1. STAAR Parent Night 2015 What is STAAR? State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness It tests skills that the state expects all students to master before going on to the next grade level.

2. 4 th Grade Tests Writing- March 30 th and 31 st Math- April 21 st Reading- April 22 nd Each test has a 4 hour time limit unless accommodations are in place for extra time.

3. What we do to prepare: We teach and practice the skills tested all year Benchmark tests help us determine what skills may need more practice, which students need reteaching for a particular skill, and who needs extra small group help with the teacher. Incentives: Goal setting and rewards

4. What you can do? Go over papers in Tuesday Folders and have them correct items missed. Go over and check it with them. Have them read every night. We need to build up their stamina. Practice and know math facts Go to TEA website for sample questions: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/

5. Writing Test March 30 th – Narrative plus revising and editing multiple choice questions March 31 st - Expository plus revising and editing multiple choice questions Composition 40% Revising and Editing 60%

6. Narrative vs Expository Narrative- a story about a personal experience Example prompt: Write about a time you overcame a challenge. Expository- explanation/ informative/ descriptive Example prompt: Write about a place that is special to you. Describe the place and explain what makes it special.

7. Revising sample question: 3. Devin wants to add a sentence to tell more about the idea he has expressed in sentence 15. Which of these could BEST follow and support sentence 15? A People everywhere enjoy playing and watching basketball. B This was in the beginning of the 1900s that this happened. C It had a higher top to support the ankle. D Basketball had been invented in 1891.

8. Editing Sample Questions: 6. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 5? F Change took to take G Insert a comma after pen H Change there to their J No change should be made. 7. What is the correct way to write sentences 11 and 12? A While the people went upstairs, Oliver was left to sleep downstairs in the basement. B The people went upstairs, and Oliver was left. To sleep downstairs in the basement. C The people went upstairs, Oliver was left to sleep downstairs in the basement. D Sentences 11 and 12 are written correctly in the story. 8. What change, if any, should be made in sentence 20? F Change Olivers to Oliver’s G Change stood up to standed up H Change on his head to they were on his head J No change should be made.

9. How compositions are graded: First and foremost, did they address the prompt and write the correct composition!!! Voice Organization Sentence fluency Conventions Word choice Ideas

10. Reading Test: April 22 nd Challenging because it is LONG (6-7 passages) Higher level thinking questions – No word for word answers found – They have to look for clues to infer answers Close to 50 questions Types of passages include: fiction/nonfiction, poem, play, procedural, media, paired passages to compare/ contrast

11. Math Test: April 21 st More than 50 questions Challenging, multi-step questions The answer choices will be very tricky They will put answer choices that are from step one or two of solving the problem. The questions have a lot of extra information

12. Math Test: April 21 st Things to help your student with: Multiplication facts Division facts Subtracting across zeros Two digit by two digit multiplication Long division

13. Remind your student to:  Slow down–  Check their work  Rule out silly answers  Take a deep breath because they will do great!

14. Sample Problem

17. Morning of Test: Make sure your student eats a good, healthy breakfast- no sugary cereals, donuts, etc. Please be on time to school because we get started right away with procedures and have to log our start time. DON’T SCHEDULE ANY DOCTOR/DENTIST APPTS. ON TESTING DAYS! Don’t stress your child out about the test!!!

18. Night Before the Test! This IS NOT the night to have sleep over or play xbox all night!! Please make sure your child gets plenty of rest and is not up late the night before the big test!