Parents of Fourth Graders:
In Language Arts this week, we are working on our review for the SOL test including following multi-step directions, parts of speech, guide words, and encyclopedias. Students will have any activity sheets for homework that they do not finish in class.
Students can log into Study Island: https://app.studyisland.com/cfw/login/ to work on Reading and Math practice questions. They can also study the terms on Quizlet. I will post the links below. We are making review flash cards in class for them to bring home to study, but if they can get on Quizlet they will be able to click on the pictures and zoom in to see them bigger, play review games, and take quizzes. It is also a great idea to go through their binders and look for relevant review materials for all three SOL tests.
Quizlet- join my class here: https://quizlet.com/join/AZzzcKCXm
Or go directly to the card sets:
Language Arts Terms: http://quizlet.com/50994328/language-arts-terms-flash-cards/
Book Genres: http://quizlet.com/77460599/book-genres-flash-cards/
Prefixes: http://quizlet.com/65728282/prefixes-flash-cards/
Suffixes: http://quizlet.com/65745894/suffixes-flash-cards/
Roots: http://quizlet.com/69313339/root-words-flash-cards/
Independent reading is also very important! Students need to increase their fluency; increase their stamina to be able to sit for a long period of time and stay focused on the test; and be exposed to lots of examples of different types of reading materials- cookbooks, comic books, realistic fiction novels, informational text, newspapers, magazines, fantasy, historical fiction, biographies, science fiction, poetry, etc. I can tell you that typically realistic fiction, historical fiction, biographies, and nonfiction informational texts are heavy hitters on the SOL tests. They may also see fliers, web pages, instruction sheets, and poetry.
The dates for the SOL Tests have been changed. The 4th Grade Reading SOL Test will be Tuesday, May 5; the 4th Grade Math SOL Test will be Tuesday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 13; and the VA Studies SOL Test will be Wednesday, May 20.
We are stepping up remediation and review at school. Some students need to replenish school supplies for this process: highlighters, loose-leaf paper, pencils, erasers, and index cards would be greatly appreciated. We are dividing the students into groups to have small group practice and instruction. Each student will have a 40-minute Math Remediation on either Monday or Tuesday, Reading Remediation on either Wednesday or Thursday, and may have VA Studies Remediation on Friday (as needed). Then we are also using 8th period for remediation. To enable time for this, you will notice your child has a homework sheet stapled in his or her planner each afternoon. Please sign these slips and leave them in the planner. He or she will be working on earning a trip to the store over a two-week period for having these signed and returning them. In this way, we can ensure you will see the daily homework.
Below are the Reading SOLs and Essential Knowledge for you to look over. There is SO much that students need to be ready for even though only SOLs 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6 are tested. Here is a testing blueprint that breaks down the questions on the test:
47 questions total on the Reading SOL Test:
4.4a-c, e Word Study 7 questions
4.5 a-e, g-j Comprehension of Fiction 17 questions
4.6 a-h Comprehension of Nonfiction 16 questions
7 field test questions
4.4 The student will expand vocabulary when reading.
a) Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
b) Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones.
c) Use word-reference materials, including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus.
e) Use vocabulary from other content areas.
• The intent of this standard is that students will continue to build vocabulary by applying their knowledge of word structure and context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.
• Students will use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, roots, and affixes to read accurately multisyllabic words.
• Affixes are added to root words to form new words (e.g., prefixes, suffixes).
• Prefixes are added to the front of the root (e.g., like→dislike).
• Suffixes are added to the end of the root (e.g., short→shorten).
• Homophones are words that are pronounced the same and have different meanings regardless of their spelling (e.g., principle/ principal, prince/prints).
• Antonyms are opposites (e.g., off/on, fast/slow).
• Synonyms are words that have similar meanings (e.g., small, little, tiny).
• Students will use word-reference materials to learn new words.
• Students will use vocabulary from content areas.
All students should:
• use the content and structure of a sentence, paragraph, or reading selection to help determine the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
• use a variety of strategies and word recognition skills to support comprehension.
• know the type of information found in word reference materials such as a glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus.
To be successful with this standard, students are expected to:
• use context as a clue to clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words or phrases (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements of text).
• use clues in the context of a sentence, paragraph, or reading selection to predict and explain the meanings of words that have more than one definition.
• use their knowledge of affixes (prefixes and suffixes) to read and understand the meanings of words.
• use their knowledge of synonyms (words with similar meanings) and antonyms (words with opposite meanings) to understand the meanings of unfamiliar words.
• derive word meaning by using their knowledge of homophones (words that are pronounced the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings), such as read/red, no/know, hear/here.
• use context to select the applicable definition of a word from a glossary or dictionary.
• identify and consult the word-reference material(s), including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus, most likely to contain needed information to clarify word meaning.
• determine the meaning of general academic and content-specific words or phrases in a text.
• study word meanings across content areas.
4.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction texts, and poetry.
a) Explain the author’s purpose.
b) Describe how the choice of language, setting, characters, and information contributes to the author’s purpose.
c) Identify the main idea.
d) Summarize supporting details.
e) Identify the problem and solution.
g) Identify sensory words.
h) Draw conclusions/make inferences about text.
i) Make, confirm, or revise predictions.
j) Identify cause and effect relationships.
• The intent of this standard is that students will continue to read and comprehend fictional texts, narrative nonfiction texts, and poetry.
• Narrative nonfiction is a retelling in story format about real people, animals, places or events. It contains facts and is usually in chronological order (e.g., autobiographies and biographies).
• Students will also learn how authors craft their purpose and message by the choice of language, setting, characters, and specific information.
• Students will demonstrate comprehension of a selection by using before-, during-, and after-reading strategies (e.g., using graphic organizers, question generation, and summarization).
• Students will learn how to identify major events and supporting details.
• Students will identify sensory words and describe the effect those particular words have on the reader.
All students should:
• develop a variety of comprehension strategies.
• read a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction texts, and poetry.
• explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in fictional texts, narrative nonfiction texts, and poetry, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
To be successful with this standard, students are expected to:
• explain the author’s purpose (e.g., to entertain, inform, or persuade).
• describe how the choice of language, setting, characters, details, and other information contribute to the author’s purpose.
• describe in depth a character, setting, or event drawing on specific details from the text (e.g., words, actions, or a character’s thoughts).
• understand that narrative nonfiction is a story based on facts.
• identify the facts contained in a piece of narrative nonfiction.
• identify the main idea or theme of a text and summarize using supporting details.
• identify the problem (conflict) and solution.
• identify sensory words that describe sights, sounds, smells, and tastes, and describe how they make the reader feel.
• refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says, drawing conclusions/making inferences from text.
• identify cause and effect relationships.
• make, confirm, or revise predictions.
4.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.
a) Use text structures, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information in both print and digital texts.
b) Formulate questions that might be answered in the selection.
c) Explain the author’s purpose.
d) Identify the main idea.
e) Summarize supporting details.
f) Draw conclusions and make simple inferences using textual information as support.
g) Distinguish between cause and effect.
h) Distinguish between fact and opinion.
• The intent of this standard is that students will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts across the curriculum, including age-appropriate materials that reflect the Virginia Standards of Learning in English, history and social science, science, and mathematics.
• Students will demonstrate comprehension of a selection by using before-, during-, and after-reading strategies (e.g., using graphic organizers, question generation, and summarization).
• Before reading, students use text structures to predict and categorize information.
• During reading, students formulate questions and make and revise ongoing predictions and inferences, using given information.
• After reading, students confirm or dismiss previous predictions and inferences. Students also summarize content by identifying important ideas and providing details.
All students should:
• summarize key details of informational texts, connecting new information to prior knowledge.
• identify and use text structures, such as headings, paragraphs, and format, to preview a text and make predictions in order to comprehend.
• actively ask questions, visualize, make connections, and predict as they read.
To be successful with this standard, students are expected to:
• use text features, such as special type styles (e.g., boldfaced, italics) and color, captions under pictures and graphics, and headings of sections and chapters, to predict and categorize information in both print and digital texts.
• understand how written text and accompanying illustrations connect to convey meaning (e.g., charts, graphs, diagrams, timelines, animations).
• generate questions to guide reading of text.
• explain author’s purpose (e.g., to entertain, persuade, inform).
• identify the main idea and supporting details within a selection summarizing the text by using tools such as graphic organizers, outlining, and notes.
• combine information from various places in the text to draw a conclusion.
• make simple inferences, using information from the text.
• identify cause and effect relationships.
• distinguish between fact and opinion.
Thank you for you continued support.