THE PENNSYLVANIA SYSTEM

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1 THE PENNSYLVANIA SYSTEM OF SCHOOL ASSESSMENT Reading Item and Scoring Sampler Grade 11 Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Assessment and Accountability

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Reading General Scoring Guidelines... 4 Reading Reporting Categories... 5 Grade 11 Reading Passage Reading Multiple-Choice Items... 8 Reading Open- Ended Item...10 Open-Ended Item-Specific Scoring Guidelines Open-Ended Responses Grade 11 Reading Passage Reading Multiple- Choice Items Open-Ended Item...21 Open-Ended Item-Specific Scoring Guidelines Open-Ended Responses

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5 Introduction READING ITEM AND SCORING SAMPLER This past year, the Department of Education provided districts and schools with several tools to assist you in delivering a more focused instructional program aligned to a more focused state assessment system. These tools included the Assessment Anchors and Eligible Content, the specifics of the assessment including the test blueprints, and the beginning of an item bank. This sampler is another tool to assist you with your instructional program and the PSSA assessments. We trust that you will find the Item and Scoring Sampler for 2005 that follows useful in your work with students. Purpose and Uses This item sampler is designed to provide samples of items in Reading written to focus on the assessment anchors. The items in the sampler may be used as samples for writing your own items, and they may also be copied and used as part of an instructional program. Having your students respond to the open-ended items and then scoring them with colleagues could be a beneficial activity to you in your classroom as well as across classrooms in the school. What s Included The items in this sampler will not appear on any operational form of the PSSA. This sampler gives you an idea of the types of items that will appear on the 2005 PSSA. All items are strongly aligned to the Assessment Anchors and State Standards. Item Format and Scoring Guidelines There are two types of Reading items, 1 -point multiple-choice items and 3 -point open-ended items. The multiple-choice items are constructed similarly to the multiple-choice items used in the past PSSA. None of these and All of these are not used as options. Open-ended items are written to take about ten minutes to complete and are scored with item-specific scoring guidelines on a 0 3 scale. The item-specific guidelines accompany each item and are presented here in this sampler. Each reflects the descriptions of the score points outlined in the General Scoring Guidelines shown on the next page. Examples of responses for each score point are displayed with the items. The General Scoring Guidelines should be used to develop any item-specific scoring guidelines you may use in your instructional program. Stay Tuned In the future, a robust item bank with PSSA items that have been used on the operational assessment will replace this item sampler. If you have any questions, please contact the Division of Assessment at

6 3 Points GENERAL SCORING GUIDELINES FOR OPEN-ENDED READING ITEMS S The response provides a complete answer to the task, e.g., a statement that offers a correct answer as well as text -based support. S The response provides specific, appropriate, and accurate details (e.g., naming, describing, explaining, or comparing) or examples. 2 Points S The response provides a partial answer to the task, e.g., indicates some awareness of the task and at least one text-based detail. S The response attempts to provide sufficient, appropriate details (e.g., naming, describing, explaining, or comparing) or examples; may contain minor inaccuracies. 1 Point S The response provides an incomplete answer to the task, e.g., indicating either a misunderstanding of the task or no text -based details. S The response provides insufficient or inappropriate details or examples that have a major effect on accuracy. 0 Points S The response provides insufficient material for scoring. S The response is inaccurate in all aspects. Categories within zero reported separately: BLK (blank) - no response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response OT - off task/topic LOE - response in a language other than English IL - illegible 4

7 Reading Scores will be reported in two categories: READING REPORTING CATEGORIES A - Comprehension and Reading Skills B - Interpretation and Analysis of Fiction and Nonfiction Examples of multiple-choice and open-ended items assessing these categories are included in this booklet. SAMPLE ITEMS There are two Reading passages in this booklet. Each is followed by a set of multiple-choice items and one open-ended item. Each item is preceded by the Assessment Anchor and eligible content coding. The correct answer for a multiple-choice item is indicated by an asterisk (*). 5

8 Read the following passage about a woman with a lifelong interest in environmental causes. Then answer the questions that follow. Rachel Carson by Linda Leuzzi It takes courage to speak out against a popular product, a so-called wonder chemical that almost everyone has used on their farms, lawns, and flower beds for years. Especially if your own government sends out planes to spray and dust fields with the chemical. But Rachel Carson knew she had the facts to back up her accusations. A respected marine biologist, she d had years of scientific experience, with the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries and its successor, the Fish and Wildlife Service. Carson knew something dangerous was happening, and she wasn t going to stand by and watch it continue. At age fifty-five, Carson was a best-selling author of three books about the sea and the shore, writteninafreshandinterestingway.when researching small sea creatures such as tube worms and tiny snails for The Sea Around Us, Carson carefully probed and scooped them up, placing them in a pail of water, then studied them under her microscope and made notes. Afterward, she respectfully placed them back in their shore home, even if it was late at night. A dedicated scientist and writer who loved her cats, watching birds, and walking on beaches and through woodland, Carson wasprofoundlyaffectedbytheseobservationsand the understanding of how all life worked together. By the early 1960s, the pesticide known as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and others were being used in huge amounts. The chemicals had been accumulating over a fifteen- year period, and some of their effects were increasingly disturbing. That pesticides remained in food and could make people sick was already known. Other alarming evidence was stacking up. After saturating the soil, the chemicals leached into groundwater, lakes, and streams poisoning everything. The oily substance sprayed from planes to kill annoying mosquitoes made birds in its path drop dead. The chemicals used to dust and spray land to control fire ants drifted into rivers and ponds and caused fish kills in the thousands. Published in 1962, Carson s book, Silent Spring, identified the specific poisons that made up these chemical formulas and showed how their use was affecting different parts of the country. The author and her book changed forever how Americans would look at their planet. Whether she wanted it or not, the book led to quite an uproar for someone who craved peace and quiet. Hundreds of news articles were written about her. Carson s book, which is still in print, drew some negative reviews from skeptics and chemical companies, and she was invited to testify at Senate hearings about the pesticide problem. Carson didn t start out intending to point the finger at a billion-dollar industry. But her actions evolved from who she was, and where shecamefrom.hermother,mariacarson,laid 6

9 the foundation. Rachel was born in 1907 in Springdale, Pennsylvania, a beautiful community with Victorian homes, big yards, and small farms. But early in the twentieth century there were environmental problems, and Maria Carson noticed the constant smog produced by the factory chimneys and the choking fumes when she visited nearby Pittsburgh. Maria Carson saw what industry was doing to the once beautiful city by the Allegheny River. Sooty air from a thousand smokestacks, miles of railroad tracks, and drab factories were now part of the landscape. Man was making nature ugly for the best of reasons, she told her children. The wonder chemical DDT was developed to save lives. It was invented in 1939 by Paul Muller, a Swiss chemist. His experiments seemed to indicate that DDT was harmless to humans and other mammals, but killed insects. There was great need for such a pesticide as World War II spread through Europe and North Africa and the Pacific region. Thousands of American and other soldiers would die of malaria and typhoid carried by mosquitoes and lice unless an effective solution was found. That solution was DDT. It was sprayed in Italy and the Pacific Islands and it did save lives. But the chemical was used on a short- term basis. By 1945, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) became aware of one disturbing drawback before releasing the chemical to the public. It accumulated in the fatty tissues of large animals and was then passed on through human and cow milk. What s more, exposure to large amounts of DDT damaged the nervous system. Legally, the FDA couldn t stop its sale in order to conduct longterm research, so it continued to be sold as a safe and effective poison that killed bugs. However, it was becoming evident that DDT wasn t safe on a long-term basis, and the pests it was supposed to get rid of were developing resistance. Though DDT was becoming less and less effective, it was still being sprayed without thought about its safety for living things. Carson began writing articles about the dangers of DDT. She submitted them to magazines after World War II, when DDT became available to the public. She tried again, ten years later, after she was a well- known writer. But the magazines she approached wouldn t touch the subject, fearing loss of advertising income from some chemical company ads. Silent Spring was a hard book to write. It wasn t filled with the interesting, joyous discoveries she had found in living subjects researched in earlier books. While the material was understandable and well written, the subject was grim and controversial. The chemical companies were sure to go after her and try to discredit her findings. It took Carson four years to write the book. Her facts were solid. Every chapter listed sources, including page numbers. Carson didn t think of herself as a hero about to attack an industry. The beauty of the living world Iwastryingtosavehasalwaysbeenuppermostin my mind, she wrote a close friend, just before her manuscript was finished. That, and anger at the senseless, brutish things that were being done Now I can believe I have at least helped a little. Carson helped a lot. After her book was published, President John F. Kennedy set up a special panel of his Science Advisory Committee to study pesticides. The panel completely supported her findings. Paul Brooks, her editor at the time she wrote Silent Spring, explained its importance in two simple sentences. Her book helped to make ecology, which was an unfamiliar word in those days, one of the great popular causes of our time. It led to environmental legislation at every level of government. 7

10 A Which of these statements best summarizes the first paragraph? C Rachel Carson spent many years working for the Fish and Wildlife Service. D After the government started using a new chemical, Rachel Carson discovered it was dangerous. * E Rachel Carson took a courageous stand against the spraying of a popular chemical. F A A respected marine biologist, Rachel Carson knew that her years of scientific training would pay off. 2. The author of this passage provides details about the history of DDT in order to A persuade the reader to stop using DDT. * B explain to the reader why DDT was developed and used. C inform the reader about the side-effects of DDT. D convince the reader that DDT has always been controversial. B Which of these statements from the passage expresses an opinion? * A While the material was understandable and well written, the subject was grim and controversial. B C It took Carson four years to write the book. It accumulated in the fatty tissues of large animals and was then passed on through human and cow milk. D Carson began writing articles about the dangers of DDT. A In the last paragraph, when Paul Brooks said that ecology was an unfamiliar word before Silent Spring was published, he probably meant that A Silent Spring introduced the concept of ecology as a science. * B the general public rarely discussed the issues surrounding ecology before Silent Spring. C Silent Spring was the first book that ever mentioned ecology. D manypeoplewereunsureaboutthe definition of ecology before Silent Spring. A Read the following sentence from the passage. The chemical companies were sure to go after her and try to discredit her findings. What does the word discredit mean? A to delay B C to make fun of to support *D tocastdoubtupon A In the last paragraph, Carson is quoted as saying, NowIcanbelieveIhaveatleast helped a little. This quotation reveals that Carson * A underestimated the extent of her contribution. B C proved herself knowledgeable about the environment. found the public unresponsive to her book. D became pessimistic about the future of the environment. 8

11 B Which of the following statements best describes Rachel Carson s commitment to her cause? A Rachel Carson, a dedicated scientist, cared deeply about animals. B C Rachel Carson proved that DDT harmed the environment in many ways. Rachel Carson used her experience as a marine biologist to understand the world. * D Rachel Carson researched DDT, knowing that chemical companies would criticize this research. READING 9

12 A READING 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. 10

13 Item # 8 This item will be reported under Category A, Comprehension and Reading Skills. Assessment Anchor: A.2 Demonstrate the ability to understand nonfiction text appropriate to grade level. Specific Eligible Content addressed by this item: A Identify and/or interpret stated or inferred main ideas and relevant supporting detail from the the text(s). Scoring Guide: Score In this item, the student 3 Demonstrates complete understanding of inferring the main idea of nonfiction text by writing another title for the passage and supporting this choice with two examples from the passage. 2 Demonstrates partial understanding of inferring the main idea of nonfiction text. (Example student uses only one example from the passage to support the title.) 1 Demonstrates incomplete understanding of inferring the main idea of nonfiction text. (Example student may write a related title without giving any examples from the passage to support the title.) 0 Response provides insufficient material for scoring or is inaccurate in all respects. Categories within zero: blank, off task/topic, response in a language other than English, illegible Example of the requirements for a Top Scoring Response 3 Points: Title Examples Carson, Accidental Hero OR Other appropriate title with two supporting examples from the passage. Carson didn t think of herself as a hero about to attack an industry. Her book helped to make ecology, which was an unfamiliar word in those days, one of the great popular causes of out time. 11

A.2.4.1 Response Score: 3 8. Write another title for the passage.

14 A Response Score: 3 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. The student has written a new title and has given two examples from the passage in support. 12

15 A Response Score: 2 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. The student has written a new title and has given one example from the passage in support. 13

16 A Response Score: 2 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. The student has written a new title and has given one example from the passage in support. 14

17 A Response Score: 1 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. The student has written a new title for the passage but has not given any examples from the passage in support. 15

18 A Response Score: 1 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. The student has written a new title for the passage but has not given any examples from the passage in support. 16

19 A Response Score: 0 8. Write another title for the passage. Explain your choice, using two examples from the passage to support your response. The student has givenaninaccurate response to the task. 17

20 Read the following poem. Then answer the questions that follow. Goldfinches by Mary Oliver In the fields we let them have in the fields wedon twantyet where thistles 1 rise out of the marshlands of spring, and spring open each bud a settlement of riches a coin of reddish fire the finches wait for midsummer, for the long days, for the brass heat, for the seeds to begin to form in the hardening thistles, dazzling as the teeth of mice, but black, filling the face of every flower. Then they drop from the sky, A buttery gold, they swing on the thistles, they gather 1 a weed having prickly leaves and various colored flowers 18

21 the silvery down, they carry it in their finchy beaks to the edges of the fields, to the trees, as though their minds were on fire with the flower of one perfect idea and there they build their nests and lay their pale-blue eggs, every year, and every year the hatchlings wake in the swaying branches, in the silver baskets, and love the world. Is it necessary to say any more? Have you heard them singing in the wind, above the final fields? Have you ever been so happy in your life? 19

22 B Which word best describes the tone of the poem? *A joyful B C restrained sympathetic D contemplative A The silver baskets mentioned in the poem are * A nests. B C branches. thistles. D flowers. A Thespeakersuggeststhatasthebirdscarry the down, they seem A annoyed. *B determined. C confused. D frightened. A Which statement best describes the main theme of the poem? A We should respect the goldfinches that live in our fields. B Goldfinches depend on flowers to build their nests. * C We can find joy in the observation of goldfinches. D Summer is an important time in the lives of goldfinches. A According to the poem, thistles are important to goldfinches because goldfinches A eat the seeds that fall from thistles. B use thistles as shelter against the wind. * C collect down from thistles to build their nests. D use the stalks of thistles to protect their hatchlings. A One reason the poet addresses readers directly in the last stanza is to * A evaluate their understanding of the poem. B C contradict the main ideas presented in the poem. emphasize the mood established in the poem. D prepare for a change of subject within the poem. B Read the following lines from the poem. as though their minds were on fire with the flower of one perfect idea These lines suggest that the goldfinches * A knew what they had to do. B C looked like perfect flowers used flowers to build their nests. D were still growing and learning. 20

23 B READING 16. Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. 21

24 Item # 16 This item will be reported under Category B, Interpretation and Analysis of Fiction and Nonfiction. Assessment Anchor: B.2 Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of literary devices. Specific Eligible Content addressed by this item: B Analyze the effectiveness of simile, metaphor, satire, personification, imagery, or irony. Scoring Guide: Score In this item, the student 3 Demonstrates complete knowledge in analyzing the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphore by explaining why the metaphor is effective and uses two examples from the poem to support the explanation. 2 Demonstrates partial knowledge in analyzing the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor. (Example student uses only one example from the poem to support the explanation.) 1 Demonstrates incomplete knowledge in analyzing the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor. (Example student gives an explanation without any example from the poem or an example with no explanation.) 0 Response provides insufficient material for scoring or is inaccurate in all respects. Categories within zero: blank, off task/topic, response in a language other than English, illegible Example of the requirements for a Top Scoring Response 3 Points: Explanation Examples The author effectively uses metaphor to explain the role of the thistles in the life of the goldfinches. The thistles are depicted as a treasured gift of nature to the goldfinches. a settlement of riches a coin of reddish fire OR Other appropriate explanation with two supporting examples from the poem. 22

25 B Response Score: Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. The student has explained the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor and has used two supporting examples from the poem. 23

26 B Response Score: Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. The student has given two examples of metaphor from thepoem.thestudenthas not written any explanation. 24

27 B Response Score: Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. The student has explained the author s effective use of metaphor and has used one supporting example from the poem. 25

28 B Response Score: Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. The student has given one correct example of a metaphor from the poem. The student has not given any explanation with the correct metaphor. 26

29 B Response Score: Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. The student has given one example of a metaphor from thepoem.thestudenthasnot given any explanation. 27

30 B Response Score: Analyze the effectiveness of the author s use of metaphor in the poem. Use two examples from the poem to support your response. The student has given an inaccurate explanation. 28

31 Acknowledgements Rachel Carson from Life Connections: Pioneers in Ecology by Linda Leuzzi copyright E 2000 by Franklin Watts. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission of Franklin Watts, an imprint of Scholastic Library Publishing, Inc. Goldfinches from New and Selected Poems bymaryoliver. CopyrightE 1992 bymary Oliver. Reprinted bypermission of Beacon Press, Boston. 29

32 Copyright E2004 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The materials contained in this publication may be duplicated by Pennsylvania educators for local classroom use. This permission does not extend to the duplication of materials for commercial use. 30

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. Reading Item and Scoring Sampler SUPPLEMENT Grade 5

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Reading Item and Scoring Sampler SUPPLEMENT 2009 2010 Grade 5 Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Assessment and Accountability 2009 2010 TABLE OF