Grade 2

Language Strand

Narrative for the Language Strand:

As they move through formal schooling, students must gain control over the many conventions of standard English grammar, usage, and mechanics. They must also learn various ways to convey meaning effectively. Language standards include the rules of standard written and spoken English as well as the use of language as craft and informed choice among alternatives. The vocabulary standards focus on understanding words and phrases (their relationships and nuances) and acquiring new academic and domain-specific vocabulary. 

English grammar conventions, knowledge of language, and vocabulary extend across reading, writing, speaking, and listening and, in fact, are inseparable from these contexts. As students grow in their understanding of patterns of English grammar, they can use this knowledge to make more purposeful and effective choices in their writing and speaking and more accurate and rich interpretations in their speaking and listening.

How to help your child with the standards in the Language Strand:

• Engage your child in conversations every day. If possible, include new and interesting words in your conversation.
• Read to your child each day. When the book contains a new or interesting word, pause and define the word for your child. After you're done reading, engage your child in a conversation about the book.
• When coming across unknown words, encourage your child to use diagrams, labels or reference materials (glossaries, dictionaries....) to find out what the definition is
• Help build word knowledge by classifying and grouping objects or pictures while naming them.
• Help build your child's understanding of language by playing verbal games and telling jokes and stories.
• Encourage your child to read on his own. The more children read, the more words they encounter and learn.
• Encourage your child to write at home. Keep encouraging your child to write the sounds he/she hears in words so they feel confident in figuring out how to write and spell words.

Resources

• Writing Activities for Second Graders

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

Proficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

Grade 2

Reading Foundations Strand

Narrative for Reading Foundations Strand:

The Foundational Skill standards are directed toward fostering students' understanding and working knowledge of:

Phonics and Word Study:  The relationship between letters and sounds in language.  Students will learn to recognize high-frequency words automatically. Students will also practice recognizing words with irregular spellings (sometimes referred to as sight words).

Fluency:  The ability to read smoothly and expressively.  A fluent reader is one who reads and understands what he or she is reading.  Fluency skills should increase as learners progress from beginning to advanced.  

The foundational skills standards are not meant to be taught as isolated skills. These standards are necessary and important components of an effective, comprehensive reading program designed to develop proficient readers with the ability to comprehend what is read across a range of text types and content areas (social studies, science).  

How to help your child at home with the foundational skill strand:

• Help your child to decode (take apart) common words so that he/she becomes familiar with how to read an unknown word
• Assist your child in seeing how vowel combinations are spelled
• Point out the  difference between long/short vowels in regularly used words
• Read aloud higher levels of text to your child so that he/she can hear you read with accuracy, appropriate speed, and expression
• Help your child identify and understand common prefixes (beginnings, re-, -in, sub-) and suffixes (endings -ment, -tion)
• Practice reading words that are spelled differently but can sound the same (read/red, threw/through)
• Help your child recognize common irregularly spelled words (said, laugh)
• Encourage your child to read to you often, and allow them to re-read the same books, to help improve reading with accuracy, appropriate rate and expression

Resources

• 2nd Grade Phonics Games
• Interactive Sites for Education
• Fry Instant word list
• Common Prefixes and Suffixes
• Teaching High-Frequency and Sight Words
• Buidling Reading Fluency

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

Proficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

Proficiency Scale

Sub-Standards:

Grade 2

Reading Informational/Nonfiction Strand

Narrative for Informational Reading Strand:

The primary purpose of informational text (non-fiction) is to inform the reader about the natural or social world. Different from literaure (fiction), informational text does not utilize characters.  In this strand students are expected to determine the topic (who or what the text is about).  Students will also ask and answer questions about the topic of the text and retell details from informational text they hear. 

Informational text offers a variety of structures to assist the readers in finding information quickly and efficiently. These might include a table of contents, bold or italicized text, gloassaries, embedded definitions for specialized vocabulary, realistic illustrations of photos, captions and other labels, and graphs and charts.

Continued work on reading comprehension standards will heighten student abilities to read more complex informational (nonfiction) text.  Teachers use assessment and observation to determine if students are ready to progress to more challenging reading selections.  Each child is unique, so be flexible, and trust your judgment as you assist your child.  Together teachers and parents can help students make better choices when selecting books to read.  Not all selections children read must be in the level suggested by assessment, these levels serve as a guideline.  Sometimes high interest in a topic allows success in a more difficult text, and sometimes simple text is more inviting to our children, balance is important.  Increasing the frequency of reading is the highest predictor of success at any grade level. Building a child’s confidence, through successful experiences with reading, will encourage that desire to read more. Developing successful, life-long readers is our ultimate goal.

How to Help Your Child At Home with the Informational Text Strand:

• Ask questions about the topic being read (What does this book tell us about bears?)
  
• Go beyond just naming the topic, ask your child to tell you details about the topic 
• Have your child retell the information on the topic they read about
• Re-read favorite books to build fluency, comprehension and confidence
• Discuss the informational topics you read about
  
• Read aloud frequently.  Children love to listen to non-fiction stories that are more complicated than they can read on their own
• Bring attention to bold words, captions and  glossaries that will help locate key facts or information in a text
• Read magazines and newspapers for information and entertainment - the pictures and current event topics offer a high-interest way for readers to attemp more difficult reading than they may in a book
• Read directions on packages, forms, games and recipes - this helps children see that we read many things to gain information
• Make regular visits to a public library to select informational (non-fiction) reading material

Resources

• How to Read Non-Fiction
• Non-Fiction Reading that Kids Love
• Non-Fiction Comprehension Questions
• Non-Fiction Magazine Ideas
• National Geographic

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

Proficiency Scale

Proficiency Scale

Grade 2

Reading Literature/Fiction Strand

Narrative for Literature Strand:

Reading literature (fiction) allows students to learn about other lives and times that relate to their own personal experiences. In this strand, students will ask and answer questions about key details (characters, setting, plot), along with retelling what they have read.  Literature (fiction) helps readers learn important life lessons through the lives of the characters, comparing their own experiences with the experiences of the characters they read about. Reading literature (fiction) allows us to learn to appreciate the beauty of the language, and to be articulate speakers and writers.  

Continued work on reading comprehension standards will heighten student abilities to read more complex literature (fiction) text.  Teachers use assessment and observation to determine if students are ready to progress to more challenging reading selections.  Each child is unique, so be flexible, and trust your judgment as you assist your child.  Together teachers and parents can help students make better choices when selecting books to read.  Not all selections children read must be in the level suggested by assessment, these levels serve as a guideline.  Sometimes high interest in a topic allows success in a more difficult text, and sometimes simple text is more inviting to our children, balance is important.  Increasing the frequency of reading is the highest predictor of success at any grade level. Building a child’s confidence, through successful experiences with reading, will encourage that desire to read more. Developing successful, life-long readers is our ultimate goal.

How to Help Your Child At Home with the Literature Strand:

• Read to your child often, and let him/her read books to you
• Ask questions about what is being read  
• Go beyond just naming the character and setting, have your child describe the characters and settings with details (ex. "What character traits did the characters have?" (kind, mean, creative, patient, messy)? How do you know?)
• Have your child retell a story they have read with the beginning, middle and end
• Re-read favorite books to build fluency, comprehension and confidence
• Discuss favorite stories together and talk about the characters and messages the author is trying to teach or lessons the characters learned in the story
  
• Read aloud frequently.  Children love to listen to stories that are more complicated than they can read on their own.  
• Don't forget - poetry can be a great read aloud
• Make regular visits to a public library to select literature (fiction) reading material

Resources:

• Reading Resources
• Reading Tips for Parents of Second Graders
• Poetry Resources
• Seussville
• Comprehension Questions

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.

Proficiency Scale

Proficiency Scale

Grade 2

Speaking and Listening Strand

Narrative for the Speaking and Listening Strand

Speaking and listening standards require students to develop a range of oral communication and interpersonal skills that facilitate various types of discussion and oral exchange. Students must learn to work together, express and listen carefully to ideas, and integrate information from various sources, (e.g., oral, visual, quantitative, and media). Students must also gain skills in evaluating what they hear, use various sources to support what they are communicating, and adapt their speech to the content and the task at hand. 

Besides having intrinsic value as modes of communication, speaking and listening skills are necessary prerequisites for reading and writing. Oral language development precedes and is the foundation for writing. A student’s listening and speaking vocabulary sets boundaries on what that student can read and understand no matter how well they decode. In addition, new technologies have expanded the role speaking and listening play in acquiring and sharing ideas, tightening their link with other forms of communication

How to help your child with the Speaking and Listening Standards:

• At dinner time or in the car, have conversations with your child to allow him/her to practice the art of conversing with others
• Respond to your child in sentences to model for him/her the correct way to talk
• Ask for details about books, movies, and television shows you are viewing with your child
• Ask your child to tell you in his/her own words about what he/she hears and sees
• Encourage your child to describe his/her feelings and ideas in phrases and sentences that are more descriptive than just one word
• Use complete sentences when you talk to your child and encourage him/her to speak in the same way

Resources

• Explanding Vocabulary
• Top 10 Vocabulary Tips
• Storyline Online
• Tumble Books
• Pebble Go
• National Geographic

Calculation Method for Strands

Strands are larger groups of related standards. The Strand Grade is a calculation of all the related standards. Click on the standard name below each strand to access the learning targets and proficiency scales for each strand's related standards.