CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9a
The Standard
Apply grades 11—12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics").
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare two literary works through a shared theme or topic. They use specific evidence from each work to support a claim and explain meaningful similarities or differences.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students make a clear claim about how two literary works address a similar theme or topic. They select relevant evidence from both works and explain how each detail supports the comparison.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may summarize each work separately instead of comparing them. They may treat a shared topic as a shared message, or insert quotations without explaining how the evidence supports their claim.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Compare how two studied works treat the idea of freedom. Write one claim, include one quotation from each work, and explain one meaningful difference.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs quotation cards from two works, then have them sort the cards by shared theme and label each author’s treatment.
Ask students to discuss whether two authors from the same period present freedom as a right, burden, or conflict, citing both texts.
Play Evidence Match by having teams pair comparison claims with quotations from two texts and explain each match.
Have students create a museum display label comparing how two literary works reflect a social concern from their historical period.
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Printable W.11-12.9a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9b
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