CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.7
The Standard
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literature
What This Standard Means
Students need to connect pictures and words in a story. They should point to specific parts of an illustration, such as color, facial expression, size, placement, or background details, and explain how those choices add meaning to the scene.
Mastery looks like naming an exact visual detail and linking it to mood, character, or setting with evidence from the text. Students often get stuck giving vague comments, like “the picture helps,” or retelling the scene without explaining what the illustration adds.
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on: Give pairs a picture book page and sticky notes to label three visual details that affect mood, character, or setting.
- Prompt: How does the illustrator help you understand what the character feels before you read the words? Use one detail.
- Quick assessment: Show one illustrated page and ask students to write, “The illustration shows ___, which helps me understand ___.”
- Real-world connection: Compare two book covers for the same fairy tale and discuss how color and character placement change expectations.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.7
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.7
Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.7
Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a story an illustration dep...