2nd Grade - Gateway 2

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria of Indicator 2b.

Materials require students to analyze the key ideas, details, craft, and structure within individual texts and across multiple Mentor, Read-Alouds, Shared Readings, and Extended Reads according to grade-level standards. Students use key ideas from the text to describe characters. Students compare characters, the illustrations, organization, and descriptions in multiple texts. 

For most texts (read-aloud texts K–1 and anchor texts Grade 2), students analyze key ideas and details (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 4, after rereading How Beetle Got Its Gorgeous Coat by Elena del Pino, students work in small groups to answer the questions: “How do the rat and beetle respond to the idea of having a race? Why? What does the rat think during the race? Describe how the rat responds to what happens at the end of the race. Describe how the beetle responds at the end of the race? What does this tell you about her character?”

• In Unit 7, Week 1, Day 2, after reading The Oregon Trail, a series of diary entries from a young girl named Edith, students identify the key ideas of each diary entry by answering the questions: “Who is the author of the diary? What is the main focus of Edith’s diary entry dated May 17, 1849? Who is Edith traveling with? What is the diary entry for June 29, 1849 mainly about? Why is ‘The Oregon Trail’ a good title for this selection? How do Edith’s diary entries help you understand the past?” 

• In Unit 10, Week 2, Day 4, after reading States of Matter: Matter Changes in Many Ways by Jay Brewster, students answer the following key detail prompt: “Reread paragraph 4. The text says, ‘Gasses expand, or spread out, to fill the container they are in.’ Why did the author include this detail? Cite specific text evidence to support your answer.”

For most texts, students analyze craft and structure (according to grade-level standards). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 2, the teacher models identifying, underlining, and analyzing how repeating words and phrases add rhythm and meaning in the story. Then, the teacher asks partners to reread paragraphs 5–6 and underline the repeated phrase in each paragraph. Students discuss which words are repeated and why they think the author repeats them. The teacher provides the following  prompts to help students identify and analyze the phrases: What does each blind man say? Why do you think the author repeats these words? How does this repetition help you understand the story? The teacher allows students time to reread and annotate their texts. Then, the teacher guides them to understand that the five blind men all touched the elephant, but felt different parts, so they imagined the elephant in different ways. The teacher facilitates a conversation about how the author uses repetition in this story to explain how the five blind men imagined the elephant differently based on what each felt.

• In Unit 6, Week 2, Day 4, students use the text A Foxy Garden by Jeffrey B. Fuerst and analyze differences in the points of view of characters and the impact that has on the text.  Students answer the following questions:  Reread paragraphs 15-16.  How is Bear’s point of view about the crops different from Fox’s? Cite evidence to support your answer.  Reread paragraph 22.  How and why has Bear’s point of view changed since the beginning of the story.  Cite evidence to support your answer. 

• In Unit 8, Week 2, Day 4, students reread Wind and Water Change Earth by Louise Carroll. The teacher poses questions that require students to use their knowledge of identifying the main purpose of a text. For example: Reread the section “How Can We Control Water and Wind?” What key details in this section support the author’s main purpose? How does this add to your understanding of the main purpose of the selection? Use text evidence to support your ideas.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria of Indicator 2c.

Materials contain coherently sequenced text-dependent questions and tasks that require students to analyze the integration of knowledge and ideas across both individual and multiple texts. Students use the text explicitly to answer questions during the lessons and related tasks. Text-dependent questions and tasks include mentor read-aloud, extended read-aloud, short reads, and anchor text read-aloud. In addition, students use the Knowledge Blueprint to build on their knowledge from the texts while answering purposeful text-dependent questions and applying their reading to the Enduring Understandings of the unit. 

Most sets of questions and tasks support students’ analysis of knowledge and ideas. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 1, Week 1, Day 5, students use the text Postcards from Alex by Antonio Martinez. The teacher models how the settings and events fit into the overall structure of the story in the beginning and middle of the story. During the Guided Practice section, students complete an Annotate, Pair, Share during which they read and annotate the text while finding answers to three text-dependent questions. Questions include: “How would you summarize the events in the middle of the story? How does the end of the story provide a solution to Alex’s problem? How is the solution to Alex’s problem at the end of the story related to the essential question, ‘How do living things get what they need to survive?’” 

• In Unit 2, Week 2, Day 4 students read the story Yeh-Shen by Yuanyuan Gu and use their knowledge of the illustrations and text to respond to the following questions: “What challenges do the characters face in ‘Yeh‑Shen?’ How do Yeh‑Shen’s challenges help you learn about different ways to solve problems in the real world?” Students also work with a partner to answer the question, “How well do the illustrations on pages 14–15 support how the festival is described in the story?” One student orally states ideas while the other student writes down the response. Students must cite one detail from the text and one from the illustration to support their answer.  

• In Unit 7, Week 2, Day 5 students use the text Primary Sources by Margaret McNamara to explain how images contribute to and clarify a text. During a Small Peer Group Constructive Conversation, students “[r]eread the section ‘Paintings and Photographs’ on pages 13–14. Then review the images on pages 13–14. Explain how the images help you better understand why paintings and photographs are considered good primary sources for topics from the past. Cite specific examples from the images and words to support your answer.” During the Apply Understanding portion of the text students write 1–2 paragraphs in response to the following question: “Which image from this selection contributed the most to your understanding of the value of primary sources? Cite evidence from the illustrations and text to support your thinking.” 

Sets of questions and tasks provide opportunities to analyze across multiple texts as well as within single texts. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, Week 3, Day 4, students compare and contrast characters and how they respond to major events and challenges in a story using, Great Girls’ Contest by Mattie Harper and Yeh-Shen retold by Yuanyuan Gu. Students answer the following text-dependent question: Explain how Willow’s response to receiving new basketball shoes is similar to Yeh-Shen’s response to receiving new gold slippers. How is it different? Cite evidence from both texts to support your answer. 

• In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 4 students use the texts Two Famous Inventors and Robots Go to School by Kathy Kafer to compare and contrast key points in two texts on the same topic. During Small Peer Groups, students engage in a Constructive Conversation to answer text-dependent questions: “How do school robots help students who can’t go to school? How do they help teachers and classmates? Based on what you read, how do you think school robots could be improved?” Then, students share their thoughts with the class. During the Apply Understanding portion of the lesson, students write 1–2 paragraphs in response to the following prompt: “Reread paragraph 4 of ‘Two Famous Inventors’ and paragraphs 1–3 of ‘Robots Go to School.’ How are Thomas Edison’s inventions—the phonograph and the first movie camera—different from the school robot?” 

• In Unit 9, Week 2, Day 5 students listen to the texts From Tree to Baseball Bat by Matt Smith and From Pine Tree to Pizza Box by Amy and Richard Hutchings and compare and contrast the most important points in two texts on the same topic. The teacher tells students how to compare the texts to find similarities and differences. Then students work in Small Peer Groups to use the strategy to answer a text-dependent question about similarities between the two texts: “How are the steps in making a pizza box similar to the steps in making a baseball bat?”  Students write 1–2 paragraphs in response to the question discussed.  

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for Indicator 2d.

Each unit includes a culminating task that incorporates texts from the unit, as well as outside sources, where appropriate. Culminating tasks include opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of grade-level reading, speaking, listening, and writing standards from the unit. Materials include culminating tasks that vary by topic throughout the year; however, the tasks do not vary in form from unit to unit. 

Culminating tasks are evident across the year and multifaceted, requiring students to demonstrate mastery of several different standards (reading, writing, speaking, listening) at the appropriate grade level, and comprehension and knowledge of a topic or topics through integrated skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening). Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In Unit 2, students create a guide to solving problems as the culminating task. Using the knowledge built across the unit where they read about characters who solve both internal and external problems, students create a guide with ideas for how to solve each type of problem. Students read, plan and write the guide, speak to present their learning to the class, and listen to peers’ presentations. 

  • Step 1: Students identify the problems. Students look back through the texts and think about whether Molly and Gerald’s problems were internal or external, think about problems they have faced, and write about an example of internal and external problems they have faced.  

  • Step 2: Students identify solutions. Students look back through the texts and think about how the characters' problems were solved. Students then reflect on their own internal and external problems identified previously and write possible solutions for each type of problem.

  • Step 3: Students plan their guide. Students revisit the problems and possible solutions from steps 1 and and decide which possible solutions to include in their guide.  

  • Step 4: Create a guide to solving problems. Students create their guide, have a constructive conversation, and write to demonstrate knowledge.  

• In Unit 6, after reading different stories throughout the unit and identifying the messages of the stories, students select a character to write a letter to in order to explain how the story’s message will help them.

  • Step 1: Students look back through the texts, determine what the message of each story is, and think about what they have learned from each story.

  • Step 2: Students think about the characters by recording the story’s message, while thinking about the lesson Bear learns and how it will help him in the future.

  • Step 3: Students choose a character from one of the stories to write their letter to and think about how the message of the story will help the character.

  • Step 4:  Students create their letter.  

• In Unit 10, students draw a still life drawing, identify the states of matter in their drawing, and write about how the objects can change states during the culminating task. Students present their report to the class, answering questions from their classmates and the teacher to show their knowledge and skills built across the unit. 

  • Step 1: Students reflect on the week’s readings and choose a scene to draw.

  • Step 2: Students identify matter and its state. After looking back through the text, students think about the states of matter and revisit the scene from step 1. Students identify the objects and whether they are a liquid, solid, or gas and use this information to write the labels for their drawing.

  • Step 3: Students determine how matter changes. After looking back through the texts, students think about the states of matter and how matter changes. Students pick one object from their drawing and write about how the object can change.

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 partially meet the criteria of Indicator 2e.

Materials include a year-long plan grounded in standards alignment to support students’ writing development and proficiency. Writing lessons, tasks, and projects authentically integrate with reading, speaking, listening, and language. Writing tasks and projects include learning, practice, and application of writing skills.The majority of writing instruction is process writing, which occurs daily and includes a variety of genres. The Teacher Resource System includes models, planning organizers, protocols, sample responses, sample anchor charts, and plans to support implementation of the writing tasks and projects, as well as guidance or support for pacing writing over shorter and extended periods of time as appropriate for the grade.

Materials include writing instruction that aligns to the standards for the grade level and supports students’ growth in writing skills over the course of the school year. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:  

• Over the course of the year, the number of lessons for each genre include 30 lessons on narrative writing, 30 lessons on informative/explanatory writing, and 30 lessons on opinion writing. 

  • Units 4, 7, and 10 focus on narrative writing. Students write their own narratives, nonfiction narrative letters, and acrostic poems. 

  • Units 1, 3, 8, and 9 focus on informative/explanatory. Students write facts and details from anchor texts, informational texts using the anchor texts as models, research, create and present a multimedia presentation. 

  • Units 2 and 5 focus on opinion writing. Students write their opinions about the characters in anchor texts and technology-related issues. 

  • Guidance in the margins of lessons frequently includes, “Confer with a few students about their writing or drawing.” However, materials do not give specific guidance on how to support individual student’s growth in writing or how to help students achieve mastery of grade-level writing standards. 

• Writing instruction follows a similar format by unit: Week 1: analyzing a mentor text (if appropriate), teacher modeling to brainstorm, draft, revise, and share. Weeks 2 and 3: Student practice of the writing type: brainstorm ideas, choose topic, draft, revise and expand, writer's craft focus, edit, publish, and share. For example:

  • In Unit 3, Week 2, Day 1, the teacher models introducing the topic of an essay and writing an opening paragraph.  Students discuss the model opening paragraph with partners. During independent writing time, students draft an introduction for their essay.  Students share and reflect on what they wrote during independent writing time. 

  • In Unit 9, Week 3, Day 3, the teacher creates a checklist to guide students as they rehearse their multimedia presentations with a partner. Materials provide a sample multimedia presentation checklist.

Instructional materials include a variety of well-designed lesson plans, models, and protocols for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Beginning in Grade 2, the K-6 Informal Assessments: Writing Assessments section includes rubrics and checklists for each type of writing. For example: In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 1, the teacher introduces the narrative writing checklist to students, explaining that “writers need to plan, organize, and revise narrative fiction. The checklist for writing narrative fiction will guide students during the writing process.”

• Materials provide sample anchor charts. For example: In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 2, the teacher models how to use the provided chart to brainstorm ideas for a narrative writing piece. The margin includes a sample anchor chart for the narrative fiction writing process entry for teacher use.

• Materials provide sample conferring prompts in the margin for the teacher to use when meeting with students. For example: 

  • In Unit 6, Week 2, Day 1, students work on planning their narrative fiction writing. The teacher uses a mentor writing text to model each step of the writing process. The margins of the lesson include prompts for the teacher to use when conferring with students about their writing. Prompts include: 

    • “Directive Feedback:  Tell me about how your character feels at the beginning of the story.  Then write those feelings in the first column of the chart.

    • Self Monitoring and Reflection:  Reread your descriptions of how your characters feel at the beginning and the end of the story.  How does the character change?

    • Validating and Confirming:  Your chart is clear and I understand how the character changes from the beginning to the end of the story.”  

  • In Unit 10, Week 1, Day 2, students learn how to write acrostic poems. The Independent and Small Group Writing and Conferring chart includes feedback for teacher use as students analyze and begin to write their own poetry. The directions and feedback include, “As students write independently, monitor their progress and provide feedback as needed to support students’ analyses.

    • Directive Feedback: Notice words the poet uses more than once. Think about whether or not the lines are the same length.

    • Self-Monitoring and Reflection: Do you see repeated words or sound words? What is the topic of the poem?

    • Validating and Confirming: You answered the questions in your chart. Now think about a possible topic for your own poem.”

• The additional resources and materials for each unit include graphic organizers and note-taking guides. For example:  In Unit 5, the additional materials include an opinion essay writing checklist, an opinion essay features chart, and a guide to brainstorm a solution. 

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria for Indicator 2f.

Materials include research projects sequenced across a school year to include a progression of research skills. Students participate in seven research and  inquiry projects over the course of the year. Each project provides an opportunity for students to confront and analyze different aspects of a unit topic in greater depth using multiple texts and other source materials. Students apply reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Projects become progressively more challenging and ensure students acquire deep topic knowledge. Shared research and writing projects encourage students to develop knowledge and understanding of a topic using texts and other source materials. The research project routine includes selecting a research focus, identifying relevant information from unit selections, identifying sources for additional information, planning, creating, presenting, reflecting, and responding to the information. Through the research projects, students synthesize and analyze grade-level readings and develop their knowledge of grade-level topics. Materials include teacher guidance for each step of the project to guide students toward mastery. 

Research projects are sequenced across a school year to include a progression of research skills that build to mastery of the grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  • Guidance for the Research and Inquiry Projects for each task includes six mini-lessons focused on the following topics: Choose, Explore, Interpret, Create, Present, and Reflect.  

    • Step 1: Choose: The focus of this mini lesson is on choosing a topic.   The teacher introduces the project, sets a purpose, guides topic choice, introduces the Research and Inquiry Project Tool, sends off, and wraps up.  

    • Step 2: Explore: The focus of this mini lesson is on students generating questions and gathering sources. The teacher sets a purpose, guides question design and source selection, sends off, and wraps up.  

    • Step 3: Interpret: The focus of this mini lesson is on researching and taking notes. The teacher sets a purpose, guides research and fact gathering, sends off, and wraps up.  

    • Step 4: Create: The focus of this mini lesson is on designing and constructing the research project. The teacher sets a purpose, guides design and creation, sends off, and wraps up.

    • Step 5: Present: The focus of this mini lesson is on sharing and building knowledge together. The teacher sets a purpose, guides preparing and presenting, sends off, and wraps up.

      • For example, in Unit 1, Mini Lesson 1, the teacher introduces the project’s goals with students: to choose a plant or animal habitat, research the topic, create a poster, and share with others. The teacher guides the topic choice during a think aloud using the Talk, Jot, Choose strategy. After introducing the project tool, students complete the Talk, Jot, Choose strategy to select their topic. In Mini Lesson 2, the teacher models writing guiding questions and finding sources for the poster project during a think aloud using the Question, Search, Decide Strategy. In Mini Lesson 3, the teacher models researching and taking notes during a think aloud using the Read, Interpret, Jot Strategy. In Mini Lesson 4, the teacher models designing and creating the poster during a think aloud using the Read, Design, Create strategy. The teacher models reading over notes, sketching out a plan, and making the poster. In Mini Lesson 5, the teacher models guiding and presenting the research project during a think aloud using the Plan, Present, Ask strategy. In Mini Lesson 6, the teacher models assessing and self-reflecting on the research process during a think aloud using the Question, Remember, Job Strategy.  

Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Each unit contains a Knowledge Blueprint in which the teacher gathers information related to the Enduring Understandings for the unit. While reading each text, the teacher and students work together to add information to the Blueprint. The information added to the Blueprint builds over the course of each three-week unit, allowing students to build knowledge on the unit topic from various sources. The Blueprint also contains critical vocabulary that is used and referenced various times throughout the unit during discussions and writing tasks.

• For each Research and Inquiry Project, materials include a Strategy bank tools that explains the various strategies included in the mini lessons, such as Talk, Jot, Choose; Question, Search, Decide; Read, Interpret, Jot; Read, Design, and Create; Plan, Present, and Ask; and Question, Remember, Jot. Additional teacher supports provide guidance on making time for research and inquiry, how to group students, flexible grouping to promote learning, and addressing the needs of multilingual learners.  

• Materials provide Think-Speak-Listen Bookmarks that include questions to guide discussions. 

• Materials include a teacher rubric that addresses the following areas: Content, Presentation, and Effort and Collaboration. Materials also include student-friendly versions of the rubrics.

Materials include shared research projects to help develop students’ research skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).

  • In Unit 2, during the Research and Inquiry Project, students research a fable or a folktale of their choice. First, students talk about the fables and folktales. Then they think about the characters and the challenges they face. Finally, students look at the ideas and choose one to focus on.   After students research a folktale or fable of their choice, they make a chart with the information they found as a visual way to show facts and details about how characters explore challenges in a tale.

  • In Units 5 and 6, during the Research and Inquiry Project, students research an invention to find out how, when, and why it was invented. After selecting an invention to research, students explore magazines, books, and websites to learn more about the invention and answer their questions. Students must find at least three credible and reliable sources. Then, students interpret and select facts that show why their selected invention was important and how it changed lives, and consider how the invention might be changed in the future to become even better. Students finish their research and inquiry project by creating a research report, which could be in the format of a written or typed report, a poster, a web page, or a pamphlet. Students present their report to the class then reflect on what they learned about the good and what went well and what they would do differently next time as a researcher.

  • In Units 7 and 8, during the Research and Inquiry Project, students choose a person or event from history that interests them. Then, students research, plan, create, and share a history research report. In addition to facts and details about a person or event from the past, the research report should also include visuals and audio, such as photographs, maps, charts, or a recording of a speech.  

The materials reviewed for Grade 2 meet the criteria of Indicator 2g.

Materials include instruction, questions and tasks, and assessments aligned to grade-level standards. Students have opportunities to answer questions about illustrations, plot, and characters. Students practice activities such as comparing and contrasting charts, retelling details, and answering standards-aligned questions about texts. At times, students focus on comprehension strategies that may not align to standards. Although the reformatted Correlation of Benchmark Advance to the Common Core Standards chart illustrates when standards repeat across the year, it is unclear which learning target aligns to the instructional content and questions and tasks within each lesson. 

Over the course of each unit, the majority of instruction is aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• All Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are taught in the school year according to the reformatted Correlation of Benchmark Advance to the Common Core Standards chart. Materials use general learning goals rather than CCSS, which sometimes focus on skills that are implied within the standards. It is unclear which portions of the lesson align to the learning goals listed.

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 2, the teacher reads aloud the title and first paragraph of Smoke Jumpers by Matt Bander. The teacher then models how students identify the main topic of the entire selection and the focus of the first paragraph. The teacher then reads aloud paragraph 2 and models how to find the focus of the paragraph. This instruction aligns to RI.2.2: “Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.” 

  • In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 3, the teacher reads the story “Village of the Moon Rain” by Grace Lin and demonstrates “how to use the words to understand the setting.” The teacher also models “how to make a connection between the text and illustration to understand the characters and events.” This instruction aligns to 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.” 

  • In Unit 8, Week 3, Day 5, students read the poem, “Wind and Water Change Earth, Weather” by Tracy Owen. Students close their eyes and listen to the poem. The teacher explains the meaning of onomatopoeia and repetition. The teacher models identifying both within the text. This instruction aligns to 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.”

Over the course of each unit, the majority of questions and tasks are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Most questions and tasks align to Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Within the lessons, it is unclear which questions and tasks align to the learning goals listed.  

  • In Unit 1, Week 2, Day 2, students identify the key details in the story “Habitats Around the World” by Thea Feldman. Students respond to the following question: “What is the main focus of paragraph 4. What is the main focus of paragraph 6? Why is ‘Habitats Around the World’ a good title for this selection? How does this selection relate to the essential question, ‘How do living things get what they need to survive?’” These questions align to RI.2.2: “Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.” 

  • In Unit 3, Week 1, Day 5, student partner groups reread paragraphs 3–8 in “Can You Sew a Flag Betsy Ross?” by Cindy Peattie. Then, students answer the following questions to explore the differences in characters’ points of view: “What does General Washington feel the new country needs? Why? How does Betsy Ross feel about the stars in the flag? How is that different from General Washington’s idea shown in his sketch? What conclusions can you draw about Betsy Ross’s point of view from the way she makes the flag?” These questions align to RL.2.6: “Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.”

  • In Unit 6, Week 1, Day 4, students read paragraphs 2–4 of “The Huemul Egg” retold by Carlos Labbe. After reading, students discuss and underline details that help them understand the central message. Students then respond to the following questions: “How does the author introduce the main character of this folktale? What problem does Pedro face at the beginning of this story? How does Pedro decide to solve the problem?  Why? What happens in the middle of the story as a result of Pedro’s actions? Describe what happens to the greedy man at the end of the story. In your own words, what is the central message of this tale? How can you apply the central message to your classroom community?” These questions align to RL.2.2: “Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.” 

Over the course of each unit, the majority of assessment questions are aligned to grade-level standards. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Each Unit has two weekly assessments and one unit assessment. The weekly assessments include “selected response items, consisting of multiple choice, multiple response, evidence-based selected response, and hot text questions.”  The unit assessments include two types of open responses: short answer constructed responses and an extended response writing prompt. Materials include answer keys and item rationales that indicate the standards addressed by each question.

  • In Unit 4, Week 2, Assessment, students read the story “The Turtle Who Talked Too Much” (author not cited). Questions 4 and 5 are as follows: “What do the cranes do when Turtle asks for help? Choose two answers. What is the message of this story?” These assessment questions align to RL.2.2: “Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.”

  • In Unit 5, Unit Assessment, students read “Louis Braille” (author not cited).  Question 1 is as follows: “What is the purpose of this text?” Question 8 is as follows: This assessment question partially aligns to RI.2.6: “Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.”

  • In Unit 9, Unit Assessment, students read “From Sheep to Sweater” (author not cited); the text includes four supporting illustrations. Students respond to Question 3: “What information does picture 1 add to the passage?” This assessment question aligns to RI.2.7: “Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.” 

By the end of the academic year, standards are repeatedly addressed within and across units to ensure students master the full intent of the standard. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• RL.2.4  is taught in Units 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 according to the reformatted Correlation to the Common Core State Standards Chart: “Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.”  

  • In Unit 1, Week 3, Day 2, students apply their knowledge of context clues and word meaning when reading “Filiberto in the Valley” by Alex Branger. During the Constructive Conversation: Partner activity, students reread the first paragraph of the text, underline the phrase “escaped from his cage,” and discuss and write about how the author’s use of this phrase helps them understand Filiberto. Students do not examine rhythm during this lesson. 

  • In Unit 4, Week 1, Day 2, students read “The Blind Man and the Elephant” retold by Sunita Apte. The teacher rereads the first three paragraphs of the text, underlines the repeating phrase “An elephant is like….”, and models how to use the repeated phrases to understand the rhythm and meaning of the story. During the guided practice activity, students work with a partner and reread paragraphs 5–6, underline the repeated phrase in each paragraph, and discuss which words are repeated and why they think the author repeats the words. 

  • In Unit 5, Week 3, Day 5, the teacher reads aloud the poem “Eletelephony” by Laura E. Richards and models how to analyze rhyme using the Features of Poetry Anchor Chart created during Unit 1. After reading lines 3–4, the teacher discusses the rhyme and rhythm of the poem, including the line break and rhyme scheme. During Guided Practice, students read lines 9–10, “identify the rhyming words and clap to the beat,” and “discuss how rhyme and regular beats [are] used in the poem.” Students do not examine meaning during this lesson. 

• RI.2.8 is taught in Units 2, 5, and 8 according to the reformatted Correlation to the Common Core State Standards Chart: “Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.” While students identify reasons that support points made by the author, students do not always describe how reasons support specific points. 

  • In Unit 2, Week 1, Day 1, after modeling how to analyze an opinion prompt, the teacher uses the Mentor Opinion Essay to “[d]iscuss one of the points the author makes and reasons that support it.” During Guided Practice, students work with a partner and “reread the Mentor Opinion Essay to locate and describe additional reasons and examples from the text that support the points the writer stated in the opinion essay.”   

  • In Unit 5, Week 2, Day 2, during the Constructive Conversation: Small Peer Group activity, students read “Two Famous Inventors” by Margaret McNamara and respond to the following text evidence questions: “What is the main focus of paragraph 3? What reasons does the author give to support her point? What is the main focus of paragraph 7? What reasons does the author give to support her point? Why is ‘Two Famous Inventors’ a good title for this selection? How does reading this selection help you to answer the Essential Question: ‘Where do ideas for inventions come from?’”

  • In Unit 8, Week 1, Day 5, the teacher uses the first two paragraphs of “Water’s Awesome Wonder” by Sarah Brien to model how to identify an opinion and supporting statements. During Guided Practice, students work in small groups to reread the text and respond to the following text evidence questions: “What is weathering? What is erosion? How does the author support the point that something beautiful can be created by weathering and erosion?  Which details back up the author’s opinion that the Grand Canyon is beautiful? How do the reasons the author gives support the point that water can be an artist?”