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TCRWP Kindergarten Informational Reading/Information Writing Performance Assessment DRAFT 10-26-11

GRADE: Kindergarten

NAME OF ASSESSMENT: Reading Informational Texts and Informational Writing Performance Assessment

STANDARDS ASSESSED:

Primary:

• Students will with prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. (RI.K.1)

• Students will actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. (RI.K.10)

• Students will use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic. (W.K.2)

Secondary:

• Students will, with guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. (W.K.8)

Depth of Knowledge Level of task: Levels 2-4

Task Details:

• Duration of administration: Two class periods across one or two days • Time of year when administered: January or earlier – may be repeated in March • Materials needed: o Video to stream: “Sid the Science Kid: Growing Plants”

http://pbskids.org/sid/videoplayer.html?pid=lJ6DGhnvpLcQhezsdancc_3GYmCJAB2f  go to “Investigations” and scroll through the list of titles until you find “Growing Plants”)

o “Colorful Plants,” by Kelly Boland Hohne (available on TCRWP website) o “Amazing Plants,” by Scholastic, Inc. (available on TCRWP website) o Booklets (sample included) for note taking and information writing.

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TCRWP Kindergarten Informational Reading/Information Writing Performance Assessment DRAFT 10-26-11

Explanation of Standards Alignment:

RI.K.1: Students will, with prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

• Students will, with prompting from the teacher and support in the form of partner talk and teacher charting, respond to questions about the video “Sid the Science Kid: Growing Plants.”

• Students will, with prompting from the teacher and support in the form of shared writing, ask and answer questions about key details in a grade-level complex text, entitled “Amazing Plants.”

• Students will, with prompting from the teacher and support in the form of dictation where applicable, ask and answer questions about key details in writing about a grade-level complex text, entitled “Colorful Plants.”

RI.K.10: Students will actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

• Students will listen and respond to two grade-level complex texts through read aloud, asking and answering questions towards understanding the information that the texts are teaching and engaging with the topic.

W.K.2:  Students will use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

• Students will draw, write, and dictate an informational text about plants, in which they name the topic and give some information about plants.

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TCRWP Kindergarten Informational Reading/Information Writing Performance Assessment DRAFT 10-26-11

Overview of Assessment **Note: Suggested teacher prompts follow – please alter and make note of alterations based on your own conversational style and the ways in which you’ve talked about reading and writing nonfiction in your own classroom. The tasks below could be administered in many different ways.**

Suggested time frame: approximately 90 minutes total. • The introduction and three tasks could be administered in two to four chunks of time,

in either one or two days. • We suggest that Task 2 (independent writing off of read aloud of “Amazing Plants”)

and Task 3 (information book writing) are not administered in a single sitting, so that students get a fresh start when they are asked to write the information book.

Introduction: Viewing of and conversation about “Sid the Science Kid: Growing Plants” Students will watch a video entitled “Sid the Science Kid: Growing Plants” and will be prompted to watch and listen for information about plants. The teacher will show the video twice and prompt students to turn and talk about key details they learned. The teacher will then chart some important information from the video. Task 1: Read aloud and conversation/shared drawing and writing about “Colorful Plants” Teacher will read aloud a Level D book entitled “Colorful Plants,” prompting students to answer questions about the main ideas and key details from the text. After the read aloud, the teacher will engage the class in shared writing to create an annotated class drawing based on information from the book. The teacher will also give students an opportunity to ask questions that they still have about plants and parts of plants. Task 2: Read aloud and writing and drawing about “Amazing Plants” Teacher will read aloud a Level D book (if assessment is given in the fall, if in the spring, students will read this book independently) entitled “Amazing Plants,” prompting students to ask and answer questions in writing and drawing about the main ideas and key details from the text. Task 3: Information book writing about “plants” Students will write an information book about plants, naming what they’re writing about and including information about the topic derived from the video and the two readings. Teachers will remind students to use all they know about writing information books.

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TCRWP Kindergarten Informational Reading/Information Writing Performance Assessment DRAFT 10-26-11

Suggested Teacher Prompts (tips in italics, possible language to kids in quotes): Preparation for Introduction and Tasks 1 and 2: video and read alouds:

o Cue video of “Sid the Science Kid: Growing Plants” go to “Investigations” and scroll through the list of titles until you find “Growing Plants”) http://pbskids.org/sid/videoplayer.html?pid=lJ6DGhnvpLcQhezsdancc_3GYmCJAB2f

o Make copies of booklets – one 2-page booklet for each student with drawing box and 3 lines per page. (see template for booklet pages at end of this document)

• Prepare chart with these questions: What is this book teaching us? What are we learning on this page?

Introduction to topic through video and conversation: (approximately 15 minutes) Video: “Sid the Science Kid: Growing Plants” “We will be studying Plants over the next two days. We’re going to watch a video, and read a couple of books together to learn important information about plants. Then you’ll get a chance to write your own information books to show what you’ve learned.” “First, let’s watch this video about growing plants. I’m going to show the video twice. Watch and listen for what this video is teaching you. You may have questions about plants, and as we watch, you may get answers to some of your questions. You may still have questions when we finish. You’ll have a chance to talk to a partner after I show the video two times.” Show the video once through. “Now we’ll watch the video one more time. This time listen and watch carefully for information that you may have missed the first time through, and that may answer some of the questions you still have. You may be thinking, what is this teaching me about plants? What do I want to remember about how they grow?” Show the video a second time. “Turn to your partner and say the important information that you learned from this video. You may also say what you’re still wondering about plants.” Teacher may record some information shared and some questions that children are asking. On a chart titled, “What we know so far about plants” write and draw a few pieces of information that the children shared. Some likely information to write:

• Plants start out as seeds. • Plants need water to grow. • It takes time for plants to get bigger.

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TCRWP Kindergarten Informational Reading/Information Writing Performance Assessment DRAFT 10-26-11

Task 1: Shared Written Response to Read Aloud of Colorful Plants (approximately 20 minutes) “Now we’re going to read a book that teaches us more about plants. I’m going to stop after every couple of pages to give you a chance to think to yourself: what are these pages teaching? Afterwards, we’re going to write together to remember important information that this book taught.” Read and stop where appropriate to have students turn and talk to a partner about what the pages are teaching them. After read aloud: “Now, let’s take a minute to write and draw what this book taught us about plants.” Through asking questions, such as “What did we learn?” “How could we draw that?” “Where do the leaves go?” create a shared annotated drawing of a plant that has some of the features discussed in “Colorful Plants.” Leave on chart paper for students to refer to when they write their information books. “Are there questions we still have about plants? Turn and tell your partner what you’re still wondering.” Task 2: Read Aloud of “Amazing Plants” With Response through Drawing and Writing (approximately 20 minutes) “Now that you have listened to and learned some information about plants and what they look like and how they grow, we’re going to read another book, called “Amazing Plants.” As we read the words and study the photographs, we’ll think about the key details this book teaches. Remember, the key details are the most important parts. Halfway through the book, I’m going to stop and ask you to draw and write the information the book has taught you, labeling your drawing and spelling words the best that you can. Then, at the end of the book, I’ll ask you to draw and write again. This way, you can remember what this book taught you about plants! You’ll be able to use your drawing and writing to help you write your own information book about plants. You will use this 2-page booklet to take your notes.” Read pages 1-3. “Now it’s time to draw and write to show what information this book has just taught us. Use the first page in your booklet. Remember to include the important details that we just heard. Do your best to draw what you learned and use your best spelling to label the drawing and to explain the information. Circulate and interview students to add to their writing where dictation is necessary. “Now I’m going to finish the book. Listen and look for new information that we learn on the last pages.” Read pages 4-6. “Turn to the second page of your booklet. Now write and draw the new information that we just heard and saw.” Circulate and interview students to add to their writing where dictation is necessary.

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TCRWP Kindergarten Informational Reading/Information Writing Performance Assessment DRAFT 10-26-11

Preparation for Task 3: information book writing: • Make copies of “Colorful Plants” and “Amazing Plants” – one per table of children • Make copies of booklets – one 5-page booklet for each student with drawing box and 3

lines per page. Have extra booklet pages available at tables so that students may add more pages if they want to. (see template for booklet pages at end of these instructions)

• Prepare to hand back students’ responses to read aloud of “Amazing Plants” Task 3: Information Writing About “Plants” Using Information from Readings (approximately 25 minutes) “Now, you’re going to have a chance to teach the important information you’ve learned and know about plants by writing your own information book. You may look back at the drawing and labels that we made as a class from the book “Colorful Plants”. You may also look back at your drawing and writing about the book “Amazing Plants.” There are also copies of the books “Colorful Plants” and “Amazing Plants” at your tables, if you want to look back at the pictures to remind you of important information. But remember that this is your own book, and you need to write your own words and make your own pictures, not copy what the other authors have written or drawn. There are 5 pages in the books I’ve given you, but if you need more pages, there are some extras at your tables to add. You will have _____ minutes to write your books. Remember to name what you’re writing about on each page, and to use what you know about organizing information across pages, making labels for drawings, writing to teach and explain information, and spelling words the best you can to write this book. I will come around to talk to you about your book as you’re working.” **Note: teachers may decide to chart these points along with picture support (for example, a picture of the pages in a book, etc.) so students can view them while writing.** Remember, when writing an information book…

• Name what you’re writing about on each page (use a heading) • Organize information across pages. • Include pictures and labels. • Write to teach and explain information. • Spell words the best you can.

Circulate and take dictation where appropriate to add students’ thinking to books.

 

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