North Carolina 4th Grade Writing Test

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North Carolina 4th Grade Writing Test

• March 4, 2008

Kathy KeaneCatawba County Schools
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What questions do we have about the North
Carolina 4th Grade Writing Test?
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How long is the test?
75 minutesThe students must plan, write, revise
and edit their papers in this amount of time.
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Will my child be given a topic to write about?
Prompt
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What materials will my child receive for the test?
2- 2 pencils
2 pieces of lined paper for writing
Blank paper for planning
Prompt page with bulleted items
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Will my child receive any help from the teacher
on the test?
The teacher will read aloud the prompt and
bulleted list two times. The teacher is not
allowed to help with the writing.
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Who will score my childs writing test?

• Professional Testing/Scoring Company
• Highly trained scorers/readers
• (Trained with the North Carolina specific rubric)

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How is my childs paper scored?
Every paper has at least 2 separate readers A
reader gives each paper a score of (1,2,3 or 4)
for Content (the story). This score is
doubled. A reader gives each paper a score of
(0,1 or 2) for Conventions (spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, verb tense). The
two readers points are added together to come up
with the total score (4 to 20 points).
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What is a passing score for the test?
Writing Achievement Levels (Possible 4-20 points
total) Level I 4-7 points Level II
8-11 points Level III
(Passing Score) 12-16 points Level IV
(Passing Score) 17-20 points
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What are the five features of the North Carolina
Writing Test?

• Focus
• Organization
• Support and Elaboration
• Style
• Conventions

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What is Focus?
Clearly established topic that is sustained
throughout the writing
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What is Support and Elaboration?
Specific, relevant, well developed details that
are supportive of the topic
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What is Organization?
Logical progression and completeness of ideas in
the beginning, middle and end.
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What is Style?
Use of language that is appropriate to the topic
with effective sentence fluency
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What areas of conventions are scored?
Sentence FormationFragments, Run-ons, Phrases
or Clauses UsageIncorrect use of verbs, Pronoun
misuse, Incorrect formation, Failure to use a
word according to its standard meaning Mechanics
Incorrect capitalization and punctuation,
Patterns of misspellings of common words or
incorrect pluralization
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Writing the Narrative
The students will be focusing on writing a
NARRATIVE (Story) Personal or
Imaginative Narratives are StoriesStories are
Narratives
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What is a Personal Narrative?
A story about a small moment in time that could
be about something they have experienced, heard
about, or read about
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Personal Narrative Examples

• Tell about a time that you had fun with a friend
  or relative.
• Think of a time that you tried something new.
• Tell about a time that you helped someone.
• Think of a time when you were happy.
• Tell about a time when you were frightened.

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What is an Imaginative Narrative?
A story about a small moment in time that the
prompt sets up for the writer to tell a story
about
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Imaginative Narrative Examples
Imagine a friend gave you a funny-looking watch.
When you put the watch on, something very
surprising happened. Write a story about what
happened the time your friend gave you a
funny-looking watch. As you are walking to your
classroom at school, you come upon a strange box
blocking the hallway. You hear a noise coming
from the box. You reach down to open the box.
Tell what happens. You wake up one morning and
discover that you are invisible. Tell what
happens.
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What does a passing paper look like?
2006-2007 Imaginative Prompt Imagine a friend
gave you a funny-looking watch. When you put the
watch on, something very surprising happened.
Write a story about what happened the time your
friend gave you a funny-looking watch.
http//www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability
/testing/writing/grade4generalassessment.pdf
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What does a passing paper look like?
http//www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/accountability
/testing/writing/grade4generalassessment.pdf
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What does a passing paper look like?
Happy Birthday! yelled everyone. Thank you,
I said and ate a piece of cake. As I was about
to drink some coke, Kathy, my friend, walked up
to me. Here, she said handing me a small
present wrapped in red wrapping paper. As I was
just about to say thank you, she walked away, so
I just opened it.
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What does a passing paper look like?
I looked inside the box and there was a funny
looking watch inside. I then slipped it on my
wrist and all of a sudden I was in a whirl of
colors going around and around until I was on
level ground again.
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What does a passing paper look like?
I looked around and said, Fifi, I dont think
were at home anymore. Then, I looked at myself
and I was wearing a pink dress with a pointy hat.
All of a sudden, a horse drawn carriage went by
and a knight in shining armor came out. He
walked over to me and said, Need a ride
princess? Okay I said cautiously.
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What does a passing paper look like?
I put my hand in his and he helped me onto the
carriage. He pulled the reigns and said, Van!
and the beautiful white horse started going
faster and faster until it slowed to a stop. As
I looked around, we were at the castle. Who
lives here? I questioned the knight. Very
funny, he said. He helped me out of the
carriage and said, Welcome home.
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What does a passing paper look like?
As I walked up the marbled steps and knocked on
the door, a man came onto the porch. Honey! he
said. He gave me a hug. Where have you been?
Oh, it doesnt matter, he answered himself. He
also said, Come in, come in! So, I came in.
Go look at your bedroom. Its clean since
youve been gone. Wait a second did he really
think that I was his daughter? Id find out
later.
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What does a passing paper look like?
Right then, I wanted to know what my, or her,
bedroom looked like, so I went upstairs to her
bedroom. In the bedroom, there were letter
blocks made from wood that spelled her name.
Priscilla, my name must be Priscilla I thought.
There was someone in the room with a black dress
and an apron on. Ill iron this skirt and Ill
be on my way Miss, she said. She must have been
the maid.
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What does a passing paper look like?
I went back downstairs and my father, or
Priscillas father, had made a big feast. We ate
and ate until we couldnt eat any longer. Then,
I saw that darn watch again. I slipped it on and
returned at my normal house. That was a day that
I would never forget. I kept the watch on my
real dresser and went back sometimes. Im glad
Kathy got it for me.
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How was this paper scored?
Reader 1 Content 4 x
28 Conventions
2 --------------------------------------- Reader
2 Content 4 x 28 Conventions
2 ------------------------------- Con
tent Total 8816 Conventions Total
224 16420 Level 4
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What is the criteria for a Level 4 paper?

• Content Rubric
• Topic/subject is clear, though it may or may not
  be explicitly stated
• Maintains Focus on topic/subject throughout the
  response
• Organizational structure establishes
  relationships between and among ideas and/or
  events
• Consists of a logical progression of ideas and/or
  events and is unified and complete
• Support and elaboration are related to and
  supportive of topic/subject
• Consists of specific developed details
• Exhibits skillful use of vocabulary that is
  precise and purposeful
• Demonstrates skillful use of sentence fluency

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What is the criteria for a Level 3 paper?

• Content Rubric
• Topic/subject is generally clear though it may or
  may not be explicitly stated
• May exhibit minor lapses and focus on
  topic/subject
• Organizational structure establishes
  relationships between and among ideas and/or
  events, although minor lapses may be present
• Consists of logical progression of ideas and/or
  events and is reasonably complete although minor
  lapses may be present
• Support and elaboration may have minor weaknesses
  in relatedness to and support of the
  topic/subject
• Consists of some specific details
• Exhibits reasonable use of vocabulary that is
  precise and purposeful
• Demonstrates reasonable use of sentence fluency

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What is the criteria for a Level 2 paper?

• Content Rubric
• Topic subject may be vague
• May lose or exhibit major lapses in focus on
  topic/subject
• Organizational structure may establish little
  relationship between and among ideas and/or
  events
• May have major lapse in the logical progression
  of ideas and/or events and ism minimally complete
  
• Support and elaboration may have major weaknesses
  in relatedness to and support of the
  topic/subject
• Consists of general and/or undeveloped details,
  which may be presented in a list like fashion
• Exhibits minimal use of vocabulary that is
  precise and purposeful
• Demonstrates minimal use of sentence fluency

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What is the criteria for a Level 1 paper?

• Content Rubric
• Topic/subject is unclear or confusing
• May fail to establish focus on topic/sentence
• Organizational structure may not establish
  connection between and among ideas and/or events
• May consist of ideas and or events that are
  presented in a random fashion and is incomplete
  or confusing.
• Support and elaboration attempts to support the
  topic/subject, but may be unrelated or confusing
• Consists of sparse details
• Lacks use of vocabulary that is precise and
  purposeful
• May not demonstrate sentence fluency

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How are conventions scored?
Conventions Rubric (2pts) Reasonable control of
sentence formation Reasonable of standard usage
including agreement tense, and case Reasonable
control of mechanics including use of
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling (1
pt) Minimal control of sentence formation Minimal
control of standard usage including agreement,
tense, and case Minimal control of mechanics,
including use of capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling (0 pts) Lacks control of sentence
formation Lacks control of standard usage
including agreement, tense, and case Lacks
control of mechanics, including use of
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

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What are some things you can do at home to help
your child with writing?
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Make a list with your child of things he/she has
experienced

• Happy
• The birth of a baby sister or brother
• The loss of a first tooth
• A favorite vacation
• A favorite birthday party

• Proud
• A first homerun
• A first recital
• A first A paper
• Doing all your chores
• Helping someone

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spectacular
enormous
magnificent
Encourage your child to recycle some of their
story ideas. It is helpful for them to use ideas,
phrases and Sparkle Words from other stories.

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Stretching Out The Story! (Help your child fill
out the chart for his/her story.)

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Stretching Out The Story! (Winning a sandcastle
contest)

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• READ to your childrenshow them examples of good
  beginnings and endings.
• Point out the word choice in the storyIsnt
  this a great way that this author lets us know
  what the character looks like?

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• Tell your children STORIES
• Give them ideas by telling them about a moment in
  your life
• Remind them about things that you have done
  together
• Remember to focus on ONE snapshot story at a time

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• Let your child read their stories aloud to you.
• Respond first with a positive comment.
• If you notice things that need to be revised,
  remember that your child can only work on one
  thing at a time.
• Above allbe patient and positive.

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Word Bags

• Help your child locate new vocabulary for
  writing by locating synonyms for words. Have
  your child find words in their reading that are
  synonyms for overused words. Put the words in
  bags and have your child pour the bag out to
  locate a new word.
• Example Good
• Spectacular
• Magnificent
• Extraordinary

Good
spectacular
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Word Chains
Make word chains with your child. Fold strips of
paper over and loop over other strips with
synonyms for overused words.
Run
dart
scamper
dash
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High Frequency Words
Fourth graders are expected to spell high
frequency words correctly for the North Carolina
Writing Test. You can help your child by having
him/her study portions of the list nightly. They
can write the words they consistently miss on
index cards to use as flash cards. You can also
write the words on index cards and cut the
letters apart for your child to reassemble.
cut-apart words
flash cards
f
r
i
n
e
d

because
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Thank you for being here for your children?
Parents are their children's first and most
important teachers, and, for children to be
successful in school, parents and families need
to be actively involved in their children's
learning. They need to become involved early and
stay involved throughout the school year.
U.S. Department of Education