Second Grade - ELA
1: Community
Unit 1: Communities Around the World
Lesson 1
Exploring a Community
Students are asked to read (or listen to) the story "The City Mouse and the Country Mouse," read it at least twice, and answer explicit comprehension questions about differences, causes, and preferences. The Skills list explicitly includes "Read and comprehend fiction," and Activity 1 and Activity 4 require students to read and label community buildings and read map labels. Instructions also prompt students to sound out syllables while writing sentences, supporting accurate word reading during activities.
Lesson 2
Roles of People in Communities
The lesson asks students in Activity 3 to look through books or the Internet to find communities and to identify jobs in pictures, giving students a clear reading/search purpose. Activity 4 instructs students to read about a chosen community worker in an encyclopedia or on the Internet and then write a paragraph about that worker, linking reading to a comprehension task. The wrapping-up prompts students to name jobs and describe how workers help the community, requiring students to show understanding of information they located or read.
Lesson 3
Goods and Services
Students are asked to read each word problem on the "Math in the Market" page and record answers, which requires reading for a clear purpose (solving questions). Students are asked to read If You Give a Pig a Pancake and then decide for each situation whether the pig is asking for a good or a service, recording examples on a two-column chart to show understanding. The skills list explicitly names "Read aloud independently with fluency and comprehension (LA)," indicating practice of reading with comprehension and oral fluency.
Lesson 4
Wants and Needs
Students read short informational text sections such as "Questions to Explore" and "Facts and Definitions" and use that information to distinguish wants and needs. Students read and follow written directions for Activities 1–4 and the Student Activity Pages (e.g., the "My Wants and Needs" list and the "Meeting Needs" bubble map). Students read labels and images on the activity pages (water, food, clothing, shelter) and use them to sort, classify, and answer guided questions.
Lesson 5
Money
Students read and follow written directions and labels on multiple student activity pages (e.g., 'Counting by Fives and Tens,' 'Values of Money,' and price tags) to complete tasks. They read the Questions to Explore and Facts and Definitions sections (e.g., 'Money is what we earn when we work') to understand context. Students read and write coin and bill values in the provided grid and fill in tables showing equivalent amounts.
Lesson 7
Work and Money
Students are asked to read the job descriptions on the "Working Together" page and record predictions, then measure and record times, showing they read for a purpose and demonstrate understanding of the tasks. Students are instructed to "read each scenario" on the "Making a Choice" page and then write about the choice and explain why, which requires comprehension of the text. In the "Limited Resources" activity students read item names and prices and circle purchases, and in Spelling students read words, review definitions, and use them in sentences.
Lesson 8
Customs and Holidays
Students are asked to read texts about holidays when families celebrate religious aspects (e.g., "read texts from the Bible or a children's books that talk about the holiday") and are prompted to "read more about these holidays on the Internet," which requires reading informational text. Students write holiday names and dates and complete sentence prompts in the Holiday Book (e.g., "We celebrate this holiday because..." and "On this day our family..."), which requires them to comprehend and summarize what they have read or discussed. Students are asked to discuss the significance of each holiday and to name and explain why holidays are celebrated, indicating comprehension of content they encounter in reading or discussion.
Lesson 9
Different Communities
Students are directed to "Read about the country your child selected in books or on the Internet" and to record information on the Country Research graphic organizer. The skills list explicitly includes "Read and comprehend fiction and non-fiction (LA)" and "Answer high-level questions about a text (LA)." Activities require students to use reading for specific purposes (research, compare/contrast via Venn diagrams, and produce an acrostic poem) and to discuss images from Hungry Planet and linked web resources.
Lesson 10
Communities Change
Students are asked to read the book title and attempt to read The Little House, and they listen to the story being read aloud while analyzing pictures. Students answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., What happened in the story? How did transportation change?) and are prompted to retell events, summarize, and relate information to their own experience. The listed skills include listening and responding to stories, using prior knowledge to make meaning, retelling order of events, summarizing events, and responding to open-ended questions about a text.
Lesson 11
Government and the People
Students are asked to read and follow directions on multiple Student Activity Pages (Voting, Adding Votes, Government Flowchart, The Government Helps Citizens). Activity 2 explicitly instructs an adult to "help your child read through each problem," and students must read clues and short passages (e.g., vote tallies, book-vote clues) to answer comprehension questions. Students are asked to explain why voting is important and to write sentences about how government services help them, which requires reading for purpose and demonstrating understanding.
Lesson 12
Rules and Laws
Students read short on-level texts and directions in multiple activities: in Activity 1 they read a list of directives and decide whether each is a rule, a law, or both. In Activity 3 students read the first consequences situation aloud and discuss it, then read additional situations and write appropriate consequences and label them as natural or authority. In the Spelling activity students read sentences and select the correct vocabulary word to complete each sentence, and Activity 2 asks students to reflect verbally on differences after playing a game without rules.
Final Project
Community Brochure
Students are asked to "look over some examples of brochures" and to "talk about the artwork/pictures and the information that is presented in the text," which requires them to read and extract information from brochures. The organizer prompts students to "think about the sentences she wants to include" and to use vocabulary words in their brochure, which requires comprehension of word meanings and purposeful use of text information. The intro questions ask the child to describe things she has learned about communities, prompting recall and discussion of text-based information.
Unit 2: Citizenship
Lesson 1
A Good Citizen
Students read short, on-page sentences in Activity 1 (Option 1) where they read scenarios about citizens and identify the characteristic that matches each sentence. In Activity 2 students read The Boy Who Cried Wolf and answer explicit comprehension questions (why he lied, consequences, moral) to demonstrate understanding. In Activity 3 and Activity 5 students sequence events, describe key events in sentences, and make predictions about the wordless book cover, which sets a purpose for reading/viewing and requires comprehension of story structure. The Skills list also explicitly includes setting a purpose for listening to text read aloud and answering high-level questions about a text.
Lesson 2
Decisions and Consequences
Students are asked to read the book cover (title and author) and to attempt to read Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse aloud before the adult reads it. After listening/reading, students answer comprehension questions about plot, character, and motivations (e.g., What did Lilly do? Why did she feel bad?). Students read examples of Lilly's actions on an activity page and write the resulting consequences, and they read and match action/consequence cards in a Memory-style game.
Lesson 3
Diversity in the Community
The lesson asks students to read pages in The Usborne Children's Picture Atlas (pages 10-11 and 28-29) and to "read about the country on the Internet or in books" to learn more about a culture. The Skills section lists "Use text to locate important information (LA)," and Activity 4 has students record answers from an interview and then write short answers based on what they read or heard. Students are also prompted to review information and remember how each question was answered, which requires reading for a clear purpose (to prepare and follow up an interview).
Lesson 4
Living in America
Students read the Pledge of Allegiance aloud and explain the meaning of each part, answering questions about why we have a pledge and why America should be free and fair. Students read the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner," sing the song, and may practice it over several days. Students read and complete the flag activity pages (directions, fill-in sentences about 13 stripes and 50 stars) and answer questions about the flag and community that require comprehension.
Lesson 5
Citizens Share and Help
The Spelling activity instructs students to write sentences using target words and then "read them aloud," which requires students to read connected text they produced. The Activity 2 student page includes labeled prompts and instructions (e.g., "I will help," "I plan to," "There will be ________ of us") that students must read and interpret to complete the sheet. The wrapping-up prompts ask students to explain what it means for citizens to share goods, which requires comprehension of the topic-related text and ideas introduced earlier.
Lesson 6
Leaders in the Community
In Activity 1 students are asked to attempt to read a biography independently, listen as the adult reads it aloud, and then answer specific comprehension questions about the person's name, early life events, hardships, leadership characteristics, and community contributions. Activity 2 requires students to identify five characteristics of a good leader and cite examples from the biography, directing reading with a clear purpose. Activities 3–5 ask students to produce a short biography, complete templates, and write a paragraph about a leader, requiring students to understand and use information from the text.
Lesson 7
Inventors
Students are instructed to read a short biography about an inventor together with an adult (Activity 3) and then answer specific comprehension questions about the inventor's actions, inventions, and experiences. The Skills section lists demonstrating familiarity with biographies, and Activity 1 and the scavenger hunt require students to read prompts and sentence starters and write responses about how inventions helped people. Activity 3's post-reading questions prompt students to describe, identify, and relate information from the text.
Unit 3: Plants and Animals
Lesson 1
Living and Nonliving
Students are asked to preview and predict the picture book Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, point out living and nonliving things in the illustrations, attempt to read the story aloud, and then listen as an adult reads. They answer explicit comprehension questions about characters, events, and lessons (e.g., Is Sylvester the donkey living? What did Sylvester learn?), and they dictate and draw a related imaginative story to demonstrate understanding. Students also read and follow activity directions and complete charts that require answering questions about objects they find.
Lesson 2
Animal Structure
Students read and use a word box to write the four different body coverings, showing they read vocabulary and label text to complete a task. Students read short informational statements and definitions (e.g., facts about exoskeletons and body coverings) and match body-part names to pictures in the Animal Body Parts activity. Students read animal names and category labels to cut/paste or graph animals by covering type and answer questions about which category has the most or least animals, demonstrating reading for a specific purpose.
Lesson 3
Classifying Animals
Students are directed in Activity 6 to peruse books and read about a wide variety of animals, then decide how to classify each animal and describe body coverings and parts. In Activity 3 students are asked to look on the Internet or in a book or encyclopedia to determine whether animals are reptiles or amphibians and to discuss differences observed in baby and adult forms. The skills list explicitly includes "Ask and answer questions about organisms" and "Recognize the features of a paragraph," and Activity 9 has students read paragraph features and write about an animal, using reading to support their writing.
Lesson 6
Extinct and Endangered Species
Students are asked to read through the "Endangered Species Puppet Show Script" and practice it aloud, creating voices and performing the script for an audience. The text instructs to "read different theories about why the dinosaurs disappeared," which requires students to read informational text. Student activities include word problems and labeled charade cards (animal names) that require reading and recognizing words, and the skills list explicitly includes "Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of texts" and "Answer high-level questions about a text."
Lesson 7
Plants
Students read the informational page "A Plant" and label parts of the plant as they read, connecting text details (roots, leaves, stem, seed, flower) to functions. Students read the narrative "Jack and the Beanstalk" and answer directed comprehension questions about characters, setting, events, and decisions. The skills list explicitly states that students will "demonstrate comprehension of text by answering questions and summarizing information," indicating comprehension-focused reading tasks.
Lesson 9
Comparing Living Things
Students read and follow printed directions and questions (e.g., the "Questions to Explore" and activity instructions) to compare needs and complete tasks. Students read labeled charts and checkboxes on the "Comparing Living Things" pages and then complete sentence starters such as "Plants and animals need ____," using text and icons to identify information. Students read and copy simple sentences on the Spelling page (for example, "People need air.") as part of a reading-for-purpose activity.
Lesson 10
Life Cycles
The lesson tells students to "read each box" on the Discovering Life Cycles (Option 2) page and to "read the clues" on the Life Cycle Logic page, requiring students to read short passages to complete tasks. Student activity pages include directions that students must read and follow (e.g., write names, number pictures in sequence, and draw the stages), and the diamante poem activity asks students to read poem examples and use specific word types. The wrapping-up prompt asks students to describe life cycles, which requires comprehension of the content they read.
Lesson 11
Community Members Depend on One Another
Students read and follow written directions and definitions (for example, identifying herbivore, carnivore, omnivore) when labeling animals and foods on the "What Do You Want for Dinner?" activity. Students read and label habitat names and organism lists and order organisms into food chains on the Food Chains activity pages. Students are instructed to read about specific animals using an encyclopedia or the Internet and to read about an animal's food sources when creating a personal food chain.
2: Matter and Movement
Unit 1: States of Matter
Lesson 1
What Is the World Made Of?
Students are asked to read What Is the World Made Of? independently (with assistance as needed) and then listen as an adult reads the book aloud, with stops for discussion and comprehension questions (e.g., What is the world made of? What are the three states of matter?). Students complete activities that require them to identify and label examples from the book (cut-and-paste or draw and label three examples of solids, liquids, and gases) and to write sentences describing observations (e.g., describe each balloon in Activity 3). The skills list and wrap-up prompt students to develop vocabulary from the text and to describe states of matter using evidence from reading and experiments.
Lesson 2
Solids
Students are asked to reread pages 9-10 of the book What Is the World Made Of?, which requires reading text for a scientific purpose. Students must explain why the pencil will not go through the rock and identify the rock's state of matter, demonstrating comprehension questions tied to the text. Multiple activities (labeling pictures, following directions, drawing and labeling containers and contents, and writing sentences in Activity 3) require students to read short on-page directions and informational prompts and then respond.
Lesson 3
Liquids
Students are asked to read pages 12-13 of What Is the World Made Of? and then describe what a liquid is, which requires comprehension of an informational passage. Students are instructed to read labels on liquid containers and to read the ingredients and directions on the strawberry milkshake recipe, then decide which ingredients are solids or liquids and follow the recipe. Students read directions on activity sheets (Measuring Liquids, Investigating Liquids) and use that information to estimate, measure, record, and answer follow-up questions.
Lesson 4
Bartholomew and the Oobleck
Students answer targeted comprehension questions after the story (character traits, plot, cause/effect, and predictions) that demonstrate purpose-driven understanding. Students complete a Story Quilt organizer to list characters, setting, three important events, the problem, and the solution, requiring them to summarize and interpret the text. Students read and evaluate True/False statements about the story and rewrite false statements to make them true, and they write a new ending that shows they can use understanding of the text to produce purposeful writing.
Lesson 5
Comparing Matter
Students read short informational sentences in the Facts and Definitions section about molecules and about nouns/adjectives. Students read and follow written directions on multiple activity pages (labeling pictures on the Molecules page, selecting words from the Adjective list, and recording number words and numerals on the Counting Molecules page). Students read the adjective list and noun labels and then write sentences using chosen adjectives, which requires reading and applying word meanings.
Lesson 6
Changes in States of Matter
Students are asked to read the directions on a JELL-O box and follow them to prepare JELL-O, which requires reading for a practical purpose. Students are asked to read the short directions on activity pages (e.g., "Create a bar graph to show how long it took for each solid to melt") and read aloud the sentences they write so they can circle nouns. Students read labels and categories on the Melting Rates Graph and the Measuring Ice and Water pages and answer comprehension questions about their observations.
Lesson 7
Exploring Solids and Liquids
Students are asked to read the book What's the Matter in Mr. Whiskers' Room? and write three sentences describing three events, demonstrating reading for comprehension and summarizing. Students read and respond to comprehension questions (favorite part, new learning, comparisons of solids and liquids) and reread specified pages for follow-up activities. Students read and follow procedural texts and labels (cake mix directions, experiment procedure, Natural Resources labels) to complete tasks that require understanding the text.
Lesson 8
Our Bodies and Our World
Students are asked to read a short story twice and then complete comprehension tasks (answering who the main character was, the problem, and the solution) and to mark solids/liquids/gases on the second reading, which gives reading purpose. Students read scenarios on the 'Would You Use a Solid, Liquid, or Gas?' page and decide which state of matter fits each situation, and they read and fill in blanks in an alternate short story to demonstrate understanding. Students are instructed to read the 'Rhyming Words' list and to write S, L, or G for each word, and the Skills section explicitly lists 'Independently read aloud with fluency and comprehension text designed for emergent readers.'
Final Project
States of Matter
Students are asked to complete the "States of Matter Test" sheet and to reread questions if they miss answers, which requires reading to understand and respond. The directions tell students to locate information from previous activities when they do not know an answer, prompting purposeful reading to find relevant information. Collage directions require students to read instructions, identify and label pictures, and write sentences about liquids, all of which require reading short, on-topic texts with a clear purpose.
Unit 2: Earth
Lesson 1
Our Planet Earth
Activity 3 instructs the student to read the book You're Aboard Spaceship Earth, then point to pictures of living things, locate examples of solids, liquids, and gases, and write three sentences that summarize what the book is about. Activity 5 has the student read a sample acrostic poem and then write and illustrate their own, reinforcing comprehension and purpose in reading. Activity 4 asks the student to use information from the book to write a letter to an alien, applying understanding of the text to a communicative task.
Lesson 2
Matter on the Planet
Students are instructed to read pages 17-19 in You're Aboard Spaceship Earth and then answer questions about whether the air we breathe is a solid, liquid, or gas and where oxygen comes from. Students read adjective lists on the 'Hardness, Color and Size' page and match those words to examples, then draw, label, and write sentences using those adjectives. Students also respond orally and in writing to prompts (describe what air looks like, explain how they know air is there) demonstrating comprehension of the reading.
Lesson 3
Digging Into Dirt
The Skills section explicitly lists "Read aloud independently with fluency and comprehension (LA)," indicating students are expected to read with comprehension. The Introduction directs to "Read pages 20-32 in the book, You're Aboard Spaceship Earth," providing an explicit text for students to read. Activity 5 includes a short story read aloud and asks the child to explain and write two or three sentences about how they solved the case, which asks students to interpret and respond to text-based information.
Lesson 4
From the Earth
Students are directed to read about natural resources on linked websites and to record in a journal where each resource is found and how it is used, which asks them to read informational text and show understanding. Students circle materials on a world map and write sentences about how their family uses each material, and they label pictures on the "Everything We Need" pages with resources and describe how items meet needs. Students participate in the wrap-up game "Where Did It Come From?" taking turns pointing out objects and describing the Earth resources used, requiring comprehension of text/pictures and application of information.
Lesson 5
Rocks
In Activity 6 students identify title, author, and illustrator, predict the story's content, attempt to read Everybody Needs a Rock aloud, and listen as the story is read to them while analyzing illustrations. The same activity asks students to answer comprehension questions about story events and ideas. In Activity 7 students reread the text, cut out and sequence the ten rules from the book, and (optionally) write summary sentences for each rule, requiring them to extract and organize meaning from the text.
Lesson 6
Water, Water Everywhere
Students are asked to reread pages 12–15 of You're Aboard Spaceship Earth and then write sentences about different uses of water, showing reading with a purpose and follow-up comprehension writing. Students read labels and names on the "Resources from the Sea" and "Salt Water" pages, read depth labels and digits, and use those readings to color, label, and order numbers. Students read and use the song lyrics to follow along and read informational items (animal classifications, graph questions) and then answer interpretive questions about the graph and habitats.
Lesson 7
Taking Care of the Earth
Students are asked to read the materials list and directions aloud for the "Making Paper" activity and then follow those steps, requiring reading for a practical purpose. Students read the Air Pollution list and circle actions their family could do, showing reading to identify relevant information. Students read the "Is It Recyclable?" item labels and weights to sort items and compute total weights, and they write sentences explaining why recycling is important, indicating reading-to-write comprehension tasks.
Final Project
Earth Exhibit
Students are asked to reread the book You're Aboard Spaceship Earth and to review materials and states of matter, giving a clear reading task with a topic focus. Students plan an exhibit and must write labeled sentences describing where each material is found and why it is important, demonstrating reading-to-learn and comprehension of informational content. Students are prompted to answer reflective questions (e.g., "What did you learn about Earth materials?") and to create description cards and directions that require understanding and using information from the text and unit materials.
Unit 3: Balance and Motion
Lesson 1
What Is Balance?
Students are asked to attempt to read the book What Is a Balance Scale? aloud, answer literal comprehension questions about the book (e.g., how a balance works; what happens when amounts are equal), and reread the book if they cannot answer the questions. Students are instructed to write two or three sentences describing the main idea of the book and to read those sentences aloud. Students read and follow written directions on multiple activity pages (e.g., Different Ways to Balance, Adding Grams, Balancing Grams) and read weight labels and numbers to complete balancing and addition tasks.
Lesson 2
What Can Be Balanced?
Students read a dictionary definition of "balance" and follow written directions on multiple activity pages (e.g., MyPlate drawing directions). Students read and fill in missing words on the "Balancing Sentences" sheet and are instructed to reread each sentence and mark the noun and verb. Students are directed to "share and read about other examples" of balance on the Internet and to write a paragraph about an example they read, showing reading-to-learn activity.
Lesson 3
Symmetry
Students read the Facts and Definitions section that explains symmetry and the difference between vertical and horizontal lines. Students read directions on the activity pages that tell them to decide whether shapes have vertical, horizontal, both, or no lines of symmetry and to draw the lines. Students read prompts to create a symmetrical picture and then write three sentences about it, using the written instructions to guide their work.
Lesson 4
Force and Motion
Students are asked to read the book Move It! aloud and to preview the table of contents to predict topics and purpose. Students answer explicit comprehension questions about pushes, pulls, and motion and are encouraged to answer questions asked in the text. Students reread specific pages for activities and read through lists they create (e.g., the walk activity), practicing reading to obtain information and complete tasks.
Lesson 5
Gravity
Students are asked to read the title of Forces Make Things Move and to read the book aloud or listen as it is read. Students read each statement on the "Forces Make Things Move: True or False" page and decide whether it is true or false, demonstrating text-based judgment. Students discuss unfamiliar vocabulary after listening and write a short paragraph describing life without gravity and explain what gravity is, showing opportunities to demonstrate understanding.
Lesson 6
Friction
Students are asked to read specific pages in trade books (Read page 24 in Move It; read pages 16-21 in Forces Make Things Move) and then use the text to set up and perform investigations (Activities 1 and 4). Students read the Skating activity page and decide the order of skaters based on the surfaces, requiring them to interpret text/illustrations for a purpose. The Wrapping Up section asks students to explain what friction is and give examples, prompting them to demonstrate understanding of the read material.
Final Project
A Wordless Skit
The lesson asks the student to "read through the ideas she came up with for her skit," which requires reading self-generated text with a purpose (planning). The lesson also tells the student to "reread the books on balance and motion to gather ideas," prompting purposeful reading of informational texts for preparation. The activity pages include directions at the top, which students must read to use the graphic organizers for planning.
3: Culture
Unit 1: Geography
Lesson 1
Using Maps and Globes
Students are asked to read The Armadillo from Amarillo aloud, stop when they encounter unfamiliar words, reread sentences, and have word meanings explained. After reading, students answer specific comprehension questions about the story (Where was Armadillo at the beginning? What did he learn?). Students also read pages 4–7 of a children's atlas and complete map-related reading tasks (charting the Armadillo's journey on a Texas map and using map labels and keys). The Skills list explicitly includes "Answer questions about text read aloud," indicating activities that require reading for understanding.
Lesson 2
Cardinal Directions
Students read and interpret printed map labels, the compass rose, and written directions on the "Treasure Map" activity page to answer questions (e.g., "What is north of Death Valley?") and to follow step-by-step directions beneath the map key. Students write letters for directions on the compass rose and read short direction prompts (e.g., "One step north, two steps east...") during the "Finding Buried Treasure" activity. Students must read and use the journal prompt and the list of cardinal-direction words in the pirate journal task when composing their entries.
Lesson 3
Landforms and Bodies of Water
Students are directed to read about rivers and lakes in The Usborne Children's Picture Atlas (pages 24–27) and to use that reading to discuss how geography affects people. Students read and match labeled images to written definitions on the 'Bodies of Water and Landforms' activity page, demonstrating literal comprehension of terms. Students read short descriptions on the 'Life Near the Water' pages, connect positive and negative aspects to specific bodies of water, and then write a paragraph for a reader deciding where to live, using the information they read.
Lesson 4
Natural Resources
Students are asked to read each math problem on the "Math and Natural Resources" sheet and provide answers, which requires reading text to solve problems. Students are guided to locate resources in books or on the Internet and to record answers on the "Researching Resources" sheet (with prompts such as "Where is it found in the U.S.?" and "How is it made?"), which requires reading informational text and responding. Several activity pages and instructions (matching activity, map key, and research prompts) require students to read directions and text to complete tasks.
Lesson 5
Habitats and Geography
Students are instructed to read about different habitats on pages 14-21 of The Usborne Children's Picture Atlas and to read a short informational passage about the camel, which requires pulling facts from text. The Skills section explicitly lists reading fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and the activities ask students to answer guided questions (e.g., which habitat they'd enjoy, differences between North Pole and rainforest) and to locate information in books or on the Internet. Several activities require students to write sentences or a poem based on what they read, demonstrating reading for a purpose and checking understanding.
Lesson 6
Geography, Weather and Natural Disasters
Activity 5 asks students to read a weather forecast from the newspaper or the Internet and then write three or four sentences that describe today's weather and possible activities. Activity 3 requires students to read about each natural disaster to find answers to self-generated questions, then write three or four sentences describing each disaster and identify the subject and verb. Both activities require students to read informational text with a clear purpose (to answer questions or describe) and to produce written responses that show comprehension.
Lesson 7
The Seven Continents
The child is instructed to read Discover the Seven Continents and then use the book to answer specific questions (e.g., which continent has the Sahara Desert), encouraging the child to look back at pages when unsure. Activities ask the child to match animals to continents by pointing to the correct page and to use pictures and words to find information. Additional tasks require the child to label the equator, color climate bands on a world map, and place labeled continent cutouts in size order, all of which require extracting and using information from the text and maps.
Lesson 8
People Change Geography
Students are asked to read ingredient/materials lists on household items and record the natural resources used (Activity 2). Students are directed to look on the Internet or in books for pictures and descriptions of farms and to write a sentence about each crop/farm they read about (Activity 2). Students must read and follow written directions for craft projects (Activity 3) and complete student activity pages that contain written directions and prompts.
Final Project
Geography of a Continent
Students are asked to ‘‘slowly look back through Discover the Seven Continents'' and to ‘‘revisit the pages'' to find information about landforms, bodies of water, and animals. Students use the book as a starting text and are instructed to find specific facts to complete the "About the Continent" research page and to support a poster or presentation. The directions tell students to use pictures and words from books and trusted websites to locate information, showing reading with a clear purpose to gather facts.
Unit 2: People Around the World
Lesson 1
Exploring Culture
Students are directed to "Read about culture on pp. 10-13 in The Usborne Children's Picture Atlas" and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., What are some things that people do in different cultures?). Students complete the "Interview" and "Looking at My Culture" pages by recording answers from an interview and by illustrating and writing examples, demonstrating understanding of the content they read or heard. The skills list also includes "Listen critically to, interpret, and evaluate" and "Compare language and stories that reflect customs, regions, and culture," which supports comprehension activities tied to reading.
Lesson 2
Traditions
Students are directed to "Read about the holidays from the descriptions below" and to read books such as Christmas Around the World, providing explicit reading of informational text. After reading, students draw holiday symbols and write sentences about why each holiday is important, match symbols to holidays, and discuss the significance of foods and traditions. Students answer guided comprehension questions (e.g., compare and contrast Christmas celebrations, complete a Venn diagram) that require them to read with a purpose and show understanding.
Lesson 3
Different Religions
Students read short informational passages about Ramadan, Easter, Hanukkah, and Christmas and then match each holiday to its religion and symbol (Activity 1). Students read a data table of people and their religions, create a bar graph from that information, and answer questions about which religion is most/least common and numeric comparisons (Activity 2). Students are asked to read a story from a book important to their religion or to discuss family/community beliefs and then explain why holidays are celebrated (Activities 3, Wrapping Up).
Lesson 4
Homes and Culture
Students read and follow short, grade-level directions and prompts on multiple activity pages (for example, the 'A Tradition in My Home' writing prompts and the 'Materials for Homes' matching labels). Students are asked to identify nouns and verbs in sentences (Option 1/2) and to read and label fractional amounts or match food items to family groups based on worksheet text. Students read labels of home types and environments to complete matching and recording tasks.
Lesson 5
Transportation in Culture
Students are asked to read about methods of transportation on pages 12-13 in The Usborne Children's Picture Atlas. Students read words and pictures on activity pages (e.g., matching vehicles to speeds, reading word boxes on Landforms/Bodies of Water and Transportation, and the Transportation & Trade sheet) and are prompted to write and describe transportation-related information. Students are also instructed to "read more about the job in a book or on the Internet" and to answer wrapping-up questions describing types of transportation and how they are used.
Lesson 6
American Culture
Students read the short biographical texts on the "Leaders in America" page and then cut out and match each leader to his or her contribution, demonstrating reading for a specific purpose. Students read the lyrics and simplified music on the "American Music" sheets and participate in singing or playing, engaging with the text to perform and interpret meaning. Students read prompts and complete the "American Culture" map and write a letter to a child from another country, using information they have read about culture to explain and illustrate ideas.
Lesson 7
History of America
Students are asked to read short, purpose-driven texts: they read the names on the "First Thanksgiving Foods" sheet and are asked to circle foods they have eaten. Students are prompted to read and answer the math word problems on the "Colonial Construction" page. The lesson includes rereading the story Three Young Pilgrims and answering multiple comprehension questions, and the skills list explicitly includes reading fiction and nonfiction and discussing narrative and expository texts.
Lesson 8
Asian Culture
Students are directed to read the two Chinese Zodiac sheets and to read descriptions of each animal, circle birth years, and write family members' names beside the animals (Activity 3). Students are asked to reread Explore Asia and then write a paragraph about living in Asia and list things to help a child from Asia adapt to America (Activity 8). Students read and follow written directions for tasks such as the origami frog and the panda mask, which require interpreting procedural text.
Lesson 10
South American Culture
Students are asked to read Explore South America independently and then read it aloud a second time, providing opportunities to practice reading with purpose. Students answer page-specific comprehension questions (e.g., naming the Andes and Amazon, listing animals, comparing communities) that require understanding the text. Students complete comprehension tasks such as sequencing events from "An Amazon Journey" and using information to create a "Guidebook to South America," which require them to locate and use information from the text.
Unit 3: Stories Around the World
Lesson 1
Fiction or Nonfiction
Students are instructed to read two fiction storybooks and to write the title, author, and one sentence describing each story, which requires them to read for meaning. Students look through 15–20 books to decide fiction or nonfiction and read book covers and titles to classify books, giving a clear purpose for reading. Students are asked to explain why they liked or disliked a story and to link their reasons to characters, events, plot, or setting, demonstrating comprehension tasks.
Lesson 2
Character
Students are asked to read a story about a favorite character (Activity 1) and to reread that story while recording what the character thinks, says, and does (Activity 2), which asks them to read for understanding. Students read or listen to character descriptions and draw or tell stories (Activity 4) and role-play a character from a selected book, responding in-character to prompts (Activity 5), all of which require purposeful comprehension of text. Students also compare characters using a Venn diagram and explain how authors reveal character through thoughts, actions, words, and descriptions, showing they must extract meaning from what they read.
Lesson 4
Plot
Students are asked to read (or listen to) full narrative texts such as Jack and the Beanstalk and The Ugly Duckling and to identify the story problem, three or more events, and the solution. Students sequence pictured events by cutting and ordering scenes and fill a graphic organizer titled "Writing Events in a Story" that asks for story title, problem, three events, and solution. Students are prompted to retell the story, read a created story aloud, and complete comprehension-focused tasks (identify problem, events, solution).
Lesson 5
Folktales and Fairy Tales
Students are asked to attempt to read Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears aloud and to listen to/read Yeh-Shen, using illustrations to predict the setting and set a purpose. Students practice self-monitoring comprehension through questioning, retelling, summarizing, and answering who/what/when/where/why/how questions. Students demonstrate understanding by sequencing events with sentence strips, completing character and culture worksheets, and comparing cultural elements across folktales.
Lesson 6
Cinderella Stories Around the World
Students reread Yeh-Shen and listen to/read The Egyptian Cinderella and The Irish Cinderlad and are prompted to answer explicit comprehension questions (e.g., who is the main character, how is she different, what helps Cinderlad). Students complete a Cinderella Elements Chart, fill a Venn diagram comparing stories, and retell plots and describe settings, using pictures and text details to identify story elements. Activities ask students to look for similarities and differences across texts and to explain plot events, which gives them a clear purpose for reading or listening.
Lesson 7
Theme
The Skills section explicitly lists "Read aloud with fluency and comprehension any text designed for emergent readers," and Activities 1 and 2 ask the child to read or listen to storybooks/fables and then describe main characters, major events, and the theme. Activity 2 also requires the child to explain the lesson in her own words and apply it to her life, and Activity 4 has the child read her own composed story aloud and revise it. The Life Application asks the child to identify themes while reading, indicating purposeful reading for understanding.
Lesson 8
Myths and Legends
Students read the myth "How Rabbit Brought Fire to the People" and are asked specific comprehension questions about characters, events, and reasons (e.g., Who had fire at the beginning of the story? Why do you think the people wanted fire?). Students read and perform a script of the same story (Activity 2) and read the Paul Bunyan story, answering questions and identifying true vs. fictional elements. Students are asked to retell folktales and legends and to describe what myths and legends are during the wrap-up.
Lesson 9
Poetry
Students interact with on-topic texts: they are asked to read or read-along A Child's Calendar and answer comprehension questions (e.g., identify rhyming words, explain why a month is a favorite). Students fill the "Life in America" charts using examples from selected month poems, answering questions about activities, clothing, homes, and cultural information. Students read and recite nursery rhymes aloud, are encouraged to read along in English, and complete a "Counting Words and Syllables" activity that requires them to analyze lines for words, syllables, and rhyming patterns.
Final Project
A New Cinderella
Students are asked to attempt to read each question on the organizing sheet and write responses, providing opportunities to read text and respond. Students are instructed to read their finished book aloud to family and to reread Cinderella stories, which gives practice in oral reading and reviewing meaning. The skills list also directs students to determine important ideas and compare and contrast texts, linking reading to comprehension activities.
4: Relationships
Unit 1: Living Things and Their Environment
Lesson 1
Relationships Among Organisms
Students complete an "Inheritance Vocabulary" page where they match the words (Genetics, Offspring, Trait, Heredity) to their definitions, which requires reading and understanding short definitional text. Students read and categorize items on the "Inherited Traits or Learned Behaviors?" page (e.g., Curly hair, Riding a bike, Green eyes) into Inherited vs Learned columns, requiring comprehension of each phrase. Students use the "Shared Traits" chart by reading trait labels (Widow's peak, Dimples, Attached/free earlobes, Eye color, Tongue rolling, Hair color) and recording data about family members' traits.
Lesson 2
Heredity Lab
Students must read and follow written directions in the Introduction and Activities (e.g., Facts and Definitions, step-by-step assembly instructions for Generation 1, and Activity 2/3 directions) to assemble creatures and choose inherited traits. Students interact with the Student Activity Page that is labeled Generation 1/2/3 and must read and write the Species Name. The lesson includes written prompts and discussion questions (Questions to Explore; Wrapping Up) that require students to interpret descriptions of traits across generations.
Lesson 3
Sun, Moon, and Stars
Students are asked to listen to or reread the book Does the Sun Sleep? ("Read the book Does the Sun Sleep? aloud to your child"; "Reread pages 16-21 in the book Does the Sun Sleep?") and then answer specific comprehension questions (five Q&A items about sun, moon, stars). Students complete follow-up tasks that require understanding the text (answering the Day/Night simulation questions, explaining moon phases during Wrapping Up). Activity pages (e.g., Stars, Connect-the-Dots Constellations, Temperature of the Earth) require students to read directions, label, color, and describe information drawn from the text and videos.
Lesson 4
Seasons and Living Things
Students are asked to read Sunshine Makes the Seasons by Franklyn M. Branley, with an option to take turns reading pages or to listen while an adult reads aloud. Students answer four targeted comprehension questions about day length, Earth rotation, axial tilt, and seasons, and are prompted to reread pages 20-25 to complete a seasons-labeling activity. Students listen to Bear Snores On and then sequence the animals into the cave, and they complete hands-on activities (labeling the seasons diagram, making a four-seasons tree) that require demonstrating understanding of the text content.
Lesson 5
Rivers
Students listen to or consult the book Life Cycles: River and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., differences between ponds and rivers, noting unfamiliar animals). Students use the book as a reference to list producers and consumers, to classify river animals using the contents page, and to illustrate a river food chain. Students are asked to write simple sentences in their own words describing the four stages of an animal's life cycle, showing engagement with text meaning and text features.
Final Project
Investigating the Environment
Students are asked to "research the living thing" they observed and to use that research to create a food chain and a life-cycle diagram, which requires extracting information from sources. Students are instructed to "write a sentence about what she saw" when analyzing photographs and to review activity pages and include applicable information, which involves reading directions and content. Students plan investigations, collect data, and are prompted to organize information (drawings, sentences, charts) based on their observations.
Unit 2: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Lesson 1
Relationships
Students listen as an adult reads Chapters 1 and 2 aloud and then answer specific comprehension questions about character feelings, events, and emotions, showing understanding of plot and character. Students read vocabulary sentences with the adult, use sentence-level context to choose among definitions, and write the correct definitions beside each word. Students describe relationships and write three sentences about a stuffed animal (with an optional vocabulary word), applying word meaning and demonstrating comprehension of character relationships.
Lesson 2
Point of View
The lesson asks the child whether she thinks she will enjoy reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, prompting a purpose for reading. The child answers specific comprehension questions after Chapters 3 and 4 are read aloud, and is asked to retell Pellegrina's tale in her own words, demonstrating understanding. Activities ask the child to acknowledge characters' points of view (including speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud) and to complete a Venn diagram comparing characters, which require comprehension of the text.
Lesson 3
The Queen Mary
Students listen to Chapters 5 and 6 of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane read aloud and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., why Abilene didn't want others to hold Edward; what happened when Edward went overboard). Students are directed to explore Queen Mary websites and fill in a research sheet with factual questions (e.g., when the Queen Mary first sailed, how she was used in WWII), and are prompted to use text features (bold titles) to locate information efficiently. Activities require students to substitute more descriptive words in sentences, reinforcing purposeful reading for meaning and word choice.
Lesson 4
Pronouns
Students listen as Chapters 7–9 are read aloud and then answer specific comprehension questions about Edward's thoughts, who found him, and characters' actions. The Skills section asks students to use information from illustrations and words to demonstrate understanding of characters, setting, or plot, and the Introduction directs students to point out significant illustration details. In Activity 1 students read sentences aloud with pronouns (after hearing them read with nouns) and then read the sentences themselves with the correct pronouns. Activity 2 asks students to compare relationships, describe similarities and differences, and write or draw to represent understanding of character change.
Lesson 5
Emotions
Students are asked to engage with Chapters 10–12 of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by answering specific comprehension questions after the chapters are read aloud. The skills list explicitly includes "Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences" and comprehension questions target explicit understanding and inference (e.g., how Edward changed, how he felt). Activities ask students to discuss quotes about Edward's feelings and to write a "Goodbye Note" from Edward, which requires students to use textual evidence to express understanding of character emotions.
Lesson 7
Figurative Language
Students listen as Chapters 15–16 are read aloud and then answer literal and inferential questions (e.g., what the old lady used Edward for; whether Bryce should have taken Edward down). Students discuss Edward's feelings and explain character motivations, showing comprehension of events and reactions. Students identify and interpret multiple examples of figurative language, copy a quote or write their own sentence with figurative language, circle the figurative part, and illustrate it to demonstrate meaning.
Lesson 10
Illustrations
The lesson directs an adult to read Chapters 22–24 aloud and then asks the child to answer specific comprehension questions about vision, setting, and plot. Students are asked to use illustrations and words to retell the story and to identify who, what, when, and where for a chosen illustration, including copying a supporting quote. Students are asked to describe each environment Edward experiences in chronological order and to explain which family was their favorite and why, demonstrating purposeful comprehension of the text.
Lesson 11
Building Sentences
Students are asked to finish the story and make a prediction, and the teacher is instructed to read Chapters 25–27 and the Coda aloud and then have the child answer specific comprehension questions about those chapters. Students are also asked to locate a quoted passage at the beginning of the book, explain why the author placed it there, and to describe Edward's relationships and how they changed using timeline and quadrant organizers. Multiple comprehension tasks (answering questions, predicting outcomes, explaining quotes, and describing relationships) require students to read for purpose and demonstrate understanding.
Final Project
Chalkboard Presentation
Students are asked to select their favorite paragraph(s) from the story and practice reading them aloud several times (Part 2). An adult is to help with pronunciation as needed and to record the student reading the passage, and students rehearse presenting the slides aloud and receive feedback (Parts 2 and 3). Students also choose favorite parts and describe or dictate sentences explaining why those parts or relationships are meaningful, demonstrating comprehension of the text.
Unit 3: Connecting with the Past
Lesson 1
Studying History
Students read the Chronology Vocabulary box and then insert the correct vocabulary words into sentences on the Chronology Vocabulary activity page, demonstrating reading for a purpose. Students read items on the Primary and Secondary Sources page (e.g., journal entries, letters, textbook descriptions) and label each as P or S, requiring them to comprehend short texts and distinctions. Students read event descriptions and dates on the timeline/matching activity and verbally explain differences between primary and secondary sources, showing comprehension of short informational texts.
Lesson 2
Colonization and the Revolution
Students listen to read-alouds of Your Life as a Settler in Colonial America and pages from O, Say Can You See?, then answer comprehension questions (e.g., questions about girls' roles, colonial meals, and boys' future jobs). Students explain quotes from the Declaration of Independence, add dated labels to a timeline, and complete short written prompts (fill-in-the-blank George Washington page; list two things we enjoy because of the Revolution). Students also complete map-based tasks (shade New England/Middle/Southern colonies) that require reading a map key and following directions.
Lesson 3
Slavery and the Civil War
Students identify character traits of Henry from Henry's Freedom Box and are instructed to explain each trait with evidence from the book as they write on the cube template. Students add dates, pictures, and descriptions to a timeline for Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, and Civil War events after watching/read-aloud sources. Students complete fill-in-the-blank pages (Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln) and a sentence-completion page ("Because the Civil War was fought, today ________"), requiring them to extract and record key ideas from texts and videos.
Lesson 4
Immigration
The child is instructed to listen as pages 1–25 (and later the rest) of Ellis Island are read aloud and then answer specific comprehension questions (e.g., Who was Annie Moore?, What did immigrants see?, Why did the doctors check the immigrants?). Students listen to immigrant oral histories and are asked to retell a story and describe a favorite recording. Students examine photographs, imagine experiences, place dates/pictures on a timeline, and complete written/drawn response pages that require demonstrating understanding of the content.
Lesson 5
Civil Rights
Students are asked to read The Story of Ruby Bridges and to read about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on a specified page, then answer specific comprehension questions about Ruby's family, why people protested, and how Ruby might have felt. Students complete timeline tasks, fill out and color 'Famous Americans' pages, and write/draw on a 'Civil Rights' page, all of which require them to demonstrate understanding of the texts and related materials. Students are also prompted to explain the Civil Rights Movement in their own words and respond to leading questions to show comprehension and purpose for reading.
6: Reading
Unit 1: Semester 1
Lesson 1
Word Families and Long Vowel Review
Students read a Shared Reading message with a pointer and then read it aloud themselves, answering questions about vowel sounds, rhymes, and capitalization to show understanding. Students read a short reader (Fun and Then Cake) independently and then aloud and answer literal comprehension questions about characters and events. Students also complete sentence-scramble and word-pair activities that require them to read words in context, reconstruct sentences, and demonstrate meaning, and the lesson directs students to use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition.
Lesson 2
Vowel Teams Review
Students read aloud in a Shared Reading activity (reading the child lines while pointing to words and letters) and answer follow-up questions about sounds and rhymes. Students read an on-level text, A Thump on a Cold Night, independently before reading it aloud and then answer comprehension questions about characters, events, and details. Instructions and skills list explicitly guide students to use context to confirm or self-correct, to reread as necessary, and to read grade-level text orally with accuracy, rate, and expression.
Lesson 3
Complex Consonants Review
Students are asked to read A Wild Day in the City on their own and then read it aloud to an adult (Activity 5.2), with specific comprehension questions provided to check understanding. In Shared Reading (Activity 1.1) students read parts of the text, point to words and punctuation, and use punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation point) to guide expression and purpose. The skills list explicitly includes "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and directions repeatedly prompt students to point to words, self-correct using context, and reread as necessary.
Lesson 4
R-Controlled Vowels Review
Students read a short reader (The Big Race) on their own and then read it aloud to an adult, with instructions to point to each word and take their time. Students answer comprehension and inferential questions about the story (e.g., predictions about who will win, identifying places, and stating who actually wins) after reading. Students also practice shared reading where they take turns reading lines, sound out words, and use context to decode (for example, sounding out and then adding "ow" to read "yellow").
Lesson 5
More R-Controlled Vowels
On Day 5 (Activity 5.1) students are asked to read All About Storms on their own before reading it aloud and are encouraged to point to each word as they read. After reading, students answer targeted comprehension questions (e.g., Why does it rain? What is hail? What might you see or hear during a thunderstorm?), which requires understanding the text. The lesson's Skills list explicitly includes "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and "Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension."
Lesson 6
Other Vowel Sounds
Students are asked to read Shared Reading Semester 1, Lesson #6 and then try to read the message aloud while pointing to words and sounding out letters and blends (Activity 1.1). Students read Reader #6 (If Fish Could Talk) on their own and then aloud and answer comprehension questions about characters, events, and reasons (Activity 5.1). Students read sentences on the "oo Sounds" page and are directed to use context to figure out pronunciations and meanings, and to reread as necessary to confirm understanding (Activity 3.3 and Skills list).
Lesson 7
More Long Vowel Spellings
Students are asked to read a shared reading passage (Shared Reading Semester 1, Lesson #7) aloud, point to words and letters as they read, and solve/interpret riddles (Activity 1.1). Students independently read Reader #7 — A Snake in the Field, then read it aloud and answer specific comprehension questions about characters, events, and details (Activity 5.2). Multiple activities require students to read short sentences and choose or place words that fit meaning (Long e Words sentence completion, Circle the Word, Long a or Long i sentence reading), and to find and read sight words in a word search (Activity 4.2).
Lesson 8
Vowel Sounds Review
Students are asked to reread specific readers (Lesson 2 reader A Thump on a Cold Night and Lesson 6 reader If Fish Could Talk) and to choose and reread an additional reader on Day 4 and Day 5. Word Hunt activities require students to read the texts with a clear purpose (to locate and write long-vowel words and other target words) and the Skills list explicitly states "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings."
Lesson 9
Complex Consonants: dge vs. ge
Students engage in shared reading where they take turns reading lines and point to words and letters as they read. The lesson directs students to read pages 2–6 of the reader Moose on the Loose and to finish the book on a later day, with prompts to predict the story from the title/cover and to answer comprehension questions about plot and characters. The skills list explicitly includes "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings," and the lesson asks students to reread the first half before finishing to support fluency and comprehension.
Lesson 10
Complex Consonants: tch vs. ch, ck vs. k
Students preview and set a purpose for reading by looking at the cover and predicting what will happen (Day 4, Activity 4.3). Students read the text independently and then read it aloud to an adult while pointing to each word to support accuracy and fluency (Day 4 and Day 5 activities). After reading, students answer specific comprehension questions about characters, events, and details from The Egg at the Lake and discuss connections (Day 5, Activity 5.1).
Lesson 11
Final e: ce, ve, ze, se
Students preview Aesop's Fables and answer predictive questions ("What do you think will happen? What words do you think you'll find?"), establishing a purpose for reading. Students read the fables independently and then aloud while pointing to words, and they answer specific comprehension questions about plot details and the morals. Students also read short shared readings and complete context-based activities (word finding, word search, and discussion) that require them to locate and read words in text and explain meanings.
Lesson 12
Homophones
Students engage in Shared Reading (an I read/you read format) where they read child lines aloud and point to words, letters, and blends. Students read the reader The Knight and the Night Ride independently and aloud, then answer comprehension questions about the text. Students also read sentences and choose the correct homophone in context, and the lesson's skills list explicitly includes reading grade-level text with purpose and understanding and reading orally with appropriate rate and expression.
Lesson 13
Making Plurals
Students read aloud and independently from shared reading texts and from Reader #13 (The Witches Go to the Beach), with instructions to point to words and sound out words as needed. Students make predictions during pre-reading (What do you think will happen?) and answer specific comprehension questions after reading (e.g., What happens when the witches get to the beach?), showing purpose and understanding. Students practice rereading, reading sight words rapidly, and reading the plural phrases they write aloud to support accuracy and fluency.
Lesson 14
Uncommon Plurals
Students read aloud in Shared Reading, point to words and letters as they read, and take turns reading lines, practicing oral reading with accuracy and expression. Students preview and read The Storm at the Barn across two days: they look at the cover, predict what will happen, read the first pages independently, and finish the book on their own before reading it aloud and answering comprehension questions. Students are given explicit reading purposes in several activities (for example, find plural words in The Witches Go to the Beach and sort words into plural categories) and are prompted to confirm meaning by answering questions about the text.
Lesson 15
Words Ending with ed and ing
Students read aloud in Shared Reading (Activity 1.1), point to words and letters as they read, and answer questions about actions and time to support understanding. Students preview and predict from The Red-Eyed Tree Frog (Activity 4.2), read the book independently and aloud (Day 5), and answer comprehension questions about plot and details. Multiple activities require students to read sentences and identify verbs in context (Activities 1.2, 2.1, 5.2), showing they read with a purpose related to tense and meaning.
Lesson 16
Words Ending with er and est
Students preview and read a grade reader (Bug Game Day) across multiple days: they look at the cover, read the title, flip pages, predict what will happen, and finish the story independently before reading it aloud. During Shared Reading students are asked to point to words and letters as they read, sound out words as needed, and answer guided questions interspersed in the text. After reading, students respond to specific comprehension questions (e.g., Which spider should win an award? Why aren't the worms hungry?) and are prompted to discuss meanings and compare elements of the story. The weekly skills list explicitly includes "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and activities require using context to confirm or self-correct word recognition.
Lesson 17
Semester Review
Students are asked to reread Reader #14: The Storm at the Barn on their own or aloud and then complete a Word Hunt that requires them to locate and record plural words from that text, demonstrating reading connected text and extracting information. Students read sight word cards aloud quickly in the Sight Word Activities and read words they create in Magic Hat, practicing oral reading and accuracy. Students read sentences aloud after completing Fill in the Blank and What's the Word activities, placing words into sentence contexts to show that the words make sense in connected text.
Unit 2: Semester 2
Lesson 1
Compound Words
Students read the book A Color of His Own aloud and answer four comprehension questions about characters, events, and feelings, which requires them to read for understanding. Students complete shared reading pages, read a paragraph and circle theme (color) words, and search the book to find specific words, giving them clear reading purposes (find theme words, identify colors). Students practice rereading specific pages (chameleon leaf pages), read sight words aloud, and form and read compound words in multiple activities, supporting purposeful, comprehension-focused reading.
Lesson 2
The Six Syllable Types
Students engage in guided shared reading (Activity 1.1) where they read assigned lines aloud, point to words and letters, and sound out words. Students reread the picture book A Color of His Own (Day 3) and answer explicit comprehension questions about characters and colors. Students search the text in Activity 4.2 to find specific words, record occurrences, and answer a question about seasons, demonstrating reading for information and understanding.
Lesson 3
Open and Closed Syllables
Students are asked to read the introductory section and the "Bees and the Mud" story from Mouse Soup (multiple activities instruct the child to read specified pages aloud). The plan directs students to reread and perform the text (Activity 3.1: switch roles so the child reads while acting, and use a mouse voice), and includes a "Finding Words in the Text" search and comprehension question set (Questions #1–#5) to check understanding. The lesson's skills list explicitly states that students will "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and to "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings."
Lesson 4
Syllables with R-Controlled Vowels
Students read aloud in Shared Reading, taking turns reading lines, pointing to words and individual letters, and decoding two-syllable words with r-controlled vowels. Students read two stories from Mouse Soup, answer literal comprehension questions (e.g., what kept the mouse awake), and complete a plot diagram and retelling activity that require identifying problem, rising action, climax, and solution. Students also complete targeted text-based tasks (finding words in the text, identifying r-controlled vowel words on a page, and completing spelling activities) that set specific purposes for reading and require demonstrating understanding.
Lesson 5
Two-Syllable Words Ending in y
Students read the book Mouse Soup through multiple activities (shared reading, finishing "The Thorn Bush," and repeated references to pages) and perform guided oral reading (parent reads left, child reads right, center read together). They answer explicit comprehension questions about "The Thorn Bush," discuss character feelings, and complete tasks that require using text information (finding words in the text, listing story ingredients). Several activities direct students to locate and record two-syllable words ending in -y from the reading, showing purposeful text-based work.
Lesson 6
Possessives
Students are asked to read Chapters 1 and 2 of Penny and Her Marble aloud and to read the Theme Words paragraph out loud, demonstrating oral reading practice. The lesson lists as a skill to "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and to "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings." Students answer specific comprehension questions about the text (e.g., what Penny found, why she hid) and complete tasks that require understanding (finding words in the text, circling theme words, and identifying a noun that owns something). Students reorder and act out events from the book and perform targeted word-finding tasks (find "thought," "between," and possessives), giving reading clear purposes.
Lesson 7
Contractions
Students finish reading Penny and Her Marble (Chapter 3 onward) and answer comprehension questions about characters, events, and themes. Students participate in Shared Reading where they read portions aloud, point to words and letters, and are encouraged to read contractions and sight words aloud. Students complete activities that require locating words in the text, converting phrases to contractions, and discussing the theme and characters, demonstrating use of the text to support understanding.
Lesson 8
Two-Syllable Words with Silent e
Students read aloud in a Shared Reading (teacher reads left-side, student reads right-side) and are prompted to point to words and letters. Students read the book Frog and Toad All Year (including the story "Down the Hill"), answer specific comprehension questions about season and plot, and reread the story to give an oral summary. Students locate and record specific words and page numbers from the story and read sentences aloud when identifying two-syllable silent-e words.
Lesson 9
Vowel Teams
Students are asked to read grade-appropriate texts (two Frog and Toad stories: "The Corner" and "Ice Cream") aloud and answer comprehension questions that probe meaning and inference. Multiple activities require students to summarize a story, find specific words in the text, and write responses (e.g., "Just Around the Corner" writing task), demonstrating reading with a clear purpose. The lesson's skill list and oral reading activities explicitly include objectives to "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and to "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression."
Lesson 10
Consonant Teams
Students read grade-level texts aloud during Shared Reading (the child reads words on the right, points to words/blends, and practices pronunciation). Students read two Frog and Toad stories independently and then answer specific comprehension questions aloud about season, events, and characters. Students use text-based tasks (Finding Words in the Text, Panther Word Sentences) and picture-based tasks (identify season from illustrations) to locate information, use context, and justify answers from the text.
Lesson 11
Consonant + le Syllables
Students engage in shared reading where the adult and child alternate lines and the child points to words and letters as he reads. The child is asked to read pages 1–19 of Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse aloud, answer specific comprehension questions, and complete inference and Venn-diagram activities based on the text. Additional tasks ask students to find target words in the text, read theme and sight words in context, and practice decoding multisyllable words to support understanding.
Lesson 12
Suffixes
Students finish reading Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse and participate in Shared Reading where the child reads assigned lines and is encouraged to point to words and letters. Students answer comprehension questions about the text (e.g., where Alexander found the pebble, why Annie put Willy in a box) and complete activities that require using the text (fill-in-the-blank passage, underlining the -ly word). Students also retell and identify story elements (characters, setting, problem, solution) and create a story using theme words, showing comprehension and purposeful use of the text.
Lesson 13
Prefixes
Students are directed to read the poems on pages 2–14 of Book of Poems and Verses and to read along with recorded versions (e.g., Five Little Ducks, Five Little Speckled Frogs, Sing a Song of Sixpence). They respond to comprehension prompts (Which poem was your favorite? Had you heard these before? How are poems different from stories?) and perform text-based tasks that require understanding, such as finding specific words and prefixes in the poems and listing rhyming words. Students also read sight words aloud, read aloud riddles, and read with purpose to prepare a performance (sing a chosen nursery rhyme for the family).
Lesson 14
Words Starting with q or a
Students read Part 2 of the Book of Poems and Verses aloud and silently (Activities: Shared Reading, Reading And Questions). Students perform tasks that require reading with purpose—finding specific words in poems (Finding Words in the Text), highlighting/underlining qu words in a passage and then reading that passage aloud (Activity 4.3), and answering comprehension questions about favorite poems and imagery (Reading And Questions). The skills list explicitly includes "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings."
Lesson 15
Semester Review
The Skills list explicitly names "Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding" and "Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings," giving direct instructional targets. Multiple activities require students to read books over two days (read half one day, finish the next) and allow students to read aloud or take turns based on their fluency, practicing sustained reading of connected text. Comprehension checks are included: students are asked to discuss unfamiliar word meanings, tell which book was their favorite and explain why, and to produce sentences using target words, which require understanding of what they read.
Final Project
Write Your Own Story
Students are asked to read sight word cards and theme word lists (Activities 1.1 and 1.2), and to read readers from Semester 1 for inspiration. Students also produce a book and are prompted to read their book aloud to the family at the end. The plan has students cross off words as they use them and repeatedly read words they have struggled with.