Activities

1. Identify the main idea of one or more paragraphs of a specific text.
   
   
2. Paraphrase the author’s intended purpose of a specific text.
   
   
3. Compare the intended purpose of two different texts by the same author.
   
   
4. Cite two or more examples of evidence that illustrate the author’s intended purpose.
   
   
5. Evaluate which supporting idea within a given text best supports the author’s purpose and explain why.
   
   
6. Develop an alternative conclusion to an author’s intended purpose and provide two supporting ideas for your alternative conclusion.
   
   

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student accurately identifies the main ideas of one or more paragraphs.  Student does not confuse supporting ideas with main ideas.
   
   
2. In either speech or in writing, student fluently and correctly describes the author’s intended purpose into his or her own words.
   
   
3. Student correctly summarizes the main idea of two or more texts by the same author. Student accurately compares similarities and differences between the two (subject matter, point-of-view, etc.).
   
   
4. Student is able to accurately pick two supporting details that support the author’s intended purpose. In speech or in writing, student is able to explain how those details support the intended purpose.
   
   
5. Student accurately assesses the supporting ideas and is able to choose the strongest example that best supports the author's purpose. Student is able to thoroughly justify his or her choice in speech or in writing.
   
   
6. Student writes an alternative conclusion to the author’s original intended purpose. This conclusion may disagree with the original intended purpose or may illustrate a different point-of-view. Student is also able to support his or her own alternative conclusion with two examples of evidence. These examples may be of their own or drawn from the author’s text.

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