School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Reading/ELA, Grade 5

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

Sample Assessments: Each sample assessment item gives an idea of how an assessment item on the MSA might be presented. The items appropriately measure the content of the State Curriculum and may be formatted similarly to those appearing on the MSA; however, these are sample items only and have not appeared on any MSA form.

Standard 2.0 Comprehension of Informational Text

Indicator 2. Identify and use text features to facilitate understanding of informational texts

Objective d. Use organizational aids such as titles, chapter titles, headings, subheadings, tables of contents, numbered steps, glossaries, indices, transition words, other organizational aids encountered in organizational texts

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

Selected Response Item
After reading the article, Fly High, Bessie Coleman, answer the following question.

The headings in this article are organized to show

  1. a sequence of life events
  2. the steps in a learning process
  3. a description of activities
  4. the main ideas of an argument
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_058.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item
Read the article titled 'A Brick to Cuddle Up To' and answer the following questions. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

What would be a good heading for paragraphs 7 through 9?

  1. Early Cooking Methods
  2. Staying Entertained
  3. Basic Activities
  4. Sources of Light
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_066.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Assessment limit:
In the text or a portion of the text
Resources for Objective 2.A.2.d:
Lesson Seeds | SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS |