Skip to main content
Common Core ELA5th GradeReading: Informational

RI.5.7: Use Several Sources to Find an Answer Fast

Also written as CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7 · Cluster: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas.

All 43 5th Grade ELA Standards

The Official Wording

Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

Common Core State Standards, Grade 5, Reading: Informational Text · Read it at the source · Checked October 14, 2026

What RI.5.7 Means in Plain English

Fifth graders handle several print and digital sources at once and go straight to the one that answers the question. To find how far monarch butterflies fly, a student skims a table of contents, a website and a map caption, and stops once the answer turns up.

Fourth grade (RI.4.7) was about reading charts, diagrams and timelines and explaining what they add to a text. Fifth grade widens that to several sources and adds speed. Sixth grade (RI.6.7) asks students to combine words, visuals and numbers into one clear understanding of a topic.

RI.5.7 I Can Statements

  • I can choose which source will answer my question fastest.
  • I can use a table of contents, headings and captions to find information.
  • I can name which source gave me each part of my answer.

RI.5.7 Worked Example

Four short sources and a two-part question, and the strong answer comes from knowing which sources to skip.

Read the Story
Source 1, a book’s table of contents: Chapter 1, The Life Cycle, page 4. Chapter 2, What Monarchs Eat, page 12. Chapter 3, The Long Trip South, page 20.Source 2, a science website: Monarchs born in late summer in the eastern United States and Canada fly to mountain forests in central Mexico. Some travel up to 3,000 miles.Source 3, a map caption: Orange arrows show monarchs from across eastern North America meeting in the same small area of forest.Source 4, a nature magazine: Most monarchs live only two to six weeks. The late-summer monarchs that make the trip south can live about eight months.
A short passage written for this page.
Question: How far do some monarchs travel, and how can one butterfly live long enough to make the trip? Answer quickly and name your sources.
Not Yet“I started reading the book on page 4. Monarchs fly to Mexico because they are strong fliers.”Starting at page 4 means reading a whole book for one fact. The distance is missing, and “strong fliers” appears in none of the sources.
Meets the Standard“Source 2 says some monarchs travel ‘up to 3,000 miles.’ Source 4 explains how they last: most monarchs live only two to six weeks, but the late-summer monarchs that migrate ‘can live about eight months.’ If I needed more, Source 1 sends me to Chapter 3 on page 20.”Each part of the question is answered from the source that holds it, and the student treats the table of contents as a signpost to more, not as the answer.
Question Stems to Use
Which source is most likely to answer this question? Why?Which part will you skim first: headings, captions or the index?Which source gave you this part of the answer?Do two sources say the same thing? Do any disagree?Did you find the whole answer, or do you need one more source?

Common Mistakes with RI.5.7

Reading every source from the top

Starting the book at page 4 to answer a question about migration

Try this: Model skimming aloud: read the question, scan headings and captions for its key words, and only then read closely.

Stopping at the first source

“Monarchs fly 3,000 miles.” and the second half of the question left unanswered

Try this: Have students split a question into parts before searching, then tick each part off with the source that answered it.

Losing track of where facts came from

A correct answer with no idea which source said it

Try this: Require a source label beside every fact in the notes, so students can check it later or show where it came from.

Where RI.5.7 Fits

Comes BeforeRI.4.7Interpret charts, diagrams and timelines and explain what they add to a text.
AlongsideW.5.7Run short research projects that use several sources to look at different sides of a topic.W.5.8Gather information from print and digital sources, take notes and list the sources.
Comes NextRI.6.7Integrate information from words, visuals and numbers to build a clear understanding of a topic.

Practice RI.5.7

Quick Check

  1. Which source would you open to read more about the migration, and where?
  2. Where do eastern monarchs fly for the winter, according to Source 2?
  3. Which source tells you how long the migrating monarchs live, and what does it say?

RI.5.7: Other Names

RI.5.7CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7

Common Core State Standards © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. Official wording from the Common Core State Standards PDFs at corestandards.org, last checked October 14, 2026. The explanation, I can statements, example, mistakes and practice on this page are EMStudio’s own, written beside the official wording. They are not part of the standard.