1. Reading Informational Text
Welcome to this presentation about the top 5 ideas your child will learn during the first quarter of second grade.
Top 5 Big Ideas Your Child Will Learn in the First Quarter of Second Grade

2. Ask and Answer Questions Using Informational Text
Big idea 1 is being able to ask and answer questions with an informational text. It is essential that students pose questions to demonstrate their understanding of key details in a text. 1

3. How you can help your child:
Read informational books with your child and ask who, what, where, when, why and how questions.
Have children come up with their own questions about the text during and after reading.
You can help your child by reading informational books and publications with him or her.  Ask your child questions about that text, and ask him or her to locate evidence in the text to support his or her answer.  Your child can then have fun and ask you questions about the text.
What is the text about? 1

4. Identify the Main Topic of a Text
Big Idea # 2 is being able to identify the main topic of the text with many paragraphs. While working with informational text, your child will learn to identify the main topic of the whole text, as well as, the main topic of each of the supporting paragraphs or sections. 2

5. How you can help your child:
Look for key points, words, and text features that may be repeated throughout the text.
When helping your child at home to determine the main topic of a whole text or a paragraph, ask your child the following; What is the author talking about through the text? How does everything fit together to create one main topic? Please focus on helping your child understand the main topic of a text and that it is different from a detail. 2

6. Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
Big Idea # 3 is describing connections between ideas in informational text. An example of this would be understanding how small pieces of rock and dead plant material contribute to the formation of soil. 3

7. How you can help your child:
Think out loud as you read, modeling how you notice connections between ideas.
Help your child notice relationships between events, ideas, or steps in a procedure when reading informational text. Look for age appropriate articles in magazines such as Ranger Rick, National Geographic for Kids or Highlights that are often available at the public library. 3

8. Understanding Unknown Words/Phrases
The fourth Big Idea is determining the meaning of words or phrases that are in a text. 4

9. How you can help your child:
Illustrate the word
Write definition in student’s own words
Word Parts Sorts
Ask and answer questions about unknown words
It is important that your child notices when words are unknown, and is aware that taking action to determine the meaning of the word is necessary.  When working with your child at home have your child use the surrounding sentences as clues to the meaning of the word which is unfamiliar. Have your child also examine the word for any parts that he or she recognizes. Point out that identifying known word parts helps determine the meaning of an unknown word.  For example, knowing the prefix “pre” helps one determine the meaning of the words pretest and preview. 4

10. Write an informative piece in which a topic is introduced.
Big idea 5 is writing in response to an informative piece of text. As your child reads about a topic that he or she will be writing in response to , model asking questions such as; What information am I looking for? Where can I find that information? How do I know these facts are true? How will I use the information in my writing? 5

11. How you can help your child:
Allow your child to choose a text on a topic that piques their interest. For example, sharks!
After reading a non-fiction book, encourage your child to write in response to the text they’ve just read..
Informational writing consists of facts and true information. Your child can use informative writing to show what he or she has learned after reading a non-fiction text. Identifying important information to write about will help your child learn to identify critical information when reading. 5

12. For more information please visit, www.ocps.net/parents
Thank you for viewing this presentation. Please visit for further information.