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Grade 4 - Claim 1 - Target 14

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English Language Arts

Target 14

Language Use

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances of words and phrases used in context (e.g., similes, metaphors, idioms, adages, proverbs).

Sample Item

Grade 4

Test

Claim 1

Reading

Students can read closely and analytically to comprehend a range of increasingly complex literary and informational texts.

Grade

Grade 4

Standards

L-5L-5aL-5bRI-1

Standards

  • L-5

    Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

  • L-5a

    Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors (e.g., as pretty as a picture) in context.

  • L-5b

    Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.

  • RI-1

    Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Clarifications

Items should NOT ask students to identify the type of figurative language that is being used but rather demonstrate its meaning and impact on meaning (i.e., “Which of the following is an example of...

Range Achievement Level Descriptors

Evidence Required

  • 1

    The student will demonstrate the meaning of figurative words and phrases used in context and analyze its impact on meaning.

  • 2

    The student will demonstrate the intent and use of a literary device and analyze its impact on meaning.

  • 3

    The student will analyze the impact of word choice on reader interpretation of meaning.

Item Guidelines

Depth of Knowledge

  • R-DOK2

    Level 2 includes the engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling or reproducing a response; it requires both comprehension and subsequent processing of text or portions of text. Intersentence analysis of inference is required. Some important concepts are covered but...

  • R-DOK3

    Deep knowledge becomes more of a focus at Level 3. Students are encouraged to go beyond the text; however, they are still required to show understanding of the ideas in the text. Students may be encouraged to explain, generalize, or...

Allowable Item Types

  • Multiple Choice, single correct response
  • Multi-Select, multiple correct response

Stimuli

  • Passages

    Each text must include the use of figurative language and literary devices that have a discernible impact on meaning. Refer to Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: English Language Arts & Literacy Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) and Performance Task (PT) Stimulus Specifications for...

  • Dual-Text Stimuli

    When a dual-text set contains one literary and one informational text, the informational text (text #1) is the primary focus, and the set of items must include items from the informational stimulus as well as items written across both texts....

Accessibility

Refer to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines for information on accessibility concerns.

Task Models

Task Model 1

  • Item Types

    Multiple Choice, single correct response

  • Depth of Knowledge

    R-DOK2, R-DOK3

Target Evidence Statement

  • The student will demonstrate the meaning of figurative words and phrases used in context and analyze its impact on meaning.

  • The student will demonstrate the intent and use of a literary device and analyze its impact on meaning.

  • The student will analyze the impact of word choice on reader interpretation of meaning.

Task Description

The item stem will prompt the selection of a statement that requires the student to demonstrate figurative language or literary devices and analyze their impact on meaning. The answer choices will present four options of...

Appropriate Stems

(Note: In this automated version of the item specification, underlined text appears in italics.) Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)]. [Directly quoted sentence(s)/paragraph(s) from text, with targeted word or phrase underlined] What does the [word/phrase] [targeted word/“targeted phrase”] tell about...

Appropriate Stems for Dual-Stimuli

(Note: In this automated version of the item specification, underlined text appears in italics.) Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)] from [title text #1]. [Directly quoted sentence(s)/paragraph(s) from text, with targeted word or phrase underlined] Based on the information in...

Scoring Rules

Correct response: 1 point; Incorrect response: 0 points