Grade 2 Curriculum
These translated guides support caregivers in understanding what students are expected to know and be able to do by the end of each grade.
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Curriculum Overview
Beginning in September 2024, all 1st-5th grade classrooms will implement the Amplify CKLA (2nd Edition) Curriculum.
Amplify CKLA is a top-rated literacy program offering explicit, systematic instruction of grade-level literacy standards through thematic, knowledge- and vocabulary-building content. With engaging units focused on ancient civilizations, astronomy, ecology, literary genres, research, contemporary novels, and more, students are empowered to achieve strong academic outcomes and are prepared to use literacy as a tool for creativity, self-expression, access, and agency.
Prior to implementation, interdisciplinary leaders and educators worked collaboratively to develop program revisions and supplements that ensure CKLA aligns with CPS systems, schedules, and expectations for culturally and linguistically sustaining instruction.
Students in grades 1-2 engage in 120 minutes of daily CKLA instruction, broken into two 60-minute blocks.
The “Skills” blocks (60 minutes daily) are aligned with the Science of Reading and the Science of Writing, providing explicit, systematic instruction that ensures proficiency in foundational literacy skills. Daily lessons cover phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, language, spelling, grammar, comprehension, and writing. By the end of grade 2, students will have mastered the complete English code, encompassing 26 letters and 44 phonemes spelled in 150 different ways.
The “Knowledge” blocks (60 minutes daily) immerse students in complex narrative and informational read-alouds, building critical background knowledge, vocabulary, speaking, and comprehension skills. Students analyze and discuss rich, interdisciplinary texts and media featuring diverse authors, characters, and topics spanning history, science, literary genres, and the arts. In addition, every grade includes an exciting project-based Research Unit.
Assessments:
All students complete the mCLASS (K-2) or i-Ready (3-5) literacy screener/diagnostic 3x annually. These screeners provide educators and caregivers with important information about each students’ strengths and areas for continued support. Students in grades 3-5 also take the MA State ELA MCAS each spring.
In addition to district and state-mandated assessments, each curricular unit ends with an assessment of students’ domain knowledge and literacy skills. These assessments allow teachers, students and caregivers to know how students are performing independently.
Learn more about grade-specific assessments here.
Homework:
Homework assignments are strategically determined by classroom teachers based on the needs of their classroom. This may include additional readings from the curriculum, opportunities to continue working on a written response, or extended practice with specific skills.
In addition, students can access Boost Reading (K-2) or i-Ready Personalized Instruction (3-5) in school and outside of school (at home, after school programs, vacations). Both of these adaptive online programs create a unique sequence of lessons for each student based on their diagnostic data.
Caregivers can learn more about how their child can access Personalized Instruction at home here.
Intervention & Acceleration Opportunities:
Using multiple forms of student data, educators design learning experiences that provide each student with appropriately challenging learning opportunities. This includes opportunities for acceleration/advancement and intervention/remediation from classroom teachers and/or interventionists. Educators routinely reflect on student learning and assessment data to differentiate instruction for their students.
In addition, students can access Boost Reading (K-2) or i-Ready Personalized Instruction (grades 3-5) in and outside of school. Learn about personalized instruction here.
Learn more about literacy intervention here.
Grade 2 Knowledge Domains:
Research Units:
CKLA Instructional Practices: Skills + Knowledge
This two-strand approach to ELA instruction builds literacy skills and the background knowledge necessary for comprehension of increasingly complex text:
Core Practices of Skills Lessons:
TEACH CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN SOUNDS AND SPELLINGS, STARTING WITH THE MOST COMMON SPELLING
Phonics instruction follows a “sounds-first” approach, ensuring students can hear, identify, differentiate, and manipulate phonemes as a precursor to formal phonics instruction, before attaching sounds to spellings. CKLA focuses on phonemes first, using oral activities. For example, in grade 1, students practice the /oi/ sound before learning to spell it as ‘oi’.
Phonics instruction introduces students to the most common spelling for a sound first, with more complex spelling alternatives introduced later as students gain confidence. By grade 2, all 150 spellings for the 44 sounds in English are taught in a sequenced progression, with ongoing opportunities for students to automatize their reading and writing skills. In grade 3, foundational skills are reinforced with a focus on morphology.
PROVIDE SYSTEMATIC PRACTICE AND REINFORCEMENT OF FOUNDATIONAL READING SKILLS
Research identifies three key parameters for building automaticity in reading: engaging and successful practice that builds motivation, intense and consistent foundational skills practice, and extended application of skills in varied contexts. The Amplify CKLA program integrates these dimensions across lessons, units, and grades. In grades K–2, phonics includes daily practice in sound/spelling relationships, extended practice through reading and writing activities, and the use of decodable Student Readers.
Core Practices of Knowledge Lessons:
USE READ-ALOUDS TO STRENGTHEN LANGUAGE SKILLS (CRITICAL TO LATER READING COMPREHENSION)
Amplify CKLA Read-Alouds focus on oral language development through vocabulary work, questions, discussions, and integrating oral and written language. Students hear and discuss complex texts read aloud, practicing complex conversations with expanding vocabulary.
SYSTEMATICALLY BUILD VOCABULARY AND KNOWLEDGE (CRITICAL TO LATER READING COMPREHENSION)
Early language comprehension is crucial for later reading success. Critical reading depends on a wide breadth of knowledge and vocabulary. Decoding a word doesn't mean understanding it; students need prior experience with words. Amplify CKLA’s Knowledge strand uses read-alouds organized into units across history, science, and the arts to build knowledge. Units are sequenced to build on prior content and vocabulary within and across grades. Pre-reading activities review prior knowledge to set a learning purpose and comprehension strategies are taught within the text context, with questions and discussions to support understanding.