People Who Changed the World

In this unit, students improve reading and writing standards and skills as they explore biographies of famous leaders and change agents.

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ELA

Alternate Unit 4

2nd Grade

Unit Summary

Please Note: In October 2026, this unit and its lesson plans received significant revisions for the 2026–27 school year that improve writing, language, and reading instruction, as well as updating assessments and progress monitoring guidance.

In this biography-based unit, students explore biographies of changemakers around the world. The unit has three main sections. In the first section, students research and learn about people who have changed the world by inventing or discovering something new. In this section, students explore how inventions or discoveries can change the world and what it takes to turn an idea into action. 

In the second section, students research and learn about people who have changed the world by making the world and environment a better place for everyone. In the third section, students research and learn about people who have changed the world by standing up for what they believe in and fighting for what others think is impossible. In this section, students explore the ways some leaders have persevered in the face of obstacles and stood up for themselves or their ideas when many had stopped believing in them. Additionally in this section, students are asked to compare and contrast two biographies about the same person. Compare and contrast in this unit goes deeper than text features and structures. Although students note differences in text features, the main focus is on comparing and contrasting the different points and the reasons the authors use to support the points in two texts about the same person.

In each of the sections, students read biographies that expose them to a wide variety of themes, content, and history. Because of this, it is incredibly important that the necessary framing is done before reading a text so that students deeply engage with the biographies and fully understand the challenges and successes of the different people being studied. Without framing or context, students may miss why each person's actions are inspirational. It is our hope that this unit opens students' eyes to the multitude of ways in which a person, regardless of race or gender, can influence and inspire change. 

This unit is a combination of read aloud and shared/independent reading. While engaging with the text, students continue to notice the connection between events and how noticing connections helps the reader better understand a person's actions and influence. Students also build on the work they did in previous units by continuing to explore the author's purpose for writing a text and how the author's purpose influences the types of details they include in the text.

Finally, this unit helps students recognize how reading multiple texts about the same topic helps them learn more about a topic, especially because authors include different facts and details depending on their purpose for writing. When discussing the text, students use all of the strategies they have learned in previous units to participate in partner, small group, or whole class discussions. When building on others' talk in conversations, students continue to work on linking their comments to the remarks of others and asking questions for clarification or further explanation if needed. Students also begin to critique and analyze the reasoning of others as they build on and respond to their classmates' comments. 

Students continue to build their writing fluency by writing daily in response to the Target Task question using compound sentences to connect ideas and improve flow. They also strengthen their writing by adding details with adjectives and adverbs and by telling why, helping them clearly explain how their reasons show impact. Students also have multiple opportunities to continue to build their informational writing skills, with an emphasis on crafting strong paragraphs. Students learn how to brainstorm and write a paragraph using a single paragraph outline, crafting strong topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding statements. The unit culminates with students continuing to refine their research and writing skills by participating in a research project about Greta Thunberg, as well as an opinion project in which they choose the changemaker they believe made the greatest impact and write a letter explaining their opinion with clear reasons and supporting examples.

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Texts and Materials

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Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Rubrics

Resources for Lessons and Projects

Text Selection Rationale
All Course Materials

Assessment

The following assessments accompany Alternate Unit 4. For more guidance, see the Summative Assessments and Assessments Accommodations & Modifications Teacher Tools.

Content Assessment

The Content Assessment measures students' understanding of the unit's content knowledge and vocabulary. It should serve as the primary assessment for the unit.

Warm Read Assessment

The Warm Read Assessment measures students' ability to apply the Reading Focus Areas of the unit to comprehend a new text, topically or thematically related to the content of the unit. It may be administered in addition to the Content Assessment.

Fluency Assessment

The Fluency Assessment measures students' oral reading fluency with a passage drawn from one of the unit's core texts. See the Assessing Reading Fluency Teacher Tool for more guidance.

Unit Prep

Intellectual Prep

Unit Launch

Before you teach this unit, unpack the texts, themes, and core standards through our guided intellectual preparation process. Each Unit Launch includes a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning to ensure you're prepared to support every student.

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Essential Questions

  • What does it take to change the world?
  • Why is it important for people to represent their communities and create positive change?
  • Why is it important to ask questions about the world around you?

Reading Focus Areas

  • Noticing the connection between events helps a reader understand a person's actions.

  • Authors always have a purpose for writing a book. They use the details in the book to convey their purpose.

  • Reading multiple texts about the same topic helps readers learn lots of different details. Authors include different details depending on their purpose.

Writing Focus Areas

Informational Writing

  • Participate in shared research and writing projects.

  • Brainstorm and outline using a Single Paragraph Outline.

  • Introduce the topic with a strong topic sentence.

  • Provide a strong concluding statement.

  • Use facts and definitions to support a point.

Writing Focus Areas

Opinion Writing

  • State an opinion. 

  • Include 2–3 reasons to support the opinion.

  • Choose strong evidence to support an opinion.

  • Use linking words to connect opinion and reasons.

  • Write a strong concluding statement.

Speaking and Listening Focus Areas

  • Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.

  • Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about topics and texts under discussion.

Vocabulary

Text-based

aghastambitioncautiouschampiondedicationdetermineddisobeyeddiscouragedempowerencouragedfederalheritagehopehonorhumblyIndigenousindefatigablejudgenominateproveprejudiceprestigiousresourcefulrightthrivetraditional

Root/Affix

-fuldis-

To see all the vocabulary for Unit 4, view our 2nd Grade Vocabulary Glossary.

Notes to the Teacher

Throughout the unit, students learn about changemakers from around the world. We recommend highlighting that changemakers can be found in every community. Invite students to notice and learn about people in their local communities who create positive change through leadership, care, creativity, advocacy, cultural knowledge, or service. Share the stories of local changemakers who reflect the cultures and experiences of your students and your community. Reinforce that change-making is something people can do together, right where they live.

Content Knowledge and Connections

  • A biography is a text about a person's life that is written by someone else. An autobiography is a text about a person's life written by the person.

Bend 1: You can change the world by inventing or discovering something new.

  • Soichiro Honda worked relentlessly to build motorcycles and cars that were safe and better for the environment.
  • Julio Torres, or Sharuko, was a Peruvian archaeologist who made revolutionary discoveries at archaeological sites around Peru, proving that the country’s Indigenous cultures had been established thousands of years ago and celebrating their brilliant accomplishments.
  • Tu Youyou was a Nobel Prize-winning Chinese chemist who looked to traditional Chinese medicine for inspiration. She led a team that discovered a treatment for malaria, a deadly disease, saving millions of lives around the world.
  • Charles Henry Turner was the first Black entomologist, teaching us that insects and small animals were thinking beings. 

Bend 2: You can change the world by making the world and environment better for everyone.

  • Wangari Maathai empowered the people of Kenya to take care of themselves and their environment by encouraging them to plant trees.
  • Jane Goodall studied chimps in Tanzania, discovering they were more like humans than we realized. She spoke out against the destruction of their habitats and continues to do so.
  • Mario Molina was a chemist who discovered that CFCs were destroying the earth’s protective ozone layer. He was adamant about warning the public and putting a stop to it.
  • Farmer Will Allen turned an abandoned city lot into an urban farm that would feed people across the city.

Bend 3: You can change the world by standing up for what you believe in and fighting for what others think is impossible.

  • Sonia Sotomayor was the first Latinx Supreme Court justice.
  • Barack Obama was the first Black President of the United States.
  • Malala Yousafzai spoke up for girls and women who were being denied an education.

Lesson Map

30
Lesson
Writing

4 days

Overview

Research a changemaker. Gather facts about their interests, challenges, and impact on their community to begin a biography.
Day 1 - Brainstorming

Research a changemaker. Gather facts about their interests, challenges, and impact on their community to begin a biography.

Materials
  • Changemaker Research Project Note-Taker (G2, Alt U4, L30)

Standards

W.2.2W.2.7W.2.8

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft an informational paragraph about Greta Thunberg's contributions that introduces a topic, includes related details, and provides a concluding statement.

Materials
  • Single Paragraph Outline (G2)

Standards

W.2.2W.2.7

Day 3 - Revision & Editing

Revise and edit an informational paragraph to prepare for a presentation.

Materials
  • Shuffled Sentences Handout (G2, Alt U4, L30)

Standards

W.2.2W.2.5W.2.7

Day 4 - Publishing

Create a portrait of Greta Thunberg that uses visual clues (objects, setting, and symbols) to show her actions and impact.

Standards

W.2.2W.2.7

31
Lesson
Writing

3 days

Overview

Write an opinion essay celebrating an influential person who changed the world, supporting ideas with reasons and evidence.
Day 1 - Brainstorming

Brainstorm and plan an opinion letter by choosing a changemaker and organizing reasons and examples to explain why they are important.

Materials
  • Single Paragraph Outline (G2)

Standards

W.2.1W.2.7

Day 2 - Drafting

Draft an opinion paragraph that includes a clear opinion, supporting reasons, and a concluding statement.

Materials
  • Single Paragraph Outline (G2) — completed on Day 1
  • Letter Writing Template (G2, Alt U4, L31)
  • Friendly Letter Mentor Text (G2, Alt U4, L31)
  • Notice and Wonder Peer Feedback Form (G2, Alt U4, L31)

Standards

L.2.2.bW.2.1W.2.5

Day 3 - Revision & Editing

Revise and edit a friendly letter that includes an opinion paragraph.

Materials
  • Revision Texts (G2, Alt U4, L31)
  • Revision Strategy Menu (G2, Alt U4, L31)

Standards

W.2.1W.2.5

Common Core Standards

Core Standards

Supporting Standards

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

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