E3.5.A

Description: Describe personal connections to a variety of sources, including self-selected texts.
Maps to Reading Plus skills: 3B

Exemplars

3B: Analyzing Plot/Character

3B: Analyzing Plot/Character

Description: Analyzing setting, plot, and character

SeeReader
✓ standard met

Selection: K-14

K-14

Grade level: 11
Word count: 2134 words
Author: Nancy McCloskey
Synopsis: Citizens selected for jury duty learn about the importance of protecting individual rights.
Excerpt: Assizes were made up of 12 local "free and lawful men" who, under oath, made decisions based on their personal knowledge of the true property owner or heir. They dealt with civil, not criminal, cases and were different from modern civil juries in that the jurors were "self-informing." This means that panel members used their pre-existing knowledge as a basis for their decisions.

Question: Based on this excerpt, assize jurors were different from jurors in civil trials today because they
  1. already knew the details of the case.
  2. heard cases involving property issues.
  3. were composed of 12 lawful men and women.
  4. based their decisions only on evidence presented during trial.

Writing
✓ standard met

Writing prompt: Describe a character with whom you empathize, and explain why you feel this way.

Evaluator

Organization: Certica Solutions