Informational Text & Author's Purpose
What is the main purpose of an informational text?
To explain, describe, or provide factual information about a topic.
Explanation: Informational texts teach readers about real topics using facts and explanations.
What does ECR stand for in reading and writing assessments?
Extended Constructed Response.
Explanation: An ECR is a developed written response that answers a prompt using reasoning and relevant evidence.
What is a stanza in a poem?
A group of lines separated from other groups of lines.
Explanation: Stanzas organize a poem in a way similar to how paragraphs organize prose.
What is dialogue in a drama?
For Double Points:
What is characterization?
The words spoken by characters.
Explanation: Dialogue reveals information, relationships, conflict, and character traits.
For Double Points:
The way an author develops and reveals a character's traits and personality.
Explanation: Authors use actions, dialogue, thoughts, appearance, and other characters' reactions.
Correct the capitalization: 'my family visited austin, texas, in june.'
My family visited Austin, Texas, in June.
Explanation: Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper place names, and the names of months.
An author writes an article explaining how recycling reduces landfill waste. What is the author's primary purpose?
To inform.
Explanation: The author explains facts and processes rather than primarily entertaining or persuading.
What does the A in ACE commonly stand for?
For Triple Points:
What Does the ACE, our after school program, stand for?
Answer.
Explanation: ACE commonly means Answer, Cite evidence, Explain. Follow the format your teacher has taught.
For Triple Points:
Afterschool Centers on Educations
What is a metaphor?
A comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as.'
Explanation: Example: 'The classroom was a zoo.' The classroom is compared to a zoo to suggest noise or activity.
What is a stage direction?
An instruction in a script that tells actors how to move, speak, or act, or describes a scene.
Explanation: Stage directions often appear in brackets or parentheses and are usually not spoken aloud.
Choose the correct verb: 'The basket of apples (is/are) on the table.'
For double Points:
A character practices piano every day, even after making mistakes. What trait does this suggest?
Is.
Explanation: The subject is 'basket,' which is singular. The phrase 'of apples' does not change the subject.
For double Points:
Perseverance, determination, or dedication.
Explanation: The character keeps working despite setbacks.
What is a controlling idea in an informational essay?
For Double Points:
What is the theme of a story?
The central point or focus that guides the essay.
Explanation: The controlling idea keeps the essay focused and helps determine which details belong.
For Double Points:
A message or insight about life or human behavior that a story develops.
Explanation: A theme is more than a one-word topic such as friendship; it expresses an idea about that topic.
A paragraph explains how exercise improves health, but one sentence describes the writer's favorite pizza. What should the writer do?
Remove the unrelated sentence.
Explanation: The pizza detail is extraneous because it does not support the paragraph's controlling idea.
What is the difference between mood and tone in poetry?
Mood is the feeling the poem creates in readers; tone is the speaker's or author's attitude toward the subject.
Explanation: A poem can create a peaceful mood while expressing a grateful or reflective tone.
The lights dim, thunder crashes, and a character whispers, 'Someone is outside.' What mood is likely created?
Suspenseful, tense, or frightening.
Explanation: The sound effects, lighting, and whispered dialogue create uncertainty and tension.
Correct the verb tense: 'Yesterday, we walk to the library and borrow two books.'
Yesterday, we walked to the library and borrowed two books.
Explanation: The word 'yesterday' signals past time, so both verbs should be in the past tense.
An article states that school gardens improve science learning. It includes student observations and examples of plant growth. What role do these details play?
They support and develop the controlling idea.
Explanation: Supporting details explain, illustrate, or provide evidence for the central point.
A student's essay has strong evidence but no clear thesis or controlling idea. What should the student revise first?
Add or clarify the thesis or controlling idea.
Explanation: A clear central point gives the essay direction and helps organize the supporting evidence.
Read: 'The bees buzzed, the branches bent, and breezes brushed the blooms.' Which sound device is repeated in the beginning sounds?
For Double Points:
A character lies to avoid blame, loses a friend's trust, and later admits the truth. What theme could this develop?
Alliteration.
Explanation: Alliteration repeats initial consonant sounds, such as the repeated 'b' sound.
For Double Points:
Honesty is important for building and repairing trust.
Explanation: The character's choices and consequences develop the message.
A character says, 'Wonderful! Another homework assignment!' after learning about extra work. What tone might the character be using?
Sarcastic.
Explanation: The exaggerated positive word 'Wonderful!' suggests the character means the opposite.
Choose the correct verb: 'Neither the players nor the coach (was/were) ready.'
Was.
Explanation: With 'neither...nor,' the verb generally agrees with the nearer subject. Here, 'coach' is singular.
A student writes an essay arguing that schools should provide more shaded outdoor areas. Which evidence would best support the claim: a list of favorite colors, temperature data from the playground, or a story about a video game?
Temperature data from the playground.
Explanation: Relevant, reliable evidence directly supports the claim about outdoor heat and shade.
Write the key parts of a strong informational ECR response.
A clear response to the prompt, a controlling idea or claim when appropriate, relevant text evidence, explanation of how the evidence supports the answer, and logical organization.
Explanation: The writer must answer the question directly and explain the evidence rather than simply copying it.
A poem uses short lines, repeated words, and a steady rhythm to describe a runner moving toward the finish line. How might these features affect the poem?
They can create a quick, energetic pace that mirrors the runner's movement.
Explanation: Poetic form and sound devices can reinforce the meaning, action, and emotional effect of a poem.
How can stage directions and dialogue work together to reveal a character's feelings?
Dialogue reveals what the character says, while stage directions can reveal actions, expressions, gestures, or delivery that add meaning.
Explanation: For example, a character may say 'I'm fine' while trembling, suggesting that the character is actually afraid.
Revise the sentence to correct capitalization and subject-verb agreement: 'on monday, the group of students visit the dallas museum.'
For Double Points:
A student initially refuses to work with a new classmate. After learning that the classmate has valuable ideas, the student begins listening and cooperating. Explain how the character changes and identify a possible theme.
On Monday, the group of students visits the Dallas museum.
Explanation: Capitalize the first word, day of the week, and proper place name. The subject 'group' is singular, so use 'visits.'
For Double Points:
The student changes from being unwilling to cooperate to being open-minded and collaborative. A possible theme is that understanding others can change our assumptions.
Explanation: A strong response describes the character's development and connects it to a message supported by events in the story.