Critical Content
Power Standards
- Write opinion pieces on authentic topics/texts using an introduction, connected and supporting reasons and a conclusion. (W 2.1 & L 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, & 2.5)
- Write explanatory texts about authentic topics clearly introducing the topic, providing appropriate facts and details, and a conclusion. (W 2.2 & L 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, & 2.5)
- Write narratives recounting authentic events that include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, using temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure. (W 2.3 & L 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, & 2.5)
*See student writing examples on Appendix C of the Common Core document
Power Standards Critical Content
In the language of instruction, students will…
- Write routinely over extended time frames and shorter time frames for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences
- Write 3 or more long-form writing pieces to final draft
- Identify one’s opinion, give supporting reasons using connecting words to write an opinion piece with an introduction, supporting reasons and concluding statement
- Select a topic, identify facts and definitions to support the topic, and use a concluding statement
- Write stories in the correct order using temporal words like before, during, and after and create an ending for the story
- Describe actions, thoughts, and feelings in one’s story
- Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies:
- Determine the meaning of a word or phrase by looking for clues in a sentence
- Determine how the meaning of a word changes when a prefix is added, such as happy/unhappy
- Use knowledge of a root word to see how the meaning of similar words are related (for example, addition and additional)
- Predict the meaning of compound words by looking for words know within them
- Make a real-life connection (text to self) to words heard or read
- Recognize and describe verbs and adjectives that have similar meanings and choose the one that best fits the action or description
- Apply Grade-Level Conventions of Grammar (See ELA specific considerations)
Additional Critical Content
- Recognize that a good piece of writing requires more than one draft and requires editing and revision based on self-assessment and reflection, in conference with a teacher and peers
- Use a computer and the Internet independently and with others to produce and publish writing (for example, poem, Young Author’s story, friendly letter, journal letter)
- Explain how research is different from other types of writing
- Work with classmates to research a topic and write about it
- Answer questions using information recalled or gathered
- Apply correct Grade-level Appropriate Conventions:
- Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names
- Correctly use a comma in greeting and closing of letters
- Identify a contradiction and correctly use apostrophes to form contractions
- Identify misspelled words and use a dictionary to assist in spelling correctly
- Look for and understand patterns of letters and sounds when spelling words
- Understand the differences between speaking or writing using informal English and formal English when appropriate
- Identify whether a writer or speaker is using formal or informal language and find informal and formal words and phrases in a text
- Learn and use vocabulary terms that have to do with a topic learning about
- Explain/give examples, and use adjectives and adverbs when speaking and writing
- Cite sources used