Fourth Grade Assessments

Writing Assessment -

Narrative Writing Assessment

Format & Tasks

Student writes a narrative story for 25 minutes in response to a prompt read by the teacher. The teacher scores this narrative using the Registered Holistic Scoring Rubric method modified for ESPA/NJ-ASK, where a student can earn 1-5 points. A rubric score of 4 is expected in the 4th grade. Review class data sheet for all students to see if selected student scores above/below benchmark and how they perform compared to classmates, identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses, which can be addressed with lesson plans and school-based interventions, and included in special education evaluations and reports, as well as IEP PLAAFP statements, goals and objectives.

Instructional Implications

In addition to the overall rubric score we should note the criteria skills that were and were not exhibited from NJDOE’s rubric. This analysis can guide instruction, including setting goals and addressing weaknesses. In this endeavor, note the following skills from NJDOE’s rubric:

1.   Content / Organization - communicates intended message to intended audience; relates to topic; opening and closing; focused; logical progression of ideas; transitions; & appropriate details and information

2.   Usage - tense formation; subject-verb agreement; pronouns usage/ agreement; word choice/meaning; & proper modifiers)

3.   Sentence Construction - variety of type, structures, and length; & correct construction

4.   Mechanics – spelling, punctuation, & capitalization

The following research-based instructional strategies can address identified weaknesses and may be included in lesson plans, school-based interventions, &/or noted as supplemental aids and services to address IEP goals and objectives, based on a student’s needs:

1.     Model the writing we want student to produce independently.

2.     Provide coaching and scaffolding where necessary.

3.     Have student articulate and reflect on compositional strengths and needs.

4.     Provide student with frequent writing experiences in all content areas to build confidence and competence.

5.     Student should generate topics, plan, write, revise, and edit writing.

Harcourt Placement & Diagnostic Assessment – Fall

Format & Content – The student is presented with multiple reading tasks that assess performance in reading comprehension, reading vocabulary, phonemic awareness, & phonics.

Instructional Implications – This assessment identifies student’s strengths & weaknesses, which can be addressed in special education evaluations and reports and integrated into IEPs (e.g., PLAAFP Statements, Goals & Objectives, & Supplementary Aids and Services). 

Oral Reading Fluency - November, January, March

Students are required to read appropriate grade level narrative or expository text within a timed interval. The Oral Reading Fluency assessment provides a teacher the opportunity to assess oral reading fluency, compute a fluency score, interpret the score, and make comparisons of progress at intervals throughout the school year.  This individualized assessment requires the teacher to take a running record of student performance measuring accuracy as well as reading rate. This observable and measurable data should be identified as strengths and weaknesses, which lesson plans, school-based interventions, special education evaluations/reports, as well as IEP programs & services should address (e.g., PLAAFP statements, goals and objectives, etc.).  

Math Assessments

Practice New Jersey ASK - Mathematics

The NJ Practice ASK was designed by the district and closely resembles the format of the New Jersey Standardized assessment administered in Grade 4.  Practice dealing with enhanced multiple choice questions and open-ended questions enables children to approach the NJASK in March with increased confidence and skill.  The practice test is administered in October and student scan sheets are submitted to the Office of Mathematics.  Results are scored and student data is thoroughly analyzed and returned to schools and Grade 4 teachers to provide information on areas of strength and weakness by student, class, school, and district

Math Midterm and Final Assessments:

These assessments are designed by the district and are similar in format to the New Jersey Standardized assessments. 

On the mid-term and finals, there are both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Most of the questions are multiple-choice, where the student chooses the best answer from among 4 choices and uses an answer sheet to darken in the circle of the correct choice. For the open-ended questions, the student writes and/or draws answers to these questions in the open-ended booklet provided with the test.

The open-ended questions are scored with specifically designed Scoring Rubrics for math that gives 0 to 3 points for each answer. The rubrics help ensure that students are scored in the same way for the same demonstration of knowledge and skills regardless of the scorer. The open-ended questions require students to construct and explain their own written or graphic responses. Students earn points by showing their work and clearly explaining how a solution was reached.

Unit Assessments:

The unit assessments are part of the Everyday Mathematics series published by McGraw Hill.  These assessments are closely aligned to the NJCCCS and are administered at the end of each unit.  The questions on these assessments contain both pure computation and word problems.  In addition, teachers may use the Assessment Assistant (a component of Everyday Math) to tailor computer-generated assessments formatted in the same way as the unit tests to the needs of the class.

As part of the Fourth Grade Everyday Math Kit, each teacher receives an Assessment Handbook.  The handbook contains masters for individual student profiles and class profiles correlated to the objectives unit by unit.  Teachers are encouraged to use this as part of daily on-going assessment in conjunction with portfolio assessment of students.

Open-Ended Questions:

Performance assessment tasks for children in grades K-8 that meet national standards to improve assessment and instruction have been downloaded to all networked Newark Public School computer labs.  Each EXEMPLAR includes a performance task and the context for the assignment, a specific rubric, annotated benchmark papers at Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner and Expert levels, concepts to be assessed and skills to be developed, interdisciplinary links and teaching tips, possible solutions, suggestions on how students might carry out the task, and the estimated time required.   

Science:

Foss & STC Modules  

-FOSS assessment takes the form of informal teacher observation and teacher questioning. The teacher guide suggests behavior to watch for during investigations and questions to ask about the content. Assessments fall into two categories: formative and summative. Formative assessments are integrated into instruction. Based on these two means of assessment, teachers will know how to adjust their teaching for individual students or for the whole class. A recording system is included.

  New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) -

The above district wide and statewide assessments are aligned with New Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards. Therefore, teachers, parents, administrators, school-based intervention teams and/or IEP teams can utilize the hyperlinked CPI (cumulative progress indicator) checklists developed by the Newark Teachers Union (NTU) for reading, writing, math, and science to identify strengths and weaknesses, in the corresponding grade's knowledge/skills. These strengths and weaknesses can be integrated into teachers' lessons, school-based interventions, special education evaluations/corresponding reports, and IEPs (e.g., PLAAFP statements, goals/objectives, and supplementary aids and services.