CAHSEE PREP

1. CAHSEE PREP CAHSEE Scoring Guides: Response to Literary/Expository Text Rubrics

2. The “writing task” is the last section of the CAHSEE ELA exam, so it will be very tempting to speed through the essay just so you can finish early and go to sleep. Yeah, um . . . DON’T DO THAT.

3. USE LOGICAL STRUCTURE • Use the classic INTRO-BODY-CONCLUSION structure for your essay. • Don’t freak out over the word “thesis”. Let’s not even call the main idea or topic sentence a “thesis”. Let’s call it…Bob.

4. Whatever the prompt is, the more specific you can be, the better. An example about “a person” or “someone” is vague. • Don’t worry about sounding “smart” just be clear and specific! • They want to hear your WRITER’S VOICE but with an ACADEMIC STYLE

5. STEP ONE – read the prompt • This is the question that you MUST answer. If your essay does not address • the prompt, it will be considered “off-topic” and will receive a score of zero. • So read the prompt carefully, and don’t move on until you’re certain that you • understand exactly what’s being asked.

6. STEP 2 - outline • Intro: Jot down a phrase or two about how you plan to respond to the question. This is Bob. • Body: This is the meat of your essay. Jot down some specific examples. You could use to support your thesis. Underneath each example, write the specific way in which it supports your thesis. • Conclusion: A brief wrap-up. Jot down a phrase that ties everything together.

7. 4 • The response — • demonstrates a thoughtful, comprehensive grasp of the text. • accurately and coherently provides specific textual details and examples to support the thesis and main ideas. • demonstrates a clear understanding of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the text. • provides a variety of sentence types and uses precise, descriptive language. • contains few, if any, errors in the conventions of the English language. (Errors are generally first draft in nature.)*

8. Response to informational passages: • thoughtfully anticipates and addresses the reader’s potential misunderstandings, biases, and • expectations. • Response to literary passages: • clearly demonstrates an awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices.

9. * * Conventions of the English language refer to grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage.

10. 1 The response — • demonstrates little, if any, comprehensive grasp of the text. • may provide no textual details and examples to support the thesis and main ideas. • may demonstrate no understanding of the ambiguities, nuances, and complexities of the text. • may provide no sentence variety and uses limited vocabulary. • may contain serious errors in the conventions of the English language. (Errors interfere with the • reader’s understanding of the essay.)* • Response to informational passages: does not address the reader’s potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations. • Response to literary passages: does not demonstrate awareness of the author’s use of literary and/or stylistic devices.

11. NON-SCORABLE • B = Blank • L = Written in a language other than English • T = Off-topic • I = Illegible/Unintelligible

12. In other words… • Writing something that in some way addresses the prompt will get you a “1” • Writing a barebones intro/thesis/body/examples/conclusion will get you a “2” • Writing an intro/thesis/body/examples/conclusion with a genuine attempt at clearly exploring specific ideas will get you a “3” • Writing an intro/thesis/body/examples/conclusion with well-developed ideas will get you a “4”

13. The Standards and Strands of Writing Converntions • 2.2  Write responses to literature: • Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the significant ideas of literary works. • Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to • the text or to other works. • Demonstrate awareness of the author’s use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of • the effects created. • Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities • within the text.

14. Response to Literature • 2.2  Write responses to literature: • Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the significant ideas of literary works. • Support important ideas and viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to • the text or to other works. • Demonstrate awareness of the author’s use of stylistic devices and an appreciation of • the effects created. • Identify and assess the impact of perceived ambiguities, nuances, and complexities • within the text.

15. Expository Compostions • 2.3  Write expository compositions, including analytical essays and research reports: • Marshal evidence in support of a thesis and related claims, including information on all relevant perspectives. • Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources accurately and coherently. • Make distinctions between the relative value and significance of specific data, facts, and ideas. • Include visual aids by employing appropriate technology to organize and record information on charts, maps, and graphs. • Anticipate and address readers’ potential misunderstandings, biases, and expectations. • Use technical terms and notations accurately .

16. BTW • Expository writing is any writing that presents information or explains something, and is the most common type of writing you’ll run into in high school. Most reports and essays you have to write for your classes are examples of expository writing.

17. CAHSEE Checklist for Your Writing The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you: • Use words that are appropriate for your audience and purpose. • Vary your sentences to make your writing interesting to read. • Check for mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence formation. PROOFREAD!!!!!

18. REMINDERS • Write your response to the writing task below. • You may give your writing a title if you like, but it is not necessary. • You may NOT use a dictionary. If you do not know how to spell a word, • sound the word out and do the best you can. • You may either print or write in cursive. • Write clearly! Any erasures or strike-throughs should be as clean as possible.

19. Checklist #3 The following checklist will help you do your best work. Make sure you: • Use words that are appropriate for your audience and purpose. • Vary your sentences to make your writing interesting to read. • Check for mistakes in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence formation.

20. Transitional words • http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-use-transition-words?page=1

21. CAHSEE Writing Prompt Persuasive Essay Some students at your school expressed an interest in making the school more attractive by getting rid of the trash on the school grounds. Write a persuasive essay for your school paper in which you convince the readers of the importance of getting rid of the trash and making the school more attractive. Convince your readers through the use of specific reasons and examples.

22. Outline before you write! • Intro: Jot down a phrase or two about how you plan to respond to the question. This is Bob. • Body: This is the meat of your essay. Jot down some specific examples. You could use to support your thesis. Underneath each example, write the specific way in which it supports your thesis. • Conclusion: A brief wrap-up. Jot down a phrase that ties everything together.

23. CAHSEE Writing Prompt Expository Everyone is an expert at something. Some people are experts at making things while other people are experts at doing things. Think about something that you make or do well. Write an essay in which you describe what you are an expert at and then explain why you are an expert. Use details and examples to support your ideas.

24. BIO NARRATIVE PROMPT • Writing Task: • By the time students enter high school, they have learned about many moments in history that have influenced our world today. Think about a moment in history you studied and consider its importance. • Write a composition in which you discuss a moment in history. Share its importance in today’s world. Be sure to support the moment with details and examples.

25. The Board of Education has decided to extend the school day for one hour because the State of California has increased the number of subjects that students must know. Do you agree or disagree with making the school day longer? Write an essay in which you argue, your position on this issue.