Activity Description
Title: Non-Fiction - - Evidence for Main Points
This ACTIVITY has a set of teaching-learning strategies proven to increase student mastery of this critical Reading-Informational standard - - citing evidence for points made. In sample texts, students identify the author’s main point and how he or she connects them to evidence or support. Students practice making their own points and backing them up with reasons. [At Grades K-5, each Activity attaches student-sized texts, templates, and test items that teachers can quickly print and use immediately in class.]
Enabling Skills: Analyze Non-Fiction text for (a) the main idea; (b) supporting details; (c) the relationship among the details; (d) challenging vocabulary; and (d) the author’s perspective and overall message.
Direct Instruction: Suggested teaching strategies are given that model for students what they need to do to begin their journey toward mastery. These strategies include identifying the “position” taken by the author (persuasive texts) and/or the “purpose” of an informational (expository) text. The key to this standard is that students practice with sample texts, connecting the author’s intent with his or her evidence or means of support.
Quick-Writes: Standards-based writing prompts are provided that require students to document that they have internalized the core ideas of the standard(s) and can show independent mastery. In this Activity, the Quick-Writes ask students to (a) describe the author’s main points and the evidence or support provided; and (b) pretend they are the author, and extending the text with another point and support. NOTE: Mastery of this standard is excellent preparation for students to determine the objectivity vs bias of Internet and print articles.
High-Stakes Look-Alike Assessments: At Grades 3-8, the Activities include two tests - - one for practice - - followed by classroom analysis of errors made - - and the second test to determine mastery. The test items are constructed to look exactly like those items students will encounter on their High-Stakes Tests. For this standard, the matrix item is included, since high-stakes tests often include two texts or paragraphs on the same topic for students to compare.
CUSTOMER: Thanks for considering this Activity as part of your approach to your state’s ELA standards. If you have any comments as to how it worked - - or didn’t! - - we’d welcome them! See the contact information to send us feedback. - - the EdFOCUS Team
This teaching activity comes with one hour of online instruction and guidance from a trained EdFOCUS professional. You will be contacted shortly after purchase with more details.