Montague Township School District
English Curriculum Guide
Grade 2
2025-2026
Andrea Rettig · Jen Battikha
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Description
The Grade 2 English Language Arts curriculum addresses all areas of speaking and listening, writing, reading foundational skills, reading literature, reading informational texts, and language. The program consists of 12 student-centered units, each spanning approximately 3 weeks within an 80-minute daily literacy block. Units are organized thematically and sequentially to support skill development across the year, with reading, writing, and speaking/listening skills integrated throughout. Teachers have flexibility in unit sequencing to meet individual class needs while maintaining the scaffolding of skill development.
Big Ideas
- Literacy skills develop through daily practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening across a variety of texts and genres.
- Understanding character traits, emotions, and motivations helps readers comprehend and respond to literature.
- Informational texts convey facts, details, and concepts that help us learn about the world around us.
- Writers communicate ideas, opinions, and information for different purposes and audiences.
Essential Questions
- How can reading, writing, and speaking help us communicate and understand the world?
- How do we apply foundational literacy skills across different texts and genres?
- How do our experiences, observations, and interactions shape our understanding and learning?
Core Textbook
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Into Reading, Grade 2 — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Language
Reading: Informational Text
Reading: Literature
Speaking and Listening
Writing
Students engage with informational texts about plant growth, weather patterns, habitats, and animal life. Reading and writing skills are applied to scientific topics including plant needs, weather effects, and ecosystem relationships.
Students explore citizenship, community roles, leadership qualities, and cultural traditions through reading and writing. Lessons emphasize responsible citizenship, government leaders, and diverse cultures.
Assessment occurs throughout the year using a variety of formative and summative methods. Each unit includes weekly practice bundles, selection quizzes, weekly assessments, and module assessments. Formative assessments guide instruction and monitor student progress on specific skills. Summative assessments evaluate mastery of unit content and standards. Students are assessed on reading comprehension, writing production, foundational skills including phonics and high-frequency words, and vocabulary development. Teachers use results to differentiate instruction for diverse learners, including students receiving special education services, English language learners, gifted and talented students, and those at risk.
| Unit | Formative | Summative | Benchmark | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Inventors at Work | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 02Look Around and Explore! | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 03Meet in the Middle | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 04Once Upon a Time | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 05Lead the Way | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 06Weather Wise | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07Everyone Has a Story | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 08Time to Grow! | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 09Home Sweet Habitat | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 10Many Cultures, One World | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 11Genre Study: Nonfiction | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 12Genre Study: Literary Texts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 12/12 | 12/12 | 2/2 | 12/12 |
| Unit | IEP | 504 | MLL | At-Risk | Gifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Inventors at Work | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 02Look Around and Explore! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Meet in the Middle | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 04Once Upon a Time | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 05Lead the Way | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 06Weather Wise | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 07Everyone Has a Story | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 08Time to Grow! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 09Home Sweet Habitat | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 10Many Cultures, One World | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 11Genre Study: Nonfiction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 12Genre Study: Literary Texts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 | 12/12 |