School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Reading/ELA, Grade 5

Reading/ELA | Informational | Literary | Writing | Language | Listening | Speaking

Public Release Items: Public release items have appeared on MSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the content standards are assessed on the MSA.

Standard 2.0 Comprehension of Informational Text

Indicator 4. Determine and analyze important ideas and messages in informational texts

Objective c. State and support main ideas and messages

Assessment limit: In the text or a portion of the text

Selected Response Item
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.

What is the main idea of paragraph 6 of this article?

  1. Snakes, turtles, and frogs are cold-blooded animals.
  2. Frogs cover themselves in mud to get out of the cold.
  3. Cold-blooded animals hibernate because they cannot warm themselves.
  4. Animals often hibernate in groups in sheltered places, like rotted-out logs.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_038.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item
Read this article titled "Snug in the Snow." Then answer the question below.

Explain how the title "Snug in the Snow" helps a reader understand an important idea in this article. In your response, use information from the article that supports your explanation. Write your answer in the box below.

/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_041.xml

View Scoring Information
Resources for Objective 2.A.4.c:
Lesson Seeds | PUBLIC RELEASE ITEMS |