Maryland ELA RL.8.1
The Standard
Cite multiple pieces of textual evidence that most strongly support an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Maryland College and Career Ready Standards for English Language Arts (2025)
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students explain what a story states directly and what they can infer from it. They choose at least two details that strongly support their reading and explain how each one helps.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can distinguish a character’s words from what the character’s actions suggest. They choose two relevant quotations and explain why those lines support their claim better than other details.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat an inference as a fact the story states outright. They may also pick the first two quotes they find, or include quotes without explaining how they support the claim.
How to Assess It
- Ask: In the confession scene of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” what suggests the narrator feels guilty? Quote two lines and explain how each supports your answer.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs printed lines from “The Tell-Tale Heart” to sort and rank as evidence that the narrator feels guilty.
Ask students to write: What does the narrator say about his sanity, and what do two of his actions suggest?
Play Evidence Match: students pair claim cards with quote cards, then defend their two strongest choices against a weaker quote.
Have students write a library shelf card warning readers that the narrator may be unreliable, backed by two lines from the story.
Free download
Printable RL.8.1 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to RL.8.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- RL.7.1
Cite multiple pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RL.6.1
Cite multiple pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RI.5.1
Cite multiple pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RI.7.1
Cite multiple pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson