Strategies for Second Graders
Strategies are a good way to help expand your students knowledge and to see what they know and how they will apply what they have learned to that strategy. There are many different strategies that you can use with your students to help them learn more and expand their knowledge about that topic. I chose these five to do with my students, but there are more out there that can be used to help the students learn.
Strategy One: Word Sort
Stand: Informational Text
Topic: Craft and Structure
Standard Statement: RI.K2.4b Identify the meaning of words based on how they are used in a text.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I would use this strategy at the end of the chapter when we have finished going through all of the words (page 8 - 41).
Why I chose a Word Sort
I chose this strategy because this way my students have a better understanding of the words and will be able to sort them into the right categorize and understand them better. Also we will be able to talk more about the words and they will see why they fit together in that categorize with the other words. The students will be able to see how some of the words fit together and they will be able to use them together when they are writing and talking about the neighbor.
What I want to accomplish
I would like my students to gain a solid understanding of the key vocabulary that we will be going over though this word sort. I hope by using the word sort my students will understand the word that are in the chapter and will be able to talk about them and tell me what the definition are. Along with I want my students to be able to tell me what words can be grouped together and they should be able to able to tell me why they are grouped together.
Steps of the Strategy
Paper and pencil
Unit 1
Smart board if there is one, if not dry erase or chalkboard
Stand: Informational Text
Topic: Craft and Structure
Standard Statement: RI.K2.4b Identify the meaning of words based on how they are used in a text.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I would use this strategy at the end of the chapter when we have finished going through all of the words (page 8 - 41).
Why I chose a Word Sort
I chose this strategy because this way my students have a better understanding of the words and will be able to sort them into the right categorize and understand them better. Also we will be able to talk more about the words and they will see why they fit together in that categorize with the other words. The students will be able to see how some of the words fit together and they will be able to use them together when they are writing and talking about the neighbor.
What I want to accomplish
I would like my students to gain a solid understanding of the key vocabulary that we will be going over though this word sort. I hope by using the word sort my students will understand the word that are in the chapter and will be able to talk about them and tell me what the definition are. Along with I want my students to be able to tell me what words can be grouped together and they should be able to able to tell me why they are grouped together.
Steps of the Strategy
- List between 10 to 20 vocabulary words from the chapter on the paper, index cards, or on the chalkboard
- Divide the class into small groups of 4 or 5 students. (Distribute the index cards if this method is used.)
- For a Closed Word Sort, provide students with the categories into which they will sort the vocabulary words. For an Open Word Sort, instruct the student teams to suggest categories for organizing the words.
- Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the student to assign the words to the categories.
- Have a class discussion with each group/students presenting their word list for one of the categories..
Paper and pencil
Unit 1
Smart board if there is one, if not dry erase or chalkboard
Strategy Two: Concept Circles
Stand: Informational Text
Topic: Craft and Structure
Standard Statement: RI.K2.4b Identify the meaning of words based on how they are used in a text.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I will use this strategy a few times throughout the chapter and change it up every time we do it . I will use it after we finish a section in the chapter (pages 8 - 41).
Why I chose a Concept Circles
I chose this strategies to use because the students will be able to see how some of the words work together and see what words are not alike. Also they will be able to identify vocabulary words by the words I use to describe them. This is a very easy for the student to do and they will enjoy the activity and learn while they are doing it.
What I want to accomplish
I would like my students to learn the vocabulary in a new way that will help them remember it and is fun. Also I want them to gain a solid understanding of the vocabulary and this is a great way to help them accomplish that. It will make me feel great knowing that they have learned something from this activity and learned how words are the same and different and there definitions.
Steps of the Strategy
Worksheet that I created
Unit 1
Stand: Informational Text
Topic: Craft and Structure
Standard Statement: RI.K2.4b Identify the meaning of words based on how they are used in a text.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I will use this strategy a few times throughout the chapter and change it up every time we do it . I will use it after we finish a section in the chapter (pages 8 - 41).
Why I chose a Concept Circles
I chose this strategies to use because the students will be able to see how some of the words work together and see what words are not alike. Also they will be able to identify vocabulary words by the words I use to describe them. This is a very easy for the student to do and they will enjoy the activity and learn while they are doing it.
What I want to accomplish
I would like my students to learn the vocabulary in a new way that will help them remember it and is fun. Also I want them to gain a solid understanding of the vocabulary and this is a great way to help them accomplish that. It will make me feel great knowing that they have learned something from this activity and learned how words are the same and different and there definitions.
Steps of the Strategy
- The teacher will fill in three or four of the slices with either words describes a vocabulary word or words that are all the same but some.
- The students will fill in the blanks or they will write down what the vocabulary word is or color in the word that is different.
Worksheet that I created
Unit 1
Strategy Three: Anticipation Guides
Stand: Information Text
Topic: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Standard Statement: RI.K2.8b Identify key points in a text.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I will use this before and after a section in the chapter. I will it with the section called Living in a Neighborhood (Pgs 8 - 15).
Why I chose an Anticipation Guide
I chose to have my students do an anticipation guide because I want to see how they feel toward a statement before they read and then how they change afterwards. I also want to see how my students react to the statement because they might have to make a prediction or they might already know what the outcome will be.
What I want to accomplish
I would like to have me students be able to think a little differently in someway and be able to see that not everything that they read will be right and they will have to think about it and understand it. I will be there to help them understand the information and explain to them what they are not getting.
Steps of the Strategy
I would create a list of statements, some that are true and some that are false. I will have my students read the statements before reading the chapter or a section of the chapter. They put down a plus (+) sign if they think it is a true statement or a minus (-) sign if they think it is a false statement. Then while they read they will be looking for the statements in the text and put the correct sign in the after column. This will allow them to correct their answers and to learn from them.
Materials needed
Anticipation Guide worksheet
Unit 1
Stand: Information Text
Topic: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Standard Statement: RI.K2.8b Identify key points in a text.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I will use this before and after a section in the chapter. I will it with the section called Living in a Neighborhood (Pgs 8 - 15).
Why I chose an Anticipation Guide
I chose to have my students do an anticipation guide because I want to see how they feel toward a statement before they read and then how they change afterwards. I also want to see how my students react to the statement because they might have to make a prediction or they might already know what the outcome will be.
What I want to accomplish
I would like to have me students be able to think a little differently in someway and be able to see that not everything that they read will be right and they will have to think about it and understand it. I will be there to help them understand the information and explain to them what they are not getting.
Steps of the Strategy
I would create a list of statements, some that are true and some that are false. I will have my students read the statements before reading the chapter or a section of the chapter. They put down a plus (+) sign if they think it is a true statement or a minus (-) sign if they think it is a false statement. Then while they read they will be looking for the statements in the text and put the correct sign in the after column. This will allow them to correct their answers and to learn from them.
Materials needed
Anticipation Guide worksheet
Unit 1
Strategy Four: KWL Chart
Stand: Writing
Topic: Text Types and Purposes
Standard Statement: W.K2.2b Generate at least one fact about a topic.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I would use this strategy at the beginning of the unit so we can write down what we want to learn from the chapter and what we already know. Then we will use it at the end of the chapter so we can talk about what we have learned from the chapter. (pages 8 - 41).
Why I chose a KWL Chart
I chose to have my students do a KWL chart because I want to see what they know before we start the unit. What they would like to learn and what they did learn. This is a easy strategy that special needs students will be able to do and grasp onto. They will be able to apply any prior knowledge that they have learned before, they will get to write down question on what they want to know, and then tell me in there own word what they have learned.
What I want to accomplish
I am hoping that my students will be able to understand more of what they have read. And using this strategies will help them apply what they have learned before, to what they want to learn, and to what they have learned afterwards. I want my students to be comfortable with asking question so they can learn more and understand the martiale and gain a solid understanding of the ideas that are in the chapter.
Steps of the Strategy
Hand out the KWL chart paper to the class and explain that we will be talking about where we live. I would have them fill out the K (what they Know), then during the reading they would fill out the W (what they Want to know) with questions or statements and then after they read they would finish the chart by filling out the L (what they Learned). After we are done with the unit we will go over what we have learned and have a discussion and answer any questions that were not answered.
Materials needed
KWL worksheet
Smart board if there is one, if not dry erase or chalkboard
Unit 1
Stand: Writing
Topic: Text Types and Purposes
Standard Statement: W.K2.2b Generate at least one fact about a topic.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I would use this strategy at the beginning of the unit so we can write down what we want to learn from the chapter and what we already know. Then we will use it at the end of the chapter so we can talk about what we have learned from the chapter. (pages 8 - 41).
Why I chose a KWL Chart
I chose to have my students do a KWL chart because I want to see what they know before we start the unit. What they would like to learn and what they did learn. This is a easy strategy that special needs students will be able to do and grasp onto. They will be able to apply any prior knowledge that they have learned before, they will get to write down question on what they want to know, and then tell me in there own word what they have learned.
What I want to accomplish
I am hoping that my students will be able to understand more of what they have read. And using this strategies will help them apply what they have learned before, to what they want to learn, and to what they have learned afterwards. I want my students to be comfortable with asking question so they can learn more and understand the martiale and gain a solid understanding of the ideas that are in the chapter.
Steps of the Strategy
Hand out the KWL chart paper to the class and explain that we will be talking about where we live. I would have them fill out the K (what they Know), then during the reading they would fill out the W (what they Want to know) with questions or statements and then after they read they would finish the chart by filling out the L (what they Learned). After we are done with the unit we will go over what we have learned and have a discussion and answer any questions that were not answered.
Materials needed
KWL worksheet
Smart board if there is one, if not dry erase or chalkboard
Unit 1
Strategy Five: Bio Poems
Stand: Writing
Topic: Text Types and Purposes
Standard Statement: W.K2.1b Generate written text stating a basic opinion on a topic.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I would use this strategy when we are talking about differnt communities and what is located in the comminities. I would ues this after I cover two section A Walk THough a Community and Comparing Communities (pages 16 - 29).
Why I chose a Bio Poem
I chose to have the students write bio poem because it will help them learn more as they are writing the poem and they are learning about poetry. Also this will help them learn the information more and faster, along with understanding it better.
What I want to accomplish
I want my students to understand the vocabulary or whatever they are writing about. This is another way to help them study for the test because they will be writing done information that could help them study for the test. Also i want them to learn new information about the concepts.
Steps of the Strategy
The steps are very simple. There are 10 lines in this poem. The first two lines are first name and four traits that describe the whatever is being studied. Then with the next ones you will fill in the blank, they are Relatives of, Lover of, Who feels, Who needs, Who fears, Who gives, Who would like to see, and the last line is the last name. After filling in the full poem it is a great work of art and it is something the students can be proud of.
Materials needed
Worksheet with the outline of the bio poem
Unit 1
Teachers example
Students example
Stand: Writing
Topic: Text Types and Purposes
Standard Statement: W.K2.1b Generate written text stating a basic opinion on a topic.
Section of the text that it will be used with
I would use this strategy when we are talking about differnt communities and what is located in the comminities. I would ues this after I cover two section A Walk THough a Community and Comparing Communities (pages 16 - 29).
Why I chose a Bio Poem
I chose to have the students write bio poem because it will help them learn more as they are writing the poem and they are learning about poetry. Also this will help them learn the information more and faster, along with understanding it better.
What I want to accomplish
I want my students to understand the vocabulary or whatever they are writing about. This is another way to help them study for the test because they will be writing done information that could help them study for the test. Also i want them to learn new information about the concepts.
Steps of the Strategy
The steps are very simple. There are 10 lines in this poem. The first two lines are first name and four traits that describe the whatever is being studied. Then with the next ones you will fill in the blank, they are Relatives of, Lover of, Who feels, Who needs, Who fears, Who gives, Who would like to see, and the last line is the last name. After filling in the full poem it is a great work of art and it is something the students can be proud of.
Materials needed
Worksheet with the outline of the bio poem
Unit 1
Teachers example
Students example