Results - CAASPP Starting Smarter

Students can produce organized and focused written texts for a range of purposes and audiences, and can apply research and inquiry skills to investigate topics and analyze, integrate, and present information.

Sample Test Questions

Here are sample test questions that show the skills and concepts students should know and understand in Grade 3.

1
- A student is writing a research report about the human eye. Read the sentences from her report and the directions that follow.
- Our eyes are wonderful body parts. They help us see the beauty of the world. In the center of the eye is…
  
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- Choose two of the sources that would most likely give the student more information about the ideas she has written.
- - www.eye.color.com, a website that tells about the colors of people’s eyes
  - www.eyequestion.com, a website that explains the job of each part of the eye
  - Eyes and How They Work, a book that tells about the way that the eye parts work
  - www.eye.food.com, a website that tells what we should eat to help our eyes stay healthy
  - My Job as an Eye Doctor, a book that tells about being a doctor who takes care of people’s eyes
  - You Can Find It, a children’s magazine that has many puzzles and games where you look for the hidden things
Show Correct Answer
- - www.eye.color.com, a website that tells about the colors of people’s eyes
  - www.eyequestion.com, a website that explains the job of each part of the eye
  - Eyes and How They Work, a book that tells about the way that the eye parts work
  - www.eye.food.com, a website that tells what we should eat to help our eyes stay healthy
  - My Job as an Eye Doctor, a book that tells about being a doctor who takes care of people’s eyes
  - You Can Find It, a children’s magazine that has many puzzles and games where you look for the hidden things
2
- A student is writing a research report about different kinds of fruit. He wrote an opinion in the report. Read the sentences from the student’s report and the directions that follow.
- Many Kinds of Fruit A fruit is the part of the plant that has the plant’s seeds. There are many kinds…
  
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- The student found another source about different kinds of fruit. Which sentence best supports the student’s opinion?
- - A
    For example, it is hard to tell what some foods are when they are cut up in pieces.
  - B
    For example, a tomato is not sweet, but it is a fruit because it has the seeds.
  - C
    For example, some kids don’t like some of the fruits on that list.
  - D
    For example, fruits can be many different shapes and colors.
Show Correct Answer
- - B
    For example, a tomato is not sweet, but it is a fruit because it has seeds.
3
- A student is writing a report about red foxes. She is looking for information about the body of the red fox. Which sentence has information that the student can use?
- - A
    There are over twenty different kinds of foxes.
  - B
    Red foxes can live in hot deserts and snowy forests.
  - C
    The red fox wraps its fluffy tail around itself like a blanket.
  - D
    Red foxes are often clever character in children’s stories.
Show Correct Answer
- - C
    The red fox wraps its fluffy tail around itself like a blanket.
4
- Click on two sentences that have mistakes in punctuation.
- Tim and I sat in the front row at the circus, and the clowns tumbled and danced in front of us. They pretended to throw water on us, but their buckets just had shiny bits of paper. Then, one clown really did spray water on me from a flower on his jacket.
  
  “Oh, he got me! I said to Tim.”
  
  “Yes” he laughed “he tricked you twice!”
  
  After that, the elephants came out. The elephants did tricks like stand on their front legs.
  
  “How can those huge animals do that?” I asked Tim.
  
  “I don’t know, but it’s amazing,” Tim answered.
Show Correct Answer
- Tim and I sat in the front row at the circus, and the clowns tumbled and danced in front of us. They pretended to throw water on us, but their buckets just had shiny bits of paper. Then, one clown really did spray water on me from a flower on his jacket.
  
  “Oh, he got me! I said to Tim.”
  “Yes” he laughed “he tricked you twice!”
  
  After that, the elephants came out. The elephants did tricks like stand on their front legs.
  
  “How can those huge animals do that?” I asked Tim.
  
  “I don’t know, but it’s amazing,” Tim answered.
5
- Ellen is writing a story for her class about a day at the beach. She wants to revise her story to use more descriptive words. Read the draft and complete the task that follows.
- It was Ellen’s last day of summer vacation. She raced into the garage and announced, “Dad, we have to go to…
  
  Read Full Essay
- Select two of the choices that have the best descriptive sentences to replace Dad read and Ellen played and She looked at him.
- - Dad enjoyed relaxing with his new book while Ellen built a sandcastle. / She gave him a look that said, “I want you to spend time with me.”
  - Dad helped Ellen build a sandcastle. / She gave him a look that said, “I’m glad you like your book.”
  - Dad read a book to Ellen and then they swam. / She looked at the pictures in the book.
  - Dad read for a while and then built a sandcastle. / She looked at the warm, bubbly waves.
  - Dad had a wonderful time reading while Ellen worked on her giant sandcastle. / She gave him a look that said, “It’s time to have some fun, now!”
  - Dad decided that he did not like his book. / She gave him a look that said, “You are the best dad.”
Show Correct Answer
- - Dad enjoyed relaxing with his new book while Ellen built a sandcastle. / She gave him a look that said, “I want you to spend time with me.”
  - Dad helped Ellen build a sandcastle. / She gave him a look that said, “I’m glad you like your book.”
  - Dad read a book to Ellen and then they swam. / She looked at the pictures in the book.
  - Dad read for a while and then built a sandcastle. / She looked at the warm, bubbly waves.
  - Dad had a wonderful time reading while Ellen worked on her giant sandcastle. / She gave him a look that said, “It’s time to have some fun, now!”
  - Dad decided that he did not like his book. / She gave him a look that said, “You are the best dad.”
6
- A student is writing a report for social studies class about the state of Alaska. The student wants to revise the draft to make sure it has enough details. Read this portion of the report and complete the task that follows.
- Alaska is a very big state. It is bigger than Texas, California, and Montana put together! Even though it is a…
  
  Read Full Essay
- Choose the two sentences from the student’s notes that add more facts to the information given in the underlined sentence.
- - The capital of Alaska is Juneau.
  - Alaska did not become a state until 1959.
  - Alaska is only 55 miles away from Russia.
  - There are 70,000 sea otters living in the waters of Alaska.
  - The mountains in Alaska have the coldest temperatures in the United States.
  - Black bears, brown bears, moose, musk ox, and whales are just a few animals that call Alaska home.
Show Correct Answer
- - The capital of Alaska is Juneau.
  - Alaska did not become a state until 1959.
  - Alaska is only 55 miles away from Russia.
  - There are 70,000 sea otters living in the waters of Alaska.
  - The mountains in Alaska have the coldest temperatures in the United States.
  - Black bears, brown bears, moose, musk ox, and whales are just a few animals that call Alaska home.