Pose Questions and Elaborate on Remarks
Help Questions
5th Grade Reading › Pose Questions and Elaborate on Remarks
Discussion Topic: The water cycle and why puddles disappear.
Transcript:
Teacher: Why do puddles get smaller after it rains?
Jamal: I think the water evaporates when the sun comes out.
Maya: Building on what Jamal said about evaporation, it happens because heat energy makes water molecules move faster and turn into water vapor.
Sofia: What makes you say heat energy is the reason? Is there an example from our experiment?
Maya: In our experiment, the cup near the lamp lost more water than the cup in the shade.
Ethan: The puddle just goes away.
Ava: How does this connect to condensation, like when we saw water drops on the lid?
Teacher: Good connection.
Question: Which response shows a student elaborating on someone else’s remark by adding explanation?
Jamal: “I think the water evaporates when the sun comes out.”
Teacher: “Good connection.”
Maya: “Building on what Jamal said about evaporation, it happens because heat energy makes water molecules move faster and turn into water vapor.”
Ethan: “The puddle just goes away.”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Maya said 'Building on what Jamal said about evaporation, it happens because heat energy makes water molecules move faster and turn into water vapor' which elaborates by adding scientific explanation to Jamal's basic observation. Sofia asked for evidence, and Ava asked about connections. Ethan made an off-topic comment that didn't elaborate. Choice A is correct because it identifies Maya's genuine elaboration where she adds scientific reasoning and explanation to Jamal's initial point about evaporation. This demonstrates understanding that effective discussion involves building on others' ideas with substance, not just repeating or making unrelated comments. Choice B represents a superficial comment without elaboration. Students who select this may have thought any comment about the topic counts as elaboration, not recognizing the need to add substance to someone else's idea. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: How to prepare for a class debate (speaking and listening).
Transcript:
Ms. Patel: Our debate question is: “Should homework be shorter?” What should we do to prepare?
Ava: We should find reasons and evidence, not just opinions.
Jamal: What kind of evidence would count—could we use a survey from our class or facts from an article?
Ava: A survey could show what students experience, and an article could give research.
Sofia: Building on Jamal, we should also check if the source is reliable, like if it’s from a trusted website.
Ethan: Homework is bad.
Maya: How does checking reliability connect to using evidence in a debate?
Ms. Patel: Keep going—ask each other questions.
Question: Which question is an evidence question (asking what proof or support could be used)?
Jamal: “What kind of evidence would count—could we use a survey from our class or facts from an article?”
Ethan: “Homework is bad.”
Ava: “We should find reasons and evidence, not just opinions.”
Ms. Patel: “What should we do to prepare?”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Jamal asked 'What kind of evidence would count—could we use a survey from our class or facts from an article?' which is an evidence question because it specifically asks about what types of proof or support could be used for the debate. Ava made a general statement, Sofia elaborated on reliability, and Ethan made an off-topic comment. Choice B is correct because it identifies Jamal's evidence question that asks specifically about what kinds of proof (survey or article) could support arguments in the debate. This demonstrates understanding that evidence questions seek specific types of support or proof for claims. Choice D represents the initial idea but not an evidence question. Students who select this may have confused stating the need for evidence with asking specific questions about what evidence to use. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: Why ancient people built near rivers (social studies).
Transcript:
Teacher: Why did many early civilizations settle near rivers?
Maya: Rivers gave water for drinking and farming.
Jamal: Can you explain how rivers helped farming, not just drinking?
Maya: Farmers could use the river to irrigate crops when it didn’t rain.
Sofia: Adding to that, rivers also left rich soil after floods, which could help plants grow better.
Ethan: Rivers are cool.
Ava: How does Sofia’s point connect to what we learned about the Nile flooding every year?
Teacher: Great connection.
Question: Which comment contributed meaningfully by building on someone else’s idea with an extra detail?
Maya: “Rivers gave water for drinking and farming.”
Teacher: “Great connection.”
Sofia: “Adding to that, rivers also left rich soil after floods, which could help plants grow better.”
Ethan: “Rivers are cool.”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Sofia said 'Adding to that, rivers also left rich soil after floods, which could help plants grow better' which builds on Maya's point about farming by adding the specific detail about fertile soil from flooding. Jamal asked a clarifying question, Ava made a connection, and Ethan made a superficial comment. Choice B is correct because it identifies Sofia's meaningful contribution where she builds on Maya's idea about rivers helping farming by adding the extra detail about rich soil from floods. This demonstrates understanding that effective discussion involves adding substance to others' ideas, not just making vague comments. Choice A represents a superficial comment without substance. Students who select this may have thought any positive comment about the topic counts as meaningful contribution, not recognizing the need to add specific information or build on others' ideas. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: School cafeteria waste—how to reduce trash.
Transcript:
Ms. Chen: Our cafeteria trash can fills up fast. What could we do to make less waste?
Ava: We could put a compost bin for fruit peels and veggie scraps.
Ethan: We should just stop eating.
Maya: How would composting help the trash can fill up less? What kinds of food would go in compost and what wouldn’t?
Ava: Fruit peels, apple cores, and napkins could go in compost, but milk cartons and plastic forks wouldn’t.
Jamal: Adding to Ava’s idea, compost could turn into soil for the school garden, so it’s not just “less trash,” it’s also useful.
Sofia: What if we also had a “share table” for unopened food so kids can take it?
Ms. Chen: Let’s compare those ideas.
Question: Which student asked the most specific question that helped clarify an idea?
Ethan: “We should just stop eating.”
Maya: “How would composting help the trash can fill up less? What kinds of food would go in compost and what wouldn’t?”
Ava: “We could put a compost bin for fruit peels and veggie scraps.”
Ms. Chen: “Let’s compare those ideas.”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Maya asked 'How would composting help the trash can fill up less? What kinds of food would go in compost and what wouldn't?' which is specific because it focuses on clarifying how the solution works and what specific items would be affected. Ava proposed composting, Ethan made an unhelpful comment, and Jamal elaborated on the benefits. Choice B is correct because it identifies Maya's effective specific question that asks for clarification about how composting works and specific examples of what would go in compost. This demonstrates understanding that effective discussion involves asking focused questions that help clarify and deepen understanding of proposed ideas. Choice C represents the initial idea but not a question. Students who select this may have confused proposing an idea with asking a specific question, not recognizing the difference between stating and questioning. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: Community helpers and emergencies (health/safety).
Transcript:
Teacher: Who should you call in different emergencies, and why?
Maya: If there’s a fire, you call firefighters because they have equipment and training.
Jamal: What’s your reason for saying “training”? What do firefighters know how to do that regular people might not?
Maya: They know how to use hoses safely, wear protective gear, and find people in smoke.
Sofia: Adding to that, firefighters also check buildings for danger so people don’t go back inside too soon.
Ethan: My uncle has a cool truck.
Ava: What if it’s not a fire but someone is hurt—who would you call then, and why?
Teacher: Keep asking specific questions.
Question: Which student asked a reasoning question (asking for the reason behind an idea)?
Teacher: “Who should you call in different emergencies, and why?”
Ethan: “My uncle has a cool truck.”
Jamal: “What’s your reason for saying ‘training’? What do firefighters know how to do that regular people might not?”
Maya: “If there’s a fire, you call firefighters because they have equipment and training.”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Jamal asked 'What's your reason for saying "training"? What do firefighters know how to do that regular people might not?' which is a reasoning question because it asks Maya to explain the reasoning behind mentioning training and provide specific examples. Maya made the initial claim, Sofia elaborated, Ava asked about different emergencies, and Ethan made an off-topic comment. Choice B is correct because it identifies Jamal's reasoning question that asks for the reason behind Maya's idea about training and specific examples of what that training includes. This demonstrates understanding that reasoning questions seek explanations and justifications for claims. Choice C represents the initial claim but not a reasoning question. Students who select this may have confused making a claim with asking for reasoning, not recognizing that Jamal was the one who asked Maya to explain her reasoning. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: Character traits in the novel "Stone Fox" (class read-aloud).
Transcript:
Teacher: Would you describe Willy as brave? Explain.
Jamal: Yes, he’s brave because he enters the race even though he’s worried.
Sofia: You said Willy was brave. What specific action shows that bravery during the race?
Jamal: He keeps going even when he’s tired and the snow is deep, and he doesn’t quit.
Maya: Supporting Jamal, he also chooses to race to help his grandfather, not just for a prize.
Ethan: He’s brave because he’s nice.
Ava: Does anyone disagree that bravery can include doing something for someone else? Why?
Teacher: Let’s use evidence from the text.
Question: What makes Sofia’s question effective?
It repeats exactly what Jamal said without asking for any details.
It is a very short question, so it must be effective.
It changes the subject to something unrelated to the race.
It asks for a specific action from the story to support the idea that Willy is brave.
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Sofia asked 'What specific action shows that bravery during the race?' which focuses on finding concrete evidence from the text to support Jamal's claim about Willy being brave. This is an evidence-based question that deepens discussion. Maya elaborated on Jamal's point, and Ava asked about different perspectives. Choice A is correct because it identifies that Sofia's question asks for a specific action from the story to support the idea that Willy is brave. This demonstrates understanding that effective questions seek specific evidence or examples rather than accepting general statements. Choice D represents misunderstanding what makes a question effective. Students who select this may have thought Sofia was just repeating, not recognizing that she was asking for specific evidence to support the claim. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: Theme of a story—"friendship takes work."
Transcript:
Teacher: What theme do you think the author is showing?
Kira: I think the theme is that friendship takes work.
Malik: Where in the text did you find evidence for that theme?
Kira: In the middle, when Kira’s character apologizes and then practices sharing the soccer ball instead of keeping it.
Elena: I agree with Kira that the character changed. Not only did she apologize like Kira mentioned, but she also invited Lina to sit with her at lunch, which she didn’t do at the beginning.
Jonah: Cool.
Malik: How does Elena’s example connect to the theme “friendship takes work”?
Which comment contributed meaningfully by building on someone else’s remark with additional evidence?
Kira: “I think the theme is that friendship takes work.”
Teacher: “What theme do you think the author is showing?”
Elena: She added another example (inviting Lina to lunch) to support the idea that the character worked on the friendship.
Jonah: “Cool.”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Elena elaborated by saying 'I agree with Kira that the character changed. Not only did she apologize like Kira mentioned, but she also invited Lina to sit with her at lunch, which she didn't do at the beginning.' Elena explicitly builds on Kira's evidence (apologizing, sharing) by adding another example (lunch invitation) that supports the same theme about friendship requiring effort. Choice B is correct because it identifies Elena's meaningful contribution where she added another example (inviting Lina to lunch) to support the idea that the character worked on the friendship. This demonstrates understanding that effective discussion involves building on others' ideas with additional supporting evidence, not just expressing minimal agreement. Choice A represents a superficial response without substance. Students who select this may have not recognized that 'Cool' doesn't contribute any ideas, evidence, or analysis to the discussion about the theme. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: How characters show feelings through actions.
Transcript:
Teacher: What feeling do you think Marco had when he left the room?
Riley: I think Marco was angry.
Tessa: What makes you think he was angry?
Riley: In the story, he slammed the door and stomped down the hallway.
Ben: Adding to that, the author also said his voice was sharp when he said, “Fine.”
Harper: Huh?
Which response shows elaboration by adding evidence to someone else’s idea?
Riley: “I think Marco was angry.”
Teacher: “What feeling do you think Marco had?”
Ben: “Adding to that, the author also said his voice was sharp…”
Harper: “Huh?”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Ben elaborated by saying 'Adding to that, the author also said his voice was sharp when he said, "Fine."' which adds additional textual evidence to Riley's point about Marco being angry. Ben explicitly signals he's building on Riley's evidence (slamming door, stomping) by adding another detail (sharp voice) that supports the same interpretation. Choice B is correct because it identifies Ben's genuine elaboration where he adds substance to Riley's remark through additional evidence from the text. This demonstrates understanding that effective discussion involves building on others' ideas with new supporting details, not just agreeing or being confused. Choice A represents confusion without contribution. Students who select this may have not recognized that 'Huh?' doesn't elaborate on anyone's ideas or add any substance to the discussion. To help students pose questions and elaborate: (1) Teach types of specific questions: Clarifying ('What do you mean by...?', 'Can you explain...?', 'Could you give an example?'), Evidence-based ('What makes you say that?', 'Where in the text...?', 'What's your evidence?'), Reasoning ('Why do you think...?', 'What's your reason for...?'), Extending ('What if...?', 'How does this connect to...?', 'Have you thought about...?'), Opinion-seeking ('Do you agree with...? Why?', 'What's your view on...?'). (2) Teach elaboration: Use sentence stems: 'Building on [name]'s idea, I'd add...', 'To support what [name] said, [evidence]...', 'I agree with [name] because [reasoning]...', 'Another example of what [name] mentioned is...', 'That connects to [earlier point] because...', 'Taking [name]'s idea further, what if...?'. Elaboration adds something new (evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, extensions), not just agreement or repetition.
Discussion Topic: The water cycle.
Transcript:
Ms. Patel: Explain how water moves through the water cycle.
Jamal: Water evaporates when the sun heats it up.
Sofia: Building on what Jamal said about the water cycle, evaporation happens because heat energy makes water molecules move faster and turn into vapor.
Ava: Where does the vapor go after that—does it rise into the air and become part of clouds?
Maya: Yes, it cools and condenses into tiny droplets, which form clouds.
Ethan: So… water just goes up.
Noah: To add on, when the droplets get heavy, they fall as precipitation like rain or snow.
Question: Which comment best shows a student elaborating by adding a scientific explanation to another student’s idea?
Ethan: “So… water just goes up.”
Sofia: “Building on what Jamal said… heat energy makes water molecules move faster and turn into vapor.”
Ms. Patel: “Explain how water moves through the water cycle.”
Jamal: “Water evaporates when the sun heats it up.”
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Sofia said 'Building on what Jamal said about the water cycle, evaporation happens because heat energy makes water molecules move faster and turn into vapor,' which elaborates by adding scientific explanation to Jamal's basic statement about evaporation. Choice B is correct because it identifies genuine elaboration where Sofia adds substance to Jamal's remark through scientific reasoning and explanation of the process. This demonstrates understanding that effective elaboration builds on others' ideas with additional information, not just repetition. Choice A represents oversimplification without elaboration. Students who select this may have confused simple restatement with meaningful elaboration.
Discussion Topic: Why a character acted a certain way.
Transcript:
Ms. Patel: Why do you think Marcus hid the letter in the story?
Maya: I think Marcus was worried he’d get in trouble.
Jamal: What makes you think he was worried—what did he do or say that shows that?
Maya: He kept looking over his shoulder, and the author said his voice sounded shaky when he talked.
Sofia: Adding to Maya’s clues, Marcus also shoved the letter into his backpack quickly, like he didn’t want anyone to see it.
Ethan: Marcus is mean.
Ava: I see Ethan’s point that Marcus wasn’t being kind, but I think he was scared, not mean, because he still helped his sister later.
Question: What type of question did Jamal ask?
An off-topic question that changes the subject.
An evidence question asking for details from the story to support an idea.
A yes-or-no question that ends the discussion quickly.
A vague question with no clear focus.
Explanation
This question assesses CCSS.SL.5.1.c: posing and responding to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Effective discussion contributions include: (1) Posing specific questions that help clarify, extend, or deepen thinking (clarifying: 'What do you mean by X?', evidence: 'What makes you say that?', extending: 'How does that connect to Y?', analyzing: 'Why do you think Z?'). (2) Elaborating on others' remarks by adding substance—evidence, reasoning, examples, connections, or extensions (not just agreeing or repeating). (3) Making meaningful comments that contribute ideas, insights, or analysis supported by reasoning or evidence. In this scenario, Jamal asked 'What makes you think he was worried—what did he do or say that shows that?' which is an evidence question asking for specific details from the story to support Maya's interpretation. Choice C is correct because it recognizes that Jamal asked an evidence question seeking details from the story to support an idea about the character's feelings. This demonstrates understanding that evidence questions ask for specific textual support for claims. Choice B represents a vague question type. Students who select this may have confused any question with a vague one, not recognizing the specific request for evidence.