School Improvement in Maryland

Public Release Item: Public Release items have appeared on HSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the core learning goals are assessed on the HSA.

Goal 2 Composing in a Variety of Modes

Expectation 2.1 The student will compose oral, written, and visual presentations that inform, persuade, and express personal ideas.

Indicator 2.1.1 The student will compose to inform by using appropriate types of prose.

Assessment Limits:

  • Composing to explain an idea or examine a topic
    • using description to support the writing purpose
    • using personal ideas to support the writing purpose
  • Composing to meet the criteria of the ECR rubric
    • fulfilling the writing purpose as stated in the prompt
    • including relevant and complete support of ideas
    • organizing appropriately for the writing purpose
    • using language carefully and correctly
    • demonstrating attention to audience understanding and interest
    • having no errors in usage or conventions that interfere with meaning

Extended Constructed Response (ECR) Item - Released in 2005

For Number 1, read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Write a well-organized essay about one personal quality you most admire in a parent or another adult you know. Develop your ideas with appropriate details about the person you select and how he or she demonstrates the quality you admire. Be sure that your essay is fully developed, that it is logically organized, and that your choice of words clearly describes your thoughts.

Use the space on page __ in your Answer Book for planning your response. Then write your essay on the lines on pages __ and __.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/english/2005_211_eng01.xml

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Extended Constructed Response (ECR) Item - Released in 2006

For Number 1, read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Write a well-organized essay about an experience that has created long-lasting memories for you. Develop your ideas by describing the experience and explaining why it was memorable. Be sure that your essay is fully developed, that it is logically organized, and that your choice of words clearly describes your experience.

Use the space on page __ in your Answer Book for planning your response. Then write your essay on the lines on pages __ and __.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/english/2006_211_eng01.xml

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Extended Constructed Response (ECR) Item - Released in 2007

For Number 1, read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Write a well-organized essay that describes a childhood experience you would like to share with a young person. Develop your ideas by describing the experience you would like to share and by explaining why you would like to share it. Be sure that your essay is fully developed, that it is logically organized, and that your choice of words clearly expresses your thoughts.

Use the space on page ___ in your Answer Book for planning your response. Then write your essay on the lines on pages ___ and ___.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/english/2007_211_eng01.xml

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Extended Constructed Response (ECR) Item - Released in 2008

For Number 1, read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Read the prompt below. Follow the directions in the prompt for writing your essay.

Write a well-organized essay in which you explain a difficult decision that you or someone you know had to make. Develop your ideas by explaining what led to the decision, why it was difficult, and what the results of the decision were. Be sure that your essay is fully developed, that it is logically organized, and that your choice of words clearly expresses your ideas.

Use the space on page __ of your Answer Book for planning your essay. Then write your essay on the lines on pages __ and __.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/english/2008_211_eng01.xml

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