Ask and Answer Questions About Text - 3rd Grade Reading

Read the text. Sunflowers are tall plants that can grow up to 12 feet high. They got their name because their flowers turn to face the sun throughout the day. This movement is called heliotropism. Sunflowers produce seeds that people and animals eat. Each sunflower head can contain up to 2,000 seeds. Native Americans grew sunflowers for food hundreds of years ago. What is the movement called when sunflowers turn to face the sun?
Answer: Heliotropism This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sunflowers and their characteristics. It provides information including their height, their movement toward the sun, and their seeds. The question asks what the movement is called when sunflowers turn to face the sun. To answer this question, students need to find the specific term mentioned in the text. Choice B is correct because the passage explicitly states the name of this movement. The text says 'This movement is called heliotropism.' This information directly answers the question about what the movement is called. Choice A is incorrect because hibernation is not mentioned in the passage - while hibernation is a real term, the text specifically says the movement is called heliotropism. To help students: Teach vocabulary strategies - when the text defines a term (using words like 'called,' 'is,' or 'means'), students should pay special attention. Have students create a glossary of important terms from their reading. Practice questions that ask for definitions or names of things described in the text.
Read the text. Ruby Bridges was born in 1954 in Mississippi. When she was six years old, she became the first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school in Louisiana. This happened in 1960. Ruby had to be escorted by federal marshals because some people protested. She showed great courage by going to school every day despite the protests. When did Ruby Bridges attend the all-white school?
Answer: 1960 This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about Ruby Bridges. It provides information including that she was born in 1954, became the first African American child to attend an all-white school in Louisiana, and showed great courage. The question asks when Ruby Bridges attended the all-white school. To answer this question, students need to find the year stated in the text for this event. Choice B is correct because it matches the text evidence. The passage explicitly states: 'This happened in 1960.' This information directly answers the question by providing the specific year of the event. Choice A is incorrect because the text actually says she was born in 1954, not that she attended school that year. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where sea otters live. Let me go back to the text and look for information about where they live. The first sentence says Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. That's my evidence, so my answer is: in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Read the text. Sunflowers are tall plants that can grow up to 12 feet high. They got their name because their flowers turn to face the sun throughout the day. This movement is called heliotropism. Sunflowers produce seeds that people and animals eat. Each sunflower head can contain up to 2,000 seeds. Native Americans grew sunflowers for food hundreds of years ago. How many seeds can one sunflower head contain?
Answer: Up to 2,000 seeds This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sunflowers. It provides information including their name origin, movement, and seed count. The question asks how many seeds one sunflower head can contain. To answer this question, students need to find the number mentioned in the text. Choice B is correct because it matches the text evidence. The passage explicitly states that each sunflower head can contain up to 2,000 seeds. The text says 'Each sunflower head can contain up to 2,000 seeds.' This information directly answers the question by providing the specific amount. Choice C is incorrect because the text actually says up to 2,000 seeds, not up to 20,000. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where sea otters live. Let me go back to the text and look for information about where they live. The first sentence says Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. That's my evidence, so my answer is: in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Read the text. Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. They have the thickest fur of any animal, with up to one million hairs per square inch. Sea otters float on their backs and use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish. They eat about 25% of their body weight in food each day. Which detail from the text shows sea otters use tools?
Answer: "They use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish." This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sea otters. It provides information including their habitat, fur, behavior, tool use, and eating habits. The question asks which detail shows sea otters use tools (a 'which' question about specific evidence). To answer this question, students need to identify the sentence that explicitly mentions tool use. Choice C is correct because it quotes the text evidence. The passage explicitly states: 'Sea otters float on their backs and use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish.' This information directly answers the question by showing tool use with rocks. Choice A is incorrect because this is information from the text, but it answers a different question - it tells us about their fur, not about using tools. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks which detail shows tool use. Let me go back to the text and look for tools. The third sentence says use rocks as tools... That's my evidence, so my answer is that detail.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Where do sea otters live?
Answer: Along the Pacific coast of North America The text states that sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast, so Choice A is correct. Choice B swaps in the wrong ocean while keeping a similar coastal idea. Choice C swaps salt water for fresh water, which does not match where sea otters live. Choice D contradicts the passage, which describes otters living along the coast and in cold water, not far from shore in warm water.
Read the text. Earthquakes happen when underground rocks break and shift suddenly. This releases energy that travels through Earth in waves. The point where rocks break is called the focus. The spot on Earth's surface above the focus is the epicenter. Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake strength. How do scientists measure earthquake strength?
Answer: They use seismographs This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about earthquakes. It provides information including how they happen, what the focus and epicenter are, and how scientists measure them. The question asks how scientists measure earthquake strength (a 'how' question about method). To answer this question, students need to find the tool or method stated in the text. Choice A is correct because it directly comes from the text. The passage explicitly states in the last sentence: 'Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake strength.' This information directly answers the question by naming the tool used. Choice B is incorrect because this information does not appear in the passage - checking the text, we see it mentions seismographs, not counting thunder sounds, which is unrelated to earthquakes. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks how scientists measure earthquakes. Let me go back to the text and look for that. The last sentence says Scientists use seismographs... That's my evidence, so my answer is: they use seismographs.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Read the text. The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. France gave the statue to the United States in 1886 as a gift of friendship. The statue is made of copper over a metal frame. It holds a torch to welcome people arriving by sea. Today, many visitors take a ferry to see it. Where is the Statue of Liberty located?
Answer: On Liberty Island in New York Harbor This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about the Statue of Liberty. It provides information including its location, when it was given to the United States, and what it represents. The question asks where the Statue of Liberty is located. To answer this question, students need to find the location stated in the text. Choice A is correct because the passage explicitly states this location. The text says 'The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.' This sentence directly answers the question about where the statue is located - on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. Choice B is incorrect because the Grand Canyon is not mentioned in the passage - checking the text, we see it clearly states the statue is on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, not in the Grand Canyon. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where the Statue of Liberty is located. Let me go back to the text and look for location information. The first sentence says The Statue of Liberty stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. That's my evidence, so my answer is: on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Teach students that 'where' questions ask for places or locations.
What materials did workers use to build the wall?
Answer: Stone, brick, and earth The correct answer is right because the passage states that workers used stone, brick, and earth to build different sections of the wall. Choice B is wrong because wood, marble, and bronze are not the materials named in the passage. Choice C is wrong because clay, sand, and rope are not mentioned as building materials for the wall. Choice D is wrong because iron, glass, and cement are not mentioned in the passage either.
Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?
Answer: Light moves faster than sound. The text explains that light travels faster than sound, so the flash reaches our eyes before the sound reaches our ears. Choice B is correct. Storms are not only at night (Choice A), thunder is not silent in winter (Choice C), and clouds do not block the sound (Choice D), so none is the reason.
Read the text. Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. They have very thick fur, with up to one million hairs per square inch. Sea otters float on their backs and use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish. They eat about 25% of their body weight in food each day. This helps them stay warm in cold ocean water. Where do sea otters live?
Answer: In the Pacific Ocean along the coast This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sea otters. It provides information including that they have very thick fur, use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish, and eat about 25% of their body weight each day. The question asks where sea otters live. To answer this question, students need to find the location mentioned in the text. Choice A is correct because it directly matches the text evidence. The passage explicitly states in the first sentence: 'Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' This information directly answers the question by specifying the habitat of sea otters. Choice B is incorrect because this information does not appear in the passage - checking the text, we see the passage says they live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast, not in rivers deep inside forests. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where sea otters live. Let me go back to the text and look for information about where they live. The first sentence says Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. That's my evidence, so my answer is: in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Read the text. Lightning is a powerful electric spark in the sky. It forms inside storm clouds when ice particles bump together and create electric charges. When enough charge builds up, electricity jumps between the cloud and the ground or between clouds. We see lightning as a bright flash. Thunder is the sound lightning makes when it heats the air so quickly that the air explodes. Light travels faster than sound, so we see lightning before we hear thunder. Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?
Answer: Because light travels faster than sound This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about lightning and thunder. It provides information including how lightning forms, what thunder is, and why we see lightning before hearing thunder. The question asks why we see lightning before we hear thunder. To answer this question, students need to find the explanation given in the text. Choice C is correct because the passage explicitly states the reason. The text says 'Light travels faster than sound, so we see lightning before we hear thunder.' This information directly answers the question about why we see lightning first. Choice D is incorrect because it contradicts the text - the passage explains that thunder is the sound lightning makes, so lightning happens first, not after thunder. To help students: Focus on cause-and-effect relationships in texts. Look for signal words like 'because,' 'so,' 'therefore,' and 'since.' Have students practice restating cause-and-effect relationships from the text in their own words while keeping the meaning accurate.
Read the text. Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. They have very thick fur, with up to one million hairs per square inch. Sea otters float on their backs and use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish. They eat about 25% of their body weight in food each day. This helps them stay warm in cold ocean water. How do sea otters crack open shellfish?
Answer: They use rocks as tools This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sea otters. It provides information including that they live in the Pacific Ocean, have thick fur with up to one million hairs per square inch, and eat 25% of their body weight daily. The question asks how sea otters crack open shellfish. To answer this question, students need to find the method described in the text for opening shellfish. Choice A is correct because it directly comes from the text evidence. The passage explicitly states: 'Sea otters float on their backs and use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish.' This information directly answers the question by describing the tool and action used. Choice B is incorrect because this information does not appear in the passage - checking the text, we see they use rocks, not heat to melt shells. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where sea otters live. Let me go back to the text and look for information about where they live. The first sentence says Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. That's my evidence, so my answer is: in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
When did Ruby Bridges go to the all-white school?
Answer: In 1960 The text says Ruby became the first Black child at the all-white school in 1960. Choice B is correct. 1954 (Choice A) is the year she was born, and 1970 and 1860 (Choices C and D) are years the text does not mention.
Read the text. Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. They have very thick fur, with up to one million hairs per square inch. Sea otters float on their backs and use rocks to crack open shellfish. They eat about 25% of their body weight each day to stay warm in cold water. Where do sea otters live?
Answer: In the Pacific Ocean along the coast This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sea otters. It provides information including where they live, their fur, how they eat, and their daily food intake. The question asks where sea otters live (a 'where' question about place). To answer this question, students need to find the specific location stated in the text. Choice A is correct because it directly matches the text evidence. The passage explicitly states in the first sentence: 'Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' This information directly answers the question by providing the exact location. Choice B is incorrect because this information does not appear in the passage - checking the text, we see it says they live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast, not in rivers and lakes far from the ocean. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where sea otters live. Let me go back to the text and look for information about where they live. The first sentence says Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. That's my evidence, so my answer is: in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Read the text. The Great Wall of China is in northern China. It was built over many centuries to protect China from invaders. The wall stretches more than 13,000 miles across mountains and deserts. Workers used stone, brick, and earth to build different sections. Today, the Great Wall is a famous tourist attraction that millions of people visit each year. Why was the Great Wall built?
Answer: To protect China from invaders This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about the Great Wall of China. It provides information including its location, purpose, length, and current use. The question asks why the Great Wall was built. To answer this question, students need to find the reason stated in the text. Choice A is correct because the passage explicitly states the purpose. The text says 'It was built over many centuries to protect China from invaders.' This information directly answers the question about why it was built. Choice B is incorrect because carrying water to farms is not mentioned in the passage - the text specifically states it was built for protection, not irrigation. To help students: Model think-aloud: 'The question asks why the Great Wall was built. Let me look for words like built, purpose, or reason. I see: It was built over many centuries to protect China from invaders. That tells me the reason - to protect China from invaders.' Teach students to look for signal words that indicate purpose or reason (to, because, for, in order to). Practice identifying different types of information in texts: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Read the passage. The Great Wall of China is in northern China. It was built over many centuries to protect China from invaders. The wall stretches more than 13,000 miles across mountains and deserts. Workers used stone, brick, and earth to build different sections. Today, millions of people visit it each year. Why was the Great Wall built?
Answer: To protect China from invaders This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about the Great Wall of China. It provides information including its location, purpose, length, materials, and visitors today. The question asks why the Great Wall was built (a 'why' question about reason). To answer this question, students need to find the purpose explicitly stated in the text. Choice B is correct because it matches the text evidence. The passage explicitly states: 'It was built over many centuries to protect China from invaders.' This information directly answers the question by giving the reason for building it. Choice A is incorrect because while this might be true about walls in general, it is not stated in this passage; the text specifies protection from invaders, not helping ships. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks why the wall was built. Let me go back to the text and look for the reason. The second sentence says It was built... to protect China from invaders. That's my evidence, so my answer is: to protect China from invaders.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.
Read the text. Earthquakes occur when underground rocks break and shift suddenly. This releases energy that travels through Earth in waves. The point where rocks break is called the focus. The spot on Earth's surface directly above the focus is called the epicenter. Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake strength. What tool do scientists use to measure earthquakes?
Answer: Seismographs This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about earthquakes and how they work. It provides information including what causes earthquakes (rocks breaking and shifting), key terms (focus and epicenter), and how scientists measure them. The question asks what tool scientists use to measure earthquakes. To answer this question, students need to find the specific instrument mentioned in the text. Choice B is correct because the passage explicitly names this tool. The text says 'Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake strength.' This sentence directly answers the question about what tool is used to measure earthquakes. Choice A is incorrect because thermometers are not mentioned in the passage - while students might know thermometers measure temperature, the text specifically states that seismographs measure earthquakes. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks what tool scientists use to measure earthquakes. Let me go back to the text and look for information about measuring earthquakes. The last sentence says Scientists use seismographs to measure earthquake strength. That's my evidence, so my answer is: seismographs.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud.
What is the epicenter?
Answer: The spot on Earth's surface above the focus The text says the epicenter is the spot on the ground right above the focus. Choice C is correct. A measuring tool (Choice A) is a seismograph, the point where rocks break (Choice B) is the focus, and the epicenter is a place, not a wave (Choice D).
Where do sea otters live?
Answer: In cold coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean The text states that sea otters live along the Pacific coast in cold ocean water, so Choice A is correct. Choice B swaps in the wrong ocean while keeping a similar coastal idea. Choice C swaps salt water for fresh water, which does not match where sea otters live. Choice D swaps cold water for warm water, which contradicts the text's description of sea otters staying warm in cold water.
Read the text. Sunflowers are tall plants that can grow up to 12 feet high. They got their name because their flowers turn to face the sun throughout the day. This movement is called heliotropism. Sunflowers produce seeds that people and animals eat. Each sunflower head can contain up to 2,000 seeds. Native Americans grew sunflowers for food hundreds of years ago. What is the movement of turning to face the sun called?
Answer: Heliotropism This question tests asking and answering questions using text evidence (CCSS.RI.3.1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers). Students must find information directly stated in the passage and use it to answer questions. When answering questions about a text, students should refer explicitly to the text - this means going back to the passage and finding the exact information that answers the question. Good readers: (1) Read the question carefully, (2) Go back to the text, (3) Find the sentence(s) with the answer, (4) Use that information to answer, (5) Check that their answer matches what the text says. Questions often ask Who, What, When, Where, Why, or How. The answer must come from the TEXT, not from what students already know about the topic. If asked for evidence, students should be able to point to or quote the specific sentence that supports their answer. This passage is about sunflowers. It provides information including that they can grow up to 12 feet high, produce up to 2,000 seeds per head, and were grown by Native Americans for food. The question asks what the movement of turning to face the sun is called. To answer this question, students need to find the term used in the text for this movement. Choice C is correct because it corresponds to the text evidence. The passage explicitly states: 'This movement is called heliotropism.' This information directly answers the question by naming the specific term. Choice A is incorrect because while this might be true about some animals, it is not stated in this passage about sunflowers; the text describes heliotropism, not hibernation. To help students: Explicitly teach the process of answering questions with text evidence: (1) Underline or highlight key words in question, (2) Skim passage looking for those key words or related information, (3) Read that section carefully, (4) Use information from text to answer, (5) Check answer against text to make sure it matches. Model think-aloud: 'The question asks where sea otters live. Let me go back to the text and look for information about where they live. The first sentence says Sea otters live in the Pacific Ocean along the coast. That's my evidence, so my answer is: in the Pacific Ocean along the coast.' Practice finding text evidence by asking students to show where the answer is - have them point to the sentence, underline it, or read it aloud. Use question words explicitly: Who asks about people/animals, What asks about things/actions, When asks about time, Where asks about place, Why asks about reasons, How asks about methods. Teach students to avoid using prior knowledge - the answer must be in THIS text. Create 'text detective' activities where students find clues (evidence) in the text. Use sticky notes to mark where answers are found. Practice both asking AND answering questions about texts. Watch for: Students who answer from prior knowledge instead of text, can't locate information in passage, make inferences when question asks for explicit information, or give vague answers without specific text evidence. Provide frequent practice with diverse informational texts and various question types.

Start this quiz