Esther Linnartz

EDU 3410-OL1
The Principles of Teaching Reading
Second Grade Literacy Unit
Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts
Included in this Lesson:
RF.2.3, RF.2.3.A, RF.2.4
RL.2.1, RL.2.6
RI.2.2, RI.2.4, RI.2.5
W.2.3

SL.2.2

Table of Contents
Cover Page....Page 1

Table of Contents..Page 2

Reading/Literacy Block...Pages 3

CCSS ELA Lesson..Pages 4

Five Literacy Centers..Pages 5-6

Parent Newsletter..Page 7

Appendix A...Page 8

120 Minute Literacy Block

Adapted from 3 Teachers

7:55-8:15

Morning Work, Independent Reading

When done with morning work (a math sheet or writing prompt), students will read
independently from their book boxes until the start of math.

9:15-10:35 Reading (80 min.)

The teacher will give a mini lesson with a read aloud before sending children to
their stations. There will be five individual stations with five children at each.

11:15-12:10 Writing, Word Study (55 min.)

The teacher will go over weekly words with children and the word concept that
they are studying. Then they will begin working on a writing project for the unit
they are studying (Non-fiction All About books, Fiction, Poetry, Biography, etc.).

Reading Foundational Skills Lesson

Learning Outcomes
RF.2.3.A: Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.

Teacher Planning
Time Required for Lesson
15-30 minutes
Materials
Die cut letter E (preferably sparkly) glued to a tongue depressor, worksheets

Pre-Activities
Talk about the difference between long vowels (vowels that say their name) and short vowels (a
like apple, e like edge, I like itch, o like opera, u like up). Talk about some ways that they know
vowels go from short to long.

Activities: Sparkly E!
Give the children some examples of one syllable words with short vowel sound such as: bit, man,
cub, and pet. Then write them on the board. Tell them that there is a special letter that
sometimes gets added to the end of a word. It does not make a sound, but it does make the
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vowel say its name. Show them the sparkly E and introduce it as the silent partner that makes
the vowels change. Put the sparkly E at the end of the word and say the new word that it makes.
Have the students think of some other words that either already have the E or need the E to make
a new word. Some up with a list like this:
HatHate

Tap

Tape

Pin

Pine

Cut

Cute

Fin

Fine

Rod

Rode

Mat

Mate

Cub

Cube

Bit

Bite

Can

Cane

Kit

Kite

Man

Mane

Cap

Cape

Tub

Tube

Assessment
Hand out the worksheet from Appendix A and have the children work on figuring out the right
word for each sentence. Walk around and have the children read to work on their decoding and
to practice flipping the vowel to the new long sound when sparkly E is added to the word.

Common Core State Standards

RF.2.3.A: Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.
RF.2.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.2.4: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Literacy Centers
Center 1: Rolling Dice with writing prompts
W.2.3: Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events,
include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and
provide a sense of closure.

Students will have four different dice with different writing prompts on them. Examples:
The best thing I did this summer was, The time I was most scared was when..., The best
birthday present I have ever gotten was, The best vacation I have ever been on was, etc.
They will roll the dice and write the prompt and complete it with the story that finishes the
prompt.
Center 2: Book box (independent reading)
RL.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text.

Each child has a box of books that they have picked out that are on their independent
reading level. During this time, they will pick a spot to sit (away from people practicing their
plays) and read quietly and continuously. There are several bean bag chairs, yoga mats, and
stuffed animals for this station.
Center 3: Plays
RL.2.6: Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different
voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.

Each group of students has a short play that they are practicing to present to the class at
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the end of the unit. Some are fairy tales and some are fables. Each group practices at the front
of the room on the carpet. They practice reading with expression and adding some movement to
their parts.
Center 4: RAZ Kids
RI.2.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
RL.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate
understanding of key details in a text.)

RAZ Kids is an online program that has a separate login for each child. At this station,
they will be at the computers with headphones on. They will read or listen (or both) to books
and then take a short quiz of five questions about the book. Then they will begin another book
and so on until their time is up.
Center 5: Guided Reading Lesson: Identifying main idea and supporting details.
SL.2.2: Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or
through other media.
RI.2.2: Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs
within the text.
RI.2.5: Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes,
electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.

In this group, the teacher will begin explaining the main idea of a passage and how to
figure it out and summarize it. Then she will explain supporting details that the author uses to
support his or her main idea. She will model with one passage and then give the children another
passage and ask them to read it and decide on a main idea and find supporting details. Then she
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will go over it with them and help them identify the different parts. If there is time, she will give
them another passage and allow them to work at it for longer before going over it as a group.

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Ms. Linnartzs Leopards

Weekly Words to Study:
Change
Mile
Cute

Cube

Deep

Hope

Fine

Rode

Clean

Fine

Dates to Remember:
October 20

Zoo Field Trip

November 15

Poetry Slam

Nov. 26-28 Thanksgiving Break

This week we are studying how a sparkly e at the end of one syllable words can
create a long vowel sound. Example: CutCute. Please help your child study their
words each night. Please also remember to read with your child for at least 15 minutes
each night. This helps them grow in their reading while also learning to enjoy it.

Daily Check List

Monday

Wednesday

Study Weekly Words

Study Weekly Words

Read for 15 minutes

Read for 15 minutes

Math Worksheet

Math Worksheet

Tuesday

Thursday

Study Weekly Words

Study Weekly Words

Read for 15 minutes

Read for 15 minutes

Math Worksheet

Math Worksheet
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Appendix A
Short and Long Vowels
Circle the word that makes the sentence make sense.
1. Billy was skateboarding and into a (pin/pine) tree!
2. He said, I (hat/hate) trees! They just get in the way!
3. His brother, (Pet/Pete), said, Trees are good for us, they make air for us.
4. Billy said, I want to fly my (kit/kite) at the new playground.
5. It would not fly because the (pet/Pete) dog had (bit/bite) it.
6. Pete and Billy (rod/rode) with their parents to the zoo.
7. Billy said, That shark has a very big (fin/fine) that sticks out of the water!
8. His mother replied, The baby foxes are very (cut/cute), they look very soft.
9. At the lions, his father said, The baby lion (cub/cube) is playing with his mothers tail.
10. Look! said Pete, The grown up boy lion has a big (man/mane) around his neck.