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2nd grade · English Language Arts · Unit 17 of 17

Opinions, Stories and Responses

Give reasons, tell stories in order and respond in creative ways.

What your child practices

Your child chooses opinions and the reasons that support them, time-order words, details about actions, thoughts and feelings, story openings and endings, and creative ways to respond to a text such as a poem or a play.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 2W1; 2W3; 2W4 · opinions with reasons, stories with order words, details and endings, and creative responses to texts

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. An opinion tells what you think; give reasons with “because” and “also”.
  2. Tell a story in order and use strong action words.
  3. Respond to a book in a creative way, like a poem or a picture.

Example: Which word helps you add a second reason? “Also” or “Once”? You already gave one reason. “Also” adds another. Answer: Also

Opinions, Stories and Responses in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 17 of 17 in 2nd grade English Language Arts, after Main Topic and Reasons.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which sentence shows what a character is thinking?

    • There was a door.
    • The door was brown.
    • Maya walked to the door.
    • Maya wondered if the door was locked.

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence tells a character's feeling?

    • Ella has a puzzle.
    • The puzzle has 50 pieces.
    • Puzzles are on the shelf.
    • Ella felt proud when she finished the puzzle.

  3. Question 3

    Which word shows the first thing that happened in a story?

    • Finally
    • Then
    • Last
    • First

  4. Question 4

    Which sentence gives an opinion about a book?

    • The book has 20 pages.
    • The book is on the shelf.
    • I think the ending was funny because the frog wore a crown.
    • The book has a frog.

  5. Question 5

    Which is the best ending for an opinion piece about reading at bedtime?

    • Once upon a time.
    • I have a bed.
    • That is why reading at bedtime is a great habit.
    • The end of the day.

  6. Question 6

    A story ends with the hero sad. You write a new, happy ending. What kind of response is this?

    • a fact list
    • a dictionary entry
    • a book review score
    • changing the story in your own way

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