In this performance assessment, students will use grade-level aligned narrative writing techniques, including using a clearly identifiable theme or central message, to write a narrative children’s story about a challenge their school or students in their school are facing. After writing the children’s story, students will read their stories to students in a younger grade and talk with them about the theme or message of the story.
Specifically, the class will be asked to brainstorm challenges the school or students in the school are facing. Then each student will choose a challenge to write about, plan and draft a narrative revolving around that challenge, and then read that narrative to a younger student.
This unit would likely fall at the conclusion of a narrative writing unit after students have learned the elements of narrative writing and have practiced writing real or imagined narratives. Prior to using this assessment, students should have had specific instruction in determining the theme or central idea in literary texts and in the elements and process of narrative writing.
Students can create their final presentation in any appropriate way, including, but not limited to, PowerPoint or Google Slides (or another slideshow tool), Microsoft Word or Google Docs, paper and colored pens/pencils/ markers. Final student work should be saved as an Acrobat PDF for uploading to the virtual scoring software.
In this performance assessment, students will use grade-level aligned narrative writing techniques, including using a clearly identifiable theme or central message, to write a narrative children’s story about a challenge their school or students in their school are facing. After writing the children’s story, students will read their stories to students in a younger grade and talk with them about the theme or message of the story.
Specifically, the class will be asked to brainstorm challenges the school or students in the school are facing. Then each student will choose a challenge to write about, plan and draft a narrative revolving around that challenge, and then read that narrative to a younger student.
This unit would likely fall at the conclusion of a narrative writing unit after students have learned the elements of narrative writing and have practiced writing real or imagined narratives. Prior to using this assessment, students should have had specific instruction in determining the theme or central idea in literary texts and in the elements and process of narrative writing.
Students can create their final presentation in any appropriate way, including, but not limited to, PowerPoint or Google Slides (or another slideshow tool), Microsoft Word or Google Docs, paper and colored pens/pencils/ markers. Final student work should be saved as an Acrobat PDF for uploading to the virtual scoring software.
| Big Ideas | Competencies |
|---|---|
A. Reading LiteratureStudents can read with purpose, understand and analyze evidence in literature to construct meaning in increasingly complex texts. |
A2Students can determine the central message or theme and explain how this was detailed in the story. |
C. WritingStudents can effectively communicate purpose to an intended audience through written language, using a variety of media. |
C3Students can use effective techniques, descriptive details, and clear event sequences to write narratives (real or imagined experience). |
D. Speaking and ListeningStudents can listen effectively, present information appropriately given the situation, and collaborate with peers. |
D1Students can engage effectively in collaborative discussions (one-on-one, groups, teacher-led) with a variety of partners, about grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own ideas clearly (come to discussions prepared, having read, or studied required material). |
Below are analytic teacher rubrics. The column on the left shows the dimension that is being measured in the student’s performance. The levels across the top row indicate the performance level in the dimensions. Occasionally all dimensions and performance levels are exemplified by multiple students in a single recording.
| Dimensions | Not Yet Meeting Expectations | Meeting Expectations | Exceeding Expectations |
|---|---|---|---|
Focus/Organization |
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No exemplars at this time.
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Development |
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No exemplars at this time.
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Style/Conventions |
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No exemplars at this time.
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