Grade 6 Promotion Portfolio Manual 2010 2011

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Grade 6

Promotion Portfolio Manual

2010‐2011

NYC Department of Education

May 2011

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Table of Contents

PROMOTION PORTFOLIO OVERIVEW ............................................................................................. 3

PROCESS AND TIMELINE FOR GRADE 6 AUTOMATIC APPEALS ................................................... 4‐6

PROMOTION PORTFOLIO PROCESS OVERVIEW ................................................................................................ 4

AUTOMATIC APPEALS TIMELINE ...................................................................................................................... 5

WHO KEEPS THE PROMOTION PORTFOLIO? ..................................................................................................... 6

PROMOTION REVIEW SUMMARY SHEET ........................................................................................ 7

ELA PROMOTION PORTFOLIO .................................................................................................... 8‐25

LEVELED TEXT ................................................................................................................................................. 9

STANDARD READING PASSAGES ............................................................................................................... 10‐22

INDEPENDENT WRITING ACTIVITY ............................................................................................................ 23‐24

ELA CLASS WORK .......................................................................................................................................... 25

MATHEMATICS PROMOTION PORTFOLIO ............................................................................... 26‐40

MATHEMATICAL INVENTORY ................................................................................................................... 27‐34

STANDARD MATH PROBLEMS .................................................................................................................. 35‐39

MATHEMATICS CLASS WORK ........................................................................................................................ 40

EXAMPLES OF HIGH LEVEL 2 DESIGNATIONS ............................................................................... 41

AUGUST UPDATE: GRADE 6 PROMOTION REVIEW SUMMARY SHEET .................................... 42‐44

OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................... 42‐43

AUGUST UPDATE SHEET (FOR DUPLICATION) ........................................................................................... 43‐44

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Promotion Portfolio Overview

Promotion Portfolio Overview

To be promoted, grade 6 students held to standard promotion criteria must:

Score Level 2 or higher on both the State English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics

assessments.

Students who do not meet the New York City Promotion Standard on the State ELA and/or Mathematics

tests are given the opportunity to demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2 through a

mandatory, automatic appeal in the form of a promotion portfolio. A promotion portfolio is a

standardized set of ELA or math activities that schools administer to students who do not meet their

promotion standard.

This Promotion Portfolio Manual is designed to provide information to grade 6 teachers and

administrators about the automatic appeals process for all students who did not meet

promotion standards on the grade 6 State ELA and/or Mathematics tests. This manual includes:

o The process and timeline for grade 6 promotion automatic appeals

o Step‐by‐step instructions for administering the promotion portfolio

o Criteria used to determine whether the student’s overall promotion portfolio

performance is comparable to Level 1, Level 2, or High Level 2 in ELA and mathematics

The accompanying Promotion Portfolio Blackline Masters contains all materials used by students

during the administration of the promotion portfolio as well as any sheets on which teachers

need to write. The Promotion Portfolio Blackline Masters should be duplicated for each student

as needed.

ELA Promotion Portfolio Components

Students who do not meet the New York City Promotion Standard on the State ELA test are

administered the ELA promotion portfolio, which has four components:

Leveled Text: Reading record for a Level T book (using Fountas and Pinnell levels) selected from

the classroom library

Standard Reading Passages: Evaluates reading comprehension using two of the standard

comprehension passages in this manual

Independent writing activity: Piece of student writing created for the promotion portfolio

Class work: One piece of ELA class work included to reflect the student’s current performance

Mathematics Promotion Portfolio Components

Students who do not meet the New York City Promotion Standard on the State Mathematics test are

administered the mathematics promotion portfolio, which has three components:

Mathematical Inventory: Evaluates mastery of mathematical and computational skills

Standard Math Problems: Evaluates basic math problem‐solving skills

Class work: One piece of mathematics class work included to reflect the student’s current

performance

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Process and Timeline for Grade 6 Automatic Appeals


Through an automatic appeals process, grade 6 students who do not meet the New York City Promotion

Standard on the State ELA and/or Mathematics test will be assessed using a promotion portfolio.

Promotion Portfolio Process Overview

June

In June, teachers will create a promotion portfolio and complete the “Grade 6 Promotion Summary

Sheet,” which schools must print from the PPSC screen in ATS, for grade 6 students who did not meet

promotion standards the State ELA and/or Mathematics test(s). Teachers will administer and score the

promotion portfolio using the guidelines outlined in this manual. Students who perform comparable to

High Level 2 on their promotion portfolio are eligible to be recommended for promotion in June; all

other students are encouraged to attend summer school.

August

For students who do not attain a Level 2 on the New York City Summer test(s) taken in August, the

principal reviews the promotion portfolio submitted in June. Summer school work and the summer

school teacher’s observations may be added to students’ portfolios using the “August Update: Grade 6

Promotion Review Summary Sheet” (included in this manual). If, in the principal’s judgment, a student

has attained performance comparable to Level 2, the principal submits a recommendation of promotion

to the community superintendent.

In addition, a student will not be promoted if the principal determines that the student is not ready for

seventh grade academic courses, based upon student work, teacher observation, and grades in sixth

grade academic courses.

For additional information about the New York City Promotion Policy, please visit the promotion page on the Principals’ Portal (http://intranet.nycboe.net/DOEPortal/Principals/) and refer to the 2010‐2011 Promotion Guide and Chancellor’s Regulation A‐501, Promotion Standards.

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Automatic Appeals Timeline

The timeline for the automatic appeals process is outlined in the table below:

Date Task/Activity Completed By:

By June 15 Promotion Portfolio Assembly: Schools print a “Promotion Portfolio

Summary Sheet” from the PPSC screen in ATS for all students at risk of

not meeting promotion standards on one or both State tests.

The teacher administers a promotion portfolio to these students and

determines whether students are performing comparable to High Level 2,

Level 2, or Level 1. The teacher submits the promotion portfolio to the

principal for every student who might not meet promotion standards.

Teachers

By June 15 Promotion Portfolio Review: The principal reviews the promotion

portfolios of all students who do not meet promotion standards on one

or both State tests and scans these students’ “Promotion Portfolio

Summary Sheets” into ATS to populate promotion portfolio results on the

UPSC screen in ATS. Principals may recommend promotion for only

students whose performance is comparable to High Level 2 and forward

only High Level 2 promotion portfolios to community superintendents.

Principals

By June 17 Final Promotion Decisions: The community superintendent reviews

promotion recommendations from principals and makes the final

promotion decision.

Community

superintendents

June 20 Parent Notification: After final promotion decisions are made, schools

mail promotion letters to notify parents that students have not met the

required promotion standards and are encouraged to attend summer

school.

Principals

By August 4 Summer School Evidence: Teachers complete the “August Update:

Promotion Review Summary Sheet” to include evidence of summer

school work in each student’s promotion portfolio.

Teachers

Math: August 8

ELA: August 9

Make‐up: August 10

New York City Summer Tests Administered: New York City Summer ELA

and Mathematics tests are administered to give students an additional

opportunity to meet their required promotion standards.

Summer school

staff

August 11‐12 Promotion Portfolio Review: For students not attaining Level 2 on the

required New York City Summer test(s) taken in August, the principal

reviews the previously submitted promotion portfolio, New York City

Summer test score(s), summer school work and the summer school

teacher’s observations. If, in the principal’s judgment, a student has

attained performance that is comparable to Level 2, the principal may

submit a recommendation of promotion to the community

superintendent.

Principals

By August 19 Final Promotion Decisions: The community superintendent reviews

promotion recommendations from principals and makes the final

promotion decision.

Community

superintendents

Week of August 22 Parent Notification: After final promotion decisions are made, parent

notification letters are mailed centrally to notify all parents of students

who did not meet the required promotion standards in June of their

child’s final promotion decision.

Central

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Note: Schools must keep promotion portfolios for their records and as evidence supporting promotion decisions.

Consequently, promotion portfolios should be kept at the school and should not be given to students’ families.

Who Keeps the Promotion Portfolio?

Numerous people will review the promotion portfolio during June and August promotion decision

periods. The table below outlines the processes of who should keep the promotion portfolio at any

given time. Following these processes will help ensure that students’ promotion portfolios are

always readily accessible when they are needed as evidence to support a promotion decision.

Note: Each superintendent will outline the logistics for delivering the portfolios to and from district

offices and between summer school and home school sites.

June Teacher prepares

promotion portfolio

(May/June) and

principal reviews.

Summer

School

During summer school, all Level 1 and Level 2 promotion portfolios should be kept at the students’ summer school

site so that summer school teachers can review the promotion portfolios and add the August Update sheet to them.

August Summer school teacher

prepares August Update

and home school

principal reviews.

Superintendents keep promotion

portfolios until July 10 and then they

are given to the summer school site

where they are kept by summer

school site supervisor or designee.

Summer School Site (July 11)

Promotion portfolios go back

to students’ home school to

keep for school records.

Students’ Home School

Promotion portfolios go to the

summer school site where they

are kept by summer school site

supervisor or designee.

Summer School Site

Promotion portfolios go back

to students’ home school to

address parent appeals and

keep for school records and

instructional purposes.


(August 29)

At the end of summer school, all other

promotion portfolios go back to students’

home school principal to keep for school

records and instructional purposes.


Superintendent reviews

promotion portfolios for

students who scored

Level 1 on the NYC test.*

Superintendent

Superintendent

reviews promotion

portfolios.*

Superintendent

*Superintendents should receive promotion porfolios of only students recommended for promotion and review them for a final overall score decision.

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Promotion Review Summary Sheet

Promotion Review Summary Sheet

To prepare the “Promotion Review Summary Sheet”:

1. Print “Promotion Review Summary Sheet.” This year, schools will use the PPSC screen in ATS to

generate the “Promotion Review Summary Sheet” for each student who is administered a

promotion portfolio.

2. Complete “Promotion Review Summary Sheet.” As teachers administer each component of the

promotion portfolio (see directions in the next two sections of this manual), they should complete

the corresponding component on the student’s “Promotion Review Summary Sheet” by filling in the

bubble next to the student’s score for that component. Please see below for a sample of a

completed “Promotion Review Summary Sheet.”

3. Scan “Promotion Review Summary Sheet” into ATS. After the “Promotion Review Summary Sheet”

is complete, schools should scan the sheet into ATS to populate promotion portfolio results on the

UPSC screen in ATS.

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ELA Promotion Portfolio: Overview

ELA Promotion Portfolio

Overview

The table below summarizes the four components of the ELA promotion portfolio and the benchmarks

(highlighted in yellow) students must meet to demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2 in each

component:

Component Description of Component Areas Assessed Benchmarks Comparable to

Level 2 Performance

Leveled Text

Reading record on a Level T

book (using Fountas and

Pinnell levels).

Reading Accuracy

Read Level T books (using

Fountas and Pinnell levels) with

90% accuracy.

Standard Reading

Passages

(Select one of

two fiction and

one of two non‐

fiction passages)

Individually‐administered,

standard comprehension

passage and questions

(included in this manual);

students read passages

independently and verbally

answer comprehension

questions posed by teachers.

Reading

Comprehension

Student must read and answer

questions for one fiction

passage and one non‐fiction

passage. Student must achieve

a Medium on each type of

question – literal, inferential,

and critical – for BOTH

passages.

Independent

Writing Activity

Individually‐administered

writing activity; students may

self‐select a writing topic or

respond to one of the

suggested topics.

Writing Process/

Writing

Expression/

Writing Mechanics

Using the rubric provided in

this manual, students must

score a Medium and show

evidence of the writing process

(draft, revision, final piece).

ELA Class Work One piece of standards‐

based ELA class work.

English Language

Arts

Using the guidelines provided

in this manual, students must

score a Medium on their class

work.

The table below outlines how to determine the overall score for a student’s ELA promotion portfolio

based on the results of the four components summarized above:

Promotion Portfolio Level Required benchmark performance levels

High Level 2 At least meets benchmarks on the Leveled Text and Independent

Writing components

AND

Exceeds benchmarks on the Standard Reading Passage and ELA Class

Work components

Level 2 Meets all benchmarks

Level 1 Does not meet one or more benchmarks

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ELA Promotion Portfolio: Leveled Text

ELA Promotion Portfolio: Leveled Text

Directions

Teachers should select a Level T book (using Fountas and Pinnell levels) from the classroom library for

students to read aloud. The selected Level T book should neither be familiar to the student nor have

been used during classroom instruction. While the student reads, the teacher should complete a reading

record and determine the student’s accuracy rate for the first 100 words of the text using the “Leveled

Text Scoring Sheet” in the Blackline Masters. Directions for completing a reading record appear below.

After determining the accuracy rate, the teacher should record the performance level on the student’s

“Promotion Portfolio Summary Sheet.”

Reading Leveled Books from Classroom Libraries: Coding the Reading Record

Follow these directions for recording a student’s reading:

Errors:

1. Misread word/substitution: Cross out the word and above the text, write the word the student

read incorrectly or substituted.

2. Omission: Circle the omitted word.

3. Insertion: Draw a caret ( ^ ) where the student inserts a word (s) and write the word above.

4. Punctuation ignored: Circle the ignored punctuation.

5. Teacher help: Write “T” above the word.

Repairs – Not Errors

1. Self‐correction: Write “SC” above the corrected word.

2. Pause: Write “P” above a word where the student pauses and works through decoding a

difficult word without help from the teacher.

3. Repetition: Draw an arrow backwards over the repeated word(s), starting with the last word

read. Remember: Repeated errors on the same (recurring) word are counted as one error only.

Formula for Calculating Accuracy Rate

(words) 100 ‐ (errors) ____ = (total) ____ ÷ (words) ____ x 100 = (Accuracy Rate) ____ %

(Use the first 100 words in the text for the reading record.)

Note: A list of Level T books can be found in The Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Book List K‐8+, 2010‐2012 Edition by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Copyright © 2009 by Irene C. Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell. Published by Heinemann, a Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc., Portsmouth, NH.

Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must read a Level T book with 90%

accuracy. The table below outlines the student performance levels for this component of the ELA

promotion portfolio:

Reading Record Accuracy Percentage Leveled Text Performance Level

91% or above Exceeds benchmark

90% Meets benchmark

89% or below Does not meet benchmark

Blackline

Masters

p. 5

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ELA Promotion Portfolio: Standard Reading Passages


Directions

Four reading passages, comprehension questions, and general rubrics to evaluate students’ responses

are included on the following pages in this manual. A summary of each of the passage appears in the

box below. Students must read one non‐fiction passage and one fiction passage.

Students should read the selected passages independently from the Blackline Masters. Then, using the

questions and sample answers listed in this manual that correspond to each passage, teachers should (1)

ask one question from each question category (literal, inferential, and critical), (2) score students’

responses, and (3) record the score for each question (high, medium, or low) on the “Promotion

Portfolio Summary Sheet.”

Fiction Passage #1: The Equal Trade

Sometimes things are not always what they seem to be. Read about how Justin befriends old

Mr. Myers and his mean old dog named Minus.

Fiction Passage #2: Welcome to the Grand Cineplex

Learning a new language and culture can be very difficult. Read to learn how Massoud’s

determination led him to learn to speak English.

Non‐fiction Passage #1: Elizabeth Blackwell, the First Woman Doctor

Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman doctor. Read and discover what makes Elizabeth

Blackwell an inspiration to women in medicine.

Non‐fiction Passage #2: Jim Thorpe, An All‐Around Athlete

Jim Thorpe excelled at many sports. Read and discover what makes Jim Thorpe an exceptional

athlete.

Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must achieve a Medium on each type of

question – literal, inferential, critical – for BOTH passages. The table below outlines the student

performance levels for this component of the ELA promotion portfolio:

Response Level for Comprehension Questions Standard Reading Passages

Performance Level

Students must achieve at least a Medium on each type of question

– literal, inferential, critical – for BOTH passages AND a High for at

least one fiction question AND at least one non‐fiction question.

Exceeds benchmark

Students must achieve a Medium on each type of question –

literal, inferential, critical – for BOTH passages. Note: If students

achieve only one High answer, their performance level is “meets

benchmark.”

Meets benchmark

Student achieves Low on one or more questions. Does not meet benchmark

Blackline

Masters

p. 9‐15

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Assessment

Fiction Passage #1

The Equal Trade

Justin and his triumphant friends walked back towards home from the schoolyard. Justin had his

basketball under his arm, but his mind wasn’t on the game he’d just won. He was preoccupied with the

math homework he had to turn in tomorrow. He knew he would have to start it as soon as he got home,

and he wasn’t looking forward to it. Justin did alright in all his other subjects, but numbers just were not

Justin’s friends. He felt ashamed when other students in math class were able to solve equations in a

few seconds that took him ten minutes of struggle, and sometimes he still got the answer wrong. His

parents talked about hiring a tutor, but Justin knew that money was tight. Justin hated the idea of their

having to pay some stranger to teach him math.

As they rounded the corner, Justin’s friends chuckled and pointed. “Better watch out!” “Here comes

double trouble!” Justin’s neighbor, old Mr. Myers, was hobbling up the sidewalk with his dog. Mr. Myers

was known for being grumpy and unfriendly, and his dog wasn’t much better. The dog snarled at anyone

who came too near, and Mr. Myers, though he did not exactly snarl, made it clear that he preferred to

be left alone. He had trouble walking, and each step looked painful. Justin thought this might be why he

was always in such a bad mood. Justin liked animals, and felt sad for Mr. Myers’ dog, with only a

grouchy old man for company. Justin lived in an apartment building that didn’t allow any pets.

“I dare you to go pet that dog,” teased Justin’s friend. “I’ll buy you pizza for a week.”

“I can buy my own pizza, and I’m not afraid of that dog,” countered Justin, with more courage than he

felt. As he approached Mr. Myers and the dog, he felt two sets of cold eyes on him. “Good afternoon,

Mr. Myers,” said Justin politely. “Can I say hi to your dog?”

“Watch out, he snaps,” grunted Mr. Myers. Justin held out his hand for the dog to sniff. To his surprise,

the dog nuzzled his hand as if asking for his head to be scratched. Justin squatted down to the dog’s

level and rubbed his ears. “Hmmph,” said Mr. Myers. “He usually doesn’t take like that to strangers.”

“What’s his name?” inquired Justin. “Minus,” answered Mr. Myers. “Hi Minus. Good boy,” murmured

Justin.

“Hey, Justin! Let’s go!” called his friends. Justin had almost forgotten about them. He stood up. He

thought the dog looked sorry to see him go.

Continued on the next page

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His friends slapped him on the back for his courage. “He wasn’t so intimidating,” said Justin. “His name

is Minus. What a weird name for a dog.” His friend spoke up.

“That’s because the old man used to be a math teacher. My older brother had him in high school. He

said he was mean then, too.” A math teacher! Justin had an idea.

The next day, he didn’t go with his friends after school. He waited on the street for Mr. Myers and

Minus. Sure enough, at around the same time, the pair made their way slowly up the street.

You again,” barked Mr. Myers, though Justin thought he saw an amused twinkle in his eye. Minus greeted him like an old friend. “Mr. Myers, I was wondering if you’d be interested in a trade,” said Justin. “What kind of trade?” “I’ll walk Minus for you, if you’ll tutor me in math. I can’t seem to get it in school.” Mr. Myers rubbed his chin and almost smiled. “Well, you must have some brains, to come up with an idea like this. Come and see me tomorrow.” Justin wrote down the address. Justin’s friends couldn’t believe it when they saw Justin walking Mr. Myers’ mean old dog. The only person more surprised was Justin’s math teacher at school. “You’ve really improved, Justin!” she exclaimed a few weeks later. “You must have studied a great deal.” “I made a great deal,” smiled Justin.

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Fiction Passage #1:

The Equal Trade High Medium Low

Benchmark

• shows signs of reflection and/or personal connection • sophisticated use of language • accurate/insightful/detailed The response is complete and uses supporting information from the passage.

• shows general grasp of the passage • mostly accurate/literal/ some details The response is accurate, but incomplete. It shows some understanding, but does not contain details.

• shows lack of understanding of what was read • misses point of the question • inaccurate/few details The response misses the point of the question and shows lack of understanding of the passage.

Literal

Q1. What did Justin’s

friends dare him to

do?

Mr. Myers was known for being gruff and unfriendly,

and his dog wasn’t much better. Justin’s friends dared

him to pet Mr. Myers’ dog, Minus.

Justin’s friends dared him to

pet the dog.

Justin’s friends are afraid of the

dog.

Q2. Why did Justin

wait for Mr. Myers

and Minus one day,

after school?

Justin waited for Mr. Myers because he wanted Mr.

Myers to tutor him in math, and in return Justin would

walk Mr. Meyers’ dog, Minus.

Justin waited for Mr. Myers

because he was wondering

if Mr. Myers would be

interested in a trade.

Justin waited for Mr. Myers

because he wanted to pet

Minus.

Inferential

Q3. What is the

connection between

the title, “The Equal

Trade,” and the

relationship between

Mr. Myers and

Justin?

Mr. Myers and Justin made an equal trade. Since Mr.

Myers was a former math teacher, he was able to

tutor Justin to improve his math skills. In return,

Justin walked Mr. Meyers’ dog, Minus, because it was

difficult for him to walk his own dog. Most

importantly, they formed a friendship because of this

equal trade.

Justin and Mr. Myers made

a deal. Mr. Myers gave

Justin math help, and in

return Justin walked the

dog.

They traded many things with

each other.

Q4. How does the

relationship between

Mr. Myers and Justin

change throughout

the story?

Justin is introduced to Mr. Myers as the unfriendly

neighbor who never speaks to anybody. Mr. Myers

spends most of his time with his dog, Minus who is

also unfriendly. When Justin is told that Mr. Myers is a

math teacher, he decides to use that information and

propose an equal trade. Justin walks Minus, and in

return, Mr. Meyers will help him with his math. As a

result, Mr. Myers is no longer the old, unfriendly

neighbor, and Justin is happy because he is doing

much better in math.

Mr. Myers and Justin form a

friendship because they

learn from each other.

Mr. Myers and Justin love

math.

Critical

Q5. What lesson

about responsibility

do you learn from

Justin’s actions?

Justin knew that he was having difficulties in his math

class. When his friends told him that Mr. Myers was a

math teacher, he decided to ask for help. Responsible

people take action. They don’t wait for someone to

give them the answers.

Justin demonstrated that he

was a responsible young

boy when he asked Mr.

Myers to tutor him in math.

Justin learned to make an equal

trade.

Q6. What qualities

make a good

friendship?

A good friendship is a balance between giving and

taking. In this story, Mr. Myers and Justin helped each

other. They gave each other something they did not

have in their lives. Everyone has special qualities that

others may not have. As a result, there is an equal

trade among friends who can balance each other.

A good friendship has a

balance of two helping each

other with their problems.

A good friendship is when two

people like each other.

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Assessment

Fiction Passage #2

Welcome to the Grand Cineplex

17‐year‐old Massoud smiled and greeted people as they entered the movie theater.

“Welcome to the Grand Cineplex. May I see your tickets, please?” He still had a strong Iranian accent,

but at least people understood him. They even smiled back.

It had not always been this way. Massoud had arrived in New York from the countryside of Iran six

months before. He had come to stay with his older brother for a year. Massoud’s brother had already

been in America for several years, but Massoud had never been out of Iran before. When he first saw

New York City, he was overwhelmed. The people, the noise, everything was different than back home.

Massoud’s brother enrolled him in the local high school. He also helped him get a part‐time job in a

movie theater, so Massoud could earn spending money. Massoud did not speak much English, and he

struggled to understand his teachers in school and his boss at the movie theater. Massoud’s job was to

sweep up the popcorn after the movie, because he could do it without having to speak to anyone. He

tried to make friends with the other young people who worked there, but all they wanted to talk about

was baseball, a game Massoud didn’t understand at all. He tried to tell them about soccer, but they had

trouble understanding him, and they weren’t interested, anyway. They treated him as if he wasn’t very

smart, just because he didn’t speak their language very well. Back in Iran, Massoud had been at the top

his class at his high school. Now Massoud felt frustrated and left out, and he didn’t like sweeping floors.

He felt like quitting his job, but he didn’t want to give up.

One day, while he was working, Massoud decided to watch the movie. He didn’t understand every word,

but he got some of it. The next day, he watched the same movie again. This time, he understood more.

Massoud was excited. He started writing down the words he didn’t understand, and he asked his co‐

workers what they meant. They were surprised, but they helped him. Soon, he was using many of the

same words and expressions that they did. Massoud’s co‐workers became friendlier, now that they

could understand him. They even invited him to go out for ice cream with them after work.

After Massoud had been working at the theater for about five months, he went to see his boss.

Massoud asked him to give him the job of greeting customers at the door. The manager wasn’t sure.

“Your English isn’t good enough yet,” his boss said.

“It will become better if I talk to the people,” reasoned Massoud.

Continued on the next page

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The boss agreed, because he saw how determined Massoud was.

Now, just a month later, Massoud smiled proudly as he took people’s tickets. He got along with

everyone at the theater. His boss was even talking about promoting him to be assistant manager!

Massoud was glad he had not given up.

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Fiction Passage #2:

The Grand Cineplex High Medium Low

Benchmark




Literal

Q1. Why did Massoud

view the same movie

multiple times during

work?

Massoud viewed the same movie multiple

times during work so that he could build an

English vocabulary. He started writing

down the words he didn’t understand. He

asked his co‐workers to help him

understand what the words meant.

Massoud started to use the words in his

daily language and began to incorporate

the words into his conversations.

Massoud watched the

movie many times at work

so that he could have more

conversations with his co‐

workers.

Massoud watched the movie

at work so that he could

entertain himself.

Q2. What new job

assignment did

Massoud request of

his boss?

Massoud asked his boss to give him the job

of greeting customers at the door and

taking their tickets. He wanted to practice

speaking English by greeting customers at

the front door.

He asked his boss if he

could take tickets at the

door from customers.

He asked if he could work with

his co‐workers behind the

food stand.

Inferential

Q3. How did

Massoud’s co‐

workers feel about

him?

At first, his co‐workers did not understand

him and they were not interested in getting

to know him. They treated him as if he

wasn’t very smart because he didn’t speak

the English language very well. As Massoud

begins to develop a better speaking

vocabulary, his co‐workers become

friendlier and begin to invite him out with

them. Massoud and his co‐workers feel

much better about being able to

communicate with one another.

At first, the co‐workers

were uncomfortable with

communicating with

Massoud. They didn’t know

how to treat him.

The‐co‐workers did not accept

Massoud even though he

started to learn the new

language.

Q4. How did

Massoud’s hard work

and determination

pay off?

Massoud’s hard work and determination

paid off because he is now able to

communicate with his co‐workers and

other New Yorkers. He has developed new

friendships, gained confidence, and was

promoted to a better job because he

believed in his capabilities.

His hard work and

determination helped him

to be promoted to a new

job.

His hard work and

determination leads to more

frustration at work because he

still sees himself as an

outsider.

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Fiction Passage #2:

The Grand Cineplex High Medium Low

Benchmark




Critical

Q5. What lesson does

the author want the

readers to learn from

Massoud’s story?

The author wants us to learn that being

dedicated and determined will help you

achieve your goals. In the story, Massoud

works really hard at learning a new

language. He knows how important it is for

him to communicate with others. Not only

does he learn new words from watching

movies, but he also observes others while

listening to their conversations. He finds

new ways of learning and understanding

the English language. The author wants us

to dedicate ourselves to our goals and give

everything we have in order to achieve

success.

The author wants us to

learn that Massoud’s belief

in himself led to his success.

The author wants us to also

believe in ourselves so that

we can be successful.

Even if don’t know the

language, you can still

communicate with other

people.

Q6. What kinds of

struggles do you think

immigrants face

when they move to

another country?

I think many immigrants struggle with their

communication skills. In the story,

Massoud was very frustrated and struggled

because he didn’t have the right words to

communicate with his peers. Even though

Massoud was determined to speak English,

his co‐workers and customers rejected his

attempts to communicate. Similarly,

immigrants have trouble establishing new

friendships and seeking employment

because they don’t have the right words to

communicate their feelings and thoughts.

Immigrants have trouble

making new friends

because they don’t know

English.

Immigrants have trouble

understanding the words in

movies, just like Massoud did.

18


Assessment

Non‐fiction Passage #1

Elizabeth Blackwell, the First Woman Doctor

Until about 160 years ago, medical doctors were all men. This was true not only in America, but everywhere in the

world. That was before Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman anywhere to go to medical school. She later

became the first woman doctor.

The road to her goal was not easy. Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821. Her family moved to America

when she was a baby. When Elizabeth was a young woman, her family had very little money. Elizabeth helped

support the family by becoming a teacher. Teaching was one of the only jobs outside the home women were

allowed to do at the time. Elizabeth was frustrated. She didn’t really like teaching. She wanted the chance do more

difficult work.

Then a friend of Elizabeth’s became sick. Elizabeth took care of her. The friend told Elizabeth that she was smart

enough to be a doctor. Elizabeth was excited. However, most people at the time did not believe that women

should be doctors. No woman had ever tried to become one before. This did not stop Elizabeth. She studied

medicine secretly in her spare time. She even rented a room in the home of a doctor, so that she would be able to

read his medical books. She also helped the doctor in his work. She learned a lot about medicine that way.

In 1847, when Elizabeth was 26, she decided to go to medical school. But no school would admit her, because she

was a woman. One doctor suggested that she disguise herself as a man to trick a school into accepting her!

A medical school in New York finally accepted Elizabeth by accident. The men in charge of the school asked the

other students to vote on admitting a female student. The other students all thought it was a joke. They “played

along” and voted to admit her. The young men were surprised when Elizabeth Blackwell arrived for first day of

school. However, they were not allowed to change their minds. Elizabeth was there to stay.

Elizabeth did her schoolwork, but she had trouble fitting in. Strangers came to the school to stare at Elizabeth

studying in a roomful of men. When she went into town, people stayed away from her. They treated her as though

she had done something wrong. Still, she stuck with her studies. Elizabeth did so well that the professors and other

students came to admire her. She graduated at the top of her class!

However, her struggles were not over. Many hospitals and patients did not accept the idea of a woman doctor. She

had trouble finding a place to work. Finally, Elizabeth Blackwell opened her own clinic. Now no one could stop her

from using her skills as a doctor. She also gave other women a chance to work in medicine.

Elizabeth Blackwell’s courage opened the door for all women doctors who came after her. Today, medical schools

in America admit as many female students as males.

19


Non‐fiction Passage #1:

Elizabeth Blackwell High Medium Low

Benchmark




Literal

Q1. Why did

Elizabeth rent a

room in the home

of a doctor?

Elizabeth rented a room in the home of a doctor

because she was able to read his medical books

and help the doctor in his work. She learned a lot

about medicine that way.

Elizabeth rented a room in

the home of a doctor

because she wanted to learn

about medicine.

Elizabeth rented a room in the

home of a doctor because she

could not afford an

apartment.

Q2. Why did

Elizabeth open her

own clinic?

Elizabeth opened her own clinic because she was

unable to find work at hospitals. Many patients

also rejected the idea of a woman doctor. She had

trouble finding a place to work.

Elizabeth could not find

work at hospitals.

Elizabeth loved to work at

clinics.

Inferential

Q3. Why was

Elizabeth a

successful doctor?

Elizabeth Blackwell was a successful doctor

because she never gave up her dream of becoming

a doctor. She graduated at the top of her class,

but many hospitals refused to hire a woman

doctor. She opened her own clinic, and used her

skills as a doctor. She also gave other women a

chance to work in medicine.

Elizabeth was a successful

doctor because opened the

doors for women doctors.

Elizabeth was successful because she was a doctor.

Q4. Why was

Elizabeth Blackwell

a courageous

woman?

Elizabeth Blackwell was a courageous woman

because her hard work opened the doors for other

woman to practice medicine. She also gave other

women a chance to work in medicine. Today,

medical schools admit both men and women.

Elizabeth was a courageous

woman because she also

gave other women a chance

to work in medicine.

Elizabeth worked in a

dangerous clinic.

Critical

Q5. If you were to

meet Elizabeth

Blackwell today,

what words of

inspiration might

she share with

you?

If I were to meet Elizabeth Blackwell today, she

most likely would insist that I follow my dreams.

She always wanted to become a doctor, yet people

told her women couldn’t do the job. She

graduated from the top of her class, yet could not

find a job at a hospital. Eventually, she opened her

own clinic and was able to show her patients and

the rest of the world that she was a great doctor.

Elizabeth Blackwell would

insist that women are

capable of doing the same

type of work as men.

If I were to meet Elizabeth

Blackwell today, she would

insist that I open up a clinic

first.

Q6. What would

life be like if

Elizabeth Blackwell

had never achieved

her goals?

If Elizabeth Blackwell had never achieved her goals,

it would have definitely taken women a lot longer

to become doctors. Elizabeth’s courage opened

the door for all the women doctors who came after

her.

If Elizabeth never achieved

her goals, she would not

have been able to

encourage women to

practice medicine.

Elizabeth would have been a

teacher.

20


Assessment Non‐fiction Passage #2

Jim Thorpe: An All‐Around Athlete

Many professional athletes become famous for being very good at one sport. However, in the early 1900s, a

man named Jim Thorpe excelled at many sports. That made him one of the most famous athletes of the 20th

century.

Jim Thorpe’s Native American name was Wa‐Ho‐Thuk, which means “Bright Path”. He was born on a

reservation in Oklahoma in 1888. Both his parents were of partial Native American ancestry. When he was

about 16, Thorpe went to a school for Native Americans in Pennsylvania. At school, he discovered his love

and talent for sports. He joined the football team, and quickly became one of its star players. He led his team

twice to the college championship. He also competed in baseball, track and field events and even ballroom

dancing!

When he was only 24, Jim Thorpe boarded a ship with the American Olympic team. They sailed to Europe to

compete in the 1912 Olympic Games. Jim Thorpe worked out constantly on the ship during the journey

across the ocean. In the Olympics, Thorpe set new world records in many sports. He won the pentathlon, a

series of five sports events. Pentathlon events include swimming, running and horseback riding. Thorpe also

won the decathlon, a combination of ten different sports. Some decathlon sports are hurdle racing, javelin

throwing and the long jump. King Gustave of Sweden gave Thorpe his gold medals. The King was so

impressed with Thorpe’s accomplishments, he said, “Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world!”

Thorpe replied simply, “Thanks King."

Jim Thorpe returned to America to a hero’s welcome. He marched down Broadway in New York City in a big

parade in his honor.

Now Thorpe turned to professional sports. He played baseball with the New York Giants, and toured around

the world. He later returned to playing football. He even tried basketball for a short time.

After all of Thorpe’s sports careers were finished, he started yet another new one. This time he did athletics

in the movies. Thorpe worked as a stunt double for movie actors. He performed athletic moves that were too

dangerous or difficult for the actors. On film, in looked as if the actors were doing the stunts, but it was really

Jim Thorpe.

Jim Thorpe endured hardships during his career. For example, the Olympic committee stripped him of his

gold medals. The committee claimed that Thorpe had broken Olympic rules by playing professional baseball

before the Games. They returned the medals to his family many years later, after his death. Jim Thorpe also

struggled to support his family late in his life. At that time, professional athletes were not as highly paid as

they are today. Despite these setbacks, Jim Thorpe remains one of the most admired American athletes in

history.

21



Jim Thorpe High Medium Low

Benchmark




Literal

Q1. What did Jim

Thorpe discover at

school in

Pennsylvania?

Jim Thorpe discovered his love and talent

for sports at school in Pennsylvania. He

joined many sports team and competed

within many events.

Jim discovered that he loved

sports.

Jim discovered that he could

join a football and basketball

team.

Q2. What was one

problem Thorpe

experienced during

his career?

Jim Thorpe had many problems during

his career. One problem Jim had was

that he struggled to support his family.

Although he was great at sports and

loved to play, he was not highly paid.

This caused many hardships for him and

his family.

One problem Jim Thorpe had

was the Olympic committee

took away his gold medals.

Jim Thorpe was very upset

because he was not getting

paid for all of the sports

activities he was participating

in.

Inferential

Q3. Why is Jim

Thorpe considered

as America’s most

admired athlete?

According to the author, Jim Thorpe is

considered one of the most admired

American athletes in history. Although

he had many obstacles and problems in

his career, he continued to play sports

and try new careers, such as becoming a

stunt double in the film industry. His

determination to practice and develop

new skills led him to set new world

records.

Jim Thorpe was admired in

America because he played

many sports. He practiced

becoming a better athlete.

Jim Thorpe is an admired

athlete because he is good at

what he did.

Q4. How did Jim

Thorpe’s obstacles

and problems affect

him?

Jim Thorpe’s obstacles influenced him to

try harder to become the best athlete.

He believed in himself and did not allow

his problems to stand in his way.

Although he struggled to support his

family, he continued to try new jobs.

After his sports career as an athlete, he

started a new career in stunt doubling

for movie actors. On film, he proved that

he was able to perform dangerous and

difficult stunts. Through practice and

determination, Jim was honored with a

hero’s welcome in New York City in a big

parade.

Jim Thorpe’s problems made

him a better athlete. He

played many sports and

practiced to make himself

better. He even tried

becoming a stunt double in

films.

Jim Thorpe’s obstacles made

him upset because the

Olympic committee took away

all of his gold medals because

he did not play by the rules

during the games.

22



Jim Thorpe High Medium Low

Benchmark




Critical

Q5. What makes a

successful athlete?

Hard work and determination makes a

successful athlete. Jim Thorpe continued

to improve his skills throughout his

career by playing new sports and even

trying new career opportunities.

Although he was not paid highly, the love

of the game and his passion led him to

be recognized as an admirable and

inspirational person.

A successful athlete is

competitive. He or she will

try playing the sport many

times until they get it.

A successful athlete wins

during every competition.

Q6. The author says that Jim Thorpe is “one of the most admired American athletes in history.” Do you agree? Why or why not?

I believe that Jim Thorpe is one of the

most admired athletes of all time. He

never gave up on his dreams and love of

sports. He was inspired at a young age

and continued to follow his dreams

throughout his career. He set world

records during the Olympics,

participating in a variety of events, such

as the decathlon and the pentathlon. He

inspired and entertained people

throughout the world

Jim Thorpe is an admired

athlete. Many people in

America loved and

supported him. They even

thought of him as a hero and

watched him march during a

New York City parade.

Many people considered Jim

Thorpe to be a good athlete.

He won many awards

23

ELA Promotion Portfolio: Independent Writing Activity


Directions

Students should complete one independent writing activity and record their response on Blackline

Masters “Independent Writing Activity” sheet. Suggested topics are listed below. Students may respond

in a question/answer format, essay or as a letter writing activity. Teachers should score the writing

activity using the rubric found on the following page and record the performance level on the student’s


Suggested

Topics

Question/Answer: Answer the questions

completely that are provided with the

suggested topic.

Letter Writing: Write a letter to the person who

is indicated with the suggested topic. Be sure to

include all the information that is listed with the

suggested topic.

If I Could Change the

World

Think about one problem in today’s world that you

feel strongly about and would like to fix. How does

this problem affect you, other people, and the

environment? Describe some strategies you would

use to solve this problem and explain why the

world would be a better place if you accomplished

your goal. Be sure to use details and write a

complete answer.

You have been given the opportunity to voice your

opinion about changing one problem that affects

today’s youth. President Obama recognizes the

importance of listening to American youth and would

like to hear from you. Write a letter to President

Obama addressing one problem that is of great

concern to you. Be sure to include two

recommendations to remedy this problem. Remember

to use descriptive details and write a complete letter.

Who Am I? Who are you? Reflect on the following questions

when you are thinking about your answer. What is

your best quality or talent? What makes you so

special? How has your family and/or friends shaped

your personality? How do others view you? What

are your likes and dislikes? What is your favorite

way of learning new information or skills? What are

some of your short term and long term goals? Be

sure to use details and write a complete answer.

It is important that next year’s teachers get to know

you before school starts so they can gain a better

understanding of who you are and what they can do to

help you succeed in school. Write a letter to one of

your teachers describing yourself. Consider the

following questions when writing your answer. What

are your best qualities and talents? What makes you

so special? How has your family and/or friends shaped

your personality? How do others view you? What are

your likes and dislikes? What is your favorite way of

learning new information or skills? What are some of

your short term and long term goals? Be sure to use

descriptive details and write a complete letter.

My Most

Memorable

Moment

What is one of the most important memorable

moments you have experienced? As you describe

this memorable moment, use the following

questions to guide you: Why is this moment so

memorable and what makes it so significant? How

has this experience changed you? What have you

learned from it? How does it make you feel? Be

sure to use details and write a complete answer.

Write a letter to someone special in your life, sharing

the most memorable moment you experienced in their

company. Be sure to describe the significance and

specific details of this experience. Try to include how

this moment affected your relationship with them.

Use descriptive details and write a complete letter.

Blackline

Masters

p. 17‐18

24


Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must achieve a Medium using the

writing rubric below AND show evidence of the writing process (draft, revision and final piece).

Students’ scores should be based on their final writing sample. The table below outlines the student

performance levels for this component of the ELA promotion portfolio:

Independent Writing Activity Score Independent Writing Activity Performance Level

High rubric score AND shows evidence of the

writing process (draft, revision and final piece)

Exceeds benchmark

Medium rubric score AND shows evidence of the


Meets benchmark

Low rubric score OR does not show evidence of the


Does not meet benchmark

Scoring Rubric for Writing Expression/Writing Mechanics

High Medium Low

Writing Expression

Main idea or topic with supporting details

Main idea or topic with some supporting details

Unclear main idea or topic with few supporting details

Uses varied sentence structure and challenging vocabulary

Uses only simple sentences and basic vocabulary

Uses minimal vocabulary

Answers are very easy to understand

Answers may be a little confusing

Answers are confusing

Establishes and maintains a clear focus

May attempt to establish focus

May focus on minor details or lack focus

Clear sequence and appropriate transitions

Some sequence and transitions

No logical sequence or transitions

Fluent with vivid language, engagement and voice

Readable with some sense of engagement and voice

Repetitive with little or no sense of engagement or voice

Ideas are developed fully through elaboration

Ideas are brief with little elaboration but are adequately developed to answer questions

May include a few accurate details

Writing Mechanics

Grammar, syntax,

capitalization, punctuation ,

spelling and use of

paragraphs are essentially

correct.

Some errors in grammar and

syntax; however, capitalization,

punctuation, spelling of grade

appropriate words, and use of

paragraphs are mostly correct.

There are many errors in

grammar, syntax, capitalization,

and spelling. These errors

interfere with comprehension.

Control of conventions of

English

Minimal control of conventions

of written English

Lack of control of the

conventions of written English

25

ELA Promotion Portfolio: Class Work

ELA Promotion Portfolio: ELA Class Work

Directions

Please include one piece of student writing produced in the classroom during a unit of study in ELA,

social studies or science and given a score by the teacher.

Form: The piece of writing can be a narrative, report, essay or opinion piece. For example: a personal

narrative or fictional story; report on a topic of interest within a science or social studies unit; a book

review/recommendation; formal argument in essay form; feature article; persuasive essay or letter.

Components: The writing piece must include four elements to be considered when evaluating a student

for promotion:

1. The assigned task

2. Draft with editing and/or revisions evident

3. Final product

4. Tool (rubric, checklist, etc.) used to score this piece of writing or teacher evaluation based on

specific criteria

All four of these ELA class work elements must be included in promotion portfolios submitted to the

principal and community superintendent.

Workbook pages, ditto sheets, etc. should not be submitted as a piece of student work.

Based on the scoring guide below, teachers should record the performance level on the student’s “Promotion Portfolio Summary Sheet.”

Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must achieve a Medium on the ELA

class work submitted for their promotion portfolio. The table below outlines the student performance

levels for this component of the ELA promotion portfolio:

School Rubric Score Class Work Performance Level

(for promotion portfolio)

Exceeds school’s Level 2 standard* High/Exceeds benchmark

Meets school’s Level 2 standard* Medium/Meets benchmark

Below school’s Level 2 standard* Class work that does not meet school’s Level 2

standard should not be submitted as evidence

for the promotion portfolio.

*School’s Level 2 standard is evidenced by the scoring tool submitted along with the ELA class work.

26

Mathematics Promotion Portfolio: Overview

Mathematics Promotion Portfolio

Overview

The table below summarizes the three components of the mathematics promotion portfolio and the

benchmarks (highlighted in yellow) students must meet to demonstrate performance comparable to

Level 2 in each component:

Component Description of

Component

Areas Assessed Benchmarks Comparable

To Level 2 Performance

Mathematical

Inventory


problems assessing

computation and problem‐

solving skills (included in

this manual).

Mathematical

Development

Master 12 out of 20

computation skills and

provide evidence of basic

problem solving.

Standard

Math

Problems


standard math problems

(included in this manual).

Mathematical

Development

Answer 4 out of 5 standard

math questions correctly.

Math

Class Work

One piece of standards‐

based mathematics class

work.

Mathematics Using the guidelines provided

in this manual, students must

score a Medium on their class

work.

The table below outlines how to determine the overall score for a student’s mathematics promotion

portfolio based on the results of the three components listed above:

Promotion Portfolio Level Required benchmark performance levels

High Level 2 At least meets benchmarks on the Mathematical Inventory and

the Standard Math Problems components and exceeds the

benchmark on at least one of these two components

AND

Exceeds benchmark on the Mathematics Class Work component

Level 2 Meets all benchmarks

Level 1 Does not meet one or more benchmarks

27

Mathematics Promotion Portfolio:Mathematical Inventory

Mathematics Promotion Portfolio: Mathematical Inventory

Directions

The Mathematical Inventory assesses 20 key mathematical skills. These skills and their corresponding

performance indicators are listed below. Teachers should ask students the questions in the Assessment

section in this manual, and students should follow along and record their answers as appropriate on the

corresponding “Mathematical Inventory: Student Sheet” found in the Blackline Masters. Students may

explain/justify their answers orally. Teachers should use the “Mathematical Inventory Scoring Sheet,”

found in the Blackline Masters, to record if students have mastered each skill and then record the final

performance level on the student’s “Promotion Portfolio Summary Sheet.” The Answer Key section

provides sample answers for teachers’ reference.

Mathematical Skill

1. Define and identify the commutative and associative properties of addition and multiplication. (6.N.2)

2. Express equivalent ratios as a proportion. (6.N.7)

3. Define absolute value and determine the absolute value of rational numbers (including positive and negative).

(6.N.13)

4. Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. (6.N.16)

5. Add, subtract, multiply and divide mixed numbers with unlike denominators. (6.N.18)

6. Find multiple representations of rational numbers (fractions, decimals, and percents 0 to 100). (6.N.2)

7. Evaluate numerical expressions using order of operations (may include exponents of two and three). (6.N.22)

8. Translate simple verbal expressions into algebraic expressions. (5.A.2)

9. Substitute assigned values into variable expressions and evaluate using order of operations. (5.A.3)

10. Translate two‐step verbal expressions into algebraic expressions. (6.A.1)

11. Use substitution to evaluate algebraic expressions (may include exponents of one, two and three) (6.A.2).

12. Evaluate formulas for given input values (circumference, area, volume, distance, temperature, interest, etc.).

(6.A.6)

13. Calculate perimeter of basic geometric shapes drawn on a coordinate plane (rectangles and shapes composed

of rectangles having sides with integer lengths and parallel to the axes). (5.G.14)

14. Determine the volume of rectangular prisms by counting cubes and develop the formula. (6.G.4)

15. Understand the relationship between the diameter and radius of a circle. (6.G.6)

16. Identify equivalent customary units of capacity (cups to pints, pints to quarts, and quarts to gallons). (6.M.3)

17. Identify equivalent metric units of capacity (milliliter to liter and liter to milliliter). (6.M.5)

18. Record experiment results using fractions/ratios. (5.S.6)

19. Determine the mean, mode, and median for a given set of data. (6.S.5)

20. Determine the range for a given set of data. (6.S.6)

Blackline

Masters

p. 19‐ 23

p. 6

28


Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must demonstrate mastery of 12 out of

20 Mathematical Inventory skills. Students must answer all parts of each question correctly to achieve

mastery for that skill. The table below outlines the student performance levels for this component of the

Mathematics promotion portfolio:

Number of Skills Mastered Mathematical Inventory Performance Level

13 or more Exceeds benchmark

12 Meets benchmark

10 or fewer Does not meet benchmark

Assessment – Mathematical Inventory

Students must answer all parts of each question correctly to be considered as mastery.

1. Define and identify the commutative and associative properties of addition and multiplication.

Name the property shown in the equation below.

9 + (4 + 7) = (9 + 4) + 7

2. Express equivalent ratios as a proportion.

Pick out the statement which is a proportion and explain why you eliminated the others.

a. = b. = c. = 3. Define absolute value and determine the absolute value of rational numbers (including positive

and negative).

Write the absolute value for each of the following:

a. |‐7| b. |+3| c. |0| d. |‐6|

4. Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators.

Tanya bought 1/5 pound of flour and 3/4 pound of rice. What was the total weight of her

purchase? Show your work.

29


5. Add, subtract, multiply and divide mixed numbers with unlike denominators.

Ellen had 2 1 4 yards of ribbon. If she used ⅓ of this piece, how many yards did she use?

Show your work. 6. Find multiple representations of rational numbers (fractions, decimals, and percents 0 to 100).

A 60‐pound container is filled with 12 pounds of sand. Represent the amount of sand that fills the container as a:

a. fraction b. decimal c. percent

7. Evaluate numerical expressions using order of operations (may include exponents of two and three).

Simplify the following expression. Show your work.

52 × 3 + 22 × 4

8. Translate simple verbal expressions into algebraic expressions.

Mary is x years old now. Represent her age 5 years ago.

9. Substitute assigned values into variable expressions and evaluate using order of operations.

Find the value of the following expression when x = 6.

20 – 3x ÷ 2

10. Translate two‐step verbal expressions into algebraic expressions.

Write an algebraic expression for 4 less than the product of 3 and a number. Use n to represent

a number.

11. Use substitution to evaluate algebraic expressions (may include exponents of one, two and three).

Cheryl wrote the expression below:

2n2 × 5

If n equals 4, what is the value of the expression? Show your work.

30


12. Evaluate formulas for given input values (circumference, area, volume, distance, temperature,

interest, etc.).

The width of a table is 3 feet and the length is 4 times the width. What is the area of the table in

square feet?

A = lw

13. Calculate perimeter of basic geometric shapes drawn on a coordinate plane (rectangles and shapes

composed of rectangles having sides with integer lengths and parallel to the axes). Show your work.

On the grid below, Adam drew a diagram of a rectangular dance floor. What is the perimeter in

units of the rectangular dance floor?

14. Determine the volume of rectangular prisms by counting cubes and develop the formula. Show your

work.

What is the volume of the rectangular prism shown below?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1 x

y

(not drawn to scale)

KEY

= 1 cubic inch

31


15. Understand the relationship between the diameter and radius of a circle.

If the radius of a circle is 13.5 inches, what is the diameter of the circle in inches? Explain how you were able to figure out the diameter.

16. Identify equivalent customary units of capacity (cups to pints, pints to quarts, and quarts to gallons).

How many quarts are there in 3 ½ gallons of milk? Show your work.

1 gallon = 4 quarts.

17. Identify equivalent metric units of capacity (milliliter to liter and liter to milliliter).

Aileen has 3 liters of water. She uses 950 milliliters to water her plants. How many milliliters of

water does Aileen have left? Show your work.

1 liter = 1000 milliliters

18. Record experiment results using fractions/ratios.

A box contains only 4 red marbles, 6 yellow marbles and 7 green marbles. Write as a fraction

the probability of picking a green marble.

19. Determine the mean, mode, and median for a given set of data.

Find the mean of the following group of numbers:

28, 36, 26, 38, 22

Show your work.

20. Determine the range for a given set of data.

Steve received the following grades on his 5 math tests.

75, 80, 95, 75, 70

What is the range of these test scores? Show your work.

32


Answer Key – Mathematical Inventory

1. Associative property of addition

2. Answer: C. Sample responses may include but are not limited to: “Eliminated the other two

because the cross products aren’t equal.”

3. a. 7 b. 3 c . 0 d. 6

4. Answer: Work: = = + =

5. Answer: ¾ yd

2 ¼ x ⅓

9/4 x ⅓ (Students may do cancelling)

9/12

¾ yd.

6. Answers: fraction = 1/5, decimal = .2 or .20, percent = 20%

7. Answer: 91

52 × 3 + 22 × 4

25 × 3 + 4 × 4

75 + 16

91

8. x – 5

9. Answer: 11

20 – 3x ÷ 2

20 – (3 × 6) ÷ 2

20 – 18 ÷2

20 – 9

11

33


10. 3n –4

11. Answer: 160

2n2 x 5

2 × 42 × 5

2 × 16 × 5

32 × 5

160

12. Answer: 36 square feet

w = 3 and l = 4 × 3(width)

l = 12 feet

A = lw

A = 12 × 3

A = 36 square feet

13. Answer: 22 units

Width = 5, length = 6 5 + 5 + 6 + 6 = 22

14. Answer: 96 cubic inches

L = 6

W = 4

H = 4

V = lwh

V = 6 × 4 × 4

V = 96 cubic inches

15. Answer: 27 inches.

The diameter is twice the size of the radius, therefore you need to double the radius

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16. Answer: 14 quarts

1 gallon = 4 quarts

3½ × 4

7/2 × 4/1 (Students may do cancelling)

28/2

14 quarts

17. Answer: 2050 milliliters 1 liter = 1000 milliliters

3× 1000 = 3000 milliliters 3000 – 950 = 2050 milliliters

18. Answer: 7 17 19. Answer: 30

28 + 36 + 26 + 38 + 22 = 150 150 ÷ 5 = 30

20. Answer: 25

95 – 70 = 25

Students may explain that they subtracted the lowest number from the highest number.

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Mathematics Promotion Portfolio: Standard Math Problems


Directions

Students should independently complete the standard math problems that appear in the “Standard

Math Problems: Student Sheet” in the Blackline Masters. Students are not required to use traditional

algorithms, but rather, are encouraged to use the strategies with which they are most comfortable. The

standard math problems and the answer key are listed in this manual for teachers’ reference. After

students complete the standard math problems, teachers should use the “Standard Math Problems

Scoring Sheet,” found in the Blackline Masters, to record which questions the student answered

correctly and then record the final performance level on the student’s “Promotion Portfolio Summary

Sheet.”

Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must answer 4 out of 5 standard math

problems correctly. Use the answer key to determine if students should receive credit for their answer.

The table below outlines the student performance levels for this component of the Mathematics

promotion portfolio:

Number of Questions Correct Mathematical Inventory Performance Level

5 Exceeds benchmark

4 Meets benchmark

3 or fewer Does not meet benchmark

Assessment – Standard Math Problems

1. Anna is going grocery shopping and has $150 to spend. At the store, Anna spends 30% of her money

on dairy products and vegetables.

Part A: How much money did she spend? Show your work.

Answer: $_________________

Part B: If Anna spends $60 dollars out of the $150 dollars for meats and poultry, what percent

of her money does this represent? Show your work.

Answer: __________________%

Blackline

Masters

p. 24‐27

Blackline

Masters

p. 7

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2. Find the value of the following expression when a = 5. Show your work.

42 + 6a

Answer: _______________

3. Mr. Smith wants to tile his kitchen floor. How many square feet of tile will he need if his room

measurements are as shown in the illustration below.

14 ft.

Formulas: A = lw

P = 2l + 2w 12 ft.

Answer: ____________________ square feet 4. Mike has a bag that contains 80 marbles. Half of the marbles are blue and the other half of the

marbles consist of the following colors: 10 green, 20 red and 10 yellow.

Part A. If Mike randomly takes a marble out of the bag, what is the probability that the marble will be red?

Answer: ___________

Part B. If Mike randomly takes a marble out of the bag, what is the probability that the marble will be blue or yellow?

Answer: ____________

Explain your answer.

37


5. John puts his baseball cards in a box like the one shown below.

3 in.

4i44in4i44 4 in.

12 in. (not drawn to scale)

Part A: What is the volume of the box? Use the formula V = lwh. Show your work. Answer: __________________cubic inches

Part B. If the width of the box is doubled, what will be the volume of the new box? Answer: ___________________cubic inches

Explain how you found your answer.

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Answer Key – Standard Math Problems

Question 1: Students must answer both part A and part B correctly. Work must be shown in both parts.

Part A: Answer: $45 or $45.00

30% = .3 or .30 or 1/3

.30 ×150 = 45.00

1/3 × 150/1 = 45/1

= $45

Part B: Answer: 40%

60/150 = 2/5

2/5 = 40%

Students can show this by division or by multiplying by 100/1

Question 2: Students must answer the question correctly. Work must be shown.

Substitute the value of a = 5 into the expression: 42 + 6a 42 + 6 × 5 16 + 6 × 5 16 + 30 46 Answer: 46

Question 3: Students must be able to answer the question correctly and be able to explain how they

solved the problem.

Answer: 168 square feet Accept reasonable explanations from the student stating that the length is 14 feet and that the width is 12 feet and that they knew to use the Area formula to multiply the two numbers.

Question 4: Students must answer both part A and part B correctly. Students must be able to explain

how they got their answer for Part B.

Part A: Answer: 20/80 or 2/8 or ¼ Part B: Answer: 50/80 or 5/8

Sample responses may include but are not limited to: “I added together the 40 blue marbles

and 10 yellow marbles to get 50 and placed that number over the total of 80 marbles.”

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Question 5: Students must answer both part A and part B correctly. Work must be shown in Part A and

an explanation must be given for the answer for Part B.

Part A: Answer: 144 cubic inches V = lwh V = 12 × 3 × 4 V = 144 cubic inches

Part B: Answer: 288 cubic inches

Sample responses may include but are not limited to: “I doubled the width 3 inches to 6

inches and then used the formula for volume to multiply the three numbers.”

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Mathematics Promotion Portfolio: Class Work

Mathematics Promotion Portfolio: Mathematics Class Work

Directions

Please include one piece of student work produced in the mathematics classroom and given a score by

the teacher. This work sample should be aligned with an appropriate grade level task or problem within

one of the appropriate strands for the grade.

Components: The work must include four elements to be considered when evaluating a student for

promotion:

1. The assigned task

2. Evidence of the process used to produce answer (drawing, writing, explanation, computations,

diagrams or a combination of such evidence)

3. The correct answer

4. Tool (rubric, checklist, etc.) used to score this piece of mathematical work or teacher evaluation

based on specific criteria

All four of these mathematics class work elements must be included in promotion portfolios submitted to

the principal and community superintendent.

The student’s mathematical thinking and problem solving abilities should be clearly evidenced in the

piece of work that is chosen.

Workbook pages, ditto sheets, etc. and other pieces of class work that do not require the

student to show mathematical thinking and/or problem solving abilities should not be

submitted as a piece of student work.

Based on the scoring guide below, teachers should record the performance level on the student’s


Scoring Guide

To demonstrate performance comparable to Level 2, students must achieve a Medium on the

mathematics class work submitted for their promotion portfolio. The table below outlines the student

performance levels for this component of the mathematics promotion portfolio:

School Rubric Score Class Work Performance Level

(for promotion portfolio)

Exceeds school’s Level 2 standard* High/Exceeds benchmark

Meets school’s Level 2 standard* Medium/Meets benchmark

Below school’s Level 2 standard* Class work that does not meet school’s Level 2

standard should not be submitted as evidence for

the promotion portfolio.

*School’s Level 2 standard is evidenced by the scoring tool submitted along with the mathematics class

work.

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Examples of High Level 2 Designations

Examples of High Level 2 Designations

For High Level 2 Designation in ELA

To perform comparable to a High Level 2 in ELA, a student must:

at least meet benchmarks on the Leveled Text and Independent Writing components

AND

exceed benchmarks on the Standard Reading Passage and ELA Class Work components

For High Level 2 Designation in Mathematics

To perform comparable to High Level 2 in mathematics, a student must:

at least meet benchmarks on the Mathematical Inventory and the Standard Math Problems

components and exceed the benchmark on at least one of these two components

AND

exceed benchmark on the Mathematics Class Work component

Sample High Level 2 Performance – ELA Promotion Portfolio

Component/Results Performance Level

Leveled text: 90% accuracy on Level T book Meets benchmark

Standard Reading Passage: Received one Medium and two Highs on fiction

passage questions and two Mediums and one High for the non‐fiction

passage questions.

Exceeds benchmark

Independent Writing Activity: Medium AND showed evidence of the writing

process

Meets benchmark

Class Work: Demonstrates Level 3 on school’s scoring system (high) Exceeds benchmark

This student met the benchmarks on all selected ELA components and exceeded the benchmarks

for the Standard Reading Passage and ELA Class Work.

Sample High Level 2 Performance – Mathematics Promotion Portfolio

Component/Results Performance Level

Mathematical Inventory: Mastered 17 out of 20 skills Exceeds benchmark

Standard Math Problems: Answered 4 out of 5 problems correctly Meets benchmark

Class Work: Demonstrates Level 3 on school’s scoring system (high) Exceeds benchmark

This student at least met the benchmarks for all math components and exceeded the benchmarks

for the Mathematical Inventory and Math Class Work.

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August Update: Grade 6 Promotion Review Summary Sheet


Overview

Summer school teachers should include an update about each student’s performance in summer school

using the “August Update: Grade 6 Promotion Review Summary Sheet.” This sheet is found on the last

page of this manual and should be duplicated for each summer school student who was administered a

promotion portfolio in June.

The “August Update” sheet should include observations about the student’s performance in:

ELA: reading accuracy, reading comprehension, and independent writing for ELA

Mathematics: grade‐level, standards‐based performance in mathematics strands. (While the

Mathematics portfolio provides specific problems to assess skills in these mathematics strands,

teachers may use evidence from the classroom to assess students’ performance in these strands

for the August update.)

Teachers should also include only one piece of evidence per portfolio component or mathematics strand

outlined above (up to three pieces of evidence for ELA and five for math) to demonstrate student

performance comparable to Level 2. This evidence should be student work (as outlined in the Class

Work components of the promotion portfolio) or assessments; ditto sheets and work books should not

be submitted. Please see the next page for a sample completed “August Update” sheet.

43


Sample “August Update” Sheet


44

Student Name: Student ID:

Borough: District: School: Summer Teacher: Principal:

Subject(s) to be assessed: ELA Math Date: __________________

Promotion Portfolio Scores: August Update

ELA Promotion Portfolio

Score: August

Student is performing comparable to Level 2 in ELA.

Student is performing comparable to Level 1 in ELA.

Mathematics Promotion

Portfolio Score: August

Student is performing comparable to Level 2 in mathematics.

Student is performing comparable to Level 1 in mathematics.

Principal: __________________________________________ Date: _______

Community superintendent: Date:

Types of Evidence Is student performance

comparable to Level 2?

Comments (Description of evidence submitted,

notes about performance, etc.)

ELA Summer Class W

ork

Reading Accuracy

Yes – Level 2 No – below Level 2

Reading Comprehension Yes – Level 2 No – below Level 2

Independent Writing Yes – Level 2 No – below Level 2

Math Summer Class W

ork

Number sense &

operations


Algebra


Geometry


Measurement


Statistics and Probability


Grade 6 Promotion Portfolio Manual 2010 2011

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