Revised: 7/24/2014
SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Grade 07 Unit 04: Preparing for the Test
Writing Standards: ALL
Unit Description: The writing portion of this test preparation unit focuses on each student’s ability to write fluently across
text structures and use specific, detailed evidence from text. Students need to be prepared to read a text or a pair of texts and
write an essay providing detailed evidence from the texts to support their answers.
Implementation Dates: March 2, 2015-April 13, 2015
Assessment Dates: NYS ELA Assessment – April 14, -April 16, 2015
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Assessment Links
Rubrics and Scoring Guide Links
No unit assessment for test preparation
New York State Grades 6-8 Writing Evaluation Rubric (from the Educator
Guide to the 2014 Grade 7 Common Core English Language Arts Test)
Grade 7 Released Questions and Annotations(Pgs. 11-47)
Mentor Texts (what teacher uses to model)
Student Resources
Essay Prompts for Modeling and Practice
*This document consists of 6 prompts. The odd numbered prompts are
for students to practice unpacking and thinking about what they have
to do in order to answer the question proficiently. They will not be
writing the actual essay. The even numbered prompts are the actual
prompts students will be unpacking and using to write their essays in this
unit. This version has all of the bullets completed to use as a guide to
help students unpack the prompts.
Student Version of Essay Prompts for Modeling and Practice
*This is the version that students use to unpack the prompts and fill in the
bullets as they analyze the task and decide what they need to do to
answer the question proficiently.
Paired Mentor Texts
Essay Exemplars
Paired Mentor Texts for all Essay Prompts:
“Race to the Klondike” and “All About the Klondyke Gold Mines”
Informative/Explanatory Essay:
Informative/Explanatory Exemplar (“Football” pg. 47 from Appendix C)
“Race to the Klondike” and “All About the Klondyke Gold Mines”
(Teaching Prompt 2)
Argument Essay:
Argument Exemplar (“Video Cameras in Classrooms” pg. 40 from
Appendix C)
“Race to the Klondike” and “All About the Klondyke Gold Mines”
(Teaching Prompt 4)
Compare/Contrast Essay:
Compare and Contrast Exemplar 1
Compare and Contrast Exemplar 2
“Race to the Klondike” and “All About the Klondyke Gold Mines”
(Teaching Prompt 6)
*This essay prompt is from the Grade 7 Released Questions and
Annotations. This prompt only asks students to make comparisons
Page 2
between the paired texts. However, teachers should discuss strategies
to address differences if addressed in the prompt.
Big Ideas
●
●
●
Essential Questions
Writing is a way to clarify and elaborate on thinking about text.
Test-takers write in response to text using a variety of structures
(informative/ explanatory essay, compare and contrast essays,
argument essays).
Test-takers write in response to text using paragraphs and
transitions that match the chosen text structure and support their
ideas with specific details from each text.
●
●
How do texts differ and how should I read and respond as a
result?
What is an insightful, text-based answer?
Vocabulary
Coherent
Compelling
Exemplar
Insightful
Irrelevant
Relevant
Sophisticated
Outcome
Informative/
Explanatory
Essays
Anchor Charts
Informative/Explanatory Anchor Chart
On- Demand Writing Anchor Chart
Argument Anchor Chart
All the Things You Need to Know about Test Taking
Do’s and Don’ts of Argument Writing
Compare and Contrast Anchor Chart
Transition Words Anchor Chart
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Mentor Text
(what teacher uses to model)
First 20 Minutes of Class
IE1: Sometimes the ELA test
requires writers to explain or inform
others about a topic. Writers do
this by:
● gathering evidence from two
or more texts
Teacher introduces the
Informative/ Explanatory Essay
Anchor Chart.
Do a think-aloud with the
Page 3
Partner/Independent Work
(students work)
Second 20 Minutes of Class
Partners work together with a
second exemplar,
Informative/Explanatory
Exemplar (“Football” pg. 47
from Appendix C) to identify
the components of the
Closing/Share
Introduce the NYS
Grades 6-8 Writing
Evaluation Rubric.
*Make sure to review
the four bullets at the
Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Mentor Text
(what teacher uses to model)
First 20 Minutes of Class
Partner/Independent Work
(students work)
Second 20 Minutes of Class
Closing/Share
exemplar on pg. 877 in Glencoe
showing the components of the
informative/ explanatory essay.
informative/explanatory
essay.
bottom of the rubric.
IE2: Writers read multiple texts,
identify a claim, and support it.
They do this by:
● reading all parts of the
prompt
● referring back to the
informative/ explanatory
anchor chart
● planning how to organize
the essay
● writing
Introduce the On-Demand
Writing Anchor Chart.
Partners unpack the actual
essay prompt they will write
using Prompt 2 in the Essay
Prompts for Modeling and
Practice from the Mentor Text
section above.
Refer back to the NYS
Grades 6-8 Writing
Evaluation Rubric and
highlight key elements
students need to
address in their writing
to get a 4.
IE3: Now that students have
experienced two days of direct
instruction, allow them time to
independently practice writing
their essays.
Small group instruction as
needed.
●
●
●
stating a claim about the topic
finding and citing evidence
from the texts that will best
support the claim
using transitions to connect
evidence and support
*Teacher to students: Writers add
relevant details to their responses
by marking up the text and
bringing some words/ ideas into
their own writing. They do this by
paraphrasing, borrowing a few
key words from the text, and/or
quoting.
*The previous two days’ teaching
points are still up on the board.
Model the unpacking of the
essay prompt using Prompt 1 in
the Essay Prompts for Modeling
and Practice from the Mentor
Text section above.
Providing specific feedback to
students on writing, as needed.
*The goal is to provide students
Page 4
Students independently begin
to read, plan, and write their
essays.
Students complete their essay
and share with a partner for
feedback if time permits.
Students use the NYS
Grades 6-8 Writing
Evaluation Rubric to
assess their work.
Students reflect and
answer:
What can I do to
Outcome
Argument
Essays
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Mentor Text
(what teacher uses to model)
First 20 Minutes of Class
Today is a working day for students
to practice independently.
with an opportunity to engage in
“on demand” writing in a short
amount of time.
A1: Sometimes the ELA test
requires writers to take a side and
argue for it. Writers do this by:
● comparing evidence from
two texts
● deciding with which point
of view we agree and
writing a clear claim
● finding and citing the
evidence from the text
that will best support their
point of view
● showing how an opposing
viewpoint is not as
convincing as their own
Teacher introduces the
Argument Essay Anchor Chart.
Teacher conducts a think-aloud
showing the components of the
argument essay using the
exemplar on pg. 583 in Glencoe.
Partner/Independent Work
(students work)
Second 20 Minutes of Class
Closing/Share
strengthen my piece?
Partners work together with a
second Argument Exemplar
(“Video Cameras in
Classrooms” pg. 40 from
Appendix C) to identify the
components of the argument.
Share the All the
Things You Need to
Know about Test
Taking Anchor Chart.
Partners unpack the actual
essay prompt they will write
using Prompt 4 in the Essay
Prompts for Modeling and
Practice from the Mentor Text
section above.
Share the Do’s and
Don’ts of Argument
Writing Anchor Chart.
*Teacher to students: Writers add
relevant details to their responses
by marking up the text and
bringing some words/ ideas into
their own writing. They do this by
paraphrasing, borrowing a few
key words from the text, and/or
quoting.
A2: Writers read multiple texts, take
a side, and argue for it. They do
this by:
● reading all parts of the
prompt
● referring back to the
Review the On-Demand Writing
Anchor Chart.
Model the unpacking of the
essay prompt by using Prompt 3
in the Essay Prompts for
Page 5
Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
●
●
Argument Anchor Chart
planning how to organize
the essay
writing
A3: Now that students have
experienced two days of direct
instruction, allow them time to
independently practice writing
their essays.
*The previous two days’ teaching
points are still up on the board.
Today is a working day for students
to practice independently.
Compare and
Contrast
Essays
CC1: Sometimes the ELA test
requires writers to compare and
contrast two or more pieces of
text. Writers do this by:
● comparing evidence from
two texts when they see
the words similar and
different, similarities and
differences, alike and
different, or in common
and different
● writing a clear thesis
● finding and citing the
evidence from both texts
that supports the similarities
and differences
Mentor Text
(what teacher uses to model)
First 20 Minutes of Class
Partner/Independent Work
(students work)
Second 20 Minutes of Class
Modeling and Practice from the
Mentor Text section above.
Students independently begin
to read, plan, and write their
essays.
Small group instruction as
needed.
Students complete their essay
and share with a partner for
feedback if time permits.
Providing specific feedback to
students on writing, as needed.
Teacher provides an exemplar
and does a think-aloud showing
the components of the compare
and contrast essay using the
Compare and Contrast
Exemplar 1 in the Mentor Text
section above.
Page 6
Students use the NYS
Grades 6-8 Writing
Evaluation Rubric to
assess their work.
Students reflect and
answer:
What can I do to
strengthen my piece?
*The goal is to provide students
with an opportunity to engage in
“on demand” writing in a short
amount of time.
Teacher introduces the
Compare and Contrast Essay
Anchor Chart.
Closing/Share
Partners work together with a
second exemplar to identify
the components of the
compare and contrast essay
Compare and Contrast
Exemplar 2 in the Mentor Text
section above.
Share the Transition
Words Anchor Chart.
Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Mentor Text
(what teacher uses to model)
First 20 Minutes of Class
Partner/Independent Work
(students work)
Second 20 Minutes of Class
Closing/Share
Partners unpack the actual
essay prompt they will write
using Prompt 6 in the Essay
Prompts for Modeling and
Practice from the Mentor Text
section above.
With a partner make a
list of similarities and
differences to support
your essay writing.
*Teacher to students: Writers may
start their essays with...”There are
many similarities and differences
between X and Y.” Or…” X and Y
are somewhat the same and
somewhat different.” Or…” X and
Y have many similarities and
differences.” Or…” X and Y are
partly the same and partly
different.”
CC2: Writers read multiple texts,
identify similarities and differences,
and write a clear essay. They do
this by:
● reading all parts of the
prompt
● referring back to the
Compare and Contrast
Anchor chart
● planning how to organize
the essay
● writing
Review the On-Demand Writing
Anchor Chart.
CC3: Now that students have
experienced two days of direct
instruction, allow them time to
independently practice writing
their essays.
Small group instruction as
needed.
*The previous two days’ teaching
points are still up on the board.
Today is a working day for students
to practice independently.
Model the unpacking of the
essay prompt using Prompt 5 in
the Essay Prompts for Modeling
and Practice from the Mentor
Text section above.
Providing specific feedback to
students on writing, as needed.
*The goal is to provide students
with an opportunity to engage in
“on demand” writing in a short
Page 7
Students independently begin
to read, plan, and write their
essays.
Students complete their essay
and share with a partner for
feedback if time permits.
Students use NYS
Grades 6-8 Writing
Evaluation Rubric to
assess their work.
Students reflect and
answer:
What can I do to
strengthen my piece?
Outcome
Teaching Points (Lesson Objectives)
Mentor Text
(what teacher uses to model)
First 20 Minutes of Class
Partner/Independent Work
(students work)
Second 20 Minutes of Class
Closing/Share
amount of time.
Student
Work
Analysis
SWA1: Writers enhance their
understanding of quality work by
analyzing multiple pieces of
writing.
Review the NYS Grades 6-8
Writing Evaluation Rubric and
use some of the student essays
from this unit to apply the rubric.
Score Point 4 Sample Paper
Partners analyze more student
essays from this unit using the
rubric.
Quick Write:
What is an insightful,
text-based answer?
*The Grade 7 Released
Questions and Annotations
document linked in the
Rubrics and Scoring Guide
Links section above provides
exemplars at each score
point for the
compare/contrast essay
prompt. It also provides
exemplars of each score
point for the short answer
questions that were released
with the paired text passages.
What do I need to do
to improve my own
writing?
Suggested Pacing Calendar
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
March 17
March 18
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 28
½ Day
March 24
March 25
March 26
March 27
March 31
April 1
April 2
April 3
NYS ELA Assessment
NYS ELA Assessment
NYS ELA Assessment
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