Step Up to Writing Grade 7 Narrative Writing Summative Assessment Directions: Do not begin until you are told to do so. Once your instructor tells you to begin, you may use the time provided to complete all steps below. 1. Read and review the sources provided for this task on page 2. 2. Answer the questions on page 3 about the sources provided. 3. Read the related writing prompt and directions on page 4 and write your response.
Source #1 Adapted from A Dog s Tale by Mark Twain My father was a St. Bernard, my mother was a collie, but I am a Presbyterian. This is what my mother told me; I do not know these nice distinctions myself. To me they are only fine large words meaning nothing. My mother had a fondness for big words and liked to say them to see other dogs look surprised and envious, wondering how she got so much education. But it was not real education; she got the words by listening in the dining room and living room when there was company. When I was grown, I was sold to the Gray family, and I never saw her again. We cried, but she comforted me as well as she could, and said we were sent into this world for a wise and good purpose, and must do our duties without complaining. The last thing she said was, In memory of me, when someone else is in danger, do not think of yourself; think of your mother, and do as she would do. My new home was a fine great house with pictures and decorations, rich furniture, and a large garden. I was the same as a member of the family, and they loved me and did not give me a new name, but called me by my old one that was dear to me because my mother had given it me Aileen Mavourneen. She got it out of a song; and the Grays knew that song, and said it was a beautiful name. Mrs. Gray was thirty, sweet, and lovely; Sadie was ten; the baby was a year old and never tired of pulling my tail and hugging me; Mr. Gray was thirty-eight and a well-known scientist. One day, the baby was asleep in the crib next the fireplace. The crib had a tent over it made of a gauzy stuff that you can see through. Suddenly, a spark from the wood-fire shot out and lit up the tent. The baby screamed, and I saw the tent flaming up toward the ceiling! Terrified, I sprang to the floor, and in a second was half-way to the door, but in the next half-second my mother s words were sounding in my ears. I reached my head through the flames and dragged the baby out by the waistband. We fell to the floor together in a cloud of smoke then I dragged the screaming little creature out the door. The days that followed were wonderful. The family and servants gave me the best food and treats they could find. Every day friends and neighbors flocked in to hear about my heroism that was the name they called it by, and it means agriculture. I wished my mother could know that this great honor had come to me; it would have made her proud. Source #2 Books with Non-human Narrators Book Traveller by Richard Adams Beastly by Alex Flinn The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Narrator Robert E. Lee s horse the Beast from Beauty and the Beast Death 2
Questions Directions: Refer back to the sources on page 2. Fill in the correct bubble to answer the questions. 1. In source #1, the narrator s mother uses big words mainly to A gain her master s respect. B make fun of how humans talk. C impress other dogs with her intelligence. D improve the narrator s communication skills. 2. Which phrase best helps the reader identify the theme of source #1? A do not think of yourself B fondness for big words C spark from the wood-fire D best food and treats 3. Which book should be included in the source #2 chart? A a book told from the point of view of a military officer B a book told from the point of view of a dollar bill C a book told from the point of view of a thief D a book told from the point of view of a princess 4. The author most likely includes the third paragraph in source #1 to A demonstrate that the Gray family is wealthy. B establish the relationship between the dog and the family. C suggest that Aileen Mavourneen is a great name for a dog. D show that the dog wishes she could return to her mother. 5. Read this sentence from source #1. Every day friends and neighbors flocked in to hear about my heroism that was the name they called it by, and it means agriculture. The author creates humor in this sentence by A describing the actions of the friends and neighbors. B informing the reader of the meaning of a difficult word. C pretending to be a hero to everyone. D intentionally defining a word incorrectly. 3
Prompt: Write a story about the fire in A Dog s Tale from the perspective of another non-human in the Gray household. For example, the narrator of your story could be an animal, such as a cat or mouse, an object, or anything else that sparks your imagination. Maintain your point of view throughout the story, and use information from the passage to inform your writing. Directions: 1. Plan in the space provided below. 2. Draft on the page(s) titled: DRAFT. 3. Prepare final copy on the page(s) titled: FINAL DRAFT. Checklist: Use this checklist to do your best writing. The items below directly relate to narrative scoring: Include a beginning, middle, and end. Present the sequence of events in logical order, with transitions. Create well-developed characters. Establish a clear setting. Use descriptive language, precise word choice, and varied sentence structures. Planning Space: Use the following space to plan your writing. Use an appropriate and consistent style, point of view, and standard English. Revise for organization and content. Edit for proper conventions, grammar/usage, punctuation, and spelling. Proofread for a final copy. 4
DRAFT
DRAFT
FINAL DRAFT
FINAL DRAFT