R.2

Description: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development.
Maps to Reading Plus skills: 1B, 1B, 2A, 9B

Exemplars

1B: Analyzing Implicit Details

1B: Analyzing Implicit Details

Description: Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences from information in text

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: B-7

B-7

Grade level: 2
Word count: 1131 words
Author: J. Baldwin
Synopsis: This ancient myth tells about Arion, a man who sings more beautifully than anyone else. He runs into trouble on a boat, but he's rescued in a very surprising way.
Excerpt: In a city in ancient Greece, there once lived a man who made beautiful music. His name was Arion. No other person could play music or sing so sweetly. In just a moment, his music could wipe away sad or angry feelings. The songs he wrote were famous in many lands.

How was Arion saved after he jumped into the sea? Some people say he climbed on the back of a dolphin.

Other people say the dolphin that saved Arion was not a sea creature. It was a boat named the "Dolphin." These people say Arion, who was a very good swimmer, was able to swim in the sea until a passing boat saved him.

Question: The selection says Arion was good at doing two things. What are they?
  1. making music and swimming
  2. swimming and making friends
  3. making music and hiding money
  4. finding dolphins and finding money

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: What lesson (or lessons) did you learn from the selection?

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: B-10

B-10

Grade level: 2
Word count: 1102 words
Author: Kate Carter
Synopsis: How much do you know about the sun? Less than you think.
Excerpt: Certainly our ancestors thought our sun was super. That's why they named our entire solar system after the sun. "Sol" is the ancient Roman word for sun.

Question: Read this excerpt. What does it tell you about the people of ancient Rome?
  1. They thought the sun was powerful and important.
  2. They believed the sun was going to burn out.
  3. They thought the planets were more important than the sun.
  4. They believed people should live on the sun.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Describe the clues in a selection that helped you determine the selection's main idea.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions

2A: Determining Main Idea

2A: Determining Main Idea

Description: Determining Main Idea and Themes

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: B-1

B-1

Grade level: 2
Word count: 1097 words
Author: Carlos Valdoza
Synopsis: Are you the oldest in your family? The youngest? In between? The only? Your answer tells a lot about you.
Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.
Question: This selection is mainly about
  1. how family birth order affects your personality.
  2. why first-born kids are more likely to be president.
  3. which traits are the most dangerous.
  4. what you can do to change your birth order.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Use a story map to show the main idea and its supporting details in a selection.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions

9B: Classifying

9B: Classifying

Description: Classify

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: B-49

B-49

Grade level: 2
Word count: 1087 words
Author: Barbara Smalley
Synopsis: Hot dogs are one of America's most popular foods.
Excerpt: No excerpt is available for this question.
Question: Hot dogs are popular for many reasons. All of these statements explain why hot dogs are popular EXCEPT
  1. "Hot dogs have a narrow tube shape, and they are usually brown."
  2. "Hot dogs can be easily heated in a pan, on a grill, or in boiling water."
  3. "Hot dogs are available in most places, and they do not cost much money."
  4. "Hot dogs can be served with any kind of topping a person likes."

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Write three headings: Places, Animals, Events. Under these headings, list the names and main ideas of at least 7 non-fiction texts you have read.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions