CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.10

ELAGrades 11–12Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity

The Standard

By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 11—CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6—12

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do

Students read challenging science and technical passages without step-by-step teacher support. They identify main ideas, follow explanations, interpret technical language, and connect written information with diagrams or data.

What Mastery Looks Like

A student can summarize a demanding passage accurately without teacher guidance. The student interprets technical terms and visuals, tracks the author’s reasoning, and supports answers with precise evidence.

Common Misconceptions

Students may think recognizing the topic means they understand the passage. They often skip diagrams, footnotes, or data tables. Some overlook qualifiers such as “may,” “often,” and “under certain conditions.”

How to Assess It

Give students a one-page technical passage with a diagram. Ask them to state the main idea, explain the diagram’s role, and cite two supporting details.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

  1. Students annotate a printed laboratory procedure, label its diagram, then arrange cut-up steps in the correct order using textual evidence.

  2. Ask students to write: Which sentence carries the main claim, and how do two details or visuals qualify it?

  3. Run an evidence hunt where teams locate definitions, claims, limitations, and cause-effect links, earning points only with accurate line citations.

  4. Have students compare a medication label with its official fact sheet, then explain one warning that the shorter label presents less precisely.

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Printable RST.11-12.10 Worksheet

Preview of the CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.10 printable worksheet

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.11-12.10, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

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Learning progression

Where This Standard Sits

See the whole path on the Reading: Science & Technical Subjects progression map.

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