Common Core State Standards MatrixTechnology Skills Self-Assessment Directions: Read the “Checklist of Skills for Online Assessments” chart. Place a checkmark beside the skills

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Assessment Prep for Common Core Reading: Grade 7

Common Core State Standards Matrix

English Language Arts Reading Standards

Literacy Standards

©Copyright2010.NationalGovernorsAssociationCenterforBestPracticesandCouncilofChiefStateSchoolOfficers.Allrightsreserved.

Units ofStudy

Literacy in History/ Literacy in Science & Social Studies Technical Subjects

RH

.6-8

.1

RH

.6-8

.2

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.6-8

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.6-8

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.6-8

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.6-8

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.6-8

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.6-8

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.6-8

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T.6

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-8.6

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T.6

-8.7

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T.6

-8.8

RS

T.6

-8.9

RS

T.6

-8.1

0

Speech X X X X XAutobiography X X X XScience X X X X X X X XArticleNewspaper X X X X X XArticlePairedText X X X X X X X X

Common Core State Standards Matrix

Units ofStudy

Reading Literature Reading Informational Text

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Instructional X X X X X X X X X ResourcesNovel X X X X X X * XPoem X X X X X X * X Drama X X X X X * X Speech X X X X XAutobiography X X X X X XScience X X X X X X XArticleNewspaper X X X X XArticleFlyer X X X X(FunctionalText)PairedText X X X X X X X X

*Thisstandardisnotapplicabletoliterature.

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Test-Taking Tips

Prepare for Success During the School Year:

Attendschoolregularly.

Listenandparticipateinclass.

Askquestionswhenyoudon’tunderstand.

Completehomeworkassignments.

Learntestingvocabulary.

Practicetechnologyskillsforonlinetesting.

Before Taking the Test:

Getplentyofsleepthenightbeforetesting.

Eatahealthybreakfastthemorningof thetest.

Gototherestroombeforeenteringthe testingroom.

Bringneededsuppliestothetestingroom.

Test-Taking Tips: Prepare for Success



Test-Taking Tips

Keys to Success

Beconfidentandmaintainapositiveattitude.

Manageyourtimewisely.

Readorlistentoalldirections.

Readeachquestioncarefully.

Readallanswerchoicesbeforechoosingone.

Eliminatewrongchoices,thenchoosethe bestanswer.

Usedetailsorevidencetosupportawritten response.

Skiporflagdifficultquestionsandanswer themlast.

Reviewyouranswers.

Makesureyouhaveansweredallquestions.

Thinktwicebeforechangingananswer.

Test-Taking Tips: Keys to Success



Test-Taking Tips

Ten Strategies for Success

1. Previewthereadingselectionfororganizationalstructuresandtextfeatures.

2. Readalltitles,headings,subheadings,maps,charts,graphs,anddiagramscarefully.

3. Tohelpyouunderstandthemeaningofthetext,creatementalpicturesofwhatyouarereading.

4. Asyouread,takenotestohelpyourememberandunderstandkeyideasanddetails.

5. Tohelpyoucomprehenddifficulttext,remembertoslowdown,re-read,orbreakthetextintosmallchunks.

6. Whendeterminingthethemeorcentralideaofatext,thefirstsentence,thelastsentence,orthetitleusuallyprovidesaclue.

7. Whenyouaretryingtofigureoutavocabularywordfromcon-text,replacethewordwitheachoftheanswerchoicesandseewhichanswermakesthemostsense.

8. Paycloseattentiontowordsorphrasesinaquestionthatareunderlinedorareinboldprint.

9. Decidewhatyouthinktheanswertoaquestionisbeforeread-ing the choices. Then look in order to see if your answer isthere.

10. Whenaquestioncontainsthewordbest,rememberthatthereisprobablymorethanonepossibleanswer.YouneedtolookfortheBESTanswer.

AdaptedfromPreparing Students for Standardized Testing, Grade 6byJanetP.Sitter.UsedwithpermissionofMarkTwainMedia,Inc.Publishers.

Test-Taking Tips: Ten Strategies for Success



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Test-Taking TipsTechnology Skills Self-Assessment

Directions:Readthe“ChecklistofSkillsforOnlineAssessments”chart.Placeacheckmarkbeside the skills that you can successfullyperform.Practice the re-mainingskillsuntilyoubecomeproficient.

Checklist of Skills for Online Assessments

I know how to . . .

logintoacomputer.

accessthetest.

usefunctionbuttons.

navigatethroughthetext.

playaudio/videoclips.

usetheverticalscrollbar.

draganddroptext.

highlighttext.

selectanddeselectanswers.

flagquestionsforlaterreview.

createandeditresponses.

submitthetest.

exitthetest.

Test-Taking Tips: Technology Skills Self-Assessment



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Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehensionistheabilitytounderstandwhatyouarereading.

Whenthetextbecomesdifficultorconfusing,remembertoslowdown,re-read,orbreakthetextintosmallchunks.Creatingamentalpictureofwhatyouarereadingalsohelpswithcomprehension.

Directions:Readthetextandanswerthesampleassessmentquestion.

Text:“TheSun”byDonPowers,Ph.D.andJohnB.Beaver,Ph.D.

Thesunisbyfarthelargestheavenlybodyneartheearth.Itissolargethateventhelargestplanetsaretinybycomparison.Thesungeneratesitsownlight,andwedependonthatlightformanythings.Sunlightnotonlybrightensourworldbutalsocausesplantstogrowanddrivestheweatherprocessesthatbringuswinds,clouds,rain,andsnow.Withoutthesun,lifeonEarthwouldnotbepossible.Also,withoutthesun,wewouldnotbeabletosee themoonandotherplanets.Themoonandplanetsdonot createtheirownlight.Weseethembecauseofthesunlightthatreflectsofftheirsurfaces. Although we usually think of our sun as being something special, itis really just anordinary star.Compared to the restof the solar system,however,itissomethingspecial.Thesuncontainsabout98%ofthemassofthesolarsystemandprovidesalmostallofitsenergy.Itsdiameterisabout110timesthediameteroftheearth. Thecenterportion,orcore,ofthesunisablazingfurnacewherehydrogenisbeingconvertedintohelium.Theconversionprocessisthesameonethatgoesoninahydrogenbomb,andthetemperatureinthecoreisatoasty15milliondegreesCelsius!Severallayersabovethecore,energyistransportedupwardtowardthesurfaceofthesuntothepartwecallthephotosphere.

Astronomy: Our Solar System and BeyondbyDonPowers,Ph.D.,andJohnB.Beaver,Ph.D.UsedwithpermissionofMarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers

Sample Assessment Question

WhyissunlightimportanttolifeonEarth?Checkallthatapply. A.“largestheavenlybodyneartheearth” B.“generatesitsownlight” C.“drivestheweatherprocesses” D.“causesplantstogrow” E.“planetsdonotcreatetheirownlight” F.“coreofthesunisablazingfurnace”

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Instructional Resources: Reading Comprehension



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Making Inferences

Aninferenceisaconclusionbasedonreasoningandtextualevidence.Thereadermakesaninferencewhentryingtofigureoutsomethingtheauthorhasnotstatedexplicitlyinthetext.

Tomakean inference,useclues fromthe textandwhatyoualreadyknowaboutthetopic.

Directions:Readthetextandanswerthesampleassessmentquestions.

Text:“ColonialExpressRiders”byCindyBarden

TheBostonCommitteeofCorrespondenceemployedPaulRevereandothersasexpressriderstocarrynews,messages,andcopiesofresolutionsto other colonies. On the night of April 18, 1775, they sent Paul ReverefromBostontoLexingtontowarnSamuelAdamsandJohnHancockthattheBritishwereabouttoarrestthemandtoalertthemilitiathattroopsplannedtoseizeweaponsandammunitionstoredatConcord.Theyalsosentanotherrider,WilliamDawes,byadifferentroutewiththesamewarning.Bytheendofthenight,RevereandDaweswerejoinedbyasmanyasfortymenonhorsebackspreadingthewordacrossBoston’sMiddlesexCounty.

Exploration, Revolution, and ConstitutionbyCindyBarden.UsedwithpermissionofMarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers.

Sample Assessment Questions

Part ABased upon the text, what can the reader most likely infer about expressriders? A.Express riders played a major role during the American Revolutionary

War. B.TheBostonCommitteeofCorrespondencesentover40riderstowarnthe

militiaonthenightofApril18,1775. C.Expressriderswereexperthorsemen. D.PaulReverealertedthemilitiathattroopsplannedtoseizeweaponsstored

atConcord.

Part BHighlighttwodetailsinthetextthatsupporttheanswerinPartA.

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Instructional Resources: Making Inferences



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Textual Evidence

Textual evidence is the informationwithinthetext thatsupportstheauthor’sclaimorargument.

Toidentifyevidenceorsupportingdetails,searchthetextforfacts,rea-sons,andstatementsthatsupporttheclaimoftheauthor.


Text:LettertoDoctorWalterJonesfromThomasJefferson(excerpt)

Hewas, indeed, in every senseof thewords, awise, agood, andagreatman.…Hisperson,youknow,wasfine,hisstatureexactlywhatonewouldwish,hisdeportmenteasy,erect,andnoble;thebesthorsemanofhisage,andthemost,gracefulfigurethatcouldbeseenonhorseback.…On thewhole, his characterwas, in itsmass, perfect, in nothing bad, infewpointsindifferent;anditmaytrulybesaid,thatneverdidnatureandfortunecombinemoreperfectlytomakeamangreat,andtoplacehiminthesameconstellationwithwhateverworthieshavemeritedfrommananeverlasting remembrance. For his was the singular destiny and merit, ofleadingthearmiesofhiscountrysuccessfullythroughanarduouswar,fortheestablishmentofitsindependence;ofconductingitscouncilsthroughthebirthofagovernment,newinitsformsandprinciples,until ithadsettleddownintoaquietandorderlytrain;andofscrupulouslyobeyingthelawsthroughthewholeofhiscareer,civilandmilitary,ofwhichthehistoryoftheworldfurnishesnootherexample.…

ThesearemyopinionsofGeneralWashington,whichIwouldvouchatthejudgment-seatofGod,havingbeenformedonanacquaintanceofthirtyyears…

PublicDomain


Inhisletter,ThomasJeffersonstatesthat,inhisopinion,GeorgeWashingtonwas“awise,agood,andagreatman.”

WhataretwodetailsfromthetextthatshowJefferson’sclaimisbasedonsoundreasoning?

Writeyouranswerinthebox.

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Instructional Resources: Textual Evidence

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Theme

The theme is themainmessageormoral of a story or poem.Some commonthemesarefreedom,survival,friendship,andpatriotism.

Tohelpdeterminethethemeofatext,youmustidentifyitsmainidea.


Text:“SomethingChildish,ButVeryNatural”bySamuelTaylorColeridge

IfIhadbuttwolittlewingsAndwerealittlefeatherybird,ToyouI’dfly,mydear!Butthoughtsliketheseareidlethings,AndIstayhere.

ButinmysleeptoyouIfly:I’malwayswithyouinmysleep!Theworldisallone’sown,Butthenonewakes,andwhereamI?All,allalone.

Sleepstaysnot,thoughamonarchbids:SoIlovetowakeerebreakofday:Forthoughmysleepbegone,Yetwhile‘tisdark,oneshutsone’slids,Andstilldreamson.

PublicDomain


Part AWhichstatementbestreflectsthethemeofthepoem? A.Dreamingoccursduringsleeptime. B.Dreamingallowswishestobefulfilled. C.Dreamingonlyoccursatnight. D.Dreamingisawaytorelivechildhood.

Part BHighlightthetwolinesofthepoemthatprovideevidencetosupporttheanswerinPartA.

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Instructional Resources: Theme

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Central Idea

Thecentral ideaisthemostimportantideaofatext.Nonfictionworksmaycon-tainmultiplecentralideas.

Thecentralormainideaisoftenrevealedbythetitleorinthefirstorlastsentencesofthetext.Othertimes,itisrevealedthroughthekeydetailsinthetext.


Text:“FinancingtheGovernment”bySchyrletCameron,JanieDoss,and SuzanneMyers

Revenue TheUnitedStatesgovernmentneedsasourceofrevenueorincometopayexpenses.ExamplesofexpensesaresalariesofelectedofficialssuchasthePresidentandmembersofCongress.Also,itpaysthesalariesofpublicemployeessuchassoldiers.Thegovernmentmustpayforpublicgoodsandservices provided to citizens. Public goods and services include nationaldefense, public health services, and education. The revenue comes fromavarietyofsources,buttaxesprovidemostofthemoneythegovernmentspends.Taxesarechargescollectedfromindividualsandbusinesses.Stateandlocalgovernmentsalsocollecttaxestopayexpenses.

The Power to Levy Taxes Taxes have been a part of United States history since colonial days. OvertaxationwasamajorreasonthecolonistsfoughtforindependencefromGreatBritain.WhentheUnitedStatesConstitutionwaswritten,thefoundingfathersknewthenewnationneededawaytoraisemoneytofinancesuchitemsasroadsanddefense.ThewritersoftheConstitutiondecidedtogiveCongressthepowertolevyandtocollecttaxes.

Economic LiteracybySchyrletCameron,JanieDoss,andSuzanneMyers.Usedwithpermis-sionofMarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers.


Whichtwostatementsbestreflectthecentralideasofthetext? A.TheUnitedStatesgovernmentneedsincometooperate. B.Individualsandbusinessesarerequiredtopaytaxes. C.Thegovernmentwouldneedmoneytobuildroads. D.Stateandlocalgovernmentshavethepowertocollecttaxes. E.TaxationwasamajorreasonfortheAmericanRevolutionaryWar. F.The Constitution gives Congress the authority to charge and collect

taxes.

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Instructional Resources: Central Idea



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Summary

Asummarycontainsthekeypointsofatext.Itshouldnotincludethewriter’spersonalfeelings,opinions,orpriorknowledgeofthesubject.

Asummaryisusuallythreeorfoursentencesthatincludethecentralideaofatextwithsupportingdetails.


Text:“Caffeine101”byAnneDaviesandKerryHumes

Caffeine actually affects our brain chemistry. As little as 30 mg ofcaffeinecanhaveanimpactonyourbrainchemistryandaffectyourmoodandbehavior.Itonlytakesafewdaysofregularlyconsumingcaffeineforourbrainchemistrytostartexpectingthecaffeine.Somepeoplecanbecomephysicallydependentandbegintoexperiencewithdrawalsymptomsonaslittleas100mgofcaffeineperday. Ifyouconsumetoomuchcaffeine,yourheartmaystarttoraceandyourmusclesmaytwitch.Caffeine,particularlyinhigherdoses,cancausepanicattacks. It can also cause tremors, anxiety, or restless and disconnectedthoughtsandspeech. Ifyouwanttocutdownontheamountofcaffeineyouconsume,it’sagoodideatodecreasebysmallamountseachday.Whenapersondramaticallydecreasesthelevelofcaffeinetheyconsume,theycanexperiencewithdrawalsymptoms,including:headache,fatigue,anddifficultyconcentrating.Whenyoudocutdownoncaffeine,yourbrainchemistryadjustsquitequickly,inamatterofdays,sothesymptomsdon’tlastlong.

Healthy Eating & ExercisebyAnneDaviesandKerryHumes.UsedwithpermissionofMarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers.


Whichtwostatementsshouldbeincludedinasummaryofthetext? A.Caffeinehasaneffectonbrainchemistry. B.Anintakeof30mgofcaffeinecanaffectaperson’smood. C.Caffeinecancausemusclestotwitch. D.Consuminghighdosesofcaffeinecancausepanicattacks. E.Decreasingtheamountofcaffeineconsumeddailycancausewithdrawal

symptoms. F.Lowdosesofcaffeinecancauseheadaches.

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Instructional Resources: Summary

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Word Meaning

Asyouread,youmayencounterunfamiliarwords.

Usecontextcluestohelpyoudeterminethemeaningofanunfamiliarword.Thecontextistheotherwords,phrases,andsentencesthatsur-roundtheunfamiliarword.


Text:“BenjaminRush”byVictorHicken

BenjaminRushwasanimportantmaninhistime.RaisedinPennsylvaniaandeducatedatPrincetonandlatertheUniversityofEdinburgh,hepracticedmedicineinPhiladelphiaandtaughtthereinthemedicalcollege.AsamemberofthestaffofPennsylvaniaHospital,hebecameinterestedinsocialreform.HeestablishedthefirstfreeclinicintheUnitedStatesandlatertookpartinfightingaterribleyellowfeverepidemicinPhiladelphia.Sincenothingwasknownofthegermtheoryatthattime,Rushthoughtthattheoutbreakwascausedbyspoiledcoffeeonthewharvesofthecity.Hewasclosertothecausethanherealized.Itisverylikelythattheimportedbagsalsocarriedlargenumbers ofmosquitoes that carried yellow fever, and those insectsspreadthedisease.

U.S. History: Inventors, Scientists, Artists, & AuthorsbyVictorHicken.Usedwithpermis-sionofMarkTwainMedia,Inc.,Publishers.


Whichtwowordsorphrasesfromthetexthelpthereaderdeterminethemeaningofepidemic? A.yellow fever B.germ theory C.outbreak D.spoiled coffee E.mosquitoes F. spread the disease

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Instructional Resources: Word Meaning



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Tone

Toneishowanauthorfeelstowardthetopicorsubjectofthetext.Authorscreatetonebyusingwordswithpositiveornegativeconnotations.Theyalsousefigura-tivelanguage,suchassimiles,metaphors,andpersonification.Examplesofwordsthatdescribetonearecheery, angry, amused,andsad. Lookcloselyattheauthor’schoiceofwords.Identifytheconnotationof

wordsandsearchforexamplesoffigurativelanguage.


Text:Call of the Wild byJackLondon

The distance had been measured off, and as he neared the pile offirewoodwhichmarkedtheendofthehundredyards,acheerbegantogrowandgrow,whichburstintoaroarashepassedthefirewoodandhaltedatcommand.Everymanwastearinghimselfloose,evenMatthewson.Hatsandmittenswereflyingintheair.Menwereshakinghands,itdidnotmatterwithwhom,andbubblingoverinageneralincoherentbabel.

PublicDomain


Part AWhichwordbestdescribesthetoneofthepassage? A.happiness B.hopeful C.joyful D.jubilationPart BWhataretwodetailsfromthetextthatsupporttheanswerinPartA?

Writeyouranswerinthebox.

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Instructional Resources: Tone

Documents

Common Core State Standards MatrixTechnology Skills Self-Assessment Directions: Read the “Checklist of Skills for Online Assessments” chart. Place a checkmark beside the skills