School Improvement in Maryland

Using the State Curriculum: Reading/ELA, Grade 4

Reading/ELA | Informational | Literary | Writing | Language | Listening | Speaking

Sample Assessments: Each sample assessment item gives an idea of how an assessment item on the MSA might be presented. The items appropriately measure the content of the State Curriculum and may be formatted similarly to those appearing on the MSA; however, these are sample items only and have not appeared on any MSA form.

Standard 1.0 General Reading Processes

Topic B. Phonics

Indicator 1. Use a variety of phonetic skills to read unfamiliar words

Objective a. Apply phonics skills

Selected Response Item
Look at the word with the underlined letters. The underlined letters stand for a sound. Decide which of the other three words has the same sound in it. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

castle

  1. quart
  2. manner
  3. palm
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_4_001.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Selected Response Item
Look at the word with the underlined letters. The underlined letters stand for a sound. Decide which of the other three words has the same sound in it. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

sprang

  1. sport
  2. respect
  3. spray
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_4_002.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Selected Response Item
Look at the word with the underlined letters. The underlined letters stand for a sound. Decide which of the other three words has the same sound in it. Then mark the space for the answer you have chosen.

polar

  1. narrow
  2. powder
  3. afford
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_4_003.xml

Correct Answer:
B