CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1
The Standard
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6—12
What This Standard Means
Students need to read a history or social studies source and make a claim about what it means. Then they must point to exact words, facts, or details from the source that support that claim. They should do this with both firsthand sources and later accounts.
Mastery looks like a student saying, “The author believed ___,” then backing it with a specific quoted or paraphrased detail. Students often get stuck by giving opinions without proof, choosing evidence that is too broad, or copying a quote without explaining how it supports their idea.
Ways to Teach It
- Give pairs a short diary excerpt and a textbook paragraph, then have them highlight one claim and two matching pieces of evidence.
- Ask students to answer, “Which source is more useful for understanding the event, and what exact details prove it?”
- Use an exit ticket with one claim and ask students to choose the strongest evidence from three options.
- Have students compare a current news photo caption with a later summary article and identify what each source proves.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.1
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.