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Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
1. Look at the title of the passage and take a quick look at the first paragraph. What questions do you have? Write two questions you have that will help you understand the passage.
Now read the passage and answer questions 2–8.
Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Not the Father of the Microscope
1 A whole world of tiny creatures is all around us. But we can’t see them with only our eyes. Anton van Leeuwenhoek was one of the first people to learn about this world. Through his work, he also changed the future of medicine.
2 Anton was born in the Netherlands in 1632. His father was a basket maker. He died when Anton was only five. Anton worked from an early age but got little schooling. He went to work for a cloth dealer when he was sixteen. Later, he bought and sold cloth himself. He also became a local leader. Unlike most scientists today, Anton did not go to college.
3 Although Anton was not trained, he loved to study science. Many people call him the father of the microscope. But this is not really correct. He did not invent it. He probably saw plans for a simple one in a book.
4 In about 1660, van Leeuwenhoek began to make a new kind of lens. He used the new lens to build his own microscopes. These lenses magnified tiny things 200 times their real size. His microscopes were more powerful than earlier models. And they led to many great discoveries.
5 One day, Anton saw some tiny creatures through his lens. He claimed he could see one-celled animals. At first, many people did not believe him. They said these tiny animals were not real. Even so, Anton didn’t give up. He said, “I’ve taken no notice of those who have said, ‘Why take so much trouble and what good is it?’”
6 Later, other scientists realized that van Leeuwenhoek was right. He had found living things that no one knew about.
7 Van Leeuwenhoek later made an even bigger discovery. He found bacteria. These germs can make people sick. They can cause many diseases. Knowing about these germs helped doctors learn to treat sick people. Anton’s work improved the lives of countless people.
8 Van Leeuwenhoek died in 1723. But the discoveries he made live on long after his death.
9 Anton once said, “A man has always to be busy with his thoughts if anything is to be accomplished.” We are lucky he stayed busy thinking. It helped him find the hidden world just under his nose.
9. Look at the title of the passage and take a quick look at the first paragraph. What questions do you have? Write two questions you have that will help you understand the passage.
Now read the passage and answer questions 10–16.
Louis Pasteur1 Did you ever taste sour milk? Long ago, milk turned sour a
lot faster than it does now. That’s partly because most milk is pasteurized today. First it is heated. Then it is cooled. This process kills bacteria. Those are tiny germs in the milk. Those germs are what make milk go bad. The process is named for the person who invented it. That was Louis Pasteur.
2 This French scientist made many other great discoveries, too. In the 1800s, some people used silkworms to produce silk. Many silkworms in France were dying. Pasteur figured out what was making them die. He was able to save the French silk industry. He also used what he learned about germs to understand other diseases.
3 Pasteur wanted to know how diseases spread from one farm animal to another. He did many experiments. He spread germs from one sheep to another. This helped him figure out diseases. He did this with chickens, too. By accident, he figured out something important. Some animals got just a few germs, or a mild illness. Those animals could fight off the disease later on. This was the first step in creating vaccines.
4 Pasteur also wanted to know why some people got sicker in a hospital. He had a theory that germs came from outside the body. At first, other scientists did not agree with him. They did not believe such tiny things could harm a person. Pasteur proved that bacteria and other germs cause many diseases. His work led doctors to wash their hands before surgery. This saved many lives.
5 Perhaps no one was more thankful for Pasteur’s work than Joseph Meister. A dog bit nine-year-old Joseph in 1885. The dog was sick with a disease called rabies. His mother was desperate for help. She took the boy to see Pasteur. She knew he was trying to make a rabies vaccine. It used the germs from rabies. Pasteur had never tested it on humans. Was it safe to give it to the boy? He decided that Joseph would die without the vaccine. So he tried it, and the boy survived.
6 Pasteur’s work ranged from spoiled milk to sick silkworms. He prevented diseases in people and animals. Pasteur had a creative side and a scientific mind. His work made life safer for people of the future.
A Time for Growing1 Grandpa came to stay with us for the summer. He was
pretty quiet at first. But one day he said, “Everybody should know how to grow their own food.”
2 Boring, I thought. Then he described things he grew when he was a boy. I could taste the butter on the corn on the cob. I could hear the snap of fresh green beans. I could even smell the pumpkin pie fresh from the oven.
3 That night Mama said, “Grandpa hasn’t been excited about anything since Grandma died. It would be great if you would help him in the garden.”
4 The next day I saw Tony and Alvin. “Hey, Chris, practice starts next week,” said Alvin.
5 I didn’t answer right away. Then I said, “I can’t play this summer.”
6 After I told the guys what my plans were, Tony said, “Instead of baseball? Are you kidding?”
7 My cheeks felt hot. I just shrugged and said I’d see them around.
8 Alvin hooted, “Eat your vegetables!” as they rode off on their bikes.
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
9 Grandpa and I got busy. We hauled dirt, made rows, and dug holes. I helped pick out seeds at the store. We even planted some blueberry bushes. We made a scarecrow to keep birds from taking the corn.
10 The days flew by. We weeded and watered. Grandpa taught me to water plants at the bottom so the leaves don’t get wet. He showed me how to tell a ladybug from a beetle. We ate fresh food from the garden every night.
11 We went to see the guys play ball a few times. I had been so busy, I hadn’t even missed playing on the team.
12 One day Grandpa said, “It’s time for me to go home, Chris. I’m leaving next Thursday.”
13 I asked, “What about all the stuff in the garden?”
14 He suggested that we have a feast to celebrate our success.
15 The next night Alvin and Tony came over for dinner. “Don’t make me eat vegetables,” Tony whispered when he arrived. But their eyes bulged when they saw all the food on the table. They tasted everything and even asked for seconds on beans and squash.
16 For dessert, we served two kinds of pie. Tony and Alvin looked at the pie, then at Grandpa and me. They both talked at once. “Do you think we could help in the garden next year?”
17 Grandpa and I just smiled and nodded as we had some more pie.
Jumping In1 I learned to swim in the pond near my apartment when I
was little. There was no dock. There was no diving board. One time I dove off a rock headfirst and landed on my belly. It really hurt, so I decided I was done with diving. I never did learn how to do it.
2 Then, last summer, a new pool opened in our town. It had high diving boards and low ones, too. I took one look and decided that I was never going headfirst off those boards!
3 It was really hot in July. My baby cousin Jasper was visiting. I begged Margaret, our sitter, to take us to the pool. She finally agreed.
4 We plunked our stuff on the cement near the diving board. Margaret said I could swim while she watched Jasper.
5 After a while, I climbed up the ladder out of the pool. Jasper was banging on a beach ball with a plastic shovel. Margaret was putting on sunblock and talking on her phone.
6 I was hungry. I dried off with a towel. Then I rummaged through the beach bag for something to eat.
7 I never even heard a splash. But when I looked up, Jasper’s beach ball was in the water right in front of the high diving board. His shovel was on the cement. I jumped up and saw Jasper’s striped sun hat bobbing in the water. I figured Margaret would come rescue Jasper. But she was talking to some boys sitting nearby. I knew there was no time to lose.
8 I raced to the edge of the pool and dove in headfirst. I aimed for an empty spot between a bunch of kids swimming near where I could see Jasper’s hat.
9 It was a clean dive. I opened my eyes and saw Jasper kicking in the water, even before I came up for air. I grabbed my little cousin and shot up to the surface.
10 Jasper coughed. A little water dribbled out of his mouth. He laughed and pointed to the water. “Again! Do it again!” he begged.
11 I was not going to let Jasper go back in the water. But now I knew I could dive when I had to, and maybe someday I would try it again.
13. Picture the scene at the swimming pool when Jasper is in the water. Write two or three sentences describing the scene. Use at least two details from the passage in your description.
14. Think about the two passages you have read. What problem do the narrators face in both passages?
A They must learn to make new friends.
B They must make choices that are not easy.
C They must do what someone else tells them to do.
D They must learn to get along better with a family member.
Choose one of the passages, “A Time for Growing” or “Jumping In.” If the passage continued, what would happen next? Write a narrative telling what happens next. Use details from the passage to support your narrative, and write it from the same point of view.
Spinning Bees and Liberty Tea1 “Mother, I would give anything for a proper cup of tea. Please
tell me why we cannot have it anymore,” said Sarah as she set the table. Mrs. Addams boiled water to make hot tea from berry leaves instead of tea leaves. A group of ladies would arrive any minute.
2 Mrs. Addams said, “The American Patriots dumped British tea into Boston Harbor last December. We will not drink British tea in this house. That is how we show support for their action.”
3 She went on. “We have no say in how we are ruled. Still we must pay taxes on everything we buy. That is why we boycott British goods. If we do not buy their goods, then we do not pay British taxes. I will not put money in the king’s pocket! I would sooner do without something I love.”
4 Soon the neighbors began to arrive. Many of them carried small spinning wheels.
5 Mrs. Roberts said, “Good day, Mrs. Addams. You are kind to have us. My mother thinks I buy thread and cloth at the market. She still supports the British. She buys goods from England. She would not understand why I spin my own thread and weave my own cloth.”
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
Literary Text • Historical Fiction
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Unit 3 Assessment • Historical Fiction (continued)
Why Sybil Is Sleeping1 “Mama, why isn’t Sybil up yet? I need her help practicing my
numbers so that Teacher doesn’t yell at me,” said Derick.
2 “I need her to button my shoes,” said Henry.
3 “And she always brushes my hair before breakfast!” complained Mary.
4 Baby Abigail didn’t say anything. She just peeked under the furniture in search of her missing sister.
5 The six younger Ludington children all depended on their oldest sister. So did their mother. “Sybil is sleeping,” she said quietly.
6 “Sleeping!” said Mary. “Sybil never sleeps this late!”
7 It was true. When Sybil wasn’t helping her mother with the other children, she kept busy cooking and cleaning. She washed and mended clothes and did other tasks around the house. Perhaps it was good that the Ludington girls could not attend school as their brothers did. Many of Sybil’s chores would go undone.
continued
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Unit 3 Assessment • Historical Fiction (continued)
8 In fact, Sybil’s father depended on her as well. He was a leader of the Revolutionary Army in New York. As a result, Colonel Ludington was wanted by the British. There was a reward for his arrest. Some time ago, a British sympathizer had tried to capture the colonel in his home. Sybil and her younger sister Rebecca were keeping watch that night, armed with pistols. The girls gave the alarm. Right away, the family lit candles and paraded back and forth in front of the windows. To a stranger, it looked like many, many people were inside, protecting the colonel. The attacker gave up and went away.
9 Mrs. Ludington softly explained why Sybil was still not awake. “Last night when Sybil was putting you to bed, a messenger came to see your father. He said that the British soldiers had just attacked Danbury. Father needed to gather soldiers to fight the British. It was not safe to go himself. Sybil offered to go. She spent the whole night on horseback, alerting the soldiers. She rode all around the county. She traveled forty miles in the cold, rainy night.”
10 “Mama, look!” Young Henry pointed out the window. Four hundred soldiers had gathered on the Ludingtons’ lawn under the rising sun.
11 Mrs. Ludington looked outside where her husband paced in front of the soldiers. Sybil had made her family proud once again.
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Unit 3 Assessment • Historical Fiction (continued)
Think about the main characters in the two passages you read. Which main character made the biggest sacrifice, or gave up the most, for an important reason? Write an essay to explain your opinion. Use details from the passages to support your ideas.
The Better to See You With1 “Just keep your eye on the ball.” Coach Chet’s words echoed
in Doug’s head.
2 Whiff! Doug swung the bat and missed the ball, again. This was getting ridiculous. His cheeks felt hot as he walked to the bench. No wonder he always got picked last for the team.
3 As he lined up after recess, Doug wondered, How come other kids could hit a baseball? Why could they find the hoop with a basketball? Why didn’t other kids say the wrong words when it was their turn to read out loud? Did other people see the world differently?
4 Once or twice, other people had suggested that maybe he needed glasses, but Doug had always thought, No way. He wanted to avoid giving his brother’s friends one more thing to taunt him about.
5 That afternoon Mr. Greene called on Doug to read the next math problem. Doug squinted at the numbers on the board. As he read the problem, the other kids started to giggle. After class, Mr. Greene took Doug aside and said, “I think you need to get your eyes checked.”
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
6 Doug mumbled to himself, “One more thing. Just one more thing to get teased about. Okay, I give up.”
7 A few days later, Doug pulled out his new glasses. He slid them on, hoping no one would notice, just as math class began.
8 “Doug, please read the first problem,” said Mr. Greene.
9 Doug read the problem aloud and solved it. Phew! he thought.
10 That afternoon, his brother’s friends came over to play basketball. No one said a word about Doug’s glasses. Al said, “We need another guy to even up the teams. Do you want to play?”
11 Doug nodded nervously. Then, when it was his turn, he bounced the ball. He kept his eyes on the ball and on the hoop, took a breath, and shot. Two points! Hey! he thought as Al gave him a high five, maybe this won’t be so bad after all.
The Two-Wheeled Beginner1 “Carmen, I have a surprise for you,” said Mr. Vargas. He
beamed as he rolled a dented two-wheeler out of the shed behind their building.
2 Carmen tried to look excited. “Gee, thanks, Mr. Vargas,” she said, but she didn’t move an inch toward the bicycle.
3 The old man said, “I know it’s a little rusted and a little beat-up, but my Miguel used to ride it. I found it when I cleaned up the shed. Give it a try.”
4 Carmen could not figure out a way to seem grateful. “Um, I can’t,” she stammered.
5 Mr. Vargas’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s not good enough for you?”
6 Now Carmen was really embarrassed. “No, it’s just that I . . . I never had a bike before. I never learned how to ride.”
7 “Aw, that’s all? Come, I’ll show you.” The old man would not take no for an answer.
8 Carmen glanced up and down the block and asked, “Um, Mr. Vargas, do you mind if we try it behind the building?” Her friends from school might be passing by at any time, and she was the only third grader she knew who couldn’t ride a bike.
9 For the next two days, Mr. Vargas held on to the back of the bike as Carmen wobbled around the parking lot. On the third day, he let go, and Carmen pedaled smoothly around the lot. She turned and rode back to where she began. “Thank you so much, Mr. Vargas!” she said with a grin.
10 Carmen pedaled around to the front of the building. Just then Dana and Kelly were riding past on their bikes. “Carmen, come join us!” they shouted.
11 Carmen turned back to look at Mr. Vargas, who held one thumb up and nodded. Carmen raced to catch up with her friends.
Choose one of the passages, “The Better to See You With” or “The Two-Wheeled Beginner.” Suppose the passage continues. Write a narrative telling what happens next. Use details from the passage to support your narrative, and write it from the same point of view.
Grade 3 | Unit 5 AssessmentLiterary Text • Trickster Tale
Read the passage. Then answer questions 1–7.
The Red and Blue Coat: A Tale from Nigeria
1 There once lived two field mice who were the closest of friends. They stayed best friends over the years. When they were all grown up, they chose neighboring fields to live on. The only thing dividing their land was a narrow path.
2 As the two friends worked in their fields collecting food, Mr. Jackal watched. He was jealous that the two mice got along so well. He spent many hours thinking about them. Hmmm, maybe they never fight because they are both tiny and they look at the world the same way, thought Mr. Jackal.
3 Mr. Jackal loved mischief. He also liked to play tricks on the animals in the village. One day, he decided to play a trick on the two mice. Mr. Jackal made himself a coat that was two colors. The right half was blue, and the left half was red.
4 As the two mice gathered food in their own fields, Mr. Jackal walked down the path between them. He sang loudly as he walked. The two friends took a break from their work to listen to the trickster’s song. They watched him stroll along.
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
5 At the end of the day, the two friends met on the path to say good night to each other. One friend said to the other, “Wasn’t that a beautiful red coat that Mr. Jackal was wearing today?”
6 “Yes, it was a beautiful coat. But it was blue,” said the other.
7 “You are wrong, my friend! It was red.”
8 “You need glasses,” said the other. “It was blue!”
9 “I can see fine, but you don’t remember well,” the friend replied.
10 The friends continued to argue and insult each other. Just as they were saying, “Our friendship is over,” Mr. Jackal came walking up the path. He was wearing the coat. The friends could see that the coat was half red and half blue. Mr. Jackal laughed at the look on their faces.
11 “We have lived like brothers our whole lives,” said one mouse. “It is your fault that we began fighting.”
12 “Don’t blame me,” replied Mr. Jackal with a grin. “Both of you were right, and both of you were wrong. You were fighting because neither of you looked at my coat from the other’s point of view.”
1 ‘Twasafine,sunnymorningwhenyoungFinnSmithwenttoworkinthefield.Justashewasabouttobeginhiswork,Finnheard a strange sound. It was coming from the row next to him. “Tic-tac-too, tic-tac-too,” went the sound.
2 Finn was happy for any excuse to delay working. He put down his shovel and crept quietly down the row. The tapping sound became louder. Soon, Finn saw a little old man sitting at a tiny workbench. The little man was hammering away at a shoe that sparkled in the sun. Finn knew he was looking at a leprechaun. He also knew the trick to capturing a fairy or lepre-chaun. You could never look away from it.
3 Finn kept his eyes on the old man and quietly greeted him.
4 “Good day,” Finn said.
5 “Good day to you, too,” smiled the little old man. Then he lifted up a spoon and asked, “Would you like some of my por-ridge?”
6 Finn could see out of the corner of his eye the many beautiful colors in the bowl. He was curious and wanted to look at it. But he kept his eyes on the old man.
8 The old man continued to try to trick Finn into looking away, but Finn continued to stare. Finally, Finn demanded, “Bring me to where a pot of gold lies.”
9 The leprechaun thought for a bit. Then he said, “I will show you where the gold is, but then you must let me leave. I need to make more shoes for the dance tonight.”
10 Finn agreed. So the leprechaun led Finn through streams and woodsuntiltheyfinallyreachedafieldofdandelions.Thelep-rechaun pointed to one of the dandelions. “The gold is under that one,” he said.
11 “Swear on your honor that the pot is under there,” said Finn.
12 The leprechaun swore, and Finn let the old man leave.
13 Finn needed a shovel to dig for the gold. He took off one of his socks and put it over the dandelion. Then he ran to get his shovel.
14 WhenFinnreturnedtothefield,hecouldn’tbelievehiseyes.Every dandelion had a sock on it that looked exactly like Finn’s. Hewouldneverfindtherightone.AsFinnturnedtogohome,he was sure he heard hundreds of leprechauns laughing at him.
Choose one of the passages you have read: “The Red and Blue Coat” or “The Leprechaun’s Gold.” Write an informative news article for your teacher that explains what happens in the story and how the trickster fools the other character(s). Use details from the passage to support your ideas.
2 I am writing to ask you to make a change in our school. I think this change will make all of the students at Hopkins School healthier.
3 Right now, many kids buy soft drinks from the machine in the cafeteria. This is not healthy for a number of reasons.
4 For one, most soda is made with sugar. Sugar can give you cavities. And we can’t brush our teeth after lunch.
5 Some studies also show that kids who drink soda are more likely to be overweight than kids who don’t. That’s another reason kids should not drink soda.
6 Some people drink sodas with fake sweetener to avoid the sugar. But who wants to drink fake stuff? Instead, we should have drinks with nutrients that make us grow and keep us healthy.
7 Here’s one more reason to avoid soda. Kids who fill up on soda don’t have room for healthy food. More kids would buy milk and other healthy foods if they could not get soda.
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
8 Maybe we should keep the machine but fill it with healthy snacks. Things like yogurt, carrots, and apples are really good. Most kids like these foods. The machine could also have drinks like water or juice. That way, kids could still get drinks and snacks. They just won’t eat or drink things that are bad for them.
9 I know you care about how kids in our school learn. I’m sure you care about our health, too. Please make this change as soon as you can.
Taking Lunch to the Next Step1 Dear Principal Allard:
2 Every day when I clear my lunch tray into the trash, I think, There has to be a better way. I know that 649 kids make a lot of trash from lunch. What if we recycled not only our paper and plastic, but our food, too?
3 Here’s my idea. Now that we have a school garden, we could put the leftover food to really good use. We can recycle lunch scraps into compost.
4 Here is how it would work. After lunch, everybody empties their lunch trays. First they discard plastic straws, forks, and spoons into one barrel. Then they dump paper, juice boxes, and milk containers into another barrel. Finally, they scrape their leftover food into another barrel. The waste can then be used to make compost. You need to add some other things such as dirt, grass clippings, and dried-up leaves.
5 After the compost sits in a special bin for a few months, it turns into rich black soil. We can add this to the soil in the school garden. Plants love it! What’s even better is that we can grow more in our school garden. It’s fun to grow food. And when kids grow the food they eat, I bet they don’t waste as much.
6 I talked to my third-grade teacher and our science teacher. If you let us start a program like this, they said that they would help. They thought it would be a great project for the ecology club to work on, too.
7 There is a better way to use lunch waste than simply throw it away. We just need to take a few easy steps.
Which is a better idea: removing soda from school cafeterias or recycling food waste from the lunchroom? Write a letter to your principal giving your opinion. Use details from both passages to support your ideas.
Grade 3 | Unit 7 AssessmentLiterary Text • Fairy Tale
Read the title and the first paragraph of the passage. Then answer question 1.
1. What will most likely happen in this story?
A Cat and Dog will save the wife’s life.
B The husband and wife will send Cat and Dog away.
C Cat and Dog will take a long trip together.
D The husband and wife will lose the ring.
Now read the rest of the passage and answer questions 2–7.
Why Cat and Dog Are Enemies1 Once upon a time, a husband and wife lived in their home
with their friends, Dog and Cat. The couple lived simply and had no riches. But they did own a magical golden ring. They kept it hidden by the fireplace. Whoever possessed the ring would always have enough food.
2 One night, as the husband and wife slept, a thief sneaked into their home and stole the ring. Cat saw the robbery happen and followed the thief. She watched through a window as the thief went home and locked the ring in a chest.
3 The next morning, Cat tried to tell the married couple what had happened, but they only heard her meow. Cat knew she would be treated like a queen if she could get the ring back. But she could not figure out how to do it.
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
4 The couple soon did not have any food to eat. One night, Dog and Cat talked about how they could help their friends. Cat told Dog about the thief and what she saw.
5 “Let’s get the ring back,” said Dog.
6 “But how?” asked Cat. “The ring is locked in a chest.”
7 “If you catch a mouse, you can make the mouse chew a hole in the chest,” Dog explained.
8 “What a great idea!” said Cat. She scurried off to catch a mouse. She had not expected Dog to think up such a smart plan.
9 Later, Dog helped Cat get into the thief’s house with a mouse. He stood guard outside. The mouse chewed a hole in the chest. Cat got the ring out of the chest. She put it in her mouth and sneaked out of the house. When Dog noticed that Cat was gone, he ran after her.
10 Cat made it home first. She was giving the ring back to the husband and wife when Dog rushed in. They accepted the ring from Cat. Then they scolded Dog. They put him outside for chasing Cat. Cat just stood there and smiled. Food suddenly appeared in the kitchen. Cat enjoyed a lavish meal. Then she rested by the fireplace afterward. Dog sulked outside by the door.
11 And ever since then, cats and dogs have been enemies.
Read the title and the first paragraph of the passage. Then answer question 8.
8. What will most likely happen in this story?
A The princess will leave the castle.
B The princess will turn into a fairy.
C The princess will fly to the stars.
D The princess will make friends with a bear.
Now read the rest of the passage and answer questions 9–16.
The Bear Princess1 Once upon a time, there lived a king and queen. They loved
their daughter so much they kept her in the castle day and night for fear that harm would come to her. During the day, she sat by the window and looked out at the forest. At night, she looked at the stars. The stars, she thought, are my only friends. Day or night, the princess felt trapped.
2 One night she whispered, “I wish I could wander outside.” Then she shouted her wish at the stars, and a fairy appeared. The fairy gave the princess a cart and a magic bearskin.
3 “When you put on the bearskin, you will be disguised,” said the fairy. “And when you get into the cart, you can go wherever you please.”
4 Thrilled to leave, the princess put on the bearskin. Then she stepped into the cart and took off. She was whisked away deep into the forest. There, the princess delighted in all of the animals that she saw. Yet when she got near them, they all scampered away.
5 Thenextday,theprincesswenttoafieldwheresomechildren were playing. When they saw her, the children ran away.
6 The following morning, the princess went back to the forest. Suddenly, the ground shook. Before she knew it, she was surrounded by a group of hunters on horseback. The hunters aimed their bows at her, ready to shoot.
7 The princess quickly took off her bearskin. She yelled, “Stop! I am a princess. If you bring me back to the castle, you will be rewarded.”
8 One of the hunters was a kind prince who lived nearby. As he accompanied the princess back to the castle, she told him why she had put on the bearskin. The prince felt sorry for the princess. He vowed to help her.
9 When they arrived at the castle, the prince asked the king and queen to allow him to visit her and walk with her in the forest. He told them, “I will make sure no harm comes to her.”
10 The king and queen knew the prince would be true to his word, so they agreed. After that, the princess and the prince often went for long walks together in the forest. And soon they fell in love.
Choose one of the passages, “Why Cat and Dog Are Enemies” or “The Bear Princess.” Write a narrative telling what happens before the story begins. For example, tell how the man and woman first got the ring or why the king and queen kept the princess in the castle. Use details from the passage to support your narrative, and write it from the same point of view.
Grade 3 | Unit 8 AssessmentLiterary Text • Tall Tale
Read the passage. Then answer questions 1–6.
Paul Bunyan’s Thirsty Ox1 Long ago, people didn’t just run down to the nearest toy
store to get somebody a birthday present. They used their wits and came up with something useful. Well, this was true around the time of Paul Bunyan’s birthday.
2 Let me back up just a little. The day Paul Bunyan was actually born, he gave his mom and pop quite a surprise. Paul was the biggest baby ever seen in those parts. Why, he was the biggest baby seen in any parts!
3 Before Paul even had a diaper on him, he grabbed a broomstick and swung it. It cut right through the bars on his crib. Then he sawed the legs off his parents’ bed and sent it crashing to the floor.
4 “Give that boy an ax,” somebody or other hollered. “Let him earn his breakfast.”
5 Like I said, Paul was always a big boy. Some say he was eight feet tall by his tenth birthday. But I figure he was bigger than that. He took up logging for work. Of course, he could lift a whole tree and toss it in a pile. No man or machine could keep up with him.
6 After a while, Paul thought he’d like a little company in the woods as he worked. That’s when his friend Davy Crockett came up with a brilliant idea. Davy gave him Babe as a gift.
7 Babe was a blue ox. He was big like Paul, and even stronger. Babe could work from sunup to sundown without any food. The only thing was, he liked to drink a lot of water. Paul got a little tired of moving the streambeds so the water would run into Babe’s mouth. He had an idea. If he could make some really big puddles right near camp, Babe could drink from them.
8 Paul took a long board and laid it between two tall pine trees. He jumped up and down on the board. He went higher and higher with each jump. Finally, he sprang off the board and landed really hard. His great big footprints left mighty big holes in the ground. The next time it rained, the holes filled up with water. That’s how the Great Lakes were formed.
1 Back in the old days, Davy Crockett and Mike Fink were sworn enemies. Things didn’t change much when Davy married. His wife’s name was Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett. Cranky old Fink wasn’t shy about letting his feelings be known. He lived in the swamp. He was used to yelling at the gators.
2 Well, Sally Ann You-Know-the-Rest was more fearless than any gal this side of the Mississippi, or the other. One time a mess of gators got tired of living down south. They tied a bunch of logs together. Then they rode the logs up the river.
3 Sally Ann Whatever didn’t like the idea of her toes getting nibbled when she took a bath in the river each month. She stucksomestinkyfishonahook.Thenshedangleditoverthewater.
4 Thegatorssnappedatthefish.Sallypulledupthehook.Shegrabbedthosegreengatorsbythetail.Thensheflungthemclear to Alaska. There, they turned blue with cold.
5 This was good practice for the day Sally Ann T.A.W.C. met Mike Fink. Davy was spouting off about how smart and strong and wonderful his wife was. Fink had no use for Crockett or his bragging.Hefigurednowomancouldbeastoughashewas.Mike said, “Bring her on!” He thought he’d get a great laugh. He would scare Sally and watch her run back home to Davy.
6 That night, Mike Fink climbed inside a big old gator skin. He zipped up the skin so he was all covered. When Sally A.T.A.W.C. came skipping down the dock, Mike stood up on his hind feet. Then he gave one of the loudest, bloodthirstiest screams you ever heard. Why, it could have turned back the tide, if only the ocean was a little closer.
7 Did this stop Miz Sally? No way. She just laughed and grinned from ear to ear. She pulled a hatpin out of her bonnet and stuck it through the gator’s tail. Mike Fink twisted and turned, but he couldn’t get loose. Then Sally tickled that alligator skin until Mike begged for mercy. He pulled and pulled to get away from the tickling till his neck stretched almost clear up to the moon. When it couldn’t stretch any farther, his head snapped back to Earth like a rubber band.
8 All that stretching and snapping wore Mike out. He stuck his pawsintheairandsaid,“Uncle.”Sallyfixedherbonnetandsaid, “Next time, I won’t let you off so easy!”
Think about the two passages you have read. Which one was a better story? Write a review for your friends to explain which story was better and why. Use details from both passages to support your opinion.
Grade 3 | Unit 9 AssessmentLiterary Text • Pourquoi Tale
Read the passage. Then answer questions 1–7.
How the Milky Way Appeared in the Sky: A Cherokee Tale1 Long ago, the people ate only corn. They ground the
dried kernels into floury meal. Each day they filled their baskets to the brim. They ate cornmeal morning, noon, and night.
2 One day, as Grandmother began to prepare her evening meal, she reached into the basket and found that the cornmeal did not reach the top. “Hmmph!” she muttered.
3 The next night Grandmother noticed there was even less meal in the basket than the night before. Puzzled, she continued to cook.
4 This went on for seven nights. Each night there was less and less meal in the basket than there should have been. Grandmother began to fret. “What has happened to the meal? Soon I will have nothing to eat!” she wailed, rocking back and forth.
5 Finally, a young man heard Grandmother through the wall. He came to see what ailed his neighbor. As the woman began to speak, the young man caught sight of a large dog just outside of the window. Cornmeal crumbs dotted the dog’s nose and whiskers.
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
6 The young man chased after the dog but could not catch it. The dog raced down the road and through the wood. The young man followed the trail of crumbs. At the end of the road, the animal leaped into the sky, jumping from cloud to cloud. Without realizing that he was flying through the sky, the young man followed the dog. Crumbs continued to spill from the dog’s mouth, fluttering around the sky.
7 The Great Spirit, impressed that the young man would work so hard to help his neighbor, turned the crumbs into stars. You can see them still in the Milky Way in the evening sky.
How Raven Made the Tides: A Pacific Northwest Tale
1 Long ago the tide hugged the shore both day and night, and did not rise or fall with the moon’s pull. Old Tide Woman heldthetidefirmlyinplace.Shetuckeditunderherchinlikeablanket.
2 The clams and oysters scuttled deep in the water where they could not be reached. The mussels and crabs did, too. The people went hungry without this food.
3 Raven knew of the woman who held the tide fast. He hoped the tide could be freed from her grasp. Then the birds and the peoplewouldfindplentytoeatintheseabed.
4 Now, Raven liked to upset the order of things. He had stolen Fog in the past. He had even stolen Sun. He had fooled Salmon intojumpingintohisnet.HefiguredthatTideWomanwouldbeeasy to trick as well.
8 The woman would not release her grip to go look. “Bah” was all she said.
9 Raven tried again. “If you follow the sun’s rays now, you will see the hole in the tide.” This time Raven held a shiny stone to reflectthesunintothewoman’seyes.Thewomancouldnotsee, but still she held tightly to the tide line.
10 Next Raven strutted to the beach to gather sand in his wing. Heflungitinthewoman’sdirectiontoblindthewomanforamoment. As she reached to rub her eyes, Raven grabbed the tide line away and pulled back the tide.
12 WhenRavenhadhisfill,hereturnedtotheTideWoman,who was still blinded by the sand. She said, “Raven, I know the soundofyourflutteringwings.Helpme.”
13 Raven took pity on the woman. He promised to wash the sand from her eyes on one condition. She must release the tide two times each day so the people could gather food. Old Tide Woman agreed, and that is why twice each day the tide runs out to uncover the sand and then comes in again.
Choose a character in one these stories: the dog in “How the Milky Way Appeared in the Sky” or Tide Woman in “How Raven Made the Tides.” Write the story from that character’s point of view. Use first-person narration and include details from the passage.
Fox and Crow1 One day as Fox padded softly through the woods, he
spied Crow sitting on a branch high in a tree. Truth be told, it was really the aroma of a piece of cheese in Crow’s beak that first caught Fox’s attention.
2 “Ah, you magnificent bird!” said Fox. He sniffed deeply. “How handsome are your feathers! Why, if your song is half as elegant as your plumage, you must surely have the finest voice in all the forest. I wonder, would you honor me with just a few notes?”
3 Crow was deeply pleased at Fox’s words. Indeed, he was proud of his voice. But rarely had anyone asked to hear him sing. He opened his beak to show off with a sweet tune.
4 At that moment, the cheese fell from Crow’s beak. Fox rushed in to grab it. He snatched the cheese in midair. Then he swallowed it whole.
5 Then with a smirk, he said, “Foolish Crow, so easily tricked by a bit of flattery! If you fail to learn that lesson, I may never go hungry!”
6 With that, Fox slipped away to find his next foolish victim.
Name ________________________________________ Date ___________
The Boy Who Cried Wolf1 Oneday,ashepherdboywastendingaflockofsheeponthe
side of a rocky hill far from the village. His job was to keep the sheepsafewhilethepeopleofthevillagelaboredinthefields.Theboyplayedhisfluteandtossedafewrocks,butsoonheran out of ideas to make the time pass. The boy thought and thought. Then he said, “Wolf!”
2 No one heard him.
3 He cried, “Wolf, wolf!” louder this time.
4 As the boy had hoped, the villagers came running to save the flockfromharm.Butwhentheyarrivedonthelonelyhillside,the shepherd boy simply laughed. Seeing no wolf, the villagers returnedtotheirfields.
5 The following day, the shepherd boy tried to entertain himself. Again he called, “Wolf! Wolf!” louder than the day before. As before,thevillagerscamerunningtohelptheboyfightoffanattack.
6 But the boy simply pointed at the villagers and could not manage to say a word. He rolled on the ground and laughed with pleasure at his trick.
7 The villagers were not amused. They shook their heads in disgust and went back to their work.
8 On the third day, the boy sat on a rock wondering how to entertain himself. Then suddenly, he saw a wolf approach the flockfrombehindabush.“Wolf!Wolf!Wolf!”yelledtheboy,hisvoice rising in fear.
9 The villagers did not heed the boy’s calls when they heard him yelling. They shook their heads and went right back to their labor. “Do not cry ‘wolf’ unless you really mean it,” they said.
10 The shepherd boy was not able to fend off the wolf alone. The sharp-toothedanimalateseveralsheepbeforetheboyfinallychased it away with rocks. He was nervous to face his neighbors and explain what had happened to their sheep.
7. In paragraph 10 what is the meaning of the word face?
A an expression
B to deal with something
C to turn toward something
D front of a person’s head
8. How can you tell that this passage is a fable?
A It includes dialogue.
B It tells about events that happened long ago.
C It teaches a lesson.
D It gives facts about animals.
9. The passage says, “The boy played his flute and tossed a few rocks, but soon he ran out of ideas to make the time pass.” What does this show about the shepherd boy?
Choose one of these passages—”Fox and Crow” or “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”—and write the story as an informational news article. Tell what happens and where, when, and why it happens, and who is involved. Use details from the passage to support your ideas.
Look at the title of the passage and take a quick look at the first paragraph. What questions do you have? Write two questions you have that will help you understand the passage.
Sample Answer
What are the tiny creatures all around us? What did Anton van Leeuwenhoek discover or invent?
Scoring Rubric
Question 9
Look at the title of the passage and take a quick look at the first paragraph. What questions do you have? Write two questions you have that will help you understand the passage.
Sample Answer
Who was Louis Pasteur? Why was pasteurization named after him, or how did he help invent pasteurization?
Scoring Rubric
2 The response includes two appropriate questions about the passage.
1 The response includes one appropriate question about the passage.
0 The response is incomplete or the questions are not appropriate.
2 The response includes two appropriate questions about the passage.
1 The response includes one appropriate question about the passage.
0 The response is incomplete or the questions are not appropriate.
How did Anton van Leeuwenhoek’s work lead to Louis Pasteur’s work? Write a report explaining what each man did and how their work was related. Use details from both passages in your essay.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of informational writing and includes accurate information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly, and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most features of informational writing and includes accurate information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time, and may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some features of informational writing and includes some information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of informational writing and does not develop the topic. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly, and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
What does Grandpa and Chris’s garden look like? Use at least two details from the passage to describe what it looks like.
Sample Answer
The garden has rows of plants. All of the plants are green and healthy. There are rows of tall cornstalks on one side, and a scarecrow stands in the middle.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
Picture the scene at the swimming pool when Jasper is in the water. Write two or three sentences describing the scene. Use at least two details from the passage in your description.
Sample Answer
There are a lot of kids swimming in the pool and a child’s hat and a beach ball are floating on the surface. A teenage girl is sitting by the pool talking to some teenage boys. A younger girl is standing at the edge of the pool about to jump in.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately describes the garden and includes at least two details from the passage.
1 The response accurately describes the garden and includes one detail from the passage.
0 The response is incomplete or incorrect.
2 The response accurately describes the scene at the pool and uses at least two details from the passage.
1 The response accurately describes the scene at the pool and uses one detail from the passage.
Choose one of the passages, “A Time for Growing” or “Jumping In.” If the passage continued, what would happen next? Write a narrative telling what happens next. Use details from the passage to support your narrative, and write it from the same point of view.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of narrative writing: details about the time and place, a logical sequence of events, well-developed characters, dialogue, and a narrative point of view. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly, and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of narrative writing, but may not have a clear narrative voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time, but may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some of the features of narrative writing, but includes few details and may not present a logical sequence of events. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of narrative writing and does not include details of time or place or a logical sequence of events. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
Describe two things the ladies in this passage are doing to support the patriots.
Sample Answer
They make their own tea, or they refuse to drink British tea. They make their own cloth.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
Describe two important things about Sybil that you learned from this passage.
Sample Answer
Sybil’s father relied on Sybil to help guard the family. Sybil was sleeping late because she had spent the whole night riding on horseback, alerting the soldiers.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately describes two things the ladies do to support the patriots.
1 The response accurately describes one thing the ladies do to support the patriots.
0 The response is incomplete or incorrect.
2 The response accurately identifies two important details about Sybil from the passage.
1 The response accurately identifies one important detail about Sybil from the passage.
Think about the main characters in the two passages you read. Which main character makes the biggest sacrifice, or gives up the most, for an important reason? Write an essay to explain your opinion. Use details from the passages to support your ideas.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of opinion writing: a clearly stated opinion or claim, supporting reasons and text evidence from the source(s), a clear and logical conclusion, and a strong voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of opinion writing and includes adequate supporting reasons and text evidence from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time and may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, but they do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some features of opinion writing but may not have adequate supporting reasons or text evidence from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of opinion writing and does not state a clear opinion or claim. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
Write a summary of what happens to Doug. Include at least two important details from the passage in your summary.
Sample Answer
Doug realizes he needs glasses because he can’t hit a ball and can’t read problems on the board. He doesn’t want to wear glasses because he is afraid others will tease him. When he gets glasses, nobody teases him and he is able to do many things better.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
Write a summary of what happens to Carmen. Include at least two important details from the passage in your summary.
Sample Answer
Carmen is embarrassed because she can’t ride a two-wheeler. Her neighbor gives her an old bike and teaches her how to ride it.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately summarizes what happens to Doug and includes at least two important details from the passage.
1 The response partially summarizes what happens to Doug and includes one important detail from the passage.
0 The response is incorrect or incomplete.
2 The response accurately summarizes what happens to Carmen and includes at least two important details from the passage.
1 The response partially summarizes what happens to Carmen and includes one important detail from the passage.
Choose one of the passages, “The Better to See You With” or “The Two-Wheeled Beginner.” Suppose the passage continues. Write a narrative telling what happens next. Use details from the passage to support your narrative, and write it from the same point of view.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of narrative writing: details about the time and place, a logical sequence of events, well-developed characters, dialogue, and a narrative point of view. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly, and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of narrative writing, but may not have a clear narrative voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time, but may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some of the features of narrative writing, but includes few details and may not present a logical sequence of events. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of narrative writing and does not include details of time or place or a logical sequence of events. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
What lesson do the mice learn in the end, and how might this lesson be helpful in your life? Give an example.
Sample Answer
The mice learn that it is important to look at things from the other’s point of view. This is a good lesson for people, too. It could help me if I have an argument with my sister.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
How did Finn treat the leprechaun, and how would you have acted differently in the same situation? Describe what you would do.
Sample Answer
Finn is rude to the leprechaun because he doesn’t want the leprechaun to escape. I would be nice to the leprechaun and ask him politely for help.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately explains the lesson and gives an example of how the student might apply it to his or her life.
1 The response explains the lesson or gives an example of how the student might apply it to his or her life, but not both.
0 The response is incomplete or incorrect.
2 The response accurately describes how Finn treats the leprechaun and what the student would do.
1 The response describes how Finn treats the leprechaun or what the student would do, but not both.
Choose one of the passages you have read: “The Red and Blue Coat” or “The Leprechaun’s Gold.” Write an informative news article for your teacher that explains what happens in the story and how the trickster fools the other character(s). Use details from the passage to support your ideas.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of informative writing and includes accurate information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most features of informative writing and includes accurate information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time and may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, but they do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some features of informative writing and includes some information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of informative writing and does not develop the topic. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
Give three reasons from the letter explaining why sugar is bad for you.
Sample Answer
It can cause cavities, it can make you overweight, and it can cause diabetes.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
Give three reasons from the letter supporting the idea of recycling food waste.
Sample Answer
It will reduce the amount of trash thrown away. It can be used to make compost to help the school garden. The teachers think it would be a good project for the ecology club.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response gives three accurate reasons from the passage.
1 The response gives one or two accurate reasons from the passage.
0 The response is incomplete or incorrect.
2 The response gives three accurate reasons from the passage.
1 The response gives one or two accurate reasons from the passage.
Which is a better idea: removing soda from school cafeterias or recycling food waste from the lunchroom? Write a letter to your principal giving your opinion. Use details from both passages to support your ideas.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of opinion writing: a clearly stated opinion or claim, supporting reasons and text evidence from the source(s), a clear and logical conclusion, and a strong voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of opinion writing and includes adequate supporting reasons and text evidence from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time and may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, but they do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some features of opinion writing but may not have adequate supporting reasons or text evidence from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of opinion writing and does not state a clear opinion or claim. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
Give three reasons from the letter explaining why sugar is bad for you.
Sample Answer
Why did the man and woman reward Cat and punish Dog? Use at least two details from the passage to support your answer.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
How did the princess feel after her first two days as a bear, and why? Use at least two details from the passage to support your answer.
Sample Answer
The princess was sad after her second day as a bear. Even though she could leave the castle, she was still lonely. The children and animals ran away from the princess because she was a bear. She still didn’t have any friends.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately explains why Cat was rewarded and Dog was punished. It includes at least two supporting details from the passage.
1 The response partially explains why Cat was rewarded and Dog was punished. It includes one supporting detail from the passage.
0 The response is incomplete or incorrect.
2 The response accurately explains how the princess felt and why. It includes at least two supporting details from the passage.
1 The response partially explains how the princess felt and why. It includes one supporting detail from the passage.
Choose one of the passages, “Why Cat and Dog Are Enemies” or “The Bear Princess.” Write a narrative telling what happens before the story begins. For example, tell how the man and woman first got the ring or why the king and queen kept the princess in the castle. Use details from the passage to support your narrative, and write it from the same point of view.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of narrative writing: details about the time and place, a logical sequence of events, well-developed characters, dialogue, and a narrative point of view. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly, and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of narrative writing, but may not have a clear narrative voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time, but may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some of the features of narrative writing, but includes few details and may not present a logical sequence of events. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of narrative writing and does not include details of time or place or a logical sequence of events. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
In this passage, what are the most important things to know about Paul Bunyan? Use at least two details from the passage to support your answer.
Sample Answer
Paul Bunyan was very big and very strong. He worked as a logger and had a blue ox. He created the Great Lakes.
Scoring Rubric
Question 13
What things are most important to know about Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind? Use at least two details from the passage to support your answer.
Sample Answer
Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind was strong, fearless, and clever. She removed all the gators from the Mississippi River. She defeated Mike Fink when he tried to scare her.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately explains the most important things about Paul Bunyan. It includes at least two supporting details from the passage.
1 The response partially explains the most important things about Paul Bunyan. It includes one supporting detail from the passage.
0 The response is incomplete or incorrect.
2 The response accurately explains the most important things about Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. It includes at least two supporting details from the passage.
1 The response partially explains the most important things about Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. It includes one supporting detail from the passage.
Think about the two passages you have read. Which one was a better story? Write a review for your friends to explain which story was better and why. Use details from both passages to support your opinion.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of opinion writing: a clearly stated opinion or claim, supporting reasons and text evidence from the source(s), a clear and logical conclusion, and a strong voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of opinion writing and includes adequate supporting reasons and text evidence from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time and may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, but they do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some features of opinion writing but may not have adequate supporting reasons or text evidence from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of opinion writing and does not state a clear opinion or claim. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
Choose a character in one these stories: the dog in “How the Milky Way Appeared in the Sky” or Tide Woman in “How Raven Made the Tides.” Write the story from that character’s point of view. Use first-person narration and include details from the passage.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of narrative writing: details about the time and place, a logical sequence of events, well-developed characters, dialogue, and a narrative point of view. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly, and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most of the features of narrative writing, but may not have a clear narrative voice. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time, but may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some of the features of narrative writing, but includes few details and may not present a logical sequence of events. The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of narrative writing and does not include details of time or place or a logical sequence of events. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling that hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.
What lesson can you infer from this passage? Give two details from the passage to support your ideas.
Sample Answer
The passage teaches that you should not let others trick you by paying you compliments. Fox really wanted Crow’s cheese so he told Crow that he had a beautiful voice and beautiful feathers. Crow was so pleased with himself that he opened his mouth to sing and dropped his cheese.
Scoring Rubric
Question 12
Describe the lesson that this passage teaches. Give two details from the passage to support your ideas.
Sample Answer
“The Boy Who Cried Wolf” teaches that people should not call out an alarm, or call for help, unless they are serious. The shepherd cries “Wolf” twice, and the villagers respond to help, but there is no wolf. When the boy cries out the third time, there is a wolf, but the villagers don’t trust him, or don’t think he is serious, so they don’t respond.
Scoring Rubric
2 The response accurately explains a lesson that the passage teaches and includes at least two supporting details.
1 The response accurately explains a lesson that the passage teaches but includes only one supporting detail.
0 The response is incorrect or incomplete.
2 The response accurately explains a lesson that the passage teaches and includes at least two supporting details.
1 The response accurately explains a lesson that the passage teaches but includes only one supporting detail.
Choose one of these passages—”Fox and Crow” or “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”—and write the story as an informational news article. Tell what happens and where, when, and why it happens, and who is involved. Use details from the passage to support your ideas.
Scoring Rubric
4
The response is well organized and well developed. It demonstrates all of the features of informative writing and includes accurate information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and has few or no mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
3
The response is adequately organized and developed. It demonstrates most features of informative writing and includes accurate information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly most of the time and may make some mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, but they do not hinder meaning.
2
The response is somewhat organized and developed. It demonstrates some features of informative writing and includes some information from the source(s). The writer uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly some of the time and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
1
The response is disorganized and undeveloped. It demonstrates little understanding of informative writing and does not develop the topic. The writer rarely uses conventions of grammar and sentence structure correctly and makes many mistakes in capitalization, punctuation, and spelling, which hinder the overall meaning.
0 The response does not fit the writing prompt or is incomplete.