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University of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla
Department of Education and Physical Education
Sample Student Work
In this section, I will be showing a few samples of student work based on The House on Mango Street. Students were assigned a collaborative group activity in which they read a chapter and wrote a 10-sentence summary in their own words, focusing on the most important ideas and events without copying from the novel. The purpose of the assignment was to strengthen reading comprehension, help students identify main ideas and themes, and encourage them to express their understanding clearly and independently. After completing their summaries, students shared their work with the class, promoting discussion, participation, and collaborative learning. The samples presented reflect different levels of student performance, including advanced, proficient, and developing work, showing variation in writing, organization, and understanding of the novel.
All students demonstrated mastery of the summary skill, as each sample shows a clear understanding of the assigned chapter and the ability to identify and explain the main ideas. Overall, students followed the instructions by writing in their own words, organizing their thoughts, and completing the required sentences. While there are natural differences in writing style, depth, and clarity, every student successfully showed comprehension of the novel. These variations reflect different levels of development, but all students performed well and produced meaningful work, demonstrating effort, engagement, and growth throughout the activity.
A Smart Cookie
This sample is exemplary because the students demonstrates a deep understanding of the chapter by explaining both the main idea and the underlying message. The writing is clear, well-organized, and uses strong vocabulary. The student goes beyond a simple summary by analyzing Esperanza’s mother’s situation, which shows higher-level thinking and excellent comprehension.
My Name
This sample is proficient because the students shows a clear understanding of the chapter and includes the main ideas. The writing is organized and mostly accurate, but it relies more on retelling than deeper analysis. Some repetition and simpler sentence structure keep it at a proficient level rather than at an advanced level.
Four Skinny Trees
This sample is advanced because the students not only summarizes the chapter but also explains the symbolic meaning of the trees, showing strong analytical thinking. The ideas are detailed and well-developed. However, minor issues such as a missing sentence and unclear handwriting prevent it from being exemplary.
Elenita, Cards, Palm, Water
This sample is categorized as needs improvement because it mainly retells the events of the chapter without deeper explanation or analysis. The writing is simpler, and there are noticeable grammar and clarity issues. While the students shows basic understanding, the work lacks detail and stronger organization.
The House on Mango Street
This sample is proficient because the students clearly summarizes the main events and ideas of the chapter in an organized way. The writing is complete and understandable, but it focuses more on describing events rather than analyzing them. This shows a solid understanding, but not a deeper level of interpretation.