MCAS ELA Grade 3 case studies
MCAS ELA Grade 3 · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The MCAS English Language Arts test for grade 3 is one of the statewide standardized tests that make up the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, administered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Third grade is the first year students take MCAS ELA, so this is typically a child's first experience with a state test in reading and writing. The test is for grade 3 students in Massachusetts public schools, including multilingual learners, with limited exceptions described by DESE. MCAS assessments are based on the state's learning standards, so preparation should center on grade-level reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing about texts rather than on memorizing test tricks. The MCAS ELA Grade 3 case studies are 5 cases and about 1,907 words.
1Scoring a Retell-Heavy Short Response
Delgado's third-grade team is scoring a short-response item after reading 'The First Day,' a story about a girl named Aisha who is nervous about starting at a new school. The item reads: 'Why is Aisha nervous before school?
430 words, about 2 min2Writing Text-Dependent Questions About Beaver Dams
Ferrer is writing questions for a grade 3 informational passage about how beavers build dams. The passage explains that beavers use sticks, mud, and stones; that they build in moving water; and that a dam slows the water so a pond forms.
368 words, about 2 min3Context Clues Versus Outside Knowledge
During a vocabulary mini-lesson, Ms. Boone projects this sentence from a grade 3 story: 'The hikers were cautious as they crossed the narrow bridge.' Four choices are given: A.
374 words, about 2 min4Comparing a Story and an Article About Geckos
Patel's class reads two grade-3 texts about geckos. Text A is a realistic story about a boy who finds a gecko in his garage and watches it climb the wall.
356 words, about 2 min5Prioritizing a Revision in Opinion Writing
Nguyen reviews a grade-3 opinion paragraph: 'I think our class should have a pet rabbit. Also we could learn to take care of it.
379 words, about 2 min