Georgia 5.T.RA.1.a
The Standard
Generate questions about a self-selected topic of interest to be researched, asking probing questions to compare and contrast related topics. (I)
Georgia's K-12 English Language Arts Standards · Texts (T) · Research & Analysis
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students choose a topic they care about and turn their curiosity into focused, researchable questions. They ask follow-up questions that help compare related people, ideas, events, or issues.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student writes focused questions that can guide research across several sources. The questions seek reasons, evidence, patterns, similarities, and differences between related subjects.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may write questions that are too broad, answerable with yes or no, or solved by one quick fact. They may compare unrelated subjects or list facts without using shared points of comparison.
How to Assess It
- Ask students to choose one topic and write three research questions, including one that compares two related parts. Have them underline the shared comparison point.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give students topic cards and sticky notes, then have them build a question web with factual, follow-up, and comparison questions.
Use the prompt: Which question about your topic would lead to the most useful research, and why?
Play Question Upgrade, where teams revise yes-or-no questions into open questions and earn points for adding a clear comparison.
Have students compare two local parks, school lunch options, or community events by writing questions for a short recommendation report.
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Printable 5.T.RA.1.a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 5.T.RA.1.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
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Generate questions about a self-selected topic of interest to be researched, formulating additional questions to clarify or deepen understanding. (I)
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Generate questions about self-selected topics of interest for research. (I)
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Generate questions about a self-selected topic of interest to be researched, asking open-ended questions to deepen and extend understanding of the topic and rel...
- 8.T.RA.1.a
Generate questions to guide research and make connections between related topics of interest, formulating questions to investigate complex topics and ideas. (I)
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