3.13
Knowledge and Skills Statement (Standard Cluster)
The student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading
Cluster contents
Student Expectations in This Statement
3.13 is a knowledge and skills statement. These are the student expectations under it.
- 3.13.A
generate questions on a topic for formal and informal inquiry
- 3.13.B
develop and follow a research plan with adult assistance
- 3.13.C
identify and gather relevant information from a variety of sources
- 3.13.D
identify primary and secondary sources
- 3.13.E
demonstrate understanding of information gathered
- 3.13.F
recognize the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials
- 3.13.G
create a works cited page
- 3.13.H
use an appropriate mode of delivery, whether written, oral, or multimodal, to present results.
Teacher's field guide
What This Cluster Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students ask focused questions, make a simple plan, and collect useful facts from several reliable sources. They sort primary from secondary sources, explain findings in their own words, and credit each source. They present a clear answer in writing, speech, or a mix of words and visuals.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can turn a broad topic into useful questions and use a checklist to complete each research step. Their notes include relevant facts from more than one source, with primary and secondary sources labeled correctly. Their final product answers the questions, uses original wording, lists sources, and fits the chosen audience.
Common Misconceptions
- Students often write questions that are too broad or gather facts that do not answer them. They may call any trustworthy source primary, copy sentences while changing only a word or two, or omit image and website credits. Some treat the plan as fixed and do not revise questions when new information appears.
How to Assess It
- Give students a short article and a labeled interview excerpt. Ask them to identify the primary source, paraphrase one fact, and write a basic citation for both sources.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Set up four source stations with an interview, photograph, encyclopedia entry, and website, then have pairs label and record one relevant fact.
Give students the prompt, “What makes a good research question?” and have them improve three weak questions in writing.
Play a paraphrase relay where teams rewrite fact cards without changing meaning, then compare each version with the original.
Have students investigate a school lunch choice using a menu, student interview, and nutrition page, then present a recommendation to the principal.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
Turn this cluster into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete cluster are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.