Standard: 6-8.RST.1 – Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
Grade level: Grade 6-8
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Science & Technical Subjects
Teacher Overview
This standard emphasizes the importance of using specific textual evidence to support analysis in science and technical subjects. It helps students develop critical thinking skills and the ability to support their arguments with concrete data, which is essential for their academic growth. Students should have basic reading comprehension skills and an understanding of how to identify main ideas and details in a text.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to critically evaluate and synthesize information from multiple sources, enhancing their research and analytical skills.
Common Misconception 1
A common misconception is that any piece of information from a text can be used as evidence. This is incorrect because not all information is relevant to the point being made.
Intervention 1
Provide students with practice exercises that require them to select the most relevant pieces of evidence from a text to support a given analysis.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is that citing evidence is only necessary for longer texts or formal writing. This is incorrect as citing evidence is important in all forms of analysis.
Intervention 2
Incorporate activities that require students to cite evidence in short responses and classroom discussions to reinforce the habit.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have basic reading comprehension skills and an understanding of how to identify main ideas and details in a text.
Subsequent Knowledge
Students will develop the ability to critically evaluate and synthesize information from multiple sources, enhancing their research and analytical skills.
Instructional Activities
- Have students analyze a short scientific article and identify key pieces of evidence supporting the main argument.
- Create a classroom debate where students must cite textual evidence to support their stance.
- Assign a project where students must interpret data from a lab report and use it to support their conclusions.
- Use graphic organizers to help students map out evidence and its relevance to their analysis.
