Diagnostic CASI assessment (“The Visitor, CASI Grade 6) administered to Grade 7 students in September. This does not go towards the report card.

Question 1. In your own words, summarize the story, “The Visitor.”

Example 1 (R7F).

First Roberta was out one morning and found a duck on the ice. It was covered in oil. Roberta and her mom used detergent and water to get the oil off. They put it in a pen they made for “Mitchell’s dog last year.” Roberta kept it for a few weeks worrying she would have to release it. A few weeks past and they put the pen down by the shore. It was swimming happily and responding to the others. Roberta unwillingly released the cage and it was free.

Example 2. (E78)

The days were getting colder and ducks were starting to head south when Roberta found a nearly dead mallard frozen on the ground and covered with oil from a tanker spill. She brought it back home to wash the oil off with some help from her mom and then put it in a pen Roberta’s dad made. At first the duck didn’t have any energy at all and didn’t move for a long time without drinking the water or eating the corn Roberta had prepared for it. Roberta was so worried about the mallard that she couldn’t focus at school. When Roberta came home, the mallard was up and eating which made Roberta gain hope. Two weeks later, the duck had almost fully recovered but also had to leave and head south. The duck was desperate to leave and Roberta had no choice but to let it out.

Question 2. What is the main idea of the story?

Example 1. (E78)

The main idea of this story is to always have hope and to never give up. Roberta always had hope in the mallard that it would recover and she never gave up trying to help the bird reach that goal. Roberta always showed care towards the duck and the author also wants us to know that you have to care about your goal in order to achieve it. For example, whether it’s goals such as getting good grades in school or making a team, you must care about it so you have hope and you can motivate yourself to not give up.

Question 4. “The Visitor” is a narrative. List three characteristics that show that this is narrative writing. For each characteristic, give an example from the story to support your answer.

Example 1 (R7C)

I think the visitor is a narrative for 3 reasons. 1. It has characters. For example, Roberta, mom, dad and the duck. 2. It has a beginning, middle and end. For example, the beginning starts with her finding the duck. The middle is when she takes care of it and the end is when she lets it go. 3. It has a climax (most exciting part). For example, the part when the duck flies away.

Example 2 (R7C)

I know that “The Visitor” is a narrative because a narrative 1) has a problem. The problem was that the duck was covered in oil, frozen on the ice and almost died. 2) A narrative has a solution. The solution was to clean the duck up and help it recover. 3) Finally a narrative has a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning is that she found the duck, the middle was that she helped it recover. The end was that she let it go.

Example 3. (E78)

Question 7. Read the following sentences from the story: Roberta turned to look at her father. She felt almost as desparate as the duck. “It seems to be all right again, Dad,” she said, “but how can we be sure?” Use information from the story and your own ideas to explain how Roberta was feeling.

Example 1. (R7F)

Roberta feels worried. For example, What if the duck gets hurt? And no one’s there? If it dies… for hunger, what will we do? On the way, maybe it’s too weak?

Roberta is really protective. When I read this story, I feel like Roberta loves this duck. For example, she never would like the duck to be out of her life, like a sister or brother.

Example 2. (R7F)

From what Roberta is saying, I gather that she is still worried that the duck will get injured again if she lets it go. Also, she seems to be using excuses so that the duck will stay with her. But Roberta isn’t selfish and she knows that the duck doesn’t belong with her. In conclusion, Roberta seems to feel worried, sad and happy for the duck.

Example 3. (R7F)

Roberta was probably feeling miserable because she didn’t want to free the duck. She knew she had to do the right thing. Roberta loved the duck. She thought of the duck as her pet or best friend. It must be very hard for her to let it go. She was happy that the duck is happy, but she was sad that she might not see the duck again.

Example 4. R7F

I think Roberta is feeling sad and protective for her duck. I think she is feeling sad because over the time that she had the duck she learned to love it. She is also feeling protective because she feels like a mother for the duck and wants it to be as happy and safe as possible. That’s why she is reluctant to set the bird free.

Example 5. R7F

In the story, Roberta was probably feeling like a mother. I think that because throughout the story, she was caring for the duck by taking care of it, feeding it, and bathing it. When she let it go, she was still afraid it won’t be safe when there will be cold weather.

Example 6.  R7C

In these sentences, I think Roberta feels unable to answer and pressured. Roberta seeing the duck hurt and frozen can’t trust to let the duck free. Roberta helped it get better and thinks she could do a better job of taking care of it than the duck does on itself. But seeing the duck trying to get to its fellow ducks Roberta feels to let it go. In her mind she is asking “should I let it go or should I keep it?” She’s trying to make a tough decision. I had a goldfish and I didn’t want to let it go. This is how Roberta feels because she doesn’t want to let go of something so special.

Example 7.  E78

I think Roberta was feeling that she trusts her dad but is worried also. She feels worried because she isn’t sure if the duck [can] survive flying again. She trusts her dad also because her dad is saying the right choice.

Example 8. E78

To me, Roberta felt sad, desparate, and a heart-wrenching pain; for she was being separated from the only pet she currently had and feeling as though she needed to feel the security of the duck she has been taking care of.

Example 9. E78

When Roberta said the line, “It seems to be all right again, Dad, but how can we be sure?” I think she is feeling sad and curious at the same time. Sad because she has done all this hard work for the duck, but now she has to let it go. I also think she is curious because she doesn’t want the bird to die so she wants to know everything that she can do to help it.