CORE Assessment Module
Module Overview
Background and Purpose:
During instruction around a complex text, teachers plan a series of lessons on successive days that
call upon students to engage in a variety of tasks (e.g., read silently, discuss, listen to, take notes, engage
in discussion with peers, write informally and formally, etc.). These lessons would align to specific
standards, include a myriad of instructional strategies and formative assessments, and center on textdependent activities and tasks to illicit deep understanding of the targeted text.
This assessment module is a briefly-conducted performance activity to assess how well students
can examine complex text and then demonstrate their understanding through writing. Teachers can
employ additional instructional strategies beyond what is listed here when administering this assessment.
However, discuss with colleagues which ones you choose to use so you are conducting this assessment
under similar conditions.
Usage:
Teachers can utilize this module as a pre-assessment or formative assessment to gather
information about a student’s ability to read complex text carefully and construct an organized writing
piece that is grounded in evidence from the text. It does not replace a formalized series of lessons as
described above, but rather provides a “dipstick” to get a sense of where teachers should focus instruction.
We encourage teachers to administer this assessment with colleagues and discuss results together to
ascertain next steps in an instructional plan.
Scoring:
At this time, use the Smarter Balance rubrics available at this link:
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2012/05/TaskItemSpecifications/EnglishL
anguageArtsLiteracy/ELARubrics.pdf. Smarter Balanced does not have a rubric for each grade for all
three writing types; however, later, a more detailed rubric for all grades and types will be considered.
Content Area
English Language Arts
Text
Bud, Not Buddy By Christopher Paul Curtis
Grade Level
Grade 4
Target Area
Text-Dependent Questions, Performance Writing Task (Opinion Piece)
ELA Common
Core State
Standards
RL 4.1
RL 4.3
RL 4.4
W 4.1
Module Overview
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama,
drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words
or actions.)
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology
(e.g., Herculean).
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support
the writer’s purpose.
1
SBAC
Assessment
Claims
Task
Overview
Module
Components
b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance,
in order to, in addition).
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion
presented
W 4.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
*SL 4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Claim 1: Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of
increasingly complex literary and informational texts.
Claim 2: Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of
purposes and audiences.
This assessment task will be completed in two parts. The prewriting/planning in part
one will involve reading, plus note-taking and speaking and listening in response to
text-dependent questions. In part two, students will be asked to draft an opinion text.
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Directions to Teacher
Bud, Not Buddy Text Passage
Active Reading Notes
Text-Dependent Questions and Peer Discussion
Independent Writing Task
*Standard addressed but not explicitly assessed.
Module Overview
2
Bud, Not Buddy
Directions to Teacher
This Common Core-aligned ELA Performance Task can be given over two to three days
depending on class schedules. The directions below outline the steps to follow for a three-day
administration.
Text: Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Delacorte Books for Young
Readers, 1999.
Materials
 Bud, Not Buddy Text Passage
 Small “sticky notes” strips for text tagging (3 per student)
 Bud, Not Buddy Active Reading Notes
 Text-Dependent Questions Graphic Organizer
 Writing Task
 Lined Paper
DAY 1
1. Reading
(Approximately 15 minutes)
Give students the text passage Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis and instruct
them to read it independently the first time through. Provide the students with three small
sticky-note strips so that they can “tag the text” as they read. They should place the
sticky-notes on what they consider to be the three most important points of the passage.
Then provide time for them to share and discuss their three VIPs (Very Important Points)
with a learning partner and listen to what the partner thought were the VIPs.
2. Active Reading
(Approximately 15–20 minutes)
Distribute the Bud, Not Buddy Active Reading Notes and ask students to reread the
passage and complete the 2-column graphic organizer. Have the students do a think-pairshare strategy with a learning partner and share their reading notes and images.
3. Note-taking Around Text-Dependent Questions
(Approximately 30 minutes)
Distribute the Text-Dependent Questions Graphic Organizer sheet. Instruct students to
complete the “My Responses” and “Evidence From the Text” sections only that are
predicated on text-dependent questions. Encourage students to expand their thinking
beyond literal responses.
a. Word Meaning (RL 4.4) – In the third paragraph from the end, the author uses the
word “glum” to show how the boys are feeling. What does it mean to feel “glum”?
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
3
b. Key Details (RL 4.1) – What do the boys think about the arrival of the caseworker?
How do you know?
c. Central Ideas (RL 4.3) – Describe what is happening to the boys in the story. Give
specific details from the text to support your answer.
d. Reasoning/Evaluation (RL 4.3) – What are words or/phrases the author uses to
describe the boys’ thoughts and feelings? From these words and phrases, what can
you infer about how the boys feel about what is happening to them?
4. Speaking/Listening Exercise
(Approximately 20 minutes)
In pairs or groups of three, give students time to discuss their responses to the questions
on the graphic organizer along with textual evidence. After a designated period of time,
instruct students to independently complete the “My Thoughts Now” section of the
graphic organizer. Tell them they will respond to a writing prompt and can use this
graphic organizer along with their notes while writing.
DAY 2
Performance Task (Writing Prompt)
(Approximately 20–30 minutes)
Distribute the writing prompt and let students know the amount of time they have to respond to
it. Encourage students to use their notes and graphic organizer that includes responses to textdependent questions to inform their writing.
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
4
Bud, Not Buddy Text Passage
By Christopher Paul Curtis
Here we go again. We were all standing in line waiting for breakfast when
one of the caseworkers came in and tap-tap-tapped down the line. Uh-oh, this
meant bad news, either they’d found a foster home for somebody or somebody was
about to get paddled. All the kids watched the woman as she moved along the line,
her high-heeled shoes sounding like little firecrackers going off on the wooden
floor.
Shoot! She stopped at me and said, “Are you Buddy Caldwell?”
I said, “It’s Bud, not Buddy, ma’am.”
She put her hand on my shoulder and took me out of line. Then she pulled
Jerry, one of the littler boys, over. “Aren’t you Jerry Clark?” He nodded.
“Boys, good news! Now that the school year has ended, you both have been
accepted in new temporary-care homes starting this afternoon!”
Jerry asked the same thing I was thinking, “Together?”
She said, “Why no, Jerry, you’ll be in a family with three little girls…”
Jerry looked like he’d just found out they were going to dip him in a pot of
boiling milk.
“…and Bud…” She looked at some papers she was holding. “Oh, yes, the
Amoses, you’ll be with Mr. and Mrs. Amos and their son, who’s twelve years old,
that makes him just two years older than you, doesn’t it, Bud?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She said, “I’m sure you’ll both be very happy.”
Me and Jerry looked at each other.
The woman said, “Now, now, boys, no need to look so glum. I know you
don’t understand what it means, but there’s a depression going on all over this
country. People can’t find jobs and these are very, very difficult times for
everybody. We’ve been lucky enough to find two wonderful families who’ve
opened their doors for you. I think it’s best that we show our new foster families
that we’re very…”
She dragged out the word very, waiting for us to finish her sentence for her.
Jerry said, “Cheerful, helpful and grateful.” I moved my lips and mumbled.
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 1999. (1999) Chapter 1
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
5
Bud, Not Buddy Active Reading Notes
Directions: The author, Christopher Paul Curtis, uses details and descriptive language in this passage to
portray the characters, setting and the emotional dilemma (problem). Respond to the questions in the left
column using concepts, ideas and details from the text. In the right column, draw images that readers have
in their minds based on these events of the story you are describing.
Ideas and Details
Images
What news does the caseworker bring to the
boys? How do they respond?
Describe the families that Jerry and Bud will be
living with. Cite the text.
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
6
Text-Dependent Questions Graphic Organizer
Directions: After rereading the text, write answers to each question below in the “My Response”
section. Support each response by recording textual evidence in the “Evidence from the Text”
section. After you are given time to talk to a classmate and share ideas, complete the “My
Thoughts Now” section based on your conversation.
1. In the third paragraph from the end, the author uses the word “glum” to show how the boys
are feeling. What does it mean to feel “glum?”
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
2. What do the boys think about the arrival of the caseworker? How do you know?
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
7
3. Describe what is happening to the boys in the story.
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
4. What are words or phrases the author uses to describe the boys’ thoughts and feelings?
From these words and phrases, what can you infer about how the boys feel about what is
happening to them?
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
8
Bud, Not Buddy
Writing Task
Directions: Please respond to the prompt below in writing. You may use your
notes and graphic organizer to inform your writing.
Writing Prompt
In the story Bud, Not Buddy, the two boys are told that they are going to live in
new temporary-care homes. Based evidence from the text, give your opinion about
how the boys feel about going to live with new families.
Be Sure To:
 Include an introduction.
 State an opinion about how the boys feel about their situation.
 Group related information into paragraphs.
 Include reasons and examples from the text to support your opinion.
 Use words and phrases to link your opinion with your reasons (e.g.,
another, for example, for instance, also, in addition).
 Provide a conclusion related to the opinion presented.
 Check for proper grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
ELA Grade 4: Bud Not Buddy
9