1. Common Core: What can Parents Do?
Presented by:
Mrs. Montano
Mrs. Triantafilidis
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2. A Closer Look: ELA/Literacy Shifts
Read as much non-fiction as fiction
Learn about the world by reading
Read more challenging material closely
Discuss reading using evidence
Write non-fiction using evidence
Increase academic vocabulary
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3. ELA Shift #1: Read as much non-fiction as fiction
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Read more non- fiction
Understand how non-fiction is written and put together
Enjoy and discuss the details of non-fiction
Supply non-fiction texts to read
Read non-fiction books aloud or with your child
Have fun with non-fiction in front of your children
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4. ELA Shift #2: Learn about the world by reading
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Learn more about Science and Social Studies through reading
Use “primary source” documents
Get smarter through the use of texts
Supply texts on topics that interest your child
Find books that explain how things work and why
Discuss non-fiction texts and their ideas
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5. ELA Shift #3: Read more complex material carefully
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Re-read
Read books at their comfort level and more challenging texts
Not just read, comprehend
Handle frustration and keep pushing to improve
Provide more challenging texts their children want to read in addition to books they can read easily
Know what is grade level appropriate
Read challenging books with your child
Show that challenging books are worth reading
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6. ELA Shift #4: Discuss reading using evidence
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Find evidence to support their arguments
Form judgments and opinions
Become scholars
Discuss what the author is thinking
Make predictions
Talk about texts
Demand evidence in everyday discussions, debates and disagreements
Read aloud or read the same book as your child and discuss with evidence
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7. ELA Shift #5: Write from sources
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Make arguments in writing using evidence
Compare multiple texts in writing
Learn to write well
Encourage writing at home
Write “books” together using evidence and details
Review samples of student writing:
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8. ELA Shift #6: Build an academic vocabulary
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Learn the words they will need to use in college and career
Get smarter at using the “language of power”
Read often and constantly with young children
Read multiple books about the same topic
Let your children see you reading
Talk to your children, read to them, listen to them, sing with them, make up silly rhymes and word games
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9. An Overview of the ELA Test
The test will take place over 3 days.
(April 1st, 2nd, and 3rd)
The test will consist of multiple choice questions, short answers, and extended response questions.
Each Testing Day will be scheduled to allow 70 minutes for completion. However, it is estimated that it will take most children minutes to complete each section.
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10. ELA Test Design
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11. Types of ELA Questions On the ELA, students will encounter:
*Text Dependent Questions
*Inferential Questions
*Critical Thinking and Analysis Questions
Visit for sample ELA questions!
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12. What to Expect from Multiple Choice Questions
Students will be asked to analyze different aspects of a given text including
central idea
style elements (text structure)
character and plot development,
vocabulary.
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13. Example of a Multiple Choice Question
*What word means the opposite of “core” as it is used in paragraph 3? *From the passage and the diagram, which planet can the reader conclude is the coldest planet in the solar system? Read this sentence from paragraph 6 of the passage. Please do this experiment on a bare-topped table and cover the top with old newspapers. It can get (easy-to- clean-up) messy! Why does the author include the second sentence? *Air pressure builds up as the plane flies through the air. When the pressure is released, it makes a loud noise. Which of the following best describes the text structure of the sentence?
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14. What to Expect from Short Answer Questions
Students will use inference skills or detail skills to answer a single question.
Responses must be supported with text evidence.
At least 2 pieces of text evidence must be used in response.
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15. Examples of Short Answer Questions
*Does the author believe that John the Elder understood nature as well as people do today? Use two details from the article to support your answer.
*How does the author support the idea that the earwigs look scarier than they actually are? Use two details from the article to support your answer.
*What is a theme of “Stealing Fire from Zeus”? Use two details from the myth to support your answer.
*How are the points of view in the two stories different? Use one detail from each story to support your answer.
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16. What to Expect from an Extended Response
Designed to assess writing from sources.
Require analysis of either an individual text or paired texts.
Paired texts share a related theme, genre, tone, time period, setting, or other characteristics.
Students must express a position and support it with evidence from one (or two texts).
Students will be expected to synthesize ideas between and draw evidence from both texts. It allows students to demonstrate their ability to write a coherent essay using text evidence to support their ideas.
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17. Examples of Extended Response Questions
These myths came from two different cultures. Both myths explain how fire was given to those who needed it. How are the explanations the same, how are they different? Use details from both myths to support your answer.
In your response, be sure to do the following:
Explain how the myth “How Beaver Stole Fire” tells how fire was given to those who needed it
Explain how the myth “Stealing Fire from Zeus” tells how fire was given to those who needed it
Compare and contrast the two explanations
Include details from both myths to support your answer
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18. Are You Smarter Than a 4th Grader?
Now it’s your turn to take answer a few questions from last year’s 4th grade ELA test!
After we answer the questions, we will review the questions and answers. 
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19. A Closer Look: Mathematics Shifts
Focus: learn more about less
Build skills across grades
Develop speed and accuracy
Really know it, Really do it
Use it in the real world
Think fast AND solve problems
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20. Math Shift #1: Focus: Learn more about less
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Spend more time on fewer concepts
Go more in-depth on each one
Know what the priority work is for your child at their grade level
Spend time with your child on that work
Ask your child’s teacher about his or her progress on the priority work
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21. Math Shift #2: Learn skills across grades
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Keep building on learning year after year
Be aware of what your child struggled with last year and how that will affect ongoing learning
Advocate for your child and ensure that support is given for “gap” skills: negative numbers, fractions, etc.
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22. Math Shift #3: Develop speed and accuracy
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Spend time practicing by doing lots of problems on the same idea
Push children to know, understand and memorize basic math facts
Know all of the fluencies your child should have; prioritize learning of the ones they still find difficult
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23. Math Shift #4: Really know it, really do it
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Make the math work, and understand why it does
Talk about why the math works
Prove that they know why and how the math works
Notice whether your child really knows why the answer is what it is
Advocate for the time your child needs to learn key math skills
Provide time for your child to work at math skills at home
Get smarter in the math your child needs to know
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24. Math Shift #5: Use it in the real world
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Apply math in real world situations
Know which math skills to use for which situation
Ask your child to do that math that comes up in your daily life
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25. Math Shift #6: Think fast and solve problems
Students MUST
Parents SHOULD
Be able to use core math facts quickly
Be able to apply math in the real world
Notice your child’s strengths and weaknesses in math
Make sure your child practices the math facts that prove most difficult
Make sure your child thinks about math in real life
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26. Fourth Grade Math Curriculum
Topic 1-Multiplication & Division: Meaning and Facts Topic 2- Generate and Analyze Patterns Topic 3- Place Value Topic 4- Addition & Subtraction of Whole Numbers Topics 5 & 6- Number Sense & Fluency: Multiplying by 1 Digit number Topics 7 & 8- Number Sense & Fluency: Multiplying by 2 digit numbers
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27. Fourth Grade Math Curriculum
Topics 9 & 10:Number Sense & Developing Fluency: Dividing by 1 digit divisors Topic 11: Fraction Equivalence and Ordering Topic 12- Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers with Like Denominators Topic 13- Extending Fraction Concepts Topic 14- Measurement Units and Conversions Topic 15-Solving Measurement Problems Topic 16- Lines, Angles, and Shapes
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28. An Overview of the Fourth Grade Math Test
The test will take place over 3 days.
(April 30th, May 1st, May 2nd)
Sessions 1 and 2 will be 60 minutes.
Session 3 will be 90 minutes.
The estimated time for sessions 1 and 2 is 40 minutes. The estimated time for session 3 is 70 minutes.
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29. Math Test Design Day One: 24 multiple choice questions
Day Two: 25 multiple choice questions
Day Three: 6 short response questions and extended response questions
For Day 3, students are expected to write a
written explanation of their answers.
**For all three days, most of the
questions are word problems.
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30. What do the Questions Look Like?
Multiple Choice: These will assess a skill or concept. Many will involve multiple steps and combine concepts or a standard algorithm.
Short Response: Students will complete a task and show their work. These will require multiple steps and knowledge of mathematical practices and real-world applications.
Extended Response: Students will complete multiple step problems. They will be asked to show all of their work and explain their answer in written form.
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31. Examples of Multiple Choice Questions
Michael earns $27 mowing lawns. He earned $12 less than that washing windows. He earns 3 times as much money walking dogs as he earned washing windows. How much money does Michael earn walking dogs?
$ B. $ C. $ D. $45
On Saturday, 9,155 fans attended a baseball game. On Sunday, 5,097 fans attended the game. To the nearest hundred, how many fans attended Saturday and Sunday combined?
A. 14, B. 14, C. 14, D. 14,300
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32. Examples of Multiple Choice Questions
A rectangular flowerbed at a city park has an area of 126 square meters. The width of the flowerbed is 3 meters. What is the perimeter of the flowerbed?
42m B. 84m C. 90m D. 96m
Which is another way to show 7 x 1/6?
A. 1/ B. 7/ C. 7/ D. 8/6
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33. Example of a Multiple Choice Question
The perimeter of the rectangle below is 54 inches. 7in. What is the length of the longer side of the rectangle? A. 40 in B. 47 in C. 20 in D. 17 in.
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34. Example of an Extended Response Question
A factory prints 123 baseball cards in a minute. This number can be written in expanded form, which is the sum of the place value of its digits. 123 in expanded form is
Part A
The factory prints 4,032 football cards in an hour. Explain how using the expanded form of 4,032 can help you find the total number of football cards factory prints in 5 hours.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
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35. Extended Response
Part B Now write an equation to show how to find 5 x 4,032 using expanded form. Answer: ____________________ Part C How many football cards does the factory print in 5 hours? Show your work. Answer: _______________________
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36. Are Your Smarter Than a 4th Grader?
Now it’s your turn to take answer a few questions from last year’s 4th grade Math test!
After we answer the questions, we will review the questions and answers 
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37. Resources for parents
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38. EngageNY
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39. Additional resources www.achievethecore.org www.pta.org/4446.htm

40. Thank you
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