Prairie River Academy

English Language Arts

Grade 8Unit 1Lesson 3

Interpretive questions

Compare Competing Interpretations

Today: Evaluate two plausible readings against the same evidence.

A

Begin

Warm-up

  1. 1.Offer one interpretation of keeping the tag.

  2. 2.What action complicates it?

B

Learn

Compare Competing Interpretations

Two interpretations may both be possible, but they are not automatically equal. The stronger reading accounts for more important details with fewer unsupported assumptions.

State each claim fairly, test both against the full passage, note unexplained details, and judge comparatively.

Study the model

Interpretation A explains two details; B explains all four and the ending.

C

Read

Original PRA passage

Milo returned the key to the hook but kept the paper tag that named the locked room.
ELA-8-01-03-01Original Prairie River Academy curriculumELA-8-01-03-01

Prairie River Academy

Compare Competing Interpretations

Grade 8Practice and apply
D

Practice

Read, think, and respond

  1. 1.Claim A: Milo gives up. What supports it? ELA-8-01-03-Q1

  2. 2.Claim B: Milo remains curious. What supports it? ELA-8-01-03-Q2

  3. 3.Which claim better explains both actions? ELA-8-01-03-Q3

  4. 4.What assumption should be avoided? ELA-8-01-03-Q4

E

Apply

Use the lesson

Write a comparative judgment using 'Although… ultimately…'.

ELA-8-01-03-02Original Prairie River Academy curriculumELA-8-01-03-02