WASD Grade 1
English Language Arts Report Card Assessment Guide
Skills that are highlighted in gray are numerically scored using the scale of 4-3-2-1.
Where there are sub skills, the numerical scoring is based on the compilation and assessment of sub skills. In some cases,
there are stand-alone reading categories that receive a numerical score and suggestions are given on how to assess.
READING (scored 4-3-2-1)
Reads fiction and nonfiction texts on grade-level
READING is a stand-alone scored assessment category. A READING score indicates whether the student is reading on
grade level, exceeding grade level, or is below grade level.
A student demonstrates their proficiency level through their daily work, weekly assignments/practice, weekly
assessments, tiered practice and later in the year through their small group placement.
COMPREHENSION (scored 4-3-2-1)
Demonstrates critical thinking and constructs meaning between the reader and text
(Overall—The COMPREHENSION score is based on the assessment of grade level sub skills under the heading of
COMPREHENSION)
COMPREHENSION
 Demonstrates comprehension skills
 Composes a written response to reading “reader’s response”
 Recognizes features of text and elements of literature
Demonstrates comprehension skills
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 There is comprehension work across Treasures’ weekly lesson development, Days 1-4, with a strong teaching
focus on Day 3
 Daily—teacher choices of Quick Checks, Reading Comprehension Strategy and Skill, teacher and student
questions, and teacher selection of practice
 Weekly Assessment
 Retell Cards and Retell Rubric
 Graphic organizers
 Practice Book pages
 In student anthology–weekly there is a “Comprehension Check” - teacher collection of evidence
 Teacher collection of Strategy and Skill Quick Checks
 In Teacher Edition—weekly lessons on Paired Selections and “Connect and Compare”
 Comprehension based Work Stations
 Selection Tests
 Small group discussions when focused on comprehension skills
 GRADE
Composes a written response to reading “reader’s response”
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Reading responses should be created weekly by the teacher to mirror PSSA expectations—in many cases—
Treasures have “like” or similar open-ended responses with slight revisions can mirror the same expectations
 Reader’s Response may be added to the Weekly Assessments by revising the open-ended to match PSSA
language
 Reading Responses –The Answer Sandwich is taught and assessed weekly: using the Constructed Response—
PSSA rubric
 Work Station Comprehension Check
 Reading journal—where students respond in writing to a posted open-ended question by the teacher
WASD Grade 1
English Language Arts Report Card Assessment Guide
Recognizes features of text and elements of literature
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Text features and literary elements are assessed as one broad category
 Weekly, there is teaching and learning around a broad category of Text Features and Literary Elements in
Treasures, typically on Day 4* occasionally may appear on other days
 Teaching of Text Features and Literary Elements will often encompass other skills such as Study Skills and Test
Practice
 Within and across units the focus will change—which is why, although important skills for students to know, we
suggest to assess it as one combined topic---Text Features and Literary Elements
 Text Features are often presented within the paired passage, there under the umbrella category of “Text Features”
you will also find Study Skills and Test Practice
 Teaching of Time for Kids can be used to collect assessment evidence
 Practice book pages
 Teacher collection of Quick Checks
 Small group discussions when centered around text features or literary elements
 Unit assessment
FLUENCY(scored 4-3-2-1)
Uses appropriate pace, expression, pauses, and phrasing with accuracy while reading text
Note: Fluency is not assessed in the first nine weeks—blackened out. The first time it is assessed begins on Quarter 2.
FLUENCY is a stand-alone scored reading category. A score in this category indicates whether the student is a fluent
reader or not in grade level material. For students to receive a 4, they are demonstrating consistent words correct per
minute in the 90th percentile and have exemplary prosody as per rubric.
Suggestions for assessment evidence
 Fluency Assessment
 Directions and additional fluency guidance in the Diagnostic Assessment handbook
 Practice book pages, fluency practice
 Small group observations of readers
 Readers Theatre—Read Aloud Anthology activities and pages
 Teacher observation during fluency practice, i.e., Repeated Readings, Partner Readings, Choral Reading etc..
ORAL LANGUAGE: (scored 4-3-2-1)
Demonstrates speaking and listening skills through effective communication
(Overall—The ORAL LANGUAGE score is based on the assessment of grade level sub skills under the heading of
ORAL LANGUAGE)
ORAL LANGUAGE
 Speaking: Utilizes appropriate oral vocabulary
 Listening: Effective listening comprehension
 Hearing and Producing: Demonstrates phonemic awareness
Effective listening comprehension
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Unit 1-3 listening comprehension evolves into reading comprehension by Unit 4-6
 Always appears on the weekly assessment as “Reading Comprehension”
 Weekly assessment (Unit 4-6), Selection Tests, Unit Assessments
 Responses to Focus Questions
 Evidence can be collected on day 3 with the Read-Aloud Anthology:
 Student Think-Aloud, Think and Respond, Readers’ Response (Writer’s Notebook)
 Practice Book
 Teacher collection Quick Checks
WASD Grade 1
English Language Arts Report Card Assessment Guide
 Reading Journal/Work Station Comprehension Check
 GRADE
Utilizes appropriate oral vocabulary
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Assessed using oral vocabulary cards—weekly pre and post test in teacher resource
 Practice Book
 Retell using oral vocabulary cards
 5 day intensive plan—tiered interventions
 Teacher collection of observation evidence of words in use and understanding of definition during whole and
small group
Demonstrates phonemic awareness
 Weekly Assessments
 Small Group Observations and tiered lessons
 Priority Skill—observation and collection of guided practice and Quick Checks
 DIBELS
WORD STUDY (scored 4-3-2-1)
Demonstrates grade level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding
(Overall Scoring—the WORD STUDY score is based on the assessment of grade level sub skills under the heading of
Word Study)
WORD STUDY
 Uses vocabulary strategies
 Applies phonics
 Appropriate spelling

Uses High frequency words and vocabulary strategies
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Unit 1-3 is high frequency words and Unit 4-6 is both high frequency words and vocabulary
 Weekly assessment Unit 1-3 is “High Frequency”
 Weekly Assessment Unit 4-6 is “Vocabulary Strategies
 Weekly Assessment
 Practice book pages
 Unit Assessments
 Selection Test
 Teacher collection of Quick Checks
 Small group work
 Work Stations
 Assessment of 5-day vocabulary plan—collection of student written work within 5-day plan
 Connect Vocabulary: on Day 5 is the teaching opportunity to assess and reteach vocabulary—Vocabulary
Transparencies—cloze sentences
Applies phonics
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Phonics/Spelling Practice book pages
 Weekly Assessment
 Small group work
 Phonics Work Stations
 Teacher collection of Quick Checks
WASD Grade 1
English Language Arts Report Card Assessment Guide
Appropriate spelling
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Weekly spelling list
 Pre and Post test
 Writing Samples
WRITING: (scored 4-3-2-1)
Demonstrates quality in a variety of written pieces: Narrative, Informative and Opinion
(Overall Scoring—the WRITING score is based on assessment of sub skills under the heading of WRITING)
WRITING skills are assessed using:
 Writing on topic
 Writing traits (focus, organization, content, voice & conventions)
 Grammar, mechanics and usage
Writing on topic
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Samples of student writing on topic/prompt (prioritize prompts aligned to PSSA prompts of Narrative, Opinion,
and Informational)
 Writing Workstations
 Teacher/Student Conference
 Daily writing practice
Writing Traits
Writing traits sub skill areas come directly from Treasure’s 4pt rubric (For our start-up year, the Treasures writing rubric
is used as a close match to the expectations of PSSA
 Focus
 Organization
 Content
 Voice
 Conventions
Suggestions for assessment evidence for this sub skill:
 Samples of student writing
 On-demand prompt, assessed using WASD’s 4 pt. rubric (based on PA Core)
Teachers may need to “extend” writing topics, prompts, and assignment length within Treasures to mirror PSSA
expectations
Teachers should prioritize and select within Treasures writing topics that reinforce PSSA style prompts: Narrative,
Informational and Opinion
Important: This area is judging writing effectiveness not writing based on reading
At grade 1, we move students from writing single sentences to multiple detailed sentences around a central topic. By the
second half of the year the teacher is modeling the structure and features of a paragraph (intro, body, conclusion), with an
expectation of students producing 8-10 sentences independently at year-end. Refer to Writing Overview Map and
Primary Writing Continuum.
Narrative Writing:
Focus: Writes narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events. Establishes who and what the narrative will
be about.
Content: Includes thoughts and feelings to describe experiences and events.
Organization: Recounts two or more appropriately sequenced events using temporal words to signal event order and
provide some sense of closure.
Style: Uses a variety or words and phrases.
WASD Grade 1
English Language Arts Report Card Assessment Guide
Informative Writing:
Focus: Writes informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information. Identifies and writes
about one specific topic.
Content: Develops a topic with two or more facts.
Organization: Groups information and provides some sense of closure.
Style: Chooses words and phrases for effect.
Opinion Writing:
Focus: Writes opinion pieces on familiar topics. Forms an opinion by choosing among different topics.
Content: Supports the opinion with reasons related to the opinion.
Organization: Creates an organizational structure that includes reasons and provides some sense of closure.
Style: Uses a variety of words and phrases.
Conventions:
 Capitalizes dates and names of people.
 Uses end punctuation; uses commas in dates and words in series.
 Spells words drawing on common spelling patterns, phonemic awareness, and spelling conventions.
Grammar, mechanics and usage
Suggestions for assessment evidence
 Weekly Assessment-Grammar, Mechanics, Usage
 Unit Assessment
 Grammar Practice book
 5-Day Grammar Plans—Weekly
 Teacher collection of Quick Checks
 Grammar Review and Assess—Day 5
 Grammar checks in writing
SOCIAL STUDIES/SCIENCE/HEALTH