Prepare for the SBAC test performance task with a journey back in time! This Narrative Writing Mini Performance Task is designed to mimic the format and rigor of the CAASPP or SBAC end-of-year state test while keeping students engaged with the thrilling tale of the California Gold Rush! Perfect for test prep, this resource helps students practice the difficult skill of incorporating facts from informational texts into a high-quality narrative writing piece on a smaller scale before moving on to the real deal.

What’s Included?

• Informational Text Source #1: "The Golden Fever of 1848" is a high-interest history text that covers the discovery of gold, the dangerous journey west, and life in the mining camps. For your convenience, this text is written at 3 differentiated levels that all cover the same basic information.

  • Level A is 291 words long

  • Level B is 373 words long

  • Level C is 433 words long

• Informational Text Source #2 (OPTIONAL): "Daily Life in a California Mining Camp" covers the specific tools miners used, the high cost of living in boomtowns, and the daily struggles of a Forty-Niner.

• Informational Text Source #3 (OPTIONAL): "Machines of the Mountains"

• 3 Differentiated Narrative Writing Prompts: Choose from three different scenarios (The Newcomer, The "Eureka" Moment, or The Boomtown Merchant) to keep your students excited!

• Part 1 Research Questions: 3 text-dependent questions for Source #1 (Multiple Choice, Multi-Select, and Short Answer) modeled after the CAASPP test format. ANSWER KEY IS INCLUDED.

• Student-Friendly Scoring Rubrics: A "Kid-Friendly" SBAC-aligned checklist based on the official SBAC 4-point scale. Each rubric also includes a space for student self-reflection and scoring.

  • Evidence & Elaboration

  • Organization & Purpose

  • Conventions

• 6 Different Exemplar Stories (one per narrative prompt): Use these to show students exactly what a "Level 4" response looks like.

• Bonus Informational Writing Prompt (OPTIONAL)

• Bonus Opinion Writing Prompt (OPTIONAL)

• Digital Google Slides for Teacher Modeling of reading the sources, answering the questions, planning the story, and analyzing the exemplars

• Digital Writing Prompt Google Docs for all 5 writing prompts so that your students can practice keyboarding skills while practicing writing.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Differentiated for Grades 3-6: While written at a 4th-5th grade reading level, the prompts and tasks can easily be adapted for grades 3-6.

• Standards-Aligned: Focuses on Common Core ELA standards for integrating information, citing evidence, and narrative structure.

• No-Prep Test Prep: Just print and go! This "mini-PT" is the perfect length for a 2-day writing workshop or a mock-testing session.

I'd love to hear how you use this resource in your classroom! Feel free to email me at iteachiwrite@yahoo.com with any questions or suggestions you may have.

Copyright © iTeach & iWrite by Betsy Newmeyer.

All rights reserved by the author.

Permission to use for single classroom use only.