1. Independent Literacy Tasks for Second Grade Students Julianne Robinson
Appendices
Independent Literacy Tasks for Second Grade Students Julianne Robinson

2. A. Word Surgery Center (Supports Phonemic Awareness)
Purpose:
Common Core State Standard (CCSS):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.1.2
Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
Phonemic awareness is thought to help students learn to read because they learn the structure of words (sounds, letters, syllables, etc.) (National Reading Panel, 2000). In these literacy stations, students can practice segmenting/blending, syllables, beginning/middle/ending sounds.
Note--all standards retrieved from: Common core state standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Common Core Standards Initiative, 2012.

3. A1 Word Surgery(Cont.) Task Materials
Possible/Suggested Differentiation (easiest to hardest)
Task
Materials
Practice beginning, medial, and ending sounds
Printable cards, clothes pins
Counting Syllables
Legos, Word Cards
Sound Subtraction
Task Cards, paper/pencil or a white board/marker
Counting Letters, sounds, and syllables
Graphic Organizer
(National Reading Panel, 2000)

4. B. Word Work (Supports Phonics Knowledge)
Purpose:
CCSS:
When children have a solid understanding of the sounds letters can make and how to blend these sounds together, than can begin to decode known/unknown words (National Reading Panel, 2000). This center allows for repeated readings of sound-letter(s) correspondences, both in and out of context. Through this repetition, children can increase automaticity.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.B Know spelling-sound correspondences for additional common vowel teams.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.C Decode regularly spelled two- syllable words with long vowels
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.D Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

5. B1 Word Work (Cont.)
Possible/Suggested Differentiation (easiest to hardest)
Task
Materials
Decoding words with ’silent e’
Poster or paper with CVC words, long e pointer, directions for task
Vowel Teams Interactive Notebooks
Notebook, Fluency Passage, highlighter, glue, retell cards, directions for task
Prefixes and Suffixes Sort
Prefix and Suffix Cards, organizer (Extension: Write sentences/story with words.)
(Diller, 2003; Fountas and Pinnell,1996; Richardson, 2009)

6. Purpose Standards (CCSS):
C. Fluency Center
Purpose
Standards (CCSS):
Reading with fluency includes reading accurately, automatically, and with prosody. When students can read fluently, they are better able to attend to comprehension of the text. Repeated readings, as in the following tasks, is one approach to developing fluency (National Reading Panel, )
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.B Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.C Use context to confirm or self- correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

7. C1. Fluency Center (Cont.)
Possible/Suggested Differentiation (easiest to hardest)
Task
Materials
Practice Reading Sight Words Automatically
Reading Racetracks with various sight words, toy cars, timer, task directions
Listen to recordings of familiar texts while following along in a book (Extension: discuss or write about plot)
Audio Device and recordings (CD Player, MP3, iPad, etc.), headphones, corresponding books, directions
Readers Theater (groups of students practice reading parts of a script until they can read it fluently. (Extension: a performance!)
Anchor Chart, various (leveled) scripts, props, directions.
(Diller, 2003; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; Richardson, 2009

8. Purpose: Standards (CCSS):
D. Vocabulary
Purpose:
Standards (CCSS):
Developing students knowledge of Tier 1,2, and 3 words aids in strengthening reading ability and ultimately comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000). Anderson and Freebody note that a reader’s general vocabulary knowledge is the single most predictor of how well a reader can understand text (as cited in Nagy, 1988). Practice and repetition with vocabulary words can be helpful in memorization and understanding of key vocabulary words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

9. D1 Vocabulary (Cont.) (Richardson, 2009) Differentiation Task
Materials
“Use it, act it out, connect it” students use, act out, and connect vocabulary words
List of words and definitions, context in which the words came from (passage, book, etc.), directions for task.
“Shades of Meaning”: Students rank synonyms from least to greatest severity
Word Sorts, ‘Headers’
(Extension: work with partner to discuss why, write a story with words), directions.
Roll a Word: Students use vocabulary words (taken from a previously read context) and use the dice to practice their meanings.
Dice, graphic organizer, vocabulary list (Extension: read words in context again or use words in a piece of writing.)

10. E. Buddy Reading (Supports Comprehension)
Purpose:
Standards (CCSS):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2 Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
In buddy reading, students read authentic texts with a partner and discuss (verbally or written) the plot of the story to aid in compression and real-world purposes of literacy. In addition, students can practice using comprehension strategies that have been explicitly taught during whole-group (National Reading Panel,

11. E1. Buddy Reading Continued
Task
Materials
Students select a familiar or new text on their individual level. Students pair with a partner to read the book. Students discuss plot during/after reading, use comprehension strategies and help each other with difficult words or concepts.
Independent level books for each student, in book bins
Retelling poster and question prompt cards
Reader Response Directions or graphic organizer
(Fountas & Pinnell, 1996; Richardson, 2009)

12. Purpose: Standards (CCSS):
F. Writing Center
Purpose:
Standards (CCSS):
Students practice encoding, the writing process, and as skills when they write for authentic purposes. Students can practice writing techniques modeled during whole group lessons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2 Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3 Write narratives in which they recount a well- elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
(Diller, 2003; Fountas and Pinnell, 1996; Richardson, 2009)

13. F1 Writing Center Tasks: Materials
Students use anchor charts, materials around the room (word wall, word lists, dictionaries, etc.) to write authentic pieces.
“I Can” Poster Anchor Charts from Mini-Lessons Various kinds of paper (lined, bordered, blank, half sheets, colored paper) Writing Journals Exemplars of different genres of writing (lists, letters, journal entries, a story…) Writing prompts or props

14. G. Work Board Examples: