By the end of the year, students will be able to read and comprehend literature [informational texts] in the grades 2–3 text complexity band. Students write opinion pieces, in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also), and provide a concluding statement. Students write narratives in which they recount an event and include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings. Students participate in shared research and writing projects and gather information from provided sources to answer a question. In mathematics students focus on four critical areas: extending understanding of base-ten; building addition and subtraction; using standard units of measure; and analyzing shapes.