core ela assessments - 95b2.https.cdn.softlayer.net 6...core ela assessments grade 6. core ela ......

A McGraw-Hill Education Partnership

Core ELAAssessments

GRADE

6

Core ELA Assessments

A McGraw-Hill Education Partnership

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

All rights reserved. The contents, or parts thereof, may be reproduced in print form for non-profit educational use with MHE/StudySync, provided such reproductions bear copyright notice, but may not be reproduced in any form for any other purpose without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education, including, but not limited to, network storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.

Send all inquiries to:McGraw-Hill Education2 Penn PlazaNew York, New York 10121

Printed in the United States of America.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ONL 20 19 18 17 16 A

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

onTable of Contents

Teacher Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv

UNIT ASSESSMENTS

Unit 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Unit 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Unit 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Unit 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

END-OF-YEAR ASSESSMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

RUBRICS

Explanatory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Argumentative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

MODIFY INSTRUCTION

Units 1 and 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179

Units 3 and 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

The Core ELA Assessments component is an integral part of the complete assessment program aligned with StudySync Core ELA instruction and the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS) . The component contains four Unit Assessments, an End-of-Year Assessment, an End-of-Year Performance Task Assessment, scoring rubrics, and charts that point to possible instructional modifications based on student assessment results .

The Core ELA Assessments report on the outcome of student learning . As students complete each unit of the reading program, they will be assessed on their understanding of key instructional content and their ability to write to source texts/stimuli . The results serve as a summative assessment by providing a status of current achievement in relation to student progress through the CCSS-aligned curriculum . The results of the assessments can be used to inform subsequent instruction, aid in making leveling and grouping decisions, and point toward areas in need of reteaching or remediation . Student performance in the end-of-year assessments can act as a signal of student readiness for the demands of high-stakes testing, as well as provide a snapshot of student progress toward end-of-year goals .

FocusThe assessments focus on key areas of English Language Arts as identified by the CCSS and California high-stakes testing:

• Comprehension of literature and informational text• Using text features to access or clarify information• Vocabulary acquisition and use• Research skills• Drafting, editing, and revising text• Command of the conventions of standard English language• Writing to sources within the parameters of specific genres

Each assessment also familiarizes students with the item types, the test approaches, and the increased rigor associated with the summative assessment system associated with California .

Test AdministrationEach unit assessment should be administered once the instruction for the specific unit is completed . The End-of-Year Assessments should be given near the close of the year or before students take the state-mandated assessment .

Make copies of the assessment for the class . You will need copies of the Answer Key pages that feature the scoring tables for each student taking the assessment .

These tables provide a place to list student scores . The data from assessment tracks student progress and underscores strengths and weaknesses .

This component is the pencil-and-paper version of the assessment . You can administer the online version of the test, which allows for tech-enabled and tech-enhanced item functionality .

Teacher Introduction

iv Teacher Introduction

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


Classrooms with time constraints may wish to administer a unit assessment over multiple days . For example, students can complete the items outside the Performance Task on one day and the task items and full-write on another . If you decide to break-up administration by assessment sections, please remember to withhold those sections of the test that students are not completing to ensure test validity .

For the Performance Task section of the assessment, allow students 30 to 40 minutes to read the stimulus materials and answer the research questions, and 60 to 70 minutes for planning, writing, and editing their responses . If desired, provide students with a short break between these activities . These test time suggestions would also apply to the End-of-Year Performance Task Assessment .

A “Compare Across Texts” item is featured in each unit assessment; it is the final item before students begin the Performance Task . This item is focused on students comparing texts/writing across texts, and it provides valuable practice for the type of critical thinking and writing required in the Performance Tasks . If you feel students have adequate exposure to this writing performance in the tasks and removing the item will reduce test administration time, you can decide not to administer and remove that page from the test packet . Deleting the item will result in a four-point reduction in the “Comprehension: Constructed Response” and “Total Unit Assessment Score” rows of the scoring table . Note the deletions if you do remove that item from the test .

Due to the length of the End-of-Year Assessments (and to provide students a test-taking experience that is in concert with standardized testing), the schedule below is suggested . Items 1-20 of the End-of-Year Assessment would constitute Session 1; items 21-36 of the End-of-Year Assessment would constitute Session 2 . Session 1 and Session 2 can be spaced over two days or grouped together with a short break in between . The End-of-Year Performance Task can be assigned on a different date .

• Session 1—45 to 60 minutes• Session 2—35 to 50 minutes• Explanatory Performance Task—90 to 100 minutes

Teacher Introduction v

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Selections and Assessment Items Assessments feature “Cold Reads” on which the comprehension and vocabulary items are based . These selections reflect the thematic concerns of the unit to support the focus of the classroom instruction . Texts fall within the grade band for quantitative text complexity measurement recommended by the CCSS . Complexity on this quantitative measure grows throughout the units, unless a qualitative measure supports text placement outside a lockstep continuum .

Assessments include the following item types: selected response (SR), multiple selected response (MSR), evidence-based selected response (EBSR), constructed response (CR), technology-enhanced constructed response (TE), and Performance Tasks (PT) . (Please note that the print versions of TE items are available in this component; the full functionality of the items is available only through the online assessment .) This variety of item types provides multiple methods of assessing student understanding, allows for deeper investigation into skills and strategies, and provides students with an opportunity to become familiar with the kinds of items and approaches they will encounter in California ELA testing .

Each unit features a (PT) assessment in a previously-taught genre .

The task types are:

Explanatory• Students generate a thesis based on the sources and use information from the sources

to explain this thesis .

Narrative• Students craft a narrative using information from the sources .

Argumentative• Students analyze the ideas in sources and make a claim that they support using

the sources .

Each PT assesses standards that address comprehension, research skills, genre writing, and the use of standard English language conventions (ELC) . The stimulus texts and research questions in each task build toward the goal of the final writing topic .

Rubrics to score the PT full-writes are found after the test pages in this component .


vi Teacher Introduction

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


ScoringApart from the following, each test item is worth two points––the “Compare Across Texts” CR is 4 points, the PT full-write is 10 points, and the initial item in the PT is 1 point .

MSR and TE items should be answered correctly in full, though you may choose to provide partial credit . For written responses, use the correct response parameters provided in the Answer Key and the scoring rubrics listed below to assign a score . Responses that show a complete lack of understanding or are left blank should be given a 0 .

Short Response Score: 2The response is well-crafted, concise, and shows a thorough understanding of the underlying skill . Appropriate text evidence is used to answer the question .

Short Response Score: 1The response shows partial understanding of the underlying skill . Text evidence is featured, though examples are too general .

Extended Response Score: 4• The student understands the question/prompt and responds suitably using the

appropriate text evidence from the selection or selections .• The response is an acceptably complete answer to the question/prompt .• The organization of the response is meaningful .• The response stays on topic; ideas are linked to one another with effective transitions .• The response has correct spelling, grammar usage, and mechanics .

Extended Response Score: 3• The student understands the question/prompt and responds suitably using the

appropriate text evidence from the selection or selections .• The response is a somewhat complete answer to the question/prompt .• The organization of the response is somewhat meaningful .• The response maintains focus; ideas are linked to one another .• The response has occasional errors in spelling, grammar usage, and mechanics .

Extended Response Score: 2• The student has partial understanding of the question/prompt and uses some

text evidence .• The response is an incomplete answer to the question/prompt .• The organization of the response is weak .• The writing is careless; it contains extraneous information and ineffective transitions .• The response requires effort to read easily .• The response has noticeable errors in spelling, grammar usage, and mechanics .

Extended Response Score: 1• The student has minimal understanding of the question/prompt and uses little to no

appropriate text evidence .• The response is a barely acceptable answer to the question/prompt .• The response lacks organization .• The writing is erratic with little focus; ideas are not connected to each other .• The response is difficult to follow .• The response has frequent errors in spelling, grammar usage, and mechanics .

Teacher Introduction vii

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Item Information and Student PerformanceThe Answer Key at the close of each assessment provides item-specific info .

Each item has the following information associated with it:

• Correct Answer• Content Focus

◦ NOTE: Although EBSR items specifically call out textual evidence, this is an underlying feature in all items related to RI and RL standards . These are identified to highlight the nature of an EBSR item—supporting a response with direct text evidence .

• CCSS alignment• Claim and Target alignment• Depth of Knowledge (as item complexity measure)

DOK 1 in vocabulary involves students using word parts (affixes, roots, and so on) to determine the meaning of an unknown word or non-contextual items assessing synonym/antonym and multiple-meaning words .

DOK 2 in vocabulary involves students using context to determine the meaning of an unknown word and dealing with figurative language in context .

DOK 1 in comprehension involves students identifying/locating information in the text .

DOK 2 in comprehension involves students analyzing text structures/story elements .

DOK 3 in comprehension involves students making inferences using text evidence and analyzing author’s craft .

DOK 4 in comprehension involves using multiple stimulus texts and writing across texts .

DOK 1 in ELC/PTs involves students editing to fix errors .

DOK 2 in ELC/PTs involves students revising and planning writing or investigating sources .

DOK 3 and DOK 4 in ELC/PTs involve research and student full-writes .

The goal of each assessment is to evaluate student mastery of previously-taught material . The expectation is for students to score 80% or higher on the assessment as a whole . Within this score, the expectation is for students to score 75% or higher on each section of the assessment (and 7+ on the PT full-write)

For students who do not meet these benchmarks at a unit interval, refer to the Modify Instruction charts for possible reteaching opportunities .


viii Teacher Introduction

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Read the text. Then answer the questions.

from Black Beautyby Anna Sewell

In this excerpt from the novel Black Beauty, a horse named Black Beauty tells about the early years of his life, when he lived on a farm, was well cared for, and treated with kindness. This is the place where his mother gave him valuable advice, and also where he learned that not all people were nice people.

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned over it, and rushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end. Over the hedge on one side we looked into a plowed field, and on the other we looked over a gate at our master’s house, which stood by the roadside; at the top of the meadow was a grove of fir trees, and at the bottom a running brook overhung by a steep bank.

While I was young I lived upon my mother’s milk, as I could not eat grass. In the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down close by her. When it was hot we used to stand by the pond in the shade of the trees, and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed near the grove.

As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out to work in the daytime, and come back in the evening.

There were six young colts in the meadow besides me; they were older than I was; some were nearly as large as grown-up horses. I used to run with them, and had great fun; we used to gallop all together round and round the field as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had rather rough play, for they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop.

One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother whinnied to me to come to her, and then she said:

“I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to you. The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts, and of course they have not learned manners. You have been well-bred and well-born; your father has a great name in these parts, and your grandfather won the cup two years at the Newmarket races; your grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never seen me kick or bite. I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a good will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick even in play.”

GO ON

Grade 6 • Unit Assessment • Unit 1 1

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

I have never forgotten my mother’s advice; I knew she was a wise old horse, and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess, but he often called her Pet. Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodging, and kind words; he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his little children. We were all fond of him, and my mother loved him very much. When she saw him at the gate she would neigh with joy, and trot up to him. All the horses would come to him, but I think we were his favorites. My mother always took him to the town on a market day in a light gig.

There was a plowboy, Dick, who sometimes came into our field to pluck blackberries from the hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted he would have what he called fun with the colts, throwing stones and sticks at them to make them gallop. We did not much mind him, for we could gallop off; but sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us.

One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the next field; but he was there, watching what was going on; over the hedge he jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box on the ear as made him roar with the pain and surprise. As soon as we saw the master we trotted up nearer to see what went on.

“Bad boy!” he said, “bad boy to chase the colts. This is not the first time, nor the second, but it shall be the last. There—take your money and go home; I shall not want you on my farm again.” So we never saw Dick anymore. Old Daniel, the man who looked after the horses, was just as gentle as our master, so we were well off.

GO ON

2 Grade 6 • Unit Assessment • Unit 1

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: From whose point of view is this story told?

A a cart horse

B the master

C a young colt

D the mother

Part B: Which sentence from the text is the most helpful for determining from whose point of view the story is told?

A “‘Bad boy!’ he said, ‘bad boy to chase the colts. This is not the first time, nor the second, but it shall be the last. There—take your money and go home; I shall not want you on my farm again.’”

B “‘The colts who live here are very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts, and of course they have not learned manners.’”

C “Some shady trees leaned over it, and rushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end.”

D “As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out to work in the daytime, and come back in the evening.”

2 Read the following sentence from the text.

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it.

What does the author’s use of pleasant tell you about how the narrator feels about the meadow?

A that it was big for galloping

B that it was a nice place to be

C that it was easy to remember

D that it was full of tall grass

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the next field; but he was there, watching what was going on; over the hedge he jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box on the ear as made him roar with the pain and surprise.

What does the phrase in a snap mean in the sentence above?

A The master moved quickly.

B The master made a sound with his fingers.

C The master got stuck in an animal trap.

D The master was extremely angry.

4 Which of the following statements best explain how the author develops the narrator’s point of view? Select two statements.

A The author includes what the narrator says.

B The author includes a description of the narrator.

C The author includes the narrator’s thoughts and feelings.

D The author describes the narrator’s surroundings and family.

E The author describes the narrator’s play with other horses.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

5 How would the story excerpt most likely be different if it were told from Dick’s point of view?

A Dick would have described caring for the horses.

B Dick would have been kinder to the horses.

C Dick would have thought it was unfair that he was banned from the farm.

D Dick would have encouraged the colts to play rough while on the farm.


Part A: Where does this excerpt from Black Beauty take place?

A in a small town

B in a large city

C in the lodging area for the horses

D in the meadow on the farm

Part B: Which sentence from the text is the best evidence for where this excerpt from Black Beauty is set?

A “One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the next field . . .”

B “He gave us good food, good lodging, and kind words . . .”

C “My mother always took him to the town on a market day in a light gig.”

D “The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


Part A: What is the overall theme of the text?

A Workinghorse colts can always misbehave.

B Children should respect their elders.

C Children should always receive good care and plenty of good food.

D Well-bred colts must behave well and uphold the family legacy.

Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports the theme?

A “‘I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and never learn bad ways . . .’”

B “‘. . . they are cart-horse colts, and of course they have not learned manners.’”

C “‘. . . your father has a great name in these parts, and your grandfather won the cup two years at the Newmarket races . . .’”

D “‘. . . your grandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and I think you have never seen me kick or bite.’”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 1


Horsing AroundWhat is a horse show?Horse shows are a popular attraction all over the country, and all over the world. A horse show is a competition in which people show off their horses’ breeding and skills. Judges decide which horses and riders are best and award ribbons and prizes. Horse shows can vary in size—some are local, and some are large affairs that feature competitors from many countries.

ClassesWithin a horse show, there are usually several classes. This means that there are a few different performances, each awarded their own winners, within one horse show. The classes are often broken down into categories like horse breeds, special skills, and experience level of the horse or rider. There are also special classes for riders that are under 18 years old. Some classes are even differentiated by the size of the horse.

DressageDressage is one of the more popular disciplines in which some horses and riders compete. It is considered by some to be the most refined level of horsemanship, and dressage riders even compete in the Olympics. Dressage is sometimes referred to as “horse ballet,” because the horse and rider are judged on their grace and fluidity of movement while performing a series of “tests” designed to show the horse’s dexterity. These tests include trotting in place, cantering, trotting diagonally, and pirouettes, among other things. In fact, the mark of a true dressage master is that the rider sits as still as a statue and doesn’t appear to be giving the horse any direction. The horse is well trained and sensitive enough to respond to the tiniest movement of its rider. It looks as though the rider is barely doing anything at all and the horse is a dancer performing the complex steps of the dance. Points can be taken off a rider’s score if the performance seems out of joint.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Show JumpingAnother discipline that some horses and riders compete in is called “show jumping.” In a show jumping event, horses and riders are judged on how well they complete a course in an allotted length of time. The course contains several obstacles for the horse to jump over. Some of them are arranged so that the horse must do double and triple jumps. Judges assess the cleanness and height of the jumps. The obstacles for the horse to jump over are rails propped up on poles. This way, if a horse trips, the rail will be knocked down but the horse and rider won’t fall.

Horse ShowsThere are many shows that happen all over the world, but one of the most popular is the HITS series. “HITS” stands for “Horses in the Sun,” and there are venues in upstate New York, California, Virginia, Florida, and Arizona. Each of these venues hosts shows that include events like dressage and show jumping. If you ever have a chance to see or participate in a horse show, it’s sure to be an exciting time!

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

8 Read the sentences from the text.

Horse shows are a popular attraction all over the country, and all over the world. A horse show is a competition in which people show off their horses’ breeding and skills. Judges decide which horses and riders are best and award ribbons and prizes. Horse shows can vary in size—some are local, and some are large affairs that feature competitors from many countries.

What is the meaning of affairs as it is used in the sentences?

A occasions

B cases

C carnivals

D matters

9 Read the following sentences from the text.

Dressage is sometimes referred to as “horse ballet,” because the horse and rider are judged on their grace and fluidity of movement while performing a series of “tests” designed to show the horse’s dexterity. These tests include trotting in place, cantering, trotting diagonally, and pirouettes, among other things. In fact, the mark of a true dressage master is that the rider sits as still as a statue and doesn’t appear to be giving the horse any direction. The horse is well trained and sensitive enough to respond to the tiniest movement of its rider. It looks as though the rider is barely doing anything at all and the horse is a dancer performing the complex steps of the dance.

Which two phrases best explain why the author compares the horse to a dancer?

A to show the horse is graceful

B to show the horse is willful

C to show the horse is strong

D to show the horse is elegant

E to show the horse is smart

F to show the horse is clever

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

10 Which of the following sentences best conveys the central idea of the text?

A “Dressage is sometimes referred to as ‘horse ballet’ . . .”

B “A horse show is a competition in which people show off their horses’ breeding and skills.”

C “Within a horse show, there are usually several classes.”

D “If you ever have a chance to see or participate in a horse show, it’s sure to be an exciting time!”

11 Which of the following sentences best summarizes the text?

A Horse shows feature riders dancing.

B Horse shows are popular events that have many kinds of competitions.

C Horse shows are attended all over the world by many people.

D Horse shows feature skilled riders.


Dressage is sometimes referred to as “horse ballet” because the horse and rider are judged on their grace and fluidity of movement while performing a series of “tests” designed to show the horse’s dexterity.

What does the author’s use of the word dexterity tell the reader about the horse’s abilities? Choose the three best answers.

A The horse moves fast.

B The horse’s jumps are high.

C The horse has good control over its movements.

D The horse is good at taking direction from the rider.

E The horse is skilled as it moves.

F The horse’s motions are nimble.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: Read the following paragraph from the text.

Dressage is one of the more popular disciplines in which some horses and riders compete. It is considered by some to be the most refined level of horsemanship, and dressage riders even compete in the Olympics. Dressage is sometimes referred to as “horse ballet,” because the horse and rider are judged on their grace and fluidity of movement while performing a series of “tests” designed to show the horse’s dexterity. These tests include trotting in place, cantering, trotting diagonally, and pirouettes, among other things. In fact, the mark of a true dressage master is that the rider sits as still as a statue and doesn’t appear to be giving the horse any direction. The horse is well trained and sensitive enough to respond to the tiniest movement of its rider. It looks as though the rider is barely doing anything at all and the horse is a dancer performing the complex steps of the dance. Points can be taken off a rider’s score if the performance seems out of joint.

What is the central idea?

A Dressage demonstrates the horse’s ability to dance.

B Dressage is the most important part of a horse show.

C Dressage is an international sport for horses with riders competing at the highest levels.

D Dressage showcases rider’s ability to communicate effectively with the horse.

Part B: Which sentence from the text best illustrates the central idea of the paragraph?

A “. . . the mark of a true dressage master is that the rider doesn’t appear to be giving the horse any direction—because the horse is well trained and sensitive enough to respond to the tiniest movement of its rider . . .”

B “Points can be taken off a rider’s score if the performance seems out of joint.”

C “It is considered by some to be the most refined level of horsemanship, and dressage riders even compete in the Olympics.”

D “These tests include trotting in place, cantering, trotting diagonally, and pirouettes, among other things.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Read the texts. Then answer the questions.

from A Christmas Carolby Charles Dickens

In this excerpt from the novella A Christmas Carol, the cold, mean-spirited Ebenezer Scrooge receives a visit from the first of three spirits, Christmas Past. The spirit shows Scrooge what he had long forgotten—what a happy time Scrooge’s employer, Mr. Fezziwig, made for his employees, friends, and neighbors one Christmas long past.

Clear away! There was nothing they wouldn’t have cleared away, or couldn’t have cleared away, with old Fezziwig looking on, and it was done in a minute. Every movable was packed off, as if it were dismissed from public life for evermore; the floor was swept and watered, the lamps were trimmed, fuel was heaped upon the fire; and the warehouse was as snug, and warm, and dry, and bright a ball-room as you would desire to see upon a winter’s night.

In came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile; in came the three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable, and in came the six young followers whose hearts they broke; in came all the young men and women employed in the business; in came the housemaid, with her cousin the baker and in came the cook, with her brother’s particular friend the milkman; in came the boy from over the way, who was suspected of not having board enough from his master, trying to hide himself behind the girl from next door but one, who was proved to have had her ears pulled by her mistress. In they all came, one after another; some shyly, some boldly, some gracefully, some awkwardly, some pushing, some pulling; in they all came, any how and every how. Away they all went, twenty couple at once, hands half round and back again the other way; down the middle and up again; round and round in various stages of affectionate grouping. Old Fezziwig, clapping his hands to stop the dance, cried out, “Well done!”

There were more dances, and there were forfeits, and more dances, and there was cake, and there was negus, and there was a great piece of Cold Roast, and there was a great piece of Cold Boiled, and there were mince-pies. But the great effect of the evening came after the Roast and Boiled, when the fiddler (an artful dog, mind! The sort of man who knew his business better than you or I could have told it him!) struck up “Sir Roger de Coverley.” Then old Fezziwig stood out to dance with Mrs. Fezziwig.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

But if they had been twice as many—ah! four times—old Fezziwig would have been a match for them, and so would Mrs. Fezziwig. As to her, she was worthy to be his partner in every sense of the term. If that’s not high praise, tell me higher, and I’ll use it. A positive light appeared to issue from Fezziwig’s calves. They shone in every part of the dance like moons. You couldn’t have predicted, at any given time, what would become of them next. And when old Fezziwig and Mrs. Fezziwig had gone all through the dance, advance and retire, both hands to your partner, bow and curtsy, cork-screw, thread-the-needle, and back again to your place, Fezziwig “cut”—cut so deftly, that he appeared to wink with his legs, and came upon his feet again without a stagger.

When the clock struck eleven, this domestic ball broke up. Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig took their stations, one on either side of the door, and, shaking hands with every person individually as he or she went out, wished him or her a Merry Christmas. When everybody had retired but the two ’prentices, they did the same to them; and thus the cheerful voices died away, and the lads were left to their beds; which were under a counter in the back-shop.

During the whole of this time Scrooge had acted like a man out of his wits. His heart and soul were in the scene, and with his former self. He corroborated everything, remembered everything, enjoyed everything, and underwent the strangest agitation. It was not until now, when the bright faces of his former self and Dick were turned from them, that he remembered the Ghost, and became conscious that it was looking full upon him, while the light upon its head burnt very clear.

“A small matter,” said the Ghost, “to make these silly folks so full of gratitude.”

The Spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices, who were pouring out their hearts in praise of Fezziwig; and, when he had done so, said: “Why, is it not? He has spent but a few pounds of your mortal money: three or four, perhaps. Is that so much that he deserves this praise?”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

“It isn’t that,” said Scrooge, heated by the remark, and speaking unconsciously like his former, not his latter self. “It isn’t that, Spirit. He has the power to render us happy or unhappy, to make our service light or burdensome, a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks, in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count ’em up: what then? The happiness he gives is quite as great as if it cost a fortune.”

He felt the Spirit’s glance, and stopped.

“What is the matter?” asked the Ghost.

“I should like to be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now, that’s all.”

His former self turned down the lamps as he gave utterance to the wish; and Scrooge and the Ghost again stood side by side in the open air.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Mother TeresaAgnes Bojaxhiu was born in Macedonia on August 26th, 1910. Her parents were devoutly Catholic, and they believed in charity. Agnes’ mother often used to tell her, “Never eat a single mouthful unless you are sharing it with others.” After the death of Agnes’ father when she was just eight years old, Agnes became very close with her mother. Although they were not wealthy, they issued a standing invitation to the city’s destitute to come and eat dinner with them each night. When Agnes asked her mother about their guests, her mother always said, “Some of them are our relations, but all of them are our people.”

Throughout her childhood, Agnes was active in her church’s community. Every year they went on a pilgrimage to the chapel of the Madonna of Letnice atop Black Mountain in Macedonia. On one of those trips, Agnes felt that she had been called upon by God to devote her life to religion. Shortly after that, at the age of 18, she traveled to Ireland to join a convent and became a nun. She took the name Sister Mary Teresa, and this was the first step in her journey toward becoming the humanitarian and Nobel Prize winner we know as Mother Teresa.

In 1931, Sister Mary Teresa traveled to Calcutta, India, where she taught history and geography at a high school for girls. The school was in an extremely poor area. This inspired Sister Mary to try and help the girls rise out of their poverty by becoming educated. Eventually she became the principal of the school, and her work changed the lives of many students there.

In 1946, after she had taken her final vows and become known as Mother Teresa, she experienced a second calling. This time she was told that she should leave her work in the school and go help Calcutta’s very poorest, sickest people. Mother Teresa needed permission from the Archbishop in order to leave her post at the school. When she finally obtained it after a year and a half of lobbying, Mother Teresa spent six months doing basic medical training. When that was finished, she wandered out into the slums of Calcutta, knowing only that she was to do everything she could to help “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Between 1948 and 1985, Mother Teresa devoted her time and energy to helping orphans, lepers, the very young, the very old, and people suffering from all manner of illnesses. She founded schools, orphanages, free and mobile health clinics, and even one of the first homes for HIV and AIDS patients. In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work “in bringing help to suffering humanity.”

In 1997, Mother Teresa died at the age of 87, after suffering from a series of lung, heart, and kidney problems. Still, Mother Teresa is remembered for her work as a humanitarian as well as for her kindness and selflessness. The next generations will likely remember her and learn from her long into the future.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

Answer these questions about A Christmas Carol.


The Spirit signed to him to listen to the two apprentices, who were pouring out their hearts in praise of Fezziwig . . .

What does the phrase pouring out their hearts mean in the sentence above? Choose two that are correct.

A The apprentices were injured.

B The apprentices were unhappy about the party.

C The apprentices had a lot of good things to say about Fezziwig.

D The apprentices were preparing drinks for Fezziwig.

E The apprentices felt appreciative of all that Fezziwig had done for them.

F The apprentices were upset with Fezziwig.

15 Which part of the story tells us the most about Scrooge’s point of view?

A the detailed description of the party

B Scrooge’s actions during the party

C the conversation between characters

D Scrooge’s wish to talk to his clerk

16 One important way the author structured the text is by using a flashback. How does Charles Dickens use a flashback in this excerpt? Cite examples from the text to support your answer.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

Answer these questions about “Mother Teresa.”


Part A: What is the central idea of “Mother Teresa”?

A Everyone should devote their lives to religion and to helping others.

B Mother Teresa was a great woman from whom we can all learn.

C It’s not easy to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

D It’s important to be kind and charitable toward others.

Part B: Select the two sentences from the text that best support the central idea of “Mother Teresa.”

A “Throughout her childhood, Agnes was active in her church’s community.”

B “In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her work ‘in bringing help to suffering humanity.’”

C “Still, Mother Teresa is remembered for her work as a humanitarian as well as for her kindness and selflessness.”

D “Between 1948 and 1985, Mother Teresa devoted her time and energy to helping orphans, lepers, the very young, the very old, and people suffering from all manner of illnesses.”

E “The next generations will likely remember her and learn from her long into the future.”

F “Although they were not wealthy, they issued a standing invitation to the city’s destitute to come and eat dinner with them each night.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


This inspired Sister Mary to try and help the girls rise out of their poverty by becoming educated.

What does the phrase rise out of their poverty most likely mean?

A to live in the slums of a city

B to stand up against and escape from poverty

C to suffer from all manner of illnesses

D to grow through learning and earning money to live

19 Choose the text structure that best describes the type of organization the author used in “Mother Teresa”: problem and solution, cause and effect, compare and contrast, or chronological order. Explain how this type of structure helps the reader understand the article.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

Now use the excerpts from A Christmas Carol and “Mother Teresa” to answer the following question.

20 What do Mr. Fezziwig and Mother Teresa have in common? How are they different?


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Explanatory Performance Task

TaskWolves are one of nature’s major predators. They are an important part of the balance and health of an ecosystem. Yet, they suffer from misinformation and misunderstanding that puts them at risk.

For this task you will be writing an explanatory article related to the topic of wolves. For your article, you will review three sources that provide information about the lives of wolves, their role in a balanced ecosystem, and efforts to exist side-by-side with them and change stereotypes that put wolves at risk. Take notes while you read.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer questions about them and then use the information to write an explanatory article.

In Part 2, you will write an explanatory article on a topic related to the sources.

Directions for Part 1You will now read three sources. You may re-examine the sources as often as you like.

Research Questions:After reading the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, your answers will help you think about the research sources you have read, which should help you write your explanatory article. You may refer to the sources at any time you think would be helpful. Answer the questions in the space provided.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Source #1: A Distant Howl

On a cold moonlit night in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, campers may hear a distant howl that echoes through the mountains. One howl is soon answered by another and then by many. This chilling sound comes from a pack of gray wolves. They are sending messages about where they are, their territory, about a hunt, or just because one wolf started howling.

Gray wolves are a part of the dog family. The long-ago ancestor of domestic dogs was a wolf. Over thousands of years, dogs became companions to humans. But even though wolves look similar to some dog breeds, such as huskies, they are wild. In North America, they are one of the major predators.

A full-grown gray wolf can measure from 4.5 to 6 feet long and stand 26 to 32 inches tall. They can weigh from 50 to 110 pounds. A gray wolf’s track measures about 4½ inches long by 3½ inches wide. Only big dogs such as Great Danes, St. Bernards, and some bloodhounds leave tracks this large.

Wild wolves usually live only six to eight years in the wild. Many die of starvation while others are killed by disease, other wolves in territory fights, injuries from prey animals, and from human hunting and poisoning.

Wolves live in groups called packs that number about six to ten wolves. A male and a female are the pack leaders or alpha wolves. The alphas track and hunt prey, decide on the extent of the pack’s territory, and choose where the dens, or living spaces, will be.

Pack sizes can change as the alpha female births pups. There are from six to seven pups in a litter, which are usually born in the spring. Pups may weigh about a pound each and are blind and deaf when born. In three weeks, they are ready to leave the den and explore. By six months, the pups are nearly as large as the adults. Older pups often remain with the pack, while some may leave to find mates and territories of their own.

A pack’s territory in the Yellowstone Park area may average less than 100 square miles. In Alaska and Canada, gray wolves can occupy territories from 300 to 1,000 square miles. Packs may roam up to 12 miles in a day, searching for their preferred prey, such as deer, elk, mountain goats, and moose. They also eat such smaller mammals as mice and rabbits, birds, fish, lizards, snakes, and fruit. Wolf will attack domestic animals as well, such as sheep and cattle, but they rarely attack humans.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Wolf packs hunt as a team. Wolves have a keen sense of smell and can track prey by the scent of an animal’s tracks and droppings. They can also tell if a prey animal is old or sick and how far away it is. When they find prey, the faster wolves will chase the animal into an ambush of stronger wolves.

Once they make a kill, wolves will gorge themselves, eating the skin and bones as well as the meat of an animal. A large gray wolf may eat up to 22 pounds of meat at one time. Once the wolves have finished, they may leave what is left for other animals to scavenge. Wolves can live many days and even weeks without food, but growing pups need frequent meals. Many wolves will hide food away to eat when prey is not available.

Wolves are social animals. They depend on their pack for companionship and protection. Only the alpha female has babies, but the whole pack help to raise the pups. This effort helps the next generation to grow and survive.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Source #2: The Return of the Wolves

Scientists used to think that a food web in nature was built from the bottom up. First were the plants on the bottom level. Then came insects and large and small animals that fed on the plants. On the next level were birds and small mammals such as rodents that ate insects, followed by small predators such as foxes that preyed on small mammals. Finally, at the top were the larger predators like coyotes, wolves, and mountain lions that preyed on the large plant eaters and many of the smaller animals. The bottom level would be the most numerous while the top level would have relatively few individuals.

Biologists followed this model by focusing on plants first when working to restore a damaged area. When they discovered that this model did not work in some areas, they wondered if a top predator should be brought in first. This new idea proved to be the answer to restoring the ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, wolves in North America were nearly extinct. The main causes were loss of habitat and planned extermination by hunters, ranchers, and government workers. The hunters wanted to increase the number of elk and other game that wolves fed on, and ranchers wanted to protect their livestock, which wolves sometimes killed. In the 1920s, the gray wolves were removed from Yellowstone National Park. The last known pack was gone by 1926. The results were somewhat unexpected. Increased numbers of deer and elk ate all the young cottonwoods and willows along streams. The disappearance of these trees affected other plant and animal populations. Food webs broke down as vegetation disappeared, and stream erosion increased. Over several years, the ecosystem became unbalanced and unhealthy.

In the 1990s, wolves were reintroduced into the ecosystem. Since then, scientists from around the world have come to observe what has happened to the park. They have seen that wolves are helping to rebalance the ecosystem. The wolves prey on sick and slower and very young animals. So elk and deer populations are now much smaller and stronger.

Willow trees seem healthier, and cottonwoods are reappearing. Grasses also have grown taller as there are not as many elk and deer to eat them. With the increase of plant growth along streams, the water has become cleaner and erosion reduced.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Overgrown coyote populations have also decreased as they have been pushed out of the area. With fewer coyotes, the numbers of small rodents have increased. This gives large birds such as eagles and osprey more food. Even the endangered grizzly bears have benefited. With more wolf kills, there is more food for the bears as well.

After seeing the effect the wolves’ return has had on the Yellowstone ecosystem, scientists are now examining the disappearance of top predators in other places. They are looking for how the lack of predators has harmed the environment.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Source #3: Learning to Live with Wolves

Western ranchers have always been the strongest supporters of efforts to get rid of wolves. They have seen their cattle and sheep killed and worry that their livelihood could be threatened. However, in the past few years some ranchers are changing their relationship with predators.

James Stuart, the manager of Sun Ranch in Montana, is one of the ranchers who has been making efforts to co-exist with wolves. He and others are studying wolf behavior and habits. They are finding out where wolf dens are located, where wolves gather, and where elk travel. This knowledge helps them plan grazing areas for cattle that will keep them away from wolves.

If wolves start to hunt the livestock, ranchers try different ways to scare them away. They use flags on fences and fire guns that make loud noises only instead of killing. These actions are effective for a while, but the wolves may return. The ranchers then add an electric charge to the flags. This method has often been successful in breaking the livestock hunting habit that some wolves develop.

Ranchers frequently change where cattle graze as well. They also add more riders on horseback to monitor the herds. Sick and dead cattle are quickly removed so that wolves won’t be attracted to them. The cattle are also allowed to roam a wider area so that they become used to and better able to deal with the threat of wolves. These plans are often evaluated and changed to allow different tools and ideas a chance to work.

Environmental groups are also helping ranchers learn to co-exist with wolves. In Idaho, sheep herders are learning to keep wolves away with guard dogs, movable fences, air pistols, and air horns. In the past six years, the program has been so successful that fewer than 25 sheep have been lost to wolves. In addition, not one wolf has been killed by humans. Besides ranchers, the environmental groups are educating federal and tribal wildlife managers as well.

Another part of re-educating ranchers and wildlife managers has been to dispel myths that people have long believed about wolves. One of these myths is that wolves destroy elk and other animals that human hunters prize. In 2013 in Montana, a study showed that the elk populations were thriving and in good health. Wildlife managers point out that elk and deer herds increase and decrease over time for many reasons. Many animals die from disease, habitat changes, lack of food, bad weather, and human hunting. Many are also killed by wolves. But these are usually less healthy animals. As a result, the herds are stronger.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Another long-standing myth is that wolves are a threat to people and their pets. Experts who understand wolves have countered by saying that wolves generally fear people. In fact, the more people there are in an area, the more likely that wolves will stay away.

The danger that ranchers say wolves are to their livestock is also not as threatening as some believe. In the Northern Rocky Mountains, wolves are responsible for less than one percent of all livestock deaths.

With education, cooperation, and creative planning, cattle and sheep ranchers can learn to live with wolves. They can also see the positive that wolves have in a balanced and healthy environment.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

21 Which statement best expresses the central idea of “The Return of the Wolves”?

A Wolves can help keep an ecosystem healthy and balanced.

B Wolves are one of the predators at the top of major food webs.

C Wolves have created problems for plant life and other animals.

D Wolves may chase away other predators in an area.

22 What is the main text structure of “Learning to Live with Wolves”: cause and effect, problem and solution, or compare and contrast? Provide details that support this structure.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

23 What evidence from the three sources would best support a report on the role of wolves in nature? Cite an example from each source, and explain your choice. Be sure to identify the source of each piece of information by title or number.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 1

Directions for Part 2You will now review your sources; take notes; and plan, draft, revise, and edit your article. You may use your notes at any time and refer to the sources. Start by reading your assignment and the information about how your explanatory article will be scored. Then begin your work.

Your AssignmentYour school newspaper would like you to write an article about predators in nature. You have decided to write about wolves. Write a multi-paragraph article that explains the role of wolves in nature. Your article will be read by students and teachers in your school. In your article, clearly state the main idea with reasons that are thoroughly developed, using the information you have read.

Explanatory Article ScoringYour explanatory article will be scored using the following:

1. Organization/Purpose: How well did you state your thesis/controlling idea and maintain your thesis/controlling idea with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How well did you narrow your thesis/controlling idea so you can develop and elaborate the conclusion? How consistently did you use a variety of transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?

2. Evidence/Elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from the sources? How well did you elaborate your ideas? How clearly did you state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?

3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling?

Now begin work on your explanatory article. Manage your time carefully so that you can plan, write, revise, and edit the final draft of your article. Write your response on a separate piece of paper.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

Answer Key Name:

Item Answer Content Focus CCSS Claim# Target# DOK

1A CPoint of View, Textual

EvidenceRL.6.1, RL.6.6 Claim 1 Targets 1, 6 3

1B D

2 B Connotation and Denotation RL.6.4 Claim 1 Target 3 2

3 A Figurative Language L.6.5a Claim 1 Target 7 2

4 A, C Point of View, Textual Evidence

RL.6.1, RL.6.6 Claim 1 Targets 1, 5 2

5 C Story Structure, Point of View

RL.6.5, RL.6.6 Claim 1 Targets 5, 6 3

6A DStory Structure, Textual


6B D

7A DInferences, Textual Evidence RL.6.1 Claim 1 Targets 1, 2 3

7B C

8 A Word Meaning, Context Clues L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 10 2

9 A, E Figurative Language L.6.5a Claim 1 Targets 8, 14 2

10 B Central or Main Idea RI.6.2 Claim 1 Target 9 2

11 B Central or Main Idea RI.6.2 Claim 1 Target 9 2

12 C, E, F Connotation and Denotation RI.6.4 Claim 1 Target 10 2

13A DCentral or Main Idea,

Textual EvidenceRI.6.1, RI.6.2 Claim 1 Targets 8, 9 2

13B A

14 C, E Figurative Language L.6.5a Claim 1 Target 7 2

15 D Point of View RL.6.6 Claim 1 Target 5 3

16 see below Story Structure RL.6.5 Claim 1 Target 5 3

17A BCentral or Main Idea,


17B C, D

18 D Figurative Language L.6.5a Claim 1 Targets 8, 14 2

19 see below Informational Text Structure RI.6.5 Claim 1 Target 13 2

20 see below Compare Across Texts W.6.9 Claim 1 Target 12 4


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Answer Key Name:


21 A Central or Main Idea RI.6.2 Claim 1 Target 9 2

22 see below Informational Text Structure RI.6.2 Claim 1 Target 13 3

23 see below Textual Evidence RI.6.1 Claim 1 Target 8 4

Article see below Explanatory Performance Task W.6.2a-f Claim 2 Target 4 4

Comprehension: Selected Response 1A, 1B, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 10, 11, 13A, 13B, 15, 17A, 17B, 21

/21 %

Comprehension: Constructed Response 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, Article /22 %

Vocabulary 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 14, 18 /14 %

Total Unit Assessment Score /57 %

16 2-point response: In this part of the excerpt, Scrooge is visited by the Spirit of Christmas Past. This spirit shows Scrooge an event that happened in the past. The introduction tells readers, “The spirit shows Scrooge what he had long forgotten—what a happy time Scrooge’s employer, Mr. Fezziwig, made for his employees, friends, and neighbors one Christmas long past.” Later in the text it becomes the present time. An example is in paragraph 6, “During the whole of this time Scrooge had acted like a man out of his wits. His heart and soul were in the scene, and with his former self.”

19 2-point response: The text structure that best defines the type of organization is chronological order. This text structure helps readers understand what happened in Mother Teresa’s life from when and where she was born until she died.

20 4-point response: Mr. Fezziwig and Mother Teresa were both kind, generous people who wanted to share what they had with others. Mr. Fezziwig was especially giving of praise to all, showing a positive attitude despite his not having much during his life. Mother Teresa took many steps during her life towards becoming a humanitarian. She endured some early hardships and other challenging experiences, which caused her to become a giving person. Mother Teresa worked on a more world-wide scale, while Mr. Fezziwig provided a joyous Christmas party for his friends, neighbors, and employees.

22 2-point response: The main text structure is problem-solution. Details that support this structure include: Problem–Ranchers have seen their cattle and sheep killed by wolves and worry that their livelihood could be threatened. Solution-Ranchers are learning about the habits and behavior of wolves to help them plan grazing areas for cattle that will keep them away from wolves.

23 2-point response: Source #1: “A large gray wolf may eat up to 22 pounds of meat at one time. Once the wolves have finished, they may leave what is left for other animals to scavenge.” This detail shows that other animals can get food from what is left on a wolf kill.

Source #2: “The wolves prey on sick and slower and very young animals. So elk and deer populations are now much smaller and stronger.” This detail is evidence of how the presence of wolves as predators can make prey populations healthier.

Source #3: “The danger that ranchers say wolves are to their livestock is also not as threatening as some believe. In the Northern Rocky Mountains, wolves are responsible for less than one percent of all livestock deaths.” This detail is evidence that wolves are hunting wild and not domestic prey and so are an integral part of their natural environment.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Answer Key Name:

10-point anchor paper: Many people are afraid of wolves and think that they are a serious threat to others. This point of view is held by people whose businesses are affected, such as those who run ranches, especially in the western parts of the United States. Ranches and national parks are examples of places where wolves attack people or other animals.

Predators such as wolves are only a small part of the larger picture of animals and plants making up the ecosystem. There are dependencies among all the living things: Animals feed on smaller animals and plants. This “balance of nature” is fragile, so if there is one population that is singled out and targeted for special extermination, the balance can shift.

It may sound like a positive thing to eliminate or reduce the number of wolves in the country, but actually it is more complicated than that. Scientists have done many studies. They have found that when the wolf population was removed from a particular area, other animals that were previously hunted by those wolves multiplied. The smaller animals then fed on plants, and this caused vegetation to almost disappear in that area. When the wolves came back, the balance was restored: The ecosystem of plants and animals became more normal.

Scientists are continuing to study the populations of wolves, as well as those of elk, deer, coyote, rodents, birds, and other animals that are kept manageable by being hunted by wolves. There is education needed so that as many people as possible understand all the elements of the food chain and so that a balanced ecosystem can be achieved and remain stable. This will help our environment in the future, as well as helping to preserve the species of the wolf.


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2


from Peter Panby J. M. Barrie

In the nursery of the Darling home, a mother listens to her children—Wendy, John, and Michael—tell stories about Peter Pan coming into their nursery. Mrs. Darling begins to wonder if the children’s stories might be true. The next night, after she and her children have fallen asleep, Mrs. Darling learns the truth.

Oh, surely she [Wendy] must have been dreaming.

But, on the other hand, there were the leaves. Mrs. Darling examined them very carefully; they were skeleton leaves, but she was sure they did not come from any tree that grew in England. She crawled about the floor, peering at it with a candle for marks of a strange foot. She rattled the poker up the chimney and tapped the walls. She let down a tape from the window to the pavement, and it was a sheer drop of thirty feet, without so much as a spout to climb up by.

Certainly Wendy had been dreaming.

But Wendy had not been dreaming, as the very next night showed, the night on which the extraordinary adventures of these children may be said to have begun.

On the night we speak of all the children were once more in bed. It happened to be Nana’s evening off, and Mrs. Darling had bathed them and sung to them till one by one they had let go her hand and slid away into the land of sleep.

All were looking so safe and cosy that she smiled at her fears now and sat down tranquilly by the fire to sew.

It was something for Michael, who on his birthday was getting into shirts. The fire was warm, however, and the nursery dimly lit by three night-lights, and presently the sewing lay on Mrs. Darling’s lap. Then her head nodded, oh, so gracefully. She was asleep. Look at the four of them, Wendy and Michael over there, John here, and Mrs. Darling by the fire. There should have been a fourth night-light.

While she slept she had a dream. She dreamt that the Neverland had come too near and that a strange boy had broken through from it. He did not alarm her, for she thought she had seen him before in the faces of many women who have no children. Perhaps he is to be found in the faces of some mothers also. But in her dream he had rent the film that obscures the Neverland, and she saw Wendy and John and Michael peeping through the gap.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

The dream by itself would have been a trifle, but while she was dreaming the window of the nursery blew open, and a boy did drop on the floor. He was accompanied by a strange light, no bigger than your fist, which darted about the room like a living thing and I think it must have been this light that wakened Mrs. Darling.

She started up with a cry, and saw the boy, and somehow she knew at once that he was Peter Pan. If you or I or Wendy had been there we should have seen that he was very like Mrs. Darling’s kiss. He was a lovely boy, clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that ooze out of trees but the most entrancing thing about him was that he had all his first teeth. When he saw she was a grown-up, he gnashed the little pearls at her.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

1 The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: How do the descriptions in paragraphs 1–4 help build suspense in the plot?

A They keep the reader wondering if the events are real or just part of a dream.

B They tell how Peter Pan got in the nursery.

C They reveal an important dream Mrs. Darling had.

D They explain how Mrs. Darling eventually discovered the truth about Peter Pan.

Part B: What evidence in the text best supports your answer in part A? Select two options.

A The text says it “was a sheer drop of thirty feet” from the nursery’s window to the pavement below.

B The text says that Wendy both “must have been dreaming” and “had not been dreaming.”

C The text mentions how Mrs. Darling examined “skeleton leaves” that “did not come from any tree that grew in England.”

D The text talks about how Mrs. Darling “rattled the poker up the chimney.”

E The text explains that Mrs. Darling “crawled about the floor” and “tapped the walls.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

2 What causes Mrs. Darling to wake from her dream?

A The breeze from the open window makes her cold.

B The strange boy in her dream alarms her when he gets too close.

C The strange boy gives off a light as he moves quickly around the room.

D The strange boy makes a sound when he drops onto the floor of the nursery.


She dreamt that the Neverland had come too near and that a strange boy had broken through from it. He did not alarm her, for she thought she had seen him before in the faces of many women who have no children. Perhaps he is to be found in the faces of some mothers also. But in her dream he had rent the film that obscures the Neverland, and she saw Wendy and John and Michael peeping through the gap.

What is the meaning of rent as it is used in the sentences?

A constructed

B sold

C played

D torn

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


Part A: From which point of view are paragraphs 9 and 10 told?

A third-person omniscient

B third-person limited omniscient

C first person

D third-person objective

Part B: Which pronoun from paragraphs 9 and 10 supports your answer in part A?

A I

B you

C she

D he

5 Read the sentence from the text.

He was a lovely boy, clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that ooze out of trees but the most entrancing thing about him was that he had all his first teeth.

What does the use of the word entrancing suggest about the boy?

A There is something surprising about how the boy behaves.

B The boy has a fascinating and charming appearance.

C There is something frightening about the boy.

D The boy has a youthful appearance.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: Which statement best expresses the theme of the text?

A Strange things tend to happen during the nighttime.

B Children like to tell stories that aren’t true.

C Children and grown-ups are different from each other.

D Dreams can sometimes be very odd.

Part B: Which paragraph in the text best shows this theme?

A Paragraph 2

B Paragraph 4

C Paragraph 7

D Paragraph 10

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2


from “The Underground Railroad”by William Still

During the 1850’s, Jane Johnson and her two sons traveled from the South to Philadelphia with their master Colonel John Wheeler. While the South still practiced slavery at the time, all blacks in the North were free. Wheeler had instructed Johnson not to tell anyone that she was a slave, but she did so anyway. As a result she was able to secure her and her sons’ freedom from Wheeler. Below is Johnson’s testimony about that day.

In order to make the victory complete, the anti-slavery friends deemed it of the highest importance to have Jane Johnson in court, to face her master, and under oath to sweep away his “refuge of lies,” with regard to her being “abducted,” and her unwillingness to “leave her master,” etc. So Mr. McKim and the friends very privately arranged to have Jane Johnson on hand at the opening of the defense.

Mrs. Lucretia Mott, Mrs. McKim, Miss Sarah Pugh and Mrs. Plumly, volunteered to accompany this poor slave mother to the court-house and to occupy seats by her side, while she should face her master, and boldly, on oath, contradict all his hard swearing. A better subject for the occasion than Jane, could not have been desired. She entered the court room veiled, and of course was not known by the crowd, as pains had been taken to keep the public in ignorance of the fact, that she was to be brought on to bear witness. So that, at the conclusion of the second witness on the part of the defense, “Jane Johnson” was called for, in a shrill voice. Deliberately, Jane arose and answered, in a lady-like manner to her name, and was then the observed of all observers. Never before had such a scene been witnessed in Philadelphia. It was indescribable. Substantially, her testimony on this occasion, was in keeping with the subjoined affidavit, which was as follows—

“State of New York, City and County of New York.

“Jane Johnson being sworn, makes oath and says—

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

“My name is Jane—Jane Johnson; I was the slave of Mr. Wheeler of Washington; he bought me and my two children, about two years ago, of Mr. Cornelius Crew, of Richmond, Va.; my youngest child is between six and seven years old, the other between ten and eleven; I have one other child only, and he is in Richmond; I have not seen him for about two years; never expect to see him again; Mr. Wheeler brought me and my two children to Philadelphia, on the way to Nicaragua, to wait on his wife; I didn’t want to go without my two children, and he consented to take them; we came to Philadelphia by the cars; stopped at Mr. Sully’s, Mr. Wheeler’s father-in-law, a few moments; then went to the steamboat for New York at 2 o’clock, but were too late; we went into Bloodgood’s Hotel; Mr. Wheeler went to dinner; Mr. Wheeler had told me in Washington to have nothing to say to colored persons, and if any of them spoke to me, to say I was a free woman traveling with a minister; we staid at Bloodgood’s till 5 o’clock; Mr. Wheeler kept his eye on me all the time except when he was at dinner; he left his dinner to come and see if I was safe, and then went back again; while he was at dinner, I saw a colored woman and told her I was a slave woman, that my master had told me not to speak to colored people, and that if any of them spoke to me to say that I was free; but I am not free; but I want to be free; she said: ‘poor thing, I pity you;’ after that I saw a colored man and said the same thing to him, he said he would telegraph to New York, and two men would meet me at 9 o’clock and take me with them; after that we went on board the boat, Mr. Wheeler sat beside me on the deck; I saw a colored gentleman come on board, he beckoned to me; I nodded my head, and could not go; Mr. Wheeler was beside me and I was afraid; a white gentleman then came and said to Mr. Wheeler, ‘I want to speak to your servant, and tell her of her rights;’ Mr. Wheeler rose and said, ‘If you have anything to say, say it to me—she knows her rights;’ the white gentleman asked me if I wanted to be free; I said ‘I do, but I belong to this gentleman and I can’t have it;’ he replied, ‘Yes, you can, come with us, you are as free as your master, if you want your freedom come now; if you go back to Washington you may never get it;’ I rose to go, Mr. Wheeler spoke, and said, ‘I will give you your freedom,’ but he had never promised it before, and I knew he would never give it to me; the white gentleman held out his hand and I went toward him; I was ready for the word before it was given me; I took the children by the hands, who both cried, for they were frightened, but both stopped when they got on shore; a colored man

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

carried the little one, I led the other by the hand. We walked down the street till we got to a hack; nobody forced me away; nobody pulled me, and nobody led me; I went away of my own free will; I always wished to be free and meant to be free when I came North; I hardly expected it in Philadelphia, but I thought I should get free in New York; I have been comfortable and happy since I left Mr. Wheeler, and so are the children; I don’t want to go back; I could have gone in Philadelphia if I had wanted to; I could go now; but I had rather die than go back. I wish to make this statement before a magistrate, because I understand that Mr. Williamson is in prison on my account, and I hope the truth may be of benefit to him.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Mr. Wheeler sat beside me on the deck; I saw a colored gentleman come on board, he beckoned to me; I nodded my head, and could not go; Mr. Wheeler was beside me and I was afraid.

What is the meaning of beckoned as it is used in the sentence?

A yelled loudly

B made a gesture

C threw something

D passed a note


I wish to make this statement before a magistrate, because I understand that Mr. Williamson is in prison on my account, and I hope the truth may be of benefit to him.

What is the meaning of magistrate as it is used in the sentence?

A relative

B bystander

C judge

D witness

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


Part A: Why does Jane Johnson decide to leave Mr. Wheeler when they’re on the boat?

A She wants to go for a walk.

B She remembers an appointment she has.

C She wants her freedom.

D She sees a friend she wants to talk to.

Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?

A “I have one other child only, and he is in Richmond.”

B “I didn’t want to go without my two children, and he consented to take them.”

C “I nodded my head, and could not go.”

D “I always wished to be free and meant to be free when I came North.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: What is the main idea of the text?

A Jane Johnson and her children were abducted.

B Jane Johnson left her master willingly to gain freedom.

C Outsiders forced Jane Johnson to leave Mr. Wheeler.

D Jane Johnson wronged Mr. Wheeler when she left him.

Part B: Which details from the text best support your answer in part A? Select three options.

A The text talks about how Jane Johnson appears in court “to face her master, and under oath to sweep away his ‘refuge of lies,’ with regard to her being ‘abducted,’ and her unwillingness to ‘leave her master.’”

B The text mentions that Jane Johnson “entered the court room veiled.”

C Jane Johnson testifies that, when they left the boat, her children “cried, for they were frightened, but both stopped when they got on shore.”

D Jane Johnson testifies that “nobody forced me away; nobody pulled me, and nobody led me; I went away of my own free will.”

E Jane Johnson says of returning to Mr. Wheeler, “I don’t want to go back” and “I had rather die than go back.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2


Uncovering a Lost IslandFor many years, people have disputed the existence of Atlantis. Atlantis was an ancient island said to have been washed away by a tsunami thousands of years ago. In 2011, however, a group of archaeologists and geologists at last discovered the site of the lost island. In making its discovery, the team helped solve a mystery that has puzzled people for thousands of years.

Plato’sInfluence People originally learned about Atlantis through Plato. Around 360 b.c., the Greek philosopher wrote about the island. He said it had disappeared “in a single day and night.” Plato gave details about the former island’s location, saying it was near the “Pillars of Hercules.” The Pillars of Hercules (also known as the Pillars of Heracles) is the ancient term for an area now called the Strait of Gibraltar. The Strait of Gibraltar is a channel located between southern Spain and northern Africa.

Archaeologists used Plato’s description of the island’s location as the basis for their search. Professor Richard Freund led the team to uncover Atlantis. Freund had discovered multiple “memorial cities”—cities built in the image of Atlantis—in central Spain. Freund believed survivors of Atlantis’s tsunami moved inland and tried to replicate the city that was lost to the tsunami.

SurveyBegins

In 2009 and 2010, Freund’s team of archaeologists and geologists began to survey an area in southern Spain. They believed the area was the site of a submerged city. Freund’s team used underwater equipment, digital mapping, and ground-penetrating radar to investigate the site, Dona Ana Park. The park is a marshland consisting of mud flats. Freund’s team also referred to satellite photos that had previously been taken of the site. The photos showed a series of concentric rings and rectangular structures. The team believed these shapes might have once been the islands and structures of Atlantis. In his writing, Plato had described Atlantis as consisting of multiple concentric islands with a capital city located on a central island. According to Plato, palaces, canals, bridges, and temples were also features of Atlantis.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

The findings of the team may be the most promising lead, to date, on the location of Atlantis. At the time of its discovery, archaeologists planned to perform further excavations both at the site of Atlantis and at its “memorial cities” in central Spain. They hoped to date artifacts and perform more geological studies at the sites.

The recent discovery of Atlantis finally puts to rest the persistent disbelief in the island’s existence. Perhaps with even greater study, we might learn more about this important ancient culture.

FantasyIsland In 2011, archaeologists and geologists asserted that they had found the lost island of Atlantis in southern Spain. Of course, this wasn’t the first claim archaeologists had made about finding Atlantis. And it most likely won’t be the last. It is time for scientists to accept, once and for all, that Atlantis never really existed—other than in the imaginations of those who chose to believe in it.

First, Plato, the person most identified with promoting the existence of Atlantis, was known to include fables and allegories in his writing. Some say Plato created the story of Atlantis. He might have wanted it to serve as a cautionary tale of what can happen to a society when greed runs amok. Plato wrote that the founders of Atlantis were half human and half god. He also said that the island itself was a kind of utopia. According to the legend, the citizens of Atlantis began as a moral people but later became greedy. As a result, the gods punished them by sinking Atlantis. The many imaginative elements of this story make it difficult to take the existence of Atlantis seriously. If the island actually existed, is it also true that its founders were half human and half god? Did gods sink the island? It’s difficult to know which aspects of Plato’s story to believe and which not to believe.

Second, Spain is just one of many countries scholars have identified over the years as the location for Atlantis. If Atlantis had existed at some point, wouldn’t archaeologists have a more consistent estimate of its exact location? Greece, for example, has also been named as a possible site of Atlantis. Santorini, an island in Greece, did in fact experience a massive volcanic explosion about 3,600 years ago. The explosion brought about a series of tsunami waves. The resulting destruction decimated the entire population of Santorini within just three days of the eruption. Though the description of Santorini’s destruction by natural disaster basically matches that of Atlantis, the time line doesn’t. We know this from Plato’s teachings.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

Ireland is another country believed to be a possible location of Atlantis—or at least a model for the island. Swedish geographer Ulf Erlingsson doesn’t necessarily believe Atlantis itself actually existed. But he thinks Plato based his descriptions of Atlantis on a real place. Erlingsson asserts that Ireland is the only existing island whose geographic features match Plato’s description of Atlantis. He believes the temples of Atlantis described by Plato were actually modeled on the megaliths of Ireland.

Yet another inconsistent aspect of the story of Atlantis is the wildly varying time lines of its existence. According to Plato, Atlantis dates from about 11,000 years ago. But according to modern archaeologists, the island dates to fewer than 3,000 years ago. It seems like we would have a more consistent time period for the island’s existence if it had been real. We do know that the civilization Plato described Atlantis as having couldn’t possibly have existed 11,000 years ago.

To summarize, the existence of Atlantis seems largely to rest on fiction and uncertainty. Until some truly conclusive proof of the island is brought forth, it will remain difficult to accept Atlantis as anything more than an intriguing mythological tale.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

Answer these questions about “Uncovering a Lost Island.”


In 2009 and 2010, Freund’s team of archaeologists and geologists began to survey an area in southern Spain. They believed the area was the site of a submerged city. Freund’s team used underwater equipment, digital mapping, and ground-penetrating radar to investigate the site, Dona Ana Park.

What is the meaning of survey as it is used in the text?

A become suspicious of

B drive around on

C ask questions of

D examine and describe

12 What events led archaeologists to believe Atlantis was located in southern Spain? Select three events.

A Plato first wrote about Atlantis around 360 b.c.

B Plato described Atlantis as being in an area near southern Spain.

C Satellite photos of an area in southern Spain showed rings and structures that matched Plato’s descriptions of Atlantis.

D Professor Freund found “memorial cities” in central Spain, not far from the site believed to be Atlantis.

E People have been skeptical of Atlantis’s existence for many years.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

13 Explain the author’s point of view on the topic of Atlantis, citing examples from the text to support your ideas.

Answer these questions about “Fantasy Island.”


Santorini, an island in Greece, did in fact experience a massive volcanic explosion about 3,600 years ago. The explosion brought about a series of tsunami waves. The resulting destruction decimated the entire population of Santorini within just three days of the eruption.

What is the meaning of decimated as it is used in the sentences?

A hurt

B killed

C enhanced

D decreased

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

15 Explain why the author of “Fantasy Island” does not believe Plato’s claims about the existence of Atlantis. Support your answer with details from the text.

16 Which sentences from the text best support the author’s point of view that the story of Atlantis relies too much on false and inconsistent information to be true? Select two sentences that best support this point of view.

A “Erlingsson asserts that Ireland is the only existing island whose geographic features match Plato’s description of Atlantis.”

B “To summarize, the existence of Atlantis seems largely to rest on fiction and uncertainty.”

C “As a result, the gods punished them by sinking Atlantis.”

D “In 2011, archaeologists and geologists asserted that they had found the lost island of Atlantis in southern Spain.”

E “Yet another inconsistent aspect of the story of Atlantis is the wildly varying time lines of its existence.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

17 How is the claim the author makes in “Uncovering a Lost Island” different from the claim the author makes in “Fantasy Island”? Support your answer using evidence from both texts.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

Argumentative Performance Task

Task:Archaeological discoveries teach us a lot about different people and time periods. These discoveries take place all over the world in many different cultures. But they are often the subjects of outside threats, and their preservation isn’t always guaranteed.

For this task, you will be writing an argumentative article related to the topic of archaeological discoveries. Before you write your article, you will review two sources that provide information about a couple of very important archaeological discoveries: the ancient Italian city of Pompeii and Egypt’s King Tut. Take notes while you read.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. Then go back and read the sources carefully to gain the information you will need to answer the questions and write an article.

In Part 2, you will write an argumentative article on a topic related to the sources.

DirectionsforPart1You will now read two sources. You can re-examine the sources as often as you like.

ResearchQuestionsAfter reading the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, your answers will help you think about the research sources you have read, which should help you write your argumentative article.

You may refer to the sources when you think it would be helpful. You may also refer to your notes. Answer the questions in the space provided.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

Source #1: Frozen in Time

In a.d. 79, a volcano in Italy erupted with such force that it buried the nearby town of Pompeii under tons of ash and lava. The unintended result of this horrible disaster was the preservation of people, animals, buildings, and artifacts. They remained frozen in place for centuries to come. Ever since its discovery in the mid-1700s, Pompeii has given archaeologists and visitors a unique view of ancient times that would not have been possible otherwise.

Pompeii is located only about five miles from Mount Vesuvius. This short distance makes it particularly vulnerable to the volcano’s eruption. Indeed, the terrible explosion that occurred in a.d. 79 hurled ash and gas 20 miles into the air. The ash settled over the surrounding area. As it fell, the ash preserved people and things in their current state. As a result, visitors can still see casts of residents in the exact poses they struck upon their deaths almost 2,000 years ago.

Before the eruption, Pompeii had been a bustling town with thousands of residents. During the excavation, archaeologists uncovered frescoes depicting scenes from mythology, nature, and daily life. They discovered large villas, amphitheaters, bath houses, and gold jewelry. These findings demonstrated that Pompeians had a great appreciation for living well.

The excavation didn’t just show how Pompeians lived, though. It also ultimately told the story of how they died. Researchers had previously assumed most of the residents had suffocated on ash and gas. However, they now believe Pompeians actually died from extreme heat. Analysis of ashes and bones from Pompeii showed that air temperatures had reached 570°F. This temperature would’ve killed people almost instantly.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

The ability to view such a unique, not to mention rare, archaeological site makes Pompeii very appealing to visitors. Every year, the site attracts more than two million people. Ironically, though, it’s the very popularity of Pompeii that is also contributing to its ruin. Though the excavation of ash has provided visitors with an intriguing glimpse into ancient Pompeian life, it has also left the site vulnerable to the elements. No longer protected by their ash covering, structures such as tomb walls have collapsed from heavy rainfall. Furthermore, thieves have stolen artifacts like frescoes from the site. As a result, in 2014, officials unveiled a plan to restore Pompeii. They instituted measures to help protect the site from weather, tourists, and vandals. Though the cost is high—upwards of $27 million—officials hope their efforts will help preserve the site for generations to come.

The horror of a volcanic eruption led to one of the most intriguing archaeological sites ever discovered. Though the circumstances surrounding the destruction of Pompeii are tragic, we have learned much about the residents’ lives and deaths as a result of these unique events.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

Source #2: The Death of King Tut

In 1922, archaeologist Howard Carter and his team made an incredible discovery. They found the tomb of King Tutankhamun, or King Tut, in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. At the time of the discovery, much still remained unknown about the young king. Since that time, however, archaeologists have learned far more about Tut as the result of recent scientific advancements.

For a long time, most people assumed that King Tut, who died at the age of 19, had been the victim of murder. This belief was largely due to an x-ray taken in the 1960s. The x-ray showed a piece of bone lodged in Tut’s skull cavity. People believed that attackers might have struck the king in the head, causing his death. Brain scans performed in 2005, however, showed no trauma to Tut’s head. As a result, archaeologists now believe the bone fragment, along with some additional fragments, might have appeared during the embalming process. This process would have taken place before Tut’s entombment. Because embalmers removed the brain as part of the process, it’s possible they might’ve accidentally chipped some pieces of bone. It’s also possible that Howard Carter might have inadvertently caused the bone to fragment when he first handled Tut’s mummy.

Examiners made a second discovery when looking over body scans of Tut. They realized the king had had a club foot. A club foot is a deformation that causes twisting. Scans also revealed that Tut had bone disease in this same foot. Both of these conditions would’ve made walking difficult for the king. The examiners’ discovery helped explain why archaeologists found so many canes in Tut’s tomb. Tut likely would’ve been unable to walk without the assistance of one.

Scientists further discovered that Tut had a fracture in his left thigh bone. It’s possible that this fracture caused an infection, ultimately leading to Tut’s death. Greater analysis of the king’s body also revealed that Tut had battled malaria many times in his life. Malaria is often deadly and is another likely condition that might have ultimately killed the king.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

It’s also possible that some combination of Tut’s many ailments brought about his death. The malaria would have caused Tut’s immune system to weaken. This, in turn, would’ve made it difficult for his bones to heal properly and his body to fight infection.

Though archaeologists may never know with full certainty the cause of King Tut’s death, they have far more information to work with now than they previously did. As a result of scientific advancements, they can use actual evidence of disease and injury, rather than pure speculation, to try to determine the cause of the young king’s death.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

18 According to “Frozen in Time,” what preserved and protected the people and structures of Pompeii for almost 2,000 years?

A high temperatures that discouraged tourists from visiting the site

B gas that lingered in the air after the volcano’s eruption

C extreme heat that melted everything into place

D ash from the eruption

19 How did archaeologists use research to learn more about how both King Tut and the residents of Pompeii died? Cite details from both sources to support your ideas. Be sure to identify the source of each piece of information by title or number.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

20 Which source would be more useful for making the argument that ancient societies had a great appreciation for the arts? Explain why, and provide at least two pieces of evidence from that source to support your ideas.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 2

DirectionsforPart2You will now look at your sources; take notes; and plan, draft, revise, and edit your argumentative article. You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your assignment and the information about how your argumentative article will be scored; then begin your work.

YourAssignmentYour teacher would like you to write a multi-paragraph argumentative article about a topic related to the two sources you have read. Your article will be read by the teacher and students in your class.

You have decided to write an argumentative article about why it is important to study archaeological sites. Make sure you establish an argumentative claim, address potential counter arguments, and support your claim from the sources you have read. Organize your article logically, and elaborate on your ideas. Develop your ideas clearly and use your own words except when quoting directly from the sources. Be sure to identify the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly from the sources.

ArgumentativeArticleScoringYour article will be scored using the following:

1.Purpose/Organization: How well did you state and maintain your claim with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How well did your ideas thoughtfully flow from beginning to end using effective transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?

2.Evidence/Elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant information from the sources? How well did you elaborate with specific information?

3.Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling?

Nowbeginworkonyourargumentativearticle. Manage your time carefully so that you can plan, write, revise, and edit the final draft of your article. Write your article on a separate piece of paper.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP STOP

Answer Key Name:


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


1A AStory Structure, Textual


1B B, C

2 B Plot RL.6.3 Claim 1 Target 5 2

3 D Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 3 2

4A CPoint of View, Textual


4B A

5 B Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 3 2

6A CTheme, Textual Evidence RL.6.1,

RL.6.2 Claim 1 Targets 1, 4 36B D

7 B Connotation and Denotation RL.6.4 Claim 1 Target 10 2

8 C Technical Language RI.6.4 Claim 1 Target 10 2

9A CInformational Text Elements,


9B D



10B A, D, E

11 D Technical Language RI.6.4 Claim 1 Target 10 2

12 B, C, D Informational Text Elements RI.6.3 Claim 1 Target 12 2

13 see below Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View RI.6.6 Claim 1 Target 11 3


15 see below Informational Text Elements RI.6.3 Claim 1 Target 12 2

16 B, E Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View RI.6.6 Claim 1 Target 11 3


18 D Informational Text Elements RI.6.3 Claim 1 Target 12 2

Answer Key Name:


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


19 see below Arguments and Claims RI.6.8 Claim 1 Target 11 4


Article see below Argumentative Performance Task W.6.1a-e Claim 2 Target 7 4

Comprehension: Selected Response 1A, 1B, 2, 4A, 4B, 6A, 6B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 12, 16, 18

/17 %


Vocabulary 3, 5, 7, 8, 11, 14 /12 %


13 2-point response: The author’s point of view on the topic of Atlantis is that the island actually existed at one time in southern Spain. The author says, “In making its discovery, the team helped solve a mystery that has puzzled people for thousands of years” and “The recent discovery of Atlantis finally puts to rest the persistent disbelief in the island’s existence.” This shows the author believes in Atlantis and thinks the place archaeologists have identified in Spain is the right location. She or he uses supporting details from Plato and archaeologists to support this view.

15 2-point response: The author doesn’t believe some of Plato’s claims because, according to the author, Plato “was known to include fables and allegories in his writing.” The author thinks Plato might have made up the story of Atlantis. He or she says, “The many imaginative elements of this story make it difficult to take the existence of Atlantis seriously.” These elements include claims that its founders were half human and half god and that gods sank the island to punish its residents. The author says, “It’s difficult to know which aspects of Plato’s story to believe and which not to believe.”

17 4-point response: The author in “Uncovering a Lost Island” makes the claim that the real location of Atlantis has been found in Spain. He or she says that “a group of archaeologists and geologists at last discovered the site of the lost island. In making its discovery, the team helped solve a mystery that has puzzled people for thousands of years.” The author clearly believes that the discovery of the site proves the existence of Atlantis and uses evidence from both Plato and archaeologists to support his or her argument.

The author of “Fantasy Island,” on the other hand, clearly disputes the existence of Atlantis. He or she says, “It is time for scientists to accept, once and for all, that Atlantis never really existed—other than in the imaginations of those who chose to believe in it.” The author then discusses inconsistencies in the island’s location and the dates it supposedly existed. He or she also criticizes Plato’s statements about Atlantis, implying that he made up the story about the island.

19 2-point response: Source #1 discusses how archaeologists analyzed ashes and bones to learn that temperatures in Pompeii reached 570°F after the volcano’s eruption—a temperature that “would’ve killed people almost instantly.” This discovery showed that people died of extreme heat, not suffocation, as previously thought. Source #2 explains how archaeologists used x-rays and brain and body scans to examine King Tut’s body. They learned that King Tut hadn’t died from getting hit on the head. They now think that a fracture or malaria killed him. The text says, “It’s also possible that some combination of Tut’s many ailments brought about his death.”

Answer Key Name:


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

20 2-point response: “Frozen in Time” would be a better source to use for making the argument that ancient societies appreciated the arts. The text mentions how, during Pompeii’s excavation, “archaeologists uncovered frescoes depicting scenes from mythology, nature, and daily life.” This shows that the people were interested in painting and stories. The text also mentions that archaeologists discovered “amphitheaters.” Perhaps Pompeians listened to music or watched performances in the amphitheaters. “The Death of King Tut,” on the other hand, focuses more on what archaeologists learned about how the king died than it does on Egyptian culture.

10-point anchor paper: A lot of our knowledge of history comes from personal accounts and records. But what about ancient cities where records don’t exist? The facts we know about ancient cities and people come from archaeological studies. It is important to study archaeological sites because they teach us about people and cultures.

Pompeii is an example of an ancient city that we know about because of archaeological work. It was buried for thousands of years but is now one of the most popular tourist attractions. Clearly, people are interested in ancient cultures, and archaeological sites make it possible for us to learn about them. As “Frozen in Time” states, archaeologists learned that Pompeians had “a great appreciation for living well” based on their discovery of bath houses, villas, and amphitheaters. They were also interested in the arts, as shown by the many frescoes the archaeologists uncovered. The archaeological work always shows us the danger of Mount Vesuvius. People who live close to the volcano know that they run the risk of it erupting again.

Thanks to archaeological sites, we know a lot about ancient Egypt, too. We know that Egyptians worshipped kings and embalmed them after they died, for example. According to “The Death of King Tut,” we know that the Egyptian king likely died from malaria or some combination of diseases. This teaches us the kinds of diseases people at the time faced, even kings. Archaeologists only discovered this after science advanced enough to prove the cause of death. Previously, they had suspected murder as the cause of death. It’s important that we keep archaeological sites running because science is always advancing, and there’s always more for us to discover and learn.

Some people might argue that we ruin the remains of ancient cities when we open them up to study. For instance, once archaeologists uncover ruins, the ruins are exposed to the weather and people, which slowly deteriorates them. This may be true, but what is the alternative? If archaeologists don’t look for new sites and study them, they may be protected, but they will remain mysteries that nobody knows about. Who does that benefit? Besides, archaeologists are able to restore sites if they get damaged. Archaeologists have respect for history.

If we want to know the truth about the ancient past, we need archaeological sites. Otherwise, we have to rely on our imaginations. As “The Death of King Tut” shows us, sometimes our best guesses turn out to be wrong. Science gives us the truth. The better we understand people and cultures from the past, the better we can understand ourselves.

GRADE 6 UNIT 3


Susan B. AnthonyThroughout her life, Susan B. Anthony worked as a tireless advocate for the rights of women and for the causes of abolition, workers’ rights, and temperance.

Born in Massachusetts in 1820, Susan B. Anthony became one of the country’s greatest reformers. As the daughter of Quakers who were themselves reformers, Anthony learned early on the importance of working for justice. Unlike many girls at the time, she was allowed to express herself freely. She also received an education equal to that of her brothers. In 1845, after moving to Rochester, New York, Anthony’s family became very active in the abolitionist movement. The family even provided its farm as a meeting place for anti-slavery activists.

Abolition wasn’t the only focus of social reform for Susan B. Anthony, however. After spending ten years teaching, she decided to devote herself full time to the temperance movement. This movement promoted abstention from alcohol. Anthony became a temperance leader. In 1852, however, she was denied the right to speak at a temperance meeting because she was a woman. As a result, Anthony formed the Woman’s New York State Temperance Society. Her brush with discrimination made Anthony realize that women would never be taken seriously until they gained the right to vote.

A year earlier, in 1851, Anthony had met fellow reformer Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The two women worked together to expand New York’s Married Women’s Property Law of 1848. Stanton wrote much of the literature about the cause, which the women distributed. Anthony traveled throughout the state giving speeches. Finally, the Married Women’s Property Law of 1860 became law in New York. It gave married women the right to own property, operate businesses, manage their income, issue lawsuits, and serve as joint guardians of their children.

In 1866, the two women helped establish the American Equal Rights Association. The purpose of the organization was to secure the right to vote for both African-American men and all women. However, many abolitionists thought that African-American men’s right to vote should take precedence over that of women. As a result, in 1869, the two women formed the National Woman Suffrage Association to work specifically toward securing women’s right to vote.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

Around this same time, between the years 1868 and 1870, Anthony and Stanton began publishing the newspaper The Revolution. In the paper, the women argued for equal rights for everyone. They supported equal pay for women and, of course, women’s right to vote. While working as a teacher several years earlier, Anthony had discovered that male teachers were paid far more than female teachers were. The motto of the women’s paper became, “Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.”

In 1872, Anthony and a group of about 150 women asserted that the 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution guaranteed voting rights for women as well as men. They decided to test the amendments’ constitutionality. When Anthony voted in that year’s presidential election, she was arrested and fined. Despite her arrest, Anthony remained committed to the cause of women’s suffrage—and refused to pay the fine. Instead, she continued to travel the country, giving lectures, lobbying legislators, and speaking before Congress on behalf of the cause of suffrage.

Though Anthony died in 1906—almost 15 years before women finally gained the right to vote in 1920—her contributions to the cause were indispensable. Though she was subjected to ridicule from both the general public and newspapers throughout her life, Susan B. Anthony’s perseverance and dedication allowed her to fight tirelessly on behalf of women, African Americans, and workers alike.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


In 1866, the two women helped establish the American Equal Rights Association. The purpose of the organization was to secure the right to vote for both African-American men and all women. However, many abolitionists thought that African-American men’s right to vote should take precedence over that of women. As a result, in 1869, the two women formed the National Woman Suffrage Association to work specifically toward securing women’s right to vote.

Based on the context, what is the meaning of suffrage?

A the ability to organize

B the elimination of slavery

C the right to vote

D the separation of men and women


Part A: Which of the following statements is a central or main idea of the text?

A Susan B. Anthony believed the right to vote was the foundation for all other rights for women.

B Susan B. Anthony’s family did not support her ideas about reform.

C Susan B. Anthony thought it was fair that men got paid more than women for doing the same work.

D Susan B. Anthony did not enjoy lecturing or speaking before Congress.

Part B: Which paragraphs in the text best show this idea? Select two options.

A Paragraph 2

B Paragraph 3

C Paragraph 4

D Paragraph 7

E Paragraph 8

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Though Anthony died in 1906—almost 15 years before women finally gained the right to vote in 1920—her contributions to the cause were indispensable.

What does the author’s use of indispensable tell you about Anthony’s contributions to women gaining the right to vote? Select the best option.

A Anthony’s contributions were somewhat helpful to women gaining the right to vote.

B Anthony was solely responsible for women gaining the right to vote.

C Without Anthony’s important contributions, women would not have gained the right to vote.

D Anthony was ahead of her time when it came to women gaining the right to vote.


Part A: Which of the following statements is a central or main idea of the text?

A Susan B. Anthony worked harder than Elizabeth Cady Stanton did.

B Susan B. Anthony thought that temperance was the most important issue.

C Susan B. Anthony was completely committed to the causes she supported.

D Susan B. Anthony was incapable of choosing just one cause to support.

Part B: Which sentences in the text best show this idea? Select two options.

A “Around this same time, between the years 1868 and 1870, Anthony and Stanton began publishing the newspaper The Revolution.”

B “Despite her arrest, Anthony remained committed to the cause of women’s suffrage—and refused to pay the fine.”

C “While working as a teacher several years earlier, Anthony had discovered that male teachers were paid far more than female teachers were.”

D “Though she was subjected to ridicule from both the general public and newspapers throughout her life, Susan B. Anthony’s perseverance and dedication allowed her to fight tirelessly on behalf of women, African Americans, and workers alike.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


Part A: What is the best description of the author’s purpose for writing this passage?

A to inform readers about specific laws and constitutional amendments

B to persuade readers to become reformers

C to entertain readers by describing Anthony’s work relationship with Elizabeth Cady Stanton

D to inform readers about the many contributions Anthony made to social reform

Part B: Which of the following best describes how the author conveys this purpose?

A The author includes quotations from people who knew Anthony and Stanton.

B The author includes detailed information about laws and amendments.

C The author includes several examples of how Anthony worked to bring about change in society.

D The author includes a call to action to encourage readers to fight for a cause.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: What is the best description of the author’s point of view of Susan B. Anthony?

A She was a great reformer who fought hard to defend people’s rights.

B She should have focused her efforts on just one cause.

C She should have been less demanding in her fight for change.

D She did not experience much discrimination herself but fought on behalf of others who did.

Part B: Which sentence in the text best supports this view?

A “After spending ten years teaching, she decided to devote herself full time to the temperance movement.”

B “In 1852, however, she was denied the right to speak at a temperance meeting because she was a woman.”

C “Throughout her life, Susan B. Anthony worked as a tireless advocate for the rights of women and for the causes of abolition, workers’ rights, and temperance.”

D “The motto of the women’s paper became, ‘Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.’”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 3


McCarthyism in the 1950sDuring the 1940s and 1950s, communism was gaining ground in Eastern Europe and China. Fears grew that communism might also spread to the United States. This fear was mainly due to hysteria generated by Senator Joseph McCarthy. During a campaign that came to be known as McCarthyism, the senator accused a slew of government workers, artists, movie directors, and writers of being communists. McCarthy pursued his victims recklessly and unfairly, and many of the accused had their careers ruined as a result of the accusations. McCarthyism ceased only after the accused bravely confronted and challenged McCarthy’s false charges.

The Rise of McCarthyismDuring the period of McCarthyism, which lasted from 1950 to 1954, the senator accused hundreds of Americans of being communists. The accusations began in 1950. That year, McCarthy asserted that over 200 communists had infiltrated the U.S. government. Though McCarthy was unable to name even one legitimate “card-carrying communist” working for the State Department, he nonetheless successfully stoked the fears of Americans.

In 1953, the senator became chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He shifted the traditional focus of the subcommittee’s position from investigating fraud and waste in government to seeking out communists. In this role, McCarthy called hundreds of witnesses to numerous hearings.

McCarthy didn’t limit his attacks just to members of the government, however. He also accused writers and those in the entertainment industry, such as playwright Arthur Miller and actor Charlie Chaplin, of being communists. In total, McCarthy accused 320 artists of being communists, typically with no evidence to back up his charges. The accused were “blacklisted,” or put on a list of suspicious people. They often had their passports confiscated or were put in jail for refusing to name other communists.

Fighting McCarthyismSome of McCarthy’s victims fought back, however. In 1953, journalist Edward R. Murrow hosted a television show that featured a discharged member of the Air Force. The man had been released because his mother and sister were accused of being communist sympathizers. Murrow’s show cast doubts on the Air Force’s decision to discharge the man, and the Air Force reinstated him.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

In retaliation for Murrow’s depiction of these events, McCarthy planned an attack on the journalist. But Murrow was one step ahead of the senator. For years, the journalist had been collecting material against McCarthy. In 1954, Murrow aired a television show that was highly critical of the senator and his methods of interrogation.

A little over a month later, lengthy hearings began to address charges McCarthy made against the army. Viewers widely ridiculed McCarthy for his behavior during the televised hearings. McCarthy frequently interrupted the proceedings. He even accused a member of the army counsel’s law firm of being a communist. To this charge, the chief counsel Joseph Nye Welch famously responded, “Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” The negative exposure McCarthy received as a result of both the hearings and Murrow’s show caused public support for McCarthy to sour. Later that year, the Senate censured, or expressed formal disapproval of, McCarthy for unbecoming conduct. The senator spent his last years in the Senate largely ignored and isolated.

McCarthy was reckless with his charges, and many of his victims suffered great damage to their careers and reputations. But, in the end, they could take satisfaction in knowing that McCarthy had been publicly exposed for his false accusations. McCarthyism had finally drawn to a close, thanks to those who took a stand against it. The experience was a powerful reminder of the importance of fighting back.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

7 Read the following passage from the text. Then, complete the sentence that follows.

During the 1940s and 1950s, communism was gaining ground in Eastern Europe and China. Fears grew that communism might also spread to the United States. This fear was mainly due to hysteria generated by Senator Joseph McCarthy. During a campaign that came to be known as McCarthyism, the senator accused a slew of government workers, artists, movie directors, and writers of being communists.

The author’s use of hysteria tells you that he or she feels that Senator McCarthy’s actions ___________________.

A were extreme

B made a lot of sense

C were a little premature

D were justified

8 Read the following passage from the text. Then, answer the question.

During the period of McCarthyism, which lasted from 1950 to 1954, the senator accused hundreds of Americans of being communists. The accusations began in 1950. That year, McCarthy asserted that over 200 communists had infiltrated the U.S. government. Though McCarthy was unable to name even one legitimate “card-carrying communist” working for the State Department, he nonetheless successfully stoked the fears of Americans.

Based on the context, what is the meaning of infiltrated?

A forcefully overthrown

B gained access for spying purposes

C stolen important documents from

D bribed with promises of money

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: What claim does the author make in the argument?

A Senator McCarthy did what he thought was best for the country.

B Senator McCarthy’s charges against people ceased only after the accused fought back.

C Senator McCarthy successfully prevented the establishment of communism in the United States.

D Senator McCarthy set a fine example for how other politicians should behave.

Part B: Which paragraph in the text best supports this claim?

A Paragraph 2

B Paragraph 4

C Paragraph 7

D Paragraph 8

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


Part A: What is the best description of the author’s point of view of Senator McCarthy?

A Senator McCarthy was admirable and courageous.

B Senator McCarthy was lazy and arrogant.

C Senator McCarthy was unfair and unreasonable.

D Senator McCarthy was humble and gracious.

Part B: Which sentences in the text best support this view? Select two options.

A “In this role, McCarthy called hundreds of witnesses to numerous hearings.”

B “In total, McCarthy accused 320 artists of being communists, typically with no evidence to back up his charges.”

C “McCarthy was reckless with his charges, and many of his victims suffered great damage to their careers and reputations.”

D “He shifted the traditional focus of the subcommittee’s position from investigating fraud and waste in government to seeking out communists.”

E “The senator spent his last years in the Senate largely ignored and isolated.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 3


from Adventures of Huckleberry Finnby Mark Twain

In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, set in the late 1800’s, two runaway friends named Huckleberry Finn and Jim travel north because Jim, who is a slave, will be free in the north. The two plan to travel the river by raft to the nearby town of Cairo, where they will take a ferry north the rest of the way. Unfortunately, visibility is bad this night, and the boys miss their stop at Cairo. So they decide to buy a canoe to continue paddling, but their plans change again when they encounter a giant steamboat.

So we shoved out after dark on the raft.

Anybody that don’t believe yet that it’s foolishness to handle a snake-skin, after all that that snake-skin done for us, will believe it now if they read on and see what more it done for us.

The place to buy canoes is off of rafts laying up at shore. But we didn’t see no rafts laying up; so we went along during three hours and more. Well, the night got gray and ruther thick, which is the next meanest thing to fog. You can’t tell the shape of the river, and you can’t see no distance. It got to be very late and still, and then along comes a steamboat up the river. We lit the lantern, and judged she would see it. Up-stream boats didn’t generly come close to us; they go out and follow the bars and hunt for easy water under the reefs; but nights like this they bull right up the channel against the whole river.

We could hear her pounding along, but we didn’t see her good till she was close. She aimed right for us. Often they do that and try to see how close they can come without touching; sometimes the wheel bites off a sweep, and then the pilot sticks his head out and laughs, and thinks he’s mighty smart. Well, here she comes, and we said she was going to try and shave us; but she didn’t seem to be sheering off a bit. She was a big one, and she was coming in a hurry, too, looking like a black cloud with rows of glow-worms around it; but all of a sudden she bulged out, big and scary, with a long row of wide-open furnace doors shining like red-hot teeth, and her monstrous bows and guards hanging right over us. There was a yell at us, and a jingling of bells to stop the engines, a powwow of cussing, and whistling of steam—and as Jim went overboard on one side and I on the other, she come smashing straight through the raft.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

I dived—and I aimed to find the bottom, too, for a thirty-foot wheel had got to go over me, and I wanted it to have plenty of room. I could always stay under water a minute; this time I reckon I stayed under a minute and a half. Then I bounced for the top in a hurry, for I was nearly busting. I popped out to my armpits and blowed the water out of my nose, and puffed a bit. Of course there was a booming current; and of course that boat started her engines again ten seconds after she stopped them, for they never cared much for raftsmen; so now she was churning along up the river, out of sight in the thick weather, though I could hear her.

I sung out for Jim about a dozen times, but I didn’t get any answer; so I grabbed a plank that touched me while I was “treading water,” and struck out for shore, shoving it ahead of me. But I made out to see that the drift of the current was towards the left-hand shore, which meant that I was in a crossing; so I changed off and went that way.

It was one of these long, slanting, two-mile crossings; so I was a good long time in getting over. I made a safe landing, and clumb up the bank.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

The Canoe TripLast summer, my family went on vacation up in the mountains where we stayed in a small cabin by a lake. My best friend, Catherine, was there with her family too, so it was nice to have someone to hang out with besides my little brother.

One afternoon toward the end of the week, we were lying out on a bright red blanket on the small beach next to the lake. The long, lazy afternoon seemed to stretch on and on ahead of us.

“Hey, I know!” I said. “Why don’t we take a canoe out for a ride on the lake? I looked at a map of the area, and there’s an island down a little way, just beyond the bend,” I pointed down the lake where the water seemed curved away to the left.

We got up off the blanket and trotted back to the cabin, where my mom was sitting on the porch reading a magazine and watching my brother play with Catherine’s brother on the lawn.

“Mom, can Catherine and I take the canoe out on the lake?”

“I think you two are old enough now. I don’t see why not, as long as you remember to wear life vests and get back before dinner—and don’t go too far.”

We pointed the canoe in the direction toward the bend in the lake where we thought the island would be and began paddling. Soon, the cabin and our red blanket were just tiny dots in the distance behind us.

“How far is this island?” asked Catherine a bit skeptically.

“Not too far, I think—I bet it’s just around the bend.”

We kept paddling, but the wind started to pick up and by the time we rounded the bend, the water was choppy and it was getting hard to keep the canoe on course. There was no island in sight, and every time Catherine dipped her paddle into the lake, she splashed water on me.

“Stop splashing me,” I yelled. “You’re doing that on purpose!”

“I am not,” Catherine shouted back. “And you’re the one who doesn’t know how to read a map! I bet the island is all the way back in the other direction! Now we’re way too far out, and it’s going to take us ages and ages to get back. We’re going to miss dinner, and our parents are going to be very angry—not to mention, worried!”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

I couldn’t see Catherine’s face, but she sounded close to tears. I wanted to yell back at her for being a scaredy cat and a crybaby, but I stopped myself. It really was windy, and we were going to have to cooperate if we wanted to get the canoe back to the cabin.

“Listen,” I said. “I apologize. Let’s turn around and you’ll see—as soon as we get back around this bend, the cabin will come into view.”

Sure enough, as soon as we rounded the bend again, we were able to see the red dot of our blanket. The wind made it extremely difficult, but we paddled for all we were worth and managed to get back to shore. We dragged the canoe up onto the beach and collapsed on the blanket, exhausted.

Catherine’s dad came over to us from the grill where he had been barbecuing dinner.

“Looks like you girls had an adventure this afternoon—I can’t wait to hear all about it at dinner.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

Answer these questions about Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

11 Read the following sentence from of the text.

Up-stream boats didn’t generally come close to us; they go out and follow the bars and hunt for easy water under the reefs; but nights like this they bull right up the channel against the whole river.

Based on the context, the meaning of bull is ___________________.

A to stop suddenly

B to act like an animal

C to take their time

D to drive forcefully

12 Refer to the text Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

What problem do the friends encounter in the text? How do they respond to this problem?

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

13 Select two statements that explain the theme of the text.

A The ability to swim is an important skill to develop.

B Adventures can sometimes be dangerous.

C Friends can’t be trusted to help in a crisis.

D Plans don’t always work out the way they’re supposed to.

E Steamboats are deadly vessels.

Answer these questions about “The Canoe Trip.”

14 This question has two parts. First answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What point of view is the story told from?

A third-person omniscient

B first person

C third-person limited omniscient

D third-person objective

Part B: What evidence in the text helps you to know this? Select two options.

A The narrator does not reveal the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters.

B The narrator uses the pronouns they, she, and he to refer to all of the characters.

C The narrator uses the pronouns I, me, us, and we to refer to her friend and herself.

D The narrator reveals only her own thoughts and feelings, not those of other characters.

E The narrator reveals the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


We pointed the canoe in the direction toward the bend in the lake where we thought the island would be and began paddling. Soon, the cabin and our red blanket were just tiny dots in the distance behind us.

“How far is this island?” asked Catherine a bit skeptically.

“Not too far, I think—I bet it’s just around the bend.”

What does the author’s use of skeptically tell you about how Catherine feels about finding the island? Select two options.

A Catherine thinks they will find the island soon.

B Catherine is confident in her friend’s ability to find the island.

C Catherine doesn’t think they’re going to find the island.

D Catherine thinks her friend doesn’t know where the island is.

E Catherine knows exactly where the island is.

16 What is the theme of this text? Cite details from the text to support your ideas.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

17 How do both the text from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the text “The Canoe Trip” involve similar adventures? How does the adventure end differently for the characters in the two texts? Use details from both texts to support your ideas.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

Narrative Performance Task

TaskPeople face many different kinds of challenges. These challenges can be a source of anger and frustration. But they can also help motivate people to make improvements in society.

For this task, you will be writing a narrative related to the topic of Mahatma Gandhi, someone who spent most of his life fighting to improve the lives of his fellow Indians. Before you write your narrative, you will review two sources that provide biographical information about Mahatma Gandhi and tell more about an important event in his life.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. Then go back and read the sources carefully to gain the information you will need to answer the questions and write a narrative.

In Part 2, you will write a narrative related to the sources and told from the perspective of Mahatma Gandhi.

Directions for Part 1You will now read two sources. You can re-examine the sources as often as you like.

Research QuestionsAfter reading the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, your answers will help you think about the research sources you have read, which should help you write your narrative. You may refer to the sources when you think it would be helpful. You may also refer to your notes. Answer the questions in the space provided.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

Source #1 Mahatma Gandhi

Lawyer and activist Mahatma Gandhi spent his life advocating for his fellow Indians. Rather than resorting to aggression against others, however, Gandhi instead practiced peaceful civil disobedience to bring about positive changes in society.

Gandhi was born in India in 1869. At the time, the country was under British rule. In 1888, after finishing his studies in India, Gandhi decided to attend law school in England. Upon his arrival, Gandhi found it difficult to adapt to life in London. His English needed improvement and his vegetarianism—part of the Hindu faith he practiced—was unusual to Londoners. Though Gandhi was often embarrassed by his differences, he nonetheless held fast to his beliefs. Life in London also exposed Gandhi to progressive social and political ideas that would eventually influence his own beliefs.

In 1891, Gandhi returned to India, only to find that his mother had died in his absence. Further compounding his despair was his inability to find proper work in India. So in 1893, Gandhi accepted a position in South Africa. There, Gandhi, like other Indians in South Africa, faced discrimination and racism. Though the experience was unpleasant, it also spurred Gandhi on to fight back. At the end of his year-long work contract, just as he was about to leave South Africa, Gandhi suddenly made the decision to stay. He wanted to help defend the rights of his fellow Indians. Gandhi spent the next 20 years in South Africa devoted to this cause, opposing discriminatory legislation lodged against Indians.

In 1914, Gandhi returned to India. He wanted to assist poor farmers and workers who were being heavily taxed and discriminated against. He also wanted to help relieve poverty, improve conditions for women, and end caste-system discrimination against people considered to be of a lower status.

Ultimately, Gandhi hoped to bring self-rule to India and end British imperialism in his country. To achieve this, he administered a civil disobedience campaign from 1919 to 1922. During this time, he promoted nonviolent noncooperation with the British government by encouraging Indians to boycott British-run institutions. In 1922, he was arrested for sedition, or encouraging rebellion against the state. Gandhi was sentenced to six years in prison but was released in 1924 due to his poor health. Later that same year, Gandhi fasted, or refused to eat, for three weeks. He wanted to call greater attention to the practice of nonviolence in response to warring between Muslims and Hindus in India.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

Gandhi was jailed again in 1930 when he led a march to the sea. He defied British salt laws by picking up a handful of natural salt at the seashore. Gandhi also encouraged others to do the same. Salt laws placed hefty taxes on salt. They also prevented Indians from producing or selling the seasoning. Since picking up salt was considered production, Gandhi’s act was illegal. Despite his arrest, this example of civil disobedience nonetheless led to further discussions with Britain about Indian independence. In 1931, Gandhi traveled to London to attend a conference with the British, but he was arrested again when he returned to India.

In 1932, while still imprisoned, Gandhi began another fast to protest the British government’s discriminatory treatment of so-called “untouchables.” The untouchables were members of the lower classes of Indian society. Throughout the mid-1930s, Gandhi focused his efforts on improving the economic conditions and education of the peasantry and those in rural India.

In 1947, Gandhi’s dream of self-rule was finally realized. That year, India at last achieved independence from Britain. Unfortunately, Gandhi died just one year later, in 1948, at the hands of a fanatic. Despite his tragic death, Gandhi’s teachings of nonviolent civil disobedience live on. His lessons continue to guide countless others in their quest to overcome injustices in society.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

Source #2 The Salt March

In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi decided to lead followers on a march to the sea. The purpose of Gandhi’s unusual march was to collect salt. This act openly defied Britain’s tax on salt in India. Gandhi saw the salt tax as particularly unfair to the poor. He wanted to take part in an action that would draw attention to this wrong. He also wanted to encourage the country to take up the fight for independence from Britain. Gandhi’s act of defiance came to be known as the “Salt March.”

The British held a monopoly on salt’s production and sale in India. They forced Indians to buy heavily taxed salt that was often imported and which most people couldn’t afford. Indians had first begun protesting the salt tax in the 1800s.

Before taking part in the 1930 Salt March, Gandhi first wrote a letter to Lord Irwin, the viceroy of India. Lord Irwin ruled the country on behalf of the British monarchy. In the letter, Gandhi respectfully detailed discrepancies between Lord Irwin’s pay and the pay most Indians could expect to receive from a day’s work. Gandhi pointed out that, since the British were unwilling to correct injustices like this, he planned to violate British laws governing the salt tax. Gandhi saw the tax as being most harmful to the poor. Since he considered the Indian independence movement to be one waged on behalf of the poor more than anyone, Gandhi chose the salt tax as the first cause to address in his renewed civil disobedience campaign.

On March 12, 1930, Gandhi began the 240-mile-long march to the sea with 78 others. At the end of each day, the marchers would stop in a village. Gandhi would then speak to gathering crowds about the injustice of the salt tax. Each day more marchers would join him. People threw flowers and leaves on the path and sang. Finally, on April 5, Gandhi and his followers reached the town of Dandi. The following morning, after addressing a crowd, Gandhi collected some natural salt from the sea. Others followed his lead. This seemingly simple act was a direct violation of Britain’s salt tax.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 3

For the next several weeks, Gandhi encouraged his fellow Indians to break the salt laws. He and thousands of his followers were eventually arrested. Just prior to his arrest in May 1930, Gandhi had informed Lord Irwin that he intended to march on the Dharasana saltworks. After his arrest, Gandhi could no longer attend the march. About 2,500 of his followers did, however. By the end of 1930, around 60,000 Indians were in jail for these acts of civil disobedience.

The Salt March and other subsequent actions against Britain’s salt tax eventually led to a truce between Lord Irwin and Gandhi. The actions also led to further discussions about Indian independence. Though Indians might have lost the fight, they ultimately won the war. In 1947, India finally declared its independence from the British.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

18 According to “Mahatma Gandhi,” why did Gandhi stay in South Africa for so many years?

A He thought the surroundings were pretty.

B After his mother died, he didn’t see a reason to live in India anymore.

C He became used to his life in South Africa.

D He wanted to help protect Indians from discrimination in South Africa.

19 How do the authors of “Mahatma Gandhi” and “The Salt March” share a similar point of view of Mahatma Gandhi? Cite details from both sources to support your ideas. Be sure to identify the source of each piece of information by title or number.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

20 Which source, “Mahatma Gandhi” or “The Salt March,” would be more useful for writing a narrative about Gandhi’s early life? Explain why, and provide at least two pieces of evidence from that source to support your ideas.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

Directions for Part 2You will now look at your sources. Take notes. Then plan, draft, revise, and edit your narrative. You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your assignment and the information about how your narrative will be scored; then begin your work.

Your AssignmentYour teacher would like you to write a narrative told from the perspective of an eyewitness to the Salt March. Write a multi-paragraph narrative that discusses the reasons why Gandhi and the march were so important and what the participant experiences. Your narrative will be read by the teacher and students in your class. Remember to tell your narrative from the participant’s point of view and use information taken from both sources to write about the experience.

Narrative ScoringYour story will be scored using the following:

1. Organization/Purpose: How effective was your plot, and did you maintain a logical sequence of events from beginning to end? How well did you establish and develop a setting, story, characters, and point of view? How well did you use a variety of transitions? How effective was your opening and closing for your audience and purpose?

2. Development/Elaboration: How well did you develop your story using description, details, and dialogue? How well did you incorporate sensory and figurative language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose? How well did you use relevant material from the sources in your story?


Now begin work on your narrative. Manage your time carefully so that you can plan, write, revise, and edit the final draft of your narrative. Write your response on a separate piece of paper.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

Answer Key Name:


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


1 C Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 10 2

2A ACentral or Main Idea,


2B B, C

3 C Connotation and Denotation RI.6.4 Claim 1 Target 10 2



4B B, D

5A D Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View,

Textual Evidence

RI.6.1, RI.6.6 Claim 1 Targets 8, 11 3

5B C

6A A Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View,

Textual Evidence


6B C

7 A Connotation and Denotation RI.6.4 Claim 1 Target 10 2


9A BArguments and Claims,


9B D

10A C Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View,

Textual Evidence


10B B, C

11 D Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 3 2

12 see below Plot RL.6.3 Claim 1 Target 4 2

13 A, E Theme RL.6.2 Claim 1 Target 2 3

14A BPoint of View, Textual


14B C, D

15 C, D Connotation and Denotation RL.6.4 Claim 1 Target 3 2

16 see below Theme RL.6.2 Claim 1 Target 2 3


18 D Textual Evidence RI.6.1 Claim 1 Target 8 2

Answer Key Name:


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


19 see belowAuthor’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View

RI.6.6 Claim 1 Target 11 3


Story see below Narrative Performance Task W.6.3a-e Claim 2 Target 2 4

Comprehension: Selected Response 2A, 2B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, 13, 14A, 14B, 18

/17 %

Comprehension: Constructed Response 12, 16, 17, 19, 20, Story /22 %

Vocabulary 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 15 /12 %


12 2-point response: They’re on a raft on the river when a big steamboat approaches through the fog. The steamboat heads right for them, and the friends jump off the raft before the steamboat hits it. Huckleberry Finn swims to shore but isn’t sure where Jim is.

16 2-point response: The theme of the story is that it’s better to cooperate with someone than it is to fight. At first, the narrator and her friend, Catherine, argue about how long it’s taking them to get to the island. Then the narrator realizes how frightened Catherine is and admits that it “really was windy, and we were going to have to cooperate if we wanted to get the canoe back to the cabin.” She apologizes to Catherine and reassures her that they’ll make it back.

17 4-point response: The excerpt from Adventures of Huckleberry Finn involves an adventure on a river. Huckleberry Finn and Jim are two friends on a raft, making their way to a place to buy a canoe. Suddenly, they realize that a steamboat is going to crash into their raft. They jump into the river and become separated when they swim to opposite shores.

“The Canoe Trip” also describes an adventure on the water. The narrator and her friend, Catherine, try to paddle a canoe to an island but have a problem finding it. The girls fight until they realize they need to cooperate to get back to their cabin. They work together and make it back safely.

19 2-point response: Both sources consider Mahatma Gandhi an admirable person who improved the lives of Indians. Source #1 mentions the different groups of Indians Gandhi wanted to help: “He wanted to assist poor farmers and workers who were heavily taxed and discriminated against. He also wanted to help relieve poverty, improve conditions for women, and end caste-system discrimination.” Source #2 also focuses on Gandhi’s concern for the poor, saying, “Gandhi saw the salt tax as particularly unfair to the poor. He wanted to take part in an action that would draw attention to this wrong.”

20 2-point response: Source #1 would be more useful than Source #2 for writing about Gandhi’s early life. Source #2 focuses on a specific event, but Source #1 provides a more complete biography. It describes Gandhi’s time as a law student in London, where he was exposed “to progressive social and political ideas that would eventually influence his own beliefs.” When he could not find work as a lawyer in India, Gandhi continued to face discrimination after moving to South Africa, which led to his later achievements: “Though the experience was unpleasant, it also spurred Gandhi on to fight back.”

Answer Key Name:


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

10-point anchor paper: I was born in India in the late 1800s to a low caste, and therefore a very low social status. My hard, daily work was hardly rewarded. All the wages I earned were heavily taxed. I could not enjoy any of the advantages society had to offer because of my caste. My family and I suffered from discrimination and poverty. We could not even afford the basic necessities of life.

The British ruled my country, India. It was part of the British empire, and so we were ruled by outsiders as a colony. The British were only concerned about gathering wealth from the labor and the people of India. They even taxed the salt that we needed for our daily food. There were laws that prevented us from gathering our salt from the seashore.

Everyone in my village had heard of Mahatma Gandhi. He was opposing the rule of the British over our home country. Even though my daily labor was difficult, my spirit was lifted by the great deed that Gandhi was trying to attempt.

Then, one morning, word spread that Gandhi would be passing close to our village. He was leading people to the sea. He would rebel against the British law and gather salt from the sea.

Like my fellow villagers, we gathered flower petals from the wildflowers that grew along the roadside. Many villagers walked to the road where Gandhi would pass by. There were so many people coming from my village that I was amazed by the number. We lined up along the side of the simple, dirt path that was the road. A small child threw a fistful of flower petals into the path. Then, all the villagers scattered petals onto the road. It was our simple gift to Gandhi.

Then there was a murmur from the crowd. Gandhi and his followers were approaching! They had already marched almost 200 miles. There were more people on the salt march than people who lived in my village.

At last I saw him. I saw Mahatma Gandhi. He stopped in my village and spoke about the unfairness of the salt tax. We were inspired by his words. We were also frightened, because his action and his speech were against the law. But I and my fellow villagers wanted to escape the injustice of British rule.

GRADE 6 UNIT 4


from Great Expectationsby Charles Dickens

The novel Great Expectations, set in the mid-1800s, tells the story of a young boy named Pip. After Pip’s parents die, he is sent to live with his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and her husband, Joe Gargery. In this excerpt, Pip is sitting in a quiet churchyard, visiting his parents’ tombstones. Suddenly, a terrifying man approaches him.

“Hold your noise!” cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves at the side of the church porch. “Keep still, you little devil, or I’ll cut your throat!”

A fearful man, all in coarse gray, with a great iron on his leg. A man with no hat, and with broken shoes, and with an old rag tied round his head. A man who had been soaked in water, and smothered in mud, and lamed by stones, and cut by flints, and stung by nettles, and torn by briars; who limped, and shivered, and glared, and growled; and whose teeth chattered in his head as he seized me by the chin.

“Oh! Don’t cut my throat, sir,” I pleaded in terror. “Pray don’t do it, sir.”

“Tell us your name!” said the man. “Quick!”

“Pip, sir . . .”

“Show us where you live,” said the man. “Pint out the place!”

I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in-shore among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the church.

The man, after looking at me for a moment, turned me upside down, and emptied my pockets. There was nothing in them but a piece of bread. When the church came to itself—for he was so sudden and strong that he made it go head over heels before me, and I saw the steeple under my feet—when the church came to itself, I say, I was seated on a high tombstone, trembling while he ate the bread ravenously . . .

“Now lookee here!” said the man. “Where’s your mother?”

“There, sir!” said I.

He started, made a short run, and stopped and looked over his shoulder.

“There, sir!” I timidly explained. “Also Georgiana. That’s my mother.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

“Oh!” said he, coming back. “And is that your father alonger your mother?”

“Yes, sir,” said I; “him too; late of this parish.”

“Ha!” he muttered then, considering. “Who d’ye live with,—supposin’ you’re kindly let to live, which I han’t made up my mind about?”

“My sister, sir,—Mrs. Joe Gargery,—wife of Joe Gargery, the blacksmith, sir.”

“Blacksmith, eh?” said he. And looked down at his leg.

After darkly looking at his leg and me several times, he came closer to my tombstone, took me by both arms, and tilted me back as far as he could hold me; so that his eyes looked most powerfully down into mine, and mine looked most helplessly up into his.

“Now lookee here,” he said, “the question being whether you’re to be let to live. You know what a file is?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you know what wittles is?”

“Yes, sir.”

After each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger.

“You get me a file.” He tilted me again. “And you get me wittles.” He tilted me again. “You bring ’em both to me.” He tilted me again. “Or I’ll have your heart and liver out.” He tilted me again.

I was dreadfully frightened, and so giddy that I clung to him with both hands, and said, “If you would kindly please to let me keep upright, sir, perhaps I shouldn’t be sick, and perhaps I could attend more.”

He gave me a most tremendous dip and roll, so that the church jumped over its own weathercock. Then, he held me by the arms, in an upright position on the top of the stone, and went on in these fearful terms:—

“You bring me, to-morrow morning early, that file and them wittles. You bring the lot to me, at that old Battery over yonder. You do it, and you never dare to say a word or dare to make a sign concerning your having seen such a person as me, or any person sumever, and you shall be let to live. You fail, or you go from my words in any partickler, no matter how small it is, and your heart and your liver shall be tore out, roasted, and ate . . . Now, what do you say?”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

I said that I would get him the file, and I would get him what broken bits of food I could, and I would come to him at the Battery, early in the morning . . .

“Now,” he pursued, “you remember what you’ve undertook, and you remember that young man, and you get home!”

“Goo-good night, sir,” I faltered.

“Much of that!” said he, glancing about him over the cold wet flat. “I wish I was a frog. Or a eel!”

At the same time, he hugged his shuddering body in both his arms,—clasping himself, as if to hold himself together,—and limped towards the low church wall. As I saw him go, picking his way among the nettles, and among the brambles that bound the green mounds, he looked in my young eyes as if he were eluding the hands of the dead people, stretching up cautiously out of their graves, to get a twist upon his ankle and pull him in.

When he came to the low church wall, he got over it, like a man whose legs were numbed and stiff, and then turned round to look for me. When I saw him turning, I set my face towards home, and made the best use of my legs.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: What point of view is the text told from?

A third-person limited omniscient

B third-person objective

C first person

D third-person omniscient

Part B: Which pronouns in the text help you to know this? Select three options.

A I

B my

C his

D he

E me


“Now lookee here,” he said, “the question being whether you’re to be let to live. You know what a file is?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you know what wittles is?”

“Yes, sir.”

After each question he tilted me over a little more, so as to give me a greater sense of helplessness and danger.

Which phrase in the underlined sentence above signals an effect?

A “a greater sense”

B “he tilted me over”

C “so as”

D “After each question”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


“You get me a file.” He tilted me again. “And you get me wittles.” He tilted me again. “You bring ’em both to me.” He tilted me again. “Or I’ll have your heart and liver out.” He tilted me again.

I was dreadfully frightened, and so giddy that I clung to him with both hands, and said, “If you would kindly please to let me keep upright, sir, perhaps I shouldn’t be sick, and perhaps I could attend more.”

He gave me a most tremendous dip and roll, so that the church jumped over its own weathercock.

What does the phrase the church jumped over its own weathercock mean in the sentence above?

A Pip imagined that the church was leaping.

B The church was capable of jumping.

C The man was so strong so that he could move buildings.

D Because Pip was hanging upside-down, the church also appeared to be upside-down.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: Which of the following best describes the overall tone of the text?

A humorous

B sad

C frightening

D angry

Part B: Which sentences in the text best convey this tone? Select two options.

A “‘Oh! Don’t cut my throat, sir,’ I pleaded in terror.”

B “I pointed to where our village lay, on the flat in-shore among the alder-trees and pollards, a mile or more from the church.”

C “Then, he held me by the arms, in an upright position on the top of the stone, and went on in these fearful terms:—”

D “He started, made a short run, and stopped and looked over his shoulder.”

E “When I saw him turning, I set my face towards home, and made the best use of my legs.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


Part A: Read the following sentences from the text.

“Goo-good night, sir,” I faltered.

“Much of that!” said he, glancing about him over the cold wet flat. “I wish I was a frog. Or a eel!”

At the same time, he hugged his shuddering body in both his arms,—clasping himself, as if to hold himself together,—and limped towards the low church wall. As I saw him go, picking his way among the nettles, and among the brambles that bound the green mounds, he looked in my young eyes as if he were eluding the hands of the dead people, stretching up cautiously out of their graves, to get a twist upon his ankle and pull him in.

When he came to the low church wall, he got over it, like a man whose legs were numbed and stiff, and then turned round to look for me.

How is the author’s tone toward the man different at this point in the text than it is at the beginning?

A It’s more critical.

B It’s more sympathetic.

C It’s angrier.

D It’s more lighthearted.

Part B: Which phrases in the text best convey this change in tone? Select three options.

A “he hugged his shuddering body”

B “clasping himself, as if to hold himself together”

C “limped towards the low church wall”

D “he looked in my young eyes”

E “then turned round to look for me”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: Which of the following best explains the theme of this text?

A Avoid spending time in cemeteries.

B Never feel fear.

C Try to help people who need it.

D Do what is necessary to survive.

Part B: How does the text reflect this theme? Select two options.

A Pip begs the man not to harm him.

B Pip refuses to answer the man’s questions.

C Pip agrees to get the man the things he wants.

D Pip becomes friends with the man.

E Pip offers the man his piece of bread.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

Read the poem. Then answer the questions.

The Star-Spangled Bannerby Francis Scott Key

O! say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming—Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming!And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;O! say, does that star-spangled banner yet waveO’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?

On that shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,In full glory reflected now shines on the stream;’Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it waveO’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly sworeThat the havoc of war and the battle’s confusionA home and a country should leave us no more?Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps, pollution.No refuge could save the hireling and slaveFrom the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave;And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth waveO’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall standBetween their loved homes and the war’s desolation!Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued landPraise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,And this be our motto—“In God is our trust”:And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waveO’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: Which of the following best explains the significance of the poem’s first stanza? Select two options.

A It lets the reader know what the flag looks like.

B It lets the reader know the time of day.

C It lets the reader know that a battle has taken place.

D It lets the reader know what ramparts are.

E It lets the reader know that the flag is still standing.

Part B: Which details in the stanza best demonstrate this? Select three options.

A The stanza mentions “the dawn’s early light.”

B The stanza refers to “broad stripes and bright stars.”

C The stanza mentions “the perilous fight.”

D The stanza refers to “the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air.”

E The stanza mentions that “our flag was still there.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

8 Read the following lines from the poem.

On that shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,In full glory reflected now shines on the stream;’Tis the star-spangled banner; O long may it waveO’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!

Which words have the most similar meaning to conceals? Select two options.

A prevents

B destroys

C covers

D hides

E reveals

9 Read the following lines from the poem.

O! thus be it ever, when freemen shall standBetween their loved homes and the war’s desolation!Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n-rescued landPraise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,And this be our motto—“In God is our trust”:And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waveO’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave.

What does the author’s use of just tell you about how he perceives America’s principles? Select two options.

A The author thinks America’s principles are morally right.

B The author disagrees with America’s principles.

C The author is suspicious of America’s principles.

D The author thinks America’s principles are worth defending.

E The author thinks America’s principles are unfair.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:


Part A: Which of the following best explains the overall theme of this poem?

A America will always endure.

B Flags are important objects.

C War is dangerous.

D Stars and stripes go well together.

Part B: Which lines in the poem best show this theme?

A “No refuge could save the hireling and slave/From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave”

B “Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,/In full glory reflected now shines on the stream”

C “Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, /O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming!”

D “And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave/O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 4


The Heroism of AthletesAncient Greeks celebrated athletes at the first Olympic Game. They recognized that athletes’ unique abilities set them apart from everyone else. Today, athletes continue to stand out from the crowd. By demonstrating not only a great strength in their sport but also a commitment to overcoming challenges, athletes are the heroes of our time.

Professional athletes achieve a standard of physical expertise that most of us can only aspire to reach. Countless examples exist of athletes propelling their sports to the next level by breaking records, pushing boundaries, and fighting against all odds.

Gertrude EderleIn 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel from France to England. Ederle swam the distance in 14 hours and 31 minutes. In doing so, she set a new record. In fact, Ederle smashed the previous record set by a man, beating it by nearly two hours. Her record stood for the next 25 years.

Jesse OwensIn 1936, African-American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field at the Olympics in Berlin. During the spring of the previous year, Owens had broken three world records and tied another record in a time span of about one hour. Though snubbed at the Berlin Olympics by Adolf Hitler, who refused to shake the athlete’s hand, Jesse Owens could take pride in his many accomplishments.

Mark SpitzSwimmer Mark Spitz had never before won any individual gold medals. But at the 1972 Olympics, he somehow managed to win seven gold medals and break seven world records.

Nadia ComaneciIn 1976, Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci received seven perfect 10.0 scores and won three gold medals. She became the first Olympian ever to receive a perfect score in gymnastics, much less seven. And she did it at the age of 14.

Some may say that achievements like these are within anyone’s grasp. They may argue that these successes don’t make a person a hero. While it may be true that we all try our best to excel, not everyone can accomplish what these athletes did. They set a high bar for themselves and for all athletes who followed them. And many of them contended with discrimination and skepticism along the way.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

It goes without saying that most people in the 1920s never would’ve expected a woman to swim across the English Channel. Nor would they have expected a woman to shatter all previous records set by men. Likewise, most people in the 1930s probably didn’t expect Jesse Owens to break multiple records and win four gold medals.

And yet, despite the odds and in the face of skepticism, these athletes persevered and overcame barriers. They triumphed not just physically but psychologically. They were true heroes then, and they remain true heroes now.

Athletes Are Not HeroesIn our culture, professional athletes are considered heroes. They appear on television shows, get paid massive sums of money, and buy expensive cars and houses. Their photos adorn bedroom walls and magazine covers. But what, exactly, makes these athletes heroes? While it is understandable to recognize athletes for their abilities, it is equally important to acknowledge that labeling them as heroes is inappropriate.

When considering the characteristics of a hero, what comes to mind? Most people would generally cite such traits as bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness. How, exactly, do athletes demonstrate these traits?

Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, himself an athlete, has criticized fellow athletes for claiming to be heroes. According to Abdul-Jabbar, what makes a person a hero is taking risks. It’s sacrifice. It’s putting people before you and improving the lives of others.

Some may argue that it takes bravery and risk-taking to play many sports. They will claim that sports such as football involve a lot of physical risk for the players. They may also point out that players often get injured or suffer lifelong medical problems as a result of their time spent playing sports. While all of this is true, it is also the case that the players are typically very well compensated for their chosen careers. Professional athletes certainly get paid far more than people in other dangerous professions, such as firefighting, do. Does it take bravery to get paid millions of dollars a year to participate in a sport?

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

People may also say that professional sports require a lot of sacrifice from the players. Players must give up much of their time to train and make appearances. Their “down time” is closely monitored. While these commitments are certainly demanding, they are not necessarily sacrificial. In fact, these “sacrifices” are part of their job. After all, how are these responsibilities any more sacrificial than those performed by workers who travel for their jobs or work late and, in doing so, give up time with their families? The main difference is that these day-to-day workers are never described as heroes.

Some may also argue that working with others on a team involves selflessness because team members must sacrifice their own glory to benefit the team as a whole. But, again, how is this different from other facets of society? Don’t parents act selflessly for the benefit of their kids? Don’t teachers act selflessly for the benefit of their students? It is difficult to imagine how sports require any more selflessness from their participants than many other social structures do.

Athletes are, in fact, just like the rest of us. They achieve success, make mistakes, and try their best like everyone else does. While their talents are certainly deserving of praise, athletes should be recognized for what they really are: mere mortals.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

11 Read the following sentences from “The Heroism of Athletes.”

Ancient Greeks celebrated athletes at the first Olympic Game. They recognized that athletes’ unique abilities set them apart from everyone else. Today, athletes continue to stand out from the crowd.

Which words have the most similar meaning to unique? Select two options.

A perfect

B special

C superior

D unusual

E flawless


Part A: What is the central idea of “The Heroism of Athletes”?

A Ancient Greeks held athletes in high esteem.

B Jesse Owens was a very accomplished athlete.

C We should consider athletes to be heroes.

D Most people can accomplish what athletes do.

Part B: Which sentence in the text best supports this view?

A “In 1936, African-American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field at the Olympics in Berlin.”

B “By demonstrating not only a great strength in their sport but also a commitment to overcoming challenges, athletes are the heroes of our time.”

C “Ancient Greeks celebrated athletes at the first Olympic Game.”

D “Some may say that achievements like these are within anyone’s grasp.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

13 What main points does the author of “The Heroism of Athletes” make about Gertrude Ederle? How do these points support the author’s central idea? Use details from the text to support your ideas.

14 Which of the following best describes how the introduction to “Athletes Are Not Heroes” helps develop its ideas? Select two options.

A It tells the reader the essay’s topic.

B It provides supporting details.

C It summarizes the essay.

D It tells the reader the essay’s main idea.

E It leaves the reader with a final thought.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

15 Read the following sentences from “Athletes Are Not Heroes.”

Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, himself an athlete, has criticized fellow athletes for claiming to be heroes. According to Abdul-Jabbar, what makes a person a hero is taking risks. It’s sacrifice. It’s putting people before you and improving the lives of others.

What does the author’s use of criticized tell you about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s feelings about calling athletes heroes? Select two options.

A He supports it.

B He doesn’t like it.

C He doesn’t have an opinion about it.

D He thinks it’s wrong.

E He thinks it’s fair.

16 What is the author’s point of view of athletes? What is the author’s purpose for writing this essay? Use details from the text to support your ideas.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

17 How is the claim the author makes in “The Heroism of Athletes” different from the claim the author makes in “Athletes Are Not Heroes”? Use evidence from both texts to support your ideas.


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

Argumentative Performance Task

Task

People have a lot of different ideas about what makes a person a hero. Some people look up to singers, sports figures, or other celebrities. Other people see their relatives and friends as their heroes.

For this task, you will be writing an argument related to the topic of heroism. Before you write your analysis, you will review two sources that provide more information about some historical figures who made a difference in two important areas: education and medical aid.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. Then go back and read the sources carefully to gain the information you will need to answer the questions

and write an argument.

In Part 2, you will write an argument on a topic related to the sources.

Directions for Part 1You will now read two sources. You can re-examine the sources as often as you like.

Research QuestionsAfter reading the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, your answers will help you think about the research sources you have read, which should help you write your argument.

You may refer to the sources when you think it would be helpful. Take notes while you read. Answer the questions in the space provided.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

Source #1: Education Reformers

In the 19th century, many reformers recognized the need to improve the school system in the United States. They saw flaws in the way schools offered an education to students. These reformers developed institutions and practices that enabled a broader group of people to seek and receive quality schooling. By instituting these changes, the reformers became heroes to those who would have otherwise been denied a proper education.

Emma WillardIn 1814, after serving for several years as a teacher and principal at various schools, Emma Willard opened the Middlebury Female Seminary in her home in Vermont. At the time, girls and boys generally received very different educations. But at her school, Willard taught girls the same scientific and Classical subjects that boys learned at school. In 1819, she sent a pamphlet explaining her experiences and thoughts about female education to legislators in New York. Though she didn’t get a response from the legislators she addressed, the governor of New York invited her to open a school for girls in his state. She first opened a school in Waterford. Then, in 1821, she opened the Troy Female Seminary in the city of Troy. At the seminary, students learned science, math, and social studies—subjects not typically taught to girls. Willard headed the school until 1838, having graduated hundreds of students by that time. Many of these former students went on to become teachers themselves.

Samuel Gridley HoweIn 1831, the New-England Institution for Education of the Blind made Samuel Gridley Howe its new director. The school, which later became known as the Perkins School of the Blind, was the first of its kind in the United States. Though Howe at first didn’t have much experience teaching blind students, he traveled to Europe to observe how blind students received instruction there. Howe returned to the United States in 1832 and opened the school to students. In 1837, a seven-year-old student named Laura Bridgman enrolled. Bridgman had lost all but one of her senses: the sense of touch. Howe helped Bridgman use her one remaining sense to recognize and communicate letters and words. He later traveled across the country with students from his school to encourage other states to establish similar schools for the blind.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

Horace MannHorace Mann was the first person to advocate a universal public school system in the United States. He believed that education enabled a society to remain harmonious, stable, and democratic. In 1837, when Mann was elected secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, he developed a plan for educational reform. Mann proposed the idea of the “common school.” The philosophy behind this idea was that every child should receive an education through the use of local taxes. At the time, many people who couldn’t afford an education didn’t receive one. Mann also believed that schools benefited most when they consisted of students from a variety of ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds. As a result, he encouraged integration in common schools. Mann’s common school experiment was a success. By the end of his nearly decade-long tenure as secretary, the amount of money devoted to schools had nearly doubled. Teachers received better pay and, in turn, improved their own performance. As a direct result of Mann’s influence, Massachusetts also became the first state to offer schools specifically designed for training teachers.

Reformers like Emma Willard, Samuel Gridley Howe, and Horace Mann opened up a new world of possibilities to a populace that might have otherwise been denied a complete education. They helped move the country forward not just by developing better students but also by developing better teachers. They remain today heroes of our educational system.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

Source #2: Clara Barton

Clara Barton spent much of her life serving humanity. She first worked as a teacher. Then she helped with war-relief efforts during the Civil War. Later, she founded the American Red Cross. As its first president, Barton guided the organization to assist the hungry, injured, and displaced throughout the world. She proved herself to be a hero not only to Americans but to the international community as well.

Throughout her life, Clara Barton always set herself apart. She started teaching at a time when most teachers were men, and she demanded equal pay for herself. Then in 1861, at the beginning of the country’s Civil War, Barton began working at the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C. as one of the first female federal employees. Union soldiers started streaming into the city, wounded, hungry, and in need of supplies. Barton began distributing food, clothing, and bedding to the soldiers. She also provided moral support to the men by reading to them, visiting with them, and writing letters on their behalf. But Barton believed she was most needed on the battlefields.

Beginning in August 1862, she began taking supplies directly to field hospitals. Besides delivering these much-needed supplies to desperate surgeons, Barton also cared for and comforted soldiers who were being treated in the hospitals. She became known as the “Angel of the Battlefield” for her brave work.

Near the end of the war, Barton turned her attention to helping families find missing prisoners of war. Barton and her assistants managed to locate more than 22,000 missing soldiers. She also helped establish a national cemetery for Civil War soldiers.

After spending so many years involved with Civil War efforts, Barton traveled to Europe in 1869 for what was meant to be a rest. While visiting Geneva, Switzerland, Barton became familiar with the International Red Cross. The organization had been established just a few years earlier. Barton later read a book by the founder of the International Red Cross, Henri Dunant. In the book, Dunant promoted international agreements to protect the sick and injured during wartime. He also supported the formation of organizations designed to provide neutral aid during conflicts. The result of Dunant’s idea was the establishment of the Geneva Convention of 1864. This agreement governed the proper treatment of military personnel and civilians providing aid during wartime. It also recognized the Red Cross symbol as a marker to protect people and equipment from harm. Twelve European nations ratified the treaty, though the United States refrained from ratification at the time.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

GRADE 6 UNIT 4

In 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, Barton used her war-relief experience to help the International Red Cross distribute supplies in France. Her duties in France differed from the ones she performed during America’s Civil War. In France she worked mainly with civilians in cities, not soldiers on battlefields. The cities were in ruins, and the citizens were victims of disease, homelessness, and starvation. In Strasbourg, France, Barton established sewing workrooms, allowing local women to make clothing in exchange for pay. This experience gave Barton an additional perspective on the possibilities for providing relief.

After returning to the United States, Barton stayed in close contact with the International Red Cross. In 1881, at the age of 60, she established and became president of the American Red Cross. The next year, she convinced President Chester Arthur to sign the Geneva Convention. In 1884, the American Red Cross requested that an amendment be made to the Geneva Convention. Though the Red Cross had mainly been involved in wartime relief up to this point, Barton proposed that the organization also assist victims of natural disasters.

The amendment passed, and for its first 20 years in existence, the American Red Cross focused mainly on natural disaster relief. It helped aid people who were victims of forest fires, floods, hurricanes, and famine, both nationally and internationally. Many countries and communities recognized Barton’s efforts and assistance by awarding her with decorations. Barton served as the head of the American Red Cross for 23 years, until her departure in 1904.

Clara Barton left behind an impressive legacy of humanitarian aid. Through her superior organization efforts and selfless service, she became a hero not just to the United States but also to the entire world.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

18 According to “Education Reformers,” why was Emma Willard’s influence on education important?

A She worked as a teacher.

B She taught girls the same subjects boys were taught.

C She worked as a principal.

D She had schools in both Vermont and New York.

19 What important changes took place during the 19th century that improved people’s lives? Cite details from both sources to support your ideas. Be sure to identify the source of each piece of information by title.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

20 Which source would be more useful for making the argument that, in the 19th century, girls were treated unfairly in the field of education? Explain why, and provide at least two pieces of evidence from that source to support your ideas.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Directions for Part 2You will now look at your sources; take notes; and plan, draft, revise, and edit your argument. You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your assignment and the information about how your argument will be scored; then begin your work.

Your AssignmentYour teacher would like you to write an argument about heroes, using the two sources you have read. You have decided to write an argument about how heroes are the people who improve the lives of others in some way. Write a multi-paragraph argument that explains the ways people improve the lives of others and why this makes them heroes. Your argument will be read by the teacher and students in your class. In your argument, clearly state your claim and support it by using thoroughly developed reasons and evidence taken from both sources you have read.

Your article will be scored using the following:1. Organization/Purpose: How clearly did you state and maintain your claim with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How logically did your ideas flow from beginning to end? How often did you use effective transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?

2. Evidence/Elaboration: How well did you provide evidence from sources about your argument? How well did you elaborate with specific information?


Now begin work on your argumentative article. Manage your time carefully so that you can plan, write, revise, and edit the final draft of your article. Write your response on a separate piece of paper.

GRADE 6 UNIT 4


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

STOP

Answer Key Name:


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


1A CPoint of View, Text Evidence RL.6.1,

RL.6.6 Claim 1 Targets 1, 5 21B A, B, E

2 C Word Relationships L.6.5b Claim 1 Target 3 2

3 D Figurative Language L.6.5a Claim 1 Target 7 2

4A CTone, Text Evidence RL.6.1,

L.5.4a Claim 1 Targets 1, 7 34B A, C

5A BTone, Text Evidence RL.6.1,

RL.6.4 Claim 1 Targets 1, 7 35B A, B, C

6A DTheme, Text Evidence RL.6.1,

RL.6.2 Claim 1 Targets 1, 2 36B A, C

7A C, EPoetic Structure, Text


7B C, D, E

8 C, D Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 3 2

9 A, D Connotation and Denotation RL.6.4 Claim 1 Target 5 3

10A ATheme, Text Evidence RL.6.1,

RL.6.2 Claim 1 Targets 1, 2 310B D

11 B, D Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 10 2

12A CCentral or Main Idea, Text

EvidenceRI.6.1, RI.6.2 Claim 1 Targets 8, 9 2

12B B

13 see below Informational Text Elements RI.6.3 Claim 1 Target 11 3

14 A, D Informational Text Structure RI.6.5 Claim 1 Target 13 3

15 B, D Connotation and Denotation RI.6.4 Claim 1 Target 14 3



Answer Key Name:


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education



18 B Textual Evidence RI.6.1 Claim 1 Target 12 3



Article see belowArgumentative Performance

TaskW.6.1a-e Claim 2 Target 7 4

Comprehension: Selected Response 1A, 1B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 10A, 10B, 12A, 12B, 14, 18

/17 %


Vocabulary 2, 3, 8, 9, 11, 15 /12 %


13 2-point response: The author talks about how Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim across the English Channel. The author also mentions that Ederle set a new record when she completed the swim, beating the previous record set by a man by almost two hours. Her record stood for 25 years. These points help support the author’s central idea about athletes being heroes by highlighting what a huge accomplishment it was.

15 2-point response: The author thinks athletes should be celebrated for their abilities but shouldn’t be called heroes. The author gives characteristics of heroes, such as bravery, and argues that athletes don’t really have these characteristics. The author’s purpose for writing the essay is to persuade readers to stop referring to athletes as heroes. The author ends the essay by saying, “Athletes are, in fact, just like the rest of us. . . .”

17 4-point response: The author in “The Heroism of Athletes” makes the claim that athletes are heroes. He or she says, “Professional athletes achieve a standard of physical expertise that most of us can only aspire to reach.” The author also talks about the fact that many athletes have to overcome specific barriers in addition to proving their athletic abilities. He or she uses examples of female and African-American athletes, like Gertrude Ederle and Jesse Owens, to support this idea. The author ends the article by saying the athletes “triumphed not just physically but psychologically. They were true heroes then, and they remain true heroes now.”

The author of “Athletes Are Not Heroes” disagrees with this claim. He or she says that bravery, sacrifice, and selflessness are the traits that truly define a hero. The author asks, “How, exactly, do athletes demonstrate these traits?” The answer, according to the author, is that they don’t.

19 2-point response: “Education Reformers” discusses how people like Emma Willard, Samuel Gridley Howe, and Horace Mann made important changes to education in the 19th century. Together, the three of them enabled more people to get educated in our country. “Clara Barton” talks about the many accomplishments of Barton, who founded the American Red Cross in 1881. Her organization helped victims recover from natural disasters.

Answer Key Name:


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

20 2-point response: Source #1 would be a better source to use for making the argument that, in the 19th century, girls were treated unfairly in the field of education. The text says that at “the Troy Female Seminary . . . students learned science, math, and social studies—subjects not typically taught to girls.” Source #2 does not go into how or why education was different for girls.

10-point anchor paper: Some people may think of sports figures or other kinds of celebrities as heroes. But the real heroes of the world are those people who help others. They’re the people who really make a difference.

“Education Reformers” talks about how, in the 19th century, reformers like Emma Willard, Samuel Gridley Howe, and Horace Mann helped make education more accessible for people. Emma Willard offered girls classes in subjects that they weren’t normally allowed to take, like math and social studies. The school was so successful that, according to the text, many students “went on to become teachers themselves.” Samuel Gridley Howe ran the first school for the blind. He helped a girl named Laura Bridgman communicate when she wasn’t able to otherwise. As secretary of the Massachusetts Board of Education, Horace Mann established the first public school system in the United States. This enabled everyone—not just those who could afford it—to get an education. Without their hard work, many would have been denied an education.

“Clara Barton” talks about how Barton spent her life helping others. She ran supplies to Civil War field hospitals and also helped take care of soldiers during the war. She was so helpful during the war that she “became known as the ‘Angel of the Battlefield’ for her brave work.” Later, Barton used her Civil War experience to help the people of France during the Franco-Prussian War. When Barton returned to the United States, she set up the American Red Cross. With this organization, she helped people who had been affected by fires, floods, hurricanes, and famine.

Some people may think that heroes need to do something more obviously brave to be called heroes. People may not think that helping others justifies that title. But, a lot of the time, true heroes are content just helping others. They don’t seek out praise; they just want to make a difference.

GRADE 6 END-OF-YEAR ASSESSMENT

Read the passage. Then answer the questions.

from The Wonderful Wizard of Ozby L. Frank Baum

In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Dorothy meets interesting characters in a strange land. One of Dorothy’s new friends is the Scarecrow. In this excerpt, the Scarecrow tells Dorothy about himself.

“Won’t you tell me a story, while we are resting?” asked the child.

The Scarecrow looked at her reproachfully1, and answered:

“My life has been so short that I really know nothing whatever. I was only made day before yesterday. What happened in the world before that time is all unknown to me. Luckily, when the farmer made my head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I heard what was going on. There was another Munchkin with him, and the first thing I heard was the farmer saying, ‘How do you like those ears?’

“‘They aren’t straight,’” answered the other.

“‘Never mind,’” said the farmer. “‘They are ears just the same,’” which was true enough.

“‘Now I’ll make the eyes,’” said the farmer. So he painted my right eye, and as soon as it was finished I found myself looking at him and at everything around me with a great deal of curiosity, for this was my first glimpse of the world.

“‘That’s a rather pretty eye,’” remarked the Munchkin who was watching the farmer. “‘Blue paint is just the color for eyes.’

“‘I think I’ll make the other a little bigger,’” said the farmer. And when the second eye was done I could see much better than before. Then he made my nose and my mouth. But I did not speak, because at that time I didn’t know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was just as good a man as anyone.

“‘This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,’ said the farmer. ‘He looks just like a man.’

GO ON

124 Grade 6 • End-of-Year Assessment

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


“‘Why, he is a man,’ said the other, and I quite agreed with him. The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set me up on a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon after walked away and left me alone.

“I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walk after them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I was forced to stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I had nothing to think of, having been made such a little while before. Many crows and other birds flew into the cornfield, but as soon as they saw me they flew away again, thinking I was a Munchkin; and this pleased me and made me feel that I was quite an important person. By and by an old crow flew near me, and after looking at me carefully he perched upon my shoulder and said:

“‘I wonder if that farmer thought to fool me in this clumsy manner. Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.’ Then he hopped down at my feet and ate all the corn he wanted. The other birds, seeing he was not harmed by me, came to eat the corn too, so in a short time there was a great flock of them about me.

“I felt sad at this, for it showed I was not such a good Scarecrow after all; but the old crow comforted me, saying, ‘If you only had brains in your head you would be as good a man as any of them, and a better man than some of them. Brains are the only things worth having in this world, no matter whether one is a crow or a man.’

“After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I would try hard to get some brains. By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City.”

“I hope so,” said Dorothy earnestly, “since you seem anxious to have them.”1reproachfully—in a scolding way

GO ON

Grade 6 • End-of-Year Assessment 125

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


“‘Why, he is a man,’ said the other, and I quite agreed with him. The farmer carried me under his arm to the cornfield, and set me up on a tall stick, where you found me. He and his friend soon after walked away and left me alone.

“I did not like to be deserted this way. So I tried to walk after them. But my feet would not touch the ground, and I was forced to stay on that pole. It was a lonely life to lead, for I had nothing to think of, having been made such a little while before.”

What does the word deserted mean?

A abandoned

B created

C disguised

D inspected

2 The author suggests that the Scarecrow wants to improve himself. Which sentence from the text best supports this inference?

A “Luckily, when the farmer made my head, one of the first things he did was to paint my ears, so that I heard what was going on.”

B “‘This fellow will scare the crows fast enough,’ said the farmer.”

C “‘Any crow of sense could see that you are only stuffed with straw.’”

D “After the crows had gone I thought this over, and decided I would try hard to get some brains.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

3 The Scarecrow’s view of the world is controlled by the farmer’s actions. Underline the sentence that best supports this analysis.

“‘That’s a rather pretty eye,’ remarked the Munchkin who was watching the farmer. ‘Blue paint is just the color for eyes.’

“‘I think I’ll make the other a little bigger,’ said the farmer. And when the second eye was done I could see much better than before. Then he made my nose and my mouth. But I did not speak, because at that time I didn’t know what a mouth was for. I had the fun of watching them make my body and my arms and legs; and when they fastened on my head, at last, I felt very proud, for I thought I was just as good a man as anyone.”


“By good luck you came along and pulled me off the stake, and from what you say I am sure the Great Oz will give me brains as soon as we get to the Emerald City.”

How does this sentence help to develop the overall ideas in the text?

A It summarizes the history of all of the characters in the story.

B It provides a purpose for Scarecrow to travel along with Dorothy.

C It shows that Dorothy is a kind and generous traveling companion.

D It suggests that the Scarecrow and Dorothy will encounter more danger.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on



from “Why Fitness Matters”by girlshealth.gov

Exercise is an important part of a lifetime of good health! Exercising is also fun and is something you can do with friends. Regular exercise provides both mental and physical health benefits.

What is physical fitness?A condition or state of being that helps you look, feel, and do your best. It is the ability to do tasks full of energy, and still be able to do other things with your time, such as schoolwork and activities with family and friends. It is a basis for good health and well-being. Fitness involves performance of the heart and lungs, and the muscles of the body. Fitness can also influence how alert you are and how you feel emotionally.

Mental health benefits of exerciseOne of the great things about exercise is that it can improve your mental health. Regular exercise can help you feel less stressed, can improve your self-esteem, and can help you to feel ready to learn in school. Kids who exercise may also have reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Exercise can also improve your overall mood. Did you have an argument with a friend? Or did you do poorly on a test? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk will make your brain produce chemicals that will make you happier and more relaxed than before you started working out.

What if you’re having trouble sleeping? Again, it’s exercise to the rescue! Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and help you sleep deeper. A good night’s sleep can improve your concentration and productivity in school the next day.

Physical health benefits of exerciseAnother great thing about exercise is that it can keep your body healthy. Kids who exercise often have a healthier body weight than kids who don’t exercise. Exercise makes your bones solid, improves your heart and lungs, and makes your muscles strong.

Exercise can also affect specific diseases that affect adolescents and teens. New research shows that teens who exercise regularly (about 60 minutes of brisk exercise each day) burn more calories and use blood sugar more efficiently than teens who don’t exercise. This could protect you from developing type 2 diabetes.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


Why should this concern you? Well, in recent years, a lot of health problems that doctors saw only in adults are now seen in young people. For example, 15 years ago type 2 diabetes was rare among adolescents, but now it accounts for almost 50 percent of new cases of diabetes in young people. In fact, type 2 diabetes used to be called ‘adult-onset diabetes,’ but the name was changed because so many young people were developing the disease.

Here is something else to consider: children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely to become adults who are overweight. If you start good habits (like daily exercise) when you are young, you will be likely to continue them when you’re older.

New research shows that exercise during the teen years (beginning at age 12) can help protect girls from breast cancer when they are older. Also, regular physical activity can help prevent colon cancer later in your life.

Get moving!The more time you spend in front of the television or playing video games, the less time you have to be active. Not being active is called sedentary (say: sed-un-tair-ee). Leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause weight gain and even obesity (dangerously high weight), which can lead to type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. These three health issues can hurt your heart and make it easier for you to get certain diseases. Make physical activity a regular part of your life. It can help you protect your health! Obesity can also hurt your self-esteem, too.

Source: Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, girlshealth.gov

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

5 Read the paragraph from the text.

What is physical fitness?

A condition or state of being that helps you look, feel, and do your best. It is the ability to do tasks full of energy, and still be able to do other things with your time, such as schoolwork and activities with family and friends. It is a basis for good health and well-being. Fitness involves performance of the heart and lungs, and the muscles of the body. Fitness can also influence how alert you are and how you feel emotionally.

First, read the dictionary definition. Then, complete the task.

(n.) 1. the groundwork for something; a principle

Which word most closely matches the definition?

A schoolwork D health

B activities E performance

C basis F muscles


Part A: Which statement best summarizes the central idea of the text?

A Exercise can keep your body healthy.

B Exercise is good for your mind and your body.

C Not enough people make an effort to exercise.

D You will be much happier if you start to exercise.

Part B: Which sentence from the text best states the central idea?

A “Exercise is an important part of a lifetime of good health!”

B “Exercising is also fun and is something you can do with friends.”

C “Regular exercise provides both mental and physical health benefits.”

D “Kids who exercise often have a healthier body weight than kids who don’t exercise.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

7 Read the paragraph from the text.

What if you’re having trouble sleeping? Again, it’s exercise to the rescue! Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and help you sleep deeper. A good night’s sleep can improve your concentration and productivity in school the next day.

How does the paragraph add to the central idea of the text? Select two options.

A It indicates that there are multiple benefits to exercise.

B It hints that exercise is helpful only if done in the evening.

C It gives examples of mental and physical benefits of exercise.

D It shows that exercise is popular because of its many benefits.

E It explains that there is more than one way to exercise properly.

F It describes how to exercise properly to achieve the best results.


Part A: How does the author support the claim that teens should exercise?

A by describing positive effects related to exercise

B by comparing children to teens in terms of obesity rates

C by listing examples of exercises appropriate for adolescents

D by discussing problems with adolescents who watch television

Part B: Which sentence from the text best supports your answer in part A?

A “Well, in recent years, a lot of health problems that doctors saw only in adults are now seen in young people.”

B “If you start good habits (like daily exercise) when you are young, you will be likely to continue them when you’re older.”

C “New research shows that exercise during the teen years (beginning at age 12) can help protect girls from breast cancer when they are older.”

D “Leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause weight gain and even obesity (dangerously high weight), which can lead to type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure.”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


Read the poem. Then answer the questions.

Annabel Leeby Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea,That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child, In this kingdom by the sea, But we loved with a love that was more than love, I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs1 of heaven Coveted2 her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago, In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling My beautiful Annabel Lee; So that her highborn kinsmen came And bore her away from me, To shut her up in a sepulcher3

In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Went envying her and me; Yes! that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we, Of many far wiser than we;And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea,Can ever dissever4 my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the sideOf my darling—my darling—my life and my bride, In her sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea.

1seraphs—angels2coveted—wanted to have3sepulcher—tomb 4dissever—separate

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

9 Which line from the poem suggests a tone of innocence?

A “It was many and many a year ago,”

B “In a kingdom by the sea,”

C “I was a child and she was a child,”

D “Coveted her and me.”


Part A: Which inference can be made about the speaker’s feelings?

A He is haunted by the memory of Annabel Lee.

B He wants to forget what Annabel Lee looked like.

C He cannot clearly recall what happened to Annabel Lee.

D He wishes he had done things differently with Annabel Lee.

Part B: Which lines from the poem best support your answer in part A? Select two choices.

A “And bore her away from me,”

B “The angels, not half so happy in heaven,”

C “But our love it was stronger by far than the love”

D “For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams”

E “And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes”

F “In her tomb by the sounding sea.”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

11 What is the central idea of the poem? Support your answer with details from the text.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on



from “Archeology for Kids”by the National Park Service

Who are archeologists?Archeologists are anthropologists, meaning they study people, but they are not geologists (who study rocks and minerals) or paleontologists (who study very ancient reptiles). Archeologists look at old things and sites to investigate how people lived in the past.

Archeologists are a hardy bunch. They dig everywhere, including in old garbage piles and toilets. They seem to know something about everything people in the past did: how they made tools, why they moved around, and what kinds of foods they ate.

Excavators + an excavation = A field crewA field crew is the team of people who excavate sites. Many archeologists on field crews have lots of experience and excavate as their job. They might have a graduate or doctoral degree in archeology. Many archeology projects have field crews who are new to archeology, like students and volunteers, who want field experience.

Artifacts + analysis = Collections specialistAlso called curators and archeological technicians, collections specialists take care of excavation records and artifacts.

Collections specialists work everywhere archeological collections go, including museums, historical societies, colleges and universities, and parks. They help to preserve archeological materials and work with researchers and the public.

Animals + archeology = ZooarcheologistZooarcheologists study animal remains, or fauna, from archeological sites. Their work shows what people ate, the animals they hunted and raised, and about their health.

Scuba diving + archeology = Underwater archeologistA little water won’t stop archeologists! Underwater archeologists use similar methods as landlubbing archeologists. They excavate everything from rock shelters to abandoned ships to airplanes. Their work tells us about seafaring life and culture, such as war or the cargo carried for trade on shipwrecks.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


History + archeology = Historical archeologistIf you like to read family records, diaries, letters and maps, historical archeology might be for you. Historical archeologists compare documentary sources with what they find at sites. Sometimes they find the actual events or artifacts described in the texts hidden in the ground.

Nature + archeology = Environmental archeologistEnvironmental archeologists look for answers about the relationships between the Earth and people. They look for ecofacts—natural remains—such as those of wild and domesticated plants and animals found in the archeological record.

Geology + archeology = GeoarcheologistGeoarcheologists look at the changing relationships between people and rocky places over thousands of years. Geoarcheologists tell us about what earlier landforms were like and how people may have used them.

Talking + listening = Oral historianArcheologists talk with people to learn about what they remember about growing up in a place, how they lived and worked, and how they used the objects archeologists dig up.

How do they work?Archeologists work by digging into sites and collections. When they excavate, archeologists use tools you might recognize.

Putting together a story from archeology is like doing a big puzzle without the box lid. Artifacts are some of the pieces, but only part of the total picture. . . .

Site survey“Where do we start?” An archeologist scans a field. A glint of white catches her eye. She bends down to see a piece of ceramic and some rusty nails. Marking the cluster of artifacts with flags, she keeps looking, but this looks like a good spot to excavate.

A site survey helps archeologists narrow down where to start. They mark likely places and dig small, but controlled, test pits to get a preview of what they might find. Sometimes computer-driven equipment helps them to see into the ground.

MeasuringWho cares about being a professional maker of measurements? Archeologists do. Careful measurements are important to make a good record of a site.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


Archeologists use geometry to lay out excavation units and triangulate the locations of features. They start from a datum point. Peering through a transit measures across sites. A plumb bob weighs down the string to make measuring depth easier.

ExcavationExcavation is the way archeologists look below the surface. Excavation destroys an archeological place, so archeologists are very careful about how and where they dig.

Archeologists grid a site before excavating. Then, layer by layer, unit by unit, they use different tools to dig, photograph, and draw what they see. They also take soil samples and bag up artifacts. If they’re lucky, they find features like ancient cookstoves or wells or even buildings.

Stratigraphy and datingEach new layer of soil, or stratum, signals a different cultural time period. . . . A stratum might be a few centimeters or many feet thick. Soil layers usually get older the deeper they go. Archeologists dig until they hit subsoil, a layer without artifacts.

Sometimes archeologists name and date the layers from the artifacts, the texture of the soil, and careful mapping. They put this information into a timeline for the site.

ScreeningBuckets and shovelfuls of dirt are dumped in a screen held by a wooden frame. Shaking the screen really hard leaves behind artifacts, stones, and debris. The artifacts go in labeled paper bags to study later. Sometimes archeologists take samples of soil for analysis.

For tiny objects, like beads and seeds, archeologists shoot water through a fine mesh screen in a process called waterscreening.

RecordingGood recordkeeping is really important. Archeologists make notes and draw interesting finds the entire time they excavate. The records describe what the archeologists saw in the units. Photographs and maps are another kind of documentation. They show what archeologists saw.

If you’ve visited an archeological site, then you have seen how old archeological photographs and records help us learn about the past.

Source: http://www.nps.gov/archeology/PUBLIC/kids/index.htm

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

12 Underline the sentence that best supports the idea that archeologists work hard physically.

Who are archeologists?

Archeologists are anthropologists, meaning they study people, but they are not geologists (who study rocks and minerals) or paleontologists (who study very ancient reptiles). Archeologists look at old things and sites to investigate how people lived in the past.

Archeologists are a hardy bunch. They dig everywhere, including in old garbage piles and toilets. They seem to know something about everything people in the past did: how they made tools, why they moved around, and what kinds of foods they ate.

13 The author suggests that technology plays a role in excavating. Which sentence from the text best supports this inference?

A “Sometimes computer-driven equipment helps them to see into the ground.”

B “Careful measurements are important to make a good record of a site.”

C “Sometimes archeologists name and date the layers from the artifacts, the texture of the soil, and careful mapping.”

D “Archeologists make notes and draw interesting finds the entire time they excavate.”

14 How do the sections with questions for headings add to the meaning of the text? Select two options.

A They provide different viewpoints about a single topic.

B They present a specific topic for the reader to focus on.

C They suggest that not all questions can be answered easily.

D They indicate that there is a lot left to learn in the field of archeology.

E They introduce the bulleted sections, which provide more information.

F They give details about various jobs available in the field of archeology.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:


An archeologist scans a field. A glint of white catches her eye. She bends down to see a piece of ceramic and some rusty nails. Marking the cluster of artifacts with flags, she keeps looking, but this looks like a good spot to excavate.

Which statement best describes what the phrase catches her eye adds to the meaning of the text?

A It shows that some archeologists have much more experience than others.

B It suggests that archeology is a science that also involves a little bit of luck.

C It reinforces the idea that archeologists have different methods for excavating.

D It explains why archeology requires a specific process in order to be a successful science.


Part A: How are oral historians different from other archeologists?

A Oral historians give speeches to large groups.

B Oral historians do not gather information at dig sites.

C Oral historians conduct more research than archeologists.

D Oral historians compare documents with what is found at dig sites.

Part B: Which phrase from the text best supports your answer in part A?

A “They might have a graduate or doctoral degree . . .”

B “They help to preserve archeological materials . . .”

C “. . . compare documentary sources with what they find . . .”

D “. . . talk with people to learn about what they remember . . .”

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

17 Read the section from the text.

Excavation

Excavation is the way archeologists look below the surface. Excavation destroys an archeological place, so archeologists are very careful about how and where they dig.

Archeologists grid a site before excavating. Then, layer by layer, unit by unit, they use different tools to dig, photograph, and draw what they see. They also take soil samples and bag up artifacts. If they’re lucky, they find features like ancient cookstoves or wells or even buildings.

What most likely did the author intend by mentioning ancient cookstoves, wells, and buildings at the end of the section? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on



Chuck YeagerCan a normal, everyday person fly faster than the speed of sound? Chuck Yeager, a former general in the United States Air Force, proved that it is possible.

Charles “Chuck” Yeager, born in 1923, joined the United States Army Air Corps after graduating from high school. Yeager knew he wanted to serve in World War II. He was an exceptional fighter pilot, and throughout the war, he flew in 64 combat missions. When the war was over, Yeager decided to stay with the armed forces. He became a flight instructor and test pilot with the United States Air Force. In 1947, Yeager broke the sound barrier while flying a military plane over the Mojave Desert. The speed of sound is Mach 1, or about 760 miles per hour. Yeager was recorded at Mach 1.06. He is the first supersonic pilot, which means he was the first to fly faster than the speed of sound. Six years later in 1953, Chuck set a new speed record yet again when he flew his plane at an astonishing speed of Mach 2.4, or 1,650 mph!

Yeager retired from the Air Force in 1975. He was awarded many medals, including the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. These high honors are given only to those who gave exceptional service to the nation. Although his time with the Air Force included many accomplishments, he will be best-remembered as the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

18 What is the central idea of the text? Support your answer with details from the text.

19 What conclusion can be drawn about the author’s point of view about Chuck Yeager? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

20 What most likely did the author intend by mentioning Yeager’s awards at the end of the text? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

21 Read the text. Then answer the questions.

A student is writing a report for class about cars of the future. The student wants to revise the draft to state the thesis more clearly. Read the draft of the report and complete the task that follows.

When we look back, it is easy to be astonished by the advances in technology over the last fifty years. This statement is especially true in the world of automobile design. Each year, cars have new designs and new features that amaze and delight consumers.

In a world of GPS devices and electronic assistants, we might be getting used to our devices talking to us. But what about devices that can talk to each other? Auto companies are working on cars that can communicate with each other. They might tell each other how fast they are going and in which direction. Someday, your car might be able to prevent collisions on its own!

If you think talking cars are cool, imagine if a car could drive itself. This is another feature that auto companies are working on. We already have cars that assist in their own parking; next we will have cars that drive you to the grocery! The driver will not need to touch the steering wheel or the gas and brake pedals.

Choose the best thesis statement for the topic.

A In fact, auto companies find inspiration for these new ideas from a variety of surprising sources.

B However, the people of the past would have been amazed at the features of the cars we drive today.

C As we look forward to the future of car design, there are many more advances planned to astonish us.

D When we consider how far car design has come, it is important to understand and appreciate where it began.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

22 A student is writing a narrative for class about keeping a promise. Read the draft of the narrative and complete the task that follows.

Swish! Lisa sent another perfect shot through the hoop. Kevin went to pass the basketball to Marco, but Marco was checking his watch again.

“Do you have a date or something?” Kevin asked Marco. “You’ve been checking your watch all day!”

“I promised my mom that I’d help today,” Marco explained. “We’re having a party for my little brother’s birthday. My mom asked me to pick up the birthday cake on my way home.”

“Where’s the cake?” asked Lisa.

“It’s at Rotolo’s Bakery, which closes at 2 o’clock today,” explained Marco.

“Let’s finish this game, and then we’ll go with you to the bakery,” Zeke suggested.

“That would be great!” exclaimed Marco.

The group got back into their game, and before they knew it, another thirty minutes had gone by. Marco looked at his watch and yelled, “Oh no! It’s almost 2 o’clock! We have to get to the bakery!”

The kids hopped onto their bikes and pedaled hard toward the bakery. Unfortunately, the CLOSED sign greeted them when they arrived at the bakery’s front door at 1:57 p.m.

“What am I going to do?” cried Marco. “My mom, dad, brother, and—well, everyone—is going to be so disappointed!”

Write an ending to the narrative that follows logically from the events or experiences in the narrative.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

23 A student is writing an argumentative essay for the school newspaper about paying college athletes. The student wants to revise the draft to eliminate details that do not directly support her claims. Underline the sentence that should be deleted because it does not support the claim in the paragraph.

The Pros and Cons of “Professional” College Athletes

For several decades now, people have been discussing the pros and cons of paying college athletes to play sports. Traditionally, college athletes are amateurs, which means that they do not get paid to play. Once someone is paid to play a sport, they are considered a professional athlete. There are strong views on both sides of this issue.

On one hand, people argue that student athletes should be paid because they are the ones actually playing the sports. Fans pay money to watch these athletes play, and some sports generate huge amounts of money. People argue that the players should receive some of the money that they help earn. Also, some athletes suffer injuries at the college level that may affect their ability to play at the professional level.

On the other hand, people say that student athletes already do receive a form of payment: their scholarships. Athletic scholarships are not used at all colleges, but they are awarded at most of the nation’s largest schools. In some cases, these scholarships can award a student athlete a degree for which other students paid tens of thousands of dollars.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

24 A student is writing a research report for her teacher about astronaut Sally Ride. Read the draft of the report and answer the question that follows.

Sally Ride was born on May 26, 1951 in California. She attended Stanford University to study physics. While she was at college, she saw an advertisement that would change her life. The ad was a call for students to apply for the country’s astronaut program. Sally Ride heard this calling loud and clear!

Ride earned her degree in physics from Stanford, and in 1978 she became an astronaut with NASA. On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first woman to go into space. On that mission, she worked a robotic arm, took spacewalks, and conducted experiments. But this mission would not be her only time outside Earth’s atmosphere. Ride went back into space a year later in 1984.

After retiring from NASA in 1987, Ride became a professor at the University of California, San Diego. She worked for the rest of her life to try to get women to pursue the sciences. Sally Ride died from cancer on July 23, 2012 at the age of 61.

The writer wants to replace the underlined words to make her meaning more exact. Which two pairs of words would make her word choice better?

A period; help

B phase; request

C interval; suggest

D voyage; motivate

E experience; force

F excursion; inspire

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

25 A student is writing a narrative for a literary magazine about a space adventure. The student needs to add more concrete detail to her story. Read the text. Then answer the question.

Beep-beepbeep-beep! Beep-beepbeep-beep!

Jenna was awakened by the familiar sound of a pattern of beeps. Unfortunately, these beeps signaled trouble. Jenna opened her eyes and could not believe what she saw. There, in front of her, was the control room of the Caprica Starship! Spacecraft personnel ran here and there before Jenna as she sat in the captain’s chair, stunned.

Beep-beepbeep-beep!

“Captain Jenna! There are three unidentified spacecraft approaching!” cried First Assistant Avery. “How should we proceed?”

Jenna had handled this situation dozens of times—and she handled it successfully. However, those experiences happened while she was playing her favorite video game, Caprica Patrol. This was real life!

Beep-beepbeep-beep!

Jenna barked out commands to Avery and her crew. She steered the ship out of danger. Soon, the unidentified spacecraft could not be seen. As she and her crew celebrated, Jenna heard another sound getting louder.

Ring-ring-ringring . . . ring-ring-ringring . . .

She closed her eyes to focus on the new sound and realized that it was her telephone! She opened her eyes to locate it on the captain’s table, but all she saw was her television. Jenna’s heroism on the Caprica Starship had been a dream after all!

Which two words or phrases are too general and should be replaced by more concrete or specific descriptive words?

A ran here and there

B stunned

C three unidentified spacecraft

D barked

E seen

F opened her eyes

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

26 Read the following sentence that includes three mistakes in spelling. Then, read the question that follows.

It is not neccesary that you attend the meeting tomorrow, but we desparately need to schedule volunteers to run the spring confrence.

Which sentence corrects all the spelling mistakes?

A It is not neccesary that you attend the meeting tomorrow, but we desperately need to scedule volunteers to run the spring confrence.

B It is not neccesary that you attend the meeting tomorrow, but we desparately need to schedule volunters to run the spring conference.

C It is not necessary that you attend the meeting tomorrow, but we desparately need to scedule volunteers to run the spring confrence.

D It is not necessary that you attend the meeting tomorrow, but we desperately need to schedule volunteers to run the spring conference.

27 Choose two sentences that are correctly punctuated.

A For my birthday dinner, I chose spaghetti which is my favorite food.

B Although, it is late in the season we will still plant several tomato plants.

C Communication is convenient now but this wasn’t the case a century ago.

D Because the CD player did not work, Mr. Jackson guessed that the laser was broken.

E Some people believe that we have reached the limits of technology, however I disagree.

F There are several ways to solve that problem; in fact, I can demonstrate a few right now.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

28 A student is writing an informational article for class. She needs to correct the two grammar usage mistakes in her draft. Read the text. Then answer the question.

Many people believe that the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law was new when they went into effect in 2001. However, this is not the case. NCLB was actually an update, or reauthorization, of a 1965 law by the Johnson administration. This 1965 law was called the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The goal of this first law was to add equality to education for disadvantaged students. Some lawmakers thought that these “disadvantaged,” or lower income, children do not have the same opportunities in education that other students had. ESEA was an attempt to fix this problem.

This was the same goal with NCLB in 2001. In fact, the name made it clear that government did not want these disadvantaged students to be left behind. In order to make sure all American students had equal opportunities, lawmakers tried to ensure that schools across the country taught the same material in a similar way. This has led to some controversy and criticism.

Look at the underlined words. Which two errors in grammar usage should be edited?

A they D do

B this E ensure

C add F taught

29 A student wrote the run-on sentence below. Read the sentence. Then answer the question.

In an effort to reach an agreement, the jurors once again reviewed the evidence it would take at least one more day to decide on a verdict.

Which word in the sentence should be followed by a semicolon?

A effort D evidence

B again E take

C reviewed F day

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

30 A student wants to revise part of an essay. Read the paragraphs from the draft and complete the task that follows.

Some people might think it is strange for a student to support a shortened summer. However, I believe that a student is the authority on the subject. I personally know how difficult it is to get focused on learning again after a two- or three-month summer break. In addition, I realize that I’ve forgotten some of the information I learned in the previous year.

If our summer break was only one month long, we students would still get the benefit of having a break. We would still be able to get outside and enjoy summer activities. Basically, it would still be summer, but it would be shorter. We could get back to learning sooner and prevent my knowledge from slipping away over an extended break. Most importantly, though, we could use those extra weeks for enrichment activities, such as experiments, field trips, and group projects. There is often not enough time in the regular school year to participate in these kinds of activities.

Choose the correct way to write the underlined sentence.

A I could get back to learning sooner and prevent my knowledge from slipping away over an extended break.

B We could get back to learning sooner and prevent our knowledge from slipping away over an extended break.

C They could get back to learning sooner and prevent our knowledge from slipping away over an extended break.

D We could get back to learning sooner and prevent their knowledge from slipping away over an extended break.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

31 A student is writing a report about how rust grows. Read both sources and the directions that follow.

Source 1Iron and steel are very useful and popular building materials; however, they have one major fault. Both iron and steel rust when exposed to water and oxygen. When iron(III) oxide, or rust, occurs, it changes the structure of the metal and makes it weaker. This means that rust can be a big problem when it is used for a building material, especially when the structure is outdoors. When the metal meets the oxygen in the air and a few raindrops, rust will begin to form.

Source 2Rust Experiment:One iron nail was placed in four different jars and observed for two weeks. The data collected identifies the presence of rust on the nails in the jars.

Data from Rust Experiment:Day 3 Day 7 Day 14

Jar 1 (water and air) None Rust RustJar 2 (water only) None None NoneJar 3 (air only) None None NoneJar 4 (water, air, and salt) Rust Rust Rust

The student took notes about information in the sources. Which note correctly paraphrases, or restates, information from both sources?

A Iron will rust more quickly when salt is present.

B Rust is its own chemical compound named iron(III) oxide.

C Iron rusting is a problem when it is used as a building material.

D Rust will grow on iron only if both water and oxygen are present.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

32 A student is writing a report about nuclear power in the United States. Read both sources and the directions that follow.

Source 1When Americans think about where their electricity comes from, most visualize coal power plants. Others might think of natural gas gaining popularity as a source for electricity. However, few people think of nuclear energy and its role in producing electricity. In fact, nuclear power plants produce nearly twenty percent of the electricity in the United States. That’s more than hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal sources of electricity combined!

But still, nuclear power has a poor reputation because people consider it dangerous. It is true that nuclear energy carries immense power, but nuclear power plants have many safety precautions in place. Some experts consider nuclear power plants as safe as any other type of power plant. In addition, nuclear power plants are better for the environment than other sources. For example, even though coal is the most popular source of electricity, burning it produces air pollution.

Source 2Electricity Output in the United States, 2013Resource PercentageCoal 40%Gas 27%Nuclear 19%Hydro, Wind, Solar, and Geothermal

14%

The student took notes about information in the sources. Choose two notes that correctly paraphrase, or restate, information from both sources.

A Power plants that rely on coal produce the most electricity.

B Nuclear power is the third most popular source for electricity.

C Nuclear power produces half of the electricity that coal produces.

D Coal power plants produce more pollution than nuclear power plants do.

E Hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal sources produce twenty percent of America’s electricity.

F Nuclear power plants produce more electricity than hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal sources.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

33 A student is writing a research report about beaver dams. Read the sentences from his report and the directions that follow.

Farmers and other landowners might consider them a nuisance, but without beavers, an entire ecosystem could fail. When beavers build their lodge in a river, it dams the water. This can create rich wetland areas. In these wetlands, a variety of creatures make their home. If the beavers and their dam were removed, the wetlands would dry up, and the area would not be able to sustain the same variety of lifeforms. This is why beavers are considered a keystone species.

Which source would most likely give the student more information for the paragraph from his report?

A a photo essay titled “A Visual Tour of Beaver Lodges”

B an encyclopedia entry titled “Beavers (North America)”

C a university web page titled “Beaver Dams and Yosemite Ecosystems”

D a science journal article titled “Social Structure in Nature: The Private Lives of River Beavers”

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

34 A student is writing a research report about AmeriCorps for her social studies class. She found sources that she is evaluating for accuracy. After looking at Source 2, you realize that her original information may be inaccurate. Read the texts and underline one sentence in Source 2 that makes you question the accuracy of Source 1.

Source 1When President Bill Clinton signed the National Community Service Trust Act in 1993, he created AmeriCorps. This service program was meant to replace earlier programs, such as VISTA and the peace corps. President Clinton wanted Americans to have an option for serving their country besides the military. AmeriCorps would allow volunteers of all ages to make a difference in the lives of fellow Americans in need.

Source 2The National Community Service Trust Act of 1993 built on earlier service programs in the United States. In fact, it even combined a few of them. When President William Clinton created AmeriCorps, it joined forces with another service program, VISTA. VISTA stands for “Volunteers In Service To America.” VISTA was created by President Johnson back in the 1960s to fight poverty in the United States. However, like all national service programs, the true goal is to help fellow Americans in need. Today, AmeriCorps VISTA does just that.

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

35 A student is writing a research report about peregrine falcons. Read the paragraph from his report and the directions that follow.

Even though its high-speed plunge has amazed humans for years, we almost made the peregrine falcon extinct. In the mid-1900s, people were using a pesticide called DDT. This chemical caused problems for peregrine falcons. Some died, and others were left with reproductive problems. The pesticide made it impossible for the falcons to sustain their populations.

Read Source 1 and underline one fact that supports the claim in the student’s paragraph from the report.

Source 1The peregrine falcon, like so many other species today, has a history of endangerment. In the 1940s, the pesticide DDT became very popular in the United States. The pesticide did its job very well—almost too well. The chemical killed pests, but it was also absorbed into grains that small animals ate. Peregrine falcons ate these animals, and the DDT collected in their systems. The chemical caused females to lay eggs with very thin shells that would not hold up to brooding.

GO ON


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Name: Date:

36 A student is writing an argumentative report about Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s extra terms in the presidential office. She found possible sources for her report. Read the sources and the directions that follow.

Source 1When FDR took office in the early 1930s, Americans were struggling through the Great Depression. His policies—called the New Deal—helped the country find its way out of the Depression. For this, many Americans felt a debt of gratitude for the president. This confidence in FDR’s leadership surely led to his third term in 1940.

For the next election in 1944, the public chose Roosevelt as president for the fourth time. However, FDR died of a stroke in 1945. Almost immediately, in 1947, Amendment 22 was passed. This law made sure no other president would serve more than two terms, as FDR did.

Source 2The issue of extra terms by a president was not important until Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Until he ran for a third term in 1940, no other president had been elected more than twice. It had been an unofficial agreement that presidents held only two terms since the nation’s first president, George Washington, declined to run for a third term. FDR changed that rule, but lawmakers acted quickly to ensure other presidents did not follow in his footsteps. Two years after Roosevelt’s death, Amendment 22 was passed, which made a law out of the two-term presidential limit.

The student wrote down some claims to use in her report. Look at the claims. Decide if the information in Source 1, Source 2, both sources, or neither source supports each claim.

36A: Claim 1: FDR was elected for extra terms because he was a well-liked president.

A Source 1

B Source 2

C Both Sources

D Neither Source

GO ON


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Name: Date:

36B: Claim 2: Amendment 22 was a direct result of FDR’s presidency.

A Source 1

B Source 2

C Both Sources

D Neither Source

36C: Claim 3: Amendment 22 was passed so future presidents could not abuse their power like FDR did.

A Source 1

B Source 2

C Both Sources

D Neither Source


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

STOP

Answer Key Name:


1 A Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 1 2

2 D Textual Evidence RL.6.1 Claim 1 Target 3 2

3 see below Character RL.6.3 Claim 1 Target 5 3

4 B Informational Text Structure RL.6.5 Claim 1 Target 6 3

5 C Word Meaning L.6.4a Claim 1 Target 10 3



6B C

7 A, C Informational Text Structure RI.6.5 Claim 1 Target 13 3

8A AArguments and Claims,


8B C

9 C Tone RL.6.4 Claim 1 Target 7 3

10A APoint of View, Textual


10B D, E

11 see below Theme RL.6.2 Claim 1 Target 2 3

12 see below Textual Evidence RI.6.1 Claim 1 Target 8 2

13 A Textual Evidence RI.6.1 Claim 1 Target 8 2

14 B, E Informational Text Structure RI.6.5 Claim 1 Target 13 2

15 B Figurative Language L.6.5a Claim 1 Target 14 2

16A BCompare and Contrast,


16B D



18 see below Central or Main Idea RI.6.2 Claim 1 Target 9 3



20 see below Cause and Effect RI.6.3 Claim 1 Target 11 3

21 COrganize Explanatory

WritingW.6.2a Claim 2 Target 3b 2


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

Answer Key Name:


22 see below Organize Narrative Writing W.6.3e Claim 2 Target 1a 2

23 see belowOrganize Argumentative

WritingW.6.1b Claim 2 Target 6b 3

24 D, F Precise Language W.6.2d Claim 2 Target 8 2

25 A, E Precise Language W.6.2d Claim 2 Target 8 2

26 D Spelling L.6.2b Claim 2 Target 9 1

27 A, D Punctuation L.6.2.a Claim 2 Target 9 1

28 A, D Pronouns and Antecedents L.6.1c Claim 2 Target 9 2

29 DRun-On and Fused

SentencesL.6.2a Claim 2 Target 9 1

30 BShifts in Pronoun Number

and PersonL.6.1c Claim 2 Target 9 1

31 D Research W.6.8 Claim 4 Target 2 2

32 A, F Research W.6.8 Claim 4 Target 2 2

33 C Research W.6.8 Claim 4 Target 3 2

34 see below Research W.6.8 Claim 4 Target 3 2

35 see below Research W.6.8 Claim 4 Target 4 2

36A A

Research W.6.1b Claim 4 Target 4 2 36B C

36C D

Comprehension: Selected Response 2, 3, 4, 6A, 6B, 7, 8A, 8B, 9, 10A, 10B, 12, 13, 14, 16A, 16B

/24 %

Comprehension: Constructed Response 11, 17, 18, 19, 20 /10 %

Vocabulary 1, 5, 15 /6 %

Research 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36A, 36B, 36C /12 %

Drafting, Editing, Revising 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 /10 %

English Language Conventions 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 /10 %

Total EOY Assessment Score /72 %


Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Answer Key Name:

3 Students should underline “And when the second eye was done I could see much better than before.”

11 2-point response: The central idea of the poem is that the speaker misses his young bride, who died early in life. He says “the wind came out of the cloud by night, /Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.” He dreams of his bride every night; the speaker feels so attached to her that he says nothing can ever dissever his soul “from the soul/Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.”

12 Students should underline “They dig everywhere, including in old garbage piles and toilets.”

17 2-point response: The author mentions ancient cookstoves, wells, and buildings to show the ultimate purpose and reward for excavation. These examples of items also help to indicate why a careful process of excavation is needed (so as not to break the treasures that archeologists seek). As the author explains, “excavation is the way archeologists look below the surface” to find artifacts from the past. “If they’re lucky,” they might come across such artifacts mentioned in the text.

18 2-point response: The central idea of the text is that Chuck Yeager is a famous pilot who is best-known for being the first to break the sound barrier. The text explains that he was an exceptional fighter pilot during World War II. He set two speed records; one for breaking the sound barrier and another for reaching a speed equal to Mach 2.4.

19 2-point response: Chuck Yeager is a skilled pilot who will always be famous for what he accomplished. The author explains that Yeager broke the sound barrier twice on record and was the first to fly faster than the speed of sound, both of which are exceptional accomplishments.

20 2-point response: In mentioning Yeager’s awards at the end of the text, the author wanted to show that his fame is well-earned and justified. The author explains that Yeager received the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, two honors that are given only to people who give “exceptional service” to their country.

22 2-point response: Lisa looked thoughtful. “You can’t give up now! Maybe there’s a way to get that cake after all.”

The friends discussed a few options, but they decided to first try knocking on the bakery door. After a few knocks, they decided to try calling the phone number on the bakery window. Marco expected to leave a message explaining the situation, but he was surprised when a voice said, “Hello. Rotolo’s Bakery.”

Marco started explaining the situation to the voice on the other end of the phone line. He asked if there was any way someone could help him get his brother’s cake today. As he listened, Marco began to smile. His friends could see the relief spread across Marco’s face like the sun peeking out from behind a cloud. Just then, they heard the lock click on the bakery’s front door. Mr. Rotolo opened the door, handed Marco the cake, and said, “Wish your little brother a happy birthday from me!”

23 Students should underline “Also, some athletes suffer injuries at the college level that may affect their ability to play at the professional level.”

34 Students should underline “When President William Clinton created AmeriCorps, it joined forces with another service program, VISTA.”

35 Students should underline “The chemical caused females to lay eggs with very thin shells that would not hold up to brooding.”


Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


Explanatory Performance Task

TaskMany publications, television programs, and public service announcements promote the idea of protecting the environment. There are many things that an individual can do to reduce pollution and live a “green life.” Your science class is studying this topic, and your teacher has asked you to research different types of conservation activities. As part of your research, you have found three sources about protecting the environment.

After you have reviewed these sources, you will answer some questions about them. Briefly scan the sources and the three questions that follow. Then, go back and read the sources carefully so you will have the information you will need to answer the questions and complete your research. Take notes while you read.

In Part 2, you will write an explanatory article on a topic related to the sources.

Directions for Part 1You will now examine several sources. You can re-examine any of the sources as often as you like.

Research QuestionsAfter reviewing the research sources, use the remaining time in Part 1 to answer three questions about them. Your answers to these questions will be scored. Also, your answers will help you think about the research sources you have read, which should help you write your explanatory article.

You may refer to your notes when you think it would be helpful. Answer the questions in the spaces below the items.

Your notes will be available to you in Part 1 and Part 2 of the performance task.

GO ON

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Grade 6 • End-of-Year Assessment • Performance Task 163


Source #1: Water

This article appears on a Web site for girls. It includes lists of problems related to water pollution as well as how to protect yourself from water pollution.

You might not give much thought to water or how it gets to you. You just turn on the faucet and there it is.

Do you ever wonder how it flows from your faucet? And have you ever stopped to think about whether or not it is clean? For most people in the United States, this isn’t an issue. You can usually fill up a glass from the tap and drink it down without concern that it might make you sick.

Your water can come from a lake, a river, a reservoir, or a well. Wherever it comes from, it starts from a watershed. A watershed is the land area that drains into a single body of water (like a lake) or to groundwater (the fresh water found under the Earth’s surface that supplies wells and springs). Everything that happens in the watershed, and from the water source to your tap, affects the quality of your water. In order to have clean water to drink, we must keep the watershed clean.

The following things can make your water dirty and unsafe for drinking and/or swimming:

• Natural events. Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, or landslides can cause dirt to get into our drinking water.

• Pesticides and fertilizers. Americans use 67 million pounds of pesticides to keep our lawns free of weeds and bugs. These chemicals may be washed into our water supply.

• Lead pipes. Lead can cause health problems for people, especially babies, children, and pregnant women. Lead gets into drinking water from the pipes that carry the water in some cities and older homes.

• Animal or human waste. If animal or human feces gets into the drinking water, you could get very sick.

• Littering. Some things, like batteries, should not be thrown into the trash. They should be recycled. Otherwise, the chemicals in the batteries can get into the watershed. Other things that should not be flushed down the toilet, dumped down the drain, or just put out with the regular trash are electronics, paints, cleaners, unused medicines, motor oil, and certain lightbulbs.

GO ON

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

164 Grade 6 • End-of-Year Assessment • Performance Task


• Algae blooms. Too much harmful algae in freshwater or seawater can make beaches unsafe for people. Algae are very small plants that are usually in the water, made up of one cell, and lack true stems, roots, and leaves.

• Spills and accidents. Industrial accidents like oil spills can pollute our water sources and harm fish and wildlife.

How to protect yourself from water pollutionThere are a lot of things you can do to help protect yourself and others from water pollution! Some of these things will help keep our water supply clean. Others will help you stay healthy. Read over these things . . . and talk about what kinds of things you will do in your house and community.

1. Recycle your batteries and other harmful trash (like paint). Batteries may pollute lakes and streams. This pollution hurts the fish and wildlife that live in the lakes and streams. Instead of throwing your batteries out with your household trash, find out how your community recycles batteries and other harmful trash.

2. Don’t drink water directly from a pond, creek, stream, river, or lake. Imagine a nice summer day when you are walking in the woods with some friends. Maybe you are even going camping. You come upon a river and you are very, very thirsty. It’s a hot day. Should you take a drink from the river water? No! Never! Even though you are in the woods, and the water looks clean, it’s very likely that bacteria live in the water. The bacteria can make you very sick. Be sure to only drink water from a clean source, like your faucet at home or bottled water. A camping filter or iodine tablets can be used to make outdoor water clean enough to drink if you don’t have clean water with you.

3. Get your water tested. If your home uses a well for drinking water, ask an adult to have it tested every year by a laboratory. The lab can check to make sure there is no pollution in your well. If you don’t have a well, ask an adult to have the water supplier test the water. You can also buy kits to test your water at a local hardware store.

4. Be alert for local beach closings. Sometimes beaches need to be closed because of water pollution. If your local beach is closed, don’t sneak in and go swimming anyway. You could get very sick.

5. Take used motor oil to a recycling center. Are you old enough to drive? Or do you ever help your mom or dad change the oil on their car? If you do, remember that you can’t just throw the dirty oil away. Never wash it down a sink, and never dump it in a storm drain. Used motor oil must be recycled.

GO ON

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on



6. Find out what your community is doing to protect your water source and get involved. Perhaps your community cleans up a local stream a few times a year. You could help! Check with local leaders to see what you can do to make a difference for our earth.

7. Filter and/or boil your water if needed. If you know that there are dangerous things in your water like bacteria, lead, or chlorine, you should filter and/or boil your water. A filter will take out some chemicals to make the water cleaner. Read the filter package carefully to see what chemicals it will remove. An adult can help you with this. You should boil your drinking water if you know that it has bacteria in it. Boiling water will kill the bacteria. Boiling water will not remove things like lead and nitrates, though.

8. Use cold water for drinking and cooking. Always run your tap on the coldest setting when cooking. Cold water is less likely to have lead in it.

9. Don’t litter and don’t flush things down the toilet that don’t belong there. Litter and medicines can end up in your drinking water if they are flushed down the toilet.


GO ON

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education



Source #2: Green Living

Here is an article that explains how you can protect the environment through simple acts at home and in your neighborhood.

Green living is living in a way that helps take care of the earth. It also means using only what you really need of the earth’s resources. For example, do you like to take long showers? Or do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth? Both long showers and leaving the faucet running waste our earth’s water.

Sometimes, depending on where you live, it may seem like there is an endless supply of water and so it doesn’t really matter how much you use. But this isn’t true. The water supply isn’t endless because not all water is clean water. You can practice green living by taking shorter showers (set a timer for 5 minutes) and by turning off the tap when you brush your teeth.

Here are some easy ways you can reduce pollution and protect the environment.

• Reuse shopping bags. Carry your own bag and use it over and over again. Many stores sell cute bags that you can use for shopping so you don’t have to take a plastic bag from the store. If you have plastic bags at home, don’t throw them away. Some stores will collect these bags for recycling.

• Buy products with less packaging. When you buy things that have less packaging, you are keeping garbage out of the landfills. For example, instead of buying a box of crackers that holds eight little bags of crackers inside, buy a box that doesn’t split the crackers up into little bags. Take the time to make your own portions in a reusable bowl at home, and save the extra garbage from polluting the earth!

• Use less water. Do you need to get your car washed? Many car washes actually recycle wash water, and so use less water to wash your car than if you washed it with your hose at home. Ask your car wash if they do this. Did you just blow your nose? Don’t flush the tissue down the toilet! Just put it in the trash. No need to waste several gallons of water just to throw away a used tissue.

• Turn off electricity and unplug computers when you are not using them. Many appliances—like DVD players, coffee makers, and TVs—still use a small amount of power even when they are switched off. In the average home, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics and appliances is used while the products are turned off!

• Buy recycled products. When you use a piece of paper, you are using a natural resource from the earth. If you use a recycled piece of paper, you are protecting our trees and water.

GO ON

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on



• Plant a tree. Planting a tree can have many benefits! It can provide shade. It can stop erosion. (Erosion is when soil washes away.) Trees help keep the air clean and they make oxygen that we can breathe.

• Tell your community leaders how you feel about the environment. Make your voice heard! You can start with leaders at your school.

• Start a compost pile. Compost is made from things like grass, clean paper, and vegetables (among other things). As it breaks down, it turns into a dark-brown material called humus that is good for growing plants. There are many things that are thrown into the trash that could be composted, instead. Talk with your science teacher about how to make a compost pile—it could be a fun project that helps the earth!

Getting your parents involvedYou probably don’t get to make all the decisions in your house. . . . In order to practice green living, you will need to talk to your parents about some of the ideas up above.

Remember: your mom or dad have been doing things one way for a much longer time than you have been! When they were growing up, shoppers took a bag from each store they visited. Each purchase meant a new bag. Convincing your mom or dad to keep reusable bags in the car for shopping trips may take a little bit of effort on your part. But talking to adults about the environment, and helping them to make changes that will better the earth, is all part of green living. There are lots of things that adults can learn from teens! And your parents will like the ideas about using less water and unplugging electric appliances because it could save them money.


GO ON

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education



Source #3: Save Water and Energy by Showering Better

This is an educational article written by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about how energy is related to water and how to save water when you take a shower.

Your TV and video game system aren’t the only things that need energy to keep going. It takes energy to bring water to your home and school. Energy is also needed to heat that water when used for showering and hand washing. But did you know that if you use less water for cleaning and playing, you’ll save energy and protect the environment?

Drops Need WattsWater and energy work together. Have you ever picked up a gallon of water or milk from the fridge? It’s pretty heavy, right? A lot of energy is used to carry every gallon of water you use from a drinking water source to a treatment plant that makes it safe to drink. After water leaves the treatment plant, more energy is needed to carry it through water pipes to your house. Imagine the journey it has taken—and just how tired you would be after carrying that much water all day!

And the work doesn’t stop there. If you want that water to be hot, it takes energy to warm it up before it hits the tap. Here’s some food for thought—the energy it takes to treat and deliver the water that just 10 houses use in a year could power your home’s refrigerator for more than two years!

That’s why it’s so important not to waste water at home or school. Don’t leave the water on when you brush your teeth. Make sure to turn off the faucet all the way after you wash your hands. If water drips from the faucet after you turn it off, it could be a leak. Tell an adult so it can be fixed. One of the best places to save both water and energy at home is in your shower. Besides taking shorter showers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® program has some tips for how you and your family can “shower better.”

Showering FactsThe shower is a place where we can clean up, cool off, wake up, or relax after a long day. But it’s also a place where we waste a lot of water and energy! Consider this:

• The average shower lasts eight minutes. Since a standard showerhead has a water flow of 2.2 gallons per minute, each shower uses 18 gallons of water!

• Across the United States, we use more than one trillion gallons of water each year just for showering.

GO ON

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on



Never fear! You and your family can still save water and energy. WaterSense has a special label for showerheads that use less water but still provide a great spray of water when you shower. If your family uses a WaterSense labeled showerhead:

• Every shower, you’ll save enough electricity to power a 60-watt light bulb for eight hours.

• Every year, you’ll save the amount of water it takes to wash more than 70 loads of laundry. That’s a lot of dirty soccer jerseys!

There are more than 300 million people in the United States. If each person reduced his or her shower time by one minute, we could save a combined 165 billion gallons each year!

Energy we use at home is measured in something called kilowatt hours, or kWh. On average, your home’s television uses 26 kWh of electricity per month. If your family uses WaterSense labeled showerheads, you save more than 370 kWh of electricity per year. With the energy you’re saving, you could you watch 14 months of television!

Source: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/docs/ws_shower_better_learning_resource_508.pdf

GO ON

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


Name: Date:

1 Source #3 connects water use and energy use. Which two bulleted sections from Source #2 below support the ideas about water and energy in Source #3?

A Reuse shopping bags.

B Buy products with less packaging.

C Use less water.

D Turn off electricity and unplug computers when you are not using them.

E Buy recycled products.

F Plant a tree.

2 Explain how information from Source #1 is different from the information in Source #2 by paraphrasing the content without plagiarizing.

GO ON

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


Name: Date:

3 Water and the environment are directly connected. Provide two pieces of evidence from different sources that support this idea and explain how each example supports the idea. Cite evidence for each piece of information and identify the source title or number.

GO ON

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education



Directions for Part 2You will now review your notes and sources, and plan, draft, revise, and edit your writing. You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your assignment and the information about how your writing will be scored; then begin your work.

Your AssignmentNow that you have completed research on the topic of conservation, your science teacher has asked you to write an explanatory article about water and the environment for a class project. The audience for your article will be other students and your teacher.

Using multiple sources, develop a thesis/controlling idea to explain how water is related to protecting the environment. Once you have a thesis/controlling idea, select the most relevant information from more than one source to support your thesis/controlling idea. Then, write a multi-paragraph explanatory article explaining your thesis/controlling idea. Clearly organize your article and elaborate your ideas. Unless quoting directly from the sources, use your own words. Be sure to reference the source title or number when quoting or paraphrasing details or facts from the sources.

Explanatory Article ScoringYour explanatory article will be scored using the following:

1. Organization/purpose: How well did you state your thesis/controlling idea, and maintain your thesis/controlling idea with a logical progression of ideas from beginning to end? How well did you narrow your thesis/controlling idea so you can develop and elaborate the conclusion? How well did you consistently use a variety of transitions? How effective was your introduction and your conclusion?

2. Evidence/elaboration: How well did you integrate relevant and specific information from the sources? How well did you elaborate on your ideas? How well did you clearly state ideas using precise language that is appropriate for your audience and purpose?


Now begin work on your explanatory article. Manage your time carefully so that you can plan, write, revise, and edit the final draft of your article. Write your re-sponse on a separate piece of paper.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


STOP

Answer Key Name:

Item Answer CCSS Claim # Target # DOK

1 C, D

RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, RI.6.8 W.6.2a-f, W.6.4 L.6.1, L.6.2, L.6.3

Claim 4 Target 2 3

2 see below Claim 4 Target 4 4

3 see below Claim 4 Target 4 4

Article see below Claim 2 Target 4 4

Comprehension: Selected Response 1 /1 %

Comprehension: Constructed Response 2, 3 /4 %

Explanatory Article /4 [O/P] /4 [E/E]

/2 [C]%

Total End-of-Year Performance Task Assessment Score /15 %

2 2-point response: Source #1 focuses solely on water and the importance of reducing water pollution. It discusses what makes water dirty, such as pesticides and accidental spills. It also explains how to protect against water pollution by doing things such as getting water tested and recycling harmful trash. Source #2 focuses on green living in general. Although it mentions water conservation, it describes many other aspects of green living such as reusing shopping bags, buying recycled products, and starting a compost pile.

3 2-point response: Source #1 explains how water moves through the environment and the soil before coming to a watershed. It illustrates how water is a participant in the environment and the two are related. Source #2 tells about green living to protect the environment. It mentions using less water by various methods, such as shorter showers and certain types of car washes, to have a positive effect on the environment. [Source #3 focuses on how water is related to energy. It states that if you conserve water, you use less energy and ultimately protect the environment as a result.]

10-point anchor paper: Water travels through our environment every day. It runs down mountains, enters rivers, and flows to the sea. It sinks through the soil and flows along our lawns before entering watersheds. Eventually, some of it is captured and cleaned before it moves through pipes and into our homes as drinking water. Water is directly connected to Earth, and when we protect this resource, we protect the environment. People can do some things related to water that will also have a positive effect on the environment, such as reducing water pollution and using less water.

How do you reduce water pollution? This process takes place before the water comes into your home. Because water runs through the earth, it can pick up dangerous pollutants along the way. If you reduce your use of pesticides, you help to keep pollutants out of the ground. According to Source #1, Americans use 67 million pounds of pesticides. This is too much! Source #1 also recommends that you do not litter or throw away garbage that has dangerous chemicals, such as batteries. These chemicals could get into the water that you will eventually drink. Instead, toxic materials should be disposed of properly according to your town rules. Source #2 recommends that you buy items with less packaging and products that have already been recycled. This will reduce the overall amount of garbage in the environment and result in cleaner water.

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education


Answer Key Name:

Using less water also has a positive effect on the environment. According to Source #2, you can use less water in simple ways, such as by taking shorter showers or flushing fewer tissues down the toilet when they could be thrown away instead. Source #3 supports this idea, and also explains that less water use has positive effects on energy use. As Source #3 explains, it takes energy to move and heat water. For these reasons it is important to not waste water. Source #3 also supports using the WaterSense showerhead as a way to conserve water while taking a shower.

Water is directly connected to the environment around us, and therefore we must be careful that we do not waste water or pollute it by putting harmful garbage and chemicals into the soil. If we want to protect our environment, we must conserve our water and reduce water pollution. These actions will help ensure that our water and Earth stay clean!

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on


Use the rubrics to score the task holistically on a 10-point scale: 4 points for purpose/organization [P/O]; 4 points for evidence/elaboration [E/E] or development/elaboration [D/E]; and 2 points for English language conventions [C]

Unscorable or Zero responses are unrelated to the topic, illegible, contain little or no writing, or show little to no command of the conventions of standard English.

EXPLANATORY PERFORMANCE TASK SCORING RUBRIC

Score Purpose/Organization Evidence/Elaboration Conventions

4

• effective organizational structure

• clear statement of main idea based on purpose, audience, task

• consistent use of various transitions

• logical progression of ideas

• convincing support for main idea; effective use of sources

• integrates comprehensive evidence from sources

• relevant references• effective use of elaboration• audience-appropriate domain-

specific vocabulary

3

• evident organizational structure

• adequate statement of main idea based on purpose, audience, task

• adequate, somewhat varied use of transitions

• adequate progression of ideas

• adequate support for main idea; adequate use of sources

• some integration of evidence from sources

• references may be general• adequate use of some

elaboration• generally audience-appropriate

domain-specific vocabulary

2

• inconsistent organizational structure

• unclear or somewhat unfocused main idea

• inconsistent use of transitions with little variety

• formulaic or uneven progression of ideas

• uneven support for main idea; limited use of sources

• weakly integrated, vague, or imprecise evidence from sources

• references are vague or absent• weak or uneven elaboration• uneven domain-specific

vocabulary

• adequate command of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and usage

• few errors

1

• little or no organizational structure

• few or no transitions• frequent extraneous

ideas; may be formulaic• may lack introduction

and/or conclusion• confusing or ambiguous

focus; may be very brief

• minimal support for main idea; little or no use of sources

• minimal, absent, incorrect, or irrelevant evidence from sources

• references are absent or incorrect

• minimal, if any, elaboration• limited or ineffective domain-

specific vocabulary

• partial command of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, and usage

• some patterns of errors

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

176 Grade 6 • Rubrics

NARRATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK SCORING RUBRIC

Score Purpose/Organization Development/Elaboration Conventions

4

• fully sustained organization; clear focus

• effective, unified plot• effective development of setting,

characters, point of view• transitions clarify relationships

between and among ideas• logical sequence of events• effective opening and closing

• effective elaboration with details, dialogue, description

• clear expression of experiences and events

• effective use of relevant source material

• effective use of various narrative techniques

• effective use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language

3

• adequately sustained organization; generally maintained focus

• evident plot with loose connections

• adequate development of setting, characters, point of view

• adequate use of transitional strategies

• adequate sequence of events• adequate opening and closing

• adequate elaboration with details, dialogue, description

• adequate expression of experiences and events

• adequate use of source material

• adequate use of various narrative techniques

• adequate use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language

2

• somewhat sustained organization; uneven focus

• inconsistent plot with evident flaws

• uneven development of setting, characters, point of view

• uneven use of transitional strategies, with little variety

• weak or uneven sequence of events

• weak opening and closing

• uneven elaboration with partial details, dialogue, description

• uneven expression of experiences and events

• vague, abrupt, or imprecise use of source material

• uneven, inconsistent use of narrative technique

• partial or weak use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language


• few errors

1

• basic organization; little or no focus

• little or no discernible plot; may just be a series of events

• brief or no development of setting, characters, point of view

• few or no transitional strategies• little or no organization of event sequence; extraneous ideas

• no opening and/or closing

• minimal elaboration with few or no details, dialogue, description

• confusing expression of experiences and events

• little or no use of source material

• minimal or incorrect use of narrative techniques

• little or no use of sensory, concrete, and figurative language



Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Grade 6 • Rubrics 177

ARGUMENTATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK SCORING RUBRIC

Score Purpose/Organization Evidence/Elaboration Conventions

4

• effective organizational structure; sustained focus

• consistent use of a variety of transitions

• logical progression of ideas• effective introduction and

conclusion• clearly communicated

argument for purpose, audience, task

• convincing support/evidence for main idea; effective use of sources; precise language

• comprehensive evidence from sources is integrated

• relevant, specific references• effective elaborative

techniques• appropriate domain-specific

vocabulary for audience, purpose

3

• evident organizational structure; adequate focus

• adequate use of transitions• adequate progression of

ideas• adequate introduction and

conclusion• clear argument, mostly

maintained, though loosely• adequate argument for

purpose, audience, task

• adequate support/evidence for main idea; adequate use of sources; general language

• some evidence from sources is integrated

• general, imprecise references

• adequate elaboration• generally appropriate

domain-specific vocabulary for audience, purpose

2

• inconsistent organizational structure; somewhat sustained focus

• inconsistent use of transitions• uneven progression of ideas• introduction or conclusion, if

present, may be weak• somewhat unclear or

unfocused argument

• uneven support for main idea; partial use of sources; simple language

• evidence from sources is weakly integrated, vague, or imprecise

• vague, unclear references• weak or uneven elaboration• uneven or somewhat

ineffective use of domain-specific vocabulary for audience, purpose


• few errors

1

• little or no organizational structure or focus

• few or no transitions• frequent extraneous

ideas are evident; may be formulaic

• introduction and/or conclusion may be missing

• confusing argument

• minimal support for main idea; little or no use of sources; vague language

• source material evidence is minimal, incorrect, or irrelevant

• references absent or incorrect

• minimal, if any, elaboration• limited or ineffective use of

domain-specific vocabulary for audience, purpose



Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

178 Grade 6 • Rubrics

Modify InstructionGrade 6 Unit 1

Grade 6 Unit 2

IF . . . THEN . . .

Students score less than 75% on the comprehension items in unit assessment . . .

. . . reteach the following skill lessons as needed using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Point of View, Connotation and Denotation, Textual Evidence, Story Structure, Central or Main Idea, and Informational Text Structure.

Students score less than 75% on the vocabulary items in unit assessment . . .

. . . reteach the Figurative Language skill lesson using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path. . . . use the Access 4 Handout vocabulary activity in the Close Read lessons for additional practice with word meaning.. . . use the Vocabulary Workbook Lessons 1, 5, and 9 for additional practice with Context Clues.. . . use the Vocabulary Workbook Lesson 26 for additional practice with Idioms.

Students score less than 7 on the Performance Task full write for unit assessment . . .

. . . reteach the following skill lessons from the Extended Writing Project, as needed, using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Thesis Statement, Audience and Purpose, Organize Informative Writing, Supporting Details, Introductions, Body Paragraphs and Transitions, Conclusions, Style, and Sources and Citations.

IF . . . THEN . . .


. . . reteach the following skill lessons as needed using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Story Structure, Textual Evidence, Plot, Point of View, Theme, Informational Text Elements, Central or Main Idea, Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View, Arguments and Claims.


. . . reteach the Word Meaning and Figurative Language skill lessons using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path.. . . use the Access 4 Handout vocabulary activity in the Close Read lessons for additional practice with word meaning.. . . use the Vocabulary Workbook Lessons 1, 5, and 9 for additional practice with Context Clues.


. . . reteach the following skill lessons from the Extended Writing Project, as needed, using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Thesis Statement, Audience and Purpose, Organize Argument Writing, Supporting Details, Introductions, Body Paragraphs and Transitions, Conclusions, Style, and Sources and Citations.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

McG

raw

-Hill

Edu

cati

on

Grade 6 • Modify Instruction 179

Modify InstructionGrade 6 Unit 3

Grade 6 Unit 4

IF . . . THEN . . .


. . . reteach the following skill lessons as needed using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Central or Main Idea, Connotation and Denotation, Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View, Plot, Point of View, Arguments and Claims, and Theme.


. . . use the Access 4 Handout vocabulary activity in the Close Read lessons for additional practice with word meaning.


. . . reteach the following skill lessons from the Extended Writing Project, as needed, using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Audience and Purpose, Organize Narrative Writing, Descriptive Details, Introduction/Story Beginning, Narrative Techniques and Sequencing, Conclusion/Story Ending, and Style.

IF . . . THEN . . .


. . . reteach the following skill lessons as needed, using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Point of View, Tone, Theme, Poetic Structure, Connotation and Denotation, Central or Main Idea, Informational Text Elements, Informational Text Structure, Author’s Purpose and Author’s Point of View, and Arguments and Claims.


. . . reteach the Word Relationships and Figurative Language skill lessons using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path.. . . use the Access 4 Handout vocabulary activity in the Close Read lessons for additional practice with word meaning.


. . . reteach the following skill lessons from the Extended Writing Project, as needed, using the Access 4 Handout and the Approaching instructional scaffolds in the Access Path: Audience, Purpose, and Style; Research and Note-Taking; Thesis Statement; Organize Argument Writing; Supporting Details; Introductions and Conclusions; Body Paragraphs and Transitions; Sources and Citations.

Copyright ©

McG

raw-H

ill Education

180 Grade 6 • Modify Instruction

core ela assessments - 95b2.https.cdn.softlayer.net 6...core ela assessments grade 6. core ela ......

Documents