Writing Standards: Writing Informative Texts with Facts, Details, and Vocabulary (CCSS.W.5.1)
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Common Core 5th Grade ELA › Writing Standards: Writing Informative Texts with Facts, Details, and Vocabulary (CCSS.W.5.1)
Our school should not give homework on weekends. Weekends are for rest, family time, and community activities, like games and volunteering. When students get real breaks, they return on Monday focused. For example, many classmates spend Saturday at games or helping with chores, so late-night worksheets just cause stress and messy work. Two weeks ago, our teacher skipped weekend homework, and our class came back ready; consequently, class discussions were faster and more thoughtful. Sports and music events also happen on weekends, which are healthy and skill-building. If we keep homework to weekdays, students can plan better and bring higher-quality work. A no-weekend-homework rule would support learning by giving students time to recharge.
Which detail best supports the author's claim?
Some students enjoy rainy Saturdays indoors.
In our class, when there was no weekend homework for two weeks, Monday quiz scores went up for more than half the students.
Teachers can email assignments any day of the week.
Homework folders come in different colors.
Explanation
Choice B gives a concrete result (higher Monday quiz scores) that directly shows how skipping weekend homework improves learning, which supports the claim.
Pets should be allowed in classrooms. A calm, low-allergy pet, like a fish or a small reptile, can lower stress and teach responsibility. For example, our club kept a class fish for a month, and students signed up to feed it and clean the tank; consequently, we learned to follow a schedule. Specifically, shy readers were willing to read aloud while sitting near the tank because the gentle movement helped them relax. Allergies can be managed by choosing pets that do not shed. We can also keep the habitat clean and away from desks. A classroom pet would make learning more engaging and help students practice caring for another living thing.
Which sentence would be the best conclusion?
Hamsters are small and cute.
Some students have pets at home.
Pets are not loud during assemblies.
For these reasons, allowing a low-allergy classroom pet would improve learning and responsibility.
Explanation
Choice D restates the opinion and ties it to the reasons (learning and responsibility), giving a logical, focused conclusion.
Our cafeteria should replace single-use plastic utensils with reusable ones. Every lunch, piles of plastic forks and spoons are used for only a few minutes and then thrown away. Specifically, our school already has a dishwasher for trays, so washing utensils would fit into the routine. Last week, the Green Team noticed that the trash cans near the exits filled up fastest on pasta day because of all the plastic. Consequently, switching to metal utensils would cut waste and keep our campus cleaner. While there is a cost to buy them, they can be used hundreds of times, which saves money over the year.
Which detail best supports the author's claim?
Reusable spoons come in many colors.
Pizza is popular on Fridays.
Carpools reduce traffic at pickup time.
Last Friday, our custodian filled five large trash bags with plastic forks thrown away after lunch.
Explanation
Choice D provides a measurable example of waste, directly supporting the claim that switching to reusable utensils would reduce trash.
Our school library should open 30 minutes before the first bell. Many bus riders arrive early and wait in noisy hallways with nothing to do. Specifically, the library offers computers, printers, and quiet tables that are often empty until class begins. If it opened early, students could print essays, finish reading, or get help finding sources. Consequently, more students would turn in prepared work and start the day calmly. A simple sign-up sheet for supervision and a limit on the number of students would keep it orderly. Opening early would use space we already have to support learning for everyone.
Which sentence would be the best conclusion for this opinion piece?
The library has shelves and tables.
Opening the library 30 minutes before school would give bus riders a quiet place to read, print work, and finish assignments responsibly.
Some students like to talk with friends in the morning.
We should also add more sports after school.
Explanation
Choice B restates the proposal and connects it to the key benefits, making it a strong, logical concluding statement.
I think our school should install more bike racks. Right now there are only eight spots, so bikes end up locked to fences and trees. That blocks sidewalks and makes it hard for families with strollers to pass. Adding two new racks near the main entrance would organize the area and keep bikes safe. For example, during last month's walk-and-roll day, thirty-two students rode to school, and several had nowhere to park. Specifically, more racks would encourage healthy exercise and reduce car drop-off traffic. Consequently, mornings would be calmer and arrival lines shorter.
Which sentence would be the best conclusion for this opinion piece?
Therefore, installing more bike racks will help students travel safely and stay healthy while keeping our campus tidy.
Bikes have two wheels and come in many colors.
I lost my helmet once, and it was sad.
Next week is the art show in the gym.
Explanation
Choice A restates the opinion and ties together the reasons (safety, health, organization), making it a logical conclusion. The other choices are off-topic or too personal to conclude the argument.