Good Pet, Bad Pet by Schleichert: Text Evidence

Q: What is text evidence and how do I use it in the 'Good Pet, Bad Pet' activity?

Text evidence means using specific details or quotes from a reading to support your answer. In the 'Good Pet, Bad Pet' activity, students find information from the text to answer the prompt, showing why a certain pet is best for a home with a baby brother.

Q: How can students choose the best pet for a family with a baby brother using examples from 'Good Pet, Bad Pet'?

Students should look for text examples that show which pets are safe, easy to care for, and suitable for young children. For instance, fish are described as easy to care for and good for all ages, making them a strong choice.

Q: What is a storyboard spider map and how do you use it for this lesson?

A storyboard spider map is a graphic organizer with a central question and supporting examples branching out. For this lesson, students put the prompt in the center and add three examples from the text, each with a description and illustration.

Q: Why is using text evidence important when answering reading comprehension questions?

Using text evidence shows you understand the material and can back up your answers. It helps you make strong, clear arguments and improves comprehension skills.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Student Rubric

Lesson Plan Overview

In this activity, students will be provided a question or prompt to answer using textual evidence. The prompt here is, “Your friend wants a pet, but has a baby brother. Which pet would be the best option and why?”

The three examples provided include:

Fish are beautiful and easy to take care of; these pets are a good choice for kids of any age.
Rodents, such as mice or gerbils, are cute and don't require a lot of space or time. They are friendly and can learn to do tricks.
Insects, such as crickets or grasshoppers, are safe for kids. They can be kept in a jar with holes poked in the top, but should be set free the next day.

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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that answers the prompt using at least three examples from Good Pet, Bad Pet. Click on "Add / Delete Cells" to change the number of examples.

Type the question into the central black box.
Type a response to the question in your own words in the title box.
Think about examples from the text that support your answer.
Type text evidence in the description boxes. Paraphrase or quote directly from the text.
Illustrate each example using scenes, characters, items, etc.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-5

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Spider Maps

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Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Text Evidence

Answer the given question using at least three examples from the text.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Support from Text	Examples chosen fully support the answer to the question.	Some of the examples answer the question correctly, but not all.	Most of the examples do not support the answer to the question.
Quote / Text	Evidence provided from the text is properly quoted or paraphrased.	There are some minor mistakes in the quote / description from text.	Quote or paraphrase is incomplete or confusing.
Illustration of Examples	Ideas are well organized. Images clearly illustrate the examples from the text.	Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the examples from the text.	Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand.

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Lesson Plan Overview

The three examples provided include:

Fish are beautiful and easy to take care of; these pets are a good choice for kids of any age.
Rodents, such as mice or gerbils, are cute and don't require a lot of space or time. They are friendly and can learn to do tricks.
Insects, such as crickets or grasshoppers, are safe for kids. They can be kept in a jar with holes poked in the top, but should be set free the next day.

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that answers the prompt using at least three examples from Good Pet, Bad Pet. Click on "Add / Delete Cells" to change the number of examples.

Type the question into the central black box.
Type a response to the question in your own words in the title box.
Think about examples from the text that support your answer.
Type text evidence in the description boxes. Paraphrase or quote directly from the text.
Illustrate each example using scenes, characters, items, etc.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-5

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Spider Maps

Copy Activity

Student Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)

Text Evidence

Answer the given question using at least three examples from the text.

	Proficient	Emerging	Beginning
Support from Text	Examples chosen fully support the answer to the question.	Some of the examples answer the question correctly, but not all.	Most of the examples do not support the answer to the question.
Quote / Text	Evidence provided from the text is properly quoted or paraphrased.	There are some minor mistakes in the quote / description from text.	Quote or paraphrase is incomplete or confusing.
Illustration of Examples	Ideas are well organized. Images clearly illustrate the examples from the text.	Ideas are organized. Most images help to show the examples from the text.	Ideas are not well organized. Images are difficult to understand.

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How Tos about Using Text Evidence from Good Pet, Bad Pet

Organize student responses using a graphic organizer

Help students structure their thoughts visually by providing a graphic organizer, such as a spider map or T-chart. This makes it easier for students to connect their answers to specific text evidence and encourages clear, logical thinking.

Model how to find and cite text evidence

Demonstrate how to locate relevant phrases or sentences from the text and show students how to quote or paraphrase them. Explicit modeling builds confidence and clarifies expectations for using text evidence.

Guide students to paraphrase information

Encourage students to restate information from the text in their own words. Paraphrasing helps deepen understanding and ensures students aren’t just copying without comprehension.

Facilitate peer discussion to compare evidence

Organize students in pairs or small groups to share their chosen evidence and reasoning. Discussion strengthens critical thinking and exposes students to different perspectives.

Create anchor charts of strong text evidence examples

Display student-generated examples of well-chosen and well-cited text evidence on a classroom anchor chart. This provides a visual reference and reinforces expectations for future assignments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Using Text Evidence from Good Pet, Bad Pet

What is text evidence and how do I use it in the 'Good Pet, Bad Pet' activity?

Text evidence means using specific details or quotes from a reading to support your answer. In the 'Good Pet, Bad Pet' activity, students find information from the text to answer the prompt, showing why a certain pet is best for a home with a baby brother.

How can students choose the best pet for a family with a baby brother using examples from 'Good Pet, Bad Pet'?

Students should look for text examples that show which pets are safe, easy to care for, and suitable for young children. For instance, fish are described as easy to care for and good for all ages, making them a strong choice.

What is a storyboard spider map and how do you use it for this lesson?

A storyboard spider map is a graphic organizer with a central question and supporting examples branching out. For this lesson, students put the prompt in the center and add three examples from the text, each with a description and illustration.

What are some examples of text evidence from 'Good Pet, Bad Pet' to support pet choices?

Examples include: Fish are easy to care for and good for all ages; rodents are cute, need little space, and can learn tricks; insects are safe for kids and easy to release the next day.

Why is using text evidence important when answering reading comprehension questions?

Using text evidence shows you understand the material and can back up your answers. It helps you make strong, clear arguments and improves comprehension skills.