Grade 2 ELA B.E.S.T. Standards

Communicating Through Writing Handwriting

Communicating Through Writing

Demonstrate legible printing skills.

Handwriting: Demonstrate legible printing skills.

Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical sequence of events, transitions, and an ending.

Narrative Writing: Write personal or fictional narratives using a logical sequence of events, transitions, and an ending.

Write opinions about a topic or text with reasons supported by details from a source, use transitions, and provide a conclusion.

Argumentative Writing: Write opinions about a topic or text with reasons supported by details from a source, use transitions, and provide a conclusion.

Write expository texts about a topic, using a source, providing an introduction, facts, transitions, and a conclusion.

Expository Writing: Write expository texts about a topic, using a source, providing an introduction, facts, transitions, and a conclusion.

Improve writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing with guidance and support from adults and feedback from peers.

Improving Writing: Improve writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing with guidance and support from adults and feedback from peers.

Communicating Orally

Communicating Orally

Present information orally using complete sentences, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Oral Presentation: Present information orally using complete sentences, appropriate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Following Conventions

Following Conventions

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Conventions: Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling appropriate to grade level.

Researching

Researching

Participate in research to gather information to answer a question about a single topic using multiple sources.

Researching and Using Information: Participate in research to gather information to answer a question about a single topic using multiple sources.

Creating and Collaborating

Creating and Collaborating

Use one or more multimedia element(s) to enhance oral or written tasks.

Multimedia: Use one or more multimedia element(s) to enhance oral or written tasks.

Use digital tools to produce and publish writing individually or with peers and with support from adults.

Technology in Communication: Use digital tools to produce and publish writing individually or with peers and with support from adults.

Applying Foundational Reading Skills Phonics and Word Analysis

Applying Foundational Reading Skills

Use knowledge of grade-appropriate phonics and word-analysis skills to decode words.

Phonics and Word Analysis: Use knowledge of grade-appropriate phonics and word-analysis skills to decode words.

Decode words with variable vowel teams (e.g., oo, ea, ou) and vowel diphthongs (e.g., oi, oy, ow).

Decode words with variable vowel teams (e.g., oo, ea, ou) and vowel diphthongs (e.g., oi, oy, ow).

Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long and short vowels.

Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long and short vowels.

Decode words with open (e.g., hi, baby, moment) and closed (e.g., bag, sunshine, chop) syllables and consonant -le (e.g., purple, circle, stumble).

Decode words with open (e.g., hi, baby, moment) and closed (e.g., bag, sunshine, chop) syllables and consonant -le (e.g., purple, circle, stumble).

Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

Decode words with silent letter combinations (e.g., knight, comb, island, ghost).

Decode words with silent letter combinations (e.g., knight, comb, island, ghost).

Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression.

Fluency: Read grade-level texts with accuracy, automaticity, and appropriate prosody or expression.

Reading Prose and Poetry

Identify plot structure and describe main story elements in a literary text.

Literary Elements: Identify plot structure and describe main story elements in a literary text.

Identify and explain a theme of a literary text.

Theme: Identify and explain a theme of a literary text.

Identify different characters’ perspectives in a literary text.

Perspective and Point of View: Identify different characters’ perspectives in a literary text.

Identify rhyme schemes in poems.

Poetry: Identify rhyme schemes in poems.

Reading Prose and Poetry

Reading Informational Text

Reading Informational Text

Explain how text features—including titles, headings, captions, graphs, maps, glossaries, and/or illustrations—contribute to the meaning of texts.

Structure: Explain how text features—including titles, headings, captions, graphs, maps, glossaries, and/or illustrations—contribute to the meaning of texts.

Identify the central idea and relevant details in a text.

Central Idea: Identify the central idea and relevant details in a text.

Explain an author’s purpose in an informational text.

Purpose and Perspective: Explain an author’s purpose in an informational text.

Explain an author’s opinion(s) and supporting evidence.

Argument: Explain an author’s opinion(s) and supporting evidence.

Reading Across Genres

Reading Across Genres

Identify and explain similes, idioms, and alliteration in text(s)

Interpreting Figurative Language: Identify and explain similes, idioms, and alliteration in text(s).

Retell a text to enhance comprehension.

Paraphrasing and Summarizing: Retell a text to enhance comprehension. Use main story elements in a logical sequence for a literary text. Use the central idea and relevant details for an informational text.

Use main story elements in a logical sequence for a literary text.

Use the central idea and relevant details for an informational text.

Compare and contrast important details presented by two texts on the same topic or theme.

Comparative Reading: Compare and contrast important details presented by two texts on the same topic or theme.

Finding Meaning

Finding Meaning

Use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking and writing.

Academic Vocabulary: Use grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in speaking and writing.

Identify and use base words and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in grade-level content.

Morphology: Identify and use base words and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in grade-level content.

Identify and use context clues, word relationships, background knowledge, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the meaning of unknown words.

Context and Connotation: Identify and use context clues, word relationships, reference materials, and/or background knowledge to determine the meaning of unknown words.

Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.

Make inferences to support comprehension.

Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.

Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.

Use plural possessives.

As needed refers to the fact that sometimes instruction will focus on a specific skill or part of the process. In those instances, only the applicable activity will be engaged in.

Foundational Skills

Reading

The term perspective means “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something.” The term point of view is used when referring to the person of the narrator. This is to prevent confusion and conflation.

Form and use the progressive and perfect verb tenses.

Form and use compound sentences.

For further guidance, see the Elementary Oral Communication Rubric.

Grade-level texts, for the purposes of fluency, are those within the grade band on quantitative text complexity measures and appropriate in content and qualitative measures.

See Context Clues and Word Relationships.

See Conventions Progression by Grade Level for more information.

Form and use regular and frequently occurring irregular plural nouns.

Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons.

Vocabulary

See Writing Types.

Skills to be mastered at this grade level are as follows:

For setting, students will describe where and when the events of the story are happening. The time element of setting will be addressed even when not explicitly indicated in the text.

Phonics refers to the relationship between graphemes (letters or letter combinations) and phonemes (speech sounds).

Use commas to indicate direct address.

Use commas in a series.

Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs.

The different versions may be of the same or different formats.

K-12 ELA Expectations

Grade-level academic vocabulary consists of words that are likely to appear across subject areas for the current grade level and beyond, vital to comprehension, critical for academic discussions and writing, and usually require explicit instruction.

Use subject-verb agreement with intervening clauses and phrases.

Instruction for this benchmark should include text read-alouds and think-alouds aimed at building and activating background knowledge. Review of words learned in this way is critical to building background knowledge and related vocabulary. Texts read aloud can be two grade levels higher than student reading level.

Clear pronunciation shows an understanding and application of phonics rules and sight words as well as care taken in delivery. A student’s speech impediment should not be considered as impeding clear pronunciation.

Students will mark rhyme scheme and recognize rhyme scheme notation. Rhyme scheme notation uses capital letters, starting with A to mark the end of each line, repeating the letter for each line in the poem that rhymes with that line and progressing through the alphabet for each new end rhyme. Lines designated with the same letter all rhyme with each other.

Communication

Use simple modifiers.

Conjugate regular and irregular verb tenses.

Form and use irregular plural nouns.

Many of the high frequency words at this grade level are either irregularly spelled and therefore not decodable or are temporarily irregular, meaning that students have not yet learned the phonics rule that would enable them to decode the word. Those words that are decodable should be introduced to students using appropriate phonics rules. See 2.F.1.3. Students will read grade-level appropriate high frequency words, decodable or not, with automaticity.

Foundational Skills

Use interjections.

Maintain consistent verb tense across paragraphs.

Main story elements for the purpose of this benchmark are the setting, characters, and sequence of events of a story.

For character, students will describe characters’ traits, feelings, and behaviors.

Reading

Appropriate prosody refers to pausing patterns during oral reading that reflect the punctuation and meaning of a text. See Sample Oral Reading Fluency Rubrics for prosody.

Use prepositions and prepositional phrases.

Use apostrophes to form contractions.

Skills to be implemented but not yet mastered are as follows:

Multimedia elements may include, but are not limited to, drawings, pictures, artifacts, and audio or digital representation. At this grade level, the element(s) should relate directly to the task. There is no expectation that the element(s) be integrated into the task. The student can, but is not required to, use more than one multimedia element.

Use quotation marks with dialogue and direct quotations.

See Writing Types.

Communication

Students will decode decodable high frequency words appropriate to the grade level. See 2.F.1.4 and Dolch and Fry word lists. Students will read grade-level appropriate high frequency words, decodable or not, with automaticity.

See Fluency Norms for grade-level norms. Norms are expressed as words correct per minute (WCPM), a measure that combines accuracy with rate.

See Writing Types.

Most grade-level texts are appropriate for this benchmark.

Vocabulary

Appropriately use pronouns.

Form plurals -y to -ies.

See Base Words.

See Dolch and Fry word lists.

For literary texts, students can compare and contrast story elements such as characters, illustrations, and sequence of events.

Write letters and/or groups of letters with adequate spacing.

Write a narrative that includes a beginning, middle and end.

Write an opinion about a topic with one supporting reason.

Write an expository text about a topic, using a source, providing an introduction and facts.

Improve writing as needed by planning, revising and editing, with guidance and support from adults.

Express information using complete sentences and appropriate volume, using the students mode of communication.

Follow the rules of standard English grammar, punctuation, capitalization and spelling. Use possessives and plural possessives. Use subject-verb agreement in simple sentences. Appropriately use pronouns. Use commas in a series.

Participate in guided research to gather information to answer a question about a single topic using multiple sources.

Identify one multimedia element to enhance oral or written tasks.

Identify and use digital tools to produce and publish writing individually or with peers and with support from adults.

Decode words with variable vowel teams (e.g., oo, ea, ou) and vowel diphthongs (e.g., oi, oy, ow).

Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long and short vowels.

Decode words with open (e.g., hi, baby, moment) and closed (e.g., bag, sunshine, chop) syllables and consonant -le (e.g., purple, circle, stumble).

Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

1f. Decode words with silent letter combinations (e.g., knight, comb, island, ghost).

1e. Write an expository text about a topic, using a source, providing an introduction and facts.

Sequence and describe main elements in a literary text.

Identify the theme of a literary text.

Match characters and their perspectives in a literary text.

Identify a rhyme scheme in a poem.

Show how text features—including titles, headings, graphs, maps and/or illustrations—contribute to the meaning of texts.

Identify the central idea and relevant details in a text.

Identify an authors purpose in an informational text.

Identify an authors opinion and supporting evidence.

Identify similes, idioms and alliteration in text(s).

Identify main story elements and sequence relevant details in a logical order for a literary text using the student’s mode of communication.

Identify the central idea and a relevant detail for an informational text using the students mode of communication.

Compare the important details presented by two texts on the same topic or theme.

Identify grade-level academic vocabulary appropriately in communication, using the students mode of communication.

Identify base words and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in grade-level content at the student’s ability level.

Identify and use picture clues, context clues, word relationships and/or background knowledge to determine the meaning of unknown words at the student’s ability level.

Reading

Communicating Through Writing

Reading Across Genres

Reading Prose and Poetry

Following Conventions

Communication

Foundational Skills

Finding Meaning

Communicating Orally

Creating and Collaborating

Researching

Reading Informational Text

Vocabulary

Applying Foundational Reading Skills

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Mathematics.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science.

English language learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting.

English language learners communicate information, ideas and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.

Cite evidence to explain and justify reasoning.

Read and comprehend grade-level complex texts proficiently.

Make inferences to support comprehension.

Use appropriate collaborative techniques and active listening skills when engaging in discussions in a variety of situations.

Use the accepted rules governing a specific format to create quality work.

Use appropriate voice and tone when speaking or writing.