Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

Students ask and answer questions about key details as they read: what is happening in the story in W1 R-L1 (What Do You Do With an Idea?), inferences backed by text evidence in W2 R-L3 (Bink & Gollie), predictions they check against the text in W4 R-L1, W4 R-L2, and W4 R-L4 (Frankie Sparks and the Big Sled Challenge), “I wonder” questions in W5 R-L1 (The Most Magnificent Thing), questions they answer by rereading in W5 R-L3 (Jabari Tries), and the five character-journey questions in W6 R-L3.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2

Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

Students name the lesson Frankie learns and support it with evidence from the book in W4 R-L4 (Frankie Sparks and the Big Sled Challenge). This is the first time they name a theme. In W6 R-L3, each group states what its character learned by the end on a Character Journey poster.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3

Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

Students notice how a character feels and responds in W1 R-L1 (What Do You Do With an Idea?), name traits from how Bink and Gollie act in W2 R-L1 and W2 R-L3, and describe how Rosie responds to failure in W3 R-L3 (Rosie Revere, Engineer). They track how Frankie’s competitive trait shapes her choices and how she changes in W4 R-L1, W4 R-L2, W4 R-L3, and W4 R-L4, follow how characters respond to setbacks in W5 R-L1 (The Most Magnificent Thing) and W6 R-L1 (The Dot), and describe a character’s growth in W6 R-L3.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5

Describe the overall structure of a story, including how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.

Students map the problem, attempts, and solution in W3 R-L3 (Rosie Revere, Engineer) and in their own books. On the W6 R-L3 Character Journey posters, they show how a character’s problem at the start leads to change by the end.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7

Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

Students use both the words and the illustrations of Bink & Gollie as evidence for character traits in W2 R-L1 and for inferences about Gollie’s feelings in W2 R-L3.

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.1

Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in an informational text.

After each inventor read-aloud, students answer who, what, why, and how questions about key details: Saving the Day (W2 SS-L1), How the Cookie Crumbled (W3 SS-L1), Six Dots (W4 SS-L1), Alexander Graham Bell Answers the Call (W5 SS-L1), and Whoosh! (W6 SS-L1).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.3

Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

Students trace the steps each inventor took, from noticing a problem or an accident to testing and improving, in The Crayon Man (W1 SS-L1), Saving the Day (W2 SS-L1), How the Cookie Crumbled (W3 SS-L1), Six Dots (W4 SS-L1), Alexander Graham Bell Answers the Call (W5 SS-L1), and Whoosh! (W6 SS-L1).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Students read their own books during independent reading in W1 R-L1, W2 R-L1, W2 R-L3, W3 R-L1, W3 R-L3, W4 R-L1, W4 R-L2, W5 R-L1, and W5 R-L2. W1 R-L3 (Going Places) and W5 R-L3 (Jabari Tries) teach rereading when something doesn’t make sense. In W4 R-L3, students read sentences aloud with expression that matches the ending punctuation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.C

Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

Students ask “Does this make sense?”, reread, and use the sentence and picture to figure out a tricky word in W1 R-L3 (Going Places), and reread to correct their understanding in W5 R-L3 (Jabari Tries).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.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.

The full personal-narrative sequence: brainstorming small moments (W2 W-L1), choosing a seed story (W2 W-L2), planning the beginning, middle, and end (W3 W-L1), show-don’t-tell details (W3 W-L2), drafting (W4 W-L1), writing a hook (W4 W-L2), editing (W5 W-L1), and the final copy (W5 W-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5

With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.

Students narrow their topic to one small moment (W2 W-L2), revise “I was…” sentences into show-don’t-tell sentences (W3 W-L2), revise their first sentence into a hook (W4 W-L2), plan a sentence-type revision for their draft (W5 R-L2), and edit with the Editing Checklist (W5 W-L1).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.7

Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce a report; record science observations).

In each material-properties investigation, small groups test materials, record observations on a recording sheet, and pool their results on a class chart: strength (W2 Sci-L1), absorbency and waterproofing (W3 Sci-L1), stretchiness and flexibility (W4 Sci-L1), and how light passes through (W5 Sci-L1).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.8

Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.

Students recall moments from their own lives to choose a narrative topic (W2 W-L1) and gather details about it on the Small Moment Circle Map (W2 W-L2). In the Big Design Challenge, teams take notes while interviewing a staff member or community helper (W4 Sci-L2) and use those notes to write a problem statement (W5 Sci-L2).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

Turn-and-talks, partner shares, team talk, and class discussions are built into W1 R-L1, W1 R-L2, W1 R-L3, W1 Sci-L1, W1 Sci-L2, W1 SS-L1, W2 R-L1, W2 R-L3, W2 W-L1, W2 W-L2, W3 R-L1, W3 R-L3, W4 R-L1, W4 R-L2, W4 R-L4, W4 Sci-L2, W5 R-L1, W5 R-L3, W6 R-L1, W6 R-L3, and W6 SS-L1 (Expo planning committees).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B

Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.

Students learn the Build on talk moves (“I agree with ___ because…” and “I want to add on to ___’s idea…”) from the Talk Like a Team anchor chart and use them as their team chooses one invention idea (W5 Sci-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.C

Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under discussion.

Students learn the Ask talk moves (“Can you say more about…?” and “What do you mean by…?”) from the Talk Like a Team anchor chart and use them to understand teammates’ ideas while they plan (W5 Sci-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2

Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

Students describe key details from read-alouds in partner talk and discussion: Bink & Gollie (W2 R-L1), Rosie Revere, Engineer (W3 R-L3), Frankie Sparks and the Big Sled Challenge (W4 R-L1 and W4 R-L4), and the inventor read-alouds Saving the Day (W2 SS-L1), How the Cookie Crumbled (W3 SS-L1), and Six Dots (W4 SS-L1).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3

Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.

Teams interview a staff member or community helper and ask follow-up questions (“Can you tell me more about that?”) to understand a real problem in W4 Sci-L2.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5

Create audio recordings of stories or poems; add drawings or other visual displays to stories or recounts of experiences when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

Students sketch the beginning, middle, and end of their personal narrative before writing (W3 W-L1) and add an illustration of the most important moment to their final copy (W5 W-L2).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Grammar mini lessons inside Reading lessons: nouns (W1 R-L2), common and proper nouns (W2 R-L2), pronouns (W3 R-L2), and the four sentence types (W5 R-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1.C

Use reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).

Optional extension only. In the Pronoun Scoot Bonus Round, students write the missing word (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, or themselves) to finish each card’s sentence (W3 R-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Students practice ending punctuation (W4 R-L3), match punctuation to sentence type (W5 R-L2), check capitals, punctuation, and spelling with the Editing Checklist (W5 W-L1), and write sentences with commas in a series (W6 R-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.A

Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names.

Students capitalize the names of specific people and places, such as Central Park and New York, in the proper nouns lesson (W2 R-L2).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2.E

Consult reference materials, including beginning dictionaries, as needed to check and correct spellings.

Students check one or two circled words on the word wall or in a beginning dictionary and correct them while editing their narratives (W5 W-L1).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.5.A

Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., describe foods that are spicy or juicy).

Students test real materials and connect property words to real uses: absorbent or waterproof for something that has to survive rain (W3 Sci-L1), stretchy or flexible for a backpack strap (W4 Sci-L1), and transparent, translucent, or opaque for their own invention (W5 Sci-L1).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

NGSS K-2-ETS1-1

Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

Students learn that engineering starts with a problem people want to solve and find examples in their own community (W1 Sci-L1). In the Big Design Challenge, they interview a staff member or community helper to find a real need (W4 Sci-L2) and write a problem statement from their notes (W5 Sci-L2).

NGSS 2-PS1-1

Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.

Students test and sort materials by observable properties: strength (W2 Sci-L1), absorbency and waterproofing (W3 Sci-L1), stretchiness and flexibility (W4 Sci-L1), and whether light passes through (W5 Sci-L1).

NGSS K-2-ETS1-2

Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.

Students sketch a plan before they build: the cup tower (W1 Sci-L2), the labeled cardboard chair (W2 Sci-L2), the waterproof jacket (W3 Sci-L2), and their Big Design Challenge invention (W5 Sci-L2), which they build as a cardboard model in W6 Sci-L1.

NGSS 2-PS1-2

Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.

Students use their test results to decide which materials suit a purpose (W2 Sci-L1, W3 Sci-L1, W4 Sci-L1, W5 Sci-L1), then choose materials from that data for the chair (W2 Sci-L2), the jacket (W3 Sci-L2), and their invention plan (W5 Sci-L2).

NGSS K-2-ETS1-3

Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.

Students test designs, find where they fail, and compare results: tower heights (W1 Sci-L2), the chair gallery walk (W2 Sci-L2), the rainstorm test (W3 Sci-L2), and testing their invention for design, function, and durability before and after improvements (W6 Sci-L2).

NGSS 2-PS1-3

Make observations to construct an evidence-based account of how an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object.

Optional extension only. In Take It Apart, Build Something New, teams take their tower apart, build a new object from the same cups and cards, and tell how the same pieces made something new (W1 Sci-L2).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

C3.D2.Civ.1.K-2

Describe roles and responsibilities of people in authority.

Students learn that police officers once directed traffic by hand at busy corners and talk about whose job it is to keep people safe on the road (W2 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.2.K-2

Explain how all people, not just official leaders, play important roles in a community.

Teams share how the staff member or community helper they interviewed helps the community, and notice that everyone plays an important role, not just leaders (W4 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Civ.3.K-2

Explain the need for and purposes of rules in various settings inside and outside of school.

Students explain why a busy corner needs a rule like red means stop, and why classrooms and schools need rules too (W2 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.5.K-2

Explain what governments are and some of their functions.

Students learn that a government is the group of leaders who make decisions and provide services for a place, and that the town or city decides where traffic signals go and pays for them (W2 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.6.K-2

Describe how communities work to accomplish common tasks, establish responsibilities, and fulfill roles of authority.

Students learn that the class is a community and that each Expo planning committee does its own job so the Expo works (W6 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.7.K-2

Apply civic virtues when participating in school settings.

Students learn how to host the Ingenuity Expo: welcome every visitor, take turns presenting, and thank the community members who helped (W6 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.8.K-2

Describe democratic principles such as equality, fairness, and respect for legitimate authority and rules.

Students discuss whether it is fair if only some people can read books, and how Louis Braille’s invention made reading fairer (W4 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.9.K-2

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions while responding attentively to others when addressing ideas and making decisions as a group.

Teams follow posted teamwork rules for discussion: everyone shares an idea, listens to the speaker, and talks out disagreements to agree on one plan (W1 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Civ.10.K-2

Compare their own point of view with others’ perspectives.

Students pick Bell’s side or Gray’s side of who invented the telephone, give a reason, and listen to a classmate who picked the other side (W5 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Civ.11.K-2

Explain how people can work together to make decisions in the classroom.

Teams decide together which invention idea to build and what to buy with their budget, and talk about whether everyone got a say (W5 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Civ.12.K-2

Identify and explain how rules function in public (classroom and school) settings.

Students name classroom and school rules and explain how each one helps them, the way a traffic signal keeps people safe (W2 SS-L1), and learn that tool safety rules keep everyone safe, the same reason the classroom has rules (W2 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Civ.14.K-2

Describe how people have tried to improve their communities over time.

Students describe how inventors made life better for the people around them: Edwin Binney’s safe crayons (W1 SS-L1), Garrett Morgan’s traffic signal (W2 SS-L1), and Louis Braille’s reading system for blind readers (W4 SS-L1).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

C3.D2.Eco.1.K-2

Explain how scarcity necessitates decision making.

With a budget of only 20 Inventor Bucks, teams can’t buy every material, so they decide what their invention needs most (W5 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Eco.2.K-2

Identify the benefits and costs of making various personal decisions.

Teams weigh what each material adds to their design against its price, and name what they give up when a plan costs too much (W5 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Eco.3.K-2

Describe the skills and knowledge required to produce certain goods and services.

Students connect the building skills they use, like measuring, cutting, and connecting cardboard, to the skills factory workers need (W6 Sci-L1).

C3.D2.Eco.4.K-2

Describe the goods and services that people in the local community produce and those that are produced in other communities.

On the If We Sold It card, teams decide whether their invention would be made near them or far away, and where people would buy it (W6 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Eco.5.K-2

Identify prices of products in a local market.

Students learn that the first box of Crayola crayons sold for a nickel and think about what crayons cost at a store near them (W1 SS-L1). They read prices and buy materials at the class Supply Store (W6 Sci-L1).

C3.D2.Eco.7.K-2

Describe examples of costs of production.

Students name what a company needs to make thousands of Super Soakers (W6 SS-L1). After improvements, teams copy their final Spent total onto the If We Sold It card as what their invention cost to make (W6 Sci-L2).

C3.D2.Eco.12.K-2

Describe examples of the goods and services that governments provide.

In Rules of the Road, students learn that the town or city government pays for the traffic signals on their streets, a service that keeps people safe (W2 SS-L1).

C3.D2.Eco.13.K-2

Describe examples of capital goods and human capital.

Students name the factories and skilled workers a toy company needs (W6 SS-L1), and learn that the class tools that aren’t for sale are capital, like a factory’s tools, while their building skills are human capital (W6 Sci-L1).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

C3.D2.His.6.K-2

Compare different accounts of the same historical event.

Students compare the famous story that the chocolate chip cookie was an accident with Ruth Wakefield’s own account that she made it on purpose, and explain which they think is true (W3 SS-L1). They compare Bell’s side and Elisha Gray’s side of who invented the telephone, and think about why each might tell it differently (W5 SS-L1).

Standard Code

Standard Language (Grade 2)

How This Unit Addresses the Standard

C3.D1.1.K-2

Explain why the compelling question is important to the student.

When the driving question is launched, students share why it matters to them (W1 SS-L1).

C3.D1.2.K-2

Identify disciplinary ideas associated with a compelling question.

Students name what they need to learn to answer the driving question and record it on the Our Big Question + Need-to-Know chart (W1 SS-L1).

C3.D1.3.K-2

Identify facts and concepts associated with a supporting question.

Students check which Need-to-Know wonderings Garrett Morgan’s story answered (W2 SS-L1).

C3.D1.4.K-2

Make connections between supporting questions and compelling questions.

Students return to the Our Big Question chart, connect what they learned across the unit to the driving question, and write the class’s answer on the Looking Back reflection (W6 SS-L1).

C3.D4.4.K-2

Ask and answer questions about arguments.

Students take Bell’s side or Gray’s side in the telephone story, give a reason, and ask and answer a question about a classmate’s reason (W5 SS-L1).

C3.D4.6.K-2

Identify and explain a range of local, regional, and global problems, and some ways in which people are trying to address these problems.

Students match real problems to the inventions that solved them in the Problem/Solution Match-Up (W1 SS-L1), and name problems in their own school after hearing how Garrett Morgan addressed dangerous intersections (W2 SS-L1).