Teaching students to ask and answer questions is the first reading comprehension skill I introduce each year. I love teaching young readers to stay engaged with a text and think about what they are reading. This standard helps us build the foundation for the other standards we tackle throughout the year.
In this post, I’ll walk you through how I teach Common Core Standards RL.1.1 (fiction) and RI.1.1 (nonfiction), Ask and Answer Questions About Key Details in a Text. We focus on each standard for about 2 weeks.
Whether you’re teaching this standard for the first time or looking for fresh ideas, I hope you’ll find something you can use in your classroom. ❤️
1. Introduce the Standard
I start with teaching students the difference between asking and answering a question. Teachers know this is often a tough task for little ones! 😁 Asking a question means we are trying to find out information, while answering a question means we give information to respond to the question. To model this, I ask students simple questions they can easily answer, such as:
- What grade are you in?
- Who is your teacher?
- Where do you eat lunch?
- What is your favorite color?
As we talk, we identify which sentence is the question and which sentence is the answer. Keeping the questions simple allows students to focus on the concept rather than trying to figure out difficult answers. Then, we begin practicing how to ask our own questions. I write one question word (what) and invite a few volunteers to think of a question that begins with that word. Students love coming up with questions for their classmates and/or teacher! After we’ve practiced with “what”, we repeat the activity with “where“.
Next, it’s time to get everyone involved. I have students turn to a partner and take turns asking and answering questions using the question word(s) I post on the board. “Turn and talk” is my favorite way to get everyone participating!
2. The Anchor Poster
This poster is kept on our easel and used at the beginning of each lesson for the standard. I introduce “key details” as the important parts or pieces of information that help us understand what we read.
This poster becomes an important tool while we are working on the standard. We review it before our lessons or activities to reinforce the vocabulary and expectations and it’s posted on the board for student reference throughout the unit.
🍎 These anchor posters are included with my standards-based reading passages OR a “just the posters” pack!
3. Anchor Chart (made together)
My anchor charts vary per standard and lesson. Sometimes, I write what the kids say, other times, they post ideas on sticky notes. This is a simple anchor chart we were working on while reading the book, The Leaving Morning by Angela Johnson.
4. Oral Practice
We do a lot of oral language practice before moving to worksheets or other independent work. Oral language is a critical building block for both reading and writing and it’s so important that we don’t skip over it! Our little readers, no matter their reading background, need time to talk and discuss stories to build vocabulary and deepen their understanding of the text.
We do this through read alouds. There are so many picture books that lend themselves to this standard! During read alouds, I model stopping to ask and/or answer questions and also give students time to turn and talk. I stop often and have student volunteers ask questions or answer questions. This modeling is so important because it allows students to see and hear the thinking process of a proficient reader (me) before they are asked to apply the skill independently.
5. Independent Practice
Before they head off, I remind them that readers think about what they’re reading throughout the process. I encourage students to be “question detectives” while they read. I challenge them to ask themselves questions before, during, and after reading and to look for the key details that help answer those questions as they read.
I LOVE introducing “think/talk sticks” at this time. This idea comes from LaNesha Tabb and you can check out the original post HERE. I’ve used think/talk sticks for years. The kids love using them and I love listening to them as they make the characters in their book think and talk. These sticks really help students dive into their book and read with purpose. I keep a bucket of them for students to use during any independent or partner reading time.
6. Standards-Based Worksheets
Toward the end of the first week, I introduce the first standards-based worksheet. We do a lot of whole group work on this one. I read the questions and the passage. We work on asking and answering questions about the text and discuss how/where we find our answers. For the first one, especially at the beginning of the year, I let students work with their literacy stations partner to complete the work page and I move around the room, assisting as needed.
During the second week, students complete a worksheet independently (for a grade). I still introduce it and read through it at our meeting spot and assist students with reading as needed.
🍎 If you are in need of reading passages for this standard, click here!
7. Standards-Based Assessment
At the end of the unit, we take an assessment focused on the standard. Each assessment is two pages that I copy front to back. I post the assessment on my projector and read through it. Students complete the assessment independently, without additional help. Later in the year, I read less of the assessment, but I always post it and go through directions to be sure they understand what is asked of them. 🙂
for each reading comprehension standard!
📕📗📘Some of my favorite books for this standard…
SO many of our favorite picture books are perfect for this standard, so you may already have some favorites that you want to use! Here are just a few of my favorites. I don’t always use the same books each year…it keeps it fun and fresh for me and I can also use books that are popular with the particular group of students.
Fiction
- The Leaving Morning By Angela Johnson
- We Don’t Eat Our Classmates By Ryan T. Higgins
- Jabari Jumps or Jabari Tries By Gaia Cornwall
- The Dot By Peter H. Reynolds
- Knuffle Bunny By Mo Willems
- Peter’s Chair By Ezra Jack Keats
- Shortcut By Donald Crews
Nonfiction
I have a TON of the National Geographic for Kids books, so I usually choose one of these to read. I usually pick a high interest animal like sharks, tigers, or giraffes.
The “Now I Know” books by Melvin and Gilda Berger are great for this standard, as well.
We teach this standard at the beginning of the year, so I pick one that is not too long or too advanced.
💡 Consistent practice and meaningful discussions help students become active, thoughtful readers who naturally ask questions and search for key details every time they read. Be sure to check out my standards-based resources designed to make teaching this important skill simple and engaging.
Happy Teaching!
Jennifer ~ Practical Primary Teacher 🍎🍏
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