South Dakota ELA 9-10.RI.10.b

ELAGrades 9–10Reading Informational Text

The Standard

9-10.RI.10: By the end of the year, independently read and comprehend literary nonfiction and informational texts representing a variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives that exhibit complexity appropriate for at least grade 9 and 10.

Self-select texts for personal enjoyment, interest, and academic tasks.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students choose what to read based on whether they want to enjoy it, learn about an interest, or complete a class task. They preview titles, descriptions, and a few pages before deciding.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can pick a book for free reading and an article for a research question, then explain why each fits. If a text is too hard or does not answer the question, they choose another.
Common Misconceptions: Students may choose the shortest text without checking whether it meets their purpose. They may assume an interesting title means an article will answer their research question.
How to Assess It: Give students five minutes with a classroom shelf or library catalog. Ask them to name one text they would read for fun and one they would use to research teen sleep, with a reason for each choice.

Lesson moves

Place magazines, nonfiction books, and news articles on tables; students preview them and choose one to read for a class question.
Ask pairs, 'Would you pick the same text for free reading and a report on teen sleep? Why or why not?'
Give groups four book jackets and purpose cards; students match a text to each card and defend their choices.
Have students use a library catalog to find a text about a hobby, then record which search terms helped.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 9-10.RI.10.b, 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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