PA Reporting Category: E08.B Informational Text
PA Core Standards:
  • CC.1.2.8.A Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • CC.1.2.8.B Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences, conclusions, and/or generalizations drawn from the text.
  • CC.1.2.8.C Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events.

Assessment Anchor: E08.B-K.1 Key Ideas and Details
Descriptor: E08.B-K.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of key ideas and details in informational texts.
Eligible Content: E08.B-K.1.1.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
Alternate Eligible Content Code: E08BK1.1.2a
Alternate Eligible Content: Identify the main idea/central idea using 2 or more key details/evidence from the text
Alternate Eligible Content - Coded

  • Main idea/central idea
  • Key details/evidence
/
  • Identify
  • Use 2 or more
/ Context
  • From text

Definition notes:
  • Central Idea: The unifying element of a piece of a text
  • Main Idea: The author’s central thought; the chief topic of a text expressed or implied in a word or phrase; the topic sentence of a paragraph.

Text Selected Link: Text from Berger, Melvin. Discovering Mars: The Amazing Story of the Red Planet. New York: Scholastic, 1992.Link: (page 70).
Intent Statement:Find the common, general thought in the text using 2 or more pieces of specific information
  1. Most Complex Level (at the level as written):
  • Content target: Read (or have the student read) the modified text, below, paired with the original text. Then have the student identify the main idea using 2 or more key details from the text.
  • Example: See modified text below. Slideshow pictures of mars can be used to enhance learning.
Modified Text
Mars is a planet very different from Earth. It is very cold and dry. There are many volcanoes on Mars. Lava covers much of the land. There are four huge volcanoes on Mars, much bigger than any on Earth.
  • Ask the student to read/listen to the text and then tell/show what the passage is about. (Mars is different from Earth). Have the student give two key details to support how it is different (cold, dry, many volcanoes, huge volcanoes, lave covers much of the land).

  1. Mid-Complex Level:
  • Content target: The student will identify the main idea using 2 or more key details from the modified text paired with visual/object support.
  • Example: Read (or have the student read) the modified text (with picture supports).See modified text below. Slideshow pictures of mars to enhance learning
ModifiedText
Mars is a planet. Earth is a planet.
Mar is very different from Earth.

Mars very cold and dry.

It rains on Earth.

Mars is bigger than Earth

Lava covers much of the land on Mars.
Water and trees covers much of the land on Earth.
  • Ask the student to read/listen to the text and then tell/show what the passage is about. Then have the student select the overarching idea and support it with pictures using the template below.
  • Teacher reads the below: (use pic/object supports necessary based on the unique needs of the student)
  • Mars is the same as Earth.
  • Mars is different than Earth.
  • How is Mars different than Earth (cold, lava, bigger).
  • Students can place pictures used in the text in the appropriate boxes in the template below.

Mars /
Earth
  1. Least Complex Level:
  • Content target: The student will identify the main idea using 2 or more key details from significantlymodified text paired with visual/object support.
  • Example: Read the significantly modified textto the student with picture supports. Slideshow pictures of mars to enhance learning
Mars is a planet. Earth is a planet.

Mar is different from Earth.
Mars is bigger than Earth


Mars is covered with big rocks Earth has trees and water
Mars is very hot


  • Ask the student to read/listen to the text and then tell/show what the passage is about. Then have the student select the overarching idea and support it with pictures using the template below.
  • Teacher reads the below giving the big idea: (use pic/object supports necessary based on the unique needs of the student)
Mars is different than Earth.
Mars has big rocks and is hot. Find the picture that shows earth is different. (Earth has trees and water)