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 3.0 Comprehension of Literary Text

Indicator 2. Use text features to facilitate understanding of literary texts

Objective b. Identify and explain how graphic aids such as pictures and illustrations, punctuation, print features contribute to meaning

Assessment limit: In the text or a portion of the text

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item
Read this story about two girls named Molly and Miracle, 'Root Beer and Banana'. Then answer the following.
Does the illustration help a reader better understand important ideas in the story? In your response, use events and details from the story that support your ideas. Write your response on the lines below.
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_4_039.xml

View Scoring Information

Selected Response Item
Read the poems titled 'Roller Coaster' and 'Carousel' and answer the following questions. Circle the letter of the correct answer.

Read lines 5 and 6 of the poem.

Jumper, Brown Beauty
Dark Thunder, Sir Snow

These words are written in italics probably to—
  1. point out the popularity of the horses
  2. describe special colors of the horses
  3. emphasize the names of the horses
  4. refer to the talent of the horses
/toolkit/vsc/assessment_items/msa_ela_4_092.xml

Correct Answer:
C

Assessment limit:
In the text or a portion of the text
Resources for Objective 3.A.2.b:
Lesson Seeds | SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS |