Writing

Unit 1: Launching the Writing Workshop

   During the Launching the Writing Workshop unit of study, the teacher establishes classroom routines and expectations for Writing Workshop.  Students revisit writing processes, begin their writer’s notebook, and establish a personal writing portfolio (body of evidence). Through conferring, teachers help the students set writing goals. Goal setting will be ongoing throughout the entire year.

   Slice of Life writing in 2nd grade emphasizes development of recounting a short sequence of events, describing actions in greater detail, and providing a sense of closure.

 

Unit 2: Exploring Language

   In this writing unit, students will experiment with descriptive language, specifically precise nouns, active verbs, and descriptive adjectives.  They will study simple, descriptive poems by a single or multiple poets and work to plan and draft multiple pieces of descriptive poetry. Since poetry is both a form and a genre, students may turn a previous piece of writing into a piece of poetry or write original pieces.  

   Publishing is not required, as this unit emphasizes experimentation in word choice. Teachers will support students with transferring their learning from this unit to the following narrative unit, “Expanding Narrative Writing.” Descriptive language should also be applied to all future genre studies.

   Students have had previous experience with adding details to their writing: In first grade, students worked with guidance to add details that strengthened their writing. Teachers can help students make meaningful connections to what they have previously learned as they consider their audience and purpose for writing.  

Unit 3: Expanding Narrative Writing

   During this unit of study, students will gather ideas and draft narratives that have a well elaborated event or short sequence of events. The stories will include details to describe the character’s actions, thoughts or feelings and have a sense of closure that brings the story together. Sentence fluency is also addressed and sentence variety is expected.

   With adult and peer support, student writers will revise for content using a variety of revision strategies. Knowing that writing is a recursive process, the work of this unit will support students as they write multiple short stories in March.

 

Unit 4: Writing to Explain

   When writing explanatory paragraphs, students will clearly state the topic/subject, include facts, details and/or definitions to clarify their reader’s thinking, and write a concluding statement. Procedural writing will include an introduction to the topic and materials, a sequence of actions or steps in a process, and tips for the reader. 

   In second grade, expository writing will include informational how-to writing. This is written to inform readers about how something is done, but not in enough detail for the readers to replicate the process. Examples of this is writing are: how to act on the bus, how my family celebrates birthdays, or what to do when planning a vacation.

 

Unit 5:  What Is My Opinion and Why?

   Second graders will learn to write an opinion paragraph which includes:

• a topic sentence.

• a clearly stated opinion using a transitional word/phrase.

• three reasons which support the opinion.

• provide detilas, facts, and definitions to support the reasons.

• use transtional words/phrases to connect the reasons.

• write a conclusion which restates the opinion.

 

Unit 6: Just the Facts

    Second grade students will write informational texts in which they begin to imitate and explore the critical attributes of the genre from mentor texts during the immersion phase of writer’s workshop.  In this unit of study, second graders continue to focus on audience and why their chosen topic is important.  

   Writing informational texts in second grade emphasizes a clearly stated topic, supporting facts and details, use of specific academic/content vocabulary, transition words, and a conclusion. Second grade students use graphic organizers, bulleted lists, and sticky notes to collect a few notes on a topic.  

 

 

Unit 7: Composing a Varitety of Short Stories

   Students will write multiple, short narrative pieces that build on their previous learning of telling a story with an inviting beginning, a logical sequence of events, and a sense of closure.