STAARMASTER_R6_Layout 1 - ECS Learning Systemsecslearningsystems.com/Source/Marketing_Downloads/STAARMASTE… · Sample Booklet Grade 6 Reading Student Practice Book Lori Mammen Editorial

Sample BookletGrade 6

Reading

Student Practice Book

Lori MammenEditorial Director

All New! Research-Based Series for TexasFor more than two decades, we have helped you achieve student success on Texas tests by providing the highest quality test-prep materials. With STAAR MASTER™, we continue our commitment to create research-based content that engages students and makes teaching easier.• Based on eligible TEKS and STAAR test blueprints • All new content with increased rigor • Emphasis on readiness standards • Assessment of process skills within context (mathematics, science, and social studies) • More open-ended (griddable) items (mathematics and science)

You know ECS from TAAS MASTER™ and TAKS MASTER®. Rest assured. The content in the STAAR MASTER™ series is 100% new

and developed according to the TEA test blueprints for STAAR™.

© ECS Learning Systems, Inc.

STAAR MASTER™ Sample Booklet

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3© ECS Learning Systems, Inc.


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CredibleSame ECS quality and rigor

• based on eligible TEKS and STAAR™ test blueprints

• practice items marked with complexity level (L, M, or H)

• questions labeled with “skill tags” • targeted practice in a variety of

contexts

AuthenticReflects key characteristics

of STAAR™

• increased rigor• emphasis on readiness standards• more open-ended (griddable) items

(mathematics and science)• assessment of process skills

within context (mathematics, science, and social studies)

FreshIncludes brand-new materials

• all new content • range of topics to interest students• clear and consistent page layout• complete answer keys for teachers

We make teaching easier!SM

ECS Learning Systems, Inc.P.O. Box 440 • Bulverde, TX 78163-0440

1.800.688.3224

You have used our TAAS and TAKS MASTER® books—now expect the same ECS quality and rigor with…

Reading • Mathematics • Writing • Social Studies • ScienceEnglish and Spanish versions

ecslearningsystems.com

All Content!New



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STAAR MASTER is a Trademark of ECS Learning Systems, Inc. STAAR is a Trademark of Texas Education Agency. STAAR MASTER andECS Learning Systems, Inc., are not affiliated with or sponsored by the Texas Education Agency or the State of Texas. Rev. 03/11 SMIFC

Reading, Grade 3Reading, Grade 4Reading, Grade 5Reading, Grade 6Reading, Grade 7Reading, Grade 8

Math, Grade 3Math, Grade 4Math, Grade 5Math, Grade 6Math, Grade 7Math, Grade 8

Writing, Grade 4Writing, Grade 7

Science, Grade 5Science, Grade 8

Social Studies, Grade 8

STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Books

Value-Priced to give each student a copy.

The most trusted name in Texas testing materials

Reading • Mathematics • Writing • Social Studies • ScienceGrades 3–8

FREE Teacher Guide (a $15.00 value) included with each pack. For SchoolPacks, an extra Teacher Guide will be included free for each additional 30 copies ordered.

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For ordering information, please visitwww.ecslearningsystems.com

800.688.3224 • [email protected]

Reading, Grade 3Reading, Grade 4Reading, Grade 5

Math, Grade 3Math, Grade 4Math, Grade 5

English Spanish

Rese

arch Based

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Selected pages from

STAAR MASTER™

Student Practice BookReading, Grade 6

for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness

Teacher Guide


ISBN: 978-1-60539-731-3Copyright infringement is a violation of Federal Law.© 2011 by ECS Learning Systems, Inc., Bulverde, Texas. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,or otherwise) without prior written permission from ECS Learning Systems, Inc.Photocopying of graphic organizers by a classroom teacher at a non-profit school who has purchased this publication for his/her ownclass is permissible. Reproduction of any part of this publication for an entire school or for a school system, by for-profit institutionsand tutoring centers, or for commercial sale is strictly prohibited. Printed in the United States of America. STAAR MASTER is a Trademark of ECS Learning Systems, Inc.

Disclaimer StatementECS Learning Systems, Inc., recommends that the purchaser/user of this publication preview and use his/her own judgment whenselecting lessons and activities. Please assess the appropriateness of the content and activities according to grade level and maturity ofyour students. The responsibility to adhere to safety standards and best professional practices is the duty of the teachers, students,and/or others who use the content of this publication. ECS Learning Systems is not responsible for any damage, to property orperson, that results from the performance of the activities in this publication.STAAR is a Trademark of Texas Education Agency. STAAR MASTER and ECS Learning Systems, Inc., are not affiliated with orsponsored by the Texas Education Agency or the State of Texas.




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STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book, Teacher Guide—Reading, Grade 6

ECS Learning Systems, Inc.P. O. Box 440

Bulverde, TX 78163-0440ecslearningsystems.com

1.800.688.3224 (t)1.877.688.3226 (f )

[email protected]

Table of ContentsWhat’s Inside the Student Practice Book? 3

Descriptions of STAAR MASTER™ Complexity Levels 5

How to Use This Book 6

Other Suggestions for Instruction 6

Instructional Strategies 7

Graphic Organizers 9

Master Skills List 14

Correlation Chart 15

Answer Key 17

References 19



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3© ECS Learning Systems, Inc. ■ STAAR MASTER™ Reading, Grade 6, Teacher Guide

The STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book providespractice and review material for the Grade 6 Readingportion of the State of Texas Assessments of AcademicReadiness (STAAR™).

• The reading passages reflect the kinds of passagesstudents might encounter on the actual STAAR.These include the following types of selections:fictional literary texts (stories, poems, anddramas), nonfiction literary texts (biographiesand autobiographies), informational texts(expository, persuasive, and procedural passages),and media literacy texts (newspapers,advertisements, blogs, and Web pages).

• The reading passages (single and paired) cover abroad range of topics and ideas of interest tosixth-grade students.

• Several readability formulas were used to ensurethat the texts are appropriate for sixth grade.

• The questions that follow a passage focus on the2009–2010 STAAR-eligible ELA-R TexasEssential Knowledge and Skills (Texas EducationAgency, 2010c) reading standards.

• Each question is labeled for easy identification of the TEKS-based standard and expectationaddressed in the question.

• Several questions throughout the book addressthe same standard/expectation, providingrepeated practice for students in a variety ofcontexts.

The following types of selections appear in the STAARMASTER Student Practice Book.

Fictional literary texts include stories, poems, anddramas. These selections present an obviousprogression of ideas. For example, a story would have aclear beginning, middle, and end.

Nonfiction literary texts include biographies andautobiographies. These selections relate true eventsfrom individuals’ lives and present a specific point of view.

Informational texts include expository, persuasive, and procedural passages. Expository selections giveinformation about topics in science, social studies, art,or other curricular areas. Persuasive selections presentan argument from a specific viewpoint or position.Procedural selections give multi-step or detaileddirections.

Media literacy texts include text from various forms of media, such as newspapers, advertisements, blogs,and Web pages. These selections present informationthrough words, images, and graphics and relateinformation for specific audiences and purposes. All elements of a text work together to communicate a message.

Practice-Item Skills TagsEach practice item is labeled with a “skills tag” (seeFigure 1, below) for easy identification of the TEKS-based standard and expectation addressed in thequestion. The tag also notes the complexity level of theitem. (For more information about complexity levels,refer to Box 1, “Descriptions of STAAR MASTER™Complexity Levels,” page 5).

This Teacher Guide includes—

• an overview of the Student Practice Book andkey characteristics of the STAAR

• descriptions of STAAR MASTER complexitylevels

• strategies for test preparation and readinginstruction

• a master list of STAAR-eligible standards andexpectations addressed in the ELA-R TEKS

• a correlation chart • a complete answer key (with corresponding

complexity levels for the items in each passage)

What’s Inside the Student Practice Book?

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2. Read the sentence from the story.

Ernest knew [Gathergold] was notthe man of the prophecy.

Which word would best replaceprophecy in the sentence?

A AchievementB CustomC DescriptionD Prediction

Figure 1: Practice-Item Skills Tag

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4 © ECS Learning Systems, Inc. ■ STAAR MASTER™ Reading, Grade 6, Teacher Guide

Readiness vs. Supporting StandardsThe eligible, or tested, TEKS are divided into“readiness standards” and “supporting standards,” withgreater emphasis on the former. Readiness standardsaddress broader, deeper ideas and are deemed morecritical for students to know. Supporting standardsaddress more narrowly defined ideas and will still beassessed, although not emphasized. The STAARMASTER™ Student Practice Book mirrors this balance of readiness and supporting standards to providemeaningful, authentic student practice for the STAAR™.

Figure 19The standards listed under TEKS “Figure 19” areimportant metacognitive reading skills that studentswill continue to apply (in greater depth and usingincreasingly complex texts) as they advance in gradelevel (Texas Education Agency, 2010b). Figure 19standards are meant to be used with all text types andduring both assigned and independent reading (seeFigure 2, below).

Increased RigorThe STAAR is described as “significantly morerigorous” (Texas Education Agency, 2010a) than theTexas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). Butwhat does rigor mean in assessment? For the STAAR, itmeans the cognitive complexity of items will increase toassess skills at a greater depth. The STAAR MASTERStudent Practice Book provides items written at varyinglevels of complexity to accommodate this increase inrigor. (Refer to the “Depth of Knowledge” section onthis page and Box 1 on page 5 for more informationabout the levels of complexity in practice items.)

In addition, the STAAR MASTER Student Practice Bookincludes more rigorous reading passages. Various genresare represented throughout the book, and each readingpassage is enhanced by its authentic layout. Thepassages address fresh, relevant topics, while alsoincluding classic literature selections (e.g., fictionaladaptations and poems).

AlignmentAccording to the mandate of No Child Left Behind(2001), states are required to develop assessments thattightly align to their content standards. To ensure thatthis requirement is met, states and districts oftenconduct alignment studies. In such a study, anassessment is compared to the state’s content standards.If an assessment is rigorous, the study will not yieldlarge disparities between the cognitive demands of the expectations and that of the assessment.

Depth of KnowledgeNorman Webb’s (2002) “depth of knowledge” model iscurrently one of the most influential alignment modelsin the field of education. “Depth of knowledge”describes the degree of complexity of knowledge acurricular item requires. Webb identifies four levels ofdepth of knowledge: recall (Level 1), skill or concept(Level 2), strategic thinking (Level 3), and extendedthinking (Level 4). Distinct cognitive demands occurduring each activity, or thinking process, level.

The items in the STAAR MASTER Student PracticeBook were aligned to the TEKS using a modifiedversion of the “depth-of-knowledge” model (see Box 1,“Descriptions of STAAR MASTER™ ComplexityLevels,” page 5). During the alignment process, thecomplexity level of each item (designated “Low,”“Moderate,” or “High”) was determined. The level can be found in the skills tag of each practice item and in the Answer Key.

6.RC.E (Summarize/Paraphrase/Synthesize) H

8. The author persuades the reader to learn a foreign language early inlife by—

A suggesting ways to go about learning a foreign language

B giving examples of the benefits the reader will receive

C numbering the many countries in which foreign languagesare spoken

D providing a chart of foreign-language speakers around the world

Figure 2: Practice Item for Reading Comprehension Skills (Figure 19)

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Descriptions of STAAR MASTER™Complexity Levels

The following descriptions provide an overview of thethree complexity levels used to align the STAARMASTER ™ Student Practice Book items to the eligibleELA-R TEKS. Each explanation details the kinds ofactivities that occur within each level. However, they do not represent all of the possible thought processes foreach level.

Low Complexity (L)Low-complexity items align with the TEKS at Level 1 ofthe Webb (2002) model. Items of low complexity mayinvolve recalling—but not analyzing—story events andother basic elements of a text structure. An item may askstudents to recognize or reproduce—but not interpret—figurative language. Items of this complexity may requireidentifying the meaning of a word through languagestructure or word relationships. At this cognitive level,students may need to locate details in a chart, graph, or diagram. A low-complexity item may ask students to recall, identify, arrange, locate, or define informationand concepts.

Moderate Complexity (M)Moderate-complexity items align with the TEKS at Level 2 of the Webb model. Items of moderatecomplexity involve both comprehension and thesubsequent processing of text. Students are asked to make inferences and identify cause-and-effectrelationships. However, students are not required to go beyond the text. Major concepts, such as main idea, areconsidered in a literal, rather than abstract, manner.Students are asked to compare word meanings, which theydetermine through context clues. At this cognitive level,students will need to identify similarities and differences.Items may involve determining information in a textfeature, such as a chart, graph, or diagram. Items of thiscomplexity may ask students to predict, organize, classify,compare, interpret, distinguish, relate, or summarize.Some items also require students to apply low-complexityskills and concepts.

High Complexity (H)High-complexity items align with the TEKS at Level 3and/or Level 4 of the Webb model*. Items of highcomplexity require students to use strategic, multi-stepthinking; develop a deeper understanding of the text; andextend thinking beyond the text. Major concepts, such astheme and figurative language, are now identified andexamined in an abstract manner. Students are asked todemonstrate more flexible thinking, apply priorknowledge, and support their responses. Students mayneed to generalize and transfer new information to newtasks. High-complexity items may require students tomake inferences across an entire passage or analyzerelationships between ideas or texts. At this cognitive level,students will need to analyze similarities and differences.Items may involve relating information in a text feature,such as a chart, graph, or diagram, to the text. A high-complexity item may ask students to plan, reason, explain,hypothesize, compare, differentiate, draw conclusions, citeevidence, analyze, synthesize, apply, or prove. Some itemsalso require students to apply low- and/or moderate-complexity skills and concepts.

*Note: Although state standards may include expectationsthat require extended thinking, many large-scaleassessment activities are not classified as Level 4.Performance and open-ended assessment may requireactivities at Level 4.

Box 1: Descriptions of STAAR MASTER™ Complexity Levels

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2. What did Nasmyth do once he hadan idea for an invention?

A Tested it in a factoryB Showed it to his fatherC Studied related machinesD Sketched it in his journal

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7. Which event marks the story’sresolution?

A Chelsea and Kevin break away from the group of people touring the house.

B Chelsea and Kevin flee a room after being scared by a hovering red light.

C Chelsea remembers a previous tour of the house she took with her grandmother.

D Chelsea decides that the design on the last square of the quilt will be a handprint.

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7. With which of Cassie’s points wouldGreg most likely agree?

A Everyone is encouraged to express opinions at school.

B Teachers’ actions influence their students’ performance.

C All-girls schools encourage the arts and sciences equally.

D Co-ed schools fail at preparing students for the workplace.

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How to Use This Book

Effective Test PreparationWhat is the most effective way to prepare students forany reading competency test? Experienced educatorsknow that the best test preparation includes threecritical components—

• a strong curriculum that is aligned with thecontent and skills to be assessed

• effective, relevant, and varied instructionalmethods that allow students to learn contentand skills in many different ways

• targeted practice that familiarizes students withthe specific content and format of the test

Obviously, a strong curriculum and effective, relevant,and varied instructional methods provide thefoundation for all appropriate test preparation.Contrary to what some might believe, merely “teachingthe test” performs a great disservice to students.Students must acquire knowledge, practice skills, andhave specific educational experiences that can never beincluded on tests limited by time and in scope. For thisreason, resources like the STAAR MASTER™ StudentPractice Book should never become the heart of thecurriculum or replace strong instructional methods.

Targeted PracticeThe STAAR MASTER Student Practice Book does,however, address the final element of effective testpreparation (targeted test practice). This bookfamiliarizes students with—

• the specific content of Texas’ competency test• the general format of competency tests

When students become familiar with both the contentand the format of a test, they know what to expect onthe actual test. This, in turn, improves their chances for success.

Using STAAR MASTER™ ProductsUsed as part of the regular curriculum, the STAARMASTER Student Practice Book allows teachers to—

• pretest skills students need for the actual test • determine students’ areas of strength and/or

weakness• provide meaningful test-taking practice

for students• ease students’ test anxiety• communicate test expectations and content to

parents

Other Suggestions for Instruction

The STAAR MASTER Student Practice Book can serveas a springboard for other effective instructionalactivities that help with test preparation.

Group WorkTeachers and students work through selected practiceexercises together, noting the kinds of questions andthe range of answer choices. They discuss commonerrors for each kind of question and strategies foravoiding these errors.

Predicting AnswersStudents predict the correct answer before reading thegiven answer choices. This encourages students to thinkthrough the question rather than focus on finding theright answer. Students then read the given answerchoices and determine which one, if any, matches theanswer they have given.

Developing Test QuestionsOnce students become familiar with the format of testquestions, they develop “test-type” questions for otherassigned reading (e.g., science, social studies).

Vocabulary DevelopmentTeachers and students foster vocabulary developmentin all subject areas through the use of word walls, word webs, word games, synonym/antonym charts,analogies, word categories, “word-of-the-day” activities, etc.

Two-Sentence RecapsStudents regularly summarize what they have read inone or two sentences. For fiction, students use the basicelements (setting, characters, problem, solution) toguide their summaries. For nonfiction, students use the journalist’s questions (who, what, where, when,why) for the same purpose. The teacher may also listthree to five key words from a reading selection anddirect students to write a one- to two-sentencesummary that includes the given words.

GeneralizationsAfter students read a selection, the teacher states ageneralization based on the reading, and studentsprovide specific facts and details to support thegeneralization; or the teacher provides specifics fromthe selection, and students state the generalization.



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Selected pages from

STAAR MASTER™

Student Practice BookReading, Grade 6for the State of Texas Assessments

of Academic Readiness


ISBN: 978-1-60539-237-0Copyright infringement is a violation of Federal Law.© 2011 by ECS Learning Systems, Inc., Bulverde, Texas. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,or otherwise) without prior written permission from ECS Learning Systems, Inc.

Reproduction of any part of this publication for an entire school or for a school system, by for-profit institutions and tutoring centers,or for commercial sale is strictly prohibited.

Printed in the United States of America. STAAR MASTER is a Trademark of ECS Learning Systems, Inc.

Disclaimer StatementECS Learning Systems, Inc., recommends that the purchaser/user of this publication preview and use his/her own judgment whenselecting lessons and activities. Please assess the appropriateness of the content and activities according to grade level and maturity ofyour students. The responsibility to adhere to safety standards and best professional practices is the duty of the teachers, students,and/or others who use the content of this publication. ECS Learning Systems is not responsible for any damage, to property orperson, that results from the performance of the activities in this publication.STAAR is a Trademark of Texas Education Agency. STAAR MASTER and ECS Learning Systems, Inc., are not affiliated with orsponsored by the Texas Education Agency or the State of Texas.



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STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book—Reading, Grade 6

Table of ContentsMystery House (Literary Text/Fiction) 3E-Mail Attachments Made Easy (Informational Text/Procedural) 9Language Lends a Hand (Informational Text/Expository) 14The Fog (Literary Text/Poetry) 19Consider a School Switch and Give Co-Ed a Chance (Informational Text/Persuasive) 23

The Stone-Carved Face and Finding Sara Crewe (Literary Text/Fiction) 29The Hammerman and A Steam Solution (Literary Text/Nonfiction) 38Keeping Clean (Informational Text/Expository) 45Waiting for Me (Literary Text/Poetry) 51A Lucky Find (Literary Text/Fiction) 55Five Tips for a Fabulous Vacation (Informational Text/Procedural) 60Legless Land Creatures (Informational Text/Expository) 65Putting “Online” On the Line (Informational Text/Persuasive) 70The Three Brothers (Literary Text/Drama) 75An Irish Lesson (Literary Text/Fiction) 81It’s Not Easy Staying Green (Informational Text/Expository) 87Pre-Storm Prep (Informational Text/Procedural) 94The Cookie Mistake (Literary Text/Poetry) 100Cut the Clutter! (Informational Text/Procedural) 104Going for Water (Literary Text/Poetry) 110

Credits

Page 61 and 91 advertisements provided by the Federal Trade Commission and www.admongo.gov.

ECS Learning Systems, Inc.P. O. Box 440

Bulverde, TX 78163-0440ecslearningsystems.com

1.800.688.3224 (t)1.877.688.3226 (f )

[email protected]



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becoming knights. That was the only bath most of those men had in their entire lives. Queen Elizabeth I was considered extremely clean. She bathed once every three months!

During the 1600s, cleanliness became fashionable across Europe. But soap was highlytaxed, so it was very expensive. Only the rich could afford to bathe their entire bodies,although most people washed their hands before and after meals.

Soapmaking in the New WorldIn 1621, soapmakers from Europe came to the New World aboard the Fortune, but the

chore of making soap usually fell to the colonial wife. All winter, she saved wood ashes. Onsoap day, she first poured the ashes into a barrel. She then poured water into the barrel, and it reacted with the ash to form lye. The lye seeped through the bottom of the barrel into abucket. She then poured the lye into an iron kettle filled with cooking grease and animal fat.Over an outdoor fire, she boiled the lye and fats together until they formed a soft, jelly-likesubstance used for washing clothes, hands, and faces. Making soap was a stinky, difficult,long day’s work.

In the 1800s, more households had sinks and bathtubs, so washing became morecommon. People started washing their entire bodies. Many upper-class people bathed daily.But, as William Alcott noted in 1846, there were still plenty of people considered clean andneat who bathed only “half a dozen times—nay once—a year.”

Washing Regains PopularityIn 1853, the soap tax in England ended. Common people could afford to bathe. Most

working-class people washed with water from a basin every day. Some even took a weeklybath in a tin tub on the kitchen floor. If a family did bathe, all the children in the family usedthe same water. People with servants bathed in their bedrooms or dressing rooms. For a fullbath, a tub was brought in, and the servant had to fill the tub bucketful by bucketful. Theyemptied it in the same way. Baths were hard work for servants.

Soapmaking in the nineteenth century

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The Black DeathThe following is adapted from the writings of Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio. He survived theBlack Death as it swept through Florence, Italy in 1348.

It began both in men and women with certain swellings that grew to the size of a small apple oran egg, more or less, and were called tumors. In a short time, these tumors spread all over thebody. Soon after, black or purple spots appeared on the arms or thighs or any other part of thebody, sometimes a few large ones, sometimes many little ones. These spots were a sign of certaindeath. Fear overtook the living, and they avoided the sick and everything belonging to the sick.

One citizen avoided another, and relatives stopped visiting each other. What is even worse andnearly incredible is that fathers and mothers refused to see and tend to their children, as if theyhad not been theirs.

The plight of the lower and most of themiddle classes was even more pitiful. Most ofthem remained in their houses, either because of poverty or in hopes of safety, and fell sick bythousands. Since they received no care orattention, almost all of them died. They wereknown to be dead only because the neighborssmelled their decaying bodies. Dead bodies filled every corner.

In addition to bathing, hand washingbecame more common in the early 1900s in theUnited States. This new practice helped morebabies survive as people stopped passing germsfrom one to another as easily. Doctors andscientists worked hard to spread the word thatcleanliness was healthy.

The number of soap products has explodedsince the 1920s. Most of what we call soap todayis actually detergent, a cleaning product madewithout using animal fats. Today, you can walkdown the aisle at a grocery store and find allkinds of soaps: face soap, hand soap, bath soap,scented soap, antibacterial soap, soap with aloe,liquid soap, bar soap, and a lot more. We are fortunate that we do not have to save up fat, pay high taxes, or share bathwater just to stay clean!

Modern bars of soap

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© ECS Learning Systems, Inc. 48

Standard 10 (Text Organization) M

1. How is the information in thepassage mainly organized?

A Steps in a processB Chronological orderC Order of importanceD Compare and contrast

6.RC.D (Inferences) H

2. Based on the information in thepassage, a reader can assume thatthose who witnessed the eventsduring the Black Death were—

A disappointed B fearfulC puzzledD uncertain

Standard 10 (Facts For/Against an Issue) H

3. The author includes a fact about the increase in baby survival rates in the 1900s to support the argument that—

A preparing baths was a difficult chore

B doctors worked hard to cure diseases

C different types of soap were necessary

D hand washing was an important practice



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Standard 2 (Roots/Affixes) L

4. What do the letters anti in the wordantibacterial mean?

A BelowB Against C TogetherD In front of

Standard 10 (Main Ideas/Supporting Details) M

5. What is the main idea of the passage?

A Most people bathe seven times per week.

B Sewage once covered the streets of major cities.

C Personal hygiene has changed throughout history.

D Soap has always been an important part of people’s daily lives.

Standard 10 (Connections Across Texts) M

6. According to the information in “The Black Death,” how didpeople try to prevent the plague from spreading?

A They avoided contact with one another.

B They covered up any visible dark spots.

C They sought immediate treatmentfor their swellings.

D They gave away items that were feared to cause illness.



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Standard 2 (Context Clues) M

7. Read the sentence from “The BlackDeath.”

What is even worse and nearlyincredible is that fathers and mothers refused to see and tend to their children, as if they had notbeen theirs.

What does incredible mean in the sentence?

A Below averageB Without interest C Difficult to believeD Causing discomfort

Standard 2 (Context Clues) M

8. Read the sentence from “The BlackDeath.”

The plight of the lower and most of the middle classes was even more pitiful.

In this sentence, a plight is a(n)—

A ideaB opinion C processD situation

Standard 10 (Connections Across Texts) M

9. Which detail about the Black Deathis given in both the passage and thesummary of Boccaccio’s writings?

A Description of the disease’s effect on the skin

B The effect of the disease on family interaction

C The name of the swellings caused by the disease

D Description of the conditions that caused the disease



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It’s On The TestFrom TestSMART ® Student Practice Books to elementary-level skills practice,

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Why? Gr. 1–3BH88982 Getting the Sequence Gr. 1–3BH88983 Main Idea and Details Gr. 1–3BH88984 Fact and Opinion Gr. 1–3BH88985 Drawing Conclusions and Inferences Gr. 1–3BH88986 Context Clues Gr. 1–3BH88991 My First Sight Words Gr. K–1BH88992 Mastering Sight Words Gr. 1–2BH88994 Consonants Gr. K–1BH88995 Blends & Digraphs Gr. 1–2BH88996 Short Vowels Gr. 1–2BH88997 Long Vowels Gr. 1–2BH88998 Rhyming Words Gr. 1–2BH88999 Compounds & Contractions Gr. 1–2NU783XRH Graphic Organizer CollectionNU8437RH Reacting to Literature: Writing

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When? Why? Gr. 1–3BH1469 Getting the Sequence Gr. 1–3BH1477 Main Idea and Details Gr. 1–3BH1493 Fact and Opinion Gr. 1–3BH1485 Drawing Conclusions and Inferences Gr. 1–3BH140X The 5 W’s & H Gr. 4–5BH1418 Getting the Sequence Gr. 4–5BH1426 Main Idea & Details Gr. 4–5BH1442 Fact & Opinion Gr. 4–5BH1434 Drawing Conclusions & Inferences Gr. 4–5

Spanish-Math BH1639 Dot-to-Dot 1–100+ Gr. 2–4BH1646 Math Art Gr. 1–2BH1653 Math Art Gr. 2–3BH1660 Multiplication Dot-to-Dot Gr. 3–4BH1592 Math Drill, Practice & Apply Gr. 1–2BH1608 Math Drill, Practice & Apply Gr. 2–3BH1615 Math Drill, Practice & Apply Gr. 3–4BH1622 Math Drill, Practice & Apply Gr. 4–5BH1507 First Number Skills Gr. K–1BH1515 Time & Money Skills Gr. 1–2BH1523 Number Facts to 10 Gr. 1–2BH1530 Basic Facts to 18 Gr. 2–3BH1547 Regrouping Skills Gr. 2–3BH1554 Multiplication Facts Gr. 3–4BH1578 Place Value Gr. 1–2BH1585 Fraction Basics Gr. 2–3BH1561 Multiplication Skills Gr. 3–5

Get Reading!!™ kits use the best of young people’s literature to emphasize common elements among three literature selections. Ideal for RTI and leveled assessment, Get Reading!!™ helps you reinforce important skills in reading and literature at the same time.

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STAAR MASTER is a Trademark of ECS Learning Systems, Inc. STAAR is a Trademark of Texas Education Agency. STAAR MASTER andECS Learning Systems, Inc., are not affiliated with or sponsored by the Texas Education Agency or the State of Texas. Rev. 03/11 SMIFC

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