1. Answering Text-Dependent Questions with Evidence Based Claims
Set up a clean note sheet. Copy this as their heading.
CCSS RL 8.1

2. CCSS RL 8.1
Students will be able to cite textual evidence that strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Interpretation:
You must be able to a) make a claim (draw a conclusion) about what you’ve read, and b) locate support for your claim.
You must be able to a) explain the meaning of what you’ve read, and b) provide evidence that supports your interpretation.
Students copy the 2nd statement into their notes.
Explain that this is the 1st standard/expectation identified by the Dept. of Education. Ask students: why would this be 1st? What does that tell you?

3. Essential Questions to Understand
What is a text-dependent question?
What is an evidence-based claim (EBC)?
How do I prepare an evidence-based claim?
How do I write an evidence-based claim?
What is the criteria of a proficient EBC?

4. Learning Objectives: Students will be able to:
Identify Text-Dependent Questions
Define “Evidence-based Claim”.
Make evidence-based claims:
Claims based upon concrete ideas presented in the text.
Claims about more abstract ideas implied in parts of the text.
Global claims about the entire text and its larger meaning.
Evaluate the quality of evidence-based claims.
What will we learn? How will it benefit you?

5. What is a Text-Dependent Question?
A text dependent question specifically asks a question that can only be answered by referring explicitly back to the text being read.
It does not rely on any particular background knowledge or experiences outside of the text
It depends only on the text itself and what students can extract from what is before them.
Time: 2 minutes
Book Source:
“Teaching Students to Read Like Detectives: Comprehending, Analyzing, and Discussing Text”- Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Diane Lapp.
• Llet’s consolidate our understanding of text dependent questions by reading a definitional statement from Douglas Fisher, one of the major contributors to the CCSS initiative.
Read Slide

6. Text-Dependent Questions...
Can only be answered with evidence from the text
Can be literal (checking for understanding) but must also involve analysis, synthesis, evaluation
Focus on word, sentence, and paragraph, as well as larger ideas, themes, or events
Focus on difficult portions of text in order to enhance reading proficiency
Can be prompts for writing and discussion questions
Time: 2 minutes
Other authors of the CCSS endorse this statement:
• They point out that TDQ which involve analysis, synthesis, and evaluation actually point students towards the most difficult parts and assist them in working through the text. They moving readers from confusion to comprehension. Literal question do not achieve the same amount of analytical leverage.
The authors state that TDQ’s will drive the CCSS in the classroom if questions are asked about words, sentences, paragraphs, big ideas, themes, and relationships.
TDQ’s, are an opportunity to address the academic (tier two) vocabulary and syntax that are features of complex text.
• Rich TBQs also make excellent prompts for writing and academic conversations.

7. Non-Examples and Examples
Not Text-Dependent
Text-Dependent
In “Casey at the Bat,” Casey strikes out. Describe a time when you failed at something.
In “The Gettysburg Address” Lincoln says the nation is dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Why is equality an important value to promote?
What makes Casey’s experiences at bat humorous?
“The Gettysburg Address” mentions the year According to Lincoln’s speech, why is this year significant to the events described in the speech?
Text-dependent questions require students to pay attention to the text at hand and draw evidence from that text.
Remember that this applies to all texts, literary and informational.

8. How do I answer a text-dependent question on a multiple-choice test?
Strategy: Skim and Search

9. SKIM AND SEARCH SKIM 1. Read the Question carefully.
2. Underline key words or phrases
in the question
words or phrases that tell you
What to look for
Where to look
These will help you find the answer.

10. SKIM the text 3. Using the Key words. . .
Skim the text until you find the word or phrase you are looking for.
Then slow down and search for the answer.

11. SEARCH the text
Purpose: Reading closely to identify supporting details.
Re-read the paragraph sentence by sentence.
Find details about the topic.
- A detail is a statement that provides specific
information about the main idea and the topic.
To find a detail, ask: “What’s one piece of specific information about the topic?”

12. MARK IT UP 4.Once you have found the information you are looking for…
A. Check closely: Does the information
you found relate to the question?
B. If so, underline all of the details
that relate to the question.
this may include the sentence that included the key word or phrase, as well as sentences before and after the key words
Label the question: If it relates to question 7, then write #7 in the margin
C. If not, continue skimming…
Yes, you can mark up the test booklet—underline, highlight, etc--even on the PSSA.

13. RETURN and ANSWER the question
1. Return to the question.
Compare the information that you found in
the text with the answer choices.
If there is a match, choose the correct
answer.

14. WHAT IF…? If there is not a direct match… ASK YOURSELF:
does the information that you’ve found provide enough evidence to draw a strong conclusion?
Does the evidence support one of the answer choices?
Even though it may not be directly stated, you should be able to “think through” a connection between the details and an answer.

15. BUT BUT BUT… If you are still unsure:
First, use the “process of elimination” to
remove any answers that you are sure are wrong
Review the possible correct choices carefully.
Look for the closest match to the information you found, or the answer that makes the most sense.

16. Return and Repeat
Repeat this process for all questions

17. TIP Answer the questions that come easily first
If you are stuck on a question, star it, skip it, and return to it later.
Put a star next to the question and on the answer sheet as well