This literature lesson guides kids towards a deeper understanding of second grade texts through an exploration of character, setting, and plot. Kids will be challenged to answer the who, what, where, when and why of a story, in addition to determining the story's message. Two versions of the same story will be presented in order for second graders to see story elements in action.

Measurement and data in first grade includes such important concepts as comparing the length and weight of two objects using a third object. This guided lesson, designed by curriculum experts, takes students on an exploration of these measurement and data concepts. Once through with the lesson, kids can gain extra practice with measurement and data with the accompanying worksheets.

The story "My Shadow" provides the backdrop for this guided lesson on the letters I, M and J. Learning to read letter by letter allows children to focus not only on letter recognition, but on the sounds that the letters make in context. This technique provides the building blocks for reading fluency to come in kindergarten and first grade. Kids can continue their phonics practice with the accompanying worksheets.

Now that reading skills are more developed, second graders will move on to comprehension of informational text. This guided lesson supports this through an exploration of the main idea of a text, as well as the other text features, such as: captions, photographs, maps headings, subheadings, glossary, index, icons and graphs. Kids will look at two texts that cover the same topic, but in different ways.