CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.6

ELA3rd GradeCraft and Structure

The Standard

Distinguish their own point of view from that of the author of a text.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text

What This Standard Means

Students need to tell what they think about a nonfiction topic and separate that from what the author thinks. They should notice word choices, facts the author includes, and opinions or judgments that show the author’s view.

Mastery looks like a student saying, “The author thinks school gardens help students learn, but I think they are too much work,” then pointing to a line that proves the author’s view. Students often confuse the topic with the author’s opinion, or they copy a fact instead of naming a point of view.

Ways to Teach It

Hands-on: Give students two color sticky notes to mark author thoughts and their own thoughts in a short article.
Discussion prompt: Ask, “What does the author seem to believe, and do you agree or disagree? What sentence helped you decide?”
Quick assessment: After reading one paragraph, students write two sentences, one for the author’s view and one for their own.
Real-world connection: Read a cafeteria menu change notice, then compare the principal’s view with students’ views about the change.