CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.8
The Standard
Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text
What This Standard Means
Students need to find what the author is trying to tell them, then point to the reasons the author gives. In first grade, this usually means naming the main point and saying, “The author says this because…” using words or pictures from the text.
Mastery looks like a child matching a point to a reason without guessing. For example, “Brushing teeth is good. One reason is it keeps teeth clean.” Students often get stuck by naming any fact they remember, retelling the whole page, or using their own opinion instead of the author’s reason.
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on: Give students sentence strips with one author point and three reasons, then have them match and glue the correct reason underneath.
- Prompt: After reading a short nonfiction page, ask, “What does the author want us to think, and what reason did they give?”
- Quick assessment: Read two sentences aloud, then ask students to circle the reason that supports the author’s point.
- Real-world connection: Use a school lunch poster and ask students to name the message and one reason the poster gives.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.8
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What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.