2nd Grade - Gateway 2

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

Materials provide opportunities to analyze sequences of questions and tasks within and across multiple literary and informational texts. Questions are sequenced in ways that prepare students with background knowledge in order to deepen content knowledge, draw conclusions, and support their opinions. With prompting and support, questions require students to recall information, compare and contrast, retell story events, identify key details, formulate opinions, and make inferences. 

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 Literature Unit 1, Lesson 3, students describe what happens at the ball and how it changes Cinderella and the stepsisters’ lives by describing how the characters respond to events. The class creates an anchor chart on the major events of the general Cinderella story to use throughout the unit to support comparing and contrasting different versions of the story. 

• In Literature Unit 4, Lesson 12, students read Chapter 1 of Zapato Power: Freddy Ramos Springs Into Action by Jacqueline Jules. Afterward, students use key details to explain how Freddy Ramos shows confidence and to describe how he responds to major events and challenges. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 1, Lesson 1, students ask and answer questions about the forest, desert, rainforest, and water habitats using key details from multiple texts.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 4, Lesson 3, students read How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine by Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville. Students describe what Temple invented, why she invented it, and how it impacted others.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 5, Lessons 5–6, students read First Human Body Encyclopedia (author not cited). Students retell the sequence of events in the process of digestion.

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

• In Literature Unit 4, Lesson 2, students identify and explain how the author uses descriptive language in Chapter 2 of the book, Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off by Jacqueline Jules. Students explain what the following phrases mean and why the author included them: "my feet took off like jet wheels on a runway", "one blink later", "Zoom! Zoom! Zapato!"

• In Literature Unit 5, Lesson 4, students read the book Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. Students describe Andrew’s feelings about Sharon and use evidence from the text to make inferences that show one character’s perspective of another character.

• In Literature Unit 6, Lesson 18, students read Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-Up by David A. Kelly. Students analyze the phrase Mama tells Alfredo: “think of yourself as a little bird who does not need much to eat or drink to keep flying north. Just like the swallows we see every spring.” Students explain what they think the phrase means and why they think Mama said this to Alfredo. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, Lesson 16, students read the poems “Inchworm” and “Hornet” from  Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian. Students answer the following questions: “How does the author use the shape of the poem to describe an inchworm?” and “How does the author use rhyming words in the poem?”

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

Materials support students’ development of the analysis of knowledge and ideas. Text-based questions and tasks integrate knowledge and ideas over the course of the year using single and multiple texts. Students use information from read-alouds, class discussions, and illustrations to answer questions and complete tasks. Sequential questions and tasks support the growth of ideas and knowledge and prepare students for the completion of the culminating task. 

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

• In Literature Unit 1, Lesson 16, students read The Talking Eggs by Robert D. San Souci and use the illustrations to infer character traits. Students respond to questions such as, “How does the illustration on pages 5–6 show the character traits of the mother, sister, and Blanche?” and “‘But the woman had been nothing but kind to her; so she just went on lighting the fire.’ How does the author use this sentence and the events inside the old lady’s cabin to show what Blanche is like?” Students write in response to the following Target Task prompt: “Describe Blanche. How is she different from her mother and sister?” 

• In Literature Unit 3, Lesson 6, students begin reading Pinky and Rex and the Bully by James Howe and continue to examine the topic of personal identity, friendship and belonging. Students use information from the text to respond to questions such as, “What does the description ‘his cheeks were fever-hot’ show about Pinky and how he is feeling?”; “Why is he feeling that way?”; and “Why does he think that Pinky is a sissy?”

• In Literature Unit 6, Lesson 4, students read Chapter 2 of Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-Up by David A. Kelly and describes “how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.”  Students respond to questions such as, “What do you notice about how I read Kate and Mike’s dialogue? What does it reveal about them?” and “Why does Mike think the batboy could be a suspect? Explain.” Students write in response to the following Target Task prompt: “How do Kate and Mike respond to the news that Big D’s bat has been stolen? Do they have the same reaction?” 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 5, Lesson 6, students continue reading First Human Body Encyclopedia (author not cited). Students describe what happens after food leaves the stomach. Students respond to a series of questions, including “The author says undigested leftovers end up in the large intestine. What does it mean if something is undigested?” and “How does the diagram contribute to our understanding of the digestive system?”, before discussing and responding to the Target Task. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, Lesson 7, students continue reading Ancient Greece and the Olympics: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce and analyze this statement: “The ancient Greeks had busy lives. They enjoyed their family and their friends.” Afterwards, students respond to the questions, “What reasons does the author give to support this idea?” and “Why do the reasons support the author’s point?”

Most 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 Literature Unit 1, Lesson 21, students use the various Cinderella texts from diverse cultures read throughout the unit to analyze what lessons can be learned from the characters and how the lessons translate into our lives. Students respond to questions such as, “Think about the character traits of each of the ‘Cinderellas.’ What do they have in common? What lessons did they learn?” 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 1, Lesson 14, students use their learning from A Desert Habitat and A Forest Habitat (Introducing Habitats) both by Bobbie Kalman and Kelley Macaulay to compare and contrast how plants and animals use their surroundings to meet their needs. Students discuss questions such as, “How do plants get what they need to survive in a desert? In a forest? How is this different?” and “How do plants and animals get water in a desert? In a forest? How is this different? How do you know? Can you think of an example?” After the class discussion, students write in response to the following Target Task: “Compare and contrast how plants and animals in a desert habitat depend on their surroundings to meet their needs in comparison with how animals and plants in a forest habitat meet their needs. Why are they different?”

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 4, Lesson 26, students use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the information presented in Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope by Nikki Grimes and Barack Obama by Caroline Crosson Gilpin. After completing a close read of portions of both texts, students discuss their responses to text-based questions such as, “How is the author telling the details?” and “What does the author want us to think or know?” Students must  “include both factual and inferential (author’s purpose) similarities and differences” in their Venn diagrams.   

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 5, Lesson 17, the teacher selects one of the following essential questions for students to debate and defend: “What makes the human body amazing?”; “Why is the digestive system important?”; or “How does food keep our body healthy?” Students draw upon their learning from the texts about the human body they read throughout the unit and “gather two to three specific details they can use to support their thinking.”  

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

Materials provide several culminating tasks that integrate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills and allow students to demonstrate acquired knowledge of the unit topic. Units contain coherently sequenced questions and tasks that lead to the culminating tasks. Students gain knowledge from the unit to create artifacts of their learning. Students engage in class and peer discussions around texts and cite specific facts from texts to support their ideas. Teachers monitor student learning throughout the year using the Discussion Recording form, Academic Discourse Rubric, Editing Checklist, Graphic Organizers, and Writing Rubrics. The culminating tasks are used as formative assessments before the Unit Summative Assessment.

Culminating tasks are evident and varied across the year and they are 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 Literature Unit 1, Lesson 13, students compare and contrast two versions of Cinderella by describing how the setting impacts the characters and plot of a story. Students analyze different lessons learned in each story. In pairs, students recount key events from the stories, Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story by Ai-Ling Louie and The Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo. Students plot each story using a graphic organizer independently while working with partners or in small groups. Students use their plot charts to explain what is similar and different between the two Cinderella plots and lessons learned, citing universal lessons and how the stories are impacted by diverse cultures. 

• In Literature Unit 3, Lesson 19, students demonstrate their knowledge of friendship traits from reading the Pinky and Rex series. Students debate their responses to the Essential Questions in small groups using evidence from two or more of the unit texts. Students use the Character Trait Wall, Character Map as well as vocabulary from the unit in their discussion. Teachers assess students by collecting individual writing.

• In Literature Unit 5, Lesson 7, the culminating task centers around learning from mistakes using  Freckle Juice by Judy Blume. The class creates a plot map with students working in pairs to identify and interpret key details. A class discussion focuses on the role of peer pressure and self-confidence with who you are as students discuss the influence of others in their life. Students use reflexive pronouns in their discussion and use conjunctions when writing to explain why something is important or to connect details.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 1, students design a zoo habitat for a given animal using knowledge of plant and animal relationships and habitat features from the unit. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 4,  Lesson 18, students choose one person they have read about and write an informational report describing how that person made the world a better place. Students state a claim and include specific details from the text to support their claim. Students engage in a class discussion to brainstorm how the people they have read about in the unit worked to make the world and environment better. Students share their writing with a partner explaining what they admire about their selected person and what part of the person’s story inspired them most. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 5, Lesson 9, students spend two days synthesizing what they have learned about digestion. Students write a paragraph and create a poster to illustrate what happens when they eat a food of their choice. Students use elements of scientific texts such as; headings, labels, captions and a diagram of how food moves. This task is completed again in Lesson 12 with the urinary system.

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

Over the course of the year, writing expectations strategically build across the course of the year, with an emphasis on making sure students can meet the demands of the standard by the end of the year. The unit Focus Areas build strategically over the course of the year, and students progress through the stages of writing - brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing if applicable. Each project includes focused lessons that include research-based, well-designed models, protocols, and resources for teachers. Instructional materials are aligned to research-based writing strategies, as noted in the Writing Teacher Tool, and the enhanced Lesson Plans ensure that students receive explicit and sequenced instruction to aid in developing grade-level writing techniques.

Materials include writing instruction aligned 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:  

• Materials include 16 lessons on opinion writing, 20 lessons on informative writing, and 8 lessons on narrative writing.  

• In Literature Unit 1, students explore various versions of the Cinderella story, provide short answer responses to questions such as, “How did the Queen know that Cinderella had a good character?”, and provide character summaries or retell events. Students learn the pattern and characteristics of Cinderella stories and write their own. The unit writing focus centers on identifying complete sentences, turning fragments into complete sentences and writing a Cinderella story with a beginning, middle and end. 

• In Literature Unit 3, students explore the theme of friendship, what a good friend is, and the importance of standing up for yourself and what you believe using the reading series Pinky and Rex by James Howe. The unit writing focuses on brainstorming opinions and developing details to support the opinions.  Students practice using conjunctions and create complex sentences. 

• In Literature Unit 6, during narrative writing, students write a mystery that introduces characters, setting and the problem. Students use descriptive language, and include a cliff-hanger to build suspense. Throughout this unit, students practice using a variety of sentence types to improve their topic and conclusion statements. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, while following the steps in the writing process, students focus on expanding simple sentences using the “because, but, so” strategy. This strategy helps students write with specific details. Students work on writing a topic sentence and using facts and definitions to develop their points.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 4, during informative writing, students explore report writing. Students learn how to state a claim and provide supporting details. Students also conduct research to write a report.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, during informative writing, students write biographies and informational texts. Students also conduct research to create a presentation.

Instructional materials include some well-designed lesson plans, models, and protocols for teachers to implement and monitor students’ writing development. Examples inclu

• In Literature Unit 2, Lesson 18, materials provide the objective, Target Task, and Sample Response. The lesson includes slides and handouts for the lesson.  Additional supports include a graphic organizer to help students structure their thoughts prior to writing.

• In Literature Unit 4, Lesson 20, materials provide the Objective, Target Task, and Sample Response. The lesson spans five days and each day includes Teaching Point and Engaging with the Teaching Point sections. Lessons also include the Sentence Level Feedback and Support (K–5th Grade), the Narrative Writing Feedback and Support (K–5th Grade), and the Editing Checklist (K–2) for teacher use during progress monitoring. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, Lesson 3, the objective is to “explain which of the following images are insects by using organizing categories to defend claims or opinions about a content-related topic.  Slides and handouts are included for use throughout the lesson.  A sample response is included for modeling and discussion.   

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, Lesson 6, materials provide the Objective, Target Task, and Sample Response. The lesson includes Building Background and Engagement, Shared Writing, and Building Deeper Meaning sections. During Shared Writing, the teacher models writing three sentences but the sample response contains multiple paragraphs. The teacher models writing an opening sentence but not a closing sentence, yet students are required to write a closing sentence. The lesson includes the Sentence-Level Feedback and Support (K–5th Grade), the Paragraph-Level Feedback and Support (K–5th Grade), and the Editing Checklist (K–2) for teacher use during progress monitoring. 

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

Research tasks are embedded within each unit and include a progression of skills, building to mastery of grade level standards.  Students are encouraged to use specific examples in research projects.  Shared research projects are included to help develop students’ research skills. Materials support teachers in employing projects that develop students’ knowledge on a topic.

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:

• In Science and Social Studies, Unit 2, Lesson 22, the teacher prepares students to research an insect they have not learned about yet.  The teacher models how to select a topic, review resources, write a topic sentence, and use facts and definitions to support a point. 

• In Science and Social Studies, Unit 6, Lesson 6, the teacher prepares students to write a biography of a Greek God.  The teacher using information from notes to write a topic sentence and use key details to support a topic sentence.

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

• In Literature Unit 1, Lesson 1, teachers use Key Questions to highlight important information throughout the reading of the book, What is Culture by Bobbie Kolman. The lesson plan includes example answers, and suggested supports to help students with comprehension. 

• In Literature Unit 2, Lesson 16, the Teacher Guide includes a video related to Anansi stories and additional questions for discussion before students research. Materials provide a list of character traits and sentence frames for students who struggle to describe Anansi the Spider independently.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, Lesson 21, the Teacher Guide includes sample writing, book lists for research, and opportunities for enrichment. Materials also include additional supports for students who are struggling, including but not limited to, additional lesson ideas for teachers. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 3, Lesson 28, materials provide guidance on teaching students about reliable sources. Materials also include a Cultural Research Project Notetaker to support students with collecting information for the research project.

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

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 1, Lesson 7, students use the information gathered in Lessons 2–5 to write an informational report that explains how plants and animals depend on their surroundings and other living things to meet their needs in the forest. Students include multiple details from A Forest Habit (Introducing Habitats) by Bobbie Kalman and Kelley Macauley.  

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, Lesson 21, students research and write a report on an insect. Students use unit texts, internet sources, and a graphic organizer to conduct their research. In the research report, students include researched facts that answer four questions and a text feature, such as an illustration with labels.  

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 5 , Lesson 16, students write a paragraph about “a nutritious and delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner” by researching what is and is not a healthy food, and what constitutes a healthy diet. In addition to texts read, videos watched on healthy foods and how to read the nutrition labels on food,  students use the internet and websites, newspapers, and food boxes to learn more about what healthy food choices are and the role different foods have when creating a healthy plate. 

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

Instruction, tasks, and assessment questions are aligned to grade-level standards. Materials employ teacher modeling during instruction. Students often respond to and complete standards-aligned questions and tasks.  Students have opportunities in each lesson to use a partner Turn and Talk and engage in open whole group discussions that involve the diverse views of all students. The materials provide ample questions for teachers to ask students and students to answer. Many standards are repeated throughout multiple units across the year. Assessments leverage knowledge from the unit. 

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

• In Literature Unit 4, Lesson 2, when introducing the text, Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off by Jacqueline Jules, the teacher explains descriptive language: “Tell students that authors use powerful language in their writing to make us feel like we are in the text with the characters. This is called ‘descriptive language.’ Say that descriptive language helps readers better visualize and understand what is happening in the story. It makes you feel like you are right there.” The lesson includes Additional Supports for students who need more guidance for descriptive language such as an anchor chart . The teacher points out that the author uses a lot of comparisons in the book: “Explain that today, they will pay close attention to the descriptive language that Jaqueline Jones, the author, uses when describing Freddie’s new shoes. Tell students that she uses a lot of comparisons. Remind students that a comparison is when you compare what you see to something else. (e.g., it was as cold as ice!).” The teacher discusses the descriptive language and comparisons the author is using. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 1, Lesson 4, the teacher explains text features and discusses how the bold words emphasize the important vocabulary in the paragraphs of A Forest Habitat (Introducing Habitats) by Bobbie Kalman and Kelley Macaulay. The lesson lists RI.2.2 as a standard addressed in the lesson; however, the teacher does not provide instruction on how to identify the main topic of the text or the focus of specific paragraphs in the text. 

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, Lesson 2, after reading the Target Task for Ancient Greece and the Olympics: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osbourne and Natalie Pope Boyce, the teacher explains how the author “has several key points in their text” and tells students that they need to support their points with reasons when writing their response. Teacher guidance includes, “Give the following example: You might say: ‘Julia is a top-notch soccer player.’That is the key point. To support that point, you might say: ‘She was the highest-scoring player on the team last season’; ‘She was selected to be on the traveling team’; ‘She practices every night after school and on weekends.’” 

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: 

• In Literature Unit 1, Lesson 7, core standards listed for the lesson include RL.2.3 and RL.2.7. The majority of the Key Questions students respond to during the reading of Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci align to these standards. For example, “Describe the narrator. How did she meet Cendrillon?”; “Why did the stepmother and stepsister ‘peer crossly’ at Cendrillon and her godmother?”; “How do Cendrillon and the narrator feel after the party?”; and “Why do they both feel that way?” The Target Task also aligns to these standards: “The morning after the ball, Cendrillon says, ‘You gave me this night. That is enough.’ Why does she say that? What can we learn from her?”

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, Lesson 8, students continue their reading of Ancient Greece and the Olympics: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce. During the Target Task, students write in response to the following prompt: “What reasons does the author give to support the idea that at the center of Greek life was a love of learning, fun, and beauty? How do the reasons support the author’s point?” This task aligns to RI.2.8, one of the core standards listed for the lesson. 

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

• Assessments are conducted in the same format for every unit. Assessments include a vocabulary section and a writing prompt. The writing prompt does not include an associated reading passage, so students must rely on knowledge gained throughout unit lessons to answer the writing prompt. 

• In Literature Unit 2, Content Assessment, during the Content Knowledge portion of the assessment, students respond to a writing prompt: “In this unit you read multiple Spider stories. What can these folktales teach us about being a good person? Pick one lesson you learned from a story in the unit. Explain how you learned the lesson using key details in the text. Your answer should include, A lesson from the unit, Details about how the lesson was shown in the story, At least one character trait describing Spider, and Complete, detailed sentences. You may use the text and your class notes to help you answer the question.” The assessment item lists RL.2.2, RL.2.3, RL.2.5, W.2.1, L.2.1, and L.2.2 as standards assessed. 

• In Literature Unit 6, Content Assessment, during the Content Knowledge portion of the assessment, students write in response to the following prompt: “Using what you read in this unit, respond to the following statement: Your friend read The Fenway Foul-up and said Mike and Kate make a bad team because they don’t think the same way. Do you agree or disagree? Explain why.”  The assessment item lists RL.2.2, RL.2.3, RL.2.6, W.2.1, L.2.1, L.2.2 as standards assessed. 

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: 

• In Literature Unit 1, students read  Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie, and determine the lesson the story teaches. In Literature Unit 2, students read various folktales from The Adventures of Spider: West African Folktales by Joyce Cooper Arkhurst and determine the central messages of the folktales. In Literature Unit 5, students read Keena Ford(series) by Melissa Thomson and retell the key events of the story then describe the lesson of the story by writing advice in a letter to the main character. In Literature Unit 6, Lesson 17, Ballpark Mysteries #1: The Fenway Foul-Up by David A. Kelly, students write about why the main characters are considered “MVPs” by determining the central message or lesson of the story. This content aligns to RL.2.2.

• In Literature Unit 4, students read  Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off by Jacqueline Jules and discuss descriptive language used in the story. In Literature Unit 5, Lesson 10, students Close read a sentence from Keena Ford(series) by Melissa Thomson and discuss what the sentence shows about the main character. Students also explain why characters said specific phrases. In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, Lesson 15, students read poems "The Caterpillar," "The Dragonfly," and "The Army Ants" from the book  Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian and discuss the meaning of words, how the author uses description, and how the author uses rhyme. While materials provide opportunities for students to describe how words and phrases supply meaning in a story, poem, or song, materials miss opportunities for students to describe how words and phrases supply rhythm, as required in RL.2.4.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 2, students write about why the author wrote the text and how they know. In Science and Social Studies Unit 3, students identify reasons an author wrote a text and what the author wanted people to know. In Science and Social Studies Unit 4, students identify reasons an author wrote a biography and why the author thought the person’s life was important to learn about. In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, students describe two Ancient Greek gods and determine key details the author wants the reader to know about the gods. This content aligns to RI.2.6.

• In Science and Social Studies Unit 3, students describe how reasons support the main ideas of immigration and challenges immigrants have. In Science and Social Studies Unit 4, students describe how reasons support the explanation of how people are changemakers in the world . In Science and Social Studies Unit 6, students explain the topics of Ancient Greek and how reasons support the topics. This content aligns to RI.2.8.