South Dakota ELA 8.RI.8

8.RI.8 is a cluster heading. These are the individual standards under it.

• 8.RI.8.a

  Assess whether the reasoning is sound.

• 8.RI.8.b

  Assess whether the evidence is relevant and sufficient.

• 8.RI.8.c

  Recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

01

What Students Need to Do

Students identify the main claim, smaller claims, reasons, and evidence in a nonfiction text. They check whether the reasoning holds up, the evidence supports the claims, and there is enough of it.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student can mark the claims, reasons, and evidence in a short article. They can point out a weak step in the reasoning, reject a detail that does not support a claim, and name what evidence is missing.

03

Common Misconceptions

A detail can be about the topic without supporting the claim. Students may treat three friends' opinions as enough evidence for a schoolwide change or mistake a reason for proof.

04

How to Assess It

Exit ticket: Give students this argument: “School should start later because students need more sleep. Eight of ten students in one class say they feel tired in first period. Our team won Friday.” Ask them to mark the claim, reason, evidence, and unrelated detail, then explain whether the evidence is enough and why.

1. 01

   Cut a short editorial into claim, reason, and evidence strips; have students sort them and set aside strips that do not support the claim.

2. 02

   Read a school lunch opinion paragraph and ask, “Which reason has a weak link, and what evidence would make it stronger?”

3. 03

   Give pairs four evidence cards about school lunch; partners earn a point for spotting the card that does not support the claim and explaining why.

4. 04

   Compare two online reviews of the same headphones; students underline each claim and circle details that actually support it.

• 7.RI.8

  Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text.