CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.2
The Standard
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text's explanation or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the 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 find the main ideas or conclusions in a science or technical text, not just pick out interesting facts. They also need to track how the author explains a process, concept, or phenomenon step by step, including cause and effect, sequence, and key relationships.
Mastery looks like a clear summary that is accurate, neutral, and based on the whole text. Students often get stuck by copying sentences, listing details without a main idea, or missing how one step leads to the next in a process.
Ways to Teach It
- Give pairs a short lab article and have them build a flowchart showing each step in the process and its purpose.
- Ask students to write: What is the author trying to prove or explain, and which three details matter most?
- Use an exit ticket with one paragraph: students write the central idea and one sentence explaining the process described.
- Have students summarize instructions for using a school device, then compare their summary to the original manual for accuracy.
Plan a Lesson for CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.2
Generate a complete lesson plan aligned to this standard, with objectives, activities, and materials. Free, no account needed.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.2
Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.2
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.