CORE Assessment Module
Module Overview
Purpose and Usage:
This assessment module is a performance activity to assess how well students can examine
complex text and then demonstrate their understanding through writing. All modules were developed by
practitioners for practitioners. Since the reading expectations are rigorous, some might find the text
selections challenging. Please note, however, that the text exemplars that are used as the basis for each
module are taken directly from Appendix B of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for targeted
grades.
The expectations of the CCSS call on teachers to instruct around complex text so students read
closely to accomplish essential skills, such as make inferences, determine themes, and analyze
development of ideas. They do so using textual evidence from a targeted complex text. Much like
teachers engage students in the writing process to create optimal written products, teachers would
likewise plan and conduct a series of comprehensive lessons to help students meet these rigorous reading
standards. These lessons would align to specific reading standards, include a myriad of instructional
strategies and formative assessments (e.g., read silently, discuss, listen to, take notes, engage in discussion
with peers, write informally and formally, etc.), and center on text-dependent activities and tasks to elicit
deep understanding of targeted texts. This assessment module does not replace a formalized series of
lessons around complex text as just described, but rather provides a “dipstick” to get a sense of how well
students read complex text independently and proficiently. The results are meant to inform teachers about
future instruction.
Teachers should use their professional judgment and their district’s recommended guidelines to
administer this module as a pre-assessment or formative assessment in order to gather information about a
student’s ability to read complex text carefully and construct an organized writing piece that is grounded
in evidence from the text. Some teachers might decide to use two modules—one as a pre-assessment and
another as a formative assessment to check for understanding during the formalized instructional process
around complex text.
We encourage teachers to administer this assessment with colleagues and discuss results together
to ascertain next steps in an instructional plan. Teachers can employ additional instructional strategies
beyond what is included in this module when administering the assessment. However, colleagues should
agree on which strategies to choose so that this assessment is conducted under similar conditions.
Scoring:
At this time, use the Smarter Balanced rubrics available at this link:
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2012/05/TaskItemSpecifications/EnglishL
anguageArtsLiteracy/ELARubrics.pdf
Smarter Balanced does not have a rubric for each grade for all three writing types; however, later a more
detailed rubric for all grades and types will be considered.
Module Overview
Page 1
Content Area
Text
Grade Level
Target Area
ELA Common
Core State
Standards
Smarter
Balanced
Assessment
Claims
Task
Overview
Module
Components
English Language Arts
We Are the Ship, by Kadir Nelson (excerpt)
Grade 4
Performance Task, Opinion Piece
RI 4.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RI 4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key
details; summarize the text.
RI 4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or
technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific
information in the text.
W 4.1
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with
reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an
organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support
the writer’s purpose.
b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance,
in order to, in addition).
d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion
presented.
*SL 4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Claim 1: Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of
increasingly complex literary and informational texts.
Claim 2: Students can produce effective and well-grounded writing for a range of
purposes and audiences.
This assessment task will be completed in two parts. The prewriting/planning in part
one will involve reading, note-taking, and speaking and listening. In part two,
students will be asked to draft an opinion piece.
1) Directions to Teacher
2) Text Passage
3) Text-Dependent Questions Graphic Organizer
4) Writing Task
*Standard addressed but not explicitly assessed.
Module Overview
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
Page 2
We Are the Ship Directions to Teacher
This Common Core-aligned ELA Performance Task can be given over two to three days
depending on class schedules. The directions below outline the steps to follow for a two-day
administration.
Text: Nelson, Kadir. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. New York: Jump at
the Sun, 2008. From “4th Inning: Racket Ball: Negro League Owners.”
Materials:
Text Passage
Text-Dependent Questions Graphic Organizer
Writing Task
Lined paper for writing
Day 1
1. Reading:
(Approximately 10 minutes)
Give students the excerpt from We Are the Ship and instruct them to read it
independently.
2. Note-taking:
(Approximately 10–20 minutes)
Hand out the Graphic Organizer, and ask students to reread the passage and complete the
“My Thoughts” and “My Evidence” sections as directed in the graphic organizer.
Encourage students to expand their thinking beyond the literal answer to the question.
3. Speaking/Listening Questions:
(Approximately 30 minutes)
In pairs or groups of three, use the “Give One, Get One Protocol” (see below) and give
students time to discuss the following questions and add information to the “My
Thoughts Now” section of the graphic organizer.
a. According to the passage, what were some problems that Negro League players
faced?
b. Based on the passage, how would you describe the actions of Negro League owners?
c. Based on the passage, how were the Negro Leagues and the major leagues similar?
How were the Negro Leagues and the major leagues different?
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
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Give One, Get One Protocol
 Students bring their graphic organizer to meet with partner or group.
 Instruct them to collect one new and different idea from their partner.
 Then they are to give one new and different idea.
 If neither has a new and different idea, tell them to brainstorm the topic and try to
create one.
Day 2
4. Performance Task (Writing Prompt)
Distribute the writing prompt, and let students know the amount of time they have to
respond to the prompt in writing. Encourage students to use their graphic organizer to
inform their writing.
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
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We Are the Ship Text Passage
Most of the owners didn’t make much money from their teams. Baseball was just a hobby for them, a way
to make their illegal money look good. To save money, each team would only carry fifteen or sixteen
players. The major league teams each carried about twenty-five. Average salary for each player started at
roughly $125 per month back in ‘34, and went up to $500–$800 during the forties, though there were
some who made much more than that, like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. The average major league
player’s salary back then was $7,000 per month. We also got around fifty cents to a dollar per day for
food allowance. Back then you could get a decent meal for about twenty-five cents to seventy-five cents.
Some of the owners didn’t treat their players very well. Didn’t pay them enough or on time. That’s why
we would jump from team to team. Other owners would offer us more money, and we would leave our
teams and go play for them. We were some of the first unrestricted free agents.
There were, however, a few owners who did know how to treat their ballplayers. Cum Posey was one of
them. He always took care of his ballplayers, put them in the best hotels, and paid them well and on time.
Buck Leonard said Posey never missed a payday in the seventeen years he played for the Grays.
Nelson, Kadir. We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. New York: Jump at the Sun, 2008. From
“4th Inning: Racket Ball: Negro League Owners.”
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
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Student Name ______________________
Text-Dependent Questions Graphic Organizer
Directions: After rereading the text, write answers to each question below in the “My Response”
section. Support each response by recording textual evidence in the “Evidence From the Text” section.
After you are given time to talk to a classmate and share ideas, complete the “My Thoughts Now” section
based on your conversation.
1. According to the passage, what were some problems that Negro League players faced?
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
2. Based on the passage, how would you describe the actions of Negro League owners?
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
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Student Name ______________________
3. Based on the passage, how were the Negro Leagues and the major leagues similar? How
were the Negro Leagues and the major leagues different?
My Response
Evidence From the Text
My Thoughts Now
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
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Student Name ______________________
We Are the Ship Writing Task
Directions: Please respond to the prompt below in writing. You may use your graphic
organizer and/or constructed response questions to inform your writing. You may take notes on
this paper, but you should write your entire response on the lined paper provided by your teacher.
Writing Prompt
After reading the excerpt from We Are the Ship, do you agree or disagree that the Negro League players
were treated fairly? State your opinion, and explain the reasons for your opinion. Use evidence from the
text to support your answer.
Be Sure To:
 Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which
related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose
 Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details
 Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to,
in addition)
 Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented
ELA Grade 4: We Are the Ship
Page 8