Sample Text-Based Questions for Common Core, Grades 2-3
Sample questions to assess students' understanding of nonfiction texts
Key Ideas and Details
- What are the key words and details in the text? [Insert specific who, what, where, when, why, how questions to check for basic understanding of key words and details.]
- What is the main topic/idea of the text? Which key words or details in the text help you to figure out the main topic/idea? Cite evidence from the text.
- Can you see any patterns in some of the key words or phrases? How are these words/phrases related or connected to each other? Sort some into categories according to similarities.
Craft and Structure
- Are there any clues in the title or cover image(s) that help you know more about the text?
- How is this text different from other types of texts? Why do you think the author chose this type/format/structure for this topic?
- What is the author’s purpose? What is the author’s point of view, and how is it similar to or different from your own?
- Describe how you use parts of a book to find information: indexes, glossaries, headings, subheadings, sidebars, captions, etc.
- What words or phrases does the author use to convey information? What are the literal meanings of the words/phrases? Do any of the words/phrases have nuanced or figurative meanings? Why do you think the author chose these words/phrases?
- What does the word ______ mean in the context of this sentence? [Insert word and sentence.]
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
- How do the images/graphs/diagrams/maps/charts add information about the main topic/idea? Describe some of these images.
- What details/reasons does the author use to support the main topic/idea? How do the sentences and/or paragraphs work together to support the main topic/idea? Do you think the author has made a strong argument or claim? Why or why not?
- Based on the text, what can you infer about . . . [Insert details to allow for specific inference(s).]?
- After closely reading the text, what do you think about . . . [Insert details to allow for opinion(s).]?
- How are this text and [Insert companion text] similar? How are they different? Why do you think these two texts make good companion texts?