Authentic Assessment: Annotation Skills/Interaction with Text/Reading Strategies

STANDARDS MET/ASSESSED:
Grades 6-8: WIDA Level 3-4 (writing and reading): Summarize content-related notes from lectures or
text; Infer meaning from text; Identify topic sentences or main ideas and details in paragraphs; Compare and
reflect on performance against criteria (e.g., rubrics).
SOLS meet those of other grades as well:
SOL 6.4
The student will read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases within authentic
texts.
e) Use word-reference materials.
f)
6.5

Extend general and specialized vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative
nonfiction, and poetry.
f) Use information in the text to draw conclusions and make inferences.
h) Identify the main idea.
i)

Identify and summarize supporting details.

l)

Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process.

ASSESSMENT BACKGROUND:
This is an authentic assessment of annotation skills. Prior to this assessment, students would have been
taught to identify vocabulary words, how to look up definitions of vocabulary words, to use a highlighter to mark a
text for certain details such as the main idea and supporting information. They would also know how to interact with
a text by making a reaction statement (I like thatI thinks its good that.This interests me because). We would
also have talked about the WH-questions. Students would have been working with texts on a regular basis. This
assessment asks them to do all of these skills. We would have practiced it at least twice before this, in whole class
discussion and small groups, as well as at least one time working alone.

Reading Strategies Assessment

Directions: Today you read and interact with an article. You will have 45 minutes to
complete this task. The article is about a middle school class that learns about elections
and helps to register voters. We have been learning about elections in social studies.
A rubric will be used to assess your notes. There are 20 possible points.
Heres what you need to do today:

Find four vocabulary words and define them. Yes, you may use words
that are defined in the article!
Find the main idea of the text. Use your highlighter.
Find at least three supporting details.
Use your highlighter and write 1,2, and 3 next to each detail.
Make at least 5 notes about the text. You can write a reaction or ask a
question.
Ask three WH-questions.

Here is your article. Read carefully and then follow the directions!

In the last presidential election, students at one school made a great difference. They got
people registered to vote. To be able to vote, you need to be 18 years old. And you need to be a
registered voter. It is easy to register. You bring something that shows you live in the community
and identification. Many people do not register to vote. Why dont they register? Some people
think that their vote is not important.
The seventh grade class at the school learned about what is called voter apathy. Apathy
means not caring. They learned that in their own community there were many people who are
not registered to vote. They wanted to change that. They said they would like to vote, but since
they were not old enough they wanted to get other people to vote.
The class came up with a plan. They would get more people registered to vote. They
made a plan. They would begin by getting people in their families registered. Then they would
get parents of other students to register.
Their teacher helped with their plan. She called the government office that helps to get
people registered to vote. The teacher asked if they would send a registrar to the school on the
schools open house day. A registrar is a person who registers voters. That way people could
register to vote while they were at the school. The answer was yes. A registrar came.
That day, 172 people registered to vote. The students were proud. But they had more to
do. So they went and talked with students in other classes. They asked the students to tell their
families how important it was to register to vote. Then they held another registration day. This
time, 102 more people registered to vote. They came to the school again. People were getting
excited about the election.
After the election, the students were proud. They could not vote. But they had made sure
that more people were registered. And they had reminded them to vote. They were sure they had
made a difference.