NJSLSA.R2
Description:
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
1B, 2A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2C, 3A
Exemplars
2A: Determining Main Idea
2A: Determining Main Idea
Description:
Determining Main Idea and Themes
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-4
C-4
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1243 words
Author: Mary Dunn
Synopsis: Rachel Carson sounded an alarm about the environment while everyone else was asleep.
Excerpt:
No excerpt is available for this question.
Question:
What is another good title for this selection?
- Warrior for the Environment
- The Woman Who Loved Birds
- The Cape Cod Shoreline
- Why Chemicals Are Bad
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe three clues in a selection that helped you determine the main idea of the selection.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
Description:
Determining Relative Importance
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-25
C-25
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1130 words
Author: Marshif Quoyle
Synopsis: How do green plants matter? Let us (lettuce!) count the ways.
Excerpt:
The links in that food chain begin with a green plant and then go on to insects and worms.
People and other large animals are at the end of many food chains. A food chain ends with an animal that will not be eaten by another animal.
The second link in any food chain is always a creature that eats plants.
People and other large animals are at the end of many food chains. A food chain ends with an animal that will not be eaten by another animal.
The second link in any food chain is always a creature that eats plants.
Question:
Think about what you read. Put these links to a food chain in order, from the first link in the last.
- plant
- grasshopper
- frog
- hawk
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe parts of a selection that held important clues to help you understand what was happening.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2C: Summarizing
2C: Summarizing
Description:
Summarizing
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-58
C-58
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1452 words
Author: Roberta Bard
Synopsis: After visiting with his friend Peter, Johann makes a discovery that puts soldiers at risk.
Excerpt:
"The British army beat Washington at Brandywine and chased him out of Philadelphia. It's only luck that he's escaped so far. He'll have to surrender soon. He doesn't have any supplies or equipment. His men don't even have uniforms or guns."
"But the Patriots are fighting against the true government," Peter replied. "They are breaking the law."
"But the Patriots are fighting against the true government," Peter replied. "They are breaking the law."
Question:
Read this part from the selection. Which of the following statements best summarizes what Peter believed?
- The Patriots were breaking the law and they would be defeated by the Loyalists.
- The Loyalists were dangerous men.
- The king and the colonists supported one another.
- Washington had a strong army that could not be defeated.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Write one paragraph that describes the main information about a selection you read.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
Description:
Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences from information in text
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-48
C-48
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1339 words
Author: Charles Reade
Synopsis: Is there a hidden treasure on an old man's farm? The old man searches even while his neighbors laugh and his wife doubts him.
Excerpt:
"What difference does it make if I cut all the roots?" the old man shouted. "These old trees aren't worth a penny a piece. They are all in such poor condition! All together the do not give us enough good apples to make a living. These trees will make us into beggars! During my father's time, these trees used to produce wagon loads of the very finest fruit. How I wish these trees were all dead!"
Summer passed. Autumn followed. The old man's old trees had more apples than they had ever had before. In fact, the branches of the old trees staggered under their weight of fruit. The old man and his wife sold the apples and made more money than they could ever use.
Summer passed. Autumn followed. The old man's old trees had more apples than they had ever had before. In fact, the branches of the old trees staggered under their weight of fruit. The old man and his wife sold the apples and made more money than they could ever use.
Question:
Which character changes the most, and in what way does the character change?
- The old man changes the most because at first he thinks the trees are worthless, but then he learns they are the treasure.
- The wife changes the most because at first she is looking for the treasure, but then she doubts that it really exists.
- The neighbors change the most because at first they help the old man dig holes, but then they start to laugh at him.
- The stranger changes the most because at first he makes a lot of noise, but later he sneaks away from the old man.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Did the title of this selection provide you with clues about the selection's main idea? Why or why not?
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2A: Determining Main Idea
2A: Determining Main Idea
Description:
Determining Main Idea and Themes
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-60
C-60
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1197 words
Author: Jacque Summers
Synopsis: This story tells how one Native American girl found a special way to use the basket she made.
Excerpt:
No excerpt is available for this question.
Question:
This selection is mainly about a
- shy girl who discovers a way to communicate comfortably with others.
- grandmother who teachers her granddaughter to speak in a loud, strong voice.
- chief who entertains children with stories about animals.
- new way to make baskets so they are colorful and useful.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe three clues in a selection that helped you determine the main idea of the selection.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2C: Summarizing
2C: Summarizing
Description:
Summarizing
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-33
C-33
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1352 words
Author: Caroline Mays Brevard
Synopsis: A young girl has an unexpected visit.
Excerpt:
No excerpt is available for this question.
Question:
The meeting between Betsy and General Washington happened "by chance." This means it was
- a bit of good luck.
- carefully planned.
- a risky thing to do.
- not good timing.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Write one paragraph that describes the main information about a selection you read.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
3A: Predicting Outcomes
3A: Predicting Outcomes
Description:
Predicting Outcomes
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-44
C-44
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1130 words
Author: Erica Cirino
Synopsis: A day at the zoo requires detective work when car keys disappear.
Excerpt:
The next exhibit they searched was the safari exhibit. This was Marco's favorite place in the whole zoo. They hopped on the safari train again. Marco and his dad were so happy that they nearly forgot about the lost keys.
Question:
In the selection, Marco rides on the safari train two times. When he rides on the train, what kind of expression would you probably see on his face?
- a smile
- a frown
- anger
- surprise
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Write an email to a friend who has not read the selection. Provide enough information about the selection's characters, settings, and events so your friend is able to predict what happened in the selection.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions