1st-Grade ELA Assignment
Overview
First-grade students listen to an adequately complex text, then write and draw in response to a prompt. This assignment exposes students to a worthwhile text, but the writing prompt does not reflect the demands of the grade-level standards. Students are not required to focus on the main topic or key details, nor does the task allow students to analyze the craft or structure of the text.
About the Text
Title and Author
"Minerals" by CKLA
What is the Lexile Level of this text?
Based on Lexile, which grades is this text intended for?
Is the text qualitatively complex enough for the grade?
Is this text fiction or non-fiction?
Is this text authentic or was it written for educational purposes?
Does the text provide sufficient detail to build knowledge of a worthwhile topic and/or is it worth reading closely and re-reading?
Why is this assignment partially aligned?
This assignment is partially aligned because the text is strong, but the writing prompt is not:
It provides the opportunity for students to listen to an engaging and worthwhile text, read aloud by a fluent reader. The text contains useful information about common minerals in the earth and offers complex vocabulary and vibrant illustrations.
The writing prompt does not require students to focus on important information within the text. Students do not have to comprehend what happened in the text with clarity or detail to answer the question.
The writing prompt asks students to state a personal preference instead of an argument that can be supported with evidence in the text, which does not reflect the demands of the grade-level writing standards.
The writing prompt does not help students to read with purpose or build a text-based argument. It would be stronger if it were specific to the complex ideas and details of the text.
The assignment allows students to apply their developing language skills to their writing. Practicing the correct use of grammar and spelling is important for improving both reading and writing skills. (In this task, however, this opportunity appears to be incidental rather than intentional, as the directions do not include clear expectations for use of grammatical conventions beyond writing in complete sentences.)
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From EngageNY.org of the New York State Education Department. Grade 1 English Language Arts Domain 7, Lesson 5: Minerals. Internet. Available from https://www.engageny.org/resource/grade-1-listening-learning-domain-7-anthology-history-earth, and derived from Core Knowledge Language Arts of the Core Knowledge Foundation: www.coreknowledge.org.