CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.6
The Standard
Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6—12
What This Standard Means
Students need to read a science or technical text and figure out why the author included each part. They should tell whether a section explains an idea, gives step-by-step directions, or describes an experiment, then connect that choice to the author’s purpose.
Mastery looks like students using text evidence to say, “The author describes the procedure so readers can repeat the test,” or “The explanation helps readers understand the result.” Students often mix up topic with purpose. They may say what the text is about, but not why the author wrote it that way.
Ways to Teach It
- Hands-on: Give groups a lab article, highlighters, and three labels, explanation, procedure, experiment, then have them tag each paragraph.
- Writing prompt: Ask students, “Why did the author include the procedure section, and how would the text change without it?”
- Quick assessment: Show one paragraph from a science text and ask students to identify the author’s purpose with one quoted clue.
- Real-world connection: Have students compare a recipe, a phone setup guide, and a science news article to name each author’s purpose.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.6
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Related Standards
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