CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1
The Standard
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literature
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use who, what, where, when, why, and how to form clear questions while reading or listening to a story. They answer with details from the words or pictures, not guesses.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student asks a clear question about a character, setting, event, problem, or solution. The student gives an accurate answer and points to supporting words or pictures.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may retell the whole story instead of answering the exact question. They may use personal experience rather than story details. They may confuse who, where, and why questions.
How to Assess It
- Give students a four-sentence illustrated story. Ask them to write or dictate one question, answer it, and mark the story clue that helped.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
After a read-aloud, pairs place Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How sticky notes beside pages that hold answers.
Ask students to answer: What happened to the lost mitten, and which page supports your answer?
Play Question Match: students pair question cards with answer cards, then explain which story detail makes each match correct.
Have students interview a classmate about a recent event, then compare those questions with questions they ask about a story.
Free download
Printable RL.1.1 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetLearning progression
Where This Standard Sits
See the whole path on the Reading: Literature progression map.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.1
The 1st Grade version of this standard.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.2.1
Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
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