Grade 2
at a glance

resources & activities

Optimism

Fiction text: Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Loebel

Nonfiction text: Profile of Yash Gupta (Created a nonprofit to donate used eyeglasses to kids around the world.)

Video: CNN Hero: Yash Gupta by CNN (~2 min)

Writing: narrative

Gratitude

Fiction text: I Am Thankful: A Positive Power Story by Suzy Capozzi 

Nonfiction text: Profile of Isabella Nicola Cabrera (Born with a deformed arm, she expressed gratitude for a prosthetic arm to help her play violin.)

Video: George Mason students build 3D-printed prosthetic bow arm for 10-year-old violinist by the Washington Post (~2 min)

Writing: opinion 

Curiosity

Fiction text: The Three Questions (Based on a story by Leo Tolstoy) by John J. Muth

Nonfiction text: Profile of Kelvin Doe (Self-taught engineer from Sierra Leone) 

Writing: narrative

Courage

Fiction text: Standing on Her Shoulders: A Celebration of Women by Monica Clark-Robinson

Nonfiction text: I Am Ruby Bridges by Ruby Bridges

Writing: informative

Compassion

Fiction text: Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hannah Hoose 

Nonfiction text: Profile of Nicholas Lowinger (founder of Gotta Have Sole, which provides homeless youth with brand new shoes) 

Video: Who We Are: Gotta Have Sole Foundation by Gotta Have Sole Foundation, Inc. (~2 min)

Writing: opinion 

Fairness

Fiction text: Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Nonfiction text: Profile of Nkosi Johnson (South African children’s activist for the rights of children with HIV/AIDS)

Video: Gail Johnson Honors Adopted Son Nkosi by ABC News (~3 min)

Writing: narrative

Understanding

Biography text: The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca

Nonfiction text: Profile of Easton LaChappelle (Founder of Unlimited Tomorrow, which empowers individuals with upper limb differences by making high-quality, low-cost bionic prosthetic arms easily accessible to everyone who needs them)

Video: Easton and Momo Meet by Microsoft (~7 min)

Writing: Opinion

humanity

Fiction text: Hey, Wall by Susan Verde 

Nonfiction text: If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World's People by David Smith

Writing: informative