One of the big challenges for students is being able to understand what “develop” means in reference to a text. These five simple questions encourage students to consider not just the main/central ideas, but the supporting details, how the ideas evolved over time, and what messages may have been woven throughout. Introduce this to your students by presenting the blank… Read more →
Students always hear that they should explain what they read. This is often referred to as summarizing, retelling, or recounting the text. It is important to differentiate between summarizing and analysis. Students are expected to learn how to objectively summarize text when working with Standard 2. There is a strong focus on retelling the important details, while maintaining objectivity. Standard… Read more →
Your students will love using the Quote It! graphic organizer! Find more graphic organizers, suggested text lists, and more in The Common Core Guidebook, 6-8: Informational Text Lessons available on Amazon.
If you are struggling with Standard 3: Connections & Relationships, consider explicitly introducting the seven major types of relationships independently. I like to start with one person that influences a big event. Students will inevitably have read or heard these types of stories or events. Create an anchor chart based on books that they have read about people who are… Read more →
There are two different skills included in the Word Play standard. The first deals with word meaning and the second deals with the impact of the word choice.The first skill for each grade level standard asks that students determine the meaning of words. This means that students need to have some instruction in context clues and the practice of noting… Read more →
Common Core Informational Text Standard RI3 is a unique standard that balances critical thinking with textual evidence. This standard might be my new favorite (do I say that for every one?) standard. This standard really puts the responsibility of making connections in the students’ corner. When you plan an effective Common Core lesson for this standard, you want to be… Read more →
As students move through the standards, they will need to master standard 2: Central Ideas. This standard is about writing! Under many of the past, more traditionally formatted standards this might have been found in the writing strand. This standard demands that students find the central ideas, write about how they were developed, and then summarize what they read. Mastery… Read more →
Most of the standards revolve around anchor standard 1: Textual evidence. The prototype assessments developed by PARCC have an entire category of questions devoted to students providing textual evidence. PARCC asks the students a question about the text and follows up with a second question that asks the students to identify support for whatever they inferred for the original question. To… Read more →
