In this assignment, students read the fiction passage "Autumn Treasures," about a character named Grace who collects leaves on the way to school. Students will identify, organize, and retell key details of a text to show their understanding. 

This assignment has one prompt with two levels depending on the student support needed. Level 1 includes no adaptations. Level 2 contains light scaffolding with sentence starters. See the Teacher Resource to learn how to assign with differentiated prompts. 

The passage has a Lexile Level of 460 and is appropriate for students in Grade 2.

In this assignment, students read "Making Cookies" and write a paragraph focusing on the author's use of words that rhyme (same ending sounds) and the poem's rhythm (the beat of the poem) to develop an understanding of poetry elements. This assignment has one prompt with two levels depending on the student support needed. Level 1 includes no adaptations. Level 2 contains light scaffolding with sentence starters. See the Teacher Resource to learn how to assign with differentiated prompts. 

This story has a Lexile level of 490.

Henry Herz's fantasy story, "A Proper Party," is about an owl planning a party. Owl wants certain types of flowers, drinks, and party hats at the party. Owl becomes frustrated when the items from the list are different from what was planned. By the end of the story, Owl learns a valuable lesson about proper planning, "Because a proper party really requires plenty of good friends." therefore, the focus should be on friends, not specific items. Students will read the story and determine the theme to understand the author's message. 

This assignment has one prompt with two levels depending on the student support needed. Level 1 includes no adaptations. Level 2 contains light scaffolding with sentence starters. See the Teacher Resource to learn how to assign with differentiated prompts. 

The text in this assignment has a Lexile Level of 460 and is appropriate for students in Grade 2.

In this assignment, students read "The Travails of a Triangle Player" and write a paragraph to explain the author's purpose: Inform, Entertain, or Persuade. This assignment has one prompt with two levels depending on the student support needed. Level 1 includes no adaptations. Level 2 contains light scaffolding with sentence starters. See the Teacher Resource to learn how to assign with differentiated prompts. 

This story has a Lexile level of 400 and is appropriate for students in Grade 2.

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of fictional readings. They first read their selected story and then write a description or explanation of the story, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as introducing character and plot, supporting a clear main idea with details and descriptions from the story, and using precise language and descriptive words to express themselves. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this assignment have Lexile Levels of: 500 (Annie's Decision); 590 (Perfect Thing); 620 (Mirabella the Magnificent and the Dragon); 560 (Ribburta and the Run-Ragged Babysitting Adventure); and 650 (A Feel for the Game).

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of fictional readings. They first read their selected story and then write a description or explanation of the story, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as introducing character and plot, supporting a clear main idea with details and descriptions from the story, and using precise language and descriptive words to express themselves. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this assignment have Lexile Levels of: 500 (Annie's Decision); 590 (Perfect Thing); 620 (Mirabella the Magnificent and the Dragon); 560 (Ribburta and the Run-Ragged Babysitting Adventure); and 650 (A Feel for the Game).

In this assignment, students read the Short Story, "Mirabella the Magnificent and the Dragon," by Cheryl Menderhall and write a brief Character Analysis in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and write about the main character's actions and behavior. They state a main idea about the character and support their main idea(s) with details and descriptions from the text. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for narrative elements, focusing on a character, and finding details in the text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 620.

In this assignment, students read the Short Story "A Feel for the Game," by Myra Sanderman and write an Author Study in response this question: "How does the author make readers care about what happens to the main character?" Students consider various literary techniques the author uses to bring the story to life including building suspense, writing from the perspective of the main character, and including vivid imagery and detailed descriptions of the events that take place in the story. Students consider these and other techniques and analyze author's craft and purpose to develop their Author Studies. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for literary techniques, considering author's craft and purpose, and writing in response to a prompt, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 650.

In this assignment, students read the Short Story "Annie's Decision" by Kristina Jordan Cobarrubia and write a Story Summary in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and write a one- or two-sentence summary in their introduction. They develop their Summaries by including details and descriptions from the story to summarize the plot, characters, and setting of the story. Students restate the summary in the conclusion, and leave readers thinking about, and wanting to read the story. Practicing skills such as analyzing a story for plot, setting, and character development, summarizing story elements, and developing a strong conclusion, prepares students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 500.

In this assignment, students read the Folk Tale, "Perfect Thing," by Tololwa M. Mollel and write a Folk Tale Study in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and write about the moral of the story. They describe the main characters' behavior and interactions and consider how the characters' behavior influences the plot and storyline. Students consider author's purpose in ending the story as she does, and describe in detail if they agree with the way the author chooses to end the story. Practicing skills such as analyzing a story for narrative elements, focusing on characters and plot, and determining the moral of the story, prepares students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 590.

In this assignment, students read the Short Story ebook "Ribburta and the Run-Ragged Babysitting Adventure" by Joan Lennon and write a Plot Description in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and describe the story events in detail. They begin by introducing the characters and considering how the characters' behavior affected the story's events. Then students describe how the characters develop as the story events progress. Practicing skills such as analyzing the literary elements of plot, characters, and setting, describing a story's progression of events, and describing a story's action using clear, descriptive language, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 560.

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of different fictional readings. They first read their selected story and then write a description or explanation of the story, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as introducing character and plot, supporting a clear main idea with descriptions and details from the story, and using precise language and descriptive words, to express themselves. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this assignment have Lexile Levels of: 820 (Drumstuck); 870 (Dancing for Mama); 840 (Miriam Finds Her Wings); 660 (Barber's Secret); 620 (Watch Out for the Hedley Beast).

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of fictional readings. They first read their selected story and then write a description or explanation of the story, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as introducing character and plot, supporting a clear main idea with descriptions and details from the story, and using precise language and descriptive words, to express themselves. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this assignment have Lexile Levels of: 820 (Drumstuck); 870 (Dancing for Mama); 840 (Miriam Finds Her Wings); 660 (Barber's Secret); 620 (Watch Out for the Hedley Beast).

In this assignment, students read, "Drumstuck," by Laird Long, and write a Narrative Analysis focusing on the author's use of word choice, descriptive language and vivid imagery. Students review the humorous story and identify places in the text where the author uses voice, tone, descriptive language, word choice, and vivid imagery to make the story both funny and suspenseful. Students develop a main idea about the author's use of language, and then develop this with specific quotations and examples from the story. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for narrative elements, citing specific examples and quotations from a text to support and develop ideas, and communicating an analysis in a clear and logical way, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This story has a Lexile level of 820.

In this assignment, students read the Short Story "Dancing for Mama" by Joanne Lukens and write a Story Summary in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and describe the story events in detail. They begin by introducing the characters and the problems they face. Then students consider the story events and describe how the characters developed as the story events progressed. Students describe the story's ending, how conflicts were resolved, and how the characters grew. Practicing skills such as analyzing the literary elements of plot, characters, and setting, describing a story's progression of events in a logical order, and describing a story's action using clear, descriptive language, will help prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 870.

In this assignment, students read the Folk Tale "The Barber's Secret," by Deepa Agarwal and write a Folk Tale Study in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and write about the moral of the story. They describe the two main characters, the barber, Babban Hajja and the ruler, the nawab of awadh. Students consider the characters' behavior and consider how their behavior influences the plot and story events. Students consider the story's conclusion and what the author meant to communicate by ending the story in this way. Practicing skills such as analyzing a story for narrative elements, focusing on characters and plot, and determining the moral of the story, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 660.

In this assignment, students read the Short Story "Miriam Finds Her Wings," by Elisabeth Greenberg and write a Setting Study in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and write about the different settings in the story. They use details and examples from the story to describe the setting and discuss how the setting drives the plot and influences the characters. Students begin by stating a main idea about the settings, develop their ideas with details and examples from the story, and end by restating their thinking about how the settings drive the story forward. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for narrative elements, citing details in the text, and describing narrative elements in a clearly and logically, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 840.

In this assignment, students read "Watch Out for the Hedley Beast," an English FairyTale retold by Madeline Juran, and write a Character Comparison in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and compare and contrast the old woman, Tessie, to the farmers' wives. They begin by stating a main idea about how Tessie is the same as or different from the farmers' wives. Then they write a point-by-point comparison, considering several points and comparing and contrasting Tessie and the wives based on each point. Students develop their point-by-point comparisons with dialogue, details, and actions from the story. Practicing skills such as comparing and contrasting characters in a story, using details and dialogue from a story to support their ideas, and communicating their analysis in a clear and logical order, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 620.

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of different fictional readings. They first read their selected story and then write a description or explanation of the story, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as introducing character and plot, supporting a clear main idea with descriptions and details from the story, and using precise language and descriptive words, to express themselves. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this assignment have Lexile Levels of: 620 (Timespiral); 870 (The Holding-On Night); 960 (The Long Night); 850 (Echo and Narcissus); 900 (The Wheat on the Chess Board).

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of different fictional readings. They first read their selected story and then write a description or explanation of the story, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as introducing character and plot, supporting a clear main idea with descriptions and details from the story, and using precise language and descriptive words, to express themselves. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this assignment have Lexile Levels of: 620 (Timespiral); 870 (The Holding-On Night); 960 (The Long Night); 850 (Echo and Narcissus); 900 (The Wheat on the Chess Board).

In this assignment, students read the Short Story "Timespiral," by Karleen Bradford and write a Plot Summary about the story. Students follow the prompt and begin by writing a one- to two-sentence, high-level summary of the plot. They develop their Plot Summaries by including details and descriptions from the story to summarize the plot. Students restate the summary in the conclusion and leave readers thinking about, and wanting to read, the story. Practicing skills such as analyzing a story for plot, summarizing story elements, and developing a strong conclusion, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 620.

In this assignment, students read the eBook "The Long Night," by Steve Vance and write a brief Character Analysis in response to the story. Students follow the prompt and write about the main character's actions and behavior. They state a main idea about the character and support their main idea(s) with details and descriptions from the text. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for narrative elements, focusing on a character, and finding details in the text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 960.

In this assignment, students read the Myth, "Echo and Narcissus," retold by Kori Joanne Johnson, and write a Literary Analysis about the story. Students review the story and describe the problem the characters face. They respond to a series of questions about the way the characters grow and change based on facing problems. Students consider whether or not the characters in this myth have changed and if so, if they've changed for the better. Practicing skills such as analyzing the narrative elements of a story, considering author's craft, and demonstrating comprehension by writing about the story in a clear voice and by citing evidence from the text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 850.

In this assignment, students read a Folk Tale from India, "The Wheat on the Chess Board," by Liz Huyck, in which a king loves the new game of chess and rewards the inventor with more than he bargained for. Students write a Story Summary, summarizing the characters, plot, and setting of the story. They explore how the interactions between the characters lead to the story events and identify facts and details in the text to support their summaries. Practicing skills such as analyzing the narrative elements of a story, summarizing a story's plot, and describing a story using facts and details from the text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 900.

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of nonfiction readings about different topics. They first read their selected article and then write a description, summary, or report about the article or eBook, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as analyzing a text for information, supporting their writing with facts and details from a source text, beginning with a clear introduction and an interesting hook to engage readers, and organizing information logically and consistently. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this collection have Lexile levels ranging from 570 (Python Parts); 590 (Sea Star); 600 (Dino Detective); 600 (Koala Joey); and 630 (Germs).

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction eBook, "Python Parts," by Amy Tao, and write a Compare-and-Contrast Report comparing pythons to people. Students follow the prompt and consider the similarities and differences between humans and pythons. They choose a strategy for consistently comparing and contrasting the two. Students use either the subject-by-subject or point-by-point method to organize their compare-and-contrast structure. Students cite information and details from both the book to support their comparisons. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, using a compare-and-contrast structure, and finding evidence from texts to support ideas, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 570.

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction eBook, "Sea Star," by Buffy Silverman and write a Topic Description in response to the article. Students follow the prompt and begin by describing an interesting fact about sea stars to engage readers. Then students write paragraphs, each describing different information about sea stars. Students support each topic with interesting details and information from the book. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for facts and information, organizing text into paragraphs each focusing on a different topic, and finding details and information from a source text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile level of 590.

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction Article "Dana Daring: Dino Detective" by Charnan Simon, and write a Summary of Events in response to the article. Students follow the prompt and write about the sequence of events that museum scientists go through to put together a dinosaur skeleton and to figure out how dinosaurs lived. Students use the text and graphic words and illustrations for detailed information on the topic. Students end with a final thought about the work involved. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, citing details and information from the text, and writing a summary, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 600.

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction Article, "Koala Joey" by Buffy Silverman, and write an Informative Paragraph about the article. Students read the article which provides a variety of fascinating information about baby koalas. Students follow the prompt and begin their paragraphs by stating an interesting fact or detail from the article to grab readers' interest. Students then develop their paragraph by providing facts, details, and information from the article. Students consider descriptive word choice and use topic-specific vocabulary from the article to help readers learn about their topic. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, focusing on a single topic to develop, identifying details and information from a source text, and considering word choice, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 600.

In this assignment, students read the Science Article, "What's a Germ?," by Amy Tao and write an Informational Report about the topic. Students follow the prompt and write about different aspect of germs. They divide their Informational Reports into paragraphs, each paragraph beginning with a topic sentence and followed by facts and information from their reading. Students use content-vocabulary from the text to help readers understand the topic. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, organizing nonfiction writing into paragraphs of related ideas, developing a topic with facts and details from a source, and using specialized vocabulary, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 630.

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of nonfiction readings about different topics. They first read their selected article and then write a description, summary, or analysis of the article, following the directions in the writing prompt. Students review the rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as analyzing a text for information, supporting their writing with facts and details from a source text, beginning with a clear introduction and an interesting hook to engage readers, and organizing information logically and consistently. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The texts in this collection have Lexile levels ranging from 830 (Porcupette Explores the Night); 820 (A Cool Sip of Cocoa); 670 (Birthday Surprise); and 740 (Swimming with the Pod).

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction Article, "The Car that Drives Itself," by Jennifer Swanson, and write an Informative Paragraph about the topic. Students read the article which provides detailed information about self-driving cars. Students follow the prompt and choose one topic to focus on and begin their paragraphs by stating an interesting fact or detail from the article to grab readers' interest. Students then develop their topic by providing facts, details, and information from the article. Students consider descriptive word choice and use topic-specific vocabulary from the article to help readers learn about this complex topic. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, focusing on a single topic to develop, identifying details and information from a source text, and considering word choice, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 810.

In this assignment, students read the narrative Nonfiction Article, "Swimming with the Pod," by Catherine Ripley, and write a Science Narrative about a topic of their choice. Students learn information about orcas by reading a narrative, "day in the life of" story about a pod of orcas. The narrative interests readers and provides readers with varied facts and details about the topic. Students use the article as a model for writing their own Science Narratives about a topic of their choice. They can use facts and details from the article and write a nonfiction narrative about orcas, or they can choose to write about another animal, using information that they know about or research. Practicing skills such as using a source text as a model, writing about nonfiction subjects in a narrative format, and citing facts and details from sources clearly and accurately, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 740.

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction Article, "A Cool Sip of Cocoa," by Tracy Vonder Brink, and write an Informative Paragraph about the article. Students read about the important tradition cocoa has played in our culture and history. They read an infographic depicting the process the ancient Mayans used to extract the drink from the cacao pods, and also read a recipe for making the ancient Mayan drink. Using the recipe as a model, students write a "How-To Essay" for making modern-day hot chocolate or another beverage of their choice. Practicing skills such as using a text as a model, writing using a sequential progression of ideas, and using clear words and descriptions, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 820.

In this assignment, students read the nonfiction Science Article, "Porcupette Explores the Night," by Susan Yoder Ackerman and write a Topic Description in response to the article. Students follow the prompt and begin by describing an interesting fact about porcupines to engage readers. Then students write paragraphs, each describing different information about porcupines that they learned from the story. Students might want to write about porcupettes when they are first born, about what porcupines eat and how they find food, about the predators who prey on porcupines, and how this baby porcupette keeps herself safe. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for facts and information, organizing text into paragraphs each focusing on a different topic, and finding details and information from a source text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile level of 830.

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction eBook, "Birthday Surprise," by Ivars Peterson, and write a Book Summary about the article. Students learn an amazing math principle which they can experiment with themselves. Students review this information and then summarize the information for readers, using a clear voice and language. Practicing skills such as analyzing a nonfiction book for information, summarizing facts and details, and using clear and precise language to communicate ideas, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 670.

In this assignment, students choose from a variety of nonfiction readings about different topics. They first read their selected article and then write a description, summary, or report based on the reading, or use the reading as a model for their own writing. Students follow the directions in the writing prompts and review each set of rubrics to check that they are practicing writing skills from the Information genre such as analyzing a text for information, summarizing key concepts, developing ideas with facts and details, and organizing information logically and/or sequentially. Practicing these skills will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

The articles in this collection have Lexile levels ranging from 850 (...Mary Celeste); 970 (...Leeches); 970 (Accidentally Delicious); 840 (...Pond); and 800 (High-Flying Hero).

In this assignment, students read the Narrative Nonfiction account "The Mystery of the Mary Celeste," by Meg Moss and write a Summary of Events in response to the account. Students follow the prompt and write about the sequence of events that happened to the ship from before it set sail, to when it was discovered. Students provide facts and information from the text including information about who was on the ship, what the ship was carrying, and where it was traveling to. Students also summarize the possible events that may have befallen the ship. Students end their plot summaries by stating their opinion about what happened to the ship. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for plot and details, citing details and information from the text, and writing a story summary, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 850.

In this assignment, students read the Science eBook, "Lunching with Leeches," by Lela Stanley and write an Informational Report about the topic. Students follow the prompt and write about different aspect of leeches. They divide their Informational Reports into paragraphs, each paragraph beginning with a topic sentence and followed by facts and information from their reading. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, organizing nonfiction writing into paragraphs of related ideas, and developing a topic with facts and details from a source, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 970.

In this assignment, students read the nonfiction Magazine Article, "Accidentally Delicious," by Marcia Amidon Lusted and write an Accidental Recipe inspired by the article. Students follow the prompt and write an introductory paragraph, followed by a step-by-step recipe, describing their accidental food creations. Students include the ingredients needed, and use clear words and detailed descriptions to make sure readers can follow along. Practicing skills such using a text as a model, writing sequential steps, and developing an idea with detailed descriptions, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 970.

In this assignment, students read the Nonfiction eBook, "A Day at the Pond," by Jestine Ware, and write an Informative Paragraph about the book. Students read the eBook which provides a variety of fascinating information about life on a pond. Students follow the prompt and write about the general interactions between the plants and animals who call the pond home. Students then develop their topic by providing facts, details, and information from the book. Students consider descriptive word choice and use sensory language and descriptive words to help readers visualize their topic. Practicing skills such as analyzing a text for information, focusing on a single topic to develop, identifying details and information from a source text, and considering word choice, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 840.

In this assignment, students read the narrative Nonfiction Article "High-Flying Hero," by Christy Mihaly and write a Plot Summary about the story the article relates about an amazing messenger pigeon, Cher Ami, who saves a battalion of American soldiers during World War I. Students follow the prompt and begin by writing a high-level summary of the story events. They develop their Plot Summaries by including details and descriptions from the article to summarize the plot. The article includes sidebars explaining the science behind messenger pigeons' ability to find their way home, and students include these details in their descriptions. Practicing skills such as analyzing the information in a nonfiction narrative, summarizing plot elements, and developing an analysis with details and descriptions from a source text, will prepare students for writing in the Information genre.

This text has a Lexile Level of 800.