CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.5
The Standard
Explain major differences between books that tell stories and books that give information, drawing on a wide reading of a range of text types.
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 identify whether a book tells a story or teaches facts. They point to features such as characters, events, headings, labels, diagrams, and factual details.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students correctly sort books into story and information groups. They explain their choices using clues such as characters, events, facts, headings, labels, or diagrams.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think every book with pictures is a story. They may also think stories are always made up and information books always use photographs.
How to Assess It
- Show one storybook and one information book. Ask students to name each type and give one clue from each book.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs six mixed books to sort, then have them place sticky notes on clues that support each choice.
Read two short pages and ask, "Which page tells a story, and which teaches facts? What clues helped you decide?"
Play Book Type Corners by reading a page aloud while students move to the story corner or information corner and explain why.
Compare a fairy tale about firefighters with a fire safety book, then discuss which book entertains and which helps people act safely.
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Printable RL.1.5 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.5, 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.
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Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.9
Identify basic similarities in and differences between two texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.6
Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.9
Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar...
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