Virginia SOL 3.RI.1
SOL Standard (Knowledge and Skills Cluster)
Key Ideas and Confirming Details
Virginia Standards of Learning for English
Cluster contents
Knowledge and Skills in This Standard
3.RI.1 is a Standards of Learning standard. These are the knowledge and skills expectations under it.
- 3.RI.1.A
Determine the main idea of multi-paragraph texts as well as specific paragraphs within them.
- 3.RI.1.B
Summarize texts using language that pertains to time, sequence, and cause and effect, referring to historical events, scientific ideas, or steps in technical pr...
- 3.RI.1.C
Identify and explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support specific points in texts.
Teacher's field guide
What This Cluster Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students identify what each paragraph is mostly about and connect those ideas to the main idea of the whole text. They summarize events, scientific ideas, or procedures in order and show causes and results. They also explain how reasons and evidence support an author’s point.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students state the main idea of each paragraph and the whole text, then support their choices with accurate details. Their summaries use words such as first, later, because, and as a result. They can match an author's point with the reasons and evidence used to support it.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may choose an interesting detail as the main idea or give the topic only. They may list events without showing sequence or cause, and confuse evidence with personal opinion.
How to Assess It
- Give students a three-paragraph science article. Ask them to state the main idea, summarize it using sequence or cause words, and cite one supporting reason and detail.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give pairs cut-up paragraph strips to arrange, then label each paragraph’s main idea, supporting details, and sequence or cause clues.
After reading a short history article, ask students to write: What point does the author make, and which evidence best supports it?
Play Evidence Match by having teams pair author claims with reason and evidence cards from a shared informational text.
Use a school emergency procedure to identify its main idea, sequence the steps, and explain why each step is included.
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Printable 3.RI.1 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.RI.1, 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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