Standards-Based Instruction Differentiated for All Students

R.I.K.2- With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
Students Below the 3.0 Target
(Catch-Up Group):
Elvis P.
Walt D. / Students at the 3.0 Target
(Move-Up Group):
George C.
Justin B.
Michael J.
Oprah W.
Mariah C.
Leonardo D.
Neil A.
Henry F.
J.K. R
Madonna
Steve J.
Tiger W.
C.S. L / Students Below the 3.0 Target
(Keep-Up Group):
Julie A.
Tom C.
Brad P.
What lessons/activities will be planned for this group?
  • “Kick off” Key Details and Main Topic by bringing in a bucket or bag of related items (ex: ‘A Day at the Beach’ bucket could include flip flops, a towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, and then a sand toy.) Pull out one item at a time and ask students what they think the bucket is mostly all about. Tell them that each item is providing a “detail” of information. Pull out the sand toy as the last item and explain that this is a Key Detail that helps to really identify what the main topic of the bucket is all about. Prior to the “Key Detail,” the details showed that the bucket could have been about ‘A Day at the Pool.’ Next, ask students to identify which of the 3 best describes what the bucket is “mostly all about” (the main topic):
  1. Summer
  2. A Day at the Beach
  3. Swimming
*After your example, ask students to tell their elbow partner what they think Key Details are and what the Main Topic means.
  • Allow students the opportunity to look for details and key details as they are categorizing real-life items (or pictures of real-life items). Have them describe why they have sorted the items (or pictures) into the groups, based on the key details. Ask them to label, or name the main topic of each group.
  • Allow students the opportunity to look for details and key details as they are categorizing pictures representing content-related words. Have them describe why they have sorted the pictures into the groups, based on the key details. Ask them to label, or name the main topic of each group.
/ What lessons/activities will be planned for this group?
  • “Kick off” Key Details and Main Topic by bringing in a bucket or bag of related items (ex: ‘A Day at the Beach’ bucket could include flip flops, a towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, and then a sand toy.) Pull out one item at a time and ask students what they think the bucket is mostly all about. Tell them that each item is providing a “detail” of information. Pull out the sand toy as the last item and explain that this is a Key Detail that helps to really identify what the main topic of the bucket is all about. Prior to the “Key Detail,” the details showed that the bucket could have been about ‘A Day at the Pool.’ Next, ask students to identify which of the 3 best describes what the bucket is “mostly all about” (the main topic):
  1. Summer
  2. A Day at the Beach
  3. Swimming
*After your example, ask students to tell their elbow partner what they think Key Details are and what the Main Topic means.
  • Allow students the opportunity to look for details and key details after they listen to a short informational text.
  • Read an informational text aloud to students and ask them to orally retell and list details and key details from the text. (Record the key details as they share them.) Once a list has been generated, ask them to label, or name what the list is mostly all about (which should reflect the main topic of the informational text).
/ What lessons/activities will be planned for this group?
  • “Kick off” Key Details and Main Topic by bringing in a bucket or bag of related items (ex: ‘A Day at the Beach’ bucket could include flip flops, a towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, and then a sand toy.) Pull out one item at a time and ask students what they think the bucket is mostly all about. Tell them that each item is providing a “detail” of information. Pull out the sand toy as the last item and explain that this is a Key Detail that helps to really identify what the main topic of the bucket is all about. Prior to the “Key Detail,” the details showed that the bucket could have been about ‘A Day at the Pool.’ Next, ask students to identify which of the 3 best describes what the bucket is “mostly all about” (the main topic):
  1. Summer
  2. A Day at the Beach
  3. Swimming
*After your example, ask students to tell their elbow partner what they think Key Details are and what the Main Topic means.
Allow students the opportunity to look for details and key details as they complete an individual/shared reading of an informational text. Have students create a list of key details as they retell the text. Once a list has been generated, ask them to label what their list is mostly all about (which should reflect the main topic of the informational text.)
  • Allow students the opportunity to look for details and key details as they complete an individual/shared reading of a second informational text. Have students create a list of key details as they retell the text. Once a list has been generated, ask them to label what their list is mostly all about (which should reflect the main topic of the informational text.)
  • Ask students to share the Similarities & Differences they have discovered between the two informational texts. They can share these with partners. If the students are able to write, they could complete a Venn Diagram (or similar graphic organizer) which helps to illustrate the Similarities and Differences.

Resources Required:
  • Bucket of related items for Key Details/Main Topic “Kick-Off”
  • Real-Life Items (or pictures) for students to categorize
  • Pictures of Content-Related words for students to sort
/ Resources Required:
  • Bucket of related items for Key Details/Main Topic “Kick-Off”
  • Informational Text
  • Chart Paper or Marker board
/ Resources Required:
  • Bucket of related items for Key Details/Main Topic “Kick-Off”
  • 2 Informational Texts on a related topic
  • Chart Paper or Marker board
  • Venn Diagram

Means of Assessment
Observation of students as they are describing what “Key Details” and “Main Topics” are to their neighbors.
Observation of students as they are sorting the real-life objects and pictures of content words by key details.
Observation of students as they are naming the Main Topic of each sorted group. / Means of Assessment
Observation of students as they are describing what “Key Details” and “Main Topics” are to their neighbors.
Observation of students as they are participating in generating a list of Key Details.
Observation of students as they are helping to label or name the Main Topic of the list. / Means of Assessment
Observation of students as they are describing what “Key Details” and “Main Topics” are to their neighbors.
Observation of students as they are participating in generating a list of Key Details.
Observation of students as they are labeling the Main Topic of the lists.
Observation of students as they are completing the Venn Diagram & analysis of the completed Venn Diagram.