CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9b
The Standard
Apply grades 9—10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning").
Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts
What This Standard Means
Students need to use close reading skills when writing about literary nonfiction. They should identify an author’s argument, name specific claims, judge the reasoning, and explain whether the evidence actually supports the point. They also need to spot weak logic, false statements, and common fallacies, then use text evidence in their own written analysis.
Mastery looks like a paragraph or essay that explains an argument clearly, evaluates its strength, and supports every judgment with quoted or paraphrased evidence. Students often get stuck by summarizing instead of evaluating, calling evidence “good” without explaining why, or missing loaded language and faulty cause-and-effect claims.
Ways to Teach It
- Give pairs a marked-up op-ed and sticky notes to label claim, evidence, reasoning, and one possible fallacy.
- Ask students to write: Which claim in this essay is strongest, and what makes the support convincing or weak?
- Use an exit ticket with one short nonfiction paragraph and ask students to name the claim and rate the evidence.
- Compare a school policy memo to a student petition and discuss which argument uses stronger evidence and reasoning.
Before This Standard
If students are struggling here, check these first.
What This Unlocks
Mastery here sets students up for these next.
Related Standards
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.9b
Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is ...
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.9b
Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are sup...
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