• English Language Arts Standards and Question Stems

    First Grade

    Reading Literature Question Stems

    Key Ideas & Details
    Standard Question Stem
    RL.1.1
    Ask and answer questions
    about key details in a text.

    • Who are the characters this book? What do we know about
    them?
    • When did (event) happen? Where is that in the book?
    • Why did (event) happen? How do you know?
    • What does (character) think about (event)? How do you know?
    • What was the big problem or event in this story? How did they
    solve the problem?
    • What do you think (character) will do differently next time?

    RL.1.2
    Retell stories, including
    key details, and
    demonstrate
    understanding of their
    central message or lesson.

    • What happened at the beginning of the story?
    • What happened in the middle of the story?
    • What happened at the end of the story?
    • If you tell a friend about this story, what will you say?
    • What can you learn from (character)?
    • Whas is the lesson you should learn from this story?

    RL.1.3
    Describe characters,
    settings, and major events
    in a story, using key
    details.

    • Where does (character) live in this story?
    • What is the setting for this story? How do you know?
    • Who is (character name)? What happened to him/her in the story?
    • How is (character 1) different from (character 2)? Where does
    the book show or say that?
    • How are (character 1) and (character 2) the same? Where does
    the book show or say that?
    • Where is this story happening? How do you know?
    • Who is talking in the story?

    Craft & Structure
    Standard Question Stem
    RL.1.4
    Identify words and
    phrases in stories or
    poems that suggest
    feelings or appeal to the
    senses.

    • What does this word mean? How do you know?
    • What words in the story tell how (character) feels?
    • What word in the story tells what sound ______ makes?
    • What does (phrase) mean?
    • Can you think of another word to use instead of _____?
    • Are there any words that confuse you?

    RL.1.5
    Explain major differences
    between books that tell
    stories and books that give
    information, drawing on a
    wide reading of a range of
    text types.

    • What kind of story is this?
    • What makes this story fiction/nonfiction?
    • Is this a real (nonfiction) story or a made-up (fiction) story? How
    do you know?
    • Is this story realistic or fantasy? How do you know?
    • What words or character actions help you know this is
    nonfiction?

    RL.1.6
    Identify who is telling the
    story at various points in a
    text.

    • Who is telling this story? How do you know?
    • Who is speaking in this part? Who are they talking to?
    • Are the narrator and the author the same person? How do you
    know?

    Integration of Ideas & Knowledge
    Standard Question Stem
    RL.1.7
    Use illustrations and
    details in a story to
    describe its characters,
    setting, or events.

    • What does this illustration show?
    • How do the pictures make you feel?
    • The story says (insert quote). Where do you see that happening
    in the illustrations?
    • Can you draw a picture to show what happened in the book?
    What detail does your picture show?
    • What illustration shows the setting?
    • What illustration shows the problem in the story?
    • What illustration shows the main character?


    RL.1.9
    Compare and contrast the
    adventures and
    experiences of characters
    in stories.

    • How is (character from book 1) like (character from book 2)?
    • How would (character from a different story) have acted if they
    were in this story?
    • What does (character) do that a real person/animal cannot?
    • How is this character like you? How are they different?
    • Do you think (character from book 1) would be friends with
    (character from book 2)?

    First Grade

    Reading Information Question Stems

    Key Ideas & Details
    Standard Question Stem
    RI.1.1
    Ask and answer questions
    about key details in a text.

    • Be the teacher! What questions would a teacher ask about this
    book?
    • What evidence can you find to show _______?
    • Who / What / Where / When / Why questions such as:
    o Who (action e.g. first landed on the moon)? Where does
    it tell you that in the book?
    o Where (do clown fish live)? Where does it tell you that in
    the book?
    • How questions such as:
    o How do you know whales are mammals?
    o How is a lizard like an alligator?
    • What is a different title for this book?
    • What facts did you learn about (topic)?

    RI.1.2
    Identify the main topic and
    retell key details of a text.

    • What is the main idea of what you read? What details tell more
    about that idea?
    • What is the topic of this text? What facts did you learn about
    (topic)?
    • How are ______ alike? How are ______ different?
    • Why did the author write this?
    • What do you think the author wants the readers to know?

    RI.1.3
    Describe the connection
    between two individuals,
    events, ideas, or pieces of
    information in a text.

    • We read (text 1) and (text 2). How are they the same? How are
    they different?
    • What caused (event)?
    • What effect did (event) have?
    • How did the (person/animal) change?
    • How are (person 1) and (person 2) alike? How are they
    different?

    Craft & Structure
    Standard Question Stem
    RI.1.4
    Ask and answer questions
    to help determine or
    clarify the meaning of
    words and phrases in a
    text.

    • How do the words and images show (vocabulary word)?
    • What does the word ______ mean? How did the other words
    help you figure out the meaning?
    • Are there any words that confuse you?
    • What categories would you put these in? What are examples of
    things that are _______?

    RI.1.5
    Know and use various text
    features (e.g., headings,
    tables of contents,
    glossaries, electronic
    menus, icons) to locate
    key facts or information in
    a text.

    • Where is the table of contents? What does it show you?
    • How do the images/diagrams help you understand the words?
    • Why does the author put a heading on the sections? How does
    it help you?
    • If you leave out this sentence/section how does it change the
    text?
    • What does ______ mean? Can you use the glossary to find out?
    • What text features (charts, diagrams, illustrations, bold words)
    help you understand the words?

    RI.1.6
    Distinguish between
    information provided by
    pictures or other
    illustrations and
    information provided by
    the words in a text.

    • Why did the author write this?
    • What extra information do you learn from the illustrations?
    • How is the information in the chart/diagram different from the
    text?
    • What do you learn from the images that you didn’t learn in the
    writing?

    Integration of Ideas & Knowledge
    Standard Question Stem
    RI.1.7
    Use the illustrations and
    details in a text to describe
    its key ideas.

    • What does this illustration/photo show?
    • What idea is the picture trying to show?
    • The text says (insert quote). Where do you see that happening
    in the illustrations?
    • What does this diagram show? Can you explain how this works?
    • What information do we get from this photograph?
    • How does the picture/photo help you understand the words?
    • What picture/diagram is missing? What would you like the text
    to include?

    RI.1.8
    Identify the reasons an
    author gives to support
    points in a text.

    • What is the author telling about?
    • Why does the author say (action) happens?
    • What is the reason for (action)?
    • How can ______ happen? Why did ______ happen?
    • Can you find the reason the author thinks _______?
    • Why does the author say ___________?

    RI.1.9
    Identify basic similarities in
    and differences between
    two texts on the same
    topic (e.g., in illustrations,
    descriptions, or
    procedures).

    • How is (book 1) like (book 2)? How are they different?
    • How is (picture/diagram) like (picture/diagram)? How are they
    different?
    • Why does the author say ___________ is _____________?
    • How are the (item e.g. animals, airplanes, citizens...) in both texts
    alike? How are they different?