English
Teaching Resource

Grade 2/3 Literacy Blocks and Webinar Recording

By Laura Bross Last updated 2025/08/22

Description

Laura Bross, a grade 2/3 teacher in the Avon Maitland District School Board, maps out sample literacy blocks for a grade 2, 3 or 2/3 class. In the document, she highlights different possible configurations, and links to additional resources that she uses to plan effective instruction in her class.

Curriculum Connection

1. Curriculum Context
This resource broadly supports planning effective instruction.
Grade(s): 2 3
Topic(s): Literacy Block Planning
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20 Comments

  1. Hi Laura, this is a fantantic resource. I am looking to change up how I structure my language block. I will be teaching grade 2 again this year and have two years of UFLI experience. I teach at a school with 75 min blocks and I’m curious how you would structure all of these activities to fit that time frame. Typically, I can do a read aloud twice a week, my two full UFLI lessons with dictation checkin Friday and a writing focus for the week. It is difficult to fit it in but I like how you break things down. How would you break it up throughout the week? Thank you for any help and good luck on the upcoming school year!

  2. I very much enjoyed the language block planning video. I was wondering where UFLI fits into the Language Block Samples Tables 1.0 and 2.1 (on the Onlit page with the video)? Is UFLI inserted in the “New Concepts” part of the language block? I was trying to figure out if I use the language block samples (which look great!) what would I take out (or leave in) in the Language Block Samples to accompany the UFLI lesson. Thanks!

    1. Hello there!

      When I first did this block, I was a split 2/3 and did not have access to UFLI. So I had to create my own plan using a variety of resources. If you have a program to follow, then yes, I would substitute the new concepts section with that. If that program includes review, spelling, fluency, etc… then things can be removed if they are already covered in the program. Depends on what you have access to.

      Next year, I am a straight Grade 2 and have access to UFLI. I also read Lindsey Kemeny’s Rock Your Literacy Block book, and it gave me some things to reflect on. I have updated my block for next year to reflect that and include UFLI/thinkSRSD into my block. I am thinking it will look like this:

      Grade 2 Sample Block:
      8:45-8:55, 10 minutes: Entry, snack, do now activity.
      8:55-9:25, 30 minutes: UFLI
      9:25-9:35. 10 minutes: Fluency instruction, partner reading
      9:35-9:55, 20 minutes: Small groups/tier 2 intervention
      9:55-10:25, 30 minutes: Writing: Sentence writing/syntax, close reading and writing with thinkRSD
      10:25-10:40, 15 minutes: Read Aloud
      10:40-10:45. 5 minutes: Announcements, OCanada, wrap up.
      Once a week 11:25-11:55, an additional 30 minutes: Transition from recess. Picture book read aloud or thinkSRSD.

      That is what I am aiming for anyways! Once I get into it in September, building the routines and classroom culture with the kids, and reviewing my screening data… I may need to adjust.

      Hope that helps you with planning your block. 🙂

        1. Hey there!

          Do Now activities are something I picked up from reading Teach Like a Champion. They are basically “bell work” activities. I want to make those transitions more efficient and productive with a clear routine. I want them to start the day with a task that will set them up for success and reinforce our behaviour expectations and classroom culture for the day. Plus, get in more printing practice!

          To start we are going to use this template where they will have to:
          1. Copy the alphabet.
          2. Copy a posted sentence. But on the posted sentence I am going to leave the heart or vocabulary word blank with 2 options below. When they copy it they’ll have to fill it in with the correct word. So as an educator, I’ll just need to have that sentence posted each morning. Here is the link to the template I made:
          https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d2HqUJKn4kiSUMF2rhaiyqqJca8_qlOu/view?usp=sharing

          If a student has a slow day and doesn’t get it done, I’ll reinforce that we are just going to move on and they can try to do better tomorrow. 🙂

      2. Hi Laura, Just wondering what a ‘do now’ activity is when the students enter in the morning. Also, are you no longer doing the daily pen review?
        Thank you,
        Jordana

        1. Hi Jordana!

          When I was a 2/3 I did the Pen Review. I was not doing UFLI then so it was a way I could ensure we had daily review every day. Now that I am a straight Grade 2, I am doing UFLI with fidelity. Since the review and practice is embedded in the UFLI lessons, I am not going to the Pen Review whole group this year. The review is in UFLI, I do not need to duplicate it again. I may bring it back near the end of the year and/or in small group instruction if needed. See where the year takes us. 🙂

          My Do Now activity is basically bell work. Quick bit of independent practice to get the day started. It will evolve as the year progresses but right now it is has a letter formation/heart word focus. Here is the link to the files I am using:

          https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-tO2PgiRsxX2nvsgtRLpTLgrYseLk3q-?usp=drive_link

          Hope that helps!

  3. Hi Laura!
    Do you use UFLI in your instruction as well. If so, where do you integrate this type of instruction and practice into your literacy block?

    1. Hello there!

      Since I am Grade 2/3, my use of UFLI depended on my student data.
      When I first did this block, I did not have access to UFLI. I was using a variety of resources that I was piecing together. When I did get access to UFLI, I used the manual as a resource, but within my own instructional routines that I had already set. With the implementation of UFLI in primary ahead of me, more of my students were coming to Grade 2/3 with UFLI instruction in K-1. As my class gained skills, I moved away from UFLI towards multisyllable words. I used similar routines as UFLI but followed the sequence of these Reading Universe decodables… using only the multisyllable word passages.
      https://readinguniverse.org/article/explore-teaching-topics/word-recognition/phonics/decodable-texts-for-each-phonics-skill

      I was also mostly Grade 3 with only a few 2s. Next year, I am a straight Grade 2. I plan on using the UFLI manual and slide decks as directed by UFLI. Other years as a split and in the beginning phases of school implementation and my own learning, I was trying to piece things together. Now that I am a straight 2 and that most of my Grade 2’s are coming in from having UFLI in JK/SK/Grade 1… I plan on following that routine and finishing it as directed by UFLI and my screening data.

      Hope that helps! Each year, my block has evolved based on my student data, the resources I have access to, and my own learning. 🙂

  4. Hello all!
    After watching Melissa Smith’s webinar, I would like to add an update.
    In the section where I do small group instruction, I do not call it Rotations anymore. The students did not rotate at all but did additional practice while I provided Tier 2 instruction with students based on my data. Was just an old term that lingered from previous practice.
    Now, we call it Peaceful Practice. I prefer this because it emphasizes to the students that this time is not for free time fun… but a time to practice our skills in a peaceful calm way that protects students’ attention. 🙂

  7. I love how you connect your practice to the instructional hierarchy model – so essential! This is such an informative, yet accessible, research to practice webinar for educators. Thanks!

  9. Hi there Laura and the OnLit team!
    This was a fantastic refresh of ideas and techniques for how to build out an effective and fulsome literacy block. Is it possible to get access to the daily google slides Laura mentioned using week-to-week, for reference of building my own for my classroom? Thanks so much for considering! Kind regards, KC 🙂

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