2012 STAAR Test

1. 2012 STAAR Test English Writing—Monday, March 26 English Reading—Tuesday, March 27

2. English Writing Test: Monday • Part I: Revising and Editing: • Revising and editing count as 48% of the total writing test score. • Students may use a dictionary on this portion of the test. (Actually, you may use a dictionary on the entire ELA test.) You may also use the style guide in the back of the dictionary.  You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

3. Practice • Let’s try some practice questions from Revising and Editing. • You will be given an article or an essay, and the questions will direct you to help correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and stylistic errors. • Here are a few questions to try: You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

4. (10) Shultz charged the battery. (11) He then discovered the video along with several photos. • Sentences 10 and 11 are choppy and ineffective. What is the best way to revise these sentences? A Shultz charged the battery, while then discovering the video along with several photos. B After charging the battery, Shultz discovered the video along with several photos. C While charging the battery, Shultz then discovered the video along with several photos. D Shultz charged the battery because he discovered the video along with several photos. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

5. (13) One of the photos on the camera showed two men preparing for a scuba dive. (14) Shultz posted it on an Internet scuba site. (15) Visitors to the site determined that the photo had been taken in Aruba, a Dutch island off the coast of Venezuela. • Sentence 14 is unclear because it contains an indefinite reference. Tasha can clarify the meaning of this sentence by changing it to — A the dive B the camera C the photo D them You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

6. (6) The researchers believe that more then 75 percent of adults in the United States will be overweight or obese by 2015. • What change, if any, needs to be made in sentence 6? A Change believe to beleive B Change then to than C Insert a comma after overweight D No change needs to be made in sentence 6. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

7. (15) And while I believe that what someone eats is a matter of personal choice and not something that society should control. (16) People need information if they are going to make wise decisions. • What is the correct way to rewrite sentences 15 and 16? A And while I believe that what someone eats is a matter of personal choice, it is not something that society should control. Because people need information if they are going to make wise decisions. B And I believe that what someone eats is a matter of personal choice, it is not something that society should control, people need information if they are going to make wise decisions. C And while I believe that what someone eats is a matter of personal choice and not something that society should control, people need information if they are going to make wise decisions. D Sentences 15 and 16 are written correctly in the paper. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

8. Composition: • You will compose three (3) written responses in two different genres: • Literary (one Engaging Story) and • Expository (two essays)   You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

9. Expository Writing • The expository task requires you to clearly explain your position on something.  You should focus on offering a clear explanation.  You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

10. Sample Expository Essay Prompt • Read the information below. • In 1955 medical researcher Jonas Salk introduced an effective polio vaccine. At the time polio was considered the biggest threat to public health, yet Salk refused to profit by patenting the vaccine because he was more concerned with preventing disease than with personal gain. • Although many people work to benefit themselves, some people choose to put others first. Think carefully about this statement. • Write an essay explaining whether people should be more concerned about others than about themselves. • Be sure to — • clearly state your thesis • organize and develop your ideas effectively • choose your words carefully • edit your writing for grammar, mechanics, and spelling You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

11. Sample Expository Essay 1 • Thinking about others before you is a nice thing to think of, but if you think of yourself first it makes you feel isolated. Caring about others before you isn’t a bad thing, but thinking about yourself isn’t bad either. To me I think of others before me. Some people have the good life, others don’t. I’ll rather put myself in danger than others being in danger as well. I’m only one person but risking myself could save more than one life. When your in a room where there seems to be a fire some people will think of themselves while others think of the rest. The doctor could risk himself of getting polio but he could save hundreds of lifes that currently have polio. To me people that think of themselves before others are selfish and maybe greedy, but others that think of others are kind people. • Handwritten version is 25 lines. • Score Point 2 – Basic You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

12. Sample Expository Essay 2 Humanity has a funny way of contradicting itself sometimes. All children are taught to share and put others’ needs before our own. Somewhere down the line we realize that the very people who preach these things to us don’t follow their own rules. It is very important in society today to remember the bigger picture, which often includes doing things to help others with no benefit to yourself. People use each other for personal gain all the time. A glorified outlook on this way of life is all around us. In media people are more concerned with which Hollywood star is going out with which millionaire rather than the thousands of people dying of hunger in third world countries. As consumers we see this life and wish to be like that. Doing something for monitary gain is just like money itself: easily expendable and transient. But doing something to help others leads to emotional or moral gain. The memmories and feelings you get from helping others won’t ever go away. It’s worth something to you. Worth more than money ever could be. • Handwritten version is 25 lines. • Score Point 4 – Accomplished You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

13. Engaging Story • Look at the photograph. • Write a story about the power of imagination. Be sure that your story is focused and complete and that it has an interesting plot and engaging characters. • Your story MUST be about the prompt. • You may incorporate ideas inspired by the picture, but it is not necessary. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

14. Sample Engaging Story 1 Imagine. Imagine you’re the pilot of a 747 American Airlines jet flying from Dallas to Miami. Your halfway there when the engine light starts blinking. You ask the co-pilot to go check out the problem. He comes back saying, “We’ve got an engine down.” You call to the nearest airport and schedule an emergency landing, then calmly let your passengers know whats going on. Within minutes your on the runway with firetrucks and ambulances racing behind you. This is the power of imagination. A five year old pretending to be a pilot of a broken plane, or the pitcher of a major league baseball team. Imagination gives kids the chance to explore the world and new ideas freely. There are no limits, no boundaries, just open space free to explore. Without this powerful way of the mind, life would be boring and kids would never get the chance to experience the freeness and creativity of life. • Handwritten paper is 21 lines. • Score Point 2 - Basic You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

15. Sample Engaging Story 2 The hair on the back of Kevin’s neck stood on end. He could feel the goosebumps go down his arms and legs. The slightest change in wind made his feet tingle. He had climed mountains before, but nothing quite like this. He stood on the edge of a great adventure. He had been climbing through the dense forest of trees for six days and seven nights. The journey had been rough and he was now running on only one package of dried noodles. He looked out past the clouds to the small flickering lights that carresed the black earth down the valley. He thought of his mom back home, worrying for him. She had given him a giant bear hug before he left, along with a note about being careful. Oh how he missed her. It seemed like years since he had had one of her famous peanut butter and banana sandwich’s. This jump was for her. Cautiously he went up on his toes and felt the breeze in his hair. And then he fell. He fell for what seemed like eternity. The wind whistled past his face and his hands and legs flailed in the air. He felt totally free, until he hit. He hit the ground hard. He slowly rose off the ground and looked onto his own back porch. There his mom stood smiling. “How was your adventure?” she said calmly. Kevin only grinned. • Handwritten paper is 26 lines. • Score Point 4 – Accomplished You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

16. Rules for STAAR Writing • Students have a maximum of 26 lines for each essay.  There are 25 “light lines” plus the heavy “border line” at the bottom of the writing space.  • Students may not double line or go outside the box.  • The essay portion will be completed in pencil.  You will not use a pen on any portion of the test. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

17. Rules for STAAR Writing • You may only use scratch paper if you ask for it.  When you ask for it, you may use scratch paper for any portion of the test. • It is essential that you plan what you will write.  Your space is limited and you need to clearly organize your thoughts.  Every word matters.  You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

18. Important Things to Remember • This test is timed. You will have four hours. Once you have been told that time is up, you must put your pencil down immediately. • Bubbling in even one answer after time has been called will invalidate your whole test! • Remaining time will be posted on the board hourly, and then in shorter increments for the last hour. • Time does not stop for bathroom or snack breaks! Do not waste a moment. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

19. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests! You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

20. English Reading Test: Tuesday • There will be passages and questions like the practice test we took before spring break. • Annotate the questions first: • Look up any words you don’t know. • Highlight operative words. • Next, annotate the passage: • Make notes in the margins for yourself so that you can recognize important information as you read. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

21. English Reading Test: Tuesday • There will also be two short answer questions about the reading passages. • These will be similar to the reading questions we have done throughout the year: you must use textual evidence to support and explain your answer. • As with the writing portion, your answer must fit on the lines provided. You will be allotted 10 lines for short answer. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!

22. You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests! You may use a dictionary on every part of the STAAR English tests!