Revised: 8/17/2013
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 05 Unit 01 Narrative Reading
Character Analysis – Examining How Characters Grow & Change
Assessment and Scoring Rubric
Unit standards:
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RL.5.1. Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
RL.5.2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama
respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
RL.5.3. Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the
text (e.g., how characters interact).
RL.5.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors
and similes.
RL.5.5. Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story,
drama, or poem.
Assessment Text : Brave Irene by William Steig
Question #1 & #2 - Short Response NYS 2 Point Rubric
Score
Response Features
The features of a 2-point response are:
 Valid inferences and/or claims from the text where required by the prompt.
 Evidence of analysis of the text where required by the prompt.
 Relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, and/or other information from the text to develop
2 Point
response according to the requirements of the prompt.
 Sufficient number of facts, definitions, concrete details, and/or other information from the text as
required by the prompt.
 Complete sentences where errors do not impact readability.
1 Point
0 Point
The features of a 1-point response are:
 A mostly literal recounting of events or details from the text as required by the prompt.
 Some relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, and/or other information from the text to develop
response according to the requirements of the prompt.
 Incomplete sentences or bullets.
The features of a 0-point response are:
 A response that does not address any of the requirements of the prompt or is totally inaccurate.
 No response (blank answer).
 A response that is not written in English.
 A response that is unintelligible or indecipherable.
If the prompt requires two texts and the student only references one text, the response can be scored no higher than a 1.
Question #1 Based on the events in the story, what can you infer about Irene's personality? Use two details from the story to support
your answer. Be sure to write your answer in complete sentences. (RL.5.1)
Exemplar Answer (2 point): I think that Irene is a very thoughtful child. She is worried that her mother is sick and determined to
get the dress her mother made delivered to the duchess. "Poor Mama, said Irene. I can get it there! I love the snow." This quote
shows that Irene will do anything for her mother.
Exemplar Answer (2 point): I think Irene is caring. She volunteered to deliver the dress to the Dutchess in the snow. She made
her mother tea when she was sick.
Analysis: Both of the above responses include complete sentences where errors do not impact readability, respond to the
prompt, and include a valid inference or claim as well as a sufficient number of relevant facts, definitions, or details from the text
as required by the prompt.
Question #2: What is a theme of the story “Brave Irene”? Use two details from the story to support your answer. Be sure to write your
answer in complete sentences. (RL.5.1 & RL.5.2)
Exemplar answer (2 point): One theme from the story is perseverance and never giving up. Irene volunteered to deliver a dress
for her tired mother. She faced extreme weather and mishaps during her journey. Throughout it all, she continued until she
completed her delivery.
Exemplar answer (2 point): In the story, Irene learns that if you do kind deeds for others you will be rewarded. Irene brings the
dress to the duchess for her mother even though it is hard and she gets hurt. The duchess is very thankful and Irene gets to enjoy
the warm fire and stay at the palace for the fancy ball.
Analysis: Both of the above responses include complete sentences where errors do not impact readability, respond to the
prompt, and include a valid inference or claim as well as a sufficient number of relevant facts, definitions, or details from the text
as required by the prompt.
Question #3: Multiple Choice (RL 5.4)
Authors use personification to describe non-living things by using human actions or emotions.
In the story, “Brave Irene,” the following quotes from the text use personification:
“The wind swallowed up her words.”
“The wind wrestled her for the package.”
Which of the following sentences from the story gives another example of personification?
A) “Dress warmly, pudding,” said her mother called in a weak voice.
B) “By the time she got there the snow was up to her ankles and the wind was worse.
C) “Go ho-o-ome,” the wind yodeled. “ GO HO-WO-WOME,” it shrieked.
D) Irene clung to the empty box and watched the beautiful gown disappear.
Correct Answer: C
Yodeled and shrieked are human actions. The wind is personified as doing these things.
Question #4: Multiple Choice (RL 5.4)
Read the following excerpt from the text.
“She coaxed her mother into bed, covered her with two quilts and added a blanket for her feet. Then she fixed her some tea with
lemon and honey and put more wood in the stove.”
In this sentence, the word coaxed most likely means:
A.) forced against once will
B.) convinced to do something
C.) annoyed
D.) pushed carelessly
Correct Answer: B
The reader must use his/her knowledge of Irene’s character as a caring young girl to decide how she would most likely act
towards her mother. Irene is trying to do something nice for her mother, as evidenced by how she places additional quilts and
blankets on her mother and prepares her some tea with lemon and honey. It’s unlikely that someone acting in this loving way
would force another against their will, annoy, or push another carelessly. The best choice is that “coaxed” means to convince
to do something, as Irene was trying to get her mother to allow her to deliver the dress to the Duchess.
Question #5 NYS Grade 4-5 Expository Writing Evaluation Rubric
Question #5: In the story Brave Irene, the setting changes throughout the story. Compare and contrast the setting in the beginning
and middle of the story. Explain how the changing setting reflects the change in mood throughout the story. Use specific examples
from the article to support your answer. (RL 5.1, RL.5.3, RL.5.5)
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Describe the characteristics of the setting at the beginning of the story.
Describe the characteristics of the setting at the middle of the story.
Explain how the changing setting reflects the change in the mood throughout the story.
Exemplar Answer (3 point):
The setting of “Brave Irene” changes throughout the story. The way the setting changes throughout the story matches the
way the mood changes throughout the story.
In the beginning Irene is in a cabin with her mother. They are warm inside the house, and they have tea with lemon and
honey.
The setting changes when Irene leaves the cabin. Outside it is cold and stormy. The snow was up to her ankles and the
wind was terribly cold and strong.
In the beginning when the setting is warm in the cabin, the mood is happy and safe. Irene happily offers to go out in the
snow to deliver the dress for her mother. Later in the story when Irene is alone battling the cold wind and snow, the mood feels
dangerous and frightening. Irene was screaming at the wind clinging to the box.
Analysis: The above response introduces the topic in a manner that follows from the task. The author organizes his/her ideas into
paragraphs and uses relevant evidence from the text throughout his/her piece to develop the topic and support the claim. The
writing conveys grade-appropriate comprehension and analysis of the text. The student uses grade-appropriate vocabulary
and links ideas with transitional phrases. Although the piece does not include a concluding statement, it meets the majority of
the rubric components for a 3.