Grammar Police
Me and Sarah was researching the effects of AI.
Find the two errors in this sentence.
Sarah and I were researching the effects of AI.
What is a theme?
A message, lesson, or insight about life/human behavior that an author communicates through a text.
What does innovation mean?
A new idea, method, or invention.
What is an inference?
A conclusion you draw using evidence from the text and your own reasoning.
What is the essential question we have been exploring?
How is modern technology helpful and harmful to society?
The students finished there projects but they forgot to turn them in.
Find two errors in this sentence.
The students finished their projects, but they forgot to turn them in.
Which is a theme rather than a topic?
A. Technology
B. Friendship
C. Technology can have unintended consequences.
D. School
C. Technology can have unintended consequences.
What does consequence mean?
A. A reason something happens
B. A result or effect of an action
C. A prediction about the future
D. An argument
B. A result or effect of an action
An author writes an article explaining both the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence.
What is the author's most likely purpose?
A. To entertain
B. To inform readers about different aspects of AI
C. To tell a fictional story
D. To make readers laugh
B. To inform readers about different aspects of AI
In Feathered Friend, what is one major idea Clarke explores about technology?
Technology can have unintended consequences, even when it is designed to be useful or convenient.
After school Marcus worked on his essay he wanted to finish it before dinner.
Find two errors in this sentence.
After school, Marcus worked on his essay. He wanted to finish it before dinner.
A character repeatedly refuses to listen to advice and eventually faces serious consequences.
Which theme is best supported?
A. People should always listen to others.
B. Poor choices can lead to negative consequences.
C. Characters can make mistakes.
D. Advice is sometimes annoying.
B. Poor choices can lead to negative consequences.
Use context to determine the meaning of unintended:
The invention was designed to make communication easier, but it had several unintended consequences.
What does unintended mean?
Not planned or not expected.
Two authors write about smartphones.
What is different about the authors?
Their perspectives on smartphones are different.
Why is it important to consider an author's perspective when reading about technology?
An author's perspective influences how they present information, what they emphasize, and how they want the audience to think about the topic.
Neither the students or the teacher knew where the missing Chromebook was.
Find the one error in this sentence.
Neither the students nor the teacher knew where the missing Chromebook was.
A story shows a family using technology to make their lives easier. Over time, they become dependent on the technology and struggle when it stops working.
Which theme is best supported?
A. Technology is always bad.
B. Families should never use technology.
C. Convenience can sometimes lead people to become overly dependent on technology.
D. Technology is difficult to understand.
C. Convenience can sometimes lead people to become overly dependent on technology.
What does perspective mean when we are discussing an author or speaker?
The way an author or speaker views, understands, or approaches a topic.
A student says:
“The author believes technology can be dangerous.”
What should the student provide to make this interpretation stronger?
A. Their personal opinion
B. A summary of the entire text
C. Relevant textual evidence and an explanation of how it supports the interpretation
D. The author's biography
C. Relevant textual evidence and an explanation of how it supports the interpretation
In the texts we've read about technology, authors and speakers don't all present technology in exactly the same way. Why might two authors have different perspectives about the same technology?
Their experiences, purpose, audience, beliefs, or the specific benefits/risks they focus on may be different.
When Maya finished her research she was excited to share it but her partner thinked the argument needed more evidence.
Find the errors in this sentence.
When Maya finished her research, she was excited to share it, but her partner thought the argument needed more evidence.
A student claims:
The story suggests that technological progress does not always improve people's lives.
Which piece of evidence would BEST support this theme?
A. The story takes place in the future.
B. The characters use several advanced machines.
C. The technology makes everyday tasks easier but eventually creates problems the characters did not expect.
D. The author describes the machines in detail.
C. The technology makes everyday tasks easier but eventually creates problems the characters did not expect.
Read the sentence:
Although the new technology was convenient, Maya was skeptical about whether it would actually improve people's lives.
What does skeptical most likely mean?
A. Completely certain
B. Excited and enthusiastic
C. Doubtful or questioning
D. Uninterested
C. Doubtful or questioning
Read this statement:
The house continued cooking meals, cleaning rooms, and announcing the time even though no people remained inside.
What can a reader infer about the author's message?
A. Technology is always useless.
B. Technology can continue functioning without understanding the human consequences of its actions.
C. Houses are more intelligent than people.
D. The author wants people to buy smart homes.
B. Technology can continue functioning without understanding the human consequences of its actions.
A student makes this claim:
Technological innovation does not always represent progress.
Which response would provide the strongest support for this claim?
A. Technology is everywhere in modern society.
B. Many people use technology every day.
C. Several texts we've read show technology solving problems while also creating unintended consequences, suggesting that something can be innovative without necessarily making life better.
D. Technology has changed a lot over time.
C. Several texts we've read show technology solving problems while also creating unintended consequences, suggesting that something can be innovative without necessarily making life better.