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2021 MCAS Sample Student Work and Scoring Guide
Grade 7 English Language Arts
Question 13: Essay
Reporting Categories: Language and Writing Standard: L.PK-12.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Standard: L.PK-12.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Standard: L.PK-12.3 - Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. Standard: W.PK-12.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. Standard: W.PK-12.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Item Description: Write an essay that explains how a specific event in two passages helps to reveal important traits of the main characters; use information from both passages to support your explanation.
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Essay Prompt
For this question, you will write an essay based on the passage(s). Your writing should:
- Present and develop a central idea.
- Provide evidence and/or details from the passage(s).
- Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Based on the passages, write an essay that explains how the storms help to reveal important character traits of Nadia in The View from Saturday and the narrator in One Thing Stolen. Be sure to use details from both passages to develop your essay.
Continue to the following page to see the scoring guides for this question. Sample student responses begin on page 3. The annotations that appear above each sample response describe elements of the response that contributed to its score for Idea Development and Standard English Conventions.
Scoring Guide for Idea Development Select a score point in the table below to view the sample student response.
Score* Description
5A
- Central idea is insightful and fully developed
- Skillful selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
- Skillful and/or subtle organization
- Rich expression of ideas
- Full awareness of the task and mode
5B
4
- Central idea is clear and well-developed
- Effective selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
- Effective organization
- Clear expression of ideas
- Full awareness of the task and mode
3
- Central idea is general and moderately developed
- Appropriate selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
- Moderate organization
- Adequate expression of ideas
- Sufficient awareness of the task and mode
2
- Central idea may be present and is somewhat developed
- Limited selection and explanation of evidence and/or details
- Limited organization
- Basic expression of ideas
- Partial awareness of the task and mode
1
- Central idea is not developed
- Insufficient evidence and/or details
- Minimal organization
- Poor expression of ideas
- Minimal awareness of the task and mode
0 The response shows evidence the student has read the text, but question or incorrectly responds to the question.^ does not address the
Scoring Guide for Standard English Conventions Select a score point in the table below to view the sample student response.
Score* Description 3A
- Consistent control of a variety of sentence structures relative to length of essay
- Consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexity and/or length of essay
3B 3C 3D
2
- Mostly consistent control of sentence structures relative to length of essay
- Mostly consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexity and/or length of essay
1
- Little control and/or no variety in sentence structure and/or
- Little control of grammar, usage, and mechanics relative to complexity and/or insufficient length
0 Sentences are formed incorrectly with no control of grammar, usage insufficient length. ,^ and mechanics and/or
*In both Scoring Guides, letters are used to distinguish between sample student responses that earned the same score (e.g., 5A and 5B).
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Idea Development—Score Point 5B The central idea of the essay, how storms help to reveal important character traits in Nadia and the narrator, is insightful and supports an analysis of each of three traits—determination, bravery, and selflessness. Each analysis is meaningfully developed with well-chosen details, showing an understanding of the passages and full awareness of the task. The conclusion presents a rich expression of ideas by reestablishing that these character traits were revealed “when a very dangerous storm hits their homes” and by emphasizing how the traits were interrelated because Nadia and the narrator were both acting on behalf of “someone else, not themselves.” Overall, the essay is well organized around the idea expressed in the introduction that “[b]oth girls had to face situations in which important decisions were made,” and the writer thoroughly develops the character traits that contribute to selflessly caring about animals in the face of a storm.
Standard English Conventions—Score Point 3B Sentences are varied in the essay, and a variety of conventions skills are demonstrated in sentences such as “Nadia knows the storm is treacherous, but she still manages to run to the car and drive with her father through a storm to help the turtles.” The essay’s length relative to its complexity shows consistent control of standard English conventions for the grade level.
Idea Development—Score Point 4 The essay’s central idea is well developed and supported by effectively chosen details concerning the character traits of caring, bravery, and acceptance. Discussion of both passages involves a connection to the storm and the idea that the animals are in danger, demonstrates full awareness of the task, and includes effective explanations. The analysis focuses more on the traits the characters display in their concern for animals and less on those they reveal in their relationships with the human characters in the passages. Although the language of the essay lacks richness (e.g., “the storm was so bad” and “she got a new character trait”), it supports an explanation of the traits and contributes to a clear expression of ideas related to the task. Transitions effectively organize the body paragraphs, and the conclusion thoughtfully attempts to connect the reader to the character traits: “[Would you] have [chosen] to play it safe and [gotten] to cover, or [taken] a risk and [saved] the animals along with you?”
Standard English Conventions—Score Point 3C Minor errors are present in spelling (e.g., “careing,” “choosen,” “parragraph”) and capitalization, but other mechanics are correct. Consistent control of a variety of sentence structures is apparent throughout, and grade-level control is evident, given the essay’s length.
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Idea Development—Score Point 2 The essay includes some evidence from both passages with limited explanation about how the storms reveal that Nadia was “kind” and the narrator was “caring.” Some extraneous information indicates only partial awareness of the task: “Maggie and the narrator were so thankful that the birds stayed alive.” Similarly, the conclusion acknowledges the storms and indicates character traits but states that “[t]he storms were really tough… but they both survived and were thankful.” There is a basic expression of ideas about Nadia and the narrator’s traits, but the first sentence in the concluding paragraph that begins “[t]hat explains how the storms reveal character traits” does not further development. Each of the two body paragraphs focuses on a passage; organization is limited rather than moderate, also contributing to limited development of the central idea.
Standard English Conventions—Score Point 2 The essay displays a limited variety of sentence structures as well as minor punctuation errors, some of which involve apostrophes (e.g., “Nadias” is used as a possessive, and “bird’s” is used as a plural). Given the length and amount of original writing, the essay demonstrates mostly consistent control of sentences and standard English conventions for the grade level.
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Idea Development—Score Point 0 The response comments on, but does not differentiate between, the plots of the two passages. The character traits of Nadia and the narrator as well as the storm’s involvement are excluded, although there is evidence that the student has read the passages but neglected to respond to the prompt.
Standard English Conventions—Score Point 0 The response is insufficient in length to demonstrate control, given its lack of complexity or variety in sentence structure and insufficient demonstration of mechanical skills.
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