Eight Lessons for Grades 2 and 3

These standards-aligned lessons establish the basic concepts of composition genres and introduce skills fundamental to all writing.

The composition concepts lead into Grades 4-5 lessons on genres, and may also help Grades 4-5 students working below grade level.

Skills

COMPLETE SENTENCES

Students define complete sentences as those containing a subjext, predicate, and which express a complete thought. Students answer questions using complete sentences.

COMBINING SENTENCES

Students distinguish betwen sentences that have related ideas and those which are unrelated. Conjunctions and,  for, or & because are introduced and used to create
compound sentences.

Lessons_ThreeWHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?

Students write a paragraph using a topic sentence, two or more supporting sentences, and a strong concluding sentence.

Lessons_FourZAPPING RUNS-ONS/FRAGMENTS

Students define run-ons as sentecnes that go “on and on.” Simple and complex sentences are edited to form cohesive paragraphs. Fragments are identified and corrected.

Compositions

OPINION

(Friendly Letter)

Students write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.

DESCRIPTIVE

(Painting With Picture Words)

Students write sensory descriptions using vivid adjectives and dynamic verbs and adverbs.

Lessons_SevenINFORMATIVE

(Giving Directions)

Students write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

NARRATIVE

Students write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.