2019 MCAS
Grade 7 English Language Arts
Question 8

The essay is well developed in its exploration of three character traits that made Newton a great scientist. By addressing Newton's inventions, studying, and schoolwork, a clear sense of his curiosity, determination, and wisdom is conveyed. Full awareness of the task is apparent because the essay views Newton's traits as what enabled him to make scientific discoveries: "In the story, it shows how with this experiment, he developed a formula to calculate the strength of a storm based on how far he could jump. In all, throughout the passage Isaac shows his trait of curiosity." A clear introduction and conclusion support the task. The writer organized the essay by identifying a trait, providing a detail, and explaining how the two connect; this pattern, which effectively establishes the impact each trait had upon Newton's achievements, is not complex, however, and there is a clear, rather than rich, expression of ideas, as evidenced by phrases such as "to wrap it up" and "to sum it up." Overall, the essay demonstrates effective use of details in its explanation of Newton's character traits.

Consistent control of mechanics and a variety of sentence structures is demonstrated throughout the essay, as in this example: "First off, after leaving college for a year and a half, he made 'three of the greatest scientific discoveries in history.'" Complexity is evident, and the essay is of sufficient length to reveal control of mechanics and grammar relative to expectations for the grade level.