Unit Plan 16 (Grade 2 ELA): Mini-Research – Ask & Answer Questions
Second graders become curious researchers by asking “wonder” questions, finding answers in short informational texts, and noting simple facts with source labels. They learn to cite where information came from and share clear, text-based findings.
Focus: Wonder questions; note simple facts; gather from a source
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Writing • Reading Informational)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Second graders become kid researchers this week. They’ll grow “wonder questions,” search a short text to find answers, and jot simple fact notes. Students learn to point to where they found information (title/page or source name) and share a tiny finding with the class.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Participate in a shared research task by asking questions, gathering short notes, and contributing to a class product (W.2.7).
- Recall information from experiences or gather from provided sources to answer a question and record simple notes with a source label (W.2.8).
- Ask and answer who/what/where/when/why/how questions about a text and show where the answer came from (RI.2.1).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 2
- W.2.7, W.2.8, RI.2.1
Success Criteria — student language
- I can write two wonder questions about a topic.
- I can find three facts in a source that answer my questions.
- I can say where I found it: book/article title + page or site name.
- I can share my finding in clear sentences.