English Language Arts

for 2nd Grade Students

See what skills your child will learn in English Language Arts, examples of student work and how you can help at home.

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Expectations for Students

During 2nd grade, students should spend most of their time reading, thinking deeply about, writing about, & discussing high quality texts. Students should read independently (with support as needed) & listen to texts read aloud. Texts should be half fiction & half nonfiction. Texts should represent diverse people, perspectives, & identities, including the voice and perspective of historical & contemporary Dakota & Anishinaabe people.

See all 2nd grade state standards for English Language Arts

2nd graders should understand how to do the following by the end of the year:

LEARNING TO READ & WRITE

Match letters with sounds to decode & write most commonly spelled words (up to 5 syllables).

Read decodable texts without help so that the reading is fluent.

Write complete sentences, with mostly correct spelling, capitalization, & end in punctuation. For example, use “. !?”

Independently read grade-level texts (Lexile 420–820, F&P: F–M, DRA: 12-38) fluently, & with expression. Students should read 70-130 words per minute & should understand what they are reading.

LEARNING ABOUT THE WORLD THROUGH TEXT

Ask & answer questions about texts read aloud to them or they read to themselves. Retell what happened & explain key ideas.

Figure out the meaning of unknown words by using pictures, context, glossaries, etc.

Write about what happened or information learned from the text. Include a title, an introduction, examples, & a conclusion.

How Students Learn To Read

How Do Students Learn to Read?

Learn more about the science of reading

Example Student Work

Here is an example of a decodable text at the 2nd grade level (this text would be laid out throughout an entire book with pictures). Children should receive these types of decodable texts in order to eliminate the distraction of encountering untaught spelling patterns.

Texts such as these should include pictures and only have one or 2 sentences per page.

1 This work is based on an original work of the Core Knowledge® Foundation made available through licensing under a Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. This does not in any way imply that the Core Knowledge Foundation endorses this work.

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The Jumping Frog

“Dad,” Mike said, “you said we could have a fun bedtime tale this time. Have you got one that’s fun?” “Yes,” said his dad. “I’ve got one I think you will like. It’s a tale my dad used to like to tell. It takes place in the West a long time back in the past. The name of the tale is The Jumping Frog.”

Once there was a man named Big Jim who had a frog. Big Jim held the frog up and made a speech. “This here is the best jumping frog in the land!” he said. “This frog has speed. It can jump three feet

at once. You think your frog can jump? I’ll bet he can’t jump like my frog! In fact, I got ten bucks says there’s not a frog in the land that can jump as fast as this frog. This frog hops like the wind. This frog…”

Well, Big Jim would have kept on bragging, but, just then, a man in a black vest got up and spoke. “My name is Pete. I’m not from here,” said the man. “And I do not have a frog. But if I did, I would take the bet and race your frog.” “Well, shucks,” said Big Jim. “That’s not a problem. Here, take my frog. I’ll run down to the stream and catch you a frog so we each have a frog to compete in the race.” Big Jim handed his frog to Pete. Then he ran off to the stream.

Mike’s dad was not finished telling the tale, but Mike had drifted off to sleep. He gave Mike a kiss and hoped he would have sweet dreams.1

Example Tooltip

Here is an example of writing at a 2nd grade level.2

2 Writing sample obtained with permission from Student Partners. “Student Writing Samples.” Achieve the Core, https://achievethecore.org/category/330/student-writing-samples

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PARTS OF A PLANT

How are the parts of a plant important? Here are some ways the parts of a plant are important. One way is that the roots suck nutrients from the soil so the plants can grow, roots also secure the plant in the ground, so it doesn’t blow away. Another way is flowers, seeds are kept in flowers, and the flower keeps the seeds safe. Stems are also important they carry nutrients through the plant. Also leaves, leaves collect sunlight for food for the plant. And last but not least, seeds, when seed gets in the ground the plants life begins. Those are some things That show how the parts of a plant are important.

Introduces the topic

Transition words and phrases “one way,” “another,” and “also” help organize facts

Uses facts and definitions to develop each point, explaining what each part of the plant does & why it is important

End of sentence punctuation is correct

Provides concluding statement

Everyday Activities to Support Learning

Read together each day

Read together each day. Aim for at least 20 minutes. Talk about what they are reading, discussing, & writing about in school.

Write notes and letters

Have children write notes & letters to relatives.

Go to the library

Get a free Hennepin County library card & visit the library together often.

Pick something to learn about together.

Read books, look online, & do things together to learn more about the chosen topic. You can help your child build knowledge & love learning.

Include children in daily household activities

Include children in daily household activities that require reading, such as cooking, shopping, sorting mail.

Create a consistent routine & space for homework

Regularly check that your child has finished their homework.

Have “book talk” conversations

Ask your child to say the important ideas in their own words. Ask your child to show you where to find each idea in the text.

Encourage your child to use writing in the real world

This can include everyday writing, such as grocery lists, notes, chore lists, etc.; journaling; book response notebook, or other creative writing.

2nd Grade Mathematics

Mathematics for 2nd Graders

What students should know and be able to do.

Tips for Talking to Teachers

A strong relationship between families and teachers is key to ensuring students have what they need to succeed. Parent involvement not only leads to higher grades and test scores, but also helps students develop self-confidence, motivation, and social skills. Knowing what questions to ask at school visits and parent-teacher conferences can help you feel confident when it comes to addressing your child’s’ academic needs.

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The numeric value of a digit in a number. The value of the digit is based on its position in the number. See the chart below for the number 4,367.082.

A group of words that means something different than its literal meaning. For example: “raining cats & dogs” means “to rain heavily” & “piece of cake,” means “something that is easy to do.”

The skills needed to read, write, & speak.

How sentences are put together, & how the order of words can change what it means. It’s like building with blocks – knowing a lot of words is like having a lot of different blocks, but understanding sentence structure is like knowing how to put the blocks together to build something bigger and more meaningful.

When we already know something about a topic before we read about it. When we know more about the topic, we can understand the text better.

When we know a word without having to sound it out. Good readers do this with words that are very common or with words that do not follow the “rules” of phonics.

The ability to read & write. Students get better at literacy with clear & specific instruction & with practice.

Synonyms are words that mean the same thing. “Big” & “enormous” are synonyms.

Words that mean the opposite of each other. “Big” and “small” are antonyms.

Addition is when we find the total amount by combining two or more values. Adding 2 & 3 gives us a total of 5. Adding 4, 1, & 3 gives us a total of 8. When we add, the total becomes more.

Counting numbers in order (1,2,3,4,5…)

Knowing that words are made up of many individual sounds (or phonemes). Students should be able to identify, produce & play with these individual sounds. You can find a video with all 44 English phonemes at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBuA589kfMg.

Books with sound & spelling patterns that teachers have already taught in class. Students can decode or sound out most words in the text.

When students can read with speed, accuracy, & proper expressions that shows they understand what they read.

A number consisting of both a whole number & a fraction, such as 1 3/8.

A fraction in which the top is bigger than the bottom, such as 7/5.

After ordering the data set from lowest to highest, the median is the value in the middle of the data set.

The mean is sometimes also referred to as the average. The mean is found by adding together all of the values in a data set & then dividing by the total number of values.

The relationship between two sets of numbers that are not equal. Inequalities typically include an unknown number. For example, 7x < 28.

Factors are numbers we can multiply together to get another number. For example, 2 & 3 are factors of 6 because 2 times 3 equals 6.

The author’s point of view describes from what perspective the story is being told. For example, it may be a character in the story that is narrating, or the author may be an outside observer.

The amount of 3-dimensional (3D) space that an object takes up. Volume tells us the amount we need to fill the object. For example, the amount of water needed to fill a bottle. We measure the volume of an object in cubic units such as cubic centimeters, cubic inches, cubic feet, etc.

The chance of something happening. Probability is expressed as a decimal or fraction from 0-1 or as a percent from 0-100%. For example, the probability of flipping a coin & it being “tails” is .5, 1/2, or 50%.

Properties of algebra describe the different ways that numbers can be combined. In 6th grade students use the associative, commutative & distributive properties of algebra.

The order of operations is the rule that tells us the order we should use to solve an expression with many steps. The order we follow can be remembered with the acronym PEMDAS:
1) Parentheses
2) Exponents
3) Multiplication & Division from left to right
4) Addition & Subtraction from left to right

Equivalent expressions are expressions that work the same even though they look different. If two expressions are equivalent, then the two expressions have the same value when we put in the same value for the variable. For example, 2x + x + x is equivalent to 4x.

A coordinate plane is a flat plane formed by the intersection of a vertical number line called y-axis & a horizontal number line called x-axis. These are perpendicular lines that intersect each other at zero, & this point is called the origin.

Circumference is the distance around a shape. It is found by adding the length of all of the sides. For a circle, the circumference is proportional to the diameter by a factor of pi

The distance a number is from zero. The symbol “|” is placed on both sides of a number to mean absolute value, so we the absolute value of x is written as |x|. |4|=4 |-5|=5

A variable is an unknown numerical value in an equation or a math expression. Variables are shown with a symbol (usually a letter).

A thesis statement is one or two sentences that summarize the essay’s main idea.

Scientific notation is a way of showing numbers that are too
large or too small to be easily written. For example the number 0.0000000000073 can be written more easily as 7.3 x 10-12

The square root is a factor of a number that, when multiplied by itself, gives the original number. For example, both 5 and -5 are square roots of 25

The slope of the line describes the direction & steepness of the line. It is found by dividing the change in y over the change in x between any two points on the graph.

A rational number is any number that can be shown as a fraction of two integers. An irrational number cannot be shown as a fraction. A decimal is irrational if it never ends & it has no repeating pattern.

After ordering the data set from lowest to highest, the median is the value in the middle of the data set.

Claiming someone else’s work or ideas as your own.

Rewording a sentence or paragraph in your own words.

An equation between two variables that makes a straight line when plotted on a graph

An expression that defines a relationship between one variable (the independent variable) & another variable (the dependent variable). If the function is linear, then when it is graphed on a coordinate plane, it will create a straight line with a constant slope.

Numbers, symbols, & operations (such as + and ÷) grouped together that show the value of something. For example, y + 4 is an expression, & 3 − x/2 is also an expression.

An exponent refers to the number of times the base number is multiplied by itself.
73 = 7 x 7 x 7

A statement in which two things are equal. Equations often have unknown numbers (called variables) that are shown as a letter. For example: 3b + 5 = 14

The information about a person that exists on the internet as a result of their online activity. This includes posts on social media, photos, online purchases & reviews, passwords, subscriptions, & many other types.

The y-intercept is the point at which the graph of a line passes the y axis.

Recognizing the sounds of language. For example. rhyme, syllables, & the sounds in words.

Words are made up of individual sounds called phonemes. Children should practice identifying, producing, & rhyming with these individual sounds.

When students learn to write, they write the sounds they
hear. They may not spell the words correctly. Teachers
call this “inventive spelling”. Students use the letter &
sound connections taught in school to sound out words.

Any words that a child can read quickly & naturally. For example, “to”, “the,” “at.”

Subtraction is when we take away from the total
amount. If we start with 7 & we subtract 4, we have
3 left. When we subtract the total becomes less.

The answer we get by adding two or more numbers.

Figurative language uses figures of speech to be more
interesting, effective, & impactful. (“My dog’s coat is as
black as coal.” “He fought with the strength of a lion.”)

The numerator is the top number in a fraction. It shows how many parts we have. The denominator is the bottom number in a fraction. It shows how many parts there are in the whole item.

Teachers often measure a student’s reading level, usually
marked by a letter or number. This helps teachers know what
students need to learn. But sometimes, children are only
allowed to read texts at that level (typically a lexile number).
Be wary of this practice. Children should not be limited to
reading only texts that are at or below their grade level goal.

Text complexity is a measure of how difficult a text is. Text complexity is based on many factors, including the structure of the text, how difficult the language is, how much knowledge students need to understand what is read, & how difficult it is to understand what the text means. Students should be exposed to high-quality & complex texts. Complex texts provide opportunities for students to think deeply & to gain knowledge of the world, which will help them succeed in college, career, & life.

A suffix is a group of letters added to the end of a word. Suffixes
can change the meaning of a word. Adding “less” to the end
of the word “end” changes its meaning to “without end.” A
suffix can also change how the word is used. The noun “child”
becomes an adjective “childish” when you add the suffix “ish.”

A prefix is a group of letters added to the beginning of a
word that changes its meaning. Adding “un” in front of the
word “clean” makes the word mean “not clean.” Other
common prefixes are “re,” “dis,” “over,” “mis,” & “out.”

Using letter-sound relationships to correctly sound out & pronounce words. For example, children who have learned the English sounds /a/, /c/, & /t/ can decode “cat.”

A popular leveling system used by students, teachers, & parents to show two things:

  1. A student’s individual reading level
  2. The difficulty of the text

You can often find the Lexile number on the back of the book or by searching the title on lexile.com.

Grade-appropriate Lexile levels:

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