and spelling when writing
•
Capitalize holidays, product names, and
geographic names
•
Use commas in greetings and closings of letters
•
Use an apostrophe to form contractions and
frequently occurring possessives
•
Generalize learned spelling patterns when
writing words
•
Consult reference materials, including beginning
dictionaries, to check and correct spellings
•
Use colon to punctuate time
•
Begin to use quotations to punctuate dialogue
Knowledge of language
•
Use knowledge of language and its conventions
when writing, speaking, reading, or listening
•
Compare formal and informal uses of English
Vocabulary acquisition and use
•
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown
and multiple-meaning words and phrases
•
Use sentence-level context as a clue to the
meaning of a word or phrase
•
Determine the meaning of a new word formed
when a known prefix is added to a known word
•
Use a known root word as a clue to the meaning
of an unknown word with the same root
•
Use knowledge of the meaning of individual
words to predict the meaning of compound
words
•
Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries to
determine the meaning of words and phrases
•
Demonstrate understanding of word
relationships and nuances in word meanings
•
Identify real-life connections between words and
their use
•
Distinguish shades of meaning among closely
related verbs
•
Use words and phrases acquired through
conversations, and reading and being read to
•
Begin to use synonyms/antonyms
•
Begin to use homonyms
WRITING
Conventions
•
Use personal and possessive pronouns correctly
•
Use correct subject-verb agreement in a
sentence
•
Use the following parts of speech correctly:
noun, action verbs, personal pronouns,
adjectives
•
Use ending punctuation correctly in declarative,
interrogative, and exclamatory sentences
•
Use capitalization correctly for proper nouns,
beginning of sentences, and pronoun “I“
•
Begin to use commas to punctuate items in a
series, for greetings and closings of letters, and
with dates
•
Use colon to punctuate time
•
Use apostrophes to punctuate contractions
•
Begin to use quotations to punctuate dialogue
•
Begin to form paragraphs with main ideas and
supporting details
•
Spell age-appropriate high frequency words
correctly that are located within grade level
appropriate text
•
Use the following common spelling patterns:
•
Word families
•
Simple CVC words
•
Regular plurals
•
Simple prefixes
•
Simple suffixes
•
Use phonetic spelling and syllabication to
create readable text
•
Use simple abbreviations
Ideas
•
Choose own topic based on personal
experience
•
Develop one topic in writing
•
Expand simple narratives with details
•
Begin to keep an idea journal
•
Participate in group writing activities
Organization
•
Develop an understanding of sequence with a
clear beginning, middle, and end
•
Use one main idea or topic in writing
•
Begin to use transitional words to connect
ideas
27
Second Grade
Voice
•
Show personality through writing
•
Communicate own personal feelings and
opinions
Word Choice
•
Incorporate new words and vocabulary from
literature into own writing
•
Enhance quality of writing using adjectives and
strong verbs
Sentence Fluency
•
Begin to use connecting words correctly
•
Begin to vary beginnings and lengths of
sentences
•
Begin to write compound sentences
Presentation
•
Prepare text that is legible
•
Begin to use margins in final copies
•
Include first and last name and date on work
Styles/Audiences
•
Write for self, teacher, or others
•
Read writing with others
•
Begin to write for an outside audience
•
Create text for notes to peers or family
•
Write in a variety of forms (poems, journals,
stories, narratives, friendly letters, lists, story
summaries, reports)
•
Identify uses of writing in the community and
workplace
•
Write and maintain assignment lists
•
Show an awareness of audience
Prewriting
•
Use pictures to generate and express ideas
•
Use brainstorming activities to create ideas
•
Discuss ideas with others
•
List ideas
•
Use mapping to organize thoughts
Drafts
•
Refer to prewriting activities while writing
first draft
•
Use own drawing, writing, and spelling to
create a rough draft
•
Draft fluently for short periods of time
•
Use temporary spelling
•
Focus on content, not convention
Revises
•
Read orally to self to check for clarity
•
Share work with others
•
Begin to use peers for focused revision
•
Begin to revise by expanding on an idea with
guidance from teacher
•
Revise for one trait of the seven-traits model
Edits
•
Begin to proofread and correct spelling,
punctuation, and capitalization
•
Accept help with editing
•
Make appropriate editing changes
Publishing
•
Distinguish quality of work by selecting
best work
•
Work collaboratively to publish a combined
work
Evaluating/Analyzing Self
•
Read and discuss own work
•
See self as a writer
•
Use vocabulary from the seven-traits model
(Ideas, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice,
Organization, Conventions, Presentation) to
discuss own writing and that of others
•
Assess progress and set writing goals with
teacher
Evaluating/Analyzing Others
•
Use the seven-traits model as criteria to assess
writing
•
Review writing of authors to analyze effective
writing
•
Make specific statements about drawings,
stories, or writing of others (e.g., I like _______
because _______; I am confused about ________)
•
Listen while others share
28
Nobel Learning Curriculum Reference Guide
