Welcome to Fourth Grade FCAT Parent Night Oakleaf Village Elementary 2009-2010

Fourth Grade Parent Night Agenda When is FCAT? Expository Writing Narrative Writing FCAT Math FCAT Reading Test Taking Strategies What can I do to help?

When are the 4th Grade FCAT Testing Dates? FCAT Writing February 9th FCAT Reading March 9th-12th FCAT Math Parents: Please have students here on time and well rested after enjoying a nutritious breakfast! We want them to do their best!

What is the FCAT Writing Assessment? During the FCAT writing assessment students must write an essay to be completed within a designated forty-five minute time period. Students are expected to respond to a prompt in an organized, developed format using standard language, but the response is not expected to be a final polished essay.

Fourth Grade Writing Student Expectations Focus on the Prompt Use an Organizational Pattern Support Ideas with Details Use Correct Grammar Use Colorful Language Hold the Audience’s Attention

What is a Writing Prompt? A prompt defines the topic for the student's writing. Prompts have two basic parts: the writing topic and the directions for writing. During the FCAT writing assessment students will receive a writing prompt that asks them to respond with an Expository or Narrative essay.

What else is a Writing Prompt? Given an Expository writing prompt a student will be asked to EXPLAIN given a why, how, or, what question about the prompt. Given a Narrative writing prompt students will be asked to TELL or WRITE a STORY given a writing situation.

Writing Prompt Example Expository - EXPLAINS Writing Situation: We all have things we really enjoy doing outside. You may like to play ball, jump rope, or play with your pet. Directions for Writing: Before you begin writing, think about things you really enjoy doing outside. Now explain to the reader of your paper, what you enjoy doing outside.

Writing Prompt Example Narrative – TELLS A STORY Writing Situation: All of us like to go on trips. Think about a trip you have been on in the past. Directions for Writing: Before you begin writing, think about a trip you have taken. Now write a story to tell about your trip.

What is a Planning Web? A planning web is designed to help the student plan for their writing by organizing their thoughts beforehand. Students should use no more than five minutes to plan for their writing. The ideas and thoughts a student puts on a planning web is NOT graded.

What is Expository Writing? Must include reasons supported by details and examples Usually 5 paragraphs: Introduction tells the reader what topic they are explaining and simply tells the reader three reasons why they chose that topic. The next three paragraphs focuses on those reasons ( a paragraph per reason). This is where students need to provide details and examples supporting their reasons. The final paragraph restates what they chose and the reasons behind their choice and a concluding sentence.

Expository Writing Explains Five Paragraphs Three Reasons - Why, What, or How Transitional Words Focuses on Prompt Uses many details / elaborations

What is Narrative Writing? Tells a story Must have a Beginning, Middle, and End Usually 5 paragraphs: The beginning is to the point giving the 5 w’s and introducing characters and setting. The middle is where the plot is developed and most action occurs. This is where students should use details to create visual imagery in the reader’s mind. The end simply wraps up the story. A good narrative should have a problem and solution and not leave the reader with any questions.

Narrative Writing Tells a story Includes Events Beginning, Middle, and End Problem and Solution Feelings Dialogue Characters and Setting

Important Additions to a Well Written Essay Descriptive Words ENORMOUS instead of big DREADFUL instead of bad FANTASTIC instead of good Similes As green as grass As quiet as a mouse Sharp as a razor Transition Words To begin with, In addition, Finally, To wrap up

How are the Assessments Graded? You child’s essay will be graded using a RUBRIC and HOLISTIC SCORING on a scale of 1-6.

What is a Rubric? A rubric is a scoring guide. It tells the teacher and the student what traits will be evaluated and presents a continuum of quality based on those traits.

What is Holistic Scoring? Trained scorers judge the total piece of writing in terms of PREDEFINED CRITERIA. Predefined Criteria: The Four Writing Elements Focus Organization Support Conventions

FOCUS How clearly the paper presents and maintains a main idea, theme, or unifying point. Low Score – Extraneous or loosely related information. High Score – Consistent awareness of topic.

ORGANIZATION Structure or Plan of Development (Beginning, Middle, and End) Low Score – Lacks an organization plan or transitional devices. High Score – Demonstrates an effective organizational pattern.

SUPPORT Quality of details used to explain, clarify, or define. Quality depends on word choice, depth, relevance, and thoroughness. Low Score – Little, if any, development of support. High Score – Provides elaborated examples between the support and the topic.

Conventions Punctuation, Capitalization, Spelling, and Sentence Structure. Low Score – Frequent or blatant errors High Score – Follows basic conventions of punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and sentence structure

FCAT Math Assessment The Fourth grade FCAT math test is a gridded response/multiple choice exam that covers all aspects of math from addition to algebra. We provide daily FCAT math practice to our students. Each morning our students complete FCAT style math problems for morning work. We begin each math lesson by reviewing those problems with multiple ways to solve them before beginning the daily lesson. Students also receive computer assisted instruction using the FCAT Explorer. Students will be assessed in the skill areas of addition, subtraction, rounding, telling time, multiplication, geometry, measurement, reading graphs, division, probability, fractions, and decimals.

FCAT Mathematics Grade Number Sense Measurement Geometry Algebraic Data Concepts & Operations & Spatial Sense Thinking Analysis 28% 20% 17% 17% 18% Percentage of Points by Cognitive Complexity Level for FCAT Mathematics Grades Low Moderate High 3 – 4 25-35 50-70 5–15

Sample Question (easy) Which of these measurements best describes the weight of one apple? F. 7 inches G. 7 ounces H. 7 tons I. 7 pounds Answer: G. 7 ounces

Sample Question (moderate) George bought a pen for $1.98, and he also bought some paper. He spent a total of $2.87. Let p represent the cost of the paper. Which equation below will help him find the cost of the paper? F. 1.98 + p= 2.87 G. 1.98 x p = 2.87 H. p - 1.98 = 2.87 I. p / 1.98= 2.87 Answer: F

Sample Question Mrs. Pate is displaying science projects on tables in the lunchroom for the science fair. She can display 6 projects on each table. If there are 72 projects to display, what is the total number of tables Mrs. Pate will need? Gridded Response 12

Recent Changes for 2009 / 2010 That Effect 4th Grade Possibly new gridded response Field test of NGSSS items Third and fourth grade will have a ruler for part two Fourth grade will have gridded response items for the first time on field test items

Ruler Notice where the zero is. Do not cut rulers to align with zero!

New Grids Money Grids Whole Number Grids Percentage Grids Decimal Grids

Steps to Helping your Child Prepare for FCAT Math Provide assistance and practice flash cards using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Supervise/Tutor your child with their daily math homework. Ask your child to log-in to FCAT Explorer on home computer. http://focus.florida-achieves.com/(S(du2yahfrn5efun55v1qoecyi))/login.aspx Logins and passwords are stapled in the front of your child’s planner. Practice FLDOE released math tests Student Test: http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/releasepdf/grade4mathtestbook.pdf Answer Key: http://fcat.fldoe.org/pdf/releasepdf/grade4mathanswerkey.pdf

FCAT Reading Assessment The Fourth grade FCAT reading test is a multiple choice /short response/long response exam that covers all skills associated with reading. We provide daily FCAT reading practice to our students. During our 90 minute reading block students read and respond to a variety of reading passages with many being written in FCAT style. Students will be assessed in the reading skills areas summarizing, main idea, sequencing, compare/contrast, author’s purpose, comprehension, language, vocabulary, literary response and analysis.

Steps to Prepare for FCAT Reading Read with your child 20 minutes daily with a book, newspaper, or magazine. Take AR quizzes to assess comprehension. Trade off reading paragraphs aloud, sounding out words correctly, and discussing word meanings. Discuss story elements like- who were the characters, what was the setting, was there a solution to the stories problem?

Short and Long Reading Responses Short Response questions are worth 2 points. Students must answer the question and use 1-2 details from the story. Long Response questions are worth 4 points. Students must answer the question and use 3-4 details from the story.

Test Taking Strategies Read the directions carefully. Ask your teacher to explain any directions you do not understand. Be sure to fill in the answer bubbles correctly. Do not make any stray marks around answer spaces. When you have finished each problem, reread it to make sure your answer is reasonable. Check each answer to make sure it is the best answer for the question. Relax. Some people get nervous about tests. It’s natural. Just do your best!

We Want CALM Students! As a parent you are in the greatest position to prepare your child to succeed in FCAT testing. During the weeks of testing please try to calm, encourage, and reassure your child. Tell them that they are great! Also, that they will do great on the TEST!

Thank You For Being Here!