Composition: Composing Informational Texts (TEKS.ELA.8.11.B)
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Texas 8th Grade ELA › Composition: Composing Informational Texts (TEKS.ELA.8.11.B)
Many students say they feel tired in the morning, and there are different reasons people give for that. Phones, homework, and after-school activities all take time, and alarms ring early. Some teens watch videos late or text friends, while others read or play games. Blue light from screens is a topic scientists study, but caffeine, noise, and room temperature matter too. Schools try different start times, and families set rules like charging devices in the kitchen. Exercise can help people sleep, yet long practices run late. There are apps that track sleep, though not everyone likes wearing a watch. Overall, sleep connects to health and learning, but it's hard to know what makes the biggest difference or what steps are most effective for all students.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea with strong, relevant evidence and improves the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Broaden the topic to argue that technology affects teen health in many ways, describing gaming, headphones, posture, and social media habits with quick examples from different age groups.
Refocus by comparing alarm clocks, smartwatch sleep apps, and mattress types, adding a short timeline of inventions to show how waking up has changed.
Focus the controlling idea on this claim: Evening screen use reduces teens' sleep quality. Organize by cause and effect—explain blue-light suppression of melatonin, summarize one school-night study on later bedtimes, and include relevant solutions (device curfews, Night Shift) with brief explanations of why they work. Use transitions to connect cause, evidence, and steps.
Narrow the draft to a debate about school start times only, adding quotes from one principal and a bus driver to present both sides.
Explanation
Option C presents a focused controlling idea (evening screen use harms teen sleep), organizes information by cause and effect, and develops it with relevant evidence and targeted solutions. The other choices are either too broad, irrelevant to the main issue, or too narrow to organize the draft's information effectively.
The Texas Gulf Coast includes long beaches, shipping channels, and towns that depend on fishing and tourism. Storm season brings rain and wind, and people watch forecasts closely. Some years there are big hurricanes, and other years are quiet, but flooding can happen in either case. Wetlands, dunes, and barriers exist, and so do roads, bridges, and refineries. Residents board windows, but not everyone has the same supplies or plans. After storms, volunteers help, and businesses try to reopen. There are projects to deepen ports and projects to restore marshes. Insurance, evacuation routes, and shelter locations are discussed, yet it's unclear which ideas get priority or how communities decide. The coast keeps changing, and people keep adapting in different ways. Costs rise after each storm.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea with strong, relevant evidence and improves the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Advance this controlling idea: On the Texas Gulf Coast, combining stronger building standards with natural defenses most effectively reduces hurricane losses. Organize sections on elevated construction and wind-rated roofs; then show how marsh and dune restoration lower surge heights, using one recent Texas storm as a case example and a cost comparison of mitigation versus repair.
Explain that Texas weather is unpredictable by covering droughts, wildfires, cold snaps, tornadoes, and hail, with one paragraph per hazard to show variety.
Center the piece on tourism attractions and seafood dishes along the coast, offering a photo tour of beaches and restaurants to keep readers engaged.
Make a persuasive case to deepen ports quickly by listing shipping statistics, but remove discussion of neighborhoods, wetlands, and flooding to maintain a narrow focus.
Explanation
Option A sets a precise controlling idea (paired structural and natural defenses reduce hurricane losses) and supports it with relevant case evidence and logical organization. The other options are either too broad, drift from the topic, or narrow the focus so much that overall coherence and purpose are weakened.
Three-dimensional printers can make objects layer by layer, and people use them for projects in school, clubs, and businesses. Some designs are models you download, and others are original, but the materials vary. Plastic is common, and there are machines that use resin or even metal powder, which is expensive. Printers can be slow, and they sometimes jam, so users wait. In class, a teacher might ask for a phone stand, while a hospital could need a model of a heart. There are stories about shoes, homes, and foods being printed. Filament costs money, and printers need maintenance. Safety rules matter. People debate whether printed parts are strong enough, and there are many different goals, so results are not always comparable across classrooms and industries.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea with strong, relevant evidence and improves the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Claim that technology is changing everything, then list phones, drones, virtual reality, and 3D printers with brief descriptions to show rapid innovation.
Describe filament colors, nozzle sizes, and brand comparisons so readers can choose a printer, including a chart of prices and maintenance schedules.
Limit the article to making a phone stand in class, providing step-by-step directions and photos to guide beginners.
Advance a clear controlling idea: 3D printing speeds prototyping and enables customized parts. Define the process briefly, then develop two evidence-rich sections: a school project that iterates designs in hours instead of weeks, and a hospital printing patient-specific models that help surgeons plan procedures. Explain limits (strength, cost) to maintain objectivity and cohesion.
Explanation
Option D presents a focused controlling idea and develops it with relevant educational and medical evidence in a logical structure while acknowledging limitations. The other options are overly broad, off-topic for informational analysis, or too narrow to organize the range of information in the draft.
Austin is called a live music city, but visitors also talk about breakfast tacos, barbecue, murals, and sunny trails. Festivals fill certain weekends, and then weekdays feel calmer. Some venues are tiny and others are outdoors, and people stand in long lines for popular acts. New apartments keep opening, and parking prices are high near downtown. Musicians post show times on social media, yet older fans check flyers at coffee shops. Companies sponsor events, and local shops sell shirts. The history of different music styles is complicated, with bands moving, closing, or returning. Neighbors discuss loud sounds and street traffic. Tourism numbers grow some years and fall in others, and the weather can change plans at the last minute. Costs affect venues and artists differently.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea with strong, relevant evidence and improves the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Argue that Texas culture is exciting because of food, sports, ranching, space exploration, and music, giving one example of each to show variety across the state.
Establish this controlling idea: Austin's live music industry drives local economic activity. Organize by revenue streams—venues, festivals, and related businesses—and support each with concrete examples such as jobs created, ticket and hotel spending, and neighborhood impacts. Conclude by noting how sound policies balance nightlife and residents, tying the evidence back to the central claim.
Turn the piece into a calendar that lists weekly events and band names across the city to help readers plan their schedules.
Focus on noise complaints only, collecting quotes from two neighbors and one club owner, and drop details about venues, tourism, and sponsors for simplicity.
Explanation
Option B provides a clear, focused controlling idea and organizes the discussion around economic evidence connected to Austin's live music industry, improving coherence and purpose. The other choices are either too broad, merely list events, or narrow the topic so much that important context and connections are lost.
Wind turbines can be seen along highways and on ranches, and sometimes they look gigantic when you drive past them. In science class we learned wind comes from uneven heating, which is interesting, and people say turbines can be noisy, though some folks don't mind. Texas is big, so there is room for a lot of machines, and there are different opinions about where they should go. Some communities think about jobs, while others think about views. I read about offshore wind in another state, and solar panels on rooftops also make electricity, which shows there are many options. Maintenance crews climb ladders, and the blades are made of special materials. The weather matters, like storms and calm days, and companies plan around that carefully.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea and provides strong, relevant supporting evidence while enhancing the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Explain renewable energy in general, comparing wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal across the world, including how ancient mills worked and how modern batteries store power.
Focus on turbine blade materials and how technicians climb ladders using safety gear, with detailed steps of a maintenance day.
Present a clear claim: Texas leads the nation in wind energy because its consistent plains winds and vast rural land support large wind farms, which create thousands of jobs and supply significant electricity to the grid. Use state production figures, job data, and examples of how communities balance views with economic gains to organize the essay.
Open with a vivid highway scene and then tell two stories from different states about turbines, saving statistics for a final paragraph to surprise the reader.
Explanation
Option C provides a focused controlling idea about Texas wind energy, outlines an organizing structure, and calls for relevant evidence (production figures, jobs, community impacts), improving coherence and effectiveness.
Earth's surface has mountains, valleys, and oceans, and people hike or go to the beach to see them. Maps show lines where continents meet, and there are also volcanoes. Some plates move slowly, which reminds me of a crowded hallway after lunch. Earthquakes happen in some places, but other places are quiet, and building codes can be important. In a video, I saw lava hardening into rock, and I also learned fossils can be found in layers. The inside of the Earth has different parts, like the core and mantle, and scientists use instruments to study waves. Islands form in various ways. Over time, landscapes change for many reasons, including weather and plants, and cities deal with these changes differently. Sometimes this affects people's homes.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea and provides strong, relevant supporting evidence while enhancing the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Advance a focused thesis: Plate tectonics reshapes Earth's surface by moving rigid plates that create earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain ranges; explain how plate boundaries work and support with examples like the Ring of Fire, the Himalayas, and mid-ocean ridges, integrating seismic data to organize sections.
Describe all causes of landscape change, from weather to animals to human construction, then briefly mention plates at the end.
Tell a personal story about visiting a beach cliff and finding a fossil, then include a paragraph on lava tubes.
Provide a short definition of tectonics and insert a long list of rock types without explaining how they form at boundaries.
Explanation
Option A offers a clear controlling idea about plate tectonics and an organized plan using specific, relevant evidence and examples, strengthening focus and coherence.
Galveston is an island city on the Gulf Coast, and beaches attract visitors for fishing and festivals. More than a century ago, a huge storm hit, and I saw photos of trolleys and Victorian houses that looked interesting. Weather forecasting was different then, and sometimes storms change direction. There are stories about people rebuilding, and later the city made changes to buildings. The seawall is a structure along the shore, and ports handle cargo there today. Hurricanes have wind and rain, and other Texas towns have dealt with flooding, too. Some cities raise roads. Museums have exhibits about local history. The storm affected many families, and newspapers wrote articles. Modern meteorologists use satellites, and community drills help people practice. Planning can reduce risk in disasters.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea and provides strong, relevant supporting evidence while enhancing the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Compare hurricanes around the world, including typhoons, storm names, and global ports, with Galveston as one brief example.
Focus only on trolley history and Victorian architecture styles, adding details about paint colors and porches.
Start with a dramatic second-person warning, jump to modern satellites, then end with a quote from a museum sign.
State a clear controlling idea: The 1900 Galveston hurricane transformed the city's infrastructure and disaster planning; explain the storm's impact, the construction of the seawall and grade raising, and lasting policy changes, using casualty estimates and engineering details to support an organized cause-and-effect structure.
Explanation
Option D centers on a focused controlling idea and lays out a logical cause-and-effect structure supported by relevant evidence about impacts and reforms.
Phones today can take photos, play games, and send messages, and many families use them on road trips. Stores sell different models, and some people keep older devices, which can still work for calls. Apps include maps and timers, and there are also calculators. In class, we sometimes use devices, but rules vary by teacher, and chargers get borrowed. The first phones were bigger, and then touchscreens appeared, and batteries changed over time. I saw a video about satellites and signals, and another about coding. People debate screen time, and there are tips for putting phones away at night. Cameras now have multiple lenses. Some people watch shows, and others listen to music. Updates install, and icons change. Costs, privacy, and access also shape decisions.
Which revision best establishes a clear controlling idea and provides strong, relevant supporting evidence while enhancing the overall effectiveness of the informational writing?
Survey all digital devices from laptops to game consoles and list pros and cons for each, with a final note on phones.
Focus the piece on how smartphones have changed student learning: present a claim that phones can both support research and distract from tasks; organize by school practices, app-based tools, and limits like privacy and cost, using studies or school policy examples as evidence.
Describe how cameras work inside a phone lens and compare every sensor spec from several brands.
Open with a funny story about a lost charger, then include a long list of favorite apps without connecting them to a main point.
Explanation
Option B provides a precise controlling idea and an organizational plan supported by relevant, school-based evidence, improving focus and overall coherence.