Answer Key Grade 3 Plight of the Polar Bear Giant Pandas
1. What is the most likely reason the author included this map with the text? A Incorrect. Though it is cold near the North Pole, people use maps to see where places are located, not how cold it is in those places. B Correct. This map shows where polar bears live. C Incorrect. Though the map does show the North Pole, the North Pole is not mentioned in the text, so this is unlikely to be the reason why the map was included. However, the Arctic, which is also on the map, is mentioned several times in the text as a place where polar bears live. D Incorrect. Though maps do show most of the world is covered with water, that is not the most likely reason this map was included. Think about which places mentioned in the text also appear on the map and how seeing where these places are located helps readers better understand the text. 2. Part A Which two statements are main ideas for the passage Built to Survive? A Correct. This tells what one of the sections B Incorrect. This does not tell what a section C Incorrect. This does not tell what a section D Correct. This tells what one of the sections Which two details support the main idea from Part A? A Incorrect. This is a main idea, not a detail. B Correct. This detail supports one of the main ideas. C Correct. This detail supports one of the main ideas. D Incorrect. This detail does not support one of the main ideas. 3. What is the main idea of paragraph 6? A Incorrect. Though polar bears do have blubber, this is not the main idea. B Incorrect. Though polar bears do hunt seals far out to sea, this is not the main idea. C Correct This is the main idea of paragraph 6. The rest of the paragraph includes details that support this idea. D Incorrect. Though polar bears do use their paws like paddles, this is not the main idea. 4. Part A Which word or phrase has the same meaning as transparent? A Incorrect. This is not what transparent word transparent in the sentences near this B Incorrect. This is not what transparent word transparent in the sentences near this C Incorrect. This is not what transparent word transparent in the sentences near this D Correct. This is what transparent means. 4. Which phrase from the text helps readers understand the meaning of the word transparent? A Correct. The context clue for each strand of hair is transparent is this clear fur. B Incorrect. Though the Arctic is mentioned, this is not the phrase that helps readers understand the meaning of the word transparent. 1 of 6
C Incorrect. Though bears black skin is mentioned, this is not the phrase that helps readers understand the meaning of the word transparent. D Incorrect. Though severe conditions are mentioned, this is not the phrase that helps readers understand the meaning of the word transparent. 5. Part A Which two choices describe a giant panda at birth? A Correct. Giant pandas are tiny when they are born. B Correct. Giant pandas are blind when they are born. C Incorrect. Only adult pandas eat alone. D Incorrect. Giant pandas learn how to survive when they are a little older. E Incorrect. Only adult giant pandas mark their home area. Which of the following describes a giant panda in the first two years of its life? A Incorrect. Giant pandas are only tiny when they are born. B Incorrect. Giant pandas are only blind at birth. C Incorrect. Only adult pandas eat alone. D Correct. This is when giant pandas learn how to survive. E Incorrect. Only adult giant pandas mark their home area. Part C Which two choices describe an adult giant panda? A Incorrect. Giant pandas are only tiny when they are born. B Incorrect. Giant pandas are only blind at birth. C Correct. Adult giant pandas eat alone. D Incorrect. Adult giant pandas have already learned how to survive. E Correct. Adult giant pandas mark their home area. 6. Part A What is the main idea in the Food and Feeding section? A Correct. This is the main idea for this section. B Incorrect. This is not what this section is mostly about. C Incorrect. This is not what this section is mostly about. D Incorrect. This is not what this section is mostly about. Which three details support the main idea from Part A? A Correct. This is a detail that tells about what and how a panda eats. B Correct. This is a detail that tells about what and how a panda eats. C Incorrect. This is a detail that does not tell about what and how a panda eats. D Incorrect. This is a detail that does not tell about what and how a panda eats. 7. Part A Which two statements describe how an adult panda tells other pandas to stay out of its home area? A Incorrect. Though giant pandas do eat that much bamboo, this is not how they tell other pandas to stay out of their home area. B Incorrect. Though giant pandas do spend that much time eating, this is not how they tell other pandas to stay out of their home area. C Incorrect. Loud noises can be scary, but there is nothing in this text to suggest that 2 of 6
giant pandas make loud noises to keep other pandas out of their home area. D Incorrect. Though adult giant pandas do teach this to their cubs, this is not how adult pandas tell other pandas to stay out of their home area. E Correct. This is one way giant pandas tell other pandas to stay out of their home area. F Correct. This is one way giant pandas tell other pandas to stay out of their home area. 7. Based on the text, which is the most likely reason why adult pandas need to keep other pandas away from their home area? A Incorrect. There is nothing in the text to support this answer. B Correct. This is the best inference based on the text. C Incorrect. There is nothing in this text to suggest that giant pandas need to protect their young from other pandas. D Incorrect. There is nothing in this text to suggest that adult pandas do not see well. 8. Part A What new information does this picture of an outline of a giant panda inside the outline of a grizzly bear show? A Incorrect. This information is not true. B Correct. This information is only in the chart. C Incorrect. This information is already in the text. D Incorrect. This information is already in the text. 8. Which is the best explanation for why the author included this chart and caption? A Incorrect. The chart does not show this. The chart compares the size of two kinds of bears. B Incorrect. The chart does not show this. The chart compares the size of two kinds of bears. C Correct. The chart shows that giant pandas are smaller than grizzly bears, so they are not really giant bears. D Incorrect. The chart does not show this. The chart compares the size of two kinds of bears. 9. Part A Read this sentence about giant pandas: They are so rare and endangered that they have become a symbol of the effort to protect Earth s animals. What does endangered mean? A Incorrect. This is not what endangered word endangered in the sentences near the B Incorrect. This is not what endangered word endangered in the sentences near the C Correct. This is what endangered means. D Incorrect. This is not what endangered word endangered in the sentences near the Which two phrases from the text help readers understand the meaning of the word endangered? A Correct. This is one of the context clues to the meaning of the word endangered in the sentence. B Incorrect. Though this detail is in the text, C Incorrect. Though this detail is in the text, 3 of 6
D Incorrect. Though this detail is in the text, E Incorrect. Though this detail is in the text, F Incorrect. Though this detail is in the text, G Incorrect. Though this detail is in the text, H Correct. This is one of the context clues to the meaning of the word endangered in the sentence. 10. Part A Based on what you read in the text, what does the phrase vulnerable to predators mean? A Incorrect. This is not what vulnerable to B Incorrect. This is not what vulnerable to C Incorrect. This is not what vulnerable to D Correct. This is what vulnerable to Which two phrases from the text help readers understand the meaning of vulnerable to predators? A Correct. They are vulnerable to predators because they are so helpless. B Incorrect. Though this is a detail in the text, C Incorrect. Though this is a detail in the text, D Incorrect. Though this is a detail in the text, E Correct. Leopards and wild dogs are two predators that will kill young pandas for food. F Incorrect. Though this is a detail in the text, 11. Part A Which three statements describe giant pandas? A Correct. Giant pandas eat mostly bamboo. B Incorrect. There is nothing in the text to support the idea that giant pandas can swim. C Incorrect. The text states that giant pandas eat mostly bamboo. There is nothing in the text to support the idea that giant pandas hunt other animals for food. D Correct. Giant pandas live in the mountains of China. E Correct. Giant pandas need to eat a lot of food to survive. Which three statements describe polar bears? A Incorrect. There is nothing in the text to support the idea that polar bears eat bamboo. B Correct. Polar bears are excellent swimmers. C Correct. Polar bears hunt seals and other animals for food. D Incorrect. Polar bears do not live in China. They live in the Arctic. E Correct. Polar bears need to eat a lot of food to survive. 4 of 6
12. You have read two texts about bears. Write an essay that compares and contrasts giant pandas and polar bears. Explain two ways giant pandas and polar bears are alike. Explain two ways giant pandas and polar bears are different. Use details from both texts in your response. Scoring Rubric 4 The response gives full evidence of the ability to locate, select, interpret, and integrate information from the two texts to explain two ways giant pandas and polar bears are alike and two ways they are different. The response includes the effective use of facts and details from the texts to support the main ideas such as Both are bears. Both need to eat a lot of food to survive. They look different: Giant pandas have black and white fur. Polar bears look white, but their fur is really transparent. They live in different parts of the world: Giant pandas live in the mountains of China. Polar bears live in the Arctic. They eat different things: Giant pandas eat mostly bamboo. Polar bears eat seals and other animals. 3 The response gives sufficient evidence of the ability to locate, select, interpret, and integrate information from the two texts to explain two ways giant pandas and polar bears are alike and two ways they are different. The response provides uneven use of facts and details from the texts to support the main ideas and flaws are present. 2 The response gives partial evidence of the ability to locate, select, interpret, and integrate information from the two texts to explain one or two ways giant pandas and polar bears are alike and one or two ways they are different. The response provides uneven use of facts and details from the texts to support the main ideas, and flaws are present. 1 The response is related to the topic (to compare and contrast giant pandas and polar bears) but provides little or no focus with minimal use of facts and details from the texts. 0 A response gets no credit if it is vague and/or includes no relevant information from the text to show the student understands ways that giant pandas and polar bears are alike and different. 5 of 6
1. 2. Part A E F E F 3. 4. Part A 5. Part A E E Part C E 6. Part A 7. Part A E F 8. Part A 9. Part A E F G H 10. Part A E F 11. Part A E E 12. Constructed Response 6 of 6