Test Prep Unit: November 28- January 10Maddie Tippens, Michael VeaKIPP Infinity Charter School

Teaching points (for multiple choice reading section):

Good test takers (test question skills)1. recognize freebie questions- 11/282. go back to the passage and check off all of the above and not questions-11/293. look for the event before and after in sequencing questions-11/304. identify the event in sequencing graphic organizers -12/15. identify the author’s purpose with different genres- 12/26. identify right there and step back questions-12/57. utilize the text and their prior knowledge with inference questions- 12/68. utilize the text for characterization questions- 12/79. identify cause and effect and prediction questions -12/810. look for key words in cause and effect questions -12/12-12/1411. rely on common sense and what will most likely happen for prediction questions -

12/1512. look for key words in fact and opinion questions -12/1613. put it all together with main idea and summarizing questions -12/1914. find the who and the what for main idea questions -12/2015. look at the first and last sentences for main idea questions -12/2116. go back and find what the passage was mostly about for summarizing questions -

12/22

Good test takers (testing strategies- do simultaneously with skills or as midworkshop interruption)

1. know the structure of the reading assessment. They understand how the assessment works- there are 3-4 passages and multiple choice questions that follow. The questions get progressively harder.- genre studies 1

2. identify the genre of the passages and know that different genres and read with different lenses. – genre studies 1

3. build stamina for a 45 minute reading assessment. - throughout4. read the questions first, read the passage, find the 2Ws, and then answer the

questions.- genre studies 25. read the directions before reading the passages and answering the questions.-

genre studies 36. go back and underline the parts of the passage that answer their questions.- with

finding details ( 11/28-11/29)7. flip back and forth from the passage to the questions when underlining important

information. – mid workshop interruption8. hold their test book open so they see the passages and questions simultaneously.-

mid workshop interruption9. if the text is really heavy, they chunk the passage into parts- especially in

informational texts without subheadings. – in Vea’s class

10. read bold, underline, subheadings, etc. – in Vea’s class11. read all the words on the page- including pictures, captions, charts, etc. – in

Vea’s class12. eliminate answer choices that absolutely cannot be the correct answer. They do

not eliminate every answer but the answer they chose.- mid workshop interruption

13. know how the test writers write the answers: the ridiculous answer, the teaser, the most right answer and the right answer- genre studies 4

14. often have to think hard between two possible answers. They need to be able to re-read relevant parts of the text and select the better answer choice. – mid workshop interruption

15. jot some sort of symbol, like a star, next to questions that are a bit difficult. They do not waste time on these questions. They go back to these questions when they are done answering all the questions.- mid workshop interruption

16. do not leave answers blank. – mid workshop interruption17. reread text that is difficult- they read it as deeply as possible, to get all the

meaning.- mid workshop interruption18. do not read the questions first if it doesn’t help you- mid workshop interruption19. pay attention to the time while taking the reading assessment. They look at the

time remaining that is posted on the board. They pace themselves while taking the assessment. - throughout

20. do things when the feel a bit overwhelmed during the reading assessment They take a 15 second breather. They remember to trust themselves during the assessment.- mid workshop interruption

Teaching points (for listening section)1. listen to the passage twice. On the second reading, write down as much as

possible using bullet points.2. use abbreviations. They do not erase, or cross out- they use their smart cuts.3. before the second reading write down the main idea. After the second reading,

they write down anymore important events that they remember.4. go back and reread their notes. They star important events.

Lesson 1 November 28, 2005

Teaching Point: Every reader can be successful on the CTB. Good readers get to know the structure of the reading assessment. They understand how the assessment works- there are a variety of short passages, there are questions that follow the passages, there are four answer choices for each question, questions/passages often get progressively harder.On the test there are freebie questions. Good test takers can identify freebie questions.

Connection (4 minutes) : Hold up example from the state test. Explain that you want them to make a list of things they notice about the Interim Assessment that might provide information to the ELA.

Model: Short Passages25 questionsMultiple days

Using post its, students sort through sample and make a list of the things they notice on the tests.

Mini Lesson (2 minutes): On the test there are questions that are FREEBIES! There is no excuse for us getting the answer wrong because the answers are IN THE PASSAGE. Today we will be looking at question choices and deliberating if the questions are in fact freebie questions. If we are able to determine if the question is a freebie question THEN we will know what to do.

The follow are a list of possible freebie question starters:“Who…?’“Where…?”“When did…” “Which…” The first thing a good test taker does is look at the question, so they know exactly what the question is asking. If they are able to determine if it’s a freebie, then they solve it using the 4 step method:

1. Find the key word: who, what, when , where, how, which and circle it2. Underline what the question is asking3. Find exactly the same thing (it might be slightly reworded) in the passage.

Underline it4. The answer is whatever is closest to what you underlined

When you do find a freebie question put the $ symbol next to it because it’s a free question that you can cash in! You do this to PROVE that you got the right answer!

Show them how with a short passage. Include some question choices that aren’t freebies so that you can show them that you don’t always do this strategy with every question.

Active Engagement (4 minutes):Read a very short passage on chart paper. Students determine if out of the four possible choices, which ones are freebies. Then, teacher shows them how she would write a freebie question. Students turn and talk and write a freebie question of their own.

The Taj Majal is named for Mumtz Majal. She was the wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan. When his beloved wife died, Shah Jahan ordered that a great tomb be built in her memory. Work began on the Taj Majal in 1632. It took 20,000 workers more than 20 years to complete. The huge, white marble tomb is surrounded by gardens and fountains. A long reflecting pool is set in front of it. The Taj Mahal is India’s most famous monument.

1. Who is the Taj Majal named for?2. What is the main idea?3. When did work begin on the Taj Majal?4. What caused Shah Jahan to build the tomb?

Link (20 minutes): As we do independent reading for this unit, we will be doing something special with our sticky notes. We will be writing our very own standardized test based on our independent reading book! (Show example based on a popular book). The symbol for test prep questions with be a circled 4. Then, write the type of question it is. For example, circled 4 Freebie. As you read today, you will be writing freebie test questions based on your book. Then, write the multiple choice possibilities on the sticky note. You must have at least 3.

Share Where did you find the answer to your freebie test questions? When taking the test, how do you determine if the question is a freebie?

Name_____________________________________________Date__________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: ___________________

The Princess and the Pea

Directions: (Attack the directions). Read this fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. As you read the questions, ask yourself, “Are they freebies?” If they are, find the answers to the questions by underlining in the passage.

There once was a prince who wanted to marry a princess, but she would have to be a real princess. The prince traveled all around the world to find his princess. There were princesses enough, but there was always something about them that was not quite right. So, the disappointed prince went home.

One evening, a terrible storm erupted. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed, and the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly, there was a knocking at the city gate. The king himself went to open it and found a princess standing outside. What a sight she was after all that rain. Water streamed from her hair and clothes. Despite her sloppy appearance, she claimed that she was a real princess.

“Yes, we will soon find that out,” thought the doubtful queen. But she said nothing and went into the bedchamber, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea at the bottom. Then she took 40 eiderdown mattresses and laid them

upon the pea. On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning, the princess was asked how she had slept. “Oh, miserably!”

she said. “Goodness knows what was in my bed, but I was lying on something hard, and now I am black and blue all over.”

Now it was clear that the young woman was a real princess, because she had felt the pea through all those mattresses. Nobody but a true princess could be so delicate. So, the prince and the princess married, and the pea was put in a museum, where it may still be today.

1. Who put the pea under the mattresses?a. the kingb. the queenc. the princed. the princessWhere is the answer in the passage? Underline it!_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the main idea of the story?a. the princess got marriedb. a girl felt a pea under her mattress which proved she was a princessc. the prince was looking for a brided. the queen did not believe the young girl is a princessWhy is this NOT a freebie question, even though it starts with ‘what’? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What strategy do we use to answer this type of question? ____________________ _____________________________________________________________________

3. How did the prince feel when he went home without having found a real princess?

a. puzzledb. angryc. disappointedd. doubtfulWhere is the answer in the passage? Underline it!_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. How did the queen know that the young girl was a real princess?a. the young girl felt the pea through all of the mattressesb. the young girl cleaned herself upc. the young girl told the queen she was a princessd. the young girl was black and blue all overWhere is the answer in the passage? Underline it!_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 2November 29, 2005

Teaching point: Good test takers go back to the text with ‘all of the above’, “which of the following is not’ and ‘except’ questions. All of these questions are freebie questions, they are just designed to take a little more time.

Connection: Yesterday we learned which of the type of questions are freebie questions. Once we have identified them as freebie questions, we always go back to the text and look for exactly what the question is asking. Once we have, we underline it to prove ourselves right. With some freebie questions we have to be especially careful, because they are a little bit tricky.

Mini Lesson: Some freebie questions are designed by the test takers to trick you! But, we will not be tricked because we are going to be extra careful. These questions have the following words in the question: “all of the above” “is NOT” and “Except”.

Let me show you: (show them with the Lightning Striking Passage- RTP 9)The following information is about how to avoid lightning striking you.

Model circling the words NOT and EXCEPT and drawing a little demon face to show that the test takers are trying to trick you. Then CHECK OFF each of the three options, so that you are left with one option. Show them why you have to go back and underline more than once with one question.

Active Engagement: Turn and talk with your neighbor. How would you answer the following question?

Lightning is not attracted to which of the following?a. Metalb. Waterc. Carsd. The highest point

Link:As you read today, create test questions similar to the ones we read today, and test answers.

Share:Why are these types of questions freebie questions?

How to Avoid Getting Struck by Lightning

It is very rare that lightning strikes anyone. Thisinformation will help you be safe during a storm.Lightning is a form of electrical energy that lookslike a bright flash of light. Lightning comes fromstorm clouds, which have a positive energy charge.When the storm clouds become too highly charged, they must get rid of some of the charge. Lightning is a violent discharge of energy.Here are several ways to avoid being struck bylightning.

Seek shelterMost of the time, you will be much safer indoorsthan outdoors. Whenever you see large, blackclouds forming, you should go indoors. If you start to feel tingly or if your hair starts to stand on end, you should get out of the area immediately. These are signs that the area is charged with energy. Whenever it seems that lightning could strike, you should get into a building. Most buildings have lightning rods that attract the lightning, and then safely disperse the charge. If there are no buildings around, get into a car. The tires on cars are made of rubber. Lightning does not travel through rubber.

Do not be the highest pointMost often, lightning strikes the highest point inthe area. Lightning travels the shortest distancefrom the cloud to the ground. If you are the tallestthing around, you might be the closest thing to theclouds. If you are unable to go indoors, you should crouch down to make yourself shorter.

Do not be near the highest pointYou do not want to stand immediately next to thetallest thing in the area either. If lightning strikesnear you, it can still injure you. The charge entersthe ground near where the lightning strikes. Thischarge can hit you just because you are standing on the ground near the lightning.

Avoid metalLightning is attracted to metal. It runs through iteasily. You should avoid being near any metalobjects. Most lightning rods are made out of metalbecause it attracts lightning so well. In fact, of allpeople, golfers are hit most frequently. This isbecause they are often out in the open holdinglarge metal clubs.

Avoid waterLightning also likes water. If you are in the wateror on a boat, you should get out of the water asquickly as possible. The charge of lightningspreads, and if lightning strikes one spot on thelake, it might spread to where you are swimming.

1. To avoid lightning, which of the following should you NOT do:A avoid waterB avoid the highest point in the areaC hold large, metal objectsD get in your car

2. If you are standing outside when large,black clouds start to roll in, you should thinkabout each of the following EXCEPT:A Whether you have any large metalitems on you.B Where the tallest thing in the area is.C Where the nearest shelter is.D Whether you drank enough watertoday.

Name_________________________________________Date______________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: __________________________

Directions: Attack the directions! All of the following passages are based on the new movie, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”. Read the following passages and answer the freebie questions. Practice the strategy you learned today for answering NOT, EXCEPT, and ALL OF THE ABOVE questions.

Ex-auror Mad-Eye Moody now teaches defense against the dark arts at Hogwarts. His swiveling eye allows him to see more than the average wizard… and he seems especially interested in helping Harry as he competes in the Tri Wizard Tournament.

Which of the following does NOT describe Mad-Eye Moody?a. he is an ex-aurorb. he has a swiveling eyec. he is the director of the Tri Wizard Tournamentd. he teaches defense against the dark arts

The use of any of the unforgivable curses will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban. The Avada Kedavra curse is the killing curse. There is no blocking it. Only one person is known to have survived it; Harry Potter. The Curcio curse is particularly nasty. With one flick of the wand it casts a spell of pure torture. The Imperius curse causes any person under its spell to do the bidding of whomever cast the spell. Scores of witches and wizards claimed they only did You-Know-Who’s bidding while under the influence of the Imperius Curse. But, how do you sort out the liars?

Which of the following are an unforgivable curse?a. The Imperius curseb. The Aveda Kedavra cursec. The Curcio cursed. All of the above

November 30, 2005Lesson 3

Teaching point: Good test takers look for the event before or after in sequencing questions.

Connection: For the past few days we have been looking at types of questions which are freebie questions. The more freebie questions, the better we will do. The next type of freebie question is a sequencing question. In November you were introduced to sequencing questions and learned to identify where to find the event in the passage. We will continue practicing sequencing questions today.

Mini Lesson: In order to answer sequencing questions, you need to know the key sequencing words.

Clue words such as first, next, then, finally, before and after often tell you when things are done or events happen.Clues such as the time of day, the day of the week, the month, the season and the year tell when things happen.In a story without clue words, think about the beginning, the middle, and the ending, to help you figure out sequence. In an article without clue words, think about the order in which things happen or how things are done.

Show them with “The Mind Reader”

Active Engagement: What is a sequencing question that I could ask based on “The Mind Reader”?

Link: As you read today you will be asking yourselves sequencing questions on your post its. You may continue to ask freebie questions on your post its.

Share: Students share their sequencing questions.

The Mind Reader

Abe told his friend Corey that he could read minds and was ready to prove his power as a mind reader. First, Abe spread out nine magazines on the floor. He then arranged the magazines in three rows of three magazines each.

Abe’s sister Sandra, who know how to do the trick, acted as his assistant. She placed a blindfold over Abe’s eyes. Next, she turned him around so that his back faced Corey. Abe then asked his friend to touch one of the magazines.

After Corey made his choice, Abe turned around and removed his blindfold. He told Corey to concentrate on the correct magazine, but not to look directly at it.

With a measuring stick, Sandra pointed to the bottom right corner of the first magazine in the top row. “Is it this one?” she asked Abe.

Abe answered, “No.” Sandra continued to point to magazines, from the top row to the bottom row. Each time, she asked, “Is this the one?” Each time, Abe shook his head “no.” Finally, when the pointer touched the last magazine in the bottom row, Abe nodded his head and said, “Yes, that’s the one.”

Corey was astounded. He wondered how Abe had figured out that the correct magazine was at the bottom right. Can you guess Abe’s secret?

1. What did Abe do first?a. He put on a blindfold.b. He placed nine magazines on the floor.c. He asked Corey to touch a magazine.d. He nodded his head.

2. Which clue word tells what Abe did last?a. firstb. then c. nextd. finally

Name___________________________Date___________________

Reading Homework KIPP 2013: ___________________

Directions: Attack the directions! Read the following passage and answer the sequencing questions that follow. Number 2 has been done for you.

One day, a farmer had to carry a goat, a wolf, and a cabbage across a river. The farmer, however, could bring only one item across the river at a time. He knew that if he left the goat, the wolf, and the cabbage alone, the goat would eat the cabbage and the wolf would eat the goat. It took the farmer a long time to figure out a solution to his problem. At last, he realized how he could get himself and the goat, the wolf and the cabbage safely across.

First, the farmer rowed across the river with the goat and left the animal alone on the opposite side. Second, he rowed back, picked up the wolf, and brought it across. However, he did not leave the wolf with the goat. The goat returned with him in the rowboat. Next, the farmer dropped off the goat and made another trip across the river with the cabbage only. He left the wolf with the cabbage and then went back to get the goat. After the farmer and the goat crossed the river again, they joined the wolf and the cabbage.

1. Which of these did the farmer do first?a. He rowed across the river with the goat.

b. He brought the wolf across.

c. He left the goat alone.

d. He brought the cabbage across.2. What happened after the wolf was brought across the river?

a. The wolf ate the goat.

b. The farmer rowed back with the goat.

c. The wolf joined the cabbage.

d. The farmer went back to get the goat.3. Which clue word tells what the farmer did last?

a. Last

b. Next

c. After

d. Finally4. Before he tried to cross the river, the farmer

a. Bought a rowboat

b. Separated the wolf and the goat

c. Worried a lot

d. Thought of a way to bring the goat, the wolf, and the cabbage safely across

Lesson 4December 1, 2005

Teaching Point: Good test takers follow the same sequencing strategy with sequencing graphic organizer questions.

Connection: Yesterday we realized that sequencing questions are also another type of freebie questions. We have to be careful to look at the key sequencing words, and look to see if we are finding an event before or after the event in the question. Sometimes, however, the question might look a little different, but we will apply the same sequencing strategy.

Mini Lesson: Sometimes, the question might look like a graphic organizer

For example, instead of the question we saw yesterday, it might look like this

Fill in the missing event:

a. Abe asked Corey if he wanted to see a trick.b. Sandra pointed to each magazine with a stick.c. Corey was astounded.d. Sandra guessed which magazine was correct.

Active Engagement:

How would you answer this question?(make another graphic organizer question based on a shared text that they have seen)

Link: For reading today, you need to continue asking freebie questions (details and sequencing) and creating multiple choice answers for the questions.

Share: What were you thinking in your head as you answered the graphic organizer sequencing question?

Abe spread out nine magazines on the floor.

Sandra put a blindfold over Abe’s eyes.

Abe chose the correct magazine.

Name__________________________________________Date_____________________Reading Homework KIPP 2013: __________________________

Directions: Attack the directions! Read the following passage, and answer the questions that follow.

The Boy MerlinLong ago, a wicked king named Vortigern ruled most of England.

Vortigern had many enemies, and eventually he was driven into the mountains of Wales. There, Voltigern tried to build a stone fortress that would protect him from attack. Each day, the king’s workers raised the fortress walls, but each night, the rocks tumbled down. Finally, the king called in his wizards to explain the mystery.

“You must find a child born without a human father,” they advised. “Slay him, and then the fortress walls will stand firm.” So, the king sent out a search party to find such a child.

One day, the king’s men came upon several children playing ball. One boy threw the ball again and again, but none of the others could catch it. Suddenly, another child shouted out, “You never play fairly, Merlin! You’re just a trickster who never had a father!”

The king’s men began asking the villagers about the boy. Upon learning that the child’s father was not a mortal man, the king’s men seized Merlin. Then they rode back to Wales, where Merlin was brought before the king.

“Why have you sent for me?” the young boy demanded. When Vortigern told him the reason, Merlin said, “Your wizards are wrong. By slaying me, you won’t keep your fortress standing. There is a pool of water beneath the fortress that is making the ground unsteady. Have your workers dig into the earth until they find the pool. Order them to drain the pool. At the bottom, they will find two stones. Inside the stones are two sleeping dragons.”

The king instructed his workers to do as Merlin said. They uncovered the stones, from which two great dragons, one white and one read, burst forth. The dragons began to fight fiercely. At last, the white dragon killed the red one.

“What is the meaning of the dragons’ fight?” the frightened king asked.

“The white dragon stands for enemies who will someday slay you,” Merlin calmly explained.

Soon afterward, King Vortigern was, indeed, killed by his foes.

1. What material was used to build Vortigern’s fortress?a. stonesb. woodc. mudd. ironWhat sentence proves your answer? __________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Which of these is a fact from the tale?a. Merlin became one of the king’s wizards.b. Merlin told the king that his wizards were wrong.c. Two read dragons lived under the king’s fortress.d. All of the above.What sentence proves your answer? __________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What happened after the king sent out a search party to find a fatherless child?a. the boy told the king about the dragonsb. the wizards advised the king how the walls would stay firmc. the king’s men came upon several children playing balld. the king was killed by his foesWhat sentence proves your answer? __________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Which of the following fills is the missing event?a. the king was advised to find a fatherless boyb. the king’s men found out that the child was not mortalc. the king ordered his men to drain the poold. the king’s men uncovered the stone

Vortigern tried to build a stone fortress.

?The king’s men found Merlin playing ball.

Merlin instructed Vortigern about the pool under the fortress.

December 2, 2005Lesson 5

Teaching point: Good test takers ask what is the author really trying to do? when answering author’s purpose questions.

Connection: Last Friday we learned that there are four different purposes to any writing:EntertainingDescribingExplainingPersuading/ convince

For today’s mini lesson we are going to play a game that will help us answer all of the author’s purpose questions correctly.

Mini LessonEach student is given a set of four cards. They must hold up the appropriate card to the appropriate genre based on texts that they’ve seen so far in their test prep section.

Testing

HW: vocabulary handout

ENTERTAIN DESCRIBE

PERSUADE EXPLAIN

Lesson 6

Teaching point: Good readers can identify right there and step back questions.

Connection We have been talking a lot lately about different test taking strategies. Good test takers try out and practice many different strategies. It is a little bit like pitchers in baseball. Pitchers learn and practice many different pitches so they can use the one they need for each batter and each particular situation in the game. Pitchers also get to know which pitches work the best for them. Just like good pitchers we need to learn lots of different test taking strategies so we can use them when we need them on test day. This way we’ll be ready with a strategy for anything the test makers try throw at us on test day.

Mini Lesson: Today I want to show you a strategy for thinking about the questions on multiple choice tests. I’ve noticed that there are two different ways I go about answering questions. One type of question I the kind that I can go back and look for the answer right in the text. I think of these as “right there” questions because the answers are right there in the text. These are our freebies. The other way I answer questions is to do some thinking after I read the passage, the question, and the answer choices. I call these “step back” questions because I have to step back and do some thinking before I can answer them. So figuring out whether a question is a “right there” question or a “step back” question will help you know how to go about choosing the correct answer.

Watch me as I preview this passage and then look at some questions and use this strategy to decide how to get the answer.

1. What is the main idea of the biography?2. How many children were there in Franklin’s family?3. What happened immediately after Franklin went to

Philadelphia?4. Why did Franklin retire from printing at age 42?5. How were young Ben Franklin and old Ben Franklin alike?6. What might have happened if Franklin had stayed in the

printing business?

He is one of the most respected men in United States history. He was a printer, a writer, a publisher, a scientist, an inventor, and a government leader. Who was this remarkable man? Benjamin Franklin, of course.

Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston. He was the fifteenth of 17 children born to Josiah and Abiah Franklin. Ben was a smart child, but his family was poor. At age ten, he had to leave school to help his father in his candle and soap shop. At age 12, Ben became an apprentice, or student worker, in a printing shop run by his half-brother James. Although Ben enjoyed his work, he did not like his older brother. So, at age 17, he ran away to Philadelphia. There he quickly found work as a printer.Franklin was a hard worker. Within five years, he opened his own print shop. There he started his own newspaper and published “Poor Richard’s Almanac”. This yearly calendar contained all kinds of facts, weather forecasts, and wise and witty sayings. Here are a few of his most famous sayings:

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealth, and wise.An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of curse.A penny saved is a penny earned.As busy as he was with his printing business, Franklin also helped to make

Philadelphia a better city. He set up the first lending library, the first fire department, and the first post office. He also helped establish a school that later became the University of Pennsylvania.

By age 42, Franklin’s hard work and success had made him a rich man, so he retired and turned his attention to science. By sending up a kite during a storm, Franklin proved that lightning is a form of electricity. He had attached a key to the kite’s string. When a lightning bolt struck the kite, the key became charged with electricity. Franklin then put his discovery to use by inventing the lightning rod. He also invented the Franklin stove, bifocal eyeglasses, and the harmonica.

Franklin is probably remembered most for his role in helping to build our nation. He was the first person to present the idea of uniting the 13 colonies. He spent 15 years in England trying to persuade the king to govern the colonies more fairly. In 1776, he signed the Declaration of Independence. During the Revolutionary War, he went to France and convinced the French to send troops and supplies to the colonists. He helped write the peace treaty that ended the war. He also helped to create the Constitution of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin lived long enough to see the Constitution become the basic law in the United States. He died on April 17, 1790.

Day 1 Genre Studies

Good readers get themselves ready for reading the short passages. One way they do this is by getting to know the structure of the test passages (narrative, functional, nonfiction and poetry).Structure of Genre Studies:

1. Read-aloud/ Think-aloud of test passage they’ve seen before2. Group think aloud with testing passage3. Mini Lesson4. Group work/poster

Mini Lesson: Types of Short Passages

Short story: title, paragraphs, characters, “dialogue” (sometimes), problem, solution, illustration (sometimes)

Poetry: title, stanzas, line breaks

Functional : title, bold print, captions, provide information for a task, pictures, not in paragraph form, charts/graphs, italics

Nonfiction (Not functional): Title, paragraph form, bold print/ subheadings, information about person/ place/ thing, bullets

Group Work: students sort through the Interim Assessments and 1. identify the type of short passage 2. using sticky notes label the elements that the notice within the passages

Lesson 3

Teaching point: Good test takers expect to see different genres on the CTB. They can identify different genres, and know that different genres are read with different lenses (short story, folktale, functional, webpage, biography, informational and poetry).

Mini Lesson: Present the genre wheel with the above genres. Show them that you want them to create a poster with the following elements

A definition of the genreWhat a reader should look forWhat a reader should do if they don’t understand the genre

EX)

Short Story

A short story is a narrative passage in paragraph form that has characters who undergo some type of problem that comes to a solution.

A reader should look for characters, a plot, dialogue, an illustration (maybe), character traits, and make predictions

If a reader doesn’t understand they should question, connect, visualize, infer from the pictures and reread.

Work In groups, students create posters with the above elements written out, then present.

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