CCSS Aligned Composition Guidance
ELA Instructional Shifts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Increased emphasis on informational text
Building knowledge in the disciplines
Increased exposure to complex text
Evidence/text based answers
Writing from primary and secondary
sources
6. Academic vocabulary such as: analyze,
source, evaluate, synthesize
Previous 4th Grade Composition Prompt
Think about an activity that you enjoy sharing with someone in your
family or with your friends. It could be eating or preparing a favorite
meal, listening or dancing to music, playing or watching a game or
sport, visiting a special place, or doing some other activity.
Write a personal narrative about your favorite time enjoying this activity.
In your narrative, include details about when and where the experience
happened and who shared the experience with you. Describe what
happened during the experience and why you enjoyed the activity. Be
sure your narrative has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Use your Planning and Draft Pages when planning your narrative.
Then write your narrative on the lined pages in this Test Booklet. Only
what you write in this Test Booklet will be scored.
CCSS Aligned 4th Grade Writing Prompt
Characters do things for different reasons. Authors show these
reasons through the thoughts, words, and actions of characters.
Three of the characters in “Fishing Secrets,” Hawk, Willow, and Bee,
have different reasons for their actions. What are these reasons? How
are they shown to the reader by each character’s thoughts, words, and
actions?
In your response, be sure to:
• Describe the reasons behind each character’s actions and how
these reasons are shown in the story.
• Use specific details, such as thoughts, words, or actions, from the
story to support your description.
• Include a beginning, a middle, and an end in your writing.
Be sure to check your writing for correct spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation.
http://osse.dc.gov/service/dc-cas-composition-prompts
Previous 7th Grade Composition Prompt
Imagine a perfect vacation.
In a well-developed composition, describe what you consider
to be a perfect vacation. Be sure to include specific details
about the things you would see, hear, and feel while taking
this vacation.
Use your Planning and Draft Pages when planning your
composition. Then write your composition on the lined pages
in this Test Booklet. Only what you write in this Test Booklet
will be scored.
1
CCSS Aligned 7th Grade Writing Prompt
When writing letters to the editor to provide a personal response to news articles, authors must
present their views in a logical and persuasive way. Authors may offer factual details to support
their arguments or try to appeal to readers’ emotions. Newspapers often publish letters from
people on different sides of an issue, such as one letter in favor of a specific point of view and
one letter opposing that point of view.
The two letters in response to an article about the USDA’s new image, the MyPlate graphic,
present differing viewpoints. Explain the viewpoints of the two authors, and then analyze the
effectiveness of each author’s argument. How does each author support his or her position? Is
each argument successful?
• As you plan, write, and edit your analysis, be sure that you:
• Describe each author’s viewpoint.
• Describe how each author supports his or her position.
• Explain whether or not the supporting evidence provided by each author is effective or not.
• Support your response with specific evidence from each letter.
• Provide an appropriate introduction and a conclusion.
• Be sure to check your writing for correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics.
http://osse.dc.gov/service/dc-cas-composition-prompts
Previous 10th Grade Composition Prompt
Directions: Think carefully about the ideas presented in the
question below and the assignment that follows.
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it,
change your attitude.”
-Maya Angelou
Assignment: Who is likely to accomplish more—the person who
adjusts to society as it is, or the person who attempts to change it?
Plan and write an essay in which you develop your ideas on this
theme. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken
from your reading, studies, experiences, or observations.
Use your Planning and Draft Pages when planning your essay.
Then write your essay on the lined pages in this Test Booklet.
Only what you write in this Test Booklet will be scored.
1
CCSS Aligned 10th Grade Writing Prompt
Often, authors of literary texts use characters to advance the plot or to convey a
message in a narrative. They might do this by describing what a character does, says,
or thinks. In the narrative “The Shawl,” the author is attempting to convey the
message that concern over material things and status can interfere with one’s
enjoyment of life.
Write an essay explaining how the author uses the character of Elizabeth to convey a
message that being concerned with material possessions and status can negatively
impact one’s life. Be sure to analyze how Elizabeth changes or stays the same over
the course of the narrative. Also examine the actions or reactions of the other
characters.
As you plan, write, and edit, be sure that you:
• Examine how the author conveys this message through the character of Elizabeth.
• Consider the author’s descriptions of Elizabeth’s thoughts, words, and actions.
• Analyze Elizabeth’s interactions with other characters.
• Include an introduction, a logical arrangement of ideas, and a conclusion.
• Be sure to check your writing for correct grammar, spelling, and mechanics.
http://osse.dc.gov/service/dc-cas-composition-prompts
RUBRICS
How are CCSS aligned assessments
scored?
3 rubrics:
• Topic Idea Development
• Standard English Conventions
• Understanding Literary or Informational Text
#1: Topic/Idea Development
Score
Description
6
• Rich topic/idea development
• Careful and/or subtle organization
• Effective/rich use of language
5
• Full topic/idea development
• Logical organization
• Strong details
• Appropriate use of language
4
• Moderate topic/idea development and organization
• Adequate, relevant details
• Some variety in language
3
• Rudimentary topic/idea development and/or organization
• Basic supporting ideas
• Simplistic language
2
• Limited or weak topic/idea development, organization, and/or details
• Limited awareness of audience and/or task
1
• Limited topic/idea development, organization, and/or details
• Little or no awareness of audience and/or task
#2: Standard English Conventions
Score
Description
4
• Control of sentence structure, grammar and usage,
and mechanics (length and complexity of essay
provide opportunity for student to show control of
standard English conventions)
3
• Errors do not interfere with communication and/or
• Few errors relative to length of essay or complexity of
sentence structure, grammar and usage, and
mechanics
2
• Errors interfere somewhat with communication and/or
• Too many errors relative to length of the essay or
complexity of sentence structure, grammar and usage, and
mechanics
1
• Errors seriously interfere with communication AND
• Little control of sentence structure, grammar and usage, and
mechanics
#3: Understanding Literary or Informational Text
Score
Description
4
The response demonstrates an understanding of the complexities of the text.
• Fully addresses the demands of the question or prompt
• Effectively uses explicitly stated text as well as inferences drawn from the text to support an
answer or claim
3
The response demonstrates an understanding of the text.
• Addresses the demands of the question or prompt
• Uses some explicitly stated text and/or some inferences drawn from the text to support an
answer or claim
2
The response is incomplete or oversimplified and demonstrates a partial or literal
understanding of the text.
• Attempts to answer the question or address the prompt
• Uses explicitly stated text that demonstrates some understanding
1
The response shows evidence of a minimal understanding of the text.
• Shows evidence that some meaning has been derived from the text to answer the question
• Has minimal textual evidence
CCSS: Types of Writing
Narrative Writing:
• conveys experience and uses time as its deep structure
• can be used to inform, instruct, persuade, or entertain
Informational/Explanatory Writing:
• conveys information accurately
• aims to make the reader understand rather than to
persuade him or her to accept a certain point of view
Argument:
• a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating that the
writer’s position, belief, or conclusion is valid
Common Core State Standards, http://corestandards.org
The CCSS Appendices Can Help
• Appendix A:
Complex Text Guidance (and supplement)
• Appendix B:
Complex Text Samples/Performance Tasks
• Appendix C:
Writing Samples
# 5 Writing from Sources
• The ability to draw specific evidence from
text to support claims and arguments
• Students get to the end result a different
way; through reading complex text and
responding to it through their writing
PARCC Model Content Framework
Complex Text
“The inherent difficulty of reading and
comprehending a text combined with
consideration of reader and task variables.”
-CCSS Appendix A
“Performance on complex texts is the
clearest differentiator in reading between
students who are likely to be ready for
college and those who are not.”
-ACT Reading Between the Lines
What is Complex Text?
What’s the Difference?
Informational vs. Literary Text
• Informational text: Text designed to convey
factual information, rather than tell or
advance a narrative.
• Literary Text: Works of literature that
convey a message
What is Close Reading?
• Involves an investigation of a short piece of text, with multiple
readings done over multiple instructional lessons.
• Careful and purposeful rereading of a text
• Use of text-dependent questions that draw students deeper into
the text and that can only be answered with evidence from the
text
• Transaction between the reader and the text - understanding
what the author has to say and bring your own ideas to the text
Brown, Shiela and Kappes, Lee. (2012). Implementing the Common Core State Standards: A Primer on “Close Reading of Text”. Washington, D.C.: The Aspen Institute.
Douglas Fisher: Close Reading and the CCSS, video retrieved on January 10, 2012 at
http://www.schooltube.com/video/2586a181320549d687f4/Douglas%20Fisher:%20Close%20Reading%20and%20the%20CCSS,%20Part%201
CCSS Appendix B
Informational Text – Grades 9-10
CCSS Appendix B
Literary Text Grades 9-10
CCSS Writing Standards
• Offer a focus for instruction each year to help ensure
student mastery of a range of skills and applications.
• Allow students to demonstrate increasing sophistication
in all aspects of language use, from vocabulary and
syntax to the development and organization of ideas,
and they should address increasingly demanding content
and sources.
• Students advancing through the grades are expected to
meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or
further develop skills and understandings mastered in
preceding grades.
Writing Structure…
Can Students Write:
A Paragraph consists of several sentences that are grouped
together to discuss one main idea.
• Topic sentence
 Sets up and states the main idea of the paragraph
and tells the reader what to expect from the
paragraph
• Supporting sentences (at least 3)
 Back up the main idea
 Specific examples help make the main idea clear to
the reader
• Concluding Sentence
 Should tie all the ideas in the paragraph together
http://www.brainpopjr.com/readingandwriting/writing/writingaparagraph/grownups.weml
Elementary Templates:
Secondary Templates:
Student Sample Grade 1:
Process Writing
1. Prewriting
-brainstorm to generate ideas for writing
2. Drafting
-put ideas on paper
3. Revising
-adding, rearranging, removing, replacing
4. Proofreading/Editing
-mechanical, grammatical and spelling errors are fixed
5. Publishing
-piece of writing is prepared in final form
Writing Structure
Can your students write a multi-paragraph essay?
Introductory Paragraph
-Includes the thesis statement
Body Paragraphs
-Supporting paragraphs
-Each paragraph is a different example of support for
the thesis
Concluding Paragraphs can
-Revisit (restate) the thesis
-Make a future prediction
-Sum up ideas
Example Outline
Example Essay Writing Sheet
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/26330594/Standard-Multi-Paragraph-Essay-Format
CCSS Appendix B
Grade 3 Student Sample
Exemplar:
4th grade writing prompt
Characters do things for different reasons. Authors show these reasons
through the thoughts, words, and actions of characters.
Three of the characters in “Fishing Secrets,” Hawk, Willow, and Bee, have
different reasons for their actions. What are these reasons? How are they
shown to the reader by each character’s thoughts, words, and actions?
In your response, be sure to:
• Describe the reasons behind each character’s actions and how these
reasons are shown in the story.
• Use specific details, such as thoughts, words, or actions, from the story to
support your description.
• Include a beginning, a middle, and an end in your writing.
Be sure to check your writing for correct spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation.
CCSS Aligned 4th Grade Writing Prompt
Characters do things for different reasons. Authors show these reasons
through the thoughts, words, and actions of characters.
Three of the characters in “Fishing Secrets,” Hawk, Willow, and Bee, have
different reasons for their actions. What are these reasons? How are they
shown to the reader by each character’s thoughts, words, and actions?
In your response, be sure to:
• Describe the reasons behind each character’s actions and how these
reasons are shown in the story.
• Use specific details, such as thoughts, words, or actions, from the story to
support your description.
• Include a beginning, a middle, and an end in your writing.
Be sure to check your writing for correct spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation.
4th Grade Response – No Quotes!
The three characters in the story “Fishing Secrets” act in different ways when the chief of the tribe
is walking in the water with his fishing spear. Hawk, Willow and Bee all have different thoughts,
words and actions for what they see.
Hawk wanted to be like the chief. He knew that Chief Bear was better than him at catching fish
and so he copied what Chief Bear was doing. Even though he didn’t catch any fish by doing what
Chief Bear was doing, Hawk still thought Chief Bear knew best. Hawk fell on the slippery stones into
the cold water but still continued to fish that way.
Willow wanted to seem smart. She wondered what Chief Bear and Hawk were doing, but she
didn’t say anything. She thought she wouldn’t “seem very smart” if she asked a question that seemed
so silly. So, she fished like the men even though it didn’t make much sense to her.
Bee didn’t question herself and wanted to solve problems. She didn’t worry about asking silly
questions or copying what others were doing. She wanted to figure out what was happening and that
is why she asked Chief Bear what he was doing.
Each character had a different reason for why they acted the way they did. Hawk wanted to keep
up with Chief Bear. Willow didn’t want to look silly. These two reasons made Hawk and Willow act in
a foolish way. Bee’s reason for her actions was to solve problems instead of guessing at what was
happening. She did not act in a foolish way, like Hawk and Willow. These are three different
reactions to Chief Bear’s actions in “Fishing Secrets.”
Can Students Use Quotation Marks?
• Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation – a person’s
exact words
• Place quotation marks both before and after a person’s exact words
“When the bell rings,” said the teacher, “leave the room quietly.”
• Begin with a capital letter
Lisa said, “Let’s study math together.”
• A comma or period should be inside the closing quotation marks
“The Jones’ built a new house,” said our neighbor.
• Question marks/exclamation points should be inside the closing
quotation marks
“Are we there yet?” asked the small child.
Exemplar with Quotations
In the story “Fishing Secrets,” three characters act in different ways when they see the chief of their tribe
walking in the water with his fishing spear. The reasons that each character acts differently are shown in their
thoughts, words, and actions.
Hawk wanted to be like the chief. He knew that Chief Bear was better than him at catching fish and so he
copied what Chief Bear was doing. Even though he didn’t catch any fish while copying Chief Bear, Hawk still
thought Chief Bear knew what he was doing. Hawk fell on the slippery stones into the cold water but
continued to fish in the same way.
Willow wanted to appear smart. She wondered what Chief Bear and Hawk were doing, but she didn’t say
anything. She thought she wouldn’t “seem very smart” if she asked “a silly question.” So, she fished like the
men even though it didn’t make sense to her.
Bee didn’t question herself because she wanted to solve problems. She didn’t worry about asking silly
questions or copying what others were doing. She wanted to figure out what was happening which is why
she asked Chief Bear what he was doing.
Each character acted differently for a different reason. Hawk wanted to keep up with his fellow tribesman,
Chief Bear. Willow did not want to look silly. These two reasons made Hawk and Willow act in a foolish way.
Bee’s reason behind her actions was to solve problems instead of guessing what was happening. She did
not act in a foolish way. These are three different reactions to Chief Bear’s actions in “Fishing Secrets.”
CCSS Resources – LearnDC.org