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Engage students in a lesson about insects.

Goal
Students will learn about insects that are helpful.

Objective
Students will be able to describe how certain insects are helpful to people. They will also be able to name the three main parts of an insect.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Author’s Purpose is the reason why an author has written a text for readers. After reading the issue, ask: What was the author’s purpose for writing this story? A) to teach why insects make good pets, B) to explain how some insects are helpful to people, C) to persuade kids to become farmers when they grow up (Answer: B) Sing along to a song about insects.

Link
Sing along to a song about insects.

Literature Connection
• The Best Book of Bugs, by Claire Llewellyn
• Bugs Are Insects, by Anne Rockwell
• From Caterpillar to Butterfly, by Deborah Heiligman
• The Honeybee Man, by Lela Nargi
• Insect Detective, by Steve Voake
• It’s A Good Thing There Are Insects, by Allan Fowler

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

National Standard
Science (NSES)
Characteristics of organisms

Before Reading
Tap Prior Knowledge: Invite students to look at the cover photo. Ask: What is an insect? How might some insects be harmful? How might some insects be helpful?

Background Information
• Scientists define an insect as an animal with six legs, three main body parts, a pair of antennae, and usually two pairs of wings.
• An insect’s body is covered with a hard shell called an exoskeleton that acts like protective armor.
• Almost all insects are hatched from eggs laid by their mothers.
• Of the known insect species, about 350,000 are kinds of beetles, about 170,000 are kinds of butterflies and moths, and about 120,000 are types of flies.
• Ladybugs, which can be ordered from companies, are helpful to farmers. Ladybugs eat aphids, small bugs that suck on plant sap and destroy crops.
• Insects do not have lungs. Most insects breathe through tiny holes called spiracles that line the sides of their bodies.

During Reading
Reinforce Vocabulary in Context: Tell students they can figure out the meaning of a word by looking at the words and sentences around it. Before reading the issue, ask: What do you think rare means? After reading the first paragraph of the news sidebar, “Lost and Found,” ask them again. Have students show you words and sentences that helped them understand what the word means.

After Reading
Think Critically: After reading the news sidebar, ask: What might it have been like to search for the nine-spotted ladybug? How might scientists have felt when the ladybug was discovered?

Science Extension: Tell students that the study of insects is called entomology. A scientist who studies insects is an entomologist. Ask students to be entomologists. Take them outside to observe insects. Have them take pencils and paper so they can draw pictures of insects they see. In addition, ask students to write descriptions of their observations. When they return to the classroom, ask students to share what they learned.

Adaptation: Have children think about insects they have seen around their homes and school. Ask children to state something they have learned about insects. List key words on the board, and help students write sentences that give facts about insects. Next ask students to describe how they feel about insects. List their
responses on the board. Help children see how fact statements differ from opinion statements.

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Teach students about symbols of our country.

Goal
Students will learn about different U.S. symbols.

Objective
Students will be able to name several U.S. symbols and state a fact about each.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Theme is the message that an author is trying to share with the reader. The message often includes universal values dealing with life, society, or human nature. After reading the issue, tell students that this issue has a theme, and give them the definition above. Ask: Which of these answers describes the theme of this issue? (Ask students to support their choices with evidence from the text.) A) friendship, B) love of country, C) being honest (Answer: B)

Link
Watch an animated video about the United States and its symbols.

Literature Connection
• American Symbols, by Bentley Boyd
• L Is for Liberty, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
• Patriotic Songs & Symbols, by Melissa Hart
• Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who? The Stories behind Some of America’s Patriotic Symbols, by Teresa Bateman

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

National Standard
Social Studies (NCSS)
Civic ideals and practices

Before Reading
Tap Prior Knowledge: Find out what students know. Ask: What is a symbol? What symbol of the United States is shown on the cover of this issue? What other U.S. symbols can you name? What do you know about those symbols?

Background Information
• June 14 is the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes. In 1885, a Wisconsin schoolteacher arranged for his students to observe June 14 as a our flag’s birthday. Over the years, states held ceremonies and celebrations to honor the flag. In 1949, President Harry S. Truman signed an act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day.
• The bald eagle was named the national bird of the United States in 1782. Some people disagreed about the choice, however. Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey would be better.
• The Liberty Bell was rung to call people together for special announcements. The bell arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752. It cracked soon after. In 1753, people tried to fix the bell twice. Sometime in the 1830s or 1840s, it cracked again.
• The Liberty Bell was named by people trying to put an end to slavery.

During Reading
Think Critically: Encourage students to draw conclusions from the text. Ask: Why might Americans have symbols and celebrations in honor of the United States?

After Reading
Summarize: Read the following poem to students. Have a class discussion about what it means.

Freedom and Liberty
The United States is our land,
A land so great and wide,
A land where many people live,
In freedom side by side.
The United States means different things
To people great and small,
But when it comes to liberty—
It means the same to all!
—Pauline C. Peck

Social Studies Extension: Have students study their state flag and the symbols that appear on the flag. Ask: What symbols might stand for your school? How would you design a flag for your school? Invite students to work in small groups to design a flag for the school.

Adaptation: Using simple language, create an outline of this issue’s content. Review the outline with students.

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Teach students about coral reefs.

Goal
Students will learn about some animals that live in coral reefs.

Objective
Students will be able to describe characteristics of dugongs, green sea turtles, clown fish, and octopuses.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Drawing Conclusions is when you figure out what a text means by using what you already know and information from the text. After students have read the issue, ask: What might happen if people continue to damage coral reefs? What information lets you know that coral reefs are important?

Link
Watch a video of a dugong swimming.

Literature Connection
• Coral Reef, by Donald M. Silver
• Dear Fish, by Chris Gall
• Exploring the Oceans: Science Activities for Kids, by Anthony D. Fredericks
• Hello, Fish! Visiting the Coral Reef, by Sylvia A. Earle
• I Wonder Why the Sea Is Salty and Other Questions About the Oceans, by Anita Ganeri
• Ocean, by Samantha Gray
• Old Shell, New Shell: A Coral Reef Tale, by Helen Ward
• The Snail and the Whale, by Julia Donaldson

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.

National Standard
Science (NSES)
Science and technology in local challenges

Before Reading
Tap Prior Knowledge: Explain that coral reefs are busy places filled with many colorful ocean animals. Tell students that coral reefs are found near the surface of warmwater oceans. Ask: What animals live near coral reefs? Why might a coral reef be a good place for ocean animals to live?

Background Information
• Oceans cover about 70 percent of Earth’s surface and hold about 97 percent of Earth’s water. Our oceans are all connected but have different names. They are the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic, and Southern oceans.
• The oceans contain the greatest variety of life on Earth.
• Divers study ocean animals and the seafloor. They use special gear called scuba equipment to help them breathe underwater. Scuba equipment includes tanks of air that are placed on divers’ backs.
• Huge numbers of tiny marine plants called phytoplankton live in the ocean. They are an important source of food for many ocean animals.
• Some deep-sea animals (such as certain jellyfish) don’t have eyes. There is no need to see, because there is no light. Instead, those animals find food by using touch and by sensing vibrations in the water.

During Reading
Compare and Contrast: Ask students to compare and contrast the animals. Ask: What do the animals have in common? What are the differences among the animals?

After Reading
Think Critically: Tell students that coral reefs are often called “cities under the sea.” Ask: Why might that be?

Science Extension: Have students sit in a circle as you play this word game. Choose one of the four ocean animals from the issue, and ask each student to say a word related to that animal. Play a game for each of the animals—clown fish, dugong, green sea turtle, and octopus. For example, clown fish: small, orange, swim, ocean, sea anemone, and so on. You may want to go around the circle more than once if students still have words they can play. Challenge students to see how many words they can come up with.

Adaptation: Use props such as differently shaped seashells to explain to students how a coral reef is formed by new animals growing on top of other animals’ shells.

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Teach students summer safety tips.

Goal
Students will learn some summer safety tips.

Objective
Students will be able to describe ways to stay safe during the summer.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Voice is how an author expresses his or her personality or attitude through language. For example, a writer’s voice can be silly, angry, or serious. Punctuation marks are clues about the writer’s voice. Ask: What feeling do exclamation points show? Have students find an example in the introductory paragraph.

Link
Watch a video about bike-safety tips.

Literature Connection
• A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe on Bikes, by Maribeth Boelts
• Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann
• Olvina Swims, by Grace Lin
• The Safety Book for Active Kids: Teaching Your Child How to Avoid Everyday Dangers, by Linda Schwartz
• Watch Out! Near Water, by Claire Llewellyn
• What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Tricky and Sticky Situations, by Linda Schwartz

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

National Standard
Science (NSES)
Personal health

Before Reading
Tap Prior Knowledge: Let students read the issue title and tell what they think the issue will be about. Ask: What do you like best about summer? What are some safety rules you should follow during summer?

Background Information
• Experts say accidents and injuries peak during summer months because children have more free time and are involved in more outdoor activities.
• Children should always wear helmets when riding bicycles or skating. They should ride on flat surfaces with an adult present.
• Children must have an adult present when swimming and should follow all water safety rules.
• Children can stay safe from the sun’s rays by wearing protective clothing. Parents should apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to children’s bodies and reapply after swimming.
• The goal of the USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash initiative is to give kids of all economic and ethnic backgrounds the opportunity to learn to swim by the third grade. The foundation reaches diverse communities by offering free or reduced-cost swimming lessons.

During Reading
Text Features: Pause after reading each section. Ask students to explain what safety tip or tips are being demonstrated in each photo.

After Reading
Think Critically: Ask: Why might more injuries occur during summer? What can happen if people don’t follow safety rules?

Science Extension: Have students create posters about summer safety. Hang the posters around the school to teach other students how to stay safe.

Adaptation: Play summer safety charades. Have students act out different activities or safety tips from the issue. For example, children could pretend to swim, bike, apply sunscreen, or put on a helmet. Ask other students to guess what they are acting out.

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Grade 2 Teaching Centers, 2011-12

April 2011-12

Print out your April Teacher's Guide here.

March 2011-12

Print out your March Teacher's Guide here.

February 2011-12

Print out your February Teacher's Guide here.

December/January 2011-12

Print out your December/January Teacher's Guide here.

November 2011

Print out your November Teacher's Guide PDF here.

October 2011

Print out your October Teacher's Guide PDF here.

August/September 2011

Print out your August/September Teacher's Guide PDF here.