CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3
The Standard
Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific information in the text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Informational Text
What This Standard Means
Students need to explain how people, events, ideas, or concepts affect each other in an informational text. They should use exact details from the text, not guesses. They may describe cause and effect, problem and solution, sequence, comparison, or how one idea changes another.
Mastery looks like a student saying, “This happened because...” and pointing to the sentence or paragraph that proves it. Students often list facts instead of explaining the connection. They also mix up time order with cause, or give a vague answer like “they are related” without text evidence.
Ways to Teach It
- Give students article strips and have them sort details into cause, effect, and evidence columns with a partner.
- Ask students to write: How did one event, idea, or person change another in this text? Use two text details.
- Use an exit ticket with two named concepts from the reading and ask students to explain their relationship in two sentences.
- Read a short article about a local weather event and connect causes, effects, and community responses on a three-column chart.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.3
Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.3
Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas o...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text, using language that p...