Reading & Writing · Unit 2 · Weeks 7–12 · 45–55 min (fine to split over two sittings)

Scoring Guide: Main Idea, Opinions & Narratives

41 points total

Part 1: Reading: An Article

11 points

Read the article. Then answer the questions. You can look back at the article.

1.
Which sentence tells the main idea of the whole article?
(2 pts)
Answer: Prairie dogs live together in towns, and their towns help them and many other animals survive.
2.
Look at the part called "Watching Out for Danger." What is its main idea? Write two key details that support it.
(2 pts)
Answer: Main idea (1): prairie dogs work together to stay safe from hunters. Details (1 for two), any two: they clip the grass short so they can see far; a prairie dog barks a warning call; the others dive into their burrows; they make different calls for different hunters.
3.
Why does a burrow have a door that is built up higher?
(1 pt)
Answer: Any one: so wind pulls fresh air through the tunnels; so it can be a lookout spot.
4.
Prairie dogs clip the tall grass short. What is the effect?
(1 pt)
Answer: They can see danger (hunters) coming from far away.
5.
Finish the cause and effect. Cause: A prairie dog barks a sharp warning call. Effect: ____________
(1 pt)
Answer: The other prairie dogs dive into their burrows.
6.
Read: "Bison and pronghorn like to graze on the fresh, short grass." What does graze mean?
(1 pt)
Answer: To eat grass (to feed on plants growing in a field).
7.
How does the part "Good Neighbors" connect to the rest of the article? What new idea does it add?
(2 pts)
Answer: Answers vary. Look for: the first parts tell how towns help prairie dogs, and this part adds that towns help other animals too (owls, snakes, bison) (2). 1 point for naming only the new idea.
8.
Copy the sentence from the last paragraph that explains why prairie dogs are important to the grasslands.
(1 pt)
Answer: "Because so many animals depend on them, prairie dogs are very important to the grasslands."

Scoring: The main-idea choice item: 2 if correct, 0 if not. Other 2-point items: 2 for a complete answer, 1 for one part (for example, a main idea with no details). 1-point items: 1 if the answer matches the article, in the child's own words or the text's words.

Reteach if needed: Week 7, Week 9. Week 7 Days 1–2 (main idea of a paragraph and of a whole article, context clues); Week 7 Days 3–4 (key details, how a detail supports the main idea, cause and effect); Week 9 Day 3 (informational text review).

Part 2: Opinion & Story Craft

8 points

Answer each question about opinion writing and story writing.

9.
Which sentence is an opinion?
(1 pt)
Answer: Prairie dogs are the cutest animals on the plains.
10.
Choose the best linking words to fill the blank in this opinion paragraph. I think every town should have a park. Kids need a safe place to play. ____, my cousins and I play tag at our park every Saturday.
(1 pt)
Answer: For example
11.
Number the parts of a story arc in order from 1 to 4. ___ climax ___ opening ___ ending ___ rising action
(2 pts)
Answer: climax 3, opening 1, ending 4, rising action 2
12.
Underline the two time-order words or phrases. After lunch, we packed the car. Soon we were on the road.
(2 pts)
Answer: After lunch (1); Soon (1)
13.
This sentence names a feeling: Ella was nervous. Rewrite it to show the feeling with an action or a body clue instead.
(2 pts)
Answer: Answers vary. Look for: a body or action clue without the word nervous, such as "Ella's knees shook, and she chewed her lip."

Scoring: Choice items: 1 if correct. The story arc item: 2 if all four are right, 1 if two or three are right. Time-order words: 1 for each. The show-don't-tell item: 2 for a clear action or body clue that shows nervousness without naming it, 1 if the clue is vague or the feeling word is still used.

Reteach if needed: Week 8, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12. Week 8 Days 1–3 (opinions, reasons and linking words); Week 10 Day 4 (time-order words); Week 11 Day 1 (showing feelings with actions); Week 12 Day 1 (story arc).

Part 3: Language

9 points

Read each sentence by yourself. Follow the directions.

14.
Is this sentence simple, compound or complex? If a hawk flies over, the prairie dogs hide.
(1 pt)
Answer: complex
15.
Join the two sentences with a comma and but. The burrow is dark. It feels safe inside.
(2 pts)
Answer: The burrow is dark, but it feels safe inside. (1 for but, 1 for the comma before it)
16.
Circle the verb that agrees with the subject. The prairie dogs (dig / digs) new tunnels.
(1 pt)
Answer: dig
17.
Write the sentence in the past tense. I catch the bus.
(1 pt)
Answer: I caught the bus.
18.
Copy the sentence. Add a comma and quotation marks. Grandma said We can plant the seeds today.
(2 pts)
Answer: Grandma said, "We can plant the seeds today." (1 for the comma after said, 1 for both quotation marks with the period inside)
19.
Copy the sentence. Add the missing marks. I found it shouted Ruby
(2 pts)
Answer: "I found it!" shouted Ruby. ("I found it," shouted Ruby. is also correct.) 1 for the quotation marks with the ! or comma inside, 1 for the period at the end.

Scoring: Items with two parts get 1 point for each part. 1-point items: 1 if correct, 0 if not.

Reteach if needed: Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11. Week 7 Day 4 (simple, compound and complex sentences); Week 8 Day 3 (conjunctions); Week 9 Day 4 (subject-verb agreement); Week 10 Day 4 (past, present and future tense, irregular verbs); Week 11 Day 4 (commas and quotation marks in dialogue).

Part 4: Word Study

9 points

Read each word by yourself. Follow the directions.

20.
Circle the word whose first syllable is open (it ends with a vowel).
(1 pt)
Answer: raven
21.
Draw a line to divide each word into syllables. tennis motor
(2 pts)
Answer: ten|nis (1); mo|tor (1)
22.
Write the plural of each word. bench → ____ pony → ____
(2 pts)
Answer: benches (1); ponies (1)
23.
Add the ending. Use the spelling rules. skip + ed = ____ plan + ing = ____
(2 pts)
Answer: skipped (1); planning (1)
24.
Add the ending. Use the spelling rules. joke + ed = ____ bake + ing = ____
(2 pts)
Answer: joked (1); baking (1)

Scoring: Each part is worth 1 point; spelling must be exact. Note which pattern each missed item checks: open syllables (Week 7), dividing words (Week 8), plurals (Week 9), doubling (Week 10), dropping the e (Week 11).

Reteach if needed: Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12. Week 7 (open syllables); Week 8 (VC/CV and V/CV division); Week 9 (plurals -s, -es, -ies); Week 10 (doubling before -ed and -ing); Week 11 (dropping the final e); Week 12 (review).

Part 5: Writing: A Short Narrative

4 points

Write a short story on your own paper or in the box.

25.
Write a short story about a time something went wrong and then got fixed. It can be real or made up. Include an opening that shows the setting and characters, the problem, at least one line of dialogue, time-order words, and an ending that solves the problem.
(4 pts)
Answer: Rubric (4 points): 4 = an opening that shows setting and characters, a clear problem, events in order with time-order words, at least one line of correctly punctuated dialogue, and an ending that solves the problem; 3 = all parts are there, but one is thin (for example, a one-word ending) or the dialogue is not punctuated; 2 = a problem and some events, but the opening or the ending is missing, or the order is hard to follow; 1 = a few sentences that do not yet tell a story with a problem; 0 = no response or off topic.

Scoring: Score the writing with the 4-point rubric in the answer. Score what is on the page, not neatness. Spelling of words not yet taught does not lower the score.

Reteach if needed: Week 10, Week 11, Week 12. Week 10 Days 2–4 (small moment, opening, time-order words); Week 11 Days 1–4 (details, feelings, dialogue); Week 12 Days 2–4 (problem, ending, full narrative).

Score box

Part	Points earned	Possible
1. Reading: An Article		11
2. Opinion & Story Craft		8
3. Language		9
4. Word Study		9
5. Writing: A Short Narrative		4
Total		41

Level: Enter points to see the level.

D · Developing: 0–20
A · Approaching: 21–28
P · Proficient: 29–36
E · Exceeding: 37–41