Kentucky Reading and Writing RL.11-12.1

ELAGrades 11–12Reading Literature

The Standard

Cite relevant and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

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

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students find passages that state a fact and passages that hint at a motive or meaning. They use specific details to support a claim and explain how those details fit.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can support a direct claim with the right passage. For an inference, they can choose more than one relevant detail and explain how the details work together.
Common Misconceptions: Students may treat a reasonable guess as proof without finding support in the text. They may use one vague quote for a broad claim or add a quote without explaining it.
How to Assess It: After reading "The Gift of the Magi," ask: What does Della's choice reveal about her priorities? Cite two details from the story and explain how each supports your answer.

Lesson moves

Give pairs printed story pages and two colors of sticky notes to mark facts stated directly and details that suggest a motive.
Ask students to write whether Jim's reaction to Della's haircut shows disappointment, affection, or both, using two passages.
Make claim and evidence cards from the story; pairs match them, then challenge one match that lacks enough support.
Have students write a short recommendation for the school library display, using two story details to support their view of the couple.

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to RL.11-12.1, 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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