R.8
Description:
Analyze and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
8B
Exemplars
8B: Reasoning
8B: Reasoning
Description:
Reasoning
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
C-5
C-5
Grade level: 3
Word count: 1270 words
Author: Madeline Arroyo
Synopsis: Fires can help the forest, but more often they destroy it.
Excerpt:
Although we usually hear only about the harm a forest fire does, it is a part of the cycle of life on Earth. Some kinds of plants depend on fire to help their growth. During a fire, burned plants release nutrients into the ground. These make the soil rich and help new plants grow. This new growth is good for the forest and the animals that live there.
Question:
Which statement from the selection supports the author's claim that sometimes a wildfire can be helpful?
- Burned plants release nutrients into the ground.
- The sun's heat can set off a fire.
- A fire team may battle a wildfire from the air.
- A soft wood tree, like a fir tree, will burn fast.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Write three "why" questions about a selection and provide evidence from the text on how those questions should be answered.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions