Rev. Control: 09/06/2014 HSD – OSP and Susan Richmond

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Opinion Writing… Performance Task

Pre-Assessment

Teacher Directions

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Rev. Control: 09/06/2014 HSD – OSP and Susan Richmond

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Background

This is a pre-assessment to measure the task of writing an opinion essay. Full compositions or essays are always part of a Performance Task. A complete performance task would have:

Part 1• A Classroom Activity (30 Minutes) (35 minutes)• Passages to Read (2 – 4 depending on the grade)• 3 Research Questions Part 2• A Full-Composition (70 Minutes)

This assessment is an abbreviated Performance Task (PT). SBAC PT’s are normally completed in two days. The time-schedule below is the “norm,” for a PT. Students should have access to spell-check resources but no grammar-check resources. Students can refer back to their passages, notes and 3 research questions as often they’d like.

Directions30 minutes1. You may wish to have a 30 minute classroom activity. The purpose of a PT activity is to insure that all students are familiar with the concepts of the topic and know and understand key terms (vocabulary) that are at the upper end of their grade level (words they would not normally know or are unfamiliar to their background or culture). The classroom activity DOES NOT pre-teach any of the content that will be assessed!35 minutes2. Students read the passages independently. If you have students who can not read the passages you may read them to those students but please make note of the

accommodation. Remind students to take notes as they read. During an actual SBAC assessment students are allowed to keep their notes as a reference.

3. Students answer the 3 research questions. During an actual SBAC assessment these questions would be scored. For this abbreviated PT they will not be. Students should also refer to their answers when writing their full opinion piece.15 minute break70 Minutes4. Students write their full composition (opinion piece).

SCORINGAn Opinion Rubric is provided. Students receive three scores:

4. Organization and Purpose5. Evidence and Elaboration6. Conventions

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ScoreStatement of Purpose/Focus and Organization Development: Language and Elaboration of Evidence

ConventionsStatement of

Purpose/Focus Organization Elaboration of Evidence Language and Vocabulary

4

The response is fully sustained and consistently and purposefully focused: • opinion is clearly stated,

focused, and strongly maintained

• opinion is communicated clearly within the context

The response has a clear and effective organizational structure creating unity and completeness: • effective, consistent use of

a variety of transitional strategies

• logical progression of ideas from beginning to end

• effective introduction and conclusion for audience and purpose

The response provides thorough and convincing support/evidence for the writer’s opinion that includes the effective use of sources, facts, and details: • use of evidence from

sources is smoothly integrated, comprehensive, and relevant

• effective use of a variety of elaborative techniques

The response clearly and effectively expresses ideas, using precise language: • use of academic

and domain-specific vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose

The response demonstrates a strong command of conventions: • few, if any, errors in

usage and sentence formation e

• ffective and consistent use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

3

The response is adequately sustained and generally focused: • opinion is clear and for

the most part maintained, though some loosely related material may be present

• context provided for the claim is adequate

The response has an recognizable organizational structure, though there may be minor flaws and some ideas may be loosely connected: • adequate use of

transitional strategies with some variety

• adequate progression of ideas from beginning to end

• adequate introduction and conclusion

The response provides adequate support/evidence for the writer’s opinion that includes the use of sources, facts, and details: • some evidence from

sources is integrated, though citations may be general or imprecise

• adequate use of some elaborative techniques

The response adequately expresses ideas, employing a mix of precise with more general language: • use of domain-

specific vocabulary is generally appropriate for the audience and purpose

The response demonstrates an adequate command of conventions: • some errors in usage

and sentence formation are present, but no systematic pattern of errors is displayed

• adequate use of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

2

The response is somewhat sustained with some extraneous material or a minor drift in focus: • may be clearly focused

on the opinion but is insufficiently sustained

• opinion on the issue may be unclear and unfocused

The response has an inconsistent organizational structure, and flaws are evident: • inconsistent use of

transitional strategies with little variety

• uneven progression of ideas from beginning to end

• conclusion and introduction, if present, are weak

The response provides uneven, cursory support/evidence for the writer’s opinion that includes partial or uneven use of sources, facts, and details: • evidence from sources is

weakly integrated, and citations, if present, are uneven

• weak or uneven use of elaborative techniques

The response expresses ideas unevenly, using simplistic language: • use of domain-

specific vocabulary that may at times be inappropriate for the audience and purpose

The response expresses ideas unevenly, using simplistic language: • use of domain-

specific vocabulary that may at times be inappropriate for the audience and purpose

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The response may be related to the purpose but may offer little or no focus: • may be very brief • may have a major drift • opinion may be

confusing or ambiguous

The response has little or no discernible organizational structure: • few or no transitional

strategies are evident • frequent extraneous ideas

may intrude

The response provides minimal support/evidence for the writer’s opinion that includes little or no use of sources, facts, and details: • use of evidence from

sources is minimal, absent, in error, or irrelevant

The response expression of ideas is vague, lacks clarity, or is confusing: • uses limited language

or domain-specific vocabulary

• may have little sense of audience and purpose

The response demonstrates a lack of command of conventions: • errors are frequent

and severe and meaning is often obscured

0 A response gets no credit if it provides no evidence of the ability to [fill in with key language from the intended target].

Grades 3-5: Generic 4-Point Opinion Writing Rubric [Smarter Balanced CCSS ELA Writing Rubrics (Adapted)]

Rev. Control: 09/06/2014 HSD – OSP and Susan Richmond

Receptive modalities*: Ways in which students receive communications from others (e.g., listening, reading, viewing). Instruction and assessment of receptive modalities focus on students’ communication of their understanding of the meaning of communications from others.

Listening & reading

9 - create clear

and coherent

grade-appropriate speech

and text

10 - make

accurate

use

of standard

English to communicate in

grade-appropriate speech

and

writing

1construct meaning from oral presentations and literary and informational text through grade-appropriate listening, reading, and viewing

8 determine the meaning of words and phrases in oral presentations and literary and informational text

Productive modalities*: Ways in which students communicate to others (e.g., speaking, writing, and drawing). Instruction and assessment of productive modalities focus on students’ communication of their own understanding or interpretation.

Speaking &

Writing

3speak and write about grade-appropriate complex literary and informational texts and topics

4construct grade-appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning and evidence

7 adapt language choices to purpose, task, and audience when speaking and writing

Interactive modalities*: Collaborative use of receptive and productive modalities as “students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions” (Phillips, 2008, p. 3).

Listening, speaking, reading,

and writing

2participate in grade-appropriate oral and written exchanges of information, ideas, and analyses, responding to peer, audience, or reader comments and questions

5 conduct research and evaluate and communicate findings to answer questions or solve problems

6 analyze and critique the arguments of others orally and in writing

StandardAn ELL can…

By the end of an English language proficiency level, an ELL in grades 4-5 can . . .

4Productive

(S & W)

…construct grade-appropriate oral and written claims and support them with reasoning and evidence.

1 2 3 4 5…express an opinion about a familiar topic.

…construct a simple claim about a familiar topic, and give a reason to support the claim.

…construct a claim about familiar topics, introducing the topic and providing a few reasons or facts to support the claim.

…construct a claim about a variety of topics: introduce the topic, provide several reasons or facts to support the claim, and provide a concluding statement.

…construct a claim about a variety of topics: introduce the topic, provide logically ordered reasons or facts to support the claim, and provide a concluding statement.

This performance task is based on writing. As an option if you’d like to monitor growth for ELP as a second goal, teachers can choose to assess ELP standard 4 because it aligns with this specific performance task. Your student’s full composition can be analyzed to identify English language proficiency levels. It is evident that students will be navigating through the modalities to get to the end product. However, it is important to keep in mind what the full opinion writing performance task is assessing and how deeply the student understands class content and language. The ELP growth goal is to provide the “just-right scaffolds” for students to demonstrate their understanding in order for them to move from one proficiency level to the next.

ELP 4th – 5th Grade Band Standards Organized by Modality

Oregon ELP Standards Aligned with Performance Task, 2014; Arcema Tovar

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Opinion Writing Pre-AssessmentStudent and Class Scoring:

School Year: 2014-15 Grade:

Teachers Name:

School:

Student Name:Focus and

Organization Elaboration

and Evidence Conventions Student Total

ELP Score

Score Score Score1. Daffy Duck and Friends 3 3 4 10

2. Micky Mouse 4 4 4 12

3. Minnie Mouse 4 4 3 11

4. Road Runner 4 4 0 8

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0 4 Total Students

% Proficient 25% 25% 25% 50%% Exemplary 75% 75% 50% 50%

1

234

= Emerging= Developing= Proficient= Exemplary

Scoring Key:0 - 4

5 - 78 - 10

11 - 12

Total # Correct

To use the Excel Version of this Score sheet. http://sresource.homestead.com/index.html

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Student Name:______________________Date: __________________

Opinion Writing… Performance Task

Pre-Assessment

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Directions:35 Minutes1. Read each article.

2. Take notes as you read. You can use your notes to help you write your opinion essay.

3. Answer the 3 questions when you are done reading.You may also use your answers to help you write your opinion essay.

STOP AND WAIT FOR YOUR TEACHER 70 Minutes4. Write your opinion essay.

Your assignment: You will read three informational articles about different environments. Write an opinion essay about which type of environment you think is the best environment to live in. Explain your reasons using examples and details from all three sources.

You may use your notes, your 3 answered questions and refer to the passages as much as you’d like.

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ClimatesRead works Source One

Climate Zones The Earth’s surface is made up of many different climates. To help them organize it all, scientists have grouped climates that are similar. Each group has the same kinds of plant, temperature, and amount of rainfall. Here’s a look at some of the major groups.

Tropical Climates Right around the equator is the tropical climate zone. Tropical climates receive a lot of sunlight and are very warm. Rainfall is heavy, so they are also very wet. This climate is perfect for rainforests, teeming with a huge amount of life and growth. It’s hot and muggy which provides a habitat2 for many different types of plant and animals.

Desert Climates Deserts receive very little rain, less than 10 inches a year! Some years it may not rain at all. Desert air is so hot that when rain does fall, it can evaporate even before it reaches the ground! Deserts often receive full sunlight because there are no clouds to filter3 the sun’s rays. At night deserts can be very cold. The soil in a desert is dry and often sandy. Very little life thrives4 in the desert, except for Cacti. The cactus plant stores water. The stem of the cactus is like a water bottle. It is full of water and allows very little to leave the plant.

Savannas Savannas are often found between tropical climates and subtropical deserts. Savannas have plants, but mostly scrub and brush. There is not enough water for many trees. The grasses grow during a very short rainy season. They then die in the dry winter months. Temperate Climates Temperate is a climate that is not too hot or too cold. It is a mild climate. The weather in mild climates is never too extreme. Summers are warm and wet. Winters are cool and dry. Neither season has very hot or very cold temperatures. Many plant and animal species thrive in these conditions. Most of the United States has a mild climate.

Polar Climates Have you ever heard of the polar ice caps? The ice caps are the regions at the North and South Poles. They are always covered in frozen water like snow or ice. They are the coldest climates on Earth. Polar regions get less of the sun’s direct rays because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. Temperatures are very, very cold. During winter it is dark for six months straight! Rain is rare and almost always in the form of snow. 1 habitat: the place where an animal or plant grows 2 filter: to help the sun not shine so bright3 thrive: to grow well

Grade Equivalent 4.8Lexile Measure 760LMean Sentence Length

10c21

Mean Log Word Frequency 3.35Word Count 439

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All About Tropical ClimatesSource Two

Tropical climates are found in areas that lie close to the equator. Here the sun shines brightly. Within tropical climates, there are three groups: tropical wet; tropical wet and dry; and tropical monsoon. Tropical wet regions, also known as rain forest. Rainforest weather is easy to predict. Here, every day is pretty much the same. You can expect lots of rain, warm nights and hot days. The seasons change only slightly. The rain forest climate sounds ideal, but it is very humid here and there are lots of mosquitoes and bugs. Monsoon climates have winds that reverse every six months. For example, in India the winds blow in from the sea during the summer, bringing buckets of heavy rain. The winds reverse in the winter blowing from land to sea. Winters are dry here. Many people in monsoon climates rely on the monsoons to bring water for their crops. Monsoons sometimes bring too much rain, causing flooding and mudslides. In India, the monsoon rains not only water crops, but they power electric plants. Tropical wet and dry climates have three seasons. One season is cool and dry. One season is hot and dry and the third season is wet and hot. Some years, the rains here are light. When this happens, there is not enough food or water for animals and people

Grade Equivalent 4.9Lexile Measure 690Mean Sentence Length

9.29

Mean Log Word Frequency 3.25Word Count 223

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Types of Deserts Source Three

Believe it or not, there are many kinds of deserts. The two major kinds are hot and cold. The information in this article is about hot deserts

What is a Desert Like? The hot desert is a land of extremes: extreme heat and extreme dryness; sudden flash floods and cold nights. Because deserts are such a harsh environment, deserts often have names likes "Death Valley," and "the place from where there is no return."

DrynessDeserts are usually very, very dry. Even the wettest deserts get less than ten inches of rain a year. In most places, rain falls all year. But in the desert, it rarely rains at all. When it does rain, there may be quite a downpour!

Hot During the Day, Cool at Night Everyone knows that during the day many deserts are hot, very hot. Temperatures reach over 100 degrees. Yet at night, the same deserts can be very cold. Deserts have very little water in the air. Water traps heat. There is not enough water to trap the heat and there are few trees to keep the heat in. It cools down fast when the sun sets and heats up quickly after the sun rises.

Desert Plants and Animals Deserts are the home to many living things. In fact, deserts have almost as many different kinds of plants and animals as tropical rainforests. How do you think plants grow in a place that is very, very dry? Desert plants can collect and store water.

Desert plants often look different than plants in any other places. Animals in the desert must survive in a harsh environment. Intense heat, searing sun, and lack of water are just a few of the challenges facing desert animals.

Animals that live in the hot desert have many adaptations. Some animals never drink, but get their water from seeds and plants. Many animals are nocturnal, sleeping during the hot day and only coming out at night to eat and hunt. Some animals rarely spend any time above ground!

Copyright © 2004 Missouri Botanical Garden

Grade Equivalent 4.9Lexile Measure 810LMean Sentence Length

11.57

Mean Log Word Frequency 3.46Word Count 405

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Think About It.Then, answer each question.

Use Evidence Research Target 4

3. What information from each article, would be most helpful about deciding where to build a home?

Evaluate Information Sources Research Target 3

2. How could climate affect where a person lives? Use details from the articles to show advantages and disadvantages to living in two different climates. Explain what the two climates are.

Interpret and Integrate Information Research Target 2

1. Using details from at least two of the articles, explain why plants that survive in one environment can’t survive in another environment.

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STOPClose your books and wait for instructions!

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Your Performance Task

Your assignment: You will read three informational articles about different environments. Write an opinion essay about which type of environment you think is the best environment to live in. Explain your reasons using examples and details from all three sources.

You may use your notes, your 3 answered questions and refer to the passages as much as you’d like.

REMEMBER: A well-written opinion article:

• has a clear opinion • is well-organized and stays on the topic • has an introduction and a conclusion • uses transitions • uses details from the sources to support your opinion • develops ideas clearly • uses clear language • follows rules of writing (spelling, punctuation, and grammar)

You will receive three scores for your essay:1. Organization and Purpose Statement of purpose/focus – how well you clearly state your opinions on the topic and maintain your

focus Organization – how well your ideas logically flow from the introduction to conclusion using effective

transitions and how well you stay on topic throughout the essay.2. Evidence and Elaboration Elaboration of evidence – how well you provide evidence from sources about your opinions and

elaborate with specific information Language and Vocabulary – how well you effectively express ideas using precise language that is

appropriate for your audience and purpose3. Conventions Conventions – how well you follow the rules of usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling

Now begin work on your opinion article. Manage your time carefully so that you can …1. plan your article 2. write your article 3. revise and edit the final draft of your article

Word-processing tools and spell check are available to you

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Name

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