South Dakota ELA 11-12.RST.2.b

ELAGrades 11–12Reading: Science/Technical Subjects

The Standard

Provide an accurate and objective summary of the text.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify the main point and key findings in a science or technical text. They summarize those points in their own words without adding opinions or unsupported claims.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can summarize a lab report by naming what was tested and what the results showed. They keep limits such as 'in this sample' and leave out minor details.
Common Misconceptions: Students may list every detail instead of choosing the main points. They may turn a reported link into a cause or change a cautious finding into a claim that is always true.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Read, 'Twenty seedlings grew under blue light and twenty under red light for two weeks; both groups got the same soil and water; the blue-light group grew 3 cm taller on average.' Write a one-sentence summary of the comparison and finding without claiming blue light always works better.

Lesson moves

Give pairs a printed lab report and three highlighters to mark what was tested, how it was tested, and what was found.
Show two summaries of a lab result, one cautious and one overstated, and ask which wording the evidence supports.
Give teams four summary cards for a water-filter article and have them sort accurate statements from opinions and unsupported claims.
Hand out a consumer test of two water filters and have students write a neutral two-sentence summary for a shopper.

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A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 11-12.RST.2.b, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

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