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Level Practicing for Today’s Tests 6 Table of Contents

Introduction Today’s Next Generation Tests...... 4 Categories of Questions...... 7 Making It Meaningful ...... 10 Informational Practice Exercises But What Did They Write About? ...... 13 Peggy Whitson’s Long Road to Space...... 18 Science and the Environment: Are They Enemies?...... 23 Dinos for Dinner...... 28 A Royal Return to Russia...... 33 These Robots Are Wild...... 38 Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire ...... 43 Greening Africa ...... 48 Literature Practice Exercises The Newsies Strike ...... 52 It Takes One to Know One...... 57 The Man Who Never Lied...... 62 Poetry Practice Exercises The Embarrassing Episode of Little Miss Muffet ...... 67 Barbara Frietchie...... 71 Drama Practice Exercises Anglezandria and the Golden Tri-Scarab...... 76 Women’s Suffrage ...... 82 Arthur and the Pendragon Sword...... 88 Paired Passages Practice Exercises The Bees and the Beetle...... 93 Abuzz at a Hotel...... 95 The Bees and the Beetle and Abuzz at a Hotel...... 97 Sympathy...... 98 She Never Stopped Fighting: Shirley Chisholm...... 100 Sympathy and She Never Stopped Fighting: Shirley Chisholm...... 103 Appendices Appendix A: References Cited...... 104 Appendix B: Question Types ...... 105 Appendix C: Testing Tips ...... 109 Appendix D: Answer Key ...... 111

© Shell Education #51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests 3 Introduction 4 next‑generation tests are different from assessmentsofthepast. The following asexplanations serve descriptions ofhow thethree mostprominent used to (NationalGovernors Association Center for Best Practices 2010; Rothman 2013) . differentvery to incomparison thestandardized testing thatteachers, students, andparents are states andwillusemore performance-based tasks aswell astechnology-enhanced items whole story? The next generation tests intend to provide results thatare comparable across all And how dowe bestprepare studentsto bemeasured withthisyardstick inaway thattells the So, whatisthis new yardstick thatisbeing used?How isitbetter thanyardsticks ofthe past? higher and rigorous standards, states now measure studentprogress withassessmentsthatrequire what kindsofassessmentsshouldbeused. steps shouldbe students Scales, scores, andassessmentsare absolutelythecurrent to status ascertain of necessary (Kornhaber,and society Griffith, and Tyler 2014) . expectation for whatallstudentsshouldknow to besuccessfulinarapidly changingeconomy equitable educationnomatter where they live, but alsoto ensure amore consistent national educational standards hasrecently shifted to notonly ensure thatallstudentshave accessto Standards ineducationtheUnited States are notanew concept. were receiving (Conley across thecountry 2014; Wiley and Wright 2004) . consistency inexpectations for ofeducationstudents thatbecameamajorconcern thequality the disconnectwithstandards intherecent pasthasbeenthevast differences andlack of textbooks, assessments,programs and otheraspectsofinstructional (Conley 2014) . parents, andstudentsare whendecisionsmust bemadeaboutcurriculum, mostcritical meaningful goalsfor ourstudents assess for learning Education iscurrently undergoing adramatic shift whenitcomesto theways we measure and #51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests order thinking skills necessary for‑order thinkingskillsnecessary preparation for collegeand/orcareers high-quality textshigh-quality from diverse cultures andtimesinhistory “To becollegeandcareer ready, studentsmust now read across abroad range of . This kindofdata isvital for teachers to understand whatismissingandthenext Today’s Next GenerationTests . The real question aboutassessmentisn’t whetherwe shouldassessbut rather . Educationalstandards across thenationare designedto provide clearand . These standards asaframe serve ofreference for educators, Along withthecurrent shift to more consistent

. —Delia E. ” However, therole of Racines, Ph.D .

Partof © Shell Education

. This is . Introduction 7 .

. To be To . Students also learn . students must . . . . . must students . The following explanation of the explanation The following . To show how they know this, this, know they how show To #51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests Tests Today’s for Practicing Kids: #51439—TIME For . text the from identify specific details to support details specific or write their say conclusions identify and summarize key supporting key identify and summarize that supportdetails the theme or main idea . and/ characters about how details explain times different at or the story develop the beginning to from the text throughout the end . In today’s standards, there are often three categories categories three often are there standards, In today’s The reading standards emphasize the skills necessary emphasize standards The reading . (pages 100–103) for how these these how for Appendix B (pages 100–103) See Note: . Categories of Questions Categories On assessments, these categories are represented by three categories of categories three by represented are categories these On assessments, .

. Specifically, this category requires students to be able to do the following things following to do the able to be students requires this category Specifically, The questions include new terminology that defines specific skills and understandings terminology skills and understandings that defines specific include new The questions . Students should be able to ...... to should be able Students .

make conclusions based on what they conclusions based on what they make . a text identify from read text closely to really understand what understand really to closely text read it says a text determine the main idea or theme from . its development and analyze events, individuals, why and out how figure the course over and interact or ideas develop . of a text © Shell Education college and career ready, students must now read across a broad range of high-quality texts of high-quality range texts a broad across read now students must ready, college and career and times in history cultures diverse from ideas and texts connections among make and continuously read critically to

This category stresses the importance of understanding specific information in various texts various in specific information the importanceThis category stresses of understanding Key Ideas and Details Key Overall, today’s college and career readiness reading standards depict the picture of what picture depict the standards reading readiness and career college today’s Overall, basis regular a and on proficiency with increasing exhibit to students should be able of reading standards of reading questions demonstrate must that all students in this book . exercise in each practice represented are categories as ambiguities in texts as well distinguish poor reasoning to and parents educators prepare will better categories reading each of the three to terms related tests today’s for In order for students today to be better prepared for college and/or careers, they must be able be able must they college and/or careers, for prepared be better to students today for In order (National Governors and literary texts of informational a range across and deeply widely read to . 2010) Best Practices for Association Center Overall, students must be able to identify specific details and then gain deeper meaning from gain deeper meaning from and then identify specific details to be able students must Overall, . what is read 28 Informational Practice Exercise Name: ______#51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests 3 2 1 Directions: Read thistext andrespond to thequestionsonpages30–32. Natural History Museumof American a paleontologist atthe Jin Mengsays is thechanceofalifetime,” dinosaurs may have fed on young sign thatearly mammals The rare fossil isthefirst large, unchewed chunks that itwas swallowed in joined . dinosaur’s boneswere Some oftheeaten psittacosaur . of asix-inch (15-cm) long limbs, fingers, and teeth The boneswere the stomach hadlikely been. cage, where themammal’s set ofbonesunderitsrib researchers noticeda in New York City Museum ofNatural History was taken to the American in Beijing, China. brought to researchers this fossil in2000. Farmers inChinadugup beaklike snout . eating dinosaurwitha a baby dinosaur (R. robustus) . studying afossil ofa130 million-year-old mammalcalledRepenomamus robustus made thisdiscovery for otherdinosaurs but alsofor mammals theyEven sometimesendedupasameal. whendinosaurs theearth, ruled This suggests This . “This discovery “This The scientistsfound thefossilized remains ofitslastmeal— . . Heis . . The mammalhadeaten apsittacosaur plant- , atwo-legged There Then it Itwas . Dinos forDinner Paleontologists are scientistswhostudyfossils .

A fossil ofRepenomamus robustus witha bellyful ofitslastmeal—ababy dinosaur . Chineseand paleontologistsAmerican Date: �� . They were © Shell Education Notjust

AP Wide World Informational Practice Exercise

29 Gao Wei Gao

. ” . millions of years ago. years The Mesozoic era was was era Mesozoic The

(cont.) How did these larger hunting hunting did these larger How . . #51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests Tests Today’s for Practicing Kids: #51439—TIME For These finds The team The team Before these Before . was twice was giganticus R. . “They leave you with more questions than answers questions with more you leave “They Still, these finds raise questions Still, these finds . Dinos for Dinner Dinner for Dinos This animal was a bigger relative of R. a bigger relative was This animal . .6 kg) about 30 pounds (13 weighed It probably It is the largest known complete skeleton of a skeleton complete known It is the largest . Not only were mammals eating dinosaurs, the mammals mammals eating dinosaurs, were Not only thought . also bigger than previously were place in in the same another fossil of scientists found China in 2005 . . robustus was was robustus R. giganticus. It is called Repenomamus inches (38 cm) long about 15 evidence more for wait to will have The answer dinosaur evolution? mammals affect Duke Weil of Anne paleontologist says it is with the best finds,” how “That’s . in NorthUniversity Carolina mammal from the Mesozoic era (280 million to 65 million million to (280 era the Mesozoic mammal from . years ago) a new scientists these two give discoveries Together, of ancient mammals understanding that size the expertswere mammals thought that Mesozoic finds, at night . mostly and hunted of squirrels size who meat eaters some mammals were that proof offer and territory food for with small dinosaurs competed and moved stronger, larger, were most dinosaurs ago, million years 130 Of course, than mammals faster Mammals Were Bigger, Too Bigger, Were Mammals 4 5 6

paragraph? Chooseallthatapply What canyou infer from thesecond What doesthephotograph ofthedinosaurboneshelpreader to understand? The dinosaurboneswere found inthemammal’s stomach . Farmers inChinafoundfossil animportant . Some mammalscompeted withsmalldinosaurs for food . thoughtMesozoic mammalshunted atnight. Experts killed by alarge dinosaur The mammalwas probably fast very could notrun . The together to studythefossil . Different scientistsworked . might beimportant Farmers thoughtthatthefossil psittacosaur dinosaur Dinos forDinner . . Date: �� 2. B A D C excited aboutthefossil? suggests thatpaleontologists were Which statement from thetext . baby dinosaur remains ofitslastmeal—a “The scientistsfound the discovery paleontologists madethis and American “Chinese questions thananswers “They leave you withmore of alifetime,’ JinMengsays “‘This discovery isthechance (cont.) . ” . ” © Shell Education . ” . ” Informational Practice Exercise 31 ” . ” . ” ” . . . (cont.) “These finds offer proof that proof “These finds offer meat some mammals were with who competed eaters food for small dinosaurs and territory experts these finds, “Before thought that Mesozoic of the size mammals were mostly and hunted squirrels at night . mammals eating were “Not only were the mammals dinosaurs, also bigger than previously thought . million years 130 course “Of were most dinosaurs ago, and moved stronger, larger, than mammals faster . Which of the sentences from the from of the sentences Which to passage best helps the reader the meaning of ancient? understand #51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests Tests Today’s for Practicing Kids: #51439—TIME For E F G H 6. Date: �� Date: . . Dinos for Dinner Dinner for Dinos prehistoric old-fashioned researchers from different countries work with each other different from researchers answers questions than more have scientists always antique tired a discovery changed scientists’ thinking about mammals scientists’ changed a discovery . food with each other for competed meat-eating mammals What does the word ancient mean does the word What 5? as it is used in paragraph The article . about how is mainly 5. D A B C B C D 4. A © Shell Education Fill in the bubble of each correct answer choice answer of each correct in the bubble Fill Directions: Name: ______Name: 32 Informational Practice Exercise Directions: Answer thequestions Name: ______8. 7. #51439—TIME For Kids: Practicing for Today’s Tests

your response Identify themainideaintext’s lastparagraph . ______Number thesestatements intheorder inwhichtheevents happened. ______Scientists realized thatmammalswere biggerthanthey thought. A mammalate ababy dinosaurinlarge chunks Scientists discovered ananimalcalledRepenomamus giganticus. Farmers inChinadugupafossil andsentitto Bejing Paleontologists found bonesinthefossil’s stomach . . Dinos forDinner . Date: �� Useaquotation from thetext in . (cont.) . © Shell Education