CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9
The Standard
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts · Writing Standards
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students answer questions or make points about stories and informational texts using relevant details from what they read. They quote or paraphrase those details and explain how each one supports their thinking.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students make a clear point about a story or article, then choose a relevant quotation or paraphrased detail. They explain how that detail supports their thinking and identify the source when using more than one text.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may copy a sentence without explaining how it supports their point. They may choose an interesting detail that does not match the question or confuse personal opinion with text-based reasoning.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short paragraph and ask, “What does the author want readers to understand? Use one detail from the text and explain your choice.”
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs a printed passage, claim cards, and sticky notes, then have them mark the strongest detail for each claim.
Ask students to write, “The character changed because...” and support the response with one detail and two sentences of explanation.
Play Evidence Match by having teams pair claim cards with detail cards, then defend each match to the class.
Have students compare two snack labels and write a recommendation supported by details about ingredients, serving size, or sugar.
Free download
Printable W.4.9 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
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