1. Welcome to Fourth Grade FCAT Parent Night
Oakleaf Village Elementary

2. 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?

3. 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!

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

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

13. 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.

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

15. 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

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

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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.

24. FCAT Mathematics Grade
Number Sense Measurement Geometry Algebraic Data
Concepts & Operations & Spatial Sense Thinking Analysis % % % % 18%
Percentage of Points by Cognitive Complexity Level for FCAT Mathematics
Grades Low Moderate High
3 – –15

25. 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

26. 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 p= 2.87
G x p = 2.87
H. p = 2.87
I. p / 1.98= 2.87
Answer: F

27. 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

28. 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

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

30. New Grids Money Grids Whole Number Grids Percentage Grids
Decimal Grids

31. 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.
Logins and passwords are stapled in the front of your child’s planner.
Practice FLDOE released math tests
Student Test:
Answer Key:

32. 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.

33. 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?

34. 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.

35. 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!

36. 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!

37. Thank You For Being Here!