Transcript Unpacking PARCC Prompts

Unpacking PARCC Prompts

Review: 3 Different Writing Tasks
 Narrative
 Literary Analysis
 Research Simulation
Narrative
 Asks you to:
 write a story
 detail a scientific process
 write a historical account of
important figures
 describe an account of events,
scenes or objects
Literary Analysis
 Asks you to carefully consider literary elements
 Asks you to compose an analytical essay
Research Simulation
 Asks you to analyze an
informational topic presented
through several articles.
 Asks you to synthesize (put
together) information from multiple
sources in order to write an analytical essay.
First Things First
 Before you can write your essay, you have to be able
to:
 Identify the task type (narrative, literary analysis, or
research simulation)
 Flip the prompt into an understandable question or
simplified directions
 If you don’t have a clear understanding of what
you’re supposed to do, you won’t score well on the
rubric.
Example Test
http://epat-parcc.testnav.com/client/index.html#getitem/7718
3rd Grade Task
 Today, you will read two stories titled “Johnny Chuck Finds
the Best Thing in the World” and “Me First.” As you read,
think about the actions of the characters and the events of
the stories. Answer the questions to help you write an
essay….
 THEN: Old Mother West Wind and the Sandwitch both try to
teach important lessons to characters in the stories. Write
an essay that explains how Old Mother West Wind’s and the
Sandwitch’s words and actions are important to the plots of
the stories. Use what you learned about the characters to
support your essay.
What type of task is this?
 Literary Analysis
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
3rd Grade Task
 Today, you will read two stories titled “Johnny Chuck Finds
the Best Thing in the World” and “Me First.” As you read,
think about the actions of the characters and the events of
the stories. Answer the questions to help you write an
essay….
 THEN: Old Mother West Wind and the Sandwitch both try to
teach important lessons to characters in the stories. Write
an essay that explains how Old Mother West Wind’s and the
Sandwitch’s words and actions are important to the plots of
the stories. Use what you learned about the characters to
support your essay.
Unpacked Prompt
How are Old Mother West Wind’s and the
Sandwitch’s words and actions important to the
plot of the stories?
Explain with details from the stories.
4th Grade Task
 Today you will read two articles and watch a video about the
survival of wild horses on Assateague Island in Maryland and
Chincoteague Island in Virginia. As you review these sources,
you will gather information and answer questions so that
you can write an essay….
 THEN: Your class has been studying about the survival of the
ponies on Assateague Island. Using information from the
articles and the video, describe the roles that both the horses
and humans play in the horses’ survival. Use evidence from
the articles and the video to support your answer.
What type of task is this?
 Research Simulation
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
4th Grade Task
 Today you will read two articles and watch a video about the
survival of wild horses on Assateague Island in Maryland and
Chincoteague Island in Virginia. As you review these sources,
you will gather information and answer questions so that
you can write an essay….
 THEN: Your class has been studying about the survival of the
ponies on Assateague Island. Using information from the
articles and the video, describe the roles that both the horses
and humans play in the horses’ survival. Use evidence from
the articles and the video to support your answer.
Unpacked Prompt
How do the horses and humans help the horses
survive?
Explain using evidence from the articles and the
video to support your answer.
5th Grade Task
 Today you will analyze a passage from the novel Ida B and a
passage from the novel Moon Over Manifest. As you read
these texts, you will gather information and answer
questions about the influence of the narrator’s point of
view so you can write an essay….
 THEN: The stories titled Ida B and Moon Over Manifest both
include events that did not happen exactly how the narrators
expected them to happen. Write an essay describing how
each narrator’s point of view influenced how these events
are described. Be sure to use details from both stories.
What type of task is this?
 Literary Analysis
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
5th Grade Task
 Today you will analyze a passage from the novel Ida B and a
passage from the novel Moon Over Manifest. As you read
these texts, you will gather information and answer
questions about the influence of the narrator’s point of
view so you can write an essay….
 THEN: The stories titled Ida B and Moon Over Manifest both
include events that did not happen exactly how the narrators
expected them to happen. Write an essay describing how
each narrator’s point of view influenced how these events
are described. Be sure to use details from both stories.
Unpacked Prompt
In both stories, things happen that the narrators did
not anticipate. How does each narrator’s point of
view influence how the events are described?
6th Grade Task
 Today you will read a passage from a story titled Magic
Elizabeth. As you read and answer the questions, pay close
attention to the characters to help prepare you to write a
narrative story…
 THEN: In the passage from Magic Elizabeth, the author creates
a vivid setting and two distinct characters, Mrs. Chipley and
Sally. Think about the details the author uses to establish the
setting and the characters. Write an original story about what
happens when Sally arrives at Aunt Sarah’s house. In your story,
be sure to use what you have learned about the setting and the
characters as you tell what happens next.
What type of task is this?
 Narrative
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
6th Grade Task
 Today you will read a passage from a story titled Magic
Elizabeth. As you read and answer the questions, pay close
attention to the characters to help prepare you to write a
narrative story.
 THEN: In the passage from Magic Elizabeth, the author creates
a vivid setting and two distinct characters, Mrs. Chipley and
Sally. Think about the details the author uses to establish the
setting and the characters. Write an original story about what
happens when Sally arrives at Aunt Sarah’s house. In your story,
be sure to use what you have learned about the setting and the
characters as you tell what happens next.
Unpacked Prompt
Write a story about what happens when Sally arrives
at Aunt Sarah’s house. Remain true to the setting
and the characters as you tell what happens next.
7th Grade Task

Today you will research electricity and consider some of the methods used
in science texts and videos to support different purposes. First you will read
a passage that explains some general principles of electricity. Next, you will
watch a video about fun ways to learn about electricity circuits. Finally, you
will read an article that explains how different materials conduct electricity.
As you review these sources, think about the purpose of each and the role
that explanations, demonstrations, and/or descriptions of experiments play
in communicating that purpose. At the end of the task, you will be asked to
write an essay….

THEN: You have learned about electricity by reading two articles, “Energy
Story” and “Conducting Solutions,” and viewing a video clip titled “Hands-on
Science with Squishy Circuits.” In an essay, compare the purposes of the three
sources. Then analyze how each source uses explanations, demonstrations, or
descriptions of experiments to help accomplish its purpose. Be sure to discuss
important differences and similarities between the information gained from
the video and the information provided in the articles. Support your response
with evidence from each source.
What type of task is this?
 Research Simulation
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
7th Grade Task

Today you will research electricity and consider some of the methods used
in science texts and videos to support different purposes. First, you will read
a passage that explains some general principles of electricity. Next, you will
watch a video about fun ways to learn about electricity circuits. Finally, you
will read an article that explains how different materials conduct electricity.
As you review these sources, think about the purpose of each and the role
that explanations, demonstrations, and/or descriptions of experiments play
in communicating that purpose. At the end of the task, you will be asked to
write an essay….

THEN: You have learned about electricity by reading two articles, “Energy
Story” and “Conducting Solutions,” and viewing a video clip titled “Hands-on
Science with Squishy Circuits.” In an essay, compare the purposes of the three
sources. Then analyze how each source uses explanations, demonstrations, or
descriptions of experiments to help accomplish its purpose. Be sure to discuss
important differences and similarities between the information gained from
the video and the information provided in the articles. Support your response
with evidence from each source.
Unpacked Prompt
In these three sources about electricity, what
purpose does each source serve? What message
does each convey? How does each source use
explanations, demonstrations, or descriptions of
experiments to convey its message? Write an
essay, providing evidence from each source to
support your assertions.
8th Grade Task
 Today you will analyze passages from two novels. As you
read these texts, you will gather information and answer
questions about the characters and points of view so you
can write an analytical essay….
 THEN: In Confetti Girl and Tortilla Sun, the narrators have
points of view different from those of their parents. Write an
essay analyzing how these differences in points of view
create tension in both stories. Remember to use details from
both texts to support your ideas.
What type of task is this?
 Literary Analysis
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
8th Grade Task
 Today you will analyze passages from two novels. As you
read these texts, you will gather information and answer
questions about the characters and points of view so you
can write an analytical essay….
 THEN: In Confetti Girl and Tortilla Sun, the narrators have
points of view different from those of their parents. Write an
essay analyzing how these differences in points of view
create tension in both stories. Remember to use details from
both texts to support your ideas.
Unpacked Prompt
In these two passages, how do the differences in
point of view between the narrators and their
parents cause tension?
Write an essay using details from both texts to
support your explanations.
9th Grade Task
 Today you will read the passage from the novel Bleak
House, set in the nineteenth century, in which Mr. Skimpole
has a conversation with some friends. Pay close attention to
the conversation as you answer the questions to prepare to
write a narrative story…
 THEN: This passage is written as a first-person narrative told
from Miss Summerson’s point of view. Write a narrative story
that describes the major events in the passage from the point
of view of the stranger, emphasizing his thoughts and feelings
about Mr. Skimpole, Miss Summerson, and Richard.
What type of task is this?
 Narrative
 What clues led you to that conclusion?
9th Grade Task
 Today you will read the passage from the novel Bleak
House, set in the nineteenth century, in which Mr. Skimpole
has a conversation with some friends. Pay close attention to
the conversation as you answer the questions to prepare to
write a narrative story…
 THEN: This passage is written as a first-person narrative told
from Miss Summerson’s point of view. Write a narrative story
that describes the major events in the passage from the point
of view of the stranger, emphasizing his thoughts and feelings
about Mr. Skimpole, Miss Summerson, and Richard.
Unpacked Prompt
Describe the major events in the story from the
point of view of the stranger.
Focus on his thoughts and feelings about Mr.
Skimpole, Miss Summerson, and Richard.