Standard: 2.RI.8 – Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.
Grade level: Grade 2
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Reading: Informational Text
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on helping students understand how authors use reasons to support their points in informational texts. It’s crucial for developing critical reading skills and prepares students for more advanced analysis in later grades. Students should be familiar with identifying the main idea and key details in a text, as well as understanding basic cause and effect relationships.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to critically evaluate the strength and validity of reasons in a text and compare multiple texts to analyze how different authors support their points.
Common Misconception 1
Students may think that any detail in the text is a supporting reason. This misconception arises because they may not yet understand the specific role that reasons play in supporting an author’s point.
Intervention 1
Use graphic organizers to help students map out the author’s points and the reasons that support them. This visual aid can clarify the distinction between general details and specific supporting reasons.
Common Misconception 2
Students may believe that the author’s opinion is always a supporting reason. This confusion can occur because they might not yet differentiate between subjective opinions and objective reasons.
Intervention 2
Provide clear examples and non-examples of reasons and opinions. Engage students in discussions where they practice identifying evidence that supports the author’s points versus statements of opinion.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should be able to identify the main idea and key details in a text, understand cause and effect relationships, and have basic comprehension skills.
Subsequent Knowledge
Students will develop the ability to critically evaluate the strength and validity of reasons in a text and compare multiple texts to analyze how different authors support their points.
Instructional Activities
- Use graphic organizers to map out reasons supporting the author’s points in a text.
- Conduct group discussions on reasons found in various informational texts.
- Have students write short paragraphs explaining the reasons that support the main points in a text.
- Create a classroom chart of ‘Reasons vs. Opinions’ with examples from texts.
- Use multimedia resources (videos, articles) to identify and discuss reasons supporting main points.
