There are many things you should be doing with your groups as you read The Time Machine.

So far, after each chapter you have been asked to take care of two things:

  1. Write a Chapter Summary
  2. Write Chapter Test Questions

Below, you will find detailed instructions concerning each of these two assignments.

PART I: The Chapter Summary

For this portion of the group assignment you are required to discuss each chapter, take notes on the plot of that chapter, create a draft of a plot summary (1,2,3, or more paragraphs) based on your notes, and write a final draft of the chapter summary. Each group member should get a copy of the final draft.

For instance, after your group completes Chapter 5, discuss the plot. Groups with only two people will have to share the load.

  1. During the discussion one group member is to take notes on a prepared notes page as illustrated in class.
  2. After the discussion another group member is to take the notes, and draft them into a cohesive well-written paragraph.
  3. Finally, a last group member is to create a spellchecked, proofread, and edited final draft of the summary.

PART II: Chapter Test Question Writing

For this portion of the assignment you are required to write test questions for the chapter you are summarizing. Each group must write three questions. Below you will find details about each type of question. Your group must write: one Multiple-Choice (MC) question, one Short Response (SR) question, and one Extended Response (ER) question.

Multiple-Choice (MC) Items

Multiple-choice items are worth one point each and should take approximately one minute per item to answer.

Items must have four answer choices (A, B, C, D or F, G, H, I).

During item development and review, the correct response for each item should be indicated with an asterisk next to the letter of that response.

In most cases, response choices should be parallel in concept and format and should be arranged vertically beneath the item stem.

Short-Response (SR) Tasks

Short-response questions are worth two points. Each task should take approximately five minutes to complete. The tasks require the student to write a short text-based response to a question or statement (e.g., briefly describing why a character takes a certain action in a story).

Student responses are scored (zero, one, or two points) depending on the completeness and accuracy of the response. A sample top-score response must be provided for each item.

 

Extended-Response (ER) Tasks

Extended-response tasks are worth four points. Each task should take
approximately ten to fifteen minutes to complete. These tasks require a longer text-based student response to a question (e.g., comparing two passages or describing how a character changes throughout a passage).

Student responses are scored (zero, one, two, three, or four points) depending on the completeness and accuracy of the response. A sample top-score response must be provided for each item.

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You must write questions to satisfy the following criteria:

Context Clues/Drawing Conclusions/Anlyzing Words and Phrases: The student analyzes word structure and context clues to demonstrate comprehension of words and phrases in passages and/or graphics. The student makes or confirms inferences and draws conclusions about a reading passage and also identifies organizational patterns within a passage. Vocabulary words should be on grade level for assessing prefixes (e.g., en-, dis-, pre-, non-, re-, de-, pro-), suffixes (e.g., -ful, -ish, -ward, -less, -like, -y, -er, -ment, -en, -ize), root words, multiple meanings, antonyms, synonyms, and word relationships (e.g., simple analogies). Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • incorrect meanings of words or phrases
  • correct meanings of words or phrases that do not fit the context
  • words with construct similar to correct response (e.g., same prefix)
  • incorrect inferences and conclusions
  • incorrect organizational patterns
  • incorrect analogies

Compare and Contrast: The student uses the reading process effectively. The student identifies similar or dissimilar elements within or across texts and/or explains in writing how elements are alike or different. Elements that can be compared or contrasted may include, but should not be limited to, characters/subjects, authors’ purposes, settings, main ideas, organizational structures, styles, and authors’ points of view. If tones are compared in two passages, each passage must contain a readily identifiable, consistent tone. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR), and extended-response (ER) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • incorrect comparisons
  • incorrect contrasts
  • similarities or differences not supported by the text
  • facts or details that are drawn from the passage(s) but are not related to the question
  • plausible but incorrect responses based on the text

Main Idea/Essential Message: The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts. The student identifies and/or expresses in writing the main idea or essential message, relevant supporting details and facts, or how the organizational pattern of a passage supports or develops the main idea. Passages may be literary text or informational text. The passages will include a main idea (stated or implied) or an essential message and relevant details or facts. Organizational patterns (methods of development) could include, but are not limited to, chronological order, flashbacks, lists, main headings with subheadings, question and answer, argument and support, comparison and contrast, cause and effect, and main idea with supporting details. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR), and extended-response (ER) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • details that do not support the main idea or essential message of the passage
  • incorrect identifications of details
  • incorrect identifications or interpretations of the main idea or essential message
  • incorrect relationships between the organizational pattern and the main idea
  • plausible but incorrect responses based on the text

Author’s Purpose/Author’s Point of View: The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts. The student identifies and/or expresses in writing the author’s purpose or point of view. The student also analyzes the impact of the author’s purpose or point of view within or across a variety of texts, including text intended to persuade. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • facts or details that are drawn from the passage(s) but
  • do not represent the author’s purpose or point of view
  • incorrect interpretations of the author’s purpose or point of view

Reference and Research: The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts. The student obtains information through the process of recognizing, identifying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating. The student demonstrates an understanding of information gathered from within or across texts. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR), and extended-response (ER) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • incorrect uses of resources for research needs
  • incorrect locating, gathering, analyzing, or evaluating of information
  • incorrect conclusions or generalizations based on the stimulus
  • headings or categories that are not applicable to the designated facts or information
  • inappropriate methods of classifying, categorizing, or organizing the designated facts or information

Reference and Research: The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts. The student checks the validity and accuracy of information by differentiating fact and opinion, identifying strong versus weak arguments, and analyzing the development of argument(s) within or across texts. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • incorrect identifications of subjective or objective support
  • incorrect interpretations of strong or weak arguments from the passage
  • incorrect interpretations of the use of facts or opinions from the passage
  • incorrect interpretations of how language in the passage
  • supports or develops arguments

Cause and Effect: The student responds critically to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. The student identifies or explains in writing cause-and- effect relationships within or across literary and/or informational texts. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • incorrect causes or effects
  • incorrect interpretations of cause-and-effect relationships
  • plausible but incorrect responses based on the text

Character/Plot/Character’s Point of View: The student identifies or provides in writing an explanation, analysis, or interpretation of the following within or across texts: theme, plot, character development, setting, point of view, tone, conflict, and/or resolution. Use multiple-choice (MC), short-response (SR), and extended-response (ER) items.

MC Distractors may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • details that may contribute to but not significantly support the central conflict
  • incorrect expressions of the central conflict or theme
  • incorrect interpretations of character or plot development, point of view, setting, or tone
  • plausible but incorrect responses based on the text

MUCH OF THE CONTENT OF THIS PAGE IS CREDITED TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FCAT TEST SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTS.

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