2021 NSCAS Grade 4 Classroom Assessment English Language

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2021 NSCAS Grade 4Classroom AssessmentEnglish Language ArtsStudent’s Name:Nebraska Department of Education 2021

Copyright 2021 by the Nebraska Department of Education. No part of this publication may bereproduced, copied or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrievalsystem, without the prior written permission of the Nebraska Department of Education.

2021Grade 4 - Classroom AssessmentEnglish Language Arts

4

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTDirections:On the following pages of your booklet are passages and questions for the Grade 4Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System English Language Arts (NSCAS-ELA)Classroom Assessment.Read these directions carefully before beginning this classroom assessment.This classroom assessment will include several different types of questions. Somequestions are based on one or two passages. Multiple choice questions will ask you toselect an answer from among four choices. Multiple select questions will ask you to selectmultiple correct answers from among five or more answer choices. For some questions,there may be two parts, Part A and Part B, where each part has a multiple choice or multipleselect question.For all questions: Read each question carefully and choose the best answer. You may use scratch paper to make notes. Be sure to answer ALL the questions.When you come to the word STOP, you have finished the Grade 4 NSCAS EnglishLanguage Arts Classroom Assessment.5STOP.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT1Mari Sandoz1896–1966Trappers, traders, and gold miners often stopped by the Sandoz farm to visit and tellstories. Mary (Mari) Sandoz listened and remembered the stories these people told. Whenshe grew up, she wrote these stories to share with others. Today, Sandoz is sometimes knownas the “Story Catcher of the Plains.”Childhood Memories2Mari Susette Sandoz was born on May 11, 1896, near Hay Springs, Nebraska. Herparents, Jules and Mary, had come to America from Switzerland. They spoke French andGerman at home.3Sandoz began school at the age of nine. She was a quick learner and was soon able tospeak English. She gained an interest in reading, and eventually she started writing her ownstories.4Native Americans visited Sandoz’s family, and Mari enjoyed listening to their stories.She liked how they used words to paint a picture of life on the plains.Early Careers5After finishing school, Sandoz took a teaching exam. After passing the exam, she taughtin a country school near her family’s farm.6Sandoz moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1919. She worked as a proofreader andresearcher. Her love for learning continued. She decided to take classes at the University ofNebraska and began writing stories for magazines.Becoming a Writer7Toward the end of his life, Sandoz’s father asked her to write his life’s story. She wassurprised because her father had never approved of her writing. She agreed and began towrite her father’s biography.8Sandoz finished the book in 1933. The book was titled Old Jules. Sandoz sent the bookto several publishers, but all of them rejected it. Sandoz did not become discouraged. Sheentered Old Jules in a contest. The book was published after winning first place! It gavepeople all over the country a closer look at pioneer life.9Old Jules was the first of many books for Sandoz. She kept writing. Her books showedrespect and understanding for Nebraska’s native people. Other books focused on pioneermen and women building farms and towns on the plains.10 In 1942, Sandoz moved to New York City. She wanted to be closer to her publishers. Shecontinued to give a voice to the people of the plains in her writings. Sandoz died in 1966.6Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTHonoring a Writer11Nebraska continues to honor Sandoz and her work. In 1969, the Mari Sandoz Awardwas established. This award is given yearly to honor a person who has made a significantcontribution to the writing world of Nebraska. In the mid-1970s, Mari Sandoz was admittedinto Nebraska’s Hall of Fame. Mari Sandoz influenced other writers by encouraging them tohonor and preserve stories of their past.7Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT1.What is the author’s purpose for writing the passage?A. to explain how Mari Sandoz wrote booksB. to inform by telling facts about Mari SandozC. to entertain by telling a story about Mari SandozD. to persuade the reader to become a writer like Mari Sandoz2.Read the events in Mari Sandoz’s life.1. She moved to New York City.2. She published Old Jules.3. She became a teacher.4. She attended college in Lincoln.According to the timeline, what is the correct order of events?A. 3, 4, 1, 2B. 2, 4, 3, 1C. 3, 4, 2, 1D. 4, 3, 1, 23.What is the meaning of the root bio in the word biography?A. lifeB. lightC. soundD. study8Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT4.In paragraph 8, what is the meaning of the word rejected?A. recoveredB. refusedC. repairedD. rewarded5.Why is Mari Sandoz known as the “Story Catcher of the Plains”?A. She published her first book when she lived on the plains.B. Her father asked her to write a book about his life on the plains.C. Her books tell the stories of people who lived on the plains.D. She began writing stories when she attended college on the plains.9Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTForget and Forgive, Forgive and Forget12Wyatt propped his head up on his hands as he sat on the front steps and waited. His oldersister Nora had promised to take him on the mountain bike trails that afternoon, but she wasthirty minutes late. Wyatt had already counted 74 ants parading across the sidewalk in frontof him.“Hey, Wyatt!” Nora suddenly hollered to him from the street.3A second later, she coasted into their yard on her mountain bike. With narrowed eyes,Wyatt observed the muddy splatters covering her clothes. She had gone biking without him!4Wyatt’s hands clenched into tight fists, and his mouth twisted down. “I have beenwaiting for you for a million years!” he sputtered, feeling betrayed.5“Oh, Wyatt, I am sorry,” Nora apologized in a stream of words. “I was practicing thehilly loop for my race tomorrow, and I completely forgot about our plans.”6Nora’s explanations did not soften the scowl on Wyatt’s face. Whirling around, hemarched into the house, leaving her behind.7At dinnertime, Wyatt noticed that Nora was making an earnest effort to draw him intothe conversation. She asked for his opinion on the poster she was making for her high schoolbiology class. It was a giant diagram of a cell. Usually, Wyatt leaped at the opportunity toshare his art skills, so Mom gave him a confused glance.8“Is something wrong, Wyatt?” Mom asked.9“I forgot our biking plans,” Nora explained quietly.10“You two can go another time,” Mom told Wyatt with a reassuring voice. “The weatherthis weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm.”11Wyatt nodded, but he still felt a knot of anger and disappointment sitting in his stomach.As soon as he finished his meal, he escaped into his bedroom.12Later, Wyatt was pacing the floor in his room and explaining his problems to his goldfishwhen someone knocked on his door. With a sigh, he yanked it open.13“I just came to tell you that your friend Allie is here,” Nora said.14“Thanks,” Wyatt mumbled as he brushed past his sister. He did not want to admit it, buthe was getting tired of his own company.15Wyatt greeted Allie with a wide grin. She lived next door, and she was always willing totry something new. They had attempted to play chess and put on silly plays. Once, they evencompeted against each other to see who could build the strongest toothpick bridge.16“Do you have something planned?” Wyatt asked Allie, pointing to the pad of papertucked under her arm.10Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT1718Allie frowned at him. “You were supposed to give me a painting lesson after school,remember?” Allie asked. “I decided I should come and check on you to make sure you werealright, because you never showed up.”Wyatt’s jaw dropped open. He had forgotten all about his promise.19“I . . . I am so sorry,” Wyatt stuttered. The sight of Allie’s gloomy face made him feelmiserable, too.20“I can give you your lesson right now,” Wyatt offered. “I bought some new paintsyesterday, and we can try them out. I have brushes and an extra heavy canvas, too. You canuse that for your painting.”21As Allie listened to Wyatt, he saw her lips slowly curve into a forgiving smile.22Ten minutes later, Wyatt was guiding Allie’s brush across an empty canvas. As theyworked, Wyatt thought about how easily he had forgotten their plan, and he realized howgrateful he felt for Allie’s patient understanding. Biting his lip, he thought about how he hadtreated Nora. His head dropped to his chest as he remembered his rude actions. Reaching fora paper, Wyatt grabbed a paintbrush. It was time for him to make something special, too.23That evening, Allie left with a painting of a beautiful sunset glowing in the sky and atriumphant look lighting her face. As soon as Wyatt waved good-bye to her, he dashed backinto the kitchen to get his painting.24Quietly, Wyatt tiptoed down the hall, admiring the swirling blue letters on the paper. Hehad made a sign to tape on Nora’s door. It said: “Good luck on your race to the BEST sisterin the world.”11Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT6.Read the sentence from the story.“I have been waiting for you for a million years!” he sputtered, feeling betrayed.Which sentence from the story helps the reader know the meaning of betrayed in thesentence?A. Wyatt propped his head up on his hands as he sat on the front steps and waited.B. She had gone biking without him!C. “Is something wrong, Wyatt?” Mom asked.D. “You were supposed to give me a painting lesson after school, remember?”7.Which sentence from the story shows the author’s use of hyperbole?A. Wyatt had already counted 74 ants parading across the sidewalk in front of him.B. With narrowed eyes, Wyatt observed the muddy splatters covering her clothes.C. “I have been waiting for you for a million years!” he sputtered, feeling betrayed.D. “Oh, Wyatt, I am sorry,” Nora apologized in a stream of words.8.How is the event of the family eating dinner together important to the plot?A. It shows why Mom is upset with Wyatt.B. It shows why Wyatt and Nora usually do not get along well.C. It shows how Mom thinks Nora forgetting to take Wyatt was not a problem.D. It shows how Nora attempts to make up with Wyatt for what happened earlier.12Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT9.Read the sentence from the story.“Later, Wyatt was pacing the floor in his room and explaining his problems to his goldfishwhen someone knocked on his door.”What does the reader learn about Wyatt from the sentence?A. Wyatt feels frustrated.B. Wyatt wants to leave the house.C. Wyatt has difficulty speaking to his mom.D. Wyatt is excited to spend time with his friend.10. Select three ideas from the story to include in a summary of “Forgive and Forget, Forgetand Forgive.” Select three.A. Two friends enjoy spending time together.B. Allie paints a picture of a beautiful sunset.C. Wyatt spends the day feeling disappointed.D. Nora has a cell diagram project to finish for school.E. Wyatt forgets he promised to teach Allie how to paint.F. Nora forgets to take Wyatt on the mountain bike trails.13Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTThe Leafcutter Ant: A Master Gardener1An endless line of leafcutter ants marches across the floor of the rainforest. Each antcarries a piece of a leaf over its head like a green umbrella. However, the ants do not plan toeat their leaves. Leafcutter ants have developed an unusual skill. They have learned how togrow their own special food.A Unique Garden2When the ants return from the rainforest to their nest with their leafy loads, they chewthem into a mushy paste. Next, the ants carry this paste into an underground chamber, orroom. Carefully, they add the leafy mush to a lumpy ball with fuzzy white knobs of fungus.The mush helps the fungus grow. Fungus is a kind of mushroom. Protecting this fungusfrom germs is an important job for the ants. Without this fungus, the ants would not survivebecause their bodies cannot process any other foods. To help them accomplish this task, theyhave helpers that actually grow on their bodies. They are tiny dots that look like a whitishpowder but are actually a living bacteria. The ants rub the bacteria over any germy spots intheir garden to kill the invaders.The Ant Colony3As time passes, the ants keep digging new chambers and adding more fungus gardensto their colony. Older colonies may have up to 8,000 garden chambers! Millions of ants canlive in these enormous nests, but they all work together. When a new young queen ant isborn, she grows a pair of wings and mates with the drones, or male ants. Next, the youngqueen flies off and searches for a new place to live because there cannot be two queens inone nest. When the queen finally finds a suitable location near some trees, she lands on theground. She sheds her wings and digs a hole. Next, the queen opens her mouth. She has alump of fungus stored inside her mouth from her old home. She takes the fungus out andstarts a new garden in her burrow. At first, the queen takes care of the fungus by herself.She also lays many eggs. Eventually, the eggs hatch and grow into adult ants. As the fungusgarden grows, the ant population increases. Soon, there are many worker ants of every size.4Worker ants are the force that operates the colony; they perform a wide range of jobs. Scouting: Some of the workers search for leaves around their nest. When an antfinds a tasty patch, it leaves a trail of smelly chemicals from the source to the nest.Others use their antennae to “sniff” the scent and follow the trail. These medium-sizedants have strong jaws and can easily cut off pieces of the leaves to haul to their nest. Guarding: Sometimes ants hitch a ride on the leaf. These ants are not just enjoyinga free trip; they are guarding their partners. Tiny flies like to attack the leafcutter ants’heads, especially when their mouths are full. The guards stop the flies. Gardening: After the ants deliver the leaves, another group of workers begins theirtask. They are the smaller-sized “gardeners.” First, they inspect the leaf and remove its14Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTwaxy coat. Next, they produce the leafy mush for the fungus. Their tiny size enablesthem to creep through the narrow tunnels in the fungus gardens. Nursing: When the queen lays her eggs in the fungus gardens, the nurses make surethe eggs stay clean and safe. When the eggs hatch, the nurses feed the young larvae.They care for them until they mature into adults. Trash Collecting: The oldest ants in the colony become its “trash” collectors. Theseants carry rotting leaves to a “dump.” The dumps are deep chambers. The ants arecareful to build these rooms a safe distance from their gardens. Defending: Outside the nest, the biggest leafcutter ants are the colony’s “soldiers.”These fierce ants also have the largest jaws and heads. The soldier ants defend the nestfrom other animals, such as anteaters. Their painful bites discourage predators.A Friend to the Rainforest5At times, people consider leafcutter ants to be pests. A large colony can strip the leavesfrom a small tree in one day, and they consume more vegetation in the rainforest than anyother creature. However, the leafcutter ants’ habits provide key benefits, too. When theyclear away leaves from some trees, more sunlight can reach the lower levels of the forests.Plus, the ants’ tunnels and gardens enrich the soil.6Today, scientists continue to study the leafcutter ants. They want to better understandhow the ants’ leafy “mush” helps their fungus grow. They hope the ants’ “farming” secretswill one day teach people how to make better use of the leafy parts of plants, too.15Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT11. Based on the passage, what is the author’s perspective on leafcutter ants?A. The author believes leafcutter ants are fun to watch.B. The author believes the ants play an important role in nature.C. The author believes leafcutter ants cause harm in the rainforest.D. The author believes scientists should study more animals in the rainforest.12. Which two sentences from the passage help the reader know the meaning of the wordscouting? Select two.A. Worker ants are the force that operates the colony; they perform a wide range of jobs.B. . . . it leaves a trail of smelly chemicals from the source to the nest.C. Others use their antennae to “sniff” the scent and follow the trail.D. These medium-sized ants have strong jaws and can easily cut off pieces of the leaves tohaul to their nest.E. Their tiny size enables them to creep through the narrow tunnels in the fungus gardens.13. How are the tiny whitish dots MOST important to the way the leafcutter ant grows food?A. The bacteria kills germs.B. The fungus is a mushroom.C. The mush allows the fungus to grow.D. The helpers grow on the ants’ bodies.16Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT14. Which sentence from the passage shows a cause-and-effect relationship?A. At first, the queen takes care of the fungus by herself.B. Tiny flies like to attack the leafcutter ants’ heads, especially when their mouths are full.C. A large colony can strip the leaves from a small tree in one day, and they consume morevegetation in the rainforest than any other creature.D. When they clear away leaves from some trees, more sunlight can reach the lower levelsof the forests.15. This question has two parts. Answer part A, and then answer part B.Part AHow would the rainforest be different without leafcutter ants?A. Ant colonies would be smaller.B. The soil would be better for plants.C. The forest floor would receive less light.D. Larger animals would become more powerful.Part BWhich sentence from the passage supports the answer to part A?A. Older colonies may have up to 8,000 garden chambers!B. The ants are careful to build these rooms a safe distance from their gardens.C. The soldier ants defend the nest from other animals, such as anteaters.D. When they clear away leaves from some trees, more sunlight can reach the lower levelsof the forests.17Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTThe items on this page are not passage-based. 16. A student found a source about gophers and groundhogs to use for a report.Read the source.Despite sharing some traits, gophers and groundhogs are very different. These brown,bristly rodents are actually separate species. Gophers are more closely related to rats andmice, while groundhogs belong to a group of large squirrels called marmots. In fact, sizeis the main difference between the two rodents. Gophers weigh, at most, two pounds.Groundhogs can weigh more than ten pounds.Which sentence that the student wrote should be revised because it plagiarizes the source?A. Both gophers and groundhogs are familiar sights to many people.B. People often think that gophers and groundhogs are the same animal.C. Groundhogs belong to a group of large squirrels that are called marmots.D. Gophers and groundhogs each have a large pair of upper front teeth used for chewing. 17. A student is writing a report about the characteristics of mammals.Which two sources should the student use to gather the most useful information? Choose two.A. a dictionary entry that defines mammalsB. a story with mammals as the main charactersC. a history book describing when the first mammals appearedD. an article from a science magazine about the diet of mammalsE. a video on public television showing the physical features of mammalsF. an article from a newspaper listing which mammals make the best pets18Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTThe items on this page are not passage-based. 18. A student is writing a research paper on magnets. She uses the word attracted too many times.MagnetsA metal spoon is attracted to a magnet, but a plastic spoon is not. A magnet isattracted to your parent’s scissors but not your little brother’s toy scissors. Why are someobjects attracted to magnets when other objects are not? Magnets are attracted by onlycertain types of metals. If an object is made of, or contains, iron, nickel, or cobalt, chancesare it will be attracted to a magnet.Choose two words she can use in place of attracted. Choose two.A. drawnB. formedC. lovedD. pulledE. tangled 19. A student is writing a report about electric cars. Read the sentences from his report.Electric cars are the future! Everyone should think about replacing their gas-run carswith electric cars. An electric car is so easy to use because it can be plugged in right in yourgarage. No more trips to the gas station! The car charges overnight so that you are ready togo the next day. An electric car also does not hurt the environment. It doesn’t even have atailpipe, so no black smoke is coming out of the car and making the air dirty.The student took additional notes about electric cars.Which two notes support the student’s opinion in his report? Choose two.A. Many people are buying electric cars.B. Some electric cars also have a gas tank.C. Electric cars go short distances on one charge.D. Electric cars are expensive to buy but cost less to drive.E. Driving electric cars saves money because they do not need gas.19Go on to the next page.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTThe item on this page is not passage-based. 20. Read the paragraph.Growing sunflowers is a fun and easy project. You will need a medium-sized flowerpot,some sunflower seeds, and soil. First, put damp soil into the flowerpot. Poke your finger intothe soil to make a hole for the sunflower seeds. Drop two sunflower seeds into the hole andcover the hole with a little soil. Sprinkle some water on top of the soil. Place the flowerpotoutside in a sunny area. You should see a sprout in three to eight days. Remember to wateryour plants each day. You should see flowers after about eight weeks.Which sentence BEST concludes the paragraph?A. You can get sunflower seeds from a local garden center.B. Be sure to clean the flowerpot before placing the seeds in it.C. With care and a little patience, you will have beautiful flowers to enjoy.D. To get the seeds, you will need to wait until the flower dries.20STOP.

8Go on to the next page. 1. What is the author’s purpose for writing the passage? A. to explain how Mari Sandoz wrote books B. to inform by telling facts about Mari Sandoz C. to entertain by telling a story about Mari Sandoz D. to persuade the reader to become a writer like

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