common assessment

Thursday, 1/16: DWA II – Day II

“Avant-garde posters unveiled for Tokyo Olympics”

Link to all the Posters!

…and then… Four Day Weekend!

7th Grade Informative/Explanatory District Writing Assessment – Day 2

When you are finished, make sure you have TYPED your name at the top of the document, and then please SHARE your document with me. I will handle printing it!

Tips:

  • Use the highlight feature to pick sections of the texts to use in your essay. Highlight them and type a note or two on how you might use it.
  • Be sure to say, “According to…” or “So-and-So says…” or “In the article…” EVERY TIME you use something from one of the articles.
  • You should use something from all three sources.
  • PROOFREAD! SPELLCHECK!
  • Use an example to start the essay, and then ANSWER THE QUESTION (“Technology has had several important effects on communication today. The above was just one example…”).
  • What do all three articles have in common? What are all three trying to say?

7th Grade Informative/Explanatory District Writing Assessment

 Technology is anything created for a specific purpose. A ruler, cell phone, lined paper, and a rocket ship are all technology. Basically, anything that helps make our lives easier is considered technology. In today’s world, technology is growing and changing rapidly to suit our needs. Specifically, it is helping how information is communicated like never before. As you read, think about the ways technology has impacted the way we communicate today.

 You are going to study three sources that talk about technology and communication:

 

As you study these sources, think about what they show you about technology and how it is used to communicate information.

 Finally, using these three sources, you will write an informative/explanatory essay explaining your thinking.

 For the essay, your focusing question is:

According to these sources, how has technology had an impact on communication?

 

Remember, a good informative essay:

  • Has a clear introduction
  • States a focus/thesis clearly, precisely, and thoughtfully
  • Uses specific cited evidence from the text(s) to support and develop the topic and explains that evidence
  • Concludes effectively
  • Uses precise language
  • Shows control over conventions

 

Your essay will be scored using the following criteria:

  • Purpose and Organization: Is the main idea clearly communicated? Is the essay clearly focused? How well did your ideas thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using effective transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?
  • Elaboration/Evidence: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?
  • Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling?

Wednesday, 1/15; DWA II – Day I

7th Grade Informative/Explanatory District Writing Assessment

You will have two class periods for this assessment. When you are finished, please SHARE your document with me. I will handle printing it! Please take your time.

Tips:

  • Use the highlight feature to pick sections of the texts to use in your essay. Highlight them and type a note or two on how you might use it.
  • Be sure to say, “According to…” or “So-and-So says…” or “In the article…” EVERY TIME you use something from one of the articles.
  • You should use something from all three sources.
  • PROOFREAD! SPELLCHECK!
  • Use an example to start the essay, and then ANSWER THE QUESTION (“Technology has had several important effects on communication today. The above was just one example…”).
  • What do all three articles have in common? What are all three trying to say?

 

 

7th Grade Informative/Explanatory District Writing Assessment

 

Technology is anything created for a specific purpose. A ruler, cell phone, lined paper, and a rocket ship are all technology. Basically, anything that helps make our lives easier is considered technology. In today’s world, technology is growing and changing rapidly to suit our needs. Specifically, it is helping how information is communicated like never before. As you read, think about the ways technology has impacted the way we communicate today.

 

You are going to study three sources that talk about technology and communication:

 

As you study these sources, think about what they show you about technology and how it is used to communicate information.

 

Finally, using these three sources, you will write an informative/explanatory essay explaining your thinking.

 

For the essay, your focusing question is:

According to these sources, how has technology had an impact on communication?

 

Remember, a good informative essay:

 

  • Has a clear introduction
  • States a focus/thesis clearly, precisely, and thoughtfully
  • Uses specific cited evidence from the text(s) to support and develop the topic and explains that evidence
  • Concludes effectively
  • Uses precise language
  • Shows control over conventions

 

 

Your essay will be scored using the following criteria:

  • Purpose and Organization: Is the main idea clearly communicated? Is the essay clearly focused? How well did your ideas thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using effective transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?
  • Elaboration/Evidence: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?
  • Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling?

Wednesday, 10/30: Narrative Common Assessment

You will be writing your best personal narrative. When you begin, think about how you want to organize your writing. You will have one class period to write this narrative. 

2019-2020 – Narrative: 

Choose one of the prompts below to write about:

Prompt 1: Write a personal narrative about an unexpected event that happened to you. Explain the effect it had on you and your life.

Prompt 2: Write a personal narrative about a time when you made a mistake or did something you regret. Explain the effect it had on you and your life.

Narrative Scoring

Your essay will be scored using the following criteria:

  • Purpose and Organization: Does your narrative have a purposeful plot that gives a sense of completeness? How well do your ideas thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using logical transitions? How effective is your introduction and conclusion?
  • Elaboration/Evidence: How well do you elaborate your ideas? How well do you clearly state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose? 
  • Conventions: How well do you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling (lol)?

SHOW, DON’T TELL! (INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR!)

In your writing, make sure you include: 

  • Effective opening and closing
  • Well-developed characters
  • Consistent point-of-view
  • Elaboration to help readers picture your story
  • Sensory details and narrative style choices (figurative language)
  • Effective narrative techniques: dialogue, plot devices, flashback, flashforward, foreshadowing
  • Variety of transition words 
  • Capitals, end marks, and other appropriate conventions

Save a few minutes at the end to proofread!

When you are finished:

  1. Give it a title.
  2. TYPE your name and period on the document.
  3. SHARE YOUR GOOGLE DOC WITH ME (mcoward@slcusd.org).

Tuesday, 10/29: Proofreading, Vocab, TMA, Narrative Prep

SMYK’s are now due Thursday!

Proofreading, 10/29.  fragment, run on, apostrophe or plural error, word misuse, no mistake

1) Yesterday, I downloaded from iTunes the album My Love is Like a Cheese it’s by the band Love Baby Kiss Doll.   2) I thought I’d like it a lot, and I did.  3) Everybody’s phone or music player should have this album on it.   4) If you’re going to buy only one album this year, it should be this one.  5) Especially if you’re into space country music and stuff like that.
6) Although there are many compelling songs, my favorite song on the album is called “Take the Skinheads Bowling.”  7) It’s a very wistful song about the good ‘ol days bowling with punk rock dudes.  8) Do you remember those days? I wouldn’t think that you would.   9)  This song also has an abundance of rocking guitars and a defunct section featuring JayZ.
10) My one complaint is that the album is too long, and my enthusiasm started to ebb by the end.

 

“Vocabulary, 10/29.” (13)
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  1. _____
  2. _____
  3. “If there are no other ideas, then it’s agreed we blame the media.” _____
  4. Since I hadn’t studied, I was ______ about my chances on the difficult test.
  5. The hill with the M on it is known _____(ly) as Madonna Mountain, but its real name is… (Bonus: en Espanol.)
  6. Mr. Calandro is trying to _____ a sense of kindness in the students of Laguna.
  7. The replays of the rescue ____ TV watchers all over the country.
  8. The _____ of two full moons in one month is called a blue moon.
  9. The root of this word means “shape.”   ______
  10. He didn’t think the judgement was fair, so he only paid the money ______(ingly).
  11. There is always a ______of food and drink at the MidState Fair.
  12. True or False? Always taking the same route to school is a good example of an idiosyncrasy. 
  13. * She has several positive ______(s) that make her a good fit for the job.

 

Narrative Prep. Checking Show not Tell’s!

Prompt and Instructions.
Think about your SnT:
Does it tell the story? What’s the conflict? What was the “inciting incident”? (How did this ball get rolling?)
How is it resolved?
Conclusion: What effect did this have on your life? Now you can slide back into Telling mode.

Tomorrow, you will write it live!

 

Alyce and Edward.

 

 

Thursday, 3/28: Argumentative Essay, Day 3

Remember the assignment:

Write an essay explaining your belief about the following question:
Do helicopter parents harm or help their children?

Be sure to use evidence from the texts, as well as your own knowledge, to support and develop your thinking.  Remember that this is an argumentative essay, so be sure to address opposing arguments and points of view. Support your position by incorporating evidence from the provided research.

YOUR THESIS SENTENCE SHOULD ANSWER THAT QUESTION!

TODAY:

  • Finish the rough draft.
  • Spellcheck and reread the rough draft to catch run-ons and fragments.
  • Make sure you used paragraphs!
  • Highlight the counterclaim and their evidence in red.
  • Highlight your rebuttal and evidence in green.
  • Give it a groovy title that sums up your thesis.
  • Make sure you put that title in the title box AND at the top of the document.
  • SHARE with me. DO NOT PRINT.
  • Get a MadLib and quietly have fun. Doodle your results on the back!