Literature - EC: L.N.2.5.2

Continuum of Activities

The list below represents a continuum of activities: resources categorized by Standard/Eligible Content that teachers may use to move students toward proficiency. Using LEA curriculum and available materials and resources, teachers can customize the activity statements/questions for classroom use.

This continuum of activities offers:

Instructional activities designed to be integrated into planned lessons
Questions/activities that grow in complexity
Opportunities for differentiation for each student’s level of performance

Grade Levels

Commencement

Course, Subject

English Language Arts, Literature

Related Academic Standards / Eligible Content

L.N.2.5.2 L.N.2.5.2

Explain, interpret, describe, and/or analyze the use of facts and opinions in the text.

Activities

For each fact used in a nonfiction text, find at least one piece of evidence the author lists in order to support that fact.
Identify at least one instance of an author supporting an idea with his or her opinion.
Explain the relationship between facts and their evidence in a nonfiction text.
Summarize and explain how an author employs his or her opinion in order to support his or her main idea in a nonfiction text.
Evaluate the use of facts in a nonfiction text and choose one fact that best supports the author’s purpose. Give a rationale for this choice.
Draw a conclusion about the author’s use of opinion indicating whether or not you think the opinion is justified or not.

Answer Key/Rubric

Students correctly identify the relationship between facts and their supporting evidence in a nonfiction text. These are most likely grouped in the same paragraphs to one another.
Students recognize the use of opinion in a nonfiction text. There may be the use of 1^st person, but opinion may also be conveyed through 3^rd person. Students should be able to recognize both instances.
Students identify and explain how evidence supports facts. There may be a cause and effect, data, a list of evidence, quote or anecdotal evidence to support facts.
Students first summarize an author’s opinion or any opinion used in a nonfiction text. They then explain and interpret how this opinion works to support the purpose/thesis of the nonfiction text.
Students examine the use of fact in nonfiction and make a distinction as to which fact best supports the purpose and how. Students should be able to evaluate the use of fact for its strength.
Students draw conclusions about the use of opinion in nonfiction. They should develop arguments indicating whether or not they agree with the opinion and why. Students should be able to make evaluations as to whether opinions are informed or uniformed and how this difference affects their agreement.

Suggested Rubric: This rubric may be used to assess a student’s overall mastery of the standard or eligible content.