Alberta - English Language Arts Grade 2
Text Forms and Structures
Identifying and applying text forms and structures improves understanding of content, literary style, and our rich language traditions.
Guiding question: How can the organization of ideas and information support the expression and understanding of messages?
Learning outcome: Students explain how the organization of ideas and information within texts can support the purpose or meaning of messages.
Knowledge
Creators share messages for different reasons (purposes), including entertainment, learning, and instructions.
Messages can clarify ideas and information that are imaginary (fiction) or real (non-fiction).
Messages can be shared digitally or non-digitally in a variety of forms, including:
- stories
- letters
- land
Stories, both real and imaginary, can follow a structure, including:
- beginning
- problem
- solution
- ending
MediaSmarts Resources
- Break the Fake: What's in the Frame?
- Can You Spot the Ad?
- Co-Co's Adversmarts
- Internet Time Capsule
- Representing Ourselves Online
- Rules of the Game
- Wacky Media Songs: Community Engagement
- Wacky Media Songs: Consumer Awareness
- Wacky Media Songs: Ethics and Empathy
- Wacky Media Songs: Making and Remixing
Skills and Procedures
Examine different reasons (purposes) for messages to be shared.
Explain why engaging with messages can be enjoyable.
Distinguish between messages that are imaginary (fiction) or real (non-fiction).
Compare and contrast forms used to organize messages.
Examine the structure of a variety of imaginary or real stories.
MediaSmarts Resources
- Adversmarts: Understanding Food Advertising Online
- Can You Spot the Ad?
- Co-Co's Adversmarts
- Healthy Food Web
- Internet Time Capsule
- Introducing TV Families
- Looking at Advertising: Brands and Mascots
- Looking at News
- Media Stereotypes
- Once Upon a Time
- Packaging Tricks
- Representing Ourselves Online
- Rules of the Game
- Wacky Media Songs: Community Engagement
- Wacky Media Songs: Consumer Awareness
- Wacky Media Songs: Ethics and Empathy
- Wacky Media Songs: Making and Remixing
Knowledge
Real information or ideas (non-fiction) can be accessed and shared through a variety of digital or non-digital forms, including
- factual stories or images
- interactions with people and land
- information in other content areas
Informational texts have structures, including
- main idea
- supporting details
- sequencing
- question and answer
MediaSmarts Resources
Comprehension
Text comprehension is supported by applying varied strategies and processes and by considering both particular contexts and universal themes.
Guiding Question: How does comprehension facilitate the meaning of a text?
Learning Outcome: Students examine and apply a variety of processes to comprehend texts.
Knowledge
Questioning includes asking or answering questions regarding
- Who?
- What?
- Where?
- When?
- Why?
- How?
Answers to questions may not be immediately apparent and may involve searching for more information.
Answers to questions may involve integrating new information with background knowledge.
MediaSmarts Resources
- Can You Spot the Ad?
- Co-Co's Adversmarts
- Favourite Sports and Athletes
- Wacky Media Songs: Consumer Awareness
- Wacky Media Songs: Making and Remixing
- Wacky Media Songs: Media Representation
- What do Halloween costumes say?
Writing
Ideas and information can be articulated accurately and imaginatively through the use of writing processes and an understanding of the author’s craft.
Guiding Question: How can writing processes and techniques improve expression?
Learning Outcome: Students create and enhance ideas and information by applying a variety of writing processes.
Knowledge
Creative thinking includes
- using imagination
- combining materials or ideas in different ways
- making adaptations based on feedback
Writing can support creative expression of ideas through organization and word choice.
Creative ideas for expression can be inspired by a variety of personal experiences.
Creative ideas can be enhanced by adding language related to the senses (sensory language).
MediaSmarts Resources
- Adversmarts: Introduction to Food Advertising Online
- Facing TV Violence: Rewriting the Script
- Media Stereotypes
- Once Upon a Time
- Rules of the Game
- Teaching Media: The Frame as a Story Teller
- Teaching Media: Thinking About Media
Understanding
Creative thinking can influence expression of thoughts and emotions.
MediaSmarts Resources
- Adversmarts: Introduction to Food Advertising Online
- Facing TV Violence: Rewriting the Script
- Media Stereotypes
- Once Upon a Time
- Rules of the Game
- Teaching Media: The Frame as a Story Teller
- Teaching Media: Thinking About Media
Skills and Procedures
Collect ideas that are inspired by a variety of experiences.
Apply creative thinking to create or adapt representations of messages.
Express ideas and information through a variety of written forms.
MediaSmarts Resources
- Adversmarts: Introduction to Food Advertising Online
- Facing TV Violence: Rewriting the Script
- Media Stereotypes
- Once Upon a Time
- Rules of the Game
- Teaching Media: The Frame as a Story Teller
- Teaching Media: Thinking About Media
Knowledge
Asking questions can help focus research topics.
Factual information can be gathered from a variety of digital or non-digital sources.
Organizational tools, such as graphic organizers, can be used to record or categorize factual information.
Understanding
Research processes can be used to learn new things or build on what is already known.
MediaSmarts Resources
Skills and Procedures
Ask questions to focus research topics.
Gather factual information on topics from various sources.
Use organizational tools to record or categorize information.
Record factual information through messages that include images, words, and sentences.