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Grade 8 - Claim 1 - Target 11

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English Language Arts

Target 11

Reasoning & Evidence

Make an inference or draw a conclusion about a text OR make inferences or draw conclusions in order to compare texts (e.g., connections or distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events; author’s point of view/purpose/conflicting viewpoints; evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats; delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims) and use supporting evidence as justification/explanation.

Sample Item

Grade 8

Test

Claim 1

Reading

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

Grade

Grade 8

Standards

RH-6RH-8RI-1RI-3RI-6RI-7RI-8RI-9RST-6RST-8

Standards

  • RH-6

    Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

  • RH-8

    Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

  • RI-1

    Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

  • RI-3

    Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

  • RI-6

    Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

  • RI-7

    Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

  • RI-8

    Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

  • RI-9

    Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the texts disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.

  • RST-6

    Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, identifying important issues that remain unresolved.

  • RST-8

    Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.

Clarifications

Items require students to analyze a text (or texts) by making inferences or drawing conclusions about connections or distinctions between events, ideas, or individuals; author’s point of view or purpose, etc. Additionally, students will...

Range Achievement Level Descriptors

Evidence Required

  • 1

    The student will make an inference about an informational text or texts and identify evidence within the text or texts that support that inference.

Item Guidelines

Depth of Knowledge

  • 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...

  • R-DOK4

    Higher order thinking is central and knowledge is deep at Level 4. The standard or assessment item at this level will probably be an extended activity, with extended time provided. The extended time period is not a distinguishing factor if...

Allowable Item Types

  • Evidence-based Select Response, two-part multiple choice response (EBSR);
  • Hot Text, select text
  • Short Text, constructed response (WR)

Stimuli

  • Passages

    Each text must include explicitly and implicitly stated details that can be used to make inferences and provide conclusions. 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.

Development Notes

Short Text (Constructed Response) will always be DOK 3.

Task Models

Task Model 1

  • Item Types

    Evidence-based Select Response, two-part multiple choice response (EBSR);

  • Depth of Knowledge

    R-DOK3, R-DOK4

Target Evidence Statement

  • The student will make an inference about an informational text or texts and identify evidence within the text or texts that support that inference.

Task Description

This item has two parts. The item stem of PART A will prompt the selection of a statement that requires the student to make an inference OR draw a conclusion about the text. The answer...

Appropriate Stems

Lead-in: This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Appropriate Stems for PART A: Which of these inferences about the [provide connections or distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events/author’s line of...

Appropriate Stems for Dual-Stimuli

PART A: Read the [sentence(s)/paragraph(s)/section(s)] from [title text #2]. [Provide excerpt from text] Based on this information, [what inference can be made/what can a reader infer] about [provide connections or distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events/author’s line...

Scoring Rules

Correct response for both parts: 1 point; Incorrect response for either or both parts: 0 points