UNIT TITLE: Building Bridges with Unlikely Friends
Grade Level: 2
Author: commoncore.org/adapted by Randolph County Schools
Unit Overview: In this unit, students explore both literal and figurative bridges.
They read how-to texts on building bridges and view these amazing structures on the Internet. Through realistic
fiction, they examine the possibility of friendship in conflict-filled settings. Reading fantasy texts that depict
animal experiences completes their exploration. Building on the writing of previous units, they write a letter to a
character in Charlotte’s Web. Students also gather words from poetry and explore the meanings of idioms and
words with common roots.
Reading
Learning Experiences from Unit 1 Building Bridges with Unlikely Friends
Writing/Language

Read a how-to book on building and designing
bridges.


Read informational texts on both literal and
figurative bridges.


Discern authors’ techniques for describing
characters.



Additional Literacy
Write an explanatory piece on “how to build a
bridge.”
Write friendly letters to one of the characters in
Charlotte’s Web.

Develop a better understanding of short and long
vowels and vowel teams using Phonic Lessons.

Monitor comprehension by rereading, selfcorrecting, and reading fluently

Use commas correctly in the greeting and closing of
a friendly letter.

Speak and write in complete sentences
Read Henry and Mudge, a chapter book, to focus
on characters.

Write responses to a letter from a character’s point
of view.
Use knowledge of a root word such as “bridge” to
predict the meaning of compound words and
idioms.

Use Phonics lessons to recognize and predict the
meaning of compound words.

Recognize and use adjectives when speaking and
writing.
Enjoy Haiku poetry, embracing the riddles and the
language.
Grade 2
Unit 1
Unit Goals
Assessment Codes
SA = Student Self-Assessment
WS = Work Samples
PT = Performance Tasks
Q = Quizzes
T = Tests
P = Prompts
Reading

Works independently during literacy
block. (O)

RL.2.1/RI.2.1 Ask and answer
questions about key details and
events in fiction and nonfiction
(O, C, RR)

Learning Targets
RL.2.3 Describe how characters
respond to major events and
challenges. (O, WS, RR)

RL.2.7 Use illustrations and words in
a print or digital text to demonstrate
understanding of characters, setting,
and plot. (WS)

RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a
text, including what the author
wants to answer, explain, or
describe. (O, RR)
Writing/Language 
Generate ideas for writing and work
independently during writer’s
workshop. (WS)

Demonstrate narrow focus on a
single topic. (WS)

W.2.2 Writes explanatory text
including an introduction, facts to
develop points, and conclusion.

W.2.5 and L.2.1 Revise and edit
writing for capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling.
Essential Questions
O = Observations
C = Checklists/Notes
RR =Reading Record
RL.2.1 and RI.2.1
 I can identify who, what, where, when, why and how to
answer questions about a text.
 I can ask and answer questions before, during, and after
reading a text.
RL.2.3
 I can describe how characters react to events and challenges
in a story.
 I can identify characters in a story.
 I can tell how characters solve problems in stories.
RL.2.7
 I can use illustrations and words in a story to help me
describe the characters, setting or plot.
RI.2.6
 I can identify the main purpose of a text.
 I can identify purposes for reading (to inform, to explain, to
describe)
 I can read a text and identify the author’s purpose for writing
it.
W.2.2
 I can select a topic and identify information to share.
 I can use facts and definitions to share points and ideas
about my topic.
 I can present my information in writing and provide a
concluding statement or section.
W.2.5
 I can recognize that a good piece of writing requires more
than one draft.
 I can revise my writing with the help of others.
 I can edit my writing by checking for errors in capitalization,
punctuation, spelling, etc.
Page 2 of 10
What do good readers do?
Am I clear about what I just read?
How do I know?
In what ways does creative choice
impact an audience?
Whose story is it, and why does it
matter?
What makes a story a “great” story?
What do good writers do?
What’s my purpose and how do I
develop it?
Writing clearly: What makes a
difference?
Final product: What does it take?
What do good researchers do?
(WS, P, C, SA)
Additional
Literacy

RF.2.4 Monitor comprehension by
rereading, self-correcting, and
reading fluently. (RR)

RF.2.3 and L.2.2d Read and write
words with common long and short
vowel patterns. (WS, T)

SL.2.1 Participates in conversations
with a partner, small group, or whole
group following agreed-upon rules
for discussions. (O, SA)

I can prepare a new draft with changes that strengthens my
writing.
W.2.8
 I can answer questions using information recalled or
gathered.
 I can recognize holidays, product names, and geographic
names and capitalize them when writing.
 I can place a comma after the greeting and closing of letters.
RF.2.3
 I can identify the most common short and long vowel
patterns.
 I can distinguish between words with short and long vowel
patterns.
RF.2.4
 I can recognize when a word I have read does not make
sense within the text.
 I can self-correct misread or misunderstood words using
context clues.
 I can reread with corrections when necessary.
 I can read fluently (easy, smooth, and automatic).
SL.2.1
 I can identify and follow the agreed-upon rules for
discussion.
SL.2.6
 I can recognize a complete sentence.
 I can speak using complete sentences when asked to provide
details or clarification.
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How do I use what I know to figure
out what I don’t know?
How do sounds and letters create
words?
What do good readers do?
Why does fluency matter?
What makes a presentation “great”?
Why is discussion important?
Performance Tasks and Scoring Guides/Rubric
Literature/Letter Writing Performance Task including Scoring Guide/Rubric
Prerequisite:
After reading Charlotte’s Web or another similar text, student will choose a character and write a letter to that character. In the letter, students
will let the character know why they chose him/her and what they like about him/her. Students should include a question to the character
about something they are wondering. (Original Letter)
Performance Task:
On another day, students will exchange letters and write back to their classmate as if they were the classmate’s chosen character. For example,
if a child receives a letter addressed to Wilbur, she would write a letter back as if she were Wilbur and answer the question asked.
Rubric for Literature/Letter Writing
CRITERIA
Focus
Answers
Question
Understanding
of Character
Conventions
EXCELLENT (4 PTS.)
Writes 6-8 sentences in
response to original
letter. All sentences
address story or
original letter.
Clearly answers
question from original
letter with detail.
Writes entire letter
from character’s point
of view.
No errors in
punctuation,
capitalization, or grade
appropriate spelling
words.
PROFICIENT (3 PTS.)
Writes 4 – 5 sentences in
response to original
letter. 3 or more
sentences address story
or original letter.
Clearly answers question
from original letter with
limited or no detail.
3-5 sentences are
written from the
character’s point of view.
No more than 3 errors in
punctuation,
capitalization, or grade
appropriate spelling
words.
ADEQUATE (2 PTS.)
Writes 3 sentences in
response to original letter.
2 or more sentences
address story or original
letter.
Attempts to answer
question, but answer does
not match question.
At least 2 sentences are
written from the
character’s point of view.
No more than 6 errors in
punctuation, capitalization
or grade appropriate
spelling words.
Total Points
Page 4 of 10
LIMITED (1 PT.)
Points
Writes less than 3 sentences OR
letter does not address story or
original letter.
Does not answer the question
from the original letter.
Does not write from the
character’s point of view
More than 6 errors in
punctuation, capitalization, or
grade appropriate spelling
words.
Informational Reading/Explanatory Writing Performance Task including Scoring Guide/Rubric
Prerequisite:
Students will engage in shared research using suggested bridge-building websites.
Performance Task:
Provide partners with assorted bridge-building supplies (tape, toothpicks, straws, index cards, newspaper, etc.). Students will create a bridge
using these supplies that will support three pennies at the center. Have partners write an explanatory piece (how-to book) telling someone else
how they made their bridge.
Rubric for Bridge Building and Explanatory Text
CRITERIA
Collaboration
Focus
Introduction,
Supporting
Facts, and
Conclusion
Conventions
EXCELLENT (4 PTS.)
Partners consistently
listen actively and
participate in discussion
following established
rules for collaboration.
Writes 6-8 sentences
explaining how they built
their bridge.
All elements
(introduction, supporting
facts, and conclusion) are
present.
No errors in punctuation,
capitalization, or grade
appropriate spelling
words.
PROFICIENT (3 PTS.)
Most of the work- time,
partners listen actively
and participate in
discussion following
established rules for
collaboration.
Writes 4 – 5 sentences
explaining how they built
their bridge.
ADEQUATE (2 PTS.)
Some of the work- time,
partners listen actively and
participate in discussion
following established rules
for collaboration.
LIMITED (1 PT.)
Partners are unable to
listen actively and
participate in discussion.
Writes 3 sentences
explaining how they built
their bridge.
Two elements are
present.
One element is present.
Writes less than 3
sentences OR text does not
explain how to build a
bridge.
Text has no introduction,
supporting facts, or
conclusion.
No more than 3 errors in
punctuation,
capitalization, or grade
appropriate spelling
words.
No more than 6 errors in
punctuation, capitalization
or grade appropriate
spelling words.
Total Points
Page 5 of 10
More than 6 errors in
punctuation, capitalization,
or grade appropriate
spelling words.
Points
Suggested Learning Experiences
Reading Units of Study - The Primary Comprehension Toolkit – Whole Group Reading Mini-Lessons
Monitoring /Activate and Connect
Cluster 1: Monitor Comprehension
Unit Texts
The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
Grade 2 District List of Suggested Texts
Alexander and the Horrible No Good Very Bad Day
by Judith Voirst
Dear Aunt Pat /ST
2. Notice and Think about Nonfiction Features
Construct a Feature/Purpose Chart
Books on Bridge Building
Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design,
Build & Test
The Grizzly Bear/ ST
3. Explore Nonfiction Features
Create Nonfiction Feature Books
Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design,
Build & Test
Cluster 2: Activate & Connect
Unit Texts
Nonfiction Magazines and Books
Grade 2 District List of Suggested Texts
Riding the Rails
My Puppy is Born/ TT – 2/3
Symmetry in Nature
5. Think about What You Know
Write teaching books
Use with Writer’s Workshop/All About
Books
Breathing Underwater/TT – 2/3
6. Make Connections (Text/Text and Text/Self)
Use personal experience to construct meaning
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting
Books on Friendship
7. Merge Thinking with New Learning
Stop, think, and react to information
Books on Bridge Building
Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design,
Build & Test
1.
Think About the Text
Look, listen, talk, write and draw to express
thinking
4. Discover Your Passion
Become a specialist
Yellow – The Primary Comprehension Toolkit Tradebooks or Keep Reading! Sourcebook
Purple – Toolkit Texts – Grades 2-3
Green – Posters from Toolkit
Pink – Short Texts
Page 6 of 10
Fly With a Butterfly/Poster
Riding the Rails/ TT – 2/3
My Puppy is Born/TT – 2/3
Footprints in the Forest/ST
Don’t Trash the Earth/ST
Ira Sleeps Over
by Bernard Weber
Community Helpers/ST
Celebrations Timeline/ST
Insects
by Robin Bernard
Breathing Underwater//TT-2/3
Jan Richardson Lessons
Write Predictions (pg 205)
Predict -Support-Confirm (pg 206)
Make Connections in F and NF (pg 207 – 208)
Retell Strategies:
STP (pg 160)
B-M-E (pg 160)
5 Finger Retell (pg 172)
Track Character Feelings (pg 161)
Additional Reading Mini-Lessons/Shared Reading and Shared Writing Activities
Informational Reading / Explanatory Writing
Introduce a chapter from Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design, Build & Test. This is an informational book, but it is also a “how-to” book: It will teach “how to” build bridge structures in the classroom or at
home. Read the text to the children and allow them to view the way the “how to” section is set up in steps to follow. Gather the supplies and allow the students to follow the directions to experiment with
building a bridge. Discuss how diagrams help to explain the directions. Have the students write an explanatory paragraph telling someone else how they made their respective bridges (SL.2.6, W.2.2, RI.2.6,
RI.2.3, RI.2.7)
Informational Reading / Explanatory Writing
Begin a class discussion by asking the students, “If a real hippopotamus had no other companions, what other kind of animal could you imagine her having for a friend?” Be sure to require good reasons for
their opinions as they answer. Read the book Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship(Isabella Hatkoff) aloud. When you are finished reading, have the students discuss what the author (a
six-year old girl) wanted to accomplish by publishing the book, using questions such as, “What did she want to explain? Describe? What questions did she want to answer? Why are there so many
photographs?” Ask students to write a paragraph explaining how the two animals in the story became friends. (SL.2.6, W.2.2, RI.2.6, RI.2.3, RI.2.7)
Class Discussion / Literature
Introduce the idea of a “bridge” as a metaphor by reading the book Pop’s Bridge (Eve Bunting). In this book, a group of boys experience the sacrifice involved in bridge building and the joy that comes with
friendship. Discuss the literal bridge in the book and the way the bridge served as a link not only between two places but also between two people. Introduce the following Isaac Newton quotation: “We build
too many walls and not enough bridges.” Discuss what Isaac Newton may have meant by his comment. (RL.2.7)
Class Discussion / Literature
Introduce a book such as Snow in Jerusalem by reviewing how unlikely friends become friends through finding something in common. Tell the students that they are going to read a book about two children
who were not friends, but they found something in common. As the story is read, have the students focus on how the children find something in common to make a friendship. Talk about how these two
characters faced a challenge and made a hard choice. (RL.2.3, RL.2.7)
Class Discussion / Literature
As students read the Henry and Mudge books, challenge them to look closely at the characters. Before the first chapter, ask the students to be ready to describe Henry and Mudge. Using Post-Its or white
boards, require each student to write down two characteristics of each character. Although one of the characters is a dog and one is a boy, they have a wonderful friendship. Have students share at least two
words to describe Henry and two words to describe Mudge. Discuss what can be learned about friendship through these stories. (RL.2.7, L.2.5b)
Page 7 of 10
Class Discussion / Poetry / Language
As you read from the poetry collection If Not for the Cat(Jack Prelutsky), explain to students the Haiku style of poetry. Point out to the students that these poems are very short, but they make you think. As
you read a poem, keep the accompanying illustration hidden until students try to guess the animal being described. These poems are filled with words that may be new to your students. When you are
finished with each poem, ask students to choose one new word to save in the word bank. (L.2.4e, L.2.5, RL.2.4)
Literature / Letter Writing
Read aloud the book Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) aloud to the class. After you have finished the book, have the students connect the characters in the book by writing friendly letters. Students should choose
one of the characters in Charlotte’s Web and write the character a letter. Have students let the character know why they the character and what they like about him/her. Students should ask their character a
question about something they are wondering. Require proper use of punctuation and form for the letters. Revise the letters and edit for spelling and punctuation. Then, have students trade letters and write
back to their classmate as if they were the classmate’s chosen character. For example, if a child receives a letter addressed to Wilbur, she would write a letter back as if she were Wilbur and answer the
question asked. (L.2.2b, RL.2.7, W.2.5)
Writer’s Workshop
Calkins Launching Unit with Informational Writing
Set up writer’s workshop routines and procedures.
In weeks 1 – 5, establish routines and procedures for Writer’s Workshop through Lucy Calkins Launching Unit – 25 days/17 Sessions.
In weeks 6 – 9, teach lessons in Lucy Calkin’s Nonfiction Writing: Procedures and Reports unit – 20 days/15 Sessions. Tie to Building Bridges unit when applicable.
Teach All About Unit (sessions 7 – 15) first, then the How-To unit (sessions 1 – 6). The quarterly assessment will be a How-To writing sample.
Writing / Digital Communication
To encourage the communication among unlikely friends, arrange for your students to be pen pals, or email pals, with students from another class in a place far away.
Setting parameters for what can be shared, ask students to write letters introducing themselves and asking the other student about him/herself. The purpose of this
activity would be to find ways the students are similar and the ways the students are different from one another. (W.2.6, W.2.5, L.2.2b)
Word Study/Vocabulary Lessons
Begin vocabulary notebook.
Phonics Lessons from Fountas and Pinnell :
RF.2.3 a Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one syllable words.

o
LS 2 Identifying Words with Short Vowel Sounds (page 75)
o
LS 3 Identifying Words with Long Vowel Sounds (page 79)
o
LS 4 Identifying Long and Short Vowel Sounds in Words (page 83)
L.2.4 d Use knowledge of the meaning of words to predict the meaning of compound words.

o
WS 1 Recognizing Compound Words (page 303)
o
WS 2 Making Compound Words (page 307)
Word Study Lessons from Words Their Way: (page and sort numbers based on second edition of Words Their Way, Word Sorts for Within Word Pattern Spellers)
RF.2.3 a Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one syllable words.

o
Sort 13 Short a and Long a (page 40)
o
Sort 14 Short o and Long o (page 41)
o
Sort 15 Short u and Long u (page 42)
o
Sort 16 Short e and Long e (page 43)
o
Sort 17 “The Devil Sort” Short e and Long e (page 44)
o
Sort 18 Review for CVVC Pattern (ai, oa, ee, ea) (page 45)
o
Sort 19 Short a and Long a (ai, ay) (page 55)
Page 8 of 10
Language Activity (Compound Words and Idioms)
After reading about bridges, have students predict the meaning of compound words that contain the word “bridge”: footbridge, drawbridge, flybridge, and bridgework. Repeat the activity using another root
word such as “water”: waterbed, watercolor, watermelon, waterlog, watershed, waterproof, watertight, rainwater, waterway, and waterspout. Extend this lesson by discussing idioms using the word “bridge”
such as, “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” “that’s water under the bridge,” and “don’t burn your bridges.” (L.2.4d)
Unit Materials/Resources
o
Vocabulary
(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA) indicates a text
from a writer with other works identified as exemplars.
Literary Texts
Stories
 Henry and Mudge: The First Book (Cynthia Rylant and Sucie
Stevenson) (E)
 The Fire Cat (Esther Holden Averill) (E)
 George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends
(James Marshall)
Stories (Read Aloud)
 The Cricket in Times Square (George Selden and Garth Williams)
(E)
 Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White and Garth Williams) (E)
 Zen Shorts (Jon J. Muth) Extra Resource
 Pop’s Bridge (Eve Bunting and C.F. Payne)
 Mackinac Bridge: The Story of the Five-Mile Poem (Gloria Whelan
and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen)
















“how-to” books
body
capitalization
closing
compare
compound word
contrast
editing
explanatory writing
figurative
friendly letter
greeting
haiku
idiom
literal
revision
Page 9 of 10

One Green Apple (Eve Bunting and Ted Lewin) (EA)
 Four Feet, Two Sandals (Karen Lynn Williams, Khadra
Mohammed, and Doug Chayka)
 Snow in Jerusalem (Deborah da Costa, Ying-Hwa Hu, and
Cornelius Van Wright)
 The Day of Ahmed’s Secret (Florence H. Parry and Ted Lewind)
 My Father’s Shop (Satomi Ichikawa)
 Silent Music (James Rumford)
 The Little Painter of Sabana Grande (Patricia Maloney Markun
and Robert Casilla)
Poems (Read Aloud)
 “The Bridge Builder” (Will Allen Dromgoole)
 If Not for the Cat (Jack Prelutsky and Ted Rand)
 I Am the Dog I Am the Cat (Donald Hall)
Informational Texts
 Bridges (See More Readers) (Seymour Simon) (EA)
 Cross a Bridge (Ryan Ann Hunter)
Informational Text (Read Aloud)
 Bridges Are To Cross (Philemon Sturges and Giles Laroche)
 Bridges: Amazing Structures to Design, Build & Test (Carol A.
Johmann, Elizabeth Rieth, and Michael P. Kline)
 Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable
Friendship (Isabella and Craig Hatkoff, Paula Kahumbu, and Peter
Greste)
 Owen and Mzee: The Language of Friendship (Isabella and Craig
Hatkoff, Paula Kahumbu, and Peter Greste)
 Tara and Bella: The Elephant and Dog Who Became Best Friends
(Carol Buckley)
Additional Lesson Resources
Friendly Letter Mini-Lesson (L.2.2b)
Note: This is a lesson plan about writing a friendly letter.
Letter Generator (ReadWriteThink) (W.2.6, L.2.2b)
Note: Use this online generator to help students write a friendly letter.
Build A Bridge (RI.2.3)
Note: This lesson is an online bridge building activity for the future civil
engineer.
Fun and Learning About Bridges (RI.2.3)
Note: This is an expansive site, including links to additional resources, for
learning about bridges.
Golden Gate Bridge
Note: This site contains multiple images of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Brooklyn Bridge
Note: This site contains multiple images of the Brooklyn Bridge.
Pisgah Covered Bridge
Note: This site contains multiple images of the Pisgah Coverage Bridge.
Charlotte’s Web
Note: This site contains multiple resources for Charlotte’s Web.
PBS Bridge Resources
Note: This site has a variety of bridge images, information and
resources.
Haiku
Note: This site defines and gives examples of Haiku poetry.
Charlotte’s Web Theme Unit
Note: This site has a variety of resources to accompany Charlotte’s Web.
Friendship Poems
Note: This site has friendship poems that can be used in conjunction
with this unit.
Monet Bridge Art
Note: This site has a “bridge art” activity based on a Monet painting.
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