Elementary ELA:
Formative Assessments aligned to
MCCR and PARCC
Presenters:
July 15-16:
Kimberly Sauers
Cyd Macomber
July 17-18:
Mel Rhoads
Kirsten Bayly
Today we will:
• Review the process for developing formative
assessments connected to ELA MCCR
Standards and PARCC Frameworks
• Explore formative assessments, rubrics,
scoring guides, and anchor papers for Grades
3-5
• Determine instructional implications
connected to the assessments
• If time permits, engage in the assessment
development process
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What lead to our county formative assessments?
• Our CCPS primary assessments provide a wealth
of data to drive instructional decision- making
and monitor student progress.
• CCPS intermediate assessments were limited to
our Phonics Inventory, SRI Lexile Assessments,
and an isolated writing prompt.
• We had a need for a more comprehensive
assessment to measure reading
comprehension and writing in response to
reading.
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Researching PARCC Assessment
Information & Prototypes
We found that the PARCC Assessments will:
• assess reading comprehension
• measure writing using three prose constructed
response (PCR) items.
• measure both written expression and knowledge
of language and conventions.
• create items that elicit writing that is
authentic.
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We decided to…
• Model a comprehension assessment after
PARCC prototypes
• Develop writing prompts that require students
to write extended pieces related to connected
texts
• Create a committee of ELA Specialists to plan,
develop and revise assessments throughout
the year
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Purposes of the Assessment
• Address the shifts outlined by the CCSS
– close reading
– text-dependent questions
– text-based evidence
– balance of text types
– writing to source using multiple sources, including
multi-media
– using academic vocabulary
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Purposes of the Assessment (Cont’d)
• Monitor student progress
– Comprehension of complex text
– Drawing evidence from multiple sources
– Understanding of academic vocabulary
– Writing in response to reading, using text-based
evidence
– Extended writing
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Purposes of the Assessment (Cont’d)
• Impact on Instruction
– Assessment served as a model for the types of
questions teachers could use with students
– Provided explicit examples to address the CCSS shifts
– Examples of complex text
– Developed an understanding of how to use multiple,
connected sources (including multi-media)
– Using data to make instructional decisions for groups
and individuals
– Anchor papers provide models for grade-level
expectations
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The Process
• Reviewed available PARCC prototypes
• Chose short texts from our anthology resources
that had sufficient complexity
• Matched MCCR grade-level standards to concepts
presented in the text
• Crafted text-dependent questions aligned to the
selected standards
• Modeled question formats after PARCC
prototypes and anthology assessments that
were CCSS aligned
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Developing Test Items
• Started with EBSRs following the PARCC
format (Part A/Part B)—Required students to
demonstrate use of text evidence
• Decided that for each short text we would
develop one PCR addressing overarching
themes/ideas found in the text
Let’s look at some examples!
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EBSR Example
3. Part A
What is the author’s purpose for writing The Bottled Water Industry: A Real
Goldmine?
To share the opinion that drinking bottled water is healthy.
To share the opinion that water from the faucet tastes the best.
To inform the reader about the increasing demand for bottled water.
To inform the reader about the decreasing demand for bottled water.
Part B
Choose TWO details that support your answer to Part A.
 The industry as a whole is growing 10% each year.
 People have different opinions about bottled water.
 People can essentially get water simply by turning on their faucets.
 People drink more and more bottled water because of its convenience.
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Another Example
9-12
Which details are used as support for the opinions stated in each
source. Check one box for each number.
Sources
Details
Only Source #2
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Only Source #3
BOTH Source #2
and Source #3
9. The water is safer to drink.



10. Bottled water is convenient.



11. It offers a healthy choice in a
vending machine.



12. Tap water costs much less
than bottled water.



Another Example
1. Read these sentences from the article.
Each brand of bottled water has a consistently good taste to it, but
tap water tastes different depending on where it comes from.
Different factors may cause tap water to taste better or worse to
different people. Variances in tap water can be a problem when you
are in different and unfamiliar places.
What does the word variances mean in the sentence above?
A. changes in quality
B. unfamiliar brands
C. similarities in taste
D. consistency in quality
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PCR Example
20.
Write an essay describing how the poet uses
figurative language to create vivid images for the
reader.
Be sure to include:
 an introduction that introduces the topic
 examples of figurative language from the poem
 explanation of the images created from the
examples
 linking words and phrases
 a conclusion
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Extended Writing Prompt
• CCPS values Writing Workshop and the need
for writing in multiple forms for various tasks,
purposes & audiences.
Standards 1-4:
•
•
•
•
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Write opinion pieces
Write informative/explanatory text
Write narratives
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development and organization are important to
task, purpose, and audience.
Extended Writing Prompt
• The assessment requires students to synthesize
ideas across texts.
• The assessment provides a model for short, miniresearch
Standards 7-9:
• Conduct short research projects that use several
sources
• Gather relevant information from print and
digital sources
• Draw evidence from literary and informational texts
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Extended Writing Prompt
13. A local restaurant owner is deciding whether to sell bottled water on the menu or to provide
free tap water to customers. The restaurant owner wants feedback from the community. You have
read three articles about bottled water. Use what you have learned from all of the articles to decide
which choice you think is best.
Write an opinion email to the restaurant owner in which you give your opinion about the water
choices. As you write, remember everything you know about opinion writing. Refer to important
facts and details from your reading to support your opinion.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Be sure to include:
An introduction with a clear opinion
Logically ordered reasons
Facts and details from the articles that support your reasons
A conclusion that restates your opinion
Linking words and phrases
Your closing and email signature
Your teacher will give you the email template where you will write, revise and edit your
draft for your opinion email.
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Developing Scoring Guides
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Rubrics & Anchor Papers
• We had extended writing rubrics developed
for our previous writing prompts for narrative,
informative/explanatory and opinion writing.
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Developing the Anchors
• Piloted the writing portion of the assessmentGave to students at the next grade level
• Convened as a committee and collaboratively
scored samples using the rubrics
• Our goal included finding writing samples
scoring on-grade (2) and above grade (3) in
each area of writing (Development of Ideas,
Organization, Clarity, and Language &
Conventions)
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Anchor Papers for
Opinion Writing Prompt
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PCR Anchors & Rubrics
• Debated the need for an addition rubric for
PCRs
• Decided to use the PARCC PCR rubric in order
to:
• Expose teachers to this new assessment tool
• Directly align expectations for written responses to
reading
• Shift expectations from the limitations of a BCR
• Focus more on demonstrating comprehension
through writing, using text-based evidence
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PCR Rubric
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PCR Anchors
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Your Turn!
• Review the selections provided.
• Cross reference the selections with the MCCR
Standards for Grade 3
• Develop an EBSR, PCR, Extended Writing task
related to the selections
• Share!
• Our Grade 3 Assessment
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For further questions…
July 15-16th Presenters:
Kimberly Sauers- kmsauer@carrollk12.org
Cyd Macomber- cydmac143@gmail.com
July 17-18th Presenters:
Mel Rhoads- merhoad@carrollk12.org
Kirsten Love-Bayly- kplove@carrollk12.org
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