2017 MCAS
Grade 5 English Language Arts
Question 7

The central idea of how the speakers in both poems feel as they visit the museums is fully developed in the essay. Details are effectively selected and explained. In the poem "Museum," the speaker feels connected to the sculptures and paintings. The art represents "characters' feelings that were brushed onto the canvas or molded from blocks of clay." The speaker is able to imagine what life would have been like in a different time period or era because "the pieces of art seem to be brought to life." In the poem "Mummy," the speaker is described as feeling "wistful" and "amazed." She wishes that she could "talk to the mummy, find out secrets, and discover facts that were previously hidden from the world." The writer notes how in each poem it is clear that the museums affect each of the speakers deeply, evoking different feelings and emotions. The essay demonstrates a full awareness of the purpose for writing with effective organization that both introduces and concludes the writer's thoughts with clarity.

The essay contains a variety of complex sentences with correct conventions, such as: "However, in the poem written by Myra Cohn Livingston called Mummy, the reader is able to infer that the author is feeling somewhat wistful when she travels to the museum and visits the mummy exhibit." There are a few errors in grammar, but overall meaning is clear. Evidence from the poems is correctly punctuated, and a variety of clauses are used correctly throughout. Based on both the length and complexity of the writing, the essay demonstrates consistent control of grammar, usage, and mechanics at this grade level.