Grade 6­8 Question Stem Bank: Common Core State Standards
Reading Science and Technical Subjects (RST)
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
Key Ideas and Details Question Stems:
Standard
Basic: Remember & Understand
Standard: Apply & Analyze
Expanded: Evaluate & Create
RST
6­8.1
Identify explicit information:
(cite specific evidence)
According to this quote, what is a
characteristic of ____...?
Which quote from the passage best
illustrates an example of _____ …?
According to this quote, what
differences exist between….?
What is most (or least) important to
…?
Analyze explicit information
(cite specific evidence)
Which of the following is a possible solution to the
problem in this quote…?
According to lines (x­x), what can you infer...?
According to these two quotes, what is the
relationship between…?
Which quote best illustrates attributes of …?
Evaluate explicit information:
(cite specific evidence)
Defend a position/why do you
believe...?
Which is more important, logical, valid
(cite evidence)...?
Which of the following quotes
illustrates biases...? (the author’s
opinion)
RST
6­8.2
Identify Central Idea & Summarize:
What is the central idea...?
Summarize the text without judgement
(objectively)
What was the author’s main point in
paragraph x...?
Analyze Central Idea & Summarize:
Which of the following details conveys the central
idea of...?
What does the following quote suggest about...(life,
conflict, etc.)?
How is this piece similar to...?
In what way is __ (central idea) like (or unlike) ___
... ?
Evaluate Central Idea & Summarize:
How would you have handled the
situation in lines (x­x)...?
What are the pros and cons or
inconsistencies of the central
message/idea...?
How is the author’s piece different than
(similar to) your opinion…?
RST
6­8.3
Follow Multi­Step Procedure:
According to the procedure, how
should you…?
According to the procedure, (lines x­x)
what happens after...? OR What
happens before…? (cite specific
evidence)
Analyze Multi­Step Procedure:
When performing this task, why should you…?
(refer to order, safety, etc.)
If ____ (variable) was changed, how would the
procedure be different...?
Evaluate Multi­Step Procedure:
How effective is this procure for…?
Devise your own way/resource/is there
a better solution....
Yellow Boxes indicate question complexity focus range for CCSS 6­8 RST
Craft and Structure Question Stems:
Grade 6­8 Question Stem Bank: Common Core State Standards
Reading Science and Technical Subjects (RST)
Standard
Basic: Remember & Understand
Standard: Apply & Analyze
Expanded: Evaluate & Create
RST
6­8.4
Identify Word/Symbol
Meaning/Use:
What does the word/phrase _____
mean in this selection?
In line xx, what does the word
(symbol) ____ mean...?
What is the technical meaning of the
word...?
Analyze Word Word/Symbol Meaning/Use:
Without changing the meaning of the sentence,
which word(s) can be used to replace the
underlined word(s) above...?
Based on the information in the table (chart) which
of the following best describes the meaning of
____?
Evaluate Word Word/Symbol
Meaning/Use:
What are the (positive/negative)
connotations for the phrase...?
Create a chart to illustrate the meaning
of ______ .
RST
6­8.5
Identify Structure:
What text features are used to
convey meaning...?
How does the heading help you
understand paragraph x…?
Analyze Structure:
How does the following quote contribute to the
development of ____ (concept)...?
Evaluate Structure:
Is the structure of this text effective...?
Create an outline of this text and explain
the structure.
Evaluate how the idea develops
Identify Author’s Purpose:
What is the author’s purpose for
writing this procedure (experiment,
etc.)...?
From whose point of view is this text
written...?
According to the following quote, what
is the author attempting to convey..?
Analyze Author’s Purpose:
Which of the following quotes best describes the
author’s purpose...?
Which of the following quotes illustrates how the
author responds to conflicting evidence or
viewpoints…?
Is the author effective is conveying his/her
viewpoint...?
RST
6­8­6
Which of the following most likely describes why
the author choose to organize the text the way
he/she did (analysis)...?
Evaluate Author’s Purpose:
Which of the following are opposing this
author's point of view...?
Does the author accomplish his/her
purpose for writing this text? Explain.
Based on your prior knowledge, would
you agree with this author…?
Grade 6­8 Question Stem Bank: Common Core State Standards
Reading Science and Technical Subjects (RST)
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Question Stems:
Standard
Basic: Remember & Understand
Standard: Apply & Analyze
Expanded: Evaluate & Create
RST
6­8.7
Identify Integration of Information:
Which of the following statements best
describes the chart (diagram, model, graph,
table) in words…?
Analyze Integration of Information:
How is the information in the charts (diagram,
model, graph, table) conflicting (similar)...?
Based on table 1 and the following procedure,
which of the following best explains the results
of ____ (ex: trials 1­3) …?
Based on the data in the chart (table), which
of the following graphs best shows the
relationship between ____ and ____ …?
Evaluate Integration of
Information:
If you changed the procedure ____
how would that change the resulting
data in the chart…?
Create a chart (diagram, model,
graph, table) to represent the
information in this text.
RST
6­8.8
Identify Facts, Research Based
Judgments and Speculation:
What were the main facts presented by the
author…?
Analyze Facts, Research Based
Judgments and Speculation:
Based on the data above, which of the
following statements is a research based
judgement…?...which of the following is
speculation…?
Why is the statement X researched based
(speculation)…?
According to the two passages, which of the
following descriptions would be accepted by
both scientists…?
Evaluate Facts, Research Based
Judgments and Speculation:
Which of the following evidence
supporting the argument is most
relevant...?
Which of the following claims made
by the author is (not) supported by
evidence...?
RST
6­8.9
Identify Information­ Multiple Sources:
In which of the following ways is ____ similar
to _____ ...?
What is common to both texts (chart,
experiment, simulation, multimedia)..?
Analyze Information­ Multiple Sources:
Although the topic of these experiments is
similar, in what way are the experiments
different...?
How does the presentation of the same event
differ in these two passages...?
Evaluate Information­Multiple
Sources:
Which of the following reasons
describes why ____ is better/more
accurate/more believable than
______...?
**Requires Comparison between experiments, simulations, video, multimedia sources and text to assess
Grade 6­8 Question Stem Bank: Common Core State Standards
Reading Science and Technical Subjects (RST)
Grade 6­8 RST Common Core State Standards
Key Ideas and Details
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing
technical tasks.
Craft and Structure
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain­specific words and phrases as they are
used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant togrades 6–8 texts and topics.
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the
whole and to an understanding of the topic.
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.6 Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an
experiment in a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information
expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.8 Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.9 Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources
with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
CCSS.ELA­Literacy.RST.6­8.10 By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.