CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.9

ELA5th GradeResearch to Build and Present Knowledge

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 Students Need to Do: Students answer questions or develop ideas about stories and informational texts. They select relevant details from the text and explain how those details support their analysis, reflection, or research.
What Mastery Looks Like: Students make a clear claim or observation about a text. They choose relevant details, quotations, or examples and explain how each one supports their thinking.
Common Misconceptions: Students may summarize the whole text instead of choosing details that support a specific point. They may select interesting but unrelated details. Some copy a quotation without explaining how it supports their thinking.
How to Assess It: Give students a one-page article about reducing cafeteria waste. Ask them to state one conclusion, cite two supporting details, and explain each connection.

Lesson moves

Give pairs a short article, claim cards, and sticky notes; they mark two details supporting each claim and explain each match.
After reading a story, write: Which character changed most, and what two moments prove your answer?
Play Evidence Sort: teams place detail cards under supported claims, then earn a point for each clear explanation.
Compare two school lunch proposals, then write a recommendation using facts from the menus, prices, and student survey results.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.9, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Learning progression

See the whole path on the Writing progression map.

If students are struggling here, check these first.

Mastery here sets students up for these next.

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