CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.3

ELA6th GradeKey Ideas and Details

The Standard

Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).

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

What This Standard Means

Students need to track how a nonfiction author builds understanding of one important person, event, or idea across a text. They should notice where it first appears, what details or examples show it more clearly, and how later parts add depth or change the reader’s view.

Mastery looks like a student pointing to exact lines and explaining the author’s moves in order. They can say, “First the author introduces the idea with a claim, then illustrates it with an anecdote, then adds statistics.” Students often get stuck by summarizing the topic instead of explaining how the writing develops it.

Ways to Teach It

Give students a short article and three highlighters: mark introduction in yellow, examples in green, and elaboration in blue.
Ask students to write: How does the author help you understand this person, event, or idea more fully by the end?
Use an exit ticket with one quote and ask: Is this introducing, illustrating, or elaborating, and how do you know?
Have students examine a news profile and list how the writer uses anecdotes, facts, and quotes to build the subject.