English Language Arts Performance Tasks: 3rd – 5th Grade

3rd Grade Performance Tasks

Task 1:

Natural Disasters

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Reading and Writing Informational Text, Research, and Science. Students will utilize text evidence to analyze and draw inferences; understand complex text; understand the structure of the text and how portions of the text relate to one another; synthesize information from multiple sources; use domain specific vocabulary to inform; write a compare and contrast essay from the informational text as well as independent research; complete independent research; and use information gained from informational text to generate a solution or creation.

Task 2:

Space Invaders

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Reading Informational Texts, Main Idea, Key Details, Opinion Writing and Research. Students will demonstrate understanding of a complex text using key details to determine main idea; determine a sequence and timeline based on scientific concepts as well as historical events; use text features to locate information and gain information to determine main idea; use text evidence to garner information to answer questions; utilize text evidence to analyze and draw inferences; understand the structure of the text and how portions of the text relate to one another; synthesize information from multiple sources; use domain specific vocabulary to inform; and write an opinion paper after synthesizing informational text as well as independent research.

Task 3:

Titanic

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Informational Text, Writing, Primary Sources and Cause and Effect. Students will utilize text evidence to analyze and draw inferences; understand complex text; understand the structure of the text and how portions of the text relate to one another; understand the difference between primary and secondary text; analyze research to establish an answer to a question; synthesize information from multiple sources; demonstrate understanding through a timeline and series of historical events; utilize research skills to create a biographical sketch; and use information gained from background knowledge, research and informational text to generate a solution or creation.

Task 4:

Trash Talk

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Reading Informational Texts, Main Idea, Writing and Science. Students will utilize text evidence to analyze and draw inferences; understand complex text; understand the structure of the text and how portions of the text relate to one another; analyze research to establish an answer to a question; synthesize information from multiple sources; use domain specific vocabulary to inform; utilize writing skills to tell a story from a selected point of view; use information gained from informational text to generate a solution or creation.

4th Grade Performance Tasks

Task 1:

To Bee or Not to Bee

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Informational Text, Research and Opinion Writing. Students will use text evidence to recall information and make inferences; determine main idea using key details; use domain-specific vocabulary; explain concepts about the bumblebee and its effect on the ecosystem; use collaborative groups to research and develop arguments to debate; write an opinion piece; use multiple texts on the same topic to create a presentation; and use research to make inferences and present the problems and solutions to help bees and ecosystems.

Task 2:

Inventors and Innovators

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Informational Text and Research. Students will cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text; offer and support opinions and negotiate with others in communicative exchanges; read closely informational texts and view multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language; ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them; organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience; and write expository and procedural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes.

Task 3:

It’s Up to You: Protecting Ecosystems

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Informational Text and Research. Students will use text evidence to recall information and make inferences; determine main idea using key details; use domain-specific vocabulary; explain concepts that contribute to changes in the ecosystem; use multiple texts on the same topic to create a presentation; and use research to make inferences and present the problems and solutions of endangered animals and ecosystems.

Task 4:

Wild Rides

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Narrative Writing, Expository Writing and Informational Text. Students will cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text; offer and support opinions and negotiate with others in communicative exchanges; read closely informational texts and view multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language; use domain-specific vocabulary to explain concepts; organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience; write a narrative about an imagined experience; and gather information and analyze texts to synthesize information in order to design a roller coaster using scientific principals and create an advertisement.

5th Grade Performance Tasks

Task 1:

Beyond Video Games

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Reading Informational Texts, Inferences and Multiple Texts. Students will cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text; offer and support opinions and negotiate with others in communicative exchanges; use text evidence to make inferences; determine the central idea of a text and provide an objective summary; determine author’s purpose using different texts addressing the same topic; use the text to synthesize and infer general information on the topic; and use key details to support main idea.

Task 2:

5 Second Rule

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Author’s Purpose, Main Ideas and Health. Students will cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text; read closely informational texts and viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language; use domain-specific vocabulary to explain concepts; organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience; determine the central idea of a text and provide an objective summary; determine author’s purpose using different texts addressing the same topic; use the text to synthesize and infer general information on the topic; and use key details to support main idea.

Task 3:

Storm Chasers

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Informational Text, Primary and Secondary Sources and Research. Students will cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text; offer and support opinions and negotiate with others in communicative exchanges; determine author’s purpose of multiple texts; read closely informational texts and viewing multimedia to determine how meaning is conveyed explicitly and implicitly through language; use domain-specific vocabulary to explain concepts; organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience; and cite textual evidence to support analysis of both primary and secondary sources as well as determine central ideas and information of said sources.

Task 4:

Hunt or Be Hunted

Summary

This Performance Task focuses on Main Idea, Central Idea of Text, Comparing and Contrasting and Research. Students will cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text; offer and support opinions and negotiate with others in communicative exchanges; determine author’s purpose of multiple texts; use domain-specific vocabulary to explain concepts; organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience; use text evidence to make inferences; determine the central idea of a text and provide an objective summary; determine author’s purpose using different texts addressing the same topic; use the text to synthesize and infer general information on the topic; look at three different texts to garner information to solve a problem; and research invasive species and correlate information from multiple sources.