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2nd Grade Writing Activities

59 2nd grade writing activities, covering narrative writing, essays, themed writing paper, plus 7 more topics. How teachers use these

2nd Grade Writing Activities

59 2nd grade writing activities, covering narrative writing, essays, themed writing paper, plus 7 more topics. How teachers use these

Activity
Activity2nd GradeSnowman Contractions Activity

Play this snowman contractions activity as a memory game: 1st to 3rd grade students match two-word Mitten Cards to Snowman contraction cards and record each pair. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeDear Valentine Activity

This dear valentine activity has K-2nd grade students pick heart word cards for family and school helpers and spell each word on a Valentine card. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeProofreading Capitalization and Punctuation Activity

This proofreading capitalization and punctuation activity gives 2nd to 5th grade students 16 self-checking detective cards for fixing sentences. A practice page and answer key are included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeLet's Publish My Writing Activity

Let's Publish My Writing Activity helps 2nd to 4th Grade writers pick a prompt card, plan, and type one full page on the computer, then check their work with a publishing checklist.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeApple Shape Book Activity

This apple shape book activity lets K-2nd grade children color, cut out and write their own apple story on cover, picture and writing pages with kid-sized lines.

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Activity2nd GradeComplete Sentences with Subject and Predicate Activity

This complete sentences with subject and predicate activity has 1st to 3rd grade students match picture subject cards to predicate cards, then practice on a worksheet. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeCVC Word Mats Activity

This CVC word mats activity helps preschool to 2nd grade students build and spell short vowel words with letter tiles, with a practice page and an answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeBarn Shape Book Activity

This barn shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own farm story, then cut out and staple the barn pages into a book to share.

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Activity2nd Grade50 States Research Activity

Using 50 States Research Activity, studentsparticipate in shared research and writing projects to learn about the 50 states.

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Activity2nd GradeSt. Patrick's Day Writing Activity

This St. Patrick's Day writing activity gives 1st to 3rd grade children prompt cards, shamrock step cards, a story map and themed writing paper so every child can plan and write. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeApple Themed Writing Activity

This apple themed writing activity has 1st and 2nd grade children order apple life cycle cards, write the steps, compare apples and oranges, and write a poem and story. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeBack to School Adjective Writing Activity

This back to school adjective writing activity helps 1st to 3rd grade students plan a first-day story and add describing words. An answer key is included for the practice page.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeLet's Write RAFT Writing Activity

This let's write RAFT writing activity gives 2nd and 3rd grade writers 12 prompt cards, a planner and a publish page to write from a new point of view. Answer key included.

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Activity2nd GradeAdding Details to Your Story Activity

This adding details to your story activity helps kindergarten to 3rd grade writers turn one sentence into a longer story with question cards and a planner. Answer key included, so practice is quick to check.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeThe Best Season Is Writing Activity

The best season is writing activity guides 1st-3rd Grade writers to plan and publish an opinion piece about their favorite season, with a model, practice and answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeHouse Shape Book Activity

This house shape book activity helps K-2nd Grade children color, draw and write their own story about home, then cut out and staple the house pages into a book to share.

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Activity2nd GradeHelp From Other Author's Activity

Using this Help From Other Author's Activity helps, students collect story elements from literary or informational texts to write their own story.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeEarth Day Writing Activity

UsingEarth Day Writing Activity, students brainstorm the sequence of events of a growing seed, then publish using them Earth Day themed writing.

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Activity2nd GradeGathering Answers Recalling Information Activity

This gathering answers recalling information activity has 2nd and 3rd grade students find facts on sea turtle cards and record their sources. Answer key included.

Activity
Activity2nd GradeWrite About a Time When. . . Activity

This write about a time when. . . activity gives 2nd to 5th grade writers 16 star topic cards, a story planner and a writing page for true stories. Answer key included.

From our teachers' playbook

From one sentence to a whole story

What do 2nd graders learn in writing?

Second graders move from writing sentences to writing short pieces with a clear beginning, middle and end. They write narratives about real or made-up events, opinion pieces that give a reason, like "Dogs are the best pets because they are loyal," and informative pieces with facts about a topic. They use complete sentences with a subject and a verb and try different types of sentences: statements, questions, commands and exclamations. They also start using linking words like because, also and then. The click comes when a child writes a story with a real ending instead of "and then I woke up!"

Our favorite ways to teach 2nd grade writing

Second graders have big ideas. These moves help them get those ideas on paper.

Start with a picture

Show an interesting picture and have kids write three complete sentences about what they see. Pictures give every writer something to say, so nobody stares at a blank page.

Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).

Writing Complete Sentences about an Image WorksheetTry it withWriting Complete Sentences about an Image WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Plan before you write

Have kids fill a simple organizer with a beginning, middle and end before they write a single sentence. Planning helps their stories stay on track and gives them an ending to aim for.

Why it works: the U.S. Department of Education's guide for teaching elementary math recommends moving from hands-on objects to drawings to numbers.

Writing Graphic Organizer WorksheetTry it withWriting Graphic Organizer WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Write a story together

Write a story as a class, with kids suggesting characters and events while you write and think aloud. Then they write their own using the same steps. Shared writing shows kids what good writing looks like as it happens.

Why it works: handing over the work step by step, from teacher to student, is one of the most widely used teaching frameworks (Pearson and Gallagher, 1983).

You Write the Story Helping Picture WorksheetTry it withYou Write the Story Helping Picture WorksheetWorksheetsOpen it →

Questions parents and teachers ask about 2nd grade writing

What kind of writing do 2nd graders do?

Second graders write narratives, opinion pieces and informative pieces. They use complete sentences, put events in order and add linking words and a closing.

How much should a 2nd grader be able to write?

Many 2nd graders write a short paragraph or a few connected sentences on one topic by the end of the year. Clear ideas in order matter more than length.

How can I help my 2nd grader with writing?

Let your child talk through their idea first, then write. Give real reasons to write, like a thank-you note or a shopping list, and praise ideas before spelling.

What are the four types of sentences?

The four types are statements, questions, commands and exclamations. Each one ends with its own punctuation: a period, question mark or exclamation point.