What does a student learn in StateDelaware,GradeGrade 2,SubjectEnglish Language Arts?

Students read a story carefully, then point to specific lines or details from the text to back up what they think or say about it. They stick to what the words on the page actually say.

Students find the big idea a story is really about, then explain how key moments in the story build that idea. They can also sum up what happened using only the most important details.

Students explain how a character changes from the beginning of a story to the end, and why. They look at what happens in the story and how those events shape the people and moments in it.

Students figure out what words mean by how they're used in a story, including words that have a hidden or playful meaning. They also notice how an author's word choices make a story feel funny, scary, or sad.

Students look at how a story is put together: how one sentence leads to the next, how paragraphs connect, and how the pieces add up to the whole story.

Students figure out who is telling the story and how that changes what gets said and what gets left out. A scared narrator and a brave one can tell the same event in completely different ways.

Students look at a picture, illustration, or other visual in a story and explain how it adds to what the words say. They connect what they see to what they read.

Stories and poems don't usually make arguments, but some books try to convince readers of something. Students learn to spot the author's main point and decide whether the reasons given actually support it.

Two stories can cover the same idea in different ways. Students read two books on the same topic and talk about what each author chose to include, how they told the story, and what that adds up to.

Students read stories and books at their grade level on their own, without help decoding words or following the plot. The goal is steady, confident reading across many kinds of texts.

Students read a nonfiction passage carefully, then point to specific sentences or details from the text to back up what they say or write about it.

Students find the main point of a nonfiction passage and explain how the details back it up. Then they sum up what the text is mostly about in their own words.

Students read a nonfiction passage and explain how a person, event, or idea changes from beginning to end. They look for what causes those changes and how one thing leads to another.

Students figure out what unfamiliar words mean by looking at the sentences around them. They also notice how an author's word choices change the feeling of a passage.

Students look at how a paragraph connects to the rest of an article or book. They notice how one sentence sets up the next, and how the pieces fit together to make one clear idea.

Students figure out who wrote a piece and why, then notice how that shapes what the writer included and how they said it. A book about sharks written by a marine biologist reads differently than one written to scare you.

Students look at a photo, chart, or diagram alongside the written text and explain what the image adds to what the words already say.

Students read a short nonfiction passage and decide whether the author's reason for a claim actually makes sense. They check whether the facts given fit the point the author is trying to make.

Two books on the same topic can say different things. Students read both and think about what each author chose to include, how they explained it, and where the two books line up or pull apart.

Second graders read short nonfiction passages on their own, without help sounding out every word or following along. The goal is building enough reading stamina to get through a full page and understand what it said.

Reading print means knowing how a page works: that words go left to right, that spaces separate words, and that sentences start with a capital letter and end with punctuation.

Students listen to spoken words and break them apart by syllables and individual sounds. They can clap out the beats in a word or identify the first and last sounds they hear.

Students use letter-sound patterns they know to read unfamiliar words on their own. This includes things like vowel pairs, silent letters, and common word endings.

Students read aloud smoothly and accurately enough that they understand what they're reading. The goal is to sound natural, not choppy, so meaning comes through.

Students pick a side on a topic or a book they've read, then write sentences that explain why, using details from the text or facts that back up their thinking.

Students write to explain something they know, like how an animal survives or how a process works. The writing sticks to facts and gives readers a clear picture of the topic.

Students write a story about something real or made up, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They choose details that make the story feel real and keep events in an order that makes sense.

Students write sentences and paragraphs that fit the assignment. A how-to piece sounds different from a story, and a note to a friend sounds different from a report. Students learn to match what they write to who will read it and why.

Students plan, draft, and fix their writing more than once. They learn to read their own work, spot what isn't clear, and make changes until the piece says what they mean.

Students use a computer or tablet to write, save, and share their work. That might mean typing a story, publishing it online, or leaving a comment for a classmate.

Students pick a focused question, find information about it, and put together a short research project that shows what they learned.

Students find facts from books and websites, check that each source seems trustworthy, and put the information into their own words instead of copying it directly.

Students find a sentence or detail from a story or book that backs up what they want to say. They use that detail as proof, not just their own opinion.

Students write often, both in quick bursts and over several days. They practice writing for different reasons, like sharing information, telling a story, or making an argument, so writing becomes a regular habit.

Second graders practice listening to a classmate's idea, then adding on to it or respectfully sharing a different view. The goal is to speak clearly enough that others can follow along.

Students listen to or watch something, such as a video, a chart, or a read-aloud, and then explain what they learned from it. They practice pulling information from sources that aren't just words on a page.

Students listen to someone speak and decide whether that person's ideas make sense and whether the reasons they give actually back up what they're saying.

Students share what they found or learned out loud, in an order that makes sense to whoever is listening. They pick words and details that fit the topic and the people in the room.

Students add pictures, charts, or simple slides to a presentation to help the audience follow along. The visual supports the words, not just decorates them.

Students practice switching between casual talk and more formal speech, choosing words and tone to fit the situation, like telling a story to a friend versus answering a question in front of the class.

Students apply grammar rules when they write sentences and speak out loud. This standard covers everything from correct verb tenses to using nouns and pronouns the right way.

Second graders practice the basic rules of written English: capitalizing the first word of a sentence and names, using commas and apostrophes correctly, and spelling common words from memory.

Students practice choosing words that fit the moment: a friendly note sounds different from a report, and a question sounds different from a command. Paying attention to those choices helps students understand what they read and hear more clearly.

When students hit a word they don't know, they use clues from nearby sentences, look at the word's parts (like prefixes or endings), or check a dictionary to figure out what it means.

Students learn that words can mean more than they literally say. They practice phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs," sort words by how they relate (hot and cold, happy and glad), and notice shades of meaning between similar words.

Students learn and use words they'll meet across subjects, like words that show up in science books, math directions, and class discussions. The goal is to read, write, and talk with a wide enough vocabulary to keep up in any subject.