File - Standards Toolkit

NGSSS
LA .S. 6 .2.2: Assess , organi ze , and
Evaluating Text
eva luate the validity and reliability of
in formation in tex t, using a variet y of
techniques by exam ining several
sources of information ... .
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In th is lesson, you will learn how to evaluate text. When evaluating, you will read,
think about, and form opinions about different aspects of a t ext or texts .
One aspect of eva luating is analyzing. When you ana lyze information in one or
more texts, you examine separate parts to understa nd how the parts work
together to create meaning as a whole. Examples of analyzing in clude:
comparing, contrasting, deducing or inferring, and categorizing.
Another aspect of eva luating is synthesizing. When you synthesize information,
you identify relationships between two or more ideas in text. You put together
the ideas or information from two or more places or sources. As part of
synthesizi ng, you might combine information from one part of a text with
information from another part of the same text. Or you might integrate
information from one text source with information from two or more different
text sources.
As part of evaluating text, you determine the validity (correctness or
soundness) and reliability (dependability) of information in the text by identifying
supporting facts or other kinds of details that the author provides and by
analyzing any arguments the author makes.
Evaluating Text
oc
ana lyzing
exam ine parts of a text to determine how they
work together as a whole
synthesizing
identify relationships between t wo or more
different ideas or two or more different texts
determining
va lidity and
reliability
determine the correctness and dependability of
an author'S facts or arguments
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Florida
What It Means
NGSSS lA.S.6.2.2
III]I[]I[]I[]I[I]I[IIIII
Read this passage about the early history of a town. Then answer the question.
"I
The Bone Collectors
1
Abi lene, Texas, is a modern town today. But long ago, for a brief period of lime,
an unusual industry flourished in Abilene: selling buffalo bones. Before the 1870s,
buffa lo freely roamed the region , and their bones littered the landscape. Fertilizer
companies used the bones. They wou ld grind the bones into bone meal , which is
high in phosphorus, and use the mea l to improve th eir fertilizer.
2
Bone collecting became big business in Abilene. People would collect the bones
and then cart them to a bone pile in town near the railroad. In those days, a load of
wood sold for $1.50, but a load of bones sold for $3.00. In 1881, 1,635 tons of buffalo
bones were shipped out of Abilene. (That's 109 railcars worth of bones!) Over time,
however, the landscape was cleared of buffalo bones. By the 1900s, cattle bones were
being used in fertilizer in the place of buffalo bones.
!
What evidence from the passage best supports the idea that many people in Abilene
collected buffalo bones?
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Does th e passage directly state that many people in Abilene collected buffalo bones?
No. But the passage has ev idence lhat strongly supports that idea.
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What information in the passage would lead to the conclusion that many people
in Abilene coll ected buffalo bones? Look for this kind of ev idence in the passage.
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The passage says that bone collec ting was big business. This is important evidence.
If only a few people collected bones, bone collecting wou ld not be a big business.
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The passage also says that 1,635 lons of buffalo bon es were shipped out of Abilene
in one yea r. It wou ld take many people to gather that quantity of bon es.
ANSWER: Bone collecting became big business in Abilene. In 1881, 1,635 tons of
buffalo bones were shipped out of Abilene.
Which sentence from the passage best supports the idea that selling
bones was more profitable than selling wood?
NGSSS LA.S.6.2.2
Florida
Read the passage. Use the Think About It to guide your reading.
Then answer the question. Use the Hint to help you.
Think About It
What are the main
characteristics of the
piranha, as described in
the passage?
Hint
Which information leads
to the conclusion that
the piranha is dangerous
to swimmers?
CORRECT ANSWER
The Piranh a
Theodore Roosevelt, traveling in South America during 1914,
describes the piranh a, a type of fi sh: "The razor-edged tee th are
wedge-shaped like a shark's, and the jaw muscles possess great
power. The rabid, furi ous sn aps drive the teeth through flesh and
bone. The action s of the fish exactly match its looks. I never
witnessed an ex hibition of such impotent, savage fur y as was show n
by the piranh as as they fl apped on deck. When fresh from the water
and thrown on th e boards, they uttered an extraordinary squealing
sound. As they fl apped about they bit with vicious eagerness at
whateve r prese nted itself. One of them fl apped onto a cloth and
seized it with a bulldog grip ... another snapped at a pi ece of wood
and left the teeth-m arks deep therein."
Which phrase from the passage best supports t he idea tha t the
piranha is dangerous to swimmers?
A "I never witnessed an exhibition of such impo tent, savage fu ry"
B "they uttered an extraordinary squealing sound "
C "th ey bit with vicio us eagerness at whatever presented itse lP'
D "One of them flapp ed onto a clo th "
Answer choice C is correc t.
SUPPORTING DETAILS
The author says that piranh as bite anything that comes nea r them. For
thi s reason, a sw imm er is most likely in dange r of being attacked if he or
she gets close to a piranha.
INCORRECT ANSWERS
A is not correc t because the fury of the fish is impotent, or powerless,
since it is out of water, on the elecle
B is not co rrect because the sound made by the fi sh is unlikely to prese nt
dange r to swimmers.
D is not correct because a flapping fish is not li ke ly to be dangerous to
a swimln er.
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Florida
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NGSSS lA.8 .6.2.2
Read this passage, Use each Think About It to guide your reading,
The Florida Skunk Ape
Think About It
Begin to evaluate a text
by thinking about the
title.
How does the author
describe the
Everglades? How do the
individual descriptions
work together to create
an overall impression?
From information in the
passage, what is one
thing that all skunk ape
sighters seem to
mention?
What might provide a
valid form of evidence
for the existence of the
skunk ape? In what way
might such evidence fail
to be convincing or
reliable?
1
Bigfoot, the legend ary creature sa id to roa m the forests of the
Pacific Northwest, is know n from coast to coast. But few people outside
Florid a know of a simil ar creature ca lled the s kunk ape .
2
The Everglades, a swampy and largely uninhabited area covering
thousand s of square miles, is home to poisonous snakes, alligators, and
clouds of mosqui toes. It ta kes a boat and a guide just to get around in
parts of it. It's just the kind of difficult pl ace where an unknown
creature could elude capture and id entification even in the modern era.
The skunk ape is just such a c reature. Th ose who've see n one describe
it as ape- like, standing 7 feet tall, and we ighing as much as 450 pounds.
And they always mention the strong s mell of it. Some say the creature's
smell is a cross between skunk spray, rotten eggs, an d cow manure.
Ot hers say it's like a n overstu ffed trash can on a hot d ay.
3
The firs t modern skunk ape sighting was near Lakeland in 1947.
Sightings were frequem in the 1960s, although the numbers dropped
off in the 1970s. For 30 years, interest in the skunk ape was limited to
a few ent husiasts in so uth Florida, includ ing Dave and Jim Shea ly, who
run Skun k Ape Research Headquarters alongside their campground
nea r Ochopee. But in 2000, the skunk ape blasted b ack in to th e
headlines.
4
It sta rted when somebody mailed a set of photos to the Sarasota
County sher iff's department. The anonymous photog rapher claimed to
have taken them in her back yard. They seem to show a creature that
looks a lot like an orangutan. Like other skunk-ape sighters, the
photograph er had reported that the creature "had an awful smell."
-ci
Loren Colema n, a scientist who studies "hidden animal s" such as the
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skunk ape, believes the creature in the photos is neither a n escaped zoo ~
"animal n or a person in a n ape suit. Precisely what it is, however, there's o
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not enough eviden ce to say. Because the identity of the photographer is ,~
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unknown , there's no way for anyone to follow up on the sighting.
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5
Since 2000, there have been severa l other sightings of the skunk
ape (o r something) in so uth Florida. Dave Shealy has a plaster cast of a
foo tprint and so me reddish hair, both of which he says are from a
skunk ape. Park ra nge rs in the Everglades w ill tell you th at the skunk
ape is n't rea l. But Shea ly wo nders if auth orities know more than what
they're telling. Shealy told a website th at features unusua l tourist
attractions, "There are things here in the Everglades, I ca n assure
you-a nd I would not lie to you-th at a re sec ret."
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NGSSS LA.B.6.2 .2
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Florida
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Hints
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1
Wh at informat ion fro m the passage provides the best ev idence that
a "hidden animal" li ke the skunk ape might live in the Everglades?
A Few people outside Florida have ever heard the stories about
the skunk ape.
B The Everglades is a vast, mostl y uninh abited area that is difficult
to explore and study.
C The creature Sighted in 2000 probably did not escape from a zoo.
D Park rangers in the Everglades say that the skun k ape is not real.
Supporting detail s: _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ __
Which answer choice
has information that
represents the strongest
and most convincing
probable origin or
reason for the name
"skunk ape"?
2
Whi ch inform ation from the passage best emphasizes how th e sk unk
ape probably got its name?
A "Some say the creature's smell is a cross between skunk spray,
rotten eggs, and cow manure,"
B "Dave and Jim Shea ly ... run Skunk Ape Research Headquarters
alongside their campground near Oc hopee."
C "Like other skunk-ape sighters, the photographer had reported
that the creature 'had an aw ful smelL'"
D "Dave Shea ly has a plaster cast of a footprint and some reddish
hair, both of whi ch he says are from a skunk ape,"
Supporting details: _ _ __ __ __ _ _ _ __ __ __ _ _
Would talking to the
photographer be one
important way in which
to verify the validity of
photographs?
3
Which statement from the passage best ex pl ains why photographs
taken in 2000 do not prove that the skun k ape really ex ists?
A "They seem to show a creature th at looks a lot like an
orangutan ."
B "Loren Coleman ... believes the creature in the photos is neither
an escaped zoo animal nor a person in an ape sui t."
C "Because the identity of the photographer is unkn own , there's no
way for anyone to follow up on the sighting."
D "Park rangers in the Everglades will tell you th at the skunk ape
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WiLli your partner,
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s/Jare and discuss
y our answers and
supporting details .
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Use the Hints to answer the questions below. Circle the correct
answers and provide supporting details from the passage.
Which information best
explains why "hidden
animals" might actually
exist in the Everglades?
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Florida
is n't rea l."
Supporting detail s: _ _ _ __ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _
NGSSS lA .B.6.2. 2
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Read the passage "Thundersnow Hits Denver" before answering Numbers 1 through 4.
Thundersnow Hits Denver
by Carrie SprLngs
DENVER March 26 - Last night, a rare
weather event known as thundersnow rattled the
Denver area. The late w inter storm dumped more
than a fo ot of wet, heavy snow. At roughly
9:30 P. M., numerou s residents rep orted fa int
rumbles of thunder and periodic flashes of
lightning.
A local meteorolog ist explains that
thundersnow occurs in cold weather in much the
same way that thunderstorms do in wa rm
weather. Thundersnow happen s when a layer of
warm, moist air rises above a layer of colder air.
This creates turbulence in the atmosphere.
As the unstable air churns, it mixes the fin e
snow crystals at the top of a storm cloud with the
larger snowfl akes at the bottom. The fr iction
created by the meeting of these negatively and
positively charged forms of precipitation causes
static electricity. Lightning and thunder happen
when the static elec tricity is di scharged .
According to the meteorologist, "Hearing a
snowstorm burst w ith thunder is completely
unexpec ted . We usually think of thunderstorms
with rain in the warmer months, yet
thundersnow does happen, usually in
mountainous or coastal areas."
Thundersnow has been recorded in Colorado
in the past and will occur again in the future. A
former scientist w ith the National Weather
Service said, "If cond itions are right in late w inter
or early spring, then there is always a chance of
thundersnow. Thundersnow will definitely
happen again in Denver. That said, this
phenomenon happens about as often as an ice
storm on the Fourth of July."
As a result of last night's storm, there were
sca ttered power in terruption s. Loca l highway
departments plowed major and secondary
road ways, but schools were closed today. No
serious injury or prop erty d amage has been
reported.
7N~G~S~S~S7L~A~.8~.6~.72~.2------------------------~------------------------------~F~·l-or~id~a
Reader Reactions to this Story
Driving horne from my night shift last night at
the height of the storm, I inched along as snow
blanketed the freeway, and then I saw a flash in
the sky. You know, I figured it was headlights
from a big truck, not lightning, and thought I was
about to hit an oncoming snowplow.
- Manny Ramon
When I was a little girl many years ago, I
remember seeing thundersnow, and my dad told
me that the thunder was the sound of elves
bowling in winter. I haven't thought about that
experience in years. Thanks for explaining what
causes it.
- Mrs. Peggy Kruk
Come on- thundersnow? You must think we
will believe anything! I didn't hear a thing last
night, and I am usually a very light sleeper. Save
your jokes for April Fools' Day!
- Watchdog256
When I heard the thunderous noise last night, I
was so petrified that I hid in my closet until the
storm passed. I thought someone had crashed a
plane because of low visibility, so I'm glad to find
out what actually caused the commotion.
- Ginny Peterson
Why do weather forecasters always miss the
big stuff? I never heard anyone predict
thundersnow beforehand. Because of the storm, I
had to shovel my sidewalks this morning by
myself and strained my back. Can't the weather
report be on target once in a while?
-Fed Up
Whoa! That was a freak storm. I've never seen
thundersnow before. The muffled thunder
sounded like the drums in a marching band off
in the distance. Getting a foot of snow stinks, but
I sure liked the sound effects and the light show
in my neighborhood.
- Pete Samuels
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Florida
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NGSSS LA.8.6.2.2
o
A.
B.
C.
D.
.,
Whlci1 sta tements from the article best
describe the effect of experiencing
thundersnow firsthand ?
Whlch pair of statements from the article
best su pports the idea that thundersnow is
infrequent?
"1 didn't hear a thing last night, and 1 am
usually a very light sleeper."
"Save your jokes for Ap ril Fools' Day!"
"Last night, a rare wea ther event known
as thundersn ow rattled the Den ver area ."
"That said, this phenomenon happens
abo ut as often as an ice storm on th e
Fourth of July."
"Thundersnow will definitely happen
again in Denver. "
"Lightning and thunder happen w hen
the static electricity is discharged ."
Which sentence fro m the article offers the
most valid explanation of what initially
causes thundersnow?
G.
"Th undersnow happ ens when a layer
of warm, moist air rises above a layer of
cold er air. "
"'If conditions are right in late winter
or ea rly spring, then there is always a
chance of thwldersn ow.'''
H.
I.
"Whoa! That was a freak storm. I've
never seen thwldersn ow before."
B.
"'Hea ring a snowstorm burst with
thunder is completely wlexp ected.' ''
C.
"Wh y do weather forecas ters always
miss the big stuff? 1 never heard anyone
predict thundersn ow beforehand.
Because of the storm, 1 had to shovel my
sidewalks this morning by myself ... "
D.
"Wh en 1 h eard the thLUlderous n oise last
nigh t, 1 was so petrified tha t 1 hid in my
closet until the storm passed. 1 though t
someone had crashed a plane beca use
of low visibility, so I'm glad to find out
w hat actually caused the commotion."
"The late winter storm dumped more
than a foot of wet, heavy snow. "
"Thund ersnow occurs in cold wea ther
in much the sa me way that
thwld erstorms do in warm weather."
o
F.
A.
"When I was a little girl many years ago,
1 remember seeing til wldersnow, and
my dad told me that the thunder was the
sOLUld of elves bow ling in w inter."
"According to tl, e meteorologist, ' ... We
us ually think of thwlderstorms with rain
in the warmer mon ths, yet thundersnow
does happen, usually in mountainous or
coastal areas.'"
NGSSS LA.S.6.2.2
Which statement about thLUldersnow is
LEAST accurate?
F.
Thundersnow may cause power
outages and sch ool closures.
G.
Thund ersnow is usually unexpected
and is not easily predicted.
H. Thundersnow never results in more
than a couple of inch es of snow.
I.
Thundersnow usually happens in
mountainous areas or coastal areas.
Answer Form
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Number
Correct
Florida