Language Arts · Grade 2

Active learning ideas

Using Digital Tools for Communication

In Grade 2, students learn best when they practice skills in real contexts that mirror real-world use. Using digital tools to create visuals and recordings helps them see how technology supports clear communication, making abstract speaking tasks concrete and engaging.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Story Scene Slides

Partners choose a favorite story and identify one key scene. Using a drawing app, they create a slide with a picture, title, and two-word label. Partners present the slide to the class, explaining how it supports their oral retelling.

Explain how digital tools can make presentations more engaging.

Facilitation Tip

During Story Scene Slides, circulate and prompt pairs to explain why they chose each image, reinforcing the link between visuals and spoken detail.

What to look for

Ask students to hold up their tablets or screens showing a single digital slide they designed. The teacher can quickly scan to see if the slide includes a title and at least one relevant image or drawing.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 45 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Visual Presentation Relay

Groups of three to four brainstorm a class topic, like 'Our Favorite Season.' Each member adds one element to a shared slide: drawing, label, or audio clip. Groups rotate slides to present, noting what visuals helped most.

Compare the benefits of presenting information orally versus digitally.

Facilitation Tip

In Visual Presentation Relay, provide a checklist with three simple criteria: clear image, one word label, and a complete sentence to guide group work.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are explaining your favorite animal to your classmates. Which would be more helpful for them to see: just your words, or your words with a picture of the animal? Why?' Guide students to discuss how visuals aid understanding.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Digital Show-and-Tell Circle

Each student prepares one digital slide about themselves on a template. In a circle, students present for one minute while the class gives thumbs-up for engaging visuals. Discuss as a group which tools boosted clarity.

Design a simple digital slide to support an oral presentation.

Facilitation Tip

For Digital Show-and-Tell Circle, model how to hold the device at eye level so peers can see the visuals while listening.

What to look for

Give each student a slip of paper. Ask them to write down one way a digital tool, like a drawing app, made their presentation easier to understand. They can also draw a small picture to illustrate their answer.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 25 min · Individual

Individual: Record-and-Draw Practice

Students draw a picture of a pet or toy in an app, then record a 20-second oral description. They play back to self-assess: Does the visual match the words? Revise one element based on playback.

Explain how digital tools can make presentations more engaging.

Facilitation Tip

When students do Record-and-Draw Practice, play a sample recording first to show how pacing and clarity matter as much as the drawing.

What to look for

Ask students to hold up their tablets or screens showing a single digital slide they designed. The teacher can quickly scan to see if the slide includes a title and at least one relevant image or drawing.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with direct modeling of one digital tool at a time, then let students try with guided practice. Avoid overwhelming them with too many choices early on. Research shows that explicit demonstrations followed by immediate student practice build confidence faster than open-ended exploration. Keep feedback immediate and specific to the tool and the communication goal.

Successful learning looks like students confidently pairing spoken words with focused visuals, understanding that digital supports enhance but do not replace oral explanations. They should ask questions when visuals are unclear and revise their slides or recordings to improve audience understanding.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Story Scene Slides, watch for students who rely only on images and skip spoken details. Correction: Have the listener ask, 'What part of the story does this picture show?' to require oral explanation tied to the visual.

  During Visual Presentation Relay, watch for groups that add too many images. Correction: Provide a sticky note with the rule 'One main idea, one picture' and have groups edit their slides before presenting.

• During Record-and-Draw Practice, watch for students who believe elaborate drawings are always better. Correction: Stop the recording after 30 seconds and ask, 'Does this drawing help your listener picture the setting, or does it distract them?' Use this to teach selective inclusion.

  During Digital Show-and-Tell Circle, watch for students who hold the tablet too close or far away. Correction: Demonstrate how to angle the screen so peers can see both the visual and the speaker’s face.

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session