5.9.E.i
The Standard
identifying the claim
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading · The student recognizes and analyzes genre-specific characteristics, structures, and purposes within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse texts.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students determine the main position an author wants readers to accept. They separate that position from the topic, supporting reasons, evidence, and opposing views.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can state the author’s main position in their own words. They can point to details that support their choice and explain why another sentence is only a reason or fact.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may mistake the topic, a fact, or a supporting reason for the author’s main position. They may also choose a dramatic sentence instead of considering the whole argument.
How to Assess It
- Give students this exit ticket: “Our school should add a longer lunch period because students need time to eat and recharge.” Ask them to underline the author’s main position.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs sentence strips from one argument, then have them sort the topic, main position, reasons, and evidence into labeled groups.
Ask, “What does the author want readers to believe or do?” Students answer in one sentence and cite a supporting detail.
Play Claim Detective by showing short arguments and awarding points when teams identify the main position and reject a tempting supporting reason.
Examine a school lunch advertisement and identify what the company wants customers to believe about its product. Students explain their choice. Acme Corp.
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.