Teacher Guide
Teacher Answer Key and Kentucky Core Academic Standards for RDA 1 Grade 3
The Reading Diagnostic Assessment consists of twelve Multiple Choice Questions and one Short Answer
Question.
Remind students that they are to record their answers on the Student Answer Sheet only, except for the
Short Answer Question, which will be written on this packet.
Before Administering the Assessment
• Print all Student Answer Sheets and test booklets according to CASCADE directions.
• Copy the student pages. IMPORTANT: Use "photo" setting or "print and photo" setting and do NOT
make photocopies of photocopies so that the students will be able to see the pictures clearly to
answer the questions.
• Arrange for accommodations for ECE and ESL students as indicated on the IEP or PSP.
Directions for Administering the Assessment
• Explain to the students that this assessment will help you determine what they know at this
point and encourage them to do their best.
• Remind students of appropriate test-taking procedures. They should answer EVERY question and
leave no blanks. If they are unsure of an answer, they should determine a best guess.
• Review how to record answers on the scan form.
• Distribute assessment material and review directions.
• Monitor students during the assessment to make sure they are recording answers correctly.
• When finished, test booklets should be collected and students should work on other material
until all have completed the assessment.
• Collect student answer sheets and check for stray marks before scanning.
After Administering the Assessment
• Scan student answer sheets in the LEXMARK Scanner according to directions.
• Score the Short Answer question and record in CASCADE.
• Analyze the data from the CASCADE reports. Results should be used to determine what next
instructional steps are needed to move students toward attainment of reading standards.
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
Grade 3 Reading Diagnostic Assessment 1
Answer Sheet
Number
1.
2.
3.
Answer
C
B
D
4.
C
5.
A
6.
D
7.
B
8.
9.
C
A
10.
D
11.
B
12.
D
SAQ
Kentucky Core Academic Standard Description
RI.3.5 Use text features and search tools (e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate
information relevant to a given topic efficiently.
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they
support the main idea.
RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain‐specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they
support the main idea.
RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain‐specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how
their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
RL.3.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folk-tales, and myths from diverse cultures;
determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through
key details in the text.
SAQ possible answers/look-fors:
Gai Gung realized that he needed to return to study with the teacher. He realized this after his mother taught
him that you have to finish what you start or you have done nothing.
Gai Gung’s mother told him she had worked all day and night making a cloth. She pulled a thread from the
cloth and it came apart. She told Gai Gung that she was just doing what he had done. Gai Gung learned to
finish what you start or you won’t have anything.
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
© 2011, KASC
Constructed Response Resource Booklet
Page 7
2012-2013 Reading Assessment Teacher Analysis Sheet
Grade 3 – RDA #1
Teacher Name:__________________________________
Standard
Question
#
# of
Students
Successful
Date:_______________________
# of Students
Needing
Review
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a
text; recount the key details and explain
how they support the main idea.
RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables,
folk-tales, and myths from diverse
cultures; determine the central
message, lesson, or moral and explain
how it is conveyed through key details
in the text.
RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story (e.g.,
their traits, motivations, or feelings) and
explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
RI.3.4: Determine the meaning of
general academic and domain‐specific
words and phrases in a text relevant to
a grade 3 topic or subject area.
RL.3.4: Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are used in a
text, distinguishing literal from
nonliteral language.
RI.3.5 Use text features and search tools
(e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to
locate information relevant to a given
topic efficiently.
4,6
12, SAQ
8, 9, 10
5, 7, 11
1,2,3
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
My Action Plan
2012-2013 Grade 3 RDA # 1 Student Analysis Sheet
Student Name _________________________
Question
My
Initial
Answer
My
New
Answer
Learning Targets for Mastery
Date ______________
Evidence: How I know my new
answer is correct…
I need a review of…
RI.3.5: I can use text features and search tools
(e.g., key words, sidebars, hyperlinks) to locate
information relevant to a given topic
efficiently.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
SAQ
RI.3.2: I can determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and explain how they
support the main idea.
RI.3.4: I can determine the meaning of general
academic and domain‐specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic
or subject area.
RI.3.2: I can determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and explain how they
support the main idea.
RI.3.4: I can determine the meaning of general
academic and domain‐specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to a grade 3 topic
or subject area.
RL.3.3: I can describe characters in a story (e.g.,
their traits, motivations, or feelings) and
explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events.
RL.3.4: I can determine the meaning of words
and phrases as they are used in a text,
distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
RL.3.2 I can recount stories, including fables,
folktales, and myths from diverse cultures;
determine the central message, lesson, or
moral and explain how it is conveyed through
key details in the text.
How many are correct? ____________Incorrect? ________________ Which learning targets do I need to review?
My Plan:
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
Arctic Fox
Adapted from Caroline Arnold’s Snow Fox
1 It is winter in the far north. Ice and snow cover the land. The arctic fox is
one of the few animals that can live in such a cold place.
2 The arctic fox has a strong body, short legs, and a long, bushy tail. It
weighs between 5 and 20 pounds. From its nose to the end of its tail, it is
about 32 inches long. This small fox is about the size of a large housecat.
Keeping Warm
3 The arctic fox lives in Alaska,
Canada, Siberia, and other places
near the Arctic Circle. These are
some of the coldest places on
Earth! Sometimes the air is more
than 50 degrees below zero. The
fox’s body helps it stay alive in the
freezing arctic temperatures.
The arctic fox curls up like a ball to stay warm in the snow.
4 To keep warm, the Arctic fox lives in a tunnel under the snow called a
burrow. The burrow is a shelter from the harsh cold air. Its thick fur keeps
the arctic fox warm during the cold months. A layer of short, fine hair grows
next to the skin. On top of that is an outer layer of longer, thicker hairs. A
covering of oil helps keep the fur dry. Even the fox’s feet are covered with
fur! When the fox sleeps, it uses its long, furry tail like a warm blanket.
A Coat for Every Season
5 As the seasons change, so
does the arctic fox. The fox’s
thick winter coat falls out in the
spring. Then it grows a thinner
coat for summer. The winter coat
grows back again in fall.
6 Most arctic foxes are white in
winter and brown in summer.
These foxes live in places where
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
it is very snowy in winter. Their white winter fur makes them hard to see
next to the snow. In summer, their brown fur helps them blend in among
the arctic plants while they hunt for food.
7 Some arctic foxes have light gray fur in winter. In summer, their fur is
dark gray or black. These foxes usually live near the ocean. Their gray fur
helps them hide among the rocks while they hunt for fish, birds, and other
animals that live near the water.
Time for Pups
8 Arctic foxes raise their pups during the few warm months of the
year. The pups are born between April and June. Fox parents may have
eleven or more pups. That is a lot of hungry mouths to feed!
9 The pups grow quickly. By fall their bodies are covered with thick, warm
fur. They have learned to hunt for their own food. They are ready to be on
their own. Soon the air will grow cold, and snow will cover the ground. The
sturdy arctic foxes are all set for another winter in the land of ice and snow.
For more information about the arctic fox go to https://animals.nationalgeopgraphic.com/animals
1. Which kind of information is found under the heading
“Keeping Warm”?
A. where the arctic fox hunts for food
B. when the arctic fox gives birth to pups
C. how the arctic fox’s body helps it survive
D. how the arctic fox’s winter coat falls out
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
2. The caption under the photograph tells you
A. how the arctic fox cares for its pups.
B. one way the arctic fox keeps warm.
C. how the arctic fox’s fur blends with where it lives.
D. where the arctic fox sleeps during the day.
3. What information do you learn about the arctic fox under the
heading “A Coat for Every Season”?
A. A coating of oil helps keep the fur dry.
B. It weighs between 5 and 20 pound.
C. When it sleeps, it curls up like a ball.
D. Some arctic foxes have light gray fur in winter.
4. The article, “Arctic Fox”, is mainly about
A. all of the cold places the arctic fox lives.
B. how the arctic fox cares for its pups in cold.
C. how the arctic fox uses its body to stay alive.
D. the life cycle of a fox in the arctic.
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
5. Read these sentences from the passage.
The fox’s thick winter coat falls out in the spring. Then it grows
a thinner coat for summer. The winter coat grows back again in
fall.
The word coat in these sentences means
A. the hair or fur of an animal
B. something warm to wear
C. how the seasons change
D. a place to hide from the cold
6. Which detail explains how the arctic fox’s body helps it stay alive
in the arctic?
A. It weighs between 5 and 20 pounds.
B. Fox parents may have eleven or more pups.
C. Sometimes the air is more than 50 degrees below zero.
D. Its thick fur keeps the arctic fox warm during the cold months.
7. Which words from paragraph 4 help you to understand the
meaning of the word burrow?
A. cold, snow
B. tunnel, shelter
C. fur, layer
D. sleep, blanket
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
A Chinese Fable: Finish What You Start
by Heidi Chang
1 Gai Gung was the smartest student in his class at school. He had been
chosen to study with a teacher in a distant city. Gai Gung lived with his
mother, a silk weaver. He would have to leave home to study with the
teacher.
2 “Mother, I don’t know if I can go,” Gai Gung said when it was time to
leave. He knew he wouldn’t return for a long time.
3 “You must go, Gai Gung,” his mother said, putting some steamed buns
into his bag. “You are special. You have been picked to study with this
teacher.”
4 Gai Gung hung his head as he got into Mr. Shu’s wagon. Mr. Shu was
their neighbor. He was going to the city for business, and he was giving
Gai Gung a ride.
5 “Do not worry,” Mr. Shu said to Gai Gung’s mother. “I will make sure
your son arrives safely.”
6 “Thank you,” she said, bowing. Gai Gung’s mother felt proud as she
watched Mr. Shu and her son ride off down the road.
7 The next day, Gai Gung’s mother started weaving a new cloth for her
son. She worked into the night and until the next morning. She stopped
when she heard a wagon coming up the road. She ran outside to see if it
was Mr. Shu.
8 “I am here, Mother! I have come back!” It was Gai Gung. He was riding
in the wagon next to Mr. Shu.
9 “What?” Gai Gung’s mother said as the wagon came closer. “You have
been gone for only one day.”
10 “I decided I could not stay. Mr. Shu was returning today, so I came
back with him. I missed my home too much.”
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
11 “Gai Gung,” his mother said, “come here. I want to show you
something.” Gai Gung could tell she was not happy. He followed her into
the house.
12 “You see, I have been working all day and night on this cloth.” She
pulled on a piece of thread,
and the cloth began to come
apart.
13 “Mother, what are you
doing?” Gai Gung asked. He
tried to stop his mother from
pulling any more thread.
14 “I am doing what you
have done. You cannot stop
partway. You must finish
what you start, or you will
have nothing.” Her fine silk
cloth was now torn in half.
15 “Mother,” Gai Gung said, looking at her, “I understand now what you
mean.”
16 The next day, Mr. Shu offered to take Gai Gung back to the city. Gai
Gung brought along his mother’s beautiful piece of cloth. She had finished
it for him, and he never forgot her words. Gai Gung completed his studies
with the teacher and became a great student.
8. Which words from the passage show that Gai Gung was scared
to leave his village?
A.
“You have been picked to study with this teacher.”
B.
Gai Gung lived with his mother, a silk weaver.
C.
“Mother, I don’t know if I can go.”
D.
He was riding in the wagon next to Mr. Shu.
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
9. Why does Gai Gung’s mother tear apart the cloth she wove?
A.
She wants Gai Gung to see that his unfinished trip is like the
unfinished cloth.
B.
She does not want Gai Gung to take such a lovely cloth so far
away from home.
C.
She feels the cloth was not as well-made as it could have been.
D.
She is angry at Gai Gung and ruins the cloth in her anger.
10. What caused Gai Gung to return to school?
A.
He felt guilty for returning home.
B.
He knew he would get in trouble.
C.
He was the smartest student in his old school.
D.
He realized he needed to finish what he started.
11. In the story, when Gai Gung’s mother was weaving, she was
A.
sewing pieces of cloth together.
B.
using thread to make cloth.
C.
moving side to side.
D.
winding in and out.
12. Which BEST tells about the passage?
A.
Gai Gung is chosen to study in a distant city.
B.
Gai Gung rides in a wagon to study in a far-off city.
C.
Gai Gung enjoys living at home with his mother.
D.
Gai Gung learns that it is best to complete his studies.
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts
Short Answer Question
Write your answer in the box below.
Why is the title of this fable “Finish What You Start?” Use details
from this story to explain your thinking.
Grade 3 RDA#1
2012-2013 Jefferson County Public Schools
Elementary English Language Arts