Unit Overview
Content Area: English Language Arts
Unit Title: ReadingInformational Timeline: Ongoing
Target Course/Grade Level:Second Grade
Unit Summary:Students will enjoy reading and being read to using a wide variety and deep engagement of high-quality informational texts. Students will be exposed to and become familiar with a variety of genres including but not limited to the reading of nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, biography and autobiography. They will learn about the various text features and their use and how they contribute to and clarify a text. Students will learn to locate key facts and information in informational text. Students will identify that the purpose of informational texts is to inform and offer information related to a topic of interest or study.
Primary interdisciplinary connections: Character Education, Science, Social Studies, Math, Health, Technology
21st century themes and skills: Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and Collaboration, Life and Career Skills: -flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social skills, productivity and accountability, leadership and responsibility.
Anchor Standards:
  • RI.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from text.
  • RI.2 Determine central theme or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
  • RI.5 Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text relate to each other and the whole.
  • RI.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
  • RL.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
  • L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
  • SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Learning Targets/Activities
Domain: Reading Informational, Language, Speaking and Listening
Cluster: Key ideas and DetailsCraft and Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity, Conventions of Standard English, Comprehension and Collaboration, Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Standard # / Standards
RI.2.1 / Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.2 / Identify the main topic of a multi paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.
RI.2.3 / Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
RI.2.4 / Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
RI.2.5 / Know and use various text features (eg., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
RI.2.6 / Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain or describe.
RI.2.7 / Explain how specific images (eg., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and clarify a text.
RI.2.8 / Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
RI.2.9 / Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.
RI.2.10 / By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science and technical texts, in the grade 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
SL.2.1 / Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.2.1.a / Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (eg. listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
SL.2.1.b / Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments to the remarks of others.
SL.2.1.c / Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under discussion.
SL.2.2 / Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
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.2.4 / Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking audibly in coherent sentences.
SL.2.5 / Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts and feelings.
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 for specific expectations).
Unit Essential Questions
  • How can reading informational text contribute to lifelong learning?
  • How do the features of informational text help us to find, understand, and apply important information?
/ Unit Enduring Understandings
  • Readers read informational texts to gain knowledge to help understand our world and ourselves.
  • Readers know how to focus their thinking around the important information in a text in order to understand the main idea.
  • Features of informational texts help readers to navigate, understand, and apply important information.

Unit Learning Targets
Students will ...
  • Ask and answer pertaining to who, what, where, when, why, and how before, during and after reading to demonstrate understanding and comprehension of key details or facts in a text, (RI.2.1, SL.2.2, SL.2.3)
  • Identify the main idea of multiparagraph text and explain how each paragraph supports the main topic. (RI.2.2)
  • Describe the connection between a series of historical events in a text (e.g., Rosa Parks and RubyBridges). (RI.2.3)
  • Describe the connection between a series of scientific ideas in a text. (e.g, life cycle of a butterfly and life cycle of human). (RI.2.3)
  • Describe the connection (sequencing) between steps in technical procedures in a text. (e.g., how-to). (RI.2.3)
  • Make connections and use context to determine the meaning of words or phrases within a text. (RI.2.4)
  • Identify and use text features including captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes, electronic menus, and icons to locate key facts or information in a text. (RI.2.5)
  • Identify the main purpose of a text and what the author wants to answer, explain or describe. (RI.2.6)
  • Describe an image (eg. picture, graphic, diagram) from a text and explain how the image contributes and clarifies text. (RI.2.7)
  • Explain how bold printindicates a word is new and important (term may be found in glossary). (RI.2.5)
  • Explain how subheadingshelp identify the main topics of sections of text. (RI.2.5)
  • Explain how glossariesdefine new and important content words. (RI.2.5)
  • Explain how indexesalphabeticallylist the main ideas in the text, with page numbers to help students find them easily. (RI.2.5)
  • Explain how electronic menuis a list of options that appears below an item when the computer user clicks on it. (RI.2.5)
  • Explain how an iconis an image on a computer page that represents a specific file, window, or web page – students can click on the icon to go to that information. (RI.2.5)
  • Describe and understand how reasons support specific points the author makes to demonstrate their opinion/viewpoint. (RI.2.8)
  • Provide textual evidence to support the author’s viewpoint. (RI.2.8)
  • Read or listen to two informational texts on the same topic and identify the most important points/main ideas in each text. (RI.2.9)
  • Compare important points in two texts on the same topic by identifying similarities. (RI.2.9)
  • Contrast important points in two texts on the same topic by identifying differences. (RI.2.9)
  • Read a variety of informational text at an appropriate level. (RI.2.10)
  • Use effective listening behaviors (eg. making eye contact, nodding thinking of questions to ask, responding). (SL.2.1.a, SL.2.1.b, SL.2.1.c)
  • Demonstrate guidelines for discussion such as taking turns when speaking and building on other’s thoughts, feelings and opinions. (SL.2.1.a, SL.2.1.b, SL.2.1.c)
  • Speak audibly and coherently in complete sentences using appropriate tone and volume when sharing, telling a story or recounting an experience to provide detail or clarification. (SL.2.4, SL.2.6)
  • Recognize and respect others’ perspectives during discussions. (SL.2.1.a, SL.2.1.b)
  • Participate in independent and community reading experiences and collaborative discussions in shared, guided, partner, independent and read aloud. ( RI.2.10, SL.2.1.a, SL.2.1.b, SL.2.1.c, SL.1.6)

Learning Activities
  • mini-lessons
  • guided reading groups
  • shared reading
  • independent reading
  • think alouds
  • graphic organizers: facts, compare and contrast
  • story maps/venn diagrams
  • Posters/Anchor charts (classroom listening/sharing
  • questions and responses
  • reading conferences
/
  • read aloud/model texts
  • Reading journals/Written response
  • skill-based work stations
  • flexible grouping
  • partner reading
  • partner/pair share
  • text browsing (locate parts of a text)
  • connection drawings
  • modeled and guided practice
  • peer conferencing
  • sharing/discussions

Evidence of Learning
Formative Assessments
  • Student participation
  • Anecdotal records
  • Teacher observation
  • Running records
  • Classroom discussion
/
  • Reading conferences
  • Story maps/graphic organizers
  • Journal entries
  • Illustrations/Written responses
  • Peer and self evaluations

Summative Assessments
  • DRA
  • Running Record
  • Rubrics
  • Written responses

RESOURCES/TECHNOLOGY
Teacher Instructional Resources:
  • Read Alouds/Mentor Texts
  • Leveled readers
  • Calkins Units of Study/Curricular Plans: Grade 2
  • Time for Kids, Scholastic
  • Scholastic News, Scholatic
  • Discovery Kids, Discovery Channel
  • National Geographic Little Kids, National Geographic
  • Strategies That Work, Harvey and Goudvis
  • Reading With Meaning, Debbie Miller
  • Lessons in Comprehension, by Frank Serafini
  • Growing Readers, Kathy Collings
  • Nonfiction Craft Lessons, Ralph Fletcher
  • True Stories: Nonfiction Literacy in the Primary Classroom, Christine Duthie
  • Guided Reading, Fountas and Pinnell
  • Guided Comprehension in the Primary Grades, Maureen McLaughin

Integration of Technology:
  • SmartBoard
  • Computer
  • Online resources

Technology Resources:
Click the links below to access additional resources used to design this unit:
 Resource of academic information to assist teacher in evaluating their own teaching methods for reading instruction. Some resources for use with students to enhance this unit on informational text.
 Online non fiction books that students can read independently.
 Electronic bulletin board that has endless resources for all components of teaching reading. You have to navigate through the various resources.
 Resources for supporting your reading workshop classroom. Some free, most cost a low fee that goes directly to the teacher who posted the resource.
 A quick article covering many components of what to teach in this unit.
 This website offers various articles to read to gaininsight on how other teachers are approaching this unit of reading instruction.
 An article explaining why andhow to teach informational text to children.
 games using reading and thinking about non-fiction topics to play the game successfully.
 This site has many different animals that students can clickon and read quick facts about.
 Website full of interesting topics to read about. Some articles are harder than second grade reading.
Opportunities for Differentiation:
Readers Workshop: Guided reading, guided practice
Leveled readers
Independent reading
VAKT modeling: graphic organizers
Teacher Notes: