Our second grade students take reading and writing very seriously. Second graders have so much information that they love to share and our current units of non-fiction reading and writing offer a perfect opportunity for them to do just that. In these two units the students have been reading many books on topics of interest and gathering information. They are then using this information in their writing to compose stories (using the mentor texts as support) about a multitude of topics. Non-fiction reading and writing enables students to build strong vocabulary and language skills since they are introduced to new words and images that support their meaning. They are developing real life connections and gaining a deeper understanding of the topics they are exploring.