ela istep+ support framework grade 7 2015 2016 7... · ela istep+ support framework grade 7 2015...

ELA ISTEP+ Support Framework Grade 7 2015 – 2016

QUARTER 3 (January 4-March 18, 2016)

Dates: Topic: Curriculum & Instruction Responsibilities:

Week 3

Jan. 20-22

Target Standard:

+ 7.RN.3.3: Determine an author’s perspective or purpose in a text, and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from the positions of others.

Target Skill within standard: Determine author’s perspective and purpose Continue to revisit this standard as you integrate the additional ‘RN’ standards from your weekly pacing.

Instructional Suggestions:

This standard requires students to apply multiple skills to a nonfiction text they are reading. In order to do so, students must be able to identify and connect the ideas within a text. This standard is prerequisite to making evaluating an author’s arguments and comparing texts (RN.4.1 and RN.4.3, respectively).

To determine the author’s perspective, students should first identify the topic and central idea of a text. Once students understand the central idea, they can determine what the author is trying to communicate about the topic and central idea.

This requires students to continuously search for key words and phrases that communicate the author’s feelings about the topic. Once the student understands the author’s message, they can determine the author’s purpose, or reason, for writing the text. Students will find that they must continuously reflect on an author’s perspective throughout the text, which means they will need to track the author’s opinions about the topic.

As students stop throughout the text to reflect on the author’s opinions about the topic, the use of graphic organizers will helps students track evidence that demonstrates an author’s perspective to help them draw a conclusion about the author’s perspective, and therefore purpose for writing the text.

Words and phrases that are useful in the instruction of this standard and/or may appear on ISTEP+ in relation to standard:

o perspective, purpose, details, evidence, topic, central idea, support, development o What is the topic of this text and the central idea? o What is the author trying to tell me about this topic? o How does the author feel about this topic? o Based on the author’s opinion about the topic, why did the author write this text?

Continue to revisit this standard as you integrate the additional ‘RN’ standards from your weekly pacing.

Constructed- Response Question Stem(s):

The following questions stems reflect possible assessment questions related to this skill and standard:

What is the point of view/purpose in this text?

The author MOST LIKELY wrote this text to/because_______________.

What is the author’s viewpoint on _________________?

Based on the author’s perspective in the text, with which of the following statements would the author MOST LIKELY agree?

ISTEP+ Practice Writing Prompt- Response to Literature:

ISTEP+ Practice Writing Prompt- Response to Literature:

Read the article “Telling Plastic To Bag It” and analyze the response to literature prompt.

Synopsis of Prompt: The author makes the claim that disposable materials made from plastic are harmful to the

environment. Think about the evidence the author provides and consider if it fully supports the claim. Using details

from the article, write an argument analyzing how effectively the author supports this claim.

**As a result of the shortened week, teachers should exercise professional discretion in deciding when to administer the

ISTEP+ practice writing prompt. The window for administration can be extended into the week of January 25th. During the

week of January 25th, the writing resources will return to text-based writing prompts that can be used in conjunction with

the rigorous read.**

Test-Taking Strategy:

Due to the shortened week, there will not be any materials for test-taking strategies provided for the week of

January 20. The test-taking strategies will resume the week of January 25th with resources for Scoring Sample

Constructed Response Items.

Resources: Rigorous Read- “On the Roof of the World” by Benjamin Koch (This text should be used to provide students’ exposure to texts that are at or above the higher end of your grade-level Lexile band. Additionally, the purpose of this text is to reinforce the skill of the week.) Online practice:

https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-9/identify-audience-and-purpose

https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-9/identify-audience-and-purpose


https://prezi.com/vrx94qd2ljfo/authors-perspective-practice/

http://schools.polk-fl.net/Inwood/documents/Literary%20Focus/Author's%20Purpose%20Reference%20Card%202.pdf

Graphic Organizer included- Determining author’s purpose and perspective

Biweekly Assessment

Assessment to be administered at this end of this week, on January 22, to gauge student performance on the target skills of development of central idea and author’s purpose/perspective.

https://prezi.com/vrx94qd2ljfo/authors-perspective-practice/




Rigorous Read-Grade 7 Quarter 3, Week 3: January 20-22

“Microbes: The Good, the Bad, and the Nasty” by Gretchen Noyes-Hull for Odyssey, February 2007

Ever since our early years, we have all been instructed to wash our hands before eating to avoid ingesting

"germs." Microorganisms1 (bacteria, protozoa, and yeast) seem to have a bad reputation when it comes to food! The

nasty ones make headlines and the TV news -- "Spinach tainted with E. coli2 sends diners to hospital." And some cause us a little discomfort and even embarrassment.

But the downside of germs is not the whole story! Beneficial microbes far outnumber the harmful ones, and we depend on their good deeds for our nutritional well-being and health! It's high time that the "good" bacteria get the credit they deserve!

The Intestinal Community

We all prefer to think of ourselves as individuals, but it would be much more accurate if we pictured ourselves as thriving communities! Right now, there are more microbes living on you than there are cells in your body! Of course, they are not actually part of you, but the bacteria alone add up to approximately 10 percent of your dry weight (you minus the water)! Microorganisms may be small, but their numbers make up for their size.

On every surface of your body, there are tiny microbes going about their business. The surface of the digestive system takes the award for the largest population -- by far -- of microorganisms. Here, their numbers reach astronomical proportions. More individuals of the bacterial species Escherichia coli will inhabit your intestines during your lifetime than the number of people who have ever lived on Earth! E. coli is but one of the 400 or so species that are common

members of the intestinal community. A few yeast and protozoa3 species top off the list.

But wait! Not to worry! This may seem like a creepy, crawly mess, but the majority of your intestinal microorganisms are not nasty intruders. They are important and invited guests: your personal microbes! As well as helping you to digest and process your food and providing you with the essential vitamins, they make it their business also to protect you against those nasty sorts. All of this, simply in exchange for food, warmth, and a space to multiply! (This kind of relationship in which everyone benefits is called mutualism.) As long as this arrangement is functioning properly, you remain largely unaware of your microbes and their business. But when it is not -- that's another story!

Moving It Right Along

The microbes of your large intestine make their living by breaking down the discards of the small intestine, material that your human system has rejected as indigestible. Equipped with their own set of enzymes and metabolic

pathways4, they proceed to further tear apart the organic compounds that remain. Most of them get to work disassembling the plant carbohydrates. The majority of the microbes of the large intestine are anaerobic, meaning that they live in the absence of oxygen. Instead of breathing in and out, they are able to derive all of their energy by splitting

large carbohydrates5 into smaller fatty acid molecules and carbon dioxide, in a process known as fermentation.


Some of the fatty acids are reabsorbed through the intestinal walls, providing us with a bonus energy source. The rest help the bacteria to grow rapidly, rapidly enough to reproduce themselves as often as every 20 minutes! Synthesizing more of some of the B vitamins and vitamin K than they need for their own growth, they kindly make the surplus available to other creatures in their community and to you, their host. Although you are unable to manufacture these vitamins yourself, you can count on your friendly microbes for an unfailing supply.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the complex relationships between the different microorganisms of this community and their interactions with a human host. It is a dynamic system, which constantly adjusts to a host's changes in age and diet. Right after your birth, you begin to assemble your own select group of species. As your diet moves from mother's to cow's milk, and then to different solid foods, new species dominate the population.

The End of the Journey

Microbes that colonize the walls of the large intestine are survivors of a very difficult journey! On their journey from the mouth and digestive tract on through the small intestine, they are attacked by digestive enzymes and strong acids. Those that complete the trip intact face more obstacles on their arrival. To grow, they must compete successfully with those already there for room and nutrients. Fortunately, the "friendly" bacteria are very adept at gluing themselves to most of the available wall space. Some of these friendly bacteria can produce acids and antibacterial compounds known as "bacteriocins," which help to discourage invasion by the unsavory types. The sheer numbers of "good" bacteria usually prevent the "nasties" from gaining a "foothold" before passing on their way unnoticed.

This ability of friendly bacteria to control the populations of more dangerous ones has fueled a new interest in

"probiotic" foods, products containing cultures6 of live bacteria, such as yogurt. Check the labels on your next container of yogurt to see what species might become your next guests!

And remember, although it is still a very good practice to wash your hands before eating, not all microbes are "germs." Those that support and protect us deserve recognition.

__________________

Footnotes: 1microorganisms- a microscopic, or very small, living organism 2E.coli- bacteria found in the environment, food, and the intestines of animals and humans 3yeast and protozoa- small microorganisms that can live within humans 4enzymes and metabolic pathways- components needed and used in the process of a chemical reaction 5carbohydrates- a main nutrient for the body and the biggest source of energy 6cultures- small amounts for scientific purposes


RN.3.3- Analyzing author’s purpose and perspective Name: _________________________________ Determine the author’s perspective, or point of view about the topic he/she is presenting information about. Then, determine the author’s purpose for communicating this information and their point of view. Then, cite details from the text to support both the identified author’s perspective and purpose.

Text Topic: The author’s perspective is…

The author’s purpose is…

Details from the text to support identified

purpose and perspective








Grade 7- Sample ISTEP+ Aligned Practice Writing Prompt

“Telling Plastic to ‘Bag It’” by Patricia Smith

with reporting by William Yardley of The New York Times

Two years ago, a dead gray whale washed ashore in Seattle’s Puget Sound1. When scientists examined the contents of the whale’s stomach, they found more than 20 plastic bags. “It was a gut-wrenching experience for me,” says Robb Krehbiel, 23, of Seattle, “Nothing that we use for a few minutes should ever end up in the belly of a whale. That’s just so wrong.” For the last seven months, Krehbiel has been working on a campaign to ban plastic grocery bags in Seattle. The ban passed in December and will go into effect July 1. Seattle will join cities like San Francisco; San Jose, California; Portland, Oregon; Brownsville, Texas; and Westport, Connecticut, as well as the Outer Banks of North Carolina and several counties in Hawaii, that have already banned plastic grocery bags. And Washington, D.C., has begun charging a five-cent tax on plastic bags to discourage customers from using them. Since 2009, 12 states have considered a variety of plastic-bag bans, according to The National Conference of State Legislatures. No statewide bans have passed. But the list of cities and counties with bag bans is growing. Americans use between 70 billion and 100 billion plastic bags annually, with families taking home an average of 1,500 a year. Paper Vs. Plastic Environmental groups say plastic bags, which are made from petroleum products, increase America’s dependence on oil and are a chief cause of litter. It takes about 12 million barrels of oil to make the plastic bags used in the U.S. annually. Most plastic bags eventually end up in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years for them to decompose. But first, or instead, many become litter. “They’re hanging from trees and littering our beaches,” says Eric Goldstein of the National Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. Plastic bags are also a major source of pollution in the ocean, where they can harm sea turtles and other ocean creatures that mistake the bags for food and eat them. But Mark Daniels of Hilex Poly, a plastics maker based in South Carolina, calls the bans “badly misguided efforts.” He says 90 percent of Americans already reuse plastic grocery bags—as garbage bags, to pack school lunches, and to store household items. “Moving consumers away from plastic bags only pushes people to less environmentally friendly options, such as paper bags, which require more energy to produce and transport, and reusable bags, which are not recyclable,” Daniels says. The plastic-bag manufacturing industry employs 10,000 Americans, and bans jeopardize those jobs, the industry says.


The U.S. is not the only place where bans have been instituted. Plastic bags are now banned in several nations including China, Italy, France, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Rwanda. Other countries tax plastic bags to discourage their use. In Ireland, for example, a 15-cent-per-bag tax introduced in 2002 has reduced their use by more than 90 percent. Plastic Bottle Bans Environmentalists in recent years have also targeted disposable plastic bottles for many of the same reasons they’ve set their sights on bags. The town of Concord, Massachusetts; several national parks, including the Grand Canyon; and a growing list of universities now ban the sale of disposable water bottles. A handful of big cities, like San Francisco and Seattle, ban the sale of plastic water bottles in government offices. The plastic-bag bans already in effect have had a dramatic effect on litter, some officials say. In Brownsville, Texas, a plastic-bag ban in place for more than a year has eliminated more than 350,000 bags per day, according to former Mayor Pat Ahumada. He says the ban “transformed our city from littered and dirty to a much cleaner city.” Under the Seattle ban, plastic bags will still be available for produce and bulk grocery items. The new law also imposes a five-cent fee on paper bags. Three years ago, Seattle city officials approved a 20-cent-per-bag fee on paper and plastic bags. The idea was to create a financial incentive to reduce pollution; the fee was supposed to prompt people to bring reusable bags with them to shop. But before the 2008 fee could take effect, the plastic-bag industry led a petition drive that forced the issue onto a citywide ballot. In August 2009, in the midst of the recession2 and after the industry spent $1.4 million on the campaign, Seattle voters rejected the fee. It’s not yet clear if the plastic bag industry will mount a similar campaign this time. If there’s a fight, Krehbiel, the Seattle activist, will be one of those arguing to keep the ban. “It’s not going to be a silver bullet that solves all our environmental problems,” he says. “But my thinking is you do what you can, when you can, where you can.”

Plastic Bags: By the Numbers

1,500

Average number of plastic shopping bags American families take home annually.

12 million

Barrels of oil it takes each year to make the plastic bags used in the U.S.

10,000

Number of U.S. jobs in the plastic-bag

manufacturing industry.

Footnotes: 1Seattle’s Puget Sound- a set of connected waterways on the coast of Washington state 2recession- a period of decline in the economy


Grade 7 ISTEP+ Practice Writing Prompt

You have read the article “Telling Plastic to ‘Bag It.’” The author makes the claim that disposable materials made from plastic are harmful to the environment. Think about the evidence the author provides and consider if it fully supports the claim. Using details from the article, write an argument analyzing how effectively the author supports this claim. Be sure to include

your position on how well the author supports the claim

details from the article to support your position

an introduction, a body, and a conclusion


Grade 7- Biweekly Assessment #1 (RN.2.2 and RN.3.3)

Directions: Read the following article and answer the questions that follow.

Asteroids, Meteoroids, Comets by Kenneth C. Davis

Where do asteroids like to hang out? Asteroids, or “minor planets,” can be found all over the solar system, but most orbit the Sun in an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids are space rocks that never formed into a planet when the solar system was born. This is probably because of the gravitational effects of Mars and Jupiter. Even if the asteroids had become a planet, it would be less than one quarter the size of Earth. How many asteroids are out there? Astronomers have found more than 20,000 asteroids since 1801 and discover more every year. The largest asteroid, Ceres, was the first one found. Ceres is almost 600 miles (970 km) across, or about one quarter of the size of our Moon. But that’s pretty unusual. Though a few asteroids are 150 miles (240 km) across or more, most are less than a few miles wide and many are smaller than a car. There are more small asteroids than large ones because the space rocks often crash into each other and break into smaller pieces. (The little pieces become meteoroids, some of which are sent on a path toward Earth.) That’s also why most asteroids are lopsided and full of craters. I have a head and a tail. I can move around, but you can’t take me for a walk. What am I? A comet. Comets are dirty, rocky snowballs that orbit the Sun. They spend most of their lives far away from us, but when a comet’s orbit brings it near the Sun, part of its frozen “head” defrosts into a dusty, gaseous “tail” millions of miles long. Then the comet appears as a brilliant streak we can see in the sky for weeks or even months. Since the pressure of the Sun’s radiation—which is what pushes the dust and gas away from the comet—always flows away from the Sun, the comet’s tail always points away from the Sun, too. That means that sometimes the comet seems to travel backward, with the tail leading the head! Where do comets come from? Most astronomers think that comets come from two places: the Oort Cloud, a huge icy ring around the edge of the solar system, and the Kuiper Belt, a ring of planetary leftovers inside the Oort Cloud. Comets that come in our direction have probably been pulled in slowly because of the gravitation tugs of planets or passing stars. All comets orbit the sun in a predictable period, or amount of time. Short-period comets orbit at least once every 200 years and probably come from the Kuiper Belt. Long- period comets take more than 200 years and most likely come from the Oort Cloud.

The word comet comes from the

ancient Greek word kometes,

meaning “long-haired.” People

thought comets looked like heads

with hair streaming out behind them.

Comets have long inspired fear and

awe because, unlike the predictable

Sun, Moon, and stars, they appeared

to come and go as they pleased.

Ancient people believed the

unannounced visitors were warnings

of something unusual and terrible—

war, flood, death, sickness, or

earthquake.


Who’s coming to visit in 2062? Halley’s Comet, the most famous of them all. Halley’s visits have been connected to several historic events. The Chinese saw the comet in 240 B.C. and blamed it for the death of an empress. The Romans recorded it in 12 B.C. and thought it was connected to the death of one of their statesmen. In 1066, the Normans of France believed the comet marked the invasion of England by William the Conqueror. (The comet is even shown on the Bayeaux Tapestry, which records William’s victory.) Halley’s Comet also came through the years the famous American writer Samuel Clemens—also known as Mark Twain—was born and died.

1. (RN.3.3) What is MOST LIKELY the author’s purpose for including information about both asteroids and comets

in the article? a. The author’s purpose is to assist the reader in understanding how to prepare for both asteroids and

comets that may come in contact with Earth. b. The author’s purpose is to provide details about the difference between the appearance of asteroids

and comets. c. The author’s purpose is to entertain the reader with the historical timeline of all asteroid and comet

sightings. d. The author’s purpose is to inform the reader about the distinct characteristics of various objects

common in space.

2. (RN.3.3) Why does the author place the information in the section titled, “Who’s coming to visit in 2062?” after

the text box and how does it add to the information in the text box? Support your response with details from

the article.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Edmond Halley (1656–1742) As a student at Oxford University in England, Edmond Halley (rhymes with valley) was so excited about astronomy that he left school to map the stars in the Southern Hemisphere’s skies. Halley is best known for his groundbreaking work on comets, especially the one that bears his name. Halley was the first to say that comets sighted in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were actually the same comet returning every 76 years. He predicted the comet’s return in 1758, though he knew he wouldn’t live to see the prediction come true. When it did, the comet was named in his honor. Astronomy was just one of Edmond Halley’s many strengths. Among countless other things, he developed the first weather map and studied Earth’s magnetic field. The multitalented Halley was England’s Astronomer Royal from 1719 until he died in 1742 at Greenwich Observatory in England.


3. (RN.2.2) Which sentence BEST states the central idea of the text box about Edmond Halley?

a. “As a student at Oxford University in England, Edmond Halley (rhymes with valley) was so excited about astronomy that he left school to map the stars in the Southern Hemisphere’s skies.”

b. “Halley is best known for his groundbreaking work on comets, especially the one that bears his name.” c. “Halley was the first to say that comets sighted in 1531, 1607, and 1682 were actually the same comet

returning every 76 years.” d. “The multitalented Halley was England’s Astronomer Royal from 1719 until he died in 1742 at

Greenwich Observatory in England.”

4. (RN.2.2) How does the quote below from the article further develop the idea of the mystery surrounding comets?

“Ancient people believed the unannounced visitors were warnings of something unusual and terrible—war, flood, death, sickness, or earthquake.”

a. The quote emphasizes the need for people the better understand comets in order to avoid the negative events that are associate with them.

b. The quote provides specific examples from all around the world to support the misunderstandings people have about the origin of comets.

c. The quote reinforces the idea that people have misunderstood comets for many years throughout history, by highlighting specific events they believe were linked to comets.

d. The quote clarifies the differences between the previously held beliefs about comets and the new understandings we have about their existence.

5. (RN.3.3) Within the context of the article, what does the author’s word choice in the line below reveal about his point of view toward the topic?

Then the comet appears as a brilliant streak we can see in the sky for weeks or even months.

a. The author’s word choice reveals his sense of wonder surrounding the complex nature of comets. b. The author’s word choice reveals his opinion about the beautiful appearance of all comets. c. The author’s word choice reveals his determination to convince the reader that Edmond Halley is a very

intelligent man through his comet research. d. The author’s word choice brilliant reveals his confusion about the misunderstanding people has

surrounding comets.

6. (RN.2.2) How does the author develop the central idea of the wonders of space throughout the article? Support

your response with details from the article.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________


Grade 7- Biweekly Assessment #1 (RN.2.2 and RN.3.3) Answer Key

Question Standard Correct Answer

1 D

2 Possible Answer: The author most likely places this information after the text box to first provide us with information about who Halley’s Comet is named after. The information in the text box also explains how important he was to astronomy. It also reinforces the idea in the previous paragraph that comets are predictable.

3 B

4 C

5 A

6 Possible Answer: The author develops the central idea about the wonders of space by including information about the size, location, and unique characteristics of asteroids and comets. For example, in the second paragraph the author demonstrates the many sizes of asteroids by comparing them to familiar items, like cars. In later pararaphs, the author also describes how long it takes comets to travel.

ela istep+ support framework grade 7 2015 2016 7... · ela istep+ support framework grade 7 2015...

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