South Dakota ELA 3.RI.6

ELA3rd GradeReading Informational Text

The Standard

Identify the author's point of view based on text evidence and distinguish the student's point of view from that of the author.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students figure out what a writer thinks about a topic and find words or details that show it. They explain whether they agree or disagree with the writer.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can say a writer supports school gardens and point to the line about growing fresh food. The student can then give a different view, such as wanting more playground space, without confusing it with the writer's view.
Common Misconceptions: Students may name a fact, such as gardens grow vegetables, instead of the writer's opinion. They may give their own opinion as the writer's or assume a person quoted in the text speaks for the writer.
How to Assess It: Read: "Our school should plant a garden. Students could grow fresh vegetables." Write what the writer thinks, copy words that show it, and say whether you agree or disagree.

Lesson moves

Give pairs a school garden paragraph; they underline the writer's view, circle evidence, and write their own view on a sticky note.
Read a paragraph urging longer recess; ask, "What does the writer think, which line shows it, and do you agree?"
Play evidence match: students pair four writer-view cards with supporting lines from short texts about pets and playgrounds, then explain one match.
Show a flyer reading "Walk to school to cut traffic"; students identify the writer's view, cite the reason, and state their own.

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