Grade 2 Teaching Center | Weekly Reader: Curriculum-Rich Resources for Teachers

Grade 2 Teaching Center

Reading, critical thinking, and citizenship skills for second grade

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Engage students in a lesson about animals that live in the Arctic.

Goal
Students will understand what life is like in the Arctic and how some animals survive that cold habitat.

Objective
Students will be able to describe the Arctic and how the polar bear, harp seal, and arctic fox stay warm.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Categorize is when you gather together information that is the same or almost the same. Classify is when you give that information a name. Before reading the issue, write the following animal names on the board: polar bear, penguin, harp seal, camel, arctic fox, lizard, and alligator. Ask students to put each animal into one of these categories: animals that live in the Arctic and animals that do not live at the Arctic. (Answer: Animals that live at the Arctic are the polar bear, harp seal, and arctic fox.)

Link
Watch a video of polar bears at the San Diego Zoo.

Literature Connection
• Amazing Arctic Animals, by Jackie Glassman
• Living in the Arctic, by Allan Fowler
• Polar Bear, Arctic Hare: Poems of the Frozen North, by Eileen Spinelli
• Polar Bears Past Bedtime, by Mary Pope Osborne

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.

National Standard
Science (NSES)
Characteristics of organisms

Before Reading
Make Predictions: Display the cover of this week’s issue, and encourage students to make predictions. Ask: What animals live in cold places? How might those animals stay warm in cold temperatures?

Background Information
• The Arctic is a very cold, windy, and icy area around the North Pole. It includes the Arctic Ocean, many islands, and parts of northern Europe and Asia, as well as part of North America.
• In most places, the Arctic is too cold for larger plants, such as trees, to grow. Small plants that grow there include mosses, lichens, and grasses.
• The Arctic is home to many animals and birds. The Inuit people live in many parts of the region. Both people and animals have adapted well to the Arctic environment.

During Reading
Text Features: Pause after looking at the map. Ask students to point out the location of the United States in relation to the Arctic. Which U.S. state is partly in the Arctic? (Alaska) Have students look at a world map to point out the continents that are part of the Arctic. (Europe, Asia, North America)

After Reading
Compare and Contrast: Ask: How might the Arctic be similar to where you live? How might it be different?

Language Arts Extension: Read poems aloud from the book Polar Bear, Arctic Hare: Poems of the Frozen North, by Eileen Spinelli. Then write a poem about the Arctic as a whole class. Afterward, ask students to write poems of their own. Encourage them to draw pictures to illustrate their poems.

Adaptation: Ask each student to choose his or her favorite animal from the story—harp seal, polar bear, or arctic fox. Ask the student to retell the details about the favorite animal in his or her own words. If a student misses a fact, spark his or her memory by asking prompting questions.

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Teach about different holidays that occur at this time of year.

Goal
Children will learn that winter holidays are celebrated in many different ways.

Objective
Children will be able to identify a tradition for each of several winter holidays.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Explicit Information is information that can be clearly found “right there” in the text. Ask students to find explicit information from the text to assess reading comprehension. Ask: What holiday do many people celebrate on December 25? Which two holidays are known as a festival of lights? What colors are the candles in a kinara? How do people celebrate Las Posadas? How long is Ramadan?

Link
Find winter holiday songs, poems, and recipes here.

Literature Connection
• Eight Winter Nights: A Family Hanukkah Book, by Laura Krauss Melmed
• Llama, Llama Holiday Drama, by Anna Dewdney
• Lights of Winter: Winter Celebrations Around the World, by Heather Conrad
• The Night of Los Posadas, by Tomie dePaola
• Seven Spools of Thread: A Kwanzaa Story, by Angela Shelf Medearis
• Winter Lights: A Season in Poems & Quilts, by Anna Grossnickle Hines

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

National Standard
Social Studies (NCSS)
Cultures

Before Reading
Tap Prior Knowledge: Tell students that many people celebrate holidays. Ask: What holidays take place at this time of year? What are some ways people celebrate those holidays?

Background Information
• Christmas is a Christian holiday honoring the birth of Jesus.
• Diwali, also known as Deepavali, celebrates the Hindu New Year.
• A symbol of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, the menorah holds nine candles. People light one candle on it for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah with the ninth candle.
• Kwanzaa is an African American celebration of family and African culture. It takes place from December 26 through January 1.
• Las Posadas is a nine-day Mexican celebration of Christmas. On the last night, people have parties.
• Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan. This year, Eid al-Fitr took place at the end of August.

During Reading
Text Features: Have students focus on the holiday photos. Ask: What does each photo show? How do you think the people in each photo feel?

After Reading
Think Critically: Ask students whether they celebrate any of the holidays in the issue. Ask: What is your favorite part of the holiday? Why? Are holiday traditions
important? Why or why not?

Social Studies Extension: Have students get into the holiday spirit by helping people in need. As a class, brainstorm a list of ways to help others during the holiday season, such as organizing a clothing drive, visiting a nursing home, or donating gifts. Choose one as a classroom project.

Adaptation: Create a holiday word web on the board. Help children look through their issues to find holiday words. Write them in the web and review with children.

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Teach how volcanoes can be harmful and helpful.

Goal
Students will learn about volcanoes and how they can be harmful and helpful.

Objective
Students will be able to explain how volcanoes can be harmful and helpful.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Main Idea is the big idea in a text. It tells you what the text is mostly about. Explain to students that the main idea in a story is the big idea you get from reading the story. It is what the writer is trying to tell you. After reading the issue, ask: What is the author telling you about volcanoes? What is another good title for this story?

Link
Find kid-friendly volcano information and safety tips here.

Literature Connection
• The Best Book of Volcanoes, by Simon Adams
• Dear Katie, The Volcano Is a Girl, by Jean Craighead George
• Fascinating Facts About Volcanoes, by Jane Walker
• Jump Into Science: Volcano, by Ellen J. Prager

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.

National Standard
Science (NSES)
Changes in Earth and sky

Before Reading
Critical Thinking: Invite students to look at the cover photo. Ask: What is a volcano? What happens when a volcano erupts? What comes out of a volcano when it erupts?

Background Information
• There are more than 500 active volcanoes in the world. Most are located in an area around the Pacific Ocean called the Ring of Fire.
• Most active volcanoes in the United States are in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.
• Although volcanoes can be dangerous, they have some benefits. Farmers spread volcanic ash on soil to help crops grow. Some people use volcanic rock to build roads, and others heat homes and offices with hot water piped from volcanic areas.
• Signs of a possible eruption include rumbling ground, increased heat, and increased gas emission.

During Reading
Check for Understanding: Pause after reading the main story, and review any concepts that may seem difficult. Ask: Why might scientists want to predict when a volcano is going to erupt?

After Reading
Think Critically: Tell students that some people live near volcanoes. Ask: Would you want to live near a volcano? Why or why not?

Science Extension: Make a volcano in the classroom. Place a small empty jar, such as a baby food jar, in the center of a shallow foil pan. Shape a “mountain” around it with wet sand or mud. Fill three-quarters of the jar with vinegar. Add four drops of red food coloring and stir. Spoon small amounts of baking soda into the jar until it overflows. Discuss how this demonstrates a volcano erupting.

Adaptation: Make a list of key vocabulary words from the issue (volcano, lava, erupt, and so on). Invite students to draw pictures illustrating those key vocabulary words to help them remember their meanings.

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Engage students in a lesson about Martin Luther King Jr.

Goal
Students will learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and why we have a holiday honoring him.

Objective
Students will be able to name some important events in King’s life and explain why we celebrate the King holiday.

Concepts of Comprehension©
Plot is the events that make up the main story of a text. After students read the main story, ask them to summarize the events in King’s life.

Link
Take a virtual tour of the King memorial.

Literature Connection
• Being a Good Citizen, by Adrian Vigliano
• Being Fair (Citizenship), by Cassie Mayer
• A Lesson for Martin Luther King Jr., by Denise Lewis Patrick
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, by Sheri Dean
• Martin Luther King Jr., by Emma Lynch
• We Live Here Too! Kids Talk About Good Citizenship, by Nancy Loewen

Standards In This Issue
Common Core State Standard
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

National Standard
Social Studies (NCSS)
Civic ideals and practices

Before Reading
Tap Prior Knowledge: Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? Why is he famous? Why might people remember him with a special holiday?

Background Information
• Martin Luther King Jr. was living in Montgomery, Ala., when he started working for equal rights.
• King gave his “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He referred to Abraham Lincoln in that speech as a great American civil rights leader.
• King worked toward passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act protects the rights of all people living in the United States.

During Reading
Think Critically: Read aloud the excerpt from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech (below) to your class. Then hold a discussion about its meaning.

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

After Reading
Think Critically: Remind students that King wanted everyone to be treated fairly. Ask: What does it mean to be fair to others? How does treating others nicely follow King’s dream?

Social Studies Extension: Tell students that Martin Luther King Jr. was a leader. A leader is a person who guides others. Ask students to brainstorm a list of leaders. Have each student draw a picture of someone he or she considers a leader. Then, have each student write a sentence to explain why this person is a leader. Afterward, have students share their work. Ask: What are some things you can do to become a leader?

Adaptation: Play an I Spy game with students to help them use words from this week’s issue. Begin by giving clues about a word. For example, you might say, “I spy a word that begins with the letter d and rhymes with cream. What is the word?” (dream)

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