1. STAAR READING REVIEW 2014-2015 Jael Penn

2. Mentor Texts for Paired Passages
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and Bats by Celia Bland
Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman and The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles
The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall and Apples of Your Eye by Allan Fowler
The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss and What Neat Feet by Hana Machotka
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf by Lois Ehlert and Why Do Leaves Change Color?  by Betsy Maestro
A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl  by Patricia McKissack and Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins

3. Common Themes for Paired Passages
Acceptance is the key to a lasting relationship.
Some situations are out of our control.
True love or friendship will last.
Perseverance will help you achieve your goals.
Honesty is the best policy. It’s always better to tell the truth.
You can never go wrong by being kind. Even your enemy will respond to kindness..
You should forgive other people.
It takes courage to stand up for yourself or someone else.
You can accomplish more if you work as a team.
Good things happen to good people.
Being responsible shows that you are dependable.

4. Paired Passages
In general, when you have comparison questions for paired passages, put a 1 next to the answer choice if it happened in passage 1 and a 2 if it happened in passage 2. If you have a 1 and a 2 next to the answer choice, that’s most likely the correct answer.
Number the first passage with a 1 and the second passage with a 2.
When you finish reading both passages, think about what the passages had in common. Also, ask yourself these questions.
“What was different or the same about the two passages I read?”
What are the differences between writing style of fiction and nonfiction?
Why are there differences in stories about the same historical topic; i.e., historical fiction versus a biography or an article about a particular historical topic?
What did you learn from the nonfiction piece that you couldn’t or didn’t learn from the fictional piece?

5. Narrative Selections
Take a “text walk” and decide if the text is a fictional story or narrative poem. If you don’t see text features, it’s probably fiction.
Write an “F” for fiction at the top next to the title and circle the “F”. Write CPSS next to the “F”. CPS stands for characters, plot, setting /sequence. Pay attention to these story elements as you read.
Whenever a character has an emotion, draw the appropriate face next to the sentence.
To figure out the summary…Divide the number of paragraphs by 3 and draw a line for each section which you will label as beginning, middle, and end. For example if there are 12 paragraphs, then 12 divided by 3 equals 4. Draw a line under paragraph 4, this is the beginning; label this section with a “B”. Draw a line under paragraph 8; label this section with an “M” for middle. Draw a line under paragraph 12; label this section with an “E” for end. When you get to the summary question, choose the answer that has information from all 3 sections. The summary will also most likely include information about the characters and plot.
When you read story or narrative poem, remember to write or draw pic notes in the margin; next to each paragraph or stanza. These are called think and reflect notes.

6. Poetry Selections
You will often see the word reader used. Reader refers to the student who is reading the poem.
You may also see the word speaker used. Speaker refers to the author; the person who wrote the poem.
As you are reading, notice if it is telling a story or not. If it is telling a story, then it’s a narrative poem.
If you notice the use of figurative language, sensory, or descriptive language, underline it.
If you notice rhyming words, underline them. And, go back and write A, B, C etc. at the end of the line to determine the pattern.
After read the poem the first time, go back and underline or highlight lines that support the title.
Teach the poetry vocabulary; e.g., stanza, figurative language, sensory language, line, metaphor, simile, free verse, narrative poem, lyrical poetry etc.

7. Nonfiction Selections
Write an “N” next to the title for nonfiction.
Take a “perimeter walk”. Notice if you see any text structures such as pictures with captions, headings, bold words, charts etc. Look around the perimeter of the text and notice any diagrams, maps etc. These are clues to understanding the selection.
As you are reading, underline words and phrases that are used over and over again. These are important words that are part of the main idea or supporting details.
When you have a question with multiple boxes and one or two are empty, find the paragraphs with the boxes that are filled. Write the paragraph number next to each box where you found the answer. The empty boxes have to be between the numbers that you wrote down.
To figure out the summary of a nonfiction text, number the headings if there are headings. The summary should contain information from all or most of the headings. If there are not headings, number the sections or paragraphs and divide the whole text just like you do for fiction and label them accordingly.

8. Making Connections
Use the QSSSA strategy:
Question: Say…”Does this text remind you of anything else?” “How do you connect with this book?”
Signal: When you are reading to answer, stand up.
Stem: The student repeats one of these phrases and fills in the blank. “This text reminds me of ____.” “I connect with this book because____.”
Share: Tell the students who ate breakfast to sit down. Everyone who didn’t eat breakfast will share their answer.
Assess: On an index card, have the students write their responses.

9. Story Elements
The characters in a story are usually people. In some make believe stories characters can also be animals or objects that talk. It is helpful to know how a character is feeling. Imagine yourself in their situation and think about how you would feel. 
Examples of feelings: Excited, afraid, scared, unhappy, angry, pleased, strange, amused, happy, caring, lonely, mad, glad, lucky, sad, pleased, curious, calm, funny, friendly, thankful, puzzled, sleepy, jealous, comfortable, silly, frightened, concerned, worried, disappointed, tired, confused, surprised, upset, serious, joyful, bored, wise, proud, amazed, satisfied, thrilled
The setting is where and when the story takes place.
The plot is all of the action that takes place from the introduction of the problems and characters to the climax to the resolution. It is literally a roller coaster of rising action to falling action.

10. Sequencing Sequence means the order in which events happened.
If you are given a series of events and one is missing in the middle, then go find the events that are given in the story, and underline them.
Now, box what is left in the passage between what you underlined. The answer will be somewhere in the box you made.

11. Author’s Purpose
The purpose is the reason an author or playwright writes or the reason the reader reads.
Persuade- to convince you to do something, buy something, go somewhere, or have a specific opinion
Inform- to give you knowledge or information about a topic
Express- to describe something, someone, someplace, or make you feel a certain way
Entertain- to tell a story 

12. Author’s Organization
Author’s arrange their writing in various ways.
Compare and Contrast
Sequential Order/Lists
Persuade/Reasons
Problem/Resolution
Cause/Effect
Analyze
Definition/Then Explains

13. Main Idea The main idea is the most important idea in the passage.
Ask yourself…
 Who or what is this about?
What is the most important thing about who/what?
Look at the title and the first and last paragraphs for clues.
If you had tell someone what the selection was about you could say… This selection is about ___________.

14. Supporting Details THE DETAILS OR FACTS THAT SUPPORT THE MAIN IDEA
Main idea – the overall message of a text or section of a text
(e.g., Polar bears are becoming endangered.)
Facts/Details – support the main idea by telling how, when, what, where, why,
how much, and how many
Subtitles may help students determine the main idea of sections of text.

15. Point of View
The first person point of view is when the narrator is one of the characters and tells the story from his or her point of view. The words “I” and “we” are used. Sometimes they don’t know what is going on and uncover plot elements along with the reader. The third person point of view is a form of storytelling in which a narrator relates all action in third person, using third person pronouns such as "he" or "she." Third person point of view can be limited or omniscient.

16. Fact and Opinion A fact is something you can prove.
 Ex. Mrs. Sullivan has a son named Jackson.
An opinion is what someone thinks or believes.
Ex. Mrs. Sullivan has the cutest little boy named Jackson.
Watch for these words to help you know it is an opinion:
love
best
worst
words that end in –est
all
everyone/ everybody
nobody

17. Cause and Effect The cause is the first event that happens.
The event or events that happen as a result are effects.
Ex. I had to redo my homework because my dog ate it. 
Cause: The dog ate the homework. (This is the first thing that happened.)
Effect: You had to redo your homework. (This is the result of the first thing.)

18. Making an Inference
An inference is a guess based on information in the text and what you already know
Read & Reflect
Make sure that the student reads one paragraph at a time and writes notes on the side.
Clue Detective
Whenever a student reads something and it doesn’t “add up”, teach them to put a plus sign next to the sentence or paragraph. They will probably need to infer the meaning later on or will be given a clue if they keep reading.
Testing Reminders
Highlight words that the author uses to describe a person, place, or event.
Teach the student to draw the appropriate face when a character changes mood or emotion.

19. Drawing Conclusions
To draw a conclusion means to make a sensible decision after you think about all the facts and details that you read.
To generalize means to make a broad statement or rule that applies to several examples.

20. Summarization Students need to know:
A summary is shorter than the source.
A summary repeats the ideas of the source in different phrases and sentences.
Teachers need to know:
“A summary is a synthesis of the important ideas in a text. Summarizing requires students to determine what is important in what they are reading, to condense the information, and to put it into their own words. Instruction in summarizing helps students:
• Identify or generate main ideas.
• Connect the main or central ideas.
• Eliminate redundant and unnecessary inform.

21. Vocabulary
Context clues are hints about the meaning of a word that an author gives in the other words in the passage.
You may not know what a word means, but by reading the sentence before the word you don’t know, the sentence the word is in, and the sentence after the word is used, you should be able to figure out what the word means. This is called using context clues.
Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms are words that mean the SAME thing. 
Example: short, little, small, tiny
 Antonyms are words that mean the OPPOSITE of each other.
 Example: light / dark, sweet / sour, wet / dry

22. Summarization (cont’d.)

23. Prefixes, Suffixes and Roots
In order to understand some unfamiliar vocabulary words, you will need to dissect the word and break it apart. Root word- is the base part of a word and may or may not stand alone Ex. reject; ” ject” means to throw and cannot stand alone lovely; “love” can stand alone as a word Prefix- a group of letters that are added before the base word which changes the meaning Ex. bi as in bicycle Suffix- is a group of letters added to the end of the base word to change the meaning Ex. er as in farmer

24. Simile and Metaphor
Simile A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to compare one object or idea with another. Ex.: eats like a bird
Metaphor The metaphor states a fact or draws a verbal picture by the use of comparison without the words “like” or “as”. Ex.: Our teacher is bitter, sour, a lemon among sweet oranges.

25. Personification
Personification A figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to an animal or an object. Ex.: Even diamonds are jealous of your beauty. Alliteration The repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or a group of sounds in a series of words. Alliteration includes tongue twisters. Ex. Becky bought boots at Brennan’s department store.

26. Onomatopoeia & Hyperbole
Onomatopoeia The use of a word to describe or imitate a natural sound or the sound made by an object or an action.
Ex.: snap crackle pop
Hyperbole An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe the statement is true. Tall tales are hyperboles. Ex.: I was so hungry that I could have eaten a horse!

27. Idioms and Cliches Idioms a phrase that is not “literal”.
Ex.: He is on top of the world.
Clichés  A cliché is an expression that has been used so often that it has become trite and sometimes boring.
Ex.: Many hands make light work.

28. Drama
A drama is a script in poetry or short story intended to show life or character or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue and typically designed for theatrical performance. It is written by a playwright.
There are acts which are like chapters in a book and story elements like a narrative. The script is written like a reader’s theater play. The characters name is printed followed by the lines they would say.
Act – long period of time.
Scene – taking place in one location and time, moves the story to the next element; chapter.
Mood- feeling, emotional state, or mind set.
Theme - A literary theme is an an idea expressed throughout a story. Several common themes portrayed in literature, teach a moral lesson.

29. Question Stems 4.2
4.2 (A)
*In paragraph __ of this story, what does the word __mean? *What is the root word for the word in paragraph __ that means __?
4.2 (B)
*In paragraph __ of this story, what does the word __mean? *What clues helped you know the meaning of this word?*In paragraph __ of this newspaper article, what clues help you know the meaning of __?
4.2 (C)
*In this story, the word __ is in paragraph __; this word is to __ as __ is to __.
4.2 (D)
Idiom: 1) an expression of a given language that is peculiar to itself grammatically or cannot be understood from the individual meanings of its elements, as “in keep tabs on”; 2) a specialized vocabulary used by a group; jargon; 3) a style or manner of expression peculiar to a given people. *Identify the idiom in this story.
4.2 (E)
*Read the meanings for the word __below. Which meaning best fits the way __ is used in paragraph __?(Dictionary entry and 4 meanings given and students must use context clues to determine word meaning as used in the text selection.)

30. Question Stems 4.3
4.3 (A)
*What was the overall message in this story?*What were the four most important events in this story? Write a summary with these four events. *Which of the following is the best summary of this story?*What caused __ to change his mind? (verb: explain)*In what way does the story help the reader to__? (verb-explain)
4.3 (B)
*How are the adventures of __ and __ alike in the two stories?*What role did __ play in __ that __ did not play in __?*Compare how the main characters in __ and __ deceived everyone.

31. Question Stems 4.4, 4.5
4.4 (A)
*You can tell from this poem that —*Which type of poetry is the following poem?*How do you know that this is a lyrical poem?
4.5 (A)
*Describe why this play is an outstanding example of dramatic literature.*This play is an outstanding example of dramatic literature because –*Which element of dramatic literature is missing from this play?

32. Question Stems 4.6
4.6 (B)
*What can you tell about __ and __?*At the beginning of the story how does __ feel about __?*How did __'s feelings about __ change by the end of the story?*How does __ most likely feel at the end of the story?*What caused __ to change his mind about __?*Why are __ and __ such good friends?*Why did __ feel like __ did not like him/her?
4.6 (C)
*Is the author of this story writing about a personal experience?*Did __ write this story from his experiences or someone else’s experiences?*Is the narrator in this story speaking from personal experience?

33. Question Stems 4.7, 4.8,4.10
4.7 (A)
*What do the characters in __ and __ have in common?*A similarity in events between the two selections is –*In what way are __’s experiences different in the story about his/her life than in the biography he/she wrote?
4.8 (A)
Metaphor: A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that designates one thing is applied to another in an implicit comparison as in “All the world’s a stage.” (Shakespeare)Simile: A figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are explicitly compared by means of like or as, as in “So are you to my thoughts as food to life.” (Shakespeare)*Why does the author describe __ as __?*Why did the author use the phrase “__”?
4.10 (A)
*What was an implied purpose of this text selection?*What is the difference between the stated purpose of this selection and the implied purpose?

34. Question Stems 4.11
4.11 (A)
*This article is mostly about –*What is the main idea of this information?*What are the four most important facts in this information? (Sorting important facts from unimportant facts leads to an accurate summary.)*Which of these is the most complete summary of this information?
4.11 (B)
*Which of the following is a fact and not an opinion?*How can you be certain you have identified a fact correctly?
4.11 (C)
*How is __ different from __ in this article? (comparison)*What was the effect of __? (cause and effect)*You can tell that __ causes __ because – (cause and effect)*What happened when __? (sequence)
4.11 (D)
*How would you find __ in this information?*Which of the following would be helpful in finding information about __?

35. Question Stems 4.12, 4.13
4.12 (A)
*How does the author try to convince the reader to think about __?*What words does the author use to influence the reader to think as he/she does about __?
4.13 (A)
*In conducting this science experiment, what do you do after __?*In conducting this science experiment, what do you do before __?*What equipment do we need for this science experiment?*When making __, what is the last step to follow?*Complete this task by following these steps.
4.13 (B)
*What is a conclusion that can be made from the information in this graph?*What can you conclude about __from this chart?*How does the illustration included in this selection help the reader understand __?

36. Question Stems 4.14
4.14 (A)
*How could this advertisement cause a person to get in serious trouble?*What is this advertisement trying to convince people to do that is bad for them?*What is this advertisement trying to convince people to do that is good for them?
4.14 (B)
*Did the music in this advertisement influence your thinking? How?*What did you like best about this advertisement?*How did this advertisement influence your thinking about __?
4.14 (C)
*Read this advertisement in the newspaper and develop it for television.*Watch this advertisement on television and explain how the message could be written for the Internet.*How could this message be presented on a television news program (online, etc.)?*How is this message different in the web-based news article and the ?*How is this message in the online news article like the message?