Identify supporting evidence (Inclusive Big Idea #8)

Reading Informational Text

Grade 1: English Language Arts

Inclusive Big Idea #8: Identify supporting evidence

Standard: Identify the reasons an author gives to support points in a text. RI.1.8

• Information Coding/Text Annotation: Provide the students with a digital or paper copy of the text for the students to mark. Students should then create a coding or annotation system on their own or with a partner to help them mark and understand the text. Provide an example to show how to create information coding. For example, the coding system might look something like this:
  • Code: "________________", Meaning: Here is the focus of a paragraph
  • Code: "***", Meaning: This is a fact and detail that supports the focus of the paragraph
• Graphic Organizer: Place the topic of a text or multimedia in a circle chart and note events and/or details that support the topic (e.g., the best time to plant pumpkins, how long it takes them to grow and ripen, typical sizes, uses, etc.). Have a model example of how to fill out a graphic organizer or include prompts. This can first be done with an engaging topic or area of interest for students and then move to the informational text. Provide opportunities for students to work on their graphic organizer individually, with partners, in small groups, or as a whole class. Learn more about graphic organizers in this TIP Sheet.
  • Bubble Map: When determining the main idea and relevant details in a passage, a bubble map can help students prioritize information from a text and present it in a visual way to help clarify the relationship between ideas. After reading a passage, ask students to determine what they think the text is about and place that idea in the center of the bubble map. Then have students (individually, in small groups, or as a whole class) brainstorm the supporting details and place those around the main idea. Students may need support in determining which details from the text are meaningful, so have a discussion about how to determine what information is most important to their understanding of a text.
• Fact Sorting: Make a set of sorting cards with various sentences/paragraphs from the informational text. This can be done with a paper or digital version. On different sorting cards, have pre-recorded facts or images from the text and invite students to create some of their own. There can also be other sentences that do not include facts from the text (such as opinions, or facts about different sets of information). Model how to create two categories: Facts from the Text and Not Facts from the Text. Then, have students sort the evidence. They can do this individually, in small groups, or with the whole class.
• Think Aloud: Model the thought processes that occur while reading the text. This may include: asking questions while reading the text, identifying important details, identifying the topic, and identifying the main idea. Provide places for students to record their ideas as they think aloud, such as Post It notes or using a digital recording tool. See this TIP Sheet for more information on how to model using a Think Aloud.

For example, one possible barrier is the amount of information that a student needs to hold in mind.

Ideas to reduce this barrier could include:

• be aware of how much sensory input occurs at once, perhaps offer the option to use headphones
• show examples and provide answers to check along the way
• provide templates or graphic organizers
• allow use of spell checks and other tools 

Use these Inclusive Strategies to help reduce barriers.

• The Big Idea: Identify supporting evidence
• Tell me more about… Supporting Evidence
  • The supporting details of informational text are information that helps to clarify the reader’s understanding of the most important points that the author is trying to make about a specific subject. Identifying and categorizing main ideas within informational text is critical to successful readers. You support your main idea by explaining it, describing it, defining it, or otherwise giving information about it.
• Tell me more about… Main Ideas
  • The main ideas of informational text are the most important points that the author is trying to make about a specific topic. Identifying and categorizing main ideas within informational text is critical to success because it allows readers to prioritize information in a text. It provides the reader with a framework for understanding and recalling the important ideas in the text.
  • Teaching the Main Idea-- Continuum
    • Identify the key words of a sentence
    • Identify key words or topic of a paragraph
    • Identify the topic sentence of a paragraph
    • Recognize the explicitly stated point of a paragraph
    • Infer the main idea of a paragraph
    • Recognize the relationships among ideas in related paragraphs in longer selections
    • Infer relationships among ideas in related paragraphs in longer selections
    • Determine the main idea or central message of an entire text.

Common Student Misconceptions

• Students may have difficulty prioritizing information within a text to determine the key elements and supporting details. They will need modeling and support to make progress with this skill.

Links Across Content Areas

• Science/Social Studies: Have students record the key elements and details about the topic or text, using tactile objects, recording, images, written, or a scribe.

Everyday Connections

• Let’s Chat! Students can identify facts to support their opinions on a variety of everyday topics (e.g., pizza is my favorite food because…)

Fourth Grade: Identify supporting evidence; Explain how evidence supports an idea or point in a text (RI 8)