Sea Shell
 Preparation Notes
o Preview the electronic version of the poem before sharing it with students.
o At least one constructed-response (CR) task requires a dictionary and/or
thesaurus.
o At least one Claim 2 task requires additional text.
 Selected-Response Items
o These items target standards within the RL and L strands of the CCSS:
Item Number
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Reading Literature – Grade 3
CCSS Target
RL.3.2
RL.3.1
RL.3.1
RL.3.1
RL.3.5
RL.3.5
RL.3.5
L.3.6
L.3.4b
Revised 11/11/2013
 Constructed-Response Tasks
CR1 (RL.3.2)
Student prompt:
Recount the poem. Use three or more important details from the poem.
3
2
1
0
The response accurately recounts the
poem and includes at least three
important details.
The response accurately recounts the
poem and includes two important
details.
The response accurately recounts the
poem and includes one important
detail.
The response does not accurately
recount the poem.
CR2 (RL.3.5)
Student prompt:
A. Copy your favorite line from the poem.
B. Which stanza is this line from?
1
0
The response includes a favorite line
and identifies the correct stanza.
The response does not identify the
correct stanza of the line.
Reading Literature – Grade 3
Revised 11/11/2013
CR3 (RL.3.6)
Student prompt:
The speaker of the poem lists several things that the Sea Shell in the poem
"knows so well." If a seashell could think, do you agree that it would know these
things? Use two or more details to support your answer.
3
The response explains the student's
point of view and includes at least two
supporting details from the poem.
The response explains the student's
point of view and includes one
supporting detail from the poem.
The response explains the student's
point of view but does not include any
supporting details from the poem.
The response does not explain the
student's point of view.
2
1
0
CR4 (L.3.4d)
Student prompt:
Use a dictionary. Write a definition for the word tropical and then use tropical in
a sentence.
2
1
0

Definition:

Sentence:
The response includes an accurate
definition and an appropriate sentence.
The response includes either an
accurate definition or an appropriate
sentence.
The response does not include an
accurate definition or an appropriate
sentence.
Reading Literature – Grade 3
Revised 11/11/2013
CR5 (L.3.4d)
Student prompt:
Use a dictionary. Write a definition for the word coral as it is used in the poem.
Then use coral in a sentence.
2
1
0

Definition:

Sentence:
The response includes an accurate
definition and an appropriate sentence.
The response includes either an
accurate definition or an appropriate
sentence.
The response does not include an
accurate definition or an appropriate
sentence.
 Activity/Discussion Ideas
Not available for this poem
 Other Standards
Not available for this poem
Reading Literature – Grade 3
Revised 11/11/2013
 Claim 2 Tasks
(Note: The Claim 2 tasks here are based on the Smarter Balanced Item and Task
Specifications, each task might not directly meet all parts of the individual
specification.)
Target 3
Model 2b: 3-pt CR (DOK 2) – presents a topic and a prompt
asking students to write an informational paragraph about the
topic.
Standards: W-2a, W-2b, W-2c, W-2d
Teacher instructions:
Provide students with two different grade-appropriate texts about seashells.
Student prompt:
Use information from the texts to write an informational paragraph about
seashells.
Reading Literature – Grade 3
Revised 11/11/2013
Target 8
Model 1: SR/TE (DOK 1) – presents a text in need of revision
and a prompt asking students to select a word or phrase that is
not appropriate to the text's intended purpose and audience
and choose the best replacement word or phrase.
Standards: L-3a, L-6, W-2d, W-3d
Student prompt:
Cross out the word that is not correct for an informational text. Replace the
word with a correct word for an informational text.
Hermit crabs are funky animals! They do not live in shells they grew
themselves. Instead, they find old shells and live in them. When they
grow bigger they move to another, bigger shell.
Which word is not correct for an informational text? What is a word that can
replace it?

Incorrect word:

Replacement word:
Correct response sample:

Incorrect word: funky

Replacement word: unique or interesting
Reading Literature – Grade 3
Revised 11/11/2013
Target 9
Model 2: 2-pt CR (DOK 1) – presents a text containing errors
in grammar, usage, and mechanics and a prompts asking
students to rewrite the text to correct the errors.
Standards: L-1, L-2, L-3b
Student prompt:
Read the sentences related to the poem. The sentences have several errors.
Rewrite the sentences to correct the errors.
A seehorse is a type of fish who head looks like a horse. They live in
shallow-tropical-salt-water. The range in size from half an inch to 14
inches. Seehorses usually eat tiny shrimp.
Correct response sample:
A seahorse is a type of fish whose head looks like a horse. They live in
shallow, tropical, salt water. They range in size from half an inch to 14 inches.
Seahorses usually eat tiny shrimp.
Reading Literature – Grade 3
Revised 11/11/2013