graders will 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 to connect opinion and reasons, and
provide a concluding statement or sect. By third grade, students will write opinion pieces and support
their point of view with reasons. The reasons will be organized, support the opinion, include linking
words and phrases, and provide a conclusion.
L - In first grade students used commas in dates and to separate single words in a series. Second grade
students extend their use of commas, by using them in greetings and closings in letters. In third grade,
they learn to use commas in addresses.
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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
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf
Reading Foundational Skills pages 17-22
Opinion/Argument Writing pages 23-25
Speaking and Listening pages 26-27
Language: Grammar and Conventions pages 27-31
Vocabulary pages 32-35
Appendix B: Text Exemplars and Sample Performance Tasks
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf
Grades 2–3 Text Exemplars.................................................................................................. 37
Stories...................................................................................................................................37
Gannett, Ruth Stiles. My Father’s Dragon............................................................................ 37
Averill, Esther. The Fire Cat...................................................................................................37
Steig, William. Amos & Boris.................................................................................................38
Shulevitz, Uri. The Treasure................................................................................................. 38
Cameron, Ann. The Stories Julian Tells.................................................................................38
MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall......................................................................... 38
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures..............................39
Stevens, Janet. Tops and Bottoms........................................................................................40
LaMarche, Jim. The Raft.......................................................................................................40
Rylant, Cynthia. Poppleton in Winter.................................................................................40
Rylant, Cynthia. The Lighthouse Family: The Storm............................................................41
Osborne, Mary Pope. The One-Eyed Giant
(Book One of Tales from the Odyssey)................................................................................41
Silverman, Erica. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa...........................................................................42
Poetry..................................................................................................................................43
Dickinson, Emily. “Autumn.”...............................................................................................43
Rossetti, Christina. “Who Has Seen the Wind?”.................................................................43
Millay, Edna St. Vincent. “Afternoon on a Hill.”..................................................................43
Frost, Robert. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.”.................................................44
Field, Rachel. “Something Told the Wild Geese.”...............................................................44
Hughes, Langston. “Grandpa’s Stories.”.............................................................................44
Jarrell, Randall. “A Bat Is Born.”..........................................................................................44
Giovanni, Nikki. “Knoxville, Tennessee.”............................................................................44
Merriam, Eve. “Weather.”..................................................................................................45
Soto, Gary. “Eating While Reading.”...................................................................................45
Read-Aloud Stories.............................................................................................................46
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Kipling, Rudyard. “How the Camel Got His Hump.”............................................................46
Thurber, James. The Thirteen Clocks...................................................................................46
White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web.............................................................................................. 47
Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square..................................................................... 47
Babbitt, Natalie. The Search for Delicious...........................................................................48
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy...........................................................................48
Say, Allen. The Sign Painter.................................................................................................49
Read-Aloud Poetry..............................................................................................................49
Lear, Edward. “The Jumblies.”............................................................................................49
Browning, Robert. The Pied Piper of Hamelin.................................................................... 51
Johnson, Georgia Douglas. “Your World.”......................................................................... 52
Eliot, T. S. “The Song of the Jellicles.”.................................................................................52
Fleischman, Paul. “Fireflies.”............................................................................................. 52
Read-Aloud Stories.............................................................................................................46
Kipling, Rudyard. “How the Camel Got His Hump.”............................................................46
Thurber, James. The Thirteen Clocks...................................................................................46
White, E. B. Charlotte’s Web............................................................................................. .47
Selden, George. The Cricket in Times Square.................................................................... .47
Babbitt, Natalie. The Search for Delicious...........................................................................48
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy...........................................................................48
Say, Allen. The Sign Painter.................................................................................................49
Read-Aloud Poetry..............................................................................................................49
Lear, Edward. “The Jumblies.”.............................................................................................49
Browning, Robert. The Pied Piper of Hamelin..................................................................... 51
Johnson, Georgia Douglas. “Your World.”.......................................................................... 52
Eliot, T. S. “The Song of the Jellicles.”................................................................................. 52
Fleischman, Paul. “Fireflies.”............................................................................................... 52
Sample Performance Tasks for Stories and Poetry............................................................ 53
Students read fables and folktales from diverse cultures that represent various origin tales, such as
Rudyard Kipling’s “How the Camel Got His Hump” and Natalie Babbitt’s The Search for Delicious, and
paraphrase their central message, lesson or moral [RL.2.2]
Appendix C: Samples of Student Writing
http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_C.pdf
Student Sample: Grade 2, Argument (Opinion) “Owl Moon” page 15
Terminology
Independent(ly) – A student performance done without scaffolding from a teacher, other adult, or peer;
in the Standards, often paired with proficient(ly) to suggest a successful student performance done
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without scaffolding; in the Reading standards, the act of reading a text without scaffolding, as in an
assessment; see also proficient(ly), scaffolding
Proficient(ly) – A student performance that meets the criterion established in the Standards as
measured by a teacher or assessment; in the Standards, often paired with independent(ly) to suggest a
successful student performance done without scaffolding; in the Reading standards, the act of reading a
text with comprehension; see also independent(ly), scaffolding
Text complexity – The inherent difficulty of reading and comprehending a text combined with
consideration of reader and task variables; in the Standards, a three-part assessment of text difficulty
that pairs qualitative and quantitative measures with reader-task considerations (CCSS, pp. 31, 57;
Reading, pp. 4–16)
Text complexity band – A range of text difficulty corresponding to grade spans within the Standards;
specifically, the spans from grades 2–3, grades 4–5, grades 6–8, grades 9–10, and grades 11–CCR
(college and career readiness)
Challenging Concepts
Online Resources
The RIDE link below provides various resources for the transition to the Common Core State Standards
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Division-EEIE/transition.aspx
The RIDE link below provides various resources for determining text complexity as well as other
instructional resources:
http: www.ride.ri.gov/Instruction/CommonCoreMaterials.aspx
The RIDE link below is to the RIDE Comprehensive Literacy Plan
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Instruction/DOCS/RICLP/RICLP_Spring_2012.pdf
The RIDE link below has resources for the Comprehensive Literacy Plan
http://www.ride.ri.gov/Instruction/RICLP_resources.aspx
The link below provides access to the common Core State Standards, as well as Appendices A.B. and C.
Appendix A includes research and information about all of the strands; Appendix B includes text
exemplars for literature, literary nonfiction, and content-area texts; and Appendix C includes grade-level
annotated student writing samples that address the three main text types.
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http://corestandards.org/the-standards
The link provides information about PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers)
www.parcconline.org
Other Resources
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