Unit Plan 30 (Grade 2 ELA): Reading Science/Social Studies with Visuals
Second graders learn how diagrams, maps, and charts work together with text to explain ideas in science and social studies. They use visual clues and glossaries to figure out domain-specific words and recount key details from talks or videos that include visuals.
Focus: Diagrams, maps, charts; domain vocabulary in context
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Informational • Speaking/Listening)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Scientists and historians don’t just read paragraphs—they read pictures that teach. This week, students learn to use diagrams, maps, and charts to understand informational texts. They’ll practice figuring out domain vocabulary from context (and glossaries) and recount key ideas from short talks or videos that include visuals.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Explain how images and text features (diagrams, maps, charts, captions, labels) contribute to understanding a science/social studies text (RI.2.7).
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases in grade-level texts using context clues, visuals, and a glossary (RI.2.4).
- Recount key details from a presentation or short video that uses visuals (SL.2.2).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 2
- RI.2.7, RI.2.4, SL.2.2
Success Criteria — student language
- I can point to a visual and tell what new information it adds.
- I can use context (sentence + picture + labels) to figure out a word’s meaning.
- I can recount two important details I learned from a speaker/video with visuals.