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

Objective a. Identify and explain the author's/text's purpose and intended audience

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 is an important purpose of this article?

  1. to explain how early colonists had harsher weather than the present
  2. to describe the hygiene problems of early Americans
  3. to share information about the challenges of living in early America
  4. to compare the differences between colonial and modern families
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_5_069.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Assessment limit:
Purpose of the author or the text or a portion of the text
Resources for Objective 2.A.4.a:
Lesson Seeds | SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS |