FOURTH GRADE TRAINING GUIDE

1994 Reading Rubric - Fourth Grade - Item 4

Passage Title: "What Stars Are Like"

FORM F

4. Why do you think the Cherokees told this legend? Explain your answer.

ITEM SCORE SCALE

0  Answer is unresponsive, unrelated, or inappropriate.
1  Answer states why the Cherokees told this legend. Th epanation, if present, is sparse, confusing, or literal. (e.g., to teach about the stars)
2  Answer states why the Cherokees told this legend. The explanation provided references the story and is brief or has minor errors.
3  Answer states why the Cherokees told this legend. The explanation provided specifically references the story and is clear and developed.

THE STORY -- WHAT STARS ARE LIKE

The Cherokee held various beliefs about the stars. Some believed that the stars were great balls of light. Others said they were human beings who lived in Sky Country. In some circumstances, stars in animal form could be approached by humans. This story describes one such encounter, which helps explain the nature of stars.

WHAT STARS ARE LIKE

Late one night a Cherokee hunting party sat around their mountain camp. They noticed two lights moving along near the top of a distant mountain ridge. They watched until the lights disappeared.

The next two nights they again watched the bright lights on the same mountain ridge. This was a wonder. No one had ever seen anything like it before. After discussing for some time what these lights could be, they decided to investigate.

The next morning they set out for the distant ridge. Arriving at the place, they searched and searched for the source the lights. They saw no lights, but, after looking for some time, they finally found two large, furry creatures about as big as two outstretched arms. The creatures had tiny heads, and when the wind blew, their fur parted to show downy feathers from which sparks flew.

The men were delighted with these strange beings and decided to take them back to camp. They kept them for several days and noticed how tame and docile the creatures were. Every night they shone bright like stars. When daylight approached, they turned into dull balls of gray fur, except when a gust of wind stirred their feathers. Then their sparks flew.

None of the men thought the creatures might try to escape, so no one was prepared for what happened on the seventh night. As the men busied themselves with their tasks, the odd creatures began to rise from the ground. Soon they were bright, shining balls above the tops of the highest trees. Higher and higher they went until they were just two glowing spots in the night sky.

That is how the hunters knew they had captured two stars.

"What Stars are Like" from They Dance in the Sky. by Jean G. Monroe and Ray A. Williamson. Copyright 1987 by Jean Guard Monroe and Ray A. Williamson. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Study the following question and student responses and decide for yourself the student's score (0-3) based on the grading rubric provided above. Then briefly print out this page, use the lined spaces below and indicate why you chose this score, including what the student should have and should not have included in their answer. When you have completed this part, choose the answer section to compare your results with the state scorers.

STUDENT RESPONSES

QUESTION

4. Why do you think the Cherokees told this legend? Explain your answer.

STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER ONE

Because they were there and saw it.

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STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER TWO

The Cherokee Indians told this legend because they tell a lot of things.

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STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER THREE

So people would understand all about stars.

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STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER FOUR

To explain how there became stars to the little children who didn't understand about stars and why there are stars. They probably told it also just to have something to tell.

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STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER FIVE

The Cherokees told this legend to explain what the stars are. They made up the creatures that shined in the dark because they knew about animals. They didn't know about space stuff.

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STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER SIX

They really didnt no anything about stars and where they come from but they know about animals and they made up a legend about stars and animals. It is easier to explene stars if they are animals and they live on top of the mountains.

RUBRIC SCORING

STUDENT RESPONSE NUMBER SEVEN

The Cherokees told this story to explain something they didn't understand. They didn't know anything about what stars really are. So they made up a story about the large furry creatures who shined at night and didn't during the day. The indians could understand this legend because they knew about animals and spirits. They didn't know about outre space and the planets like we do.

RUBRIC SCORING


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