South Dakota ELA 9-10.RL.10.c

ELAGrades 9–10Reading Literature

The Standard

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

Read widely to understand multiple perspectives and diverse viewpoints.

South Dakota English Language Arts Standards (2025)

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students read stories by different authors, from different places and times. They compare how characters view a shared issue and use details from each story to explain the differences.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can explain how characters in three stories view money differently, with a detail from each text. They can discuss a character's circumstances without claiming that everyone with a similar background thinks alike.
Common Misconceptions: Students may mistake a character's view for the author's, or assume characters with similar backgrounds share the same opinions. Some retell each plot instead of comparing what the characters think.
How to Assess It: On an exit ticket, ask: How do Della in “The Gift of the Magi” and Mrs. Jones in “Thank You, M'am” use money differently? Include one detail from each story.

Lesson moves

Post excerpts from “Thank You, M'am,” “The Gift of the Magi,” and “The Circuit”; students annotate how each character handles limited money.
Ask: How do Della, Mrs. Jones, and Panchito view money differently? Use one detail from each story.
Give pairs six quote cards from the three stories; have them match each quote to a character and explain what it shows.
Show a grocery flyer; students choose purchases under $20, then compare their priorities with Della's gift decision.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 9-10.RL.10.c, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

Keep exploring

Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.