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Dear Parents,In Grade four your student is aiming for a score of 211

on the OAKS Reading

Assessment in five strand areas.

1st StrandVocabulary

Understanding how to determine the

meaning of a word.

3rd StrandRead to Perform

a Task:

Looking at Graphs, Charts and Indexes of many kinds to locate

information.

4th StrandDevelop an

Interpretation

Thinking about story meaning beyond what the

text may say.

2nd StrandDevelop a General

Understanding

Finding answers by looking in the text.

4th Grade Reading

5th StrandContents & Structure of

Information Text

Analyzing Informational text for many purposes.

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To the Parents:

This booklet can help you and your child work together at home to improve reading comprehension using a format that will enable your child to perform well on the OAKS reading test.

This booklet has three goals:

1. For the parent: To explain what the “strands” (goals) are for each area of reading comprehension your child will be tested on.

2. For parent and child: To provide state test samples you can practice at home that are similar to the ones on the test.

3. For parent and child: To inform you of books you can read together and discuss at home that encourage the use of the reading strategies [strands] your child will be tested on.

The test samples and strand data for this booklet can be found on the Oregon State Department of Education web site. The use of this booklet was designed for the Hillsboro School District based on HSD Power Standards along with the ODE strand categories. This booklet is paid for and furnished to teachers for instruction by the HSD.

The concept of this booklet was created by Rick & Susan Richmond© Rick & Susan Richmond 2010 Revision: Original 03-2010

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from Rick & Susan Richmond and the Oregon State Department of Education and the Hillsboro School District.

To the Teacher:

This book is designed as a tool that should be delivered to the parents but with a brief overview and explanation (modeling) on how to use this book throughout the school year.

Free

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I can figure out a new word by...

knowing words that mean about the same ( SYNONYMS)… knowing words that mean the opposite (ANYTONYM)…

apply knowledge of IDIOMS ( such as “you eat like a horse”)..

knowing that some words have many meanings ( such as tear –to tear it apart and tear – his eyes began to tear)…

CONTEXT CLUES! I can figure out a new word by…

looking at other words nearby.

looking at structural clues (prefixes and suffixes ).

Parent Note: Most questions on the OAKS test for Vocabulary, asks students to find a word that means about the same (synonym) or using context clues.

STRAND 1

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Synonyms/Antonyms/Idioms

Every time Philippe painted a Blue Parrot and the Sun for hismother, the gallery owner had a buyer. The price went up andPhilippe could not resist. But every time he sold a Blue Parrot, he put aside some money for his mother.

A synonym closest in meaning to the word resist as it is used in this selection would be. . .

A. respond.B. believe.C. refuse.D. understand.

Multiple Meanings

What began as a personal project, just for fun, blossomed into a business, withBecky as the president of the company. This story tells you that Becky’s project blossomed into a business. This means that

A. she ran her business from her garden.

B. she sold lots of Glo-sheets.C. she would only sell to flower

shops.D. she became a teenager.

Looking at Structural Clues

(understanding the prefix “de” in descend leads to understanding the word.)

Hot air always rises, so your balloon, filledwith the hot air, floats upward. As the air in itcools, the balloon will descend.As the air in it cools, the balloon will descend.

Another word for descend would be. . .

A. drop.B. rise.C. float.D. shrink

Parents, these are the kind of questions your child is asked in Vocabulary on the grade 4 reading test.

Grade four Books to Read at Home that Enhance

Content and Structure of Informational Text

Vinnie and Abraham actual combine informational with fictional text but still provide a good study of Persuasive Verses Informational Reading.

Ocean is anInformational text that helps readers understand the difference between Fact and Opinion.

Ellis Island is an Informational text that helps readers relate to the Author’s Purpose.

All by Herself are various poems about different girls who made changes in our world. Each poem can be studied for Author’s Purpose.

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Grade Four Books to Read at Home that - Enhance Vocabulary

Its not just knowing what a word means, but knowing HOW TO FIGURE OUT THE MEANING of a word when reading!

Little Lord Fauntleroy and books about eras in history, present new vocabulary in context.

Amelia Bedelia and books about puns on words and joke books!

Bud Not buddy and books that use a different vocabulary that we do today that require using context clues to figure out new words.

Fiction and Non-Fiction books that teach about science or social studies information.

A Girl Named Disaster and any books about people from other cultures, use new vocabulary.

McBroom theRainmaker and other Tall Tales use lots of idioms!

The “old classics” such as The Secret Garden, use vocabulary laced with multiple meanings.

Parents, these are the kind of questions your child is asked in Content and Structure of Informational Text on the grade 4 reading test.

Recognizing cause and effect…

Which sentence from the article gives a cause-and-effect relationship?

A. “Wolves are the largest wild members of the dog family.”

B. “Because wolves are shy, you won’t see them if you visit these areas.”

C. “Scientists say wolves tend to be intelligent and shy.”

D. “The head male usually decides when and what to hunt, and he settles fights.”

Informational or Persuasive Text?

RUNNING WITH THE PACK (INFORMATIONAL TEXT)Read this NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC WORLD article to find out more about wolves

In this article, the author is mostly trying to

A. persuade the reader.B. entertain the reader.C. inform the reader.D. tell a story to the reader.

Author’s Purpose…

WHAT MAKES A ROLLER COASTER GO?Gravity—the force that makes things fall toward theground. Roller coasters are powered by gravity, exceptat the very beginning of the ride.

The author probably wrote this selection

A. to teach you how to be safe on roller coasters.

B. so you will learn what makes a roller coaster move.

C. so everyone will have a good time on a roller coaster.

D. to tell how useful roller coasters can be.

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STRAND 2

When I read informational text, I can…

distinguish between the main idea and supporting details.

summarize a sequence of events OR identify the main events.

When I read Literary (fiction) text, I can …

tell about significant or important events and ideas that are found explicitly (“right in the text”).

distinguish the order of events or a special event from a sequence.

identify the main problem and how its resolved.

Parent Note: Most questions on the OAKS test for Demonstrating a General Understanding, ask students to answer questions that can be directly found in the text.

STRAND 5

I can analyze and evaluate the Content and Structure of Informational Text…

drawing conclusions about the author’s purpose.

distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion.

distinguish between informational and persuasive text.

Parent Note: Most questions on the OAKS test for Content and Structure of Informational Text, require a higher level of thinking.

Questions center around the differences between fact and opinion and the author’s purpose.

Informational TextContent & Structure

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Parents, these are the kind of questions your child is asked in Demonstrating a General Understanding on the grade 4 reading test.

Informational Text Main Idea and Details

The truth is that healthy wolves do not attack people. Scientists say wolves tend to be intelligent and shy. They live in groups called packs, and cooperate to survive. Wolves once roamed most of North America.

Wolves are the largest wild members of the dog family.

All of the following are true about wolves EXCEPT…

A. wolves are a member of the dog family.

B. healthy wolves attack people.C. wolves need to cooperate to survive.D. wolves once roamed most of North

America.

Sequencing or identifying main events in Informational Text

To get started, the roller-coaster cars hook on to a chain. It pulls them to the top of the first hill.

How do roller-coaster cars get started?

A. They are hooked to a chain.B. They are powered by gravity.C. The gears connect it to the ground.D. They are pushed by people on the ground

Identifying the Problem and Solution

THERE WAS ONLY ONE PROBLEM. Wishbone wasn’t a roller-blading kind of guy. Feet were more his kind of thing—four of ‘em, to be exact. So all he could do was watch.

What was Wishbone’s problem in this story?

A. He disliked some of the kids.B. He forgot his roller-blades.C. He wasn’t picked for the team.D. He could not roller-blade.

Grade Four Books to Read at Home that Enhance Developing an Interpretation

Books such as The Great Gilly Hopkins encourage readers to predict the outcome!”

In this adventure Bound for Oregon there are many examples of Cause and Effect.

Books such asManica Magee in Literary Text can help develop a student’s understanding of Main Ideas.

This true story Traitor, allows readers to draw inferences based on evidence in the text.

Amelia Earhart encourages readers to predict the outcome in non-fiction text.

Like most biographies Betsy Byards story focuses on a Main Idea.

Literary Text

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Grade Four Books to Read at Home that Enhance Demonstrating General Understanding

Chapter books such as the Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe detail sequence and special events.

Chapter books such as the Wolf Stalkerseries have key events explicitly explained.

Literary Text Informational Text

Bethoven Lives Upstairs emphasizes problems and solutions.

Science and Social Studies books present main ideas and details.

The Keeping Quilt is a true story about a woman from Russia and analyzes key events.

A River Runs Wild and other true life history sequences events.

Parents, these are the kind of questions your child is asked in Developing an Interpretation

Predicting Outcomes in Literary Text . . .

“Arlo,” he said, “I don’t see anything wrong with trying to break a world record.”

What is most likely to happen next in the story?

A. Arlo will choose a completely different record to try to break.

B. Mr. Dayton will decide to try to break a record of his own.

C. All the boys will help Arlo as he tries to break the record.

D. Arlo will work on ways to help him break the banana-eating record.

This informational passage suggests the Main Idea.

Today, gray wolves still occupy much of Canada, but they are consideredendangered in most of the United States

The main idea the author wants us to get from reading this article is that wolves

A. work closely together in packs in order to survive.

B. used to live in many parts of North America.

C. are dangerous if you don’t know how to treat them.

D. are an endangered species because they need help hunting.

Determining Causes for Actions based on Setting or Character Traits

Sitting in the car waiting for her mom to return from shopping, Becky decided she might as well try to finish her math homework. But it was growing dark and getting hard to see the paper. “I didn’t have a flashlight, and I didn’t want to open the car door because then the whole car would light up,” recalled Becky. “So I thought it would be neat to have my paper light up somehow, and that’s when the idea came to me.”

What caused Becky to think of inventing the Glo-sheet?

A. She wanted to start her own business and make money.

B. She liked glow-in-the-dark toys.C. She wanted to be the youngest

female inventor.D. She was having trouble seeing

her math homework the little horse at the end of the line.

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STRAND 3

When I read to Locate Information I can…

look at Titles and Chapter Headings.

look in the Table of Contents.

look at illustrations.

look at captions.

look in glossaries.

look in indexes.

When I read to Interpret Information I can…

interpret information in diagrams.

interpret information in charts and tables.

interpret information in graphs.

I Can…. Use headings and subheadings in

Informational Text to locate information.

Parent Note: Most questions on the OAKS test for Read to Perform a Task, ask students to show they can read a graph or chart to find answers.

STRAND 4

I can Interpret Informational text by...

predicting outcomes.

draw valid inferences and conclusions based on textual evidence.

identify the main idea.

I can Interpret Literary text by...

predicting outcomes.

determine causes for actions based on setting or character traits.

identify the main idea in a passage.

Drawing valid inferences and conclusions.

Parent Note: most questions on the OAKS test for Developing Interpretation, asks students to “read between the lines,” or make a guess based on clues in the story.

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Grade Four Books to read at home that Enhance Read to Perform a Task

Using a Glossary to findnew information.

Crafts and Hobby and “How To” books teach reading and following directions and illustrations.

Reading a “Kids Menu” helps children find information under headings and sub-headings.

Student Dictionaries are a great resource for many skills needed in reading for information!

Oceans has Charts and Graphs and amazing ways to use them, much as Magic School Bus but all Informative Text.

The Guinness World Records and other record books have many tables and diagrams.

Parents, Your child will be asked to answer these kind of questions in Read to Perform a TaskIn fourth grade students should also be able to understand tables, charts, and diagrams.

At what wind speed does the wind scale tell you that flags flap?

A. 13-18 m.p.h.B. 19-24 m.p.h.C. 25-31 m.p.h.D. 32-38 m.p.h.

Using a Chart

Which idea from the selection is shown in the picture?

A. How Barnacles Make the Whale Appear Gray.

B. How Large a Gray Whale is.C. How Gray Whales get the Food they

need.

Using Text Features NOTE:

This item was taken from the Washington State Assessment Bank.

Read to perform a taskIllistrations…

The stitches around the open end of the bag are put there to…

A. add decoration to the balloon.B. allow air to escape from the

balloon.C. pull the bag into a balloon

shape.D. cut down on the weight of the

balloon.