3.13.F

ELA3rd GradeThe student engages in both short-term and sustained recursive inquiry processes for a variety of purposes.

The Standard

recognize the difference between paraphrasing and plagiarism when using source materials

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do

Students compare source material with a writer’s version and decide whether it is paraphrased or copied. They explain that paraphrasing uses new wording while giving credit to the source.

What Mastery Looks Like

Students correctly sort examples as paraphrasing or plagiarism. They can explain that a paraphrase presents the source idea in new wording and still names the source.

Common Misconceptions

Students may think changing one or two words makes copied text a paraphrase. They may also think copying is acceptable if they list the source or if the information is online.

How to Assess It

Give students an original two-sentence source and two rewritten versions. Ask them to circle the paraphrase, label the plagiarism, and explain their choice in one sentence.

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

  1. Give pairs source cards and rewrite cards to sort into paraphrase or plagiarism, then have them underline words copied directly from each source.

  2. Ask students to respond in writing: How can you use an author’s idea without pretending the words are yours?

  3. Play Paraphrase Detective by showing a source and three rewrites, then awarding points for choosing and explaining the true paraphrase.

  4. Compare a copied website sentence with a student-friendly paraphrase for a class animal report, including the website name as the source.

Keep exploring

Related Standards

Turn this exact standard into a lesson

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