Learn about what’s new in Reading, Science and Math as well as the latest on our EOGs

Fourth GradeSchool Activity Night

What are the differences between the old North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the new Common Core State Standards?

What’s New in Reading?

Common Core Standards require students to be savvy

consumers of informationNCSCOS

Most reading was fiction

Emphasis on reading at “comfort level”

Standards were broad and lacked a clear focus from grade to grade

Language Arts included reading and writing

COMMON CORE CCSS require a 50/50 split

of fiction and nonfiction All students read grade

level texts that become more and more complex

The same standards are followed from k-12 with a specific focus at each grade

Language Arts includes reading, writing, listening and speaking

Example: CCSS on Key Ideas and Details says a kindergartner can answer questions about a story with prompting and support, a second grader can answer specific questions about a text such as who, what , when, where, and why. A third grader refers to the text when answering these questions and a fifth grader is able to quote explicitly from the text to justify answers.

Rather than just choosing an answer, students will analyze and evaluate a text which will require a deeper understanding of a passage.

After this year, the test will no longer be exclusively a multiple choice test. Students will use fill in the blank, short answers, essays, and multiple choice.

Instead of one passage with a set of questions, students will be asked to compare and contrast multiple sources related to a topic.

Some parts of the test will require scoring by hand instead of electronically. This will delay the release of scores until the fall. When technology is ready across the state, testing will be computer based rather than paper and pencil.

Rather than just choosing an answer, students will analyze and evaluate a text which will require a deeper understanding of a passage.

After this year, the test will no longer be exclusively a multiple choice test. Students will use fill in the blank, short answers, essays, and multiple choice.

Instead of one passage with a set of questions, students will be asked to compare and contrast multiple sources related to a topic.

Some parts of the test will require scoring by hand instead of electronically. This will delay the release of scores until the fall. When technology is ready across the state, testing will be computer based rather than paper and pencil.

1.Students may read a passage or poem, watch a video clip, analyze a table or graph and then answer questions about how these things are related.

2.The test will be multiple choice only this year.

3. Scores will be important for 4th graders this year who need a level 3 for middle school since 5th grade scores will not be ready in time for consideration.

These changes will not happen this year. There will be Common Core aligned questions on the test but the format will look like it did in past years (all multiple choice)

The more students read, the more experiences, vocabulary, and

knowledge they have to draw from. Thus time spent reading is the #1

predictor of comprehension success.

The more students read, the more experiences, vocabulary, and

knowledge they have to draw from. Thus time spent reading is the #1

predictor of comprehension success.

Students may be able to decode or read the words in a book but if they don’t have the knowledge of the subject or some experience to connect to what they read, they won’t understand the text.

Reading is Thinking

Reading is Thinking

Sense ItSense It

Making Inferences/ Draw Conclusions

Making Inferences/ Draw Conclusions

Connect To TextConnect To Text

Ask QuestionsAsk Questions

Summarize/ SynthesizeSummarize/ Synthesize

Decide What’s

ImportantDecide What’s

Important

Build FluencyBuild Fluency

Expand VocabularyExpand Vocabulary

Predict and ProvePredict and Prove

Check Understanding

Check Understanding

Force and Motion: Explain how various forces affect the motion of an object.

Matter: Properties and Change - Understand the composition and properties of matter before and after they undergo a change or interaction.

Energy: Conservation and Transfer - Recognize that energy takes various forms that may be grouped based on their interaction with matter

Earth in the Universe: Explain the causes of day and night and phases of the moon.

Earth History: Understand the use of fossils and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of the history of Earth and its changing life forms.

Ecosystems: Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats.

Molecular Biology: Understand food and the benefits of vitamins, minerals and exercise.

Fourth Grade Science subjects have grown from 4 to 7 under our new Essential Standards!

(Red indicates new standards)

The needs of our nation and world have changed drastically with technology and different real life demands/careers.

Research shows that developing flexibility of numbers and problem solving creates not only better mathematicians, but stronger problem solving and creativity in general.

Flexibility in problem solving allows students to access problems in a way that makes sense to that individual learner and his or her learning style.

A. Wagner

Why are we doing this ‘New Math?’

Students will have a more in depth conceptual knowledge that allows students to apply the concepts to a wider range of situations with deeper understanding.

Through discussions about solutions and reasoning, students gain increased understanding and valuable skills for presenting arguments and critiques.

Confidence in mathematical reasoning and problem solving has shown a great impact on the future success of students both in school and in their careers.

Why? Why? Why?

It is extremely beneficial for all 4th Graders to have mastered their multiplication facts for 1-12 by the start of 4th Grade. Multiplication seeps into nearly every concept learned this year.

Fractions are a major focus and a difficult concept historically for children. Continue to work with where you use and see fractions in the real world.

Multiplication infiltrates the math curriculum for 4th grade and beyond; they need to know what is happening in a multiplication problem – no just have a fact memorized.

A. Wagner

4th Grade Math

Operations and Algebraic Thinking– 12-17%*Use 4 operations with whole numbers to solve problems. Gain familiarity with factors and multiples. Generate and analyze patterns.

Number and Operations in Base Ten– 22-27%*Generalize place value for multi-digit whole numbers. Use place value understanding and operational properties to solve multi-digit arithmetic.

Number and Operations Fractions– 27-32%*Extend understanding of fraction equivalence and ordering. Build fractions from unit fractions. Understand decimal notation for fractions and compare decimals.

A. Wagner

4th Grade EOG

Measurement and Data– 12-17%*Solve problems involving measurement and conversions of larger units to smaller units. Represent and interpret data. Understand concepts of angle and measure angles.

Geometry– 12-17%*Draw and identify lines and angles. Classify shapes by properties of their lines and angles.

A. Wagner

4th Grade EOG (cont.)

www.visualfractions.comhttp://Illuminations.nctm.org

--Equivalent Fractions--Fraction Models--Factorize--The Quotient Café

Fraction Booster:http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/fractions/index.htm

Great Websites!

What is a Performance Task?Students will be asked to complete these

multi-step Performance Tasks using a computer to show their knowledge of concepts

These Tasks will require sustained attention from students in order to solve multi-step problems using various reasoning, computation, and comprehension strategies

Now Let's see a Performance Task