2nd Grade Reading Lessons: Detailed Lesson Plans for Parents and Teachers

Reading Lessons for 2nd Graders

In 2nd grade, students learn to analyze basic story elements by asking the five 'W' questions: who, what, where, when and why. 'How' is often added as a sixth question. The following lesson introduces students to these vital questions using a graphic organizer.

Objective: Students will organize thoughts and ideas about a story using the five 'W' questions and 'how.'

Materials: You will need a short passage or story, paper and pencils.

Procedure: Create a chart that gives space for your child or students to fill in information for the following six categories. In a classroom, a large chart may be displayed at the front of the room, but you may also want to give students a copy that they can use at their desks.

• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• Why
• How

Tell the students that, while they listen to the story being read, they should be filling out their chart. For instance, when they learn the main character's name, they should write that down for 'who.' Read a short story aloud, stopping occasionally to remind the students to finish their charts.

After reading the story, go over the chart as a whole class, or review your child's work at home. Some students may struggle with the 'why' and 'how' questions. If this is the case, try rephrasing the question. Ask questions that encourage students to think about a character's motivation, like, 'What made the character do... ?' or 'Would you have done... if you were in the character's situation?' You may also ask questions to think about how a character acted, like, 'Did the main character solve his problem in a nice way?' or 'Is there a better way the main character could have solved his problem?'

Closure: Whether you're at home or in a classroom, it's important to recap the lesson to remind students of what they've learned. Have your child or students recite the six questions. For homework, you may ask your students to fill out the same chart for their own lives. You may want to use these questions for every reading, especially for 2nd graders who struggle with comprehension.