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Unit 2
Unit Name: Be My Friend
BIG IDEA: What does it take to be a good friend?
Unit pacing: 3 weeks
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Unit Overview and Enduring UnderstandingsIn Unit 2, students will build foundational reading and writing skills while exploring what it means to be a good friend. They will practice hearing and working with sounds in words to support their reading and spelling. Focus areas include reading words with various consonant and vowel sounds, applying spelling patterns, and building fluency through repeated reading and read-alouds.

Students will engage with a variety of texts, including stories, poems, fables, and persuasive writing, all tied to the theme of friendship. They will use comprehension strategies such as predicting, questioning, visualizing, and summarizing to better understand what they read. Students will also learn to recognize story elements, book features, and distinguish between facts and opinions.

In writing, students will create personal narratives with clear beginnings, middles, and endings. They will organize ideas using story maps and add detail through the use of descriptive and action words. As they write, students will also strengthen their understanding of sentence structure and grammar.

By the end of the unit, students will have a deeper understanding of how language works, how stories are organized, and how to express their ideas clearly. Most importantly, they will reflect on the qualities that make someone a good friend—setting the tone for both academic growth and social development.
LABOR DAY (No School): September 1, 2025
LESSON 1: September 2- 5, 2025
LESSON 2: September 8- 12, 2025
LESSON 3: September 15- 19, 2025
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Essential QuestionsFoundational Skills:
1. How can I use what I know about sounds to help me read and spell new words?
2. What clues in a word can help me figure out how to read and spell it correctly?
3. How do consonant sounds and blends help me become a stronger reader?
4. Why is it important to understand the sounds that vowels make in words?
5. What happens to a word when I change the beginning or ending sound?		Reading Elements & Comprehension Strategies:
1. What do the parts of a book help me learn about the text?
2. How do I know what kind of story I am reading?
3. What makes fiction, poetry, fables, or opinion different from each other?
4. What reading strategies can I use to help me make sense of a story or text?
5. How can I find the main idea, important details, and tell the difference between facts and opinions in what I read?		Writing:
1. How do I plan my ideas before I write?
2. How can I write a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end that makes sense to my readers?
3. What can I do to make the characters, setting and plot in my story more exciting and clear for my reader?
4. Why is it important to think about who will read my story and what I want them to feel or learn?
5. What do I need to include in my writing to tell a complete story?
6. How can I make sure my handwriting is neat?
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Content DomainEssential StandardsSupporting StandardsConceptsSkillsStrategies/ ModelsVocabularyEvidence of MasteryAssessmentsDistrict Aligned Resources
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Foundational Skils1.RF.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

1.RF.3 Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding one-syllable or two-syllable words.


1.RF.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

1.RF.2.b Orally produce single‐syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant blends.

1.RF.2.c Isolate and pronounce initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken single-syllable words.

1.RF.3.b Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.

1.SL.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.		We can break a word into sounds (phonemes) and put them back together to help us read and spell.

We can listen to the middle (medial) vowel sound in a word and break it into parts to help us blend and spell.

Some letters make the same sound. For example, c, k, and ck can all make the /k/ sound.

Every syllable has least vowel sound.

We can count syllables, or beats, in a word by clapping or tapping.

Changing the first or last sound in a word can make a new word. For example, changing log to fog or cat to cap helps us understand how sounds work.

A consonant blend has two or more consonant sounds said together.

Reading the same sentence or story many times helps us read more smoothly, more quickly, and with confidence. This is called fluency.

Blend, segment, and count phonemes in single-syllable words to build phonemic awareness.

Generate, blend, spell, and read words with consonant sounds like /k/, /r/, /f/, /s/, /g/, /j/, and /z/.

Recognize and apply various spelling patterns for consonant sounds (e.g., c, k, ck, r, f, ff, ss, g, j, dge, z, zz, s).

Read and spell words with vowel sounds /u/ and /aw/.

Blend and segment initial consonant blends and medial vowel sounds.

Substitute and manipulate initial and final consonant sounds in spoken words.

Count vowels, syllables, and phonemes to support decoding and encoding skills.

Build fluency and confidence through repeated reading of decodable texts.		Use Elkonin boxes, arm tapping, and sound chips to blend, segment, and count phonemes.

Play sound substitution and manipulation games like “Say it, Change it” or use whiteboards to swap letters.

Use multisensory cues (clapping, tapping, gestures) and I Do–We Do–You Do modeling to scaffold instruction.

Incorporate word building mats, sound-symbol mapping, and phonics games for consonant and vowel practice.

Use word sorts and anchor charts to teach spelling patterns (e.g., c/k/ck, ff, ss, zz, etc.).

Engage students in syllable clapping, phoneme counting mats, and vowel highlighting tasks.

Use visuals and manipulatives to support vowel and phoneme identification.

Practice repeated reading through echo, choral, and partner reading routines.

Model fluent reading with phrase-cued reading and timed rereads to track progress.

Use short, decodable texts connected to taught sounds and patterns.

HIGH FREQUENCY WORDS:

Lesson 1: Week 1:
call

Lesson 2: Week 2:
look, was, what, got, big, all, if

Lesson 3: Week 3:
to, get, ask, of, as, he, his, just
TSWBAT blend, segment, and count phonemes in single-syllable words with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT substitute or manipulate initial and final consonant sounds in spoken words with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT generate, blend, spell, and read words with target consonant and vowel sounds using correct spelling patterns with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT apply consistent spelling patterns (e.g., ck, ff, zz) with 75% accuracy in independent spelling tasks.

TSWBAT count syllables, vowels, and phonemes in spoken or written words with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT read decodable texts with appropriate expression, 90% word accuracy, and improved WPM across multiple reads.		Oral tasks: Segment, blend, and substitute phonemes in teacher-led check-ins.

Sound box activities

Manipulation tasks: Change beginning or ending sounds using visual or verbal cues.

Spelling dictation

Word sorts: Sort by spelling pattern or vowel sound.

Clap and count syllables in spoken words.

Highlight vowels or count phonemes in written and oral tasks.

Oral Reading in Whole Group and Small Group (Differentiated)

Use flashcards or worksheets with specific target sounds or blends (e.g., short /i/, short /o/, L blends, R blends, or a combination of both R and L blends).

GALILEO Tests		Week 1:
Decodable 19: Nat’s Cap
Decodable 20: At the Mall
Decodable 21: Picnic
Decodable 22: Rick and Rob
Decodable 23: Cal and Kip

Week 2:
Decodable 24: Bobcat
Decodable 25: Pat’s Class Trip
Decodable 26: Rag Bits
Decodable 27: A Jog in Fog
Decodable 28: A Cap Fan


Week 3:
Decodable 29: Jack’s Job
Decodable 30: Plum Pond
Decodable 31: Buzz and Zip
Decodable 32: Hills of Fuzz
Decodable 33: Rock and Jazz
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Reading Elements and Comprehension Strategies1.RI.9 Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
1.RI.5 Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.

1.RI.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
Every book has a front cover, back cover, and title page.

The table of contents helps us find where different parts of the book begin.

We can understand a story better when we stop to retell the important parts, make pictures in our mind, guess what will happen next, and ask questions as we read.

We can figure out what the author is showing us, even if it’s not said out loud, by using clues from the text and what we already know.

Every story has characters who do things and a plot that tells what happens in the beginning, middle, and end.

Informational texts give us real facts.

The main idea tells what the text is mostly about, and the details give more information to help explain or support it.

Knowing the difference between facts and opinions helps us understand what is true and what is just someone’s thoughts.

Identifying the cause and effect helps us understand why things happen in a story or text.		Build vocabulary knowledge and develop print awareness, including recognizing headings, sentences, and punctuation.

Identify and understand parts of a book like the front/back cover, title, table of contents, glossaries, and picture-text relationships.

Explore a variety of genres and their elements, including fantasy, realistic fiction, poetry, fables, and persuasive writing.

Analyze story elements such as character, plot, setting, and point of view.

Learn and apply key comprehension strategies like summarizing, visualizing, predicting, making inferences, making connections, and asking questions.

Recognize and distinguish text features and structures, including main idea and details, cause and effect, and facts vs. opinions.

Understand basic language concepts such as word length, capitalization, and the difference between words and sentences.

Participate in inquiry-based learning by generating questions, collecting information, and making conjectures.		Use interactive read-alouds with think-alouds to model questioning, predicting, and clarifying.

Integrate turn and talk, partner discussions, and vocabulary anchor charts to support understanding.

Use book walks to identify front cover, back cover, title page, and table of contents.

Reinforce print directionality through shared reading and tracking print with fingers or pointers.

Use T-charts or Venn diagrams to analyze similarities and differences between genres.

Use WH-question charts, prediction sentence stems, and connection webs.

Use Venn diagrams (compare/contrast), timelines/flow maps (sequencing), and cause-effect charts.

Use color-coded annotation of texts.

Use story maps and drawing/storyboarding to identify and describe characters and settings.

Practice retelling with guided prompts and visual cues.

Model visual-text analysis through think-alouds.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Lesson 1: Week 1:
long, hot-air balloon, fine, just, feeling, except, chicken, better, cried, scampered

Lesson 2: Week 2:
company, glanced, disagree, situations, tough, lend, suggests, solution

Lesson 3: Week 3
stormed, solve, conflict, neighborhood, foreign, customs, differ, access		TSWBAT actively participate in discussions, use new vocabulary, and answer text-based questions with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT correctly identify parts of a book and follow print directionality with 90% accuracy.

TSWBAT distinguish between realistic fiction and poetry and explain one difference with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT ask/answer questions, make predictions, and connect text to self or other texts with appropriate support and 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT complete graphic organizers for compare/contrast, sequence, or cause/effect with 75–80% accuracy.

TSWBAT identify and describe characters and settings using visuals or sentence prompts with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT explain how illustrations contribute to the meaning of a story using picture-text prompts with 75% accuracy.		Oral discussion during/after read-alouds

Exit tickets: vocabulary use, predictions, or WH-question responses

Complete/ Use graphic organizers: for story elements, text structure, and genre comparison

Draw-and-label tasks: characters, settings, or events

Provide reading passages.

Close Reading Activities (Ask students to identify the underlined details and explain their significance to the overall passage.)

Provide discussion prompts.

Ask and answer WH and open-ended questions.

GALILEO Tests		Lesson 1:
Title: "Molto's Dream"
Title: "Chickens Go to School"

Lesson 2
Title: "My Two Best Friends"
Title: “Friends Find Solutions”

Lesson 3:
Title: "No Wolves Allowed"
Title: “Far Away Friends"
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Writing1.WF.3 Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills when encoding words.1.WF.3.d.1 Irregular words (e.g., said, what, are, they, was).

1.WF.3.e Spell unfamiliar words phonetically, applying phonemic awareness and spelling conventions.

1.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
Each letter has its own shape, and we write it by following the right strokes in the correct order.

We use a capital letter at the beginning of every sentence, lowercase letters in the middle, and a space between each word and sentence so our writing is clear.

Before we write, we can draw pictures or use charts and maps to help us think about what we want to say and what happens first, next, and last.

Adjectives are describing words that tell us more about a noun.

A possessive noun shows who owns something, and we add an apostrophe + s to show that.

Action verbs are words that tell what someone or something is doing.

Helping verbs come before action verbs and tell when something is happening.		Write a narrative that includes a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Use a story map/sequence map to organize events in logical order.

Draft sentences using vivid language to describe characters, settings, or actions.

Identify and use adjectives to add detail to nouns.

Identify and use action verbs and helping verbs in sentences.

Identify the audience and state the purpose of a narrative.

Identify the parts of a narrative (characters, setting, plot) when planning a story.

Form the letters o, a, e, and c correctly using appropriate size and shape.

Maintain consistent spacing between letters and words in writing.

Align writing to the left margin and maintain proper margins on the page.

Identify and use possessive nouns to show ownership.		Practice with tracing and then independent formation of upper- and lowercase letters.

Use multisensory tools like finger tracing in sand or on textured surfaces.

Teach students to use a finger space between words and keep letters within the designated lines.

Brainstorming before writing paragraphs or stories.

5Ws charts (Who, What, When, Where, Why).

Color coding parts of speech

Use sentence sorting activities where students match words with the correct part of speech.

Quick writing sessions

Provide vivid pictures or videos and ask students to write a paragraph describing the setting using sensory details
SPELLING WORDS:

Lesson 1 (Week 1):
Back, pack, kick, sick, pick, sock, lock, rock, block, clock

Lesson 2 (Week 2):
fist, fast, puff, pass, hiss, mess, less, gas, mass, class

Lesson 3 (Week 3):
bug, rug, tug, mud, but, us, bus, fun, run, sun		TSWBAT write a narrative with a clear beginning, middle, and end using a story map as support.

TSWBAT identify and organize characters, setting, and plot using a visual organizer with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT write sentences using vivid adjectives and correct action/helping verbs with 80% accuracy.

TSWBAT identify and use possessive nouns correctly in writing tasks.

TSWBAT state their audience and purpose before writing and tailor their content accordingly.

TSWBAT correctly form the letters o, a, e, and c, maintain consistent spacing, and align writing to the left margin with 90% accuracy.		Story map completion before drafting.

Sentence writing task with vivid language.

Adjective and verb identification worksheets.

Sentence construction activities with proper use of adjectives, verbs, and possessives.

Sentence Writing
Sentence Editing
Sentence Scramble

Grammar quick checks and exit tickets.

Writing about the characters, setting and events.

Weekly Spelling Test

Dictation Exercises

Handwriting exercises focusing on target letters (o, a, e, c).		 Handwriting without tears ( Students edition)
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