Unpacking PARCC Prompts English Language Arts

3 Types of Writing Tasks Narrative Literary Analysis Research Simulation

NARRATIVE Hint: Think about what the word MEANS! (narrator, narration, narrative) Asks you to do one of the following: write a story detail a scientific process write a historical account of important figures describe an account of event, scenes or objects might be FICTION or NONFICTION

LITERARY ANALYSIS Think about what ANALYZE means…… STUDY! What is LITERATURE?.... Literary Analysis = study something written (fiction or nonfiction) Asks you to carefully consider literary elements Asks you to compose an analytical essay

Research Simulation Think about what SIMULATION means. You are PRETENDING to do a research project. You will be given a topic and sources. Asks you to analyze an informational topic presented through several articles. Asks you to synthesize (put together) information from multiple sources in order to write an analytical essay.

First Things First Before you can write your essay, you have to be able to: Identify the task type Flip the prompt into a question so that you can use R.A.C.E. If you don’t have a clear understanding of what you’re supposed to do, you won’t score well.

(Use Firefox, not Internet Explorer!) Example Test Sample Practice Tests are available on the Pearson website: http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/english/ (Use Firefox, not Internet Explorer!)

PRACTICE Take a look at your worksheet. The three types of tasks on at the top. A sample prompt is given for grades 3-9. Some are done for you. At the bottom of the back of the sheet is the website for sample tasks.

REMEMBER, YOUR GOAL IS TO flip the prompts into questions to help you clearly see WHAT YOUR ESSAY WILL BE ABOUT and so that you can use R.A.C.E. in your essay response

PRACTICE STEP 1: Highlight clues in the intro to help you determine what type of task it is. Box what you will be reading: article novel, play, story, passage, poem, letter, video

When looking for clues to help you determine what type of task it is, look for words such as: story, characters, plot, novel, events, essay, research, information, analyze, sources (Be careful! ANALYZE could be used in all three types of tasks!)

PRACTICE STEP 2: Identify the task type.

Underline the part in the prompt that tells you what to write. PRACTICE STEP 3: Underline the part in the prompt that tells you what to write.

PRACTICE STEP 4: Reword what you underlined into a question(s). (Research/Lit.Analysis) OR Simplify the prompt into your own words. (Narrative Task) Note: Do NOT use the word “you”.

3rd Grade Task Today, you will read two stories titled “Johnny Chuck Finds the Best Thing in the World” and “Me First.” As you read, think about the actions of the characters and the events of the stories. Answer the questions to help you write an essay…. ESSAY PROMPT: Old Mother West Wind and the Sandwitch both try to teach important lessons to characters in the stories. Write an essay that explains how Old Mother West Wind’s and the Sandwitch’s words and actions are important to the plots of the stories. Use what you learned about the characters to support your essay.

3rd Grade: Unpacked Prompt Literary Analysis How are Old Mother West Wind’s and the Sandwitch’s words and actions important to the plot of the stories?

4th Grade Task Today you will read two articles and watch a video about the survival of wild horses on Assateague Island in Maryland and Chincoteague Island in Virginia. As you review these sources, you will gather information and answer questions so that you can write an essay…. THEN: Your class has been studying about the survival of the ponies on Assateague Island. Using information from the articles and the video, describe the roles that both the horses and humans play in the horses’ survival. Use evidence from the articles and the video to support your answer.

4th Grade: Unpacked Prompt Research Simulation What is the role that horses and humans play in the horses’ survival?

SKIP THE 5TH GRADE TASK FOR NOW. WE WILL COME BACK TO IT.

6th Grade Task Today you will read a passage from a story titled Magic Elizabeth. As you read and answer the questions, pay close attention to the characters to help prepare you to write a narrative story… ESSAY PROMPT: In the passage from Magic Elizabeth, the author creates a vivid setting and two distinct characters, Mrs. Chipley and Sally. Think about the details the author uses to establish the setting and the characters. Write an original story about what happens when Sally arrives at Aunt Sarah’s house. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about the setting and the characters as you tell what happens next.

6th Grade: Unpacked Prompt Narrative What happens when Sally arrives at Aunt Sarah’s house?

7th Grade Task Today you will research electricity and consider some of the methods used in science texts and videos to support different purposes. First you will read a passage that explains some general principles of electricity. Next, you will watch a video about fun ways to learn about electricity circuits. Finally, you will read an article that explains how different materials conduct electricity. As you review these sources, think about the purpose of each and the role that explanations, demonstrations, and/or descriptions of experiments play in communicating that purpose. At the end of the task, you will be asked to write an essay…. THEN: You have learned about electricity by reading two articles, “Energy Story” and “Conducting Solutions,” and viewing a video clip titled “Hands-on Science with Squishy Circuits.” In an essay, compare the purposes of the three sources. Then analyze how each source uses explanations, demonstrations, or descriptions of experiments to help accomplish its purpose. Be sure to discuss important differences and similarities between the information gained from the video and the information provided in the articles. Support your response with evidence from each source.

7th Grade: Unpacked Prompt Research How are the purposes of the sources similar? How does each source use explanations, demonstrations, or descriptions of experiments to help accomplish its purpose? What are the important differences and similarities between the sources?

Be careful. ANALYZE could be used in all three types of tasks Be careful! ANALYZE could be used in all three types of tasks! Be careful! Don’t get confused when you see the word NARRATOR. It doesn’t always mean that it is a narrative task! Ex: Write an essay describing how each narrator’s point of view influenced how…