Kentucky Reading and Writing RI.7.2

ELA7th GradeReading Informational Text

The Standard

Determine central ideas of a text and analyze their development through citing textual evidence, paraphrasing or summarizing.

Kentucky Academic Standards for Reading and Writing (2025) · Key Ideas and Details

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify the main ideas in an informational article. They explain how details across the article build each idea, using quotes or paraphrases as proof.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student states the article’s main ideas in full sentences, not one-word topics. They use details from different parts of the article and explain what each detail adds.
Common Misconceptions: Students may name a topic, such as pollution, instead of an idea about it. They may mistake a striking detail for a main idea or copy a paragraph instead of paraphrasing it.
How to Assess It: After reading a one-page article, ask students to state one main idea, quote a detail from each half, and explain how each detail builds it.

Lesson moves

Give pairs a printed article and two colors of sticky notes; they label two main ideas and mark details that build each.
After an article on school lunches, ask: 'How does the last paragraph build an idea introduced near the start? Point to both details.'
Give groups idea cards and detail cards from an article; they match each detail to an idea and explain their choices.
Read a local news article about a new bus route; students explain how two details build its main idea for riders.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to RI.7.2, 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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