Grade Level Achievement Targets
Grade Level Achievement Targets are what students should know, understand, or be able to do at the end of the grade level. They are the basic foundation for the next grade level and contribute to the achievement of Bridgeport's Learning Goals and the Essential Academic Learning Requirements (italicized below), the standards set by the State of Washington. Students are tested on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning's (WASL) at grades 4, 7, and 10 to determine their progress on meeting these standards.
Fourth Grade Communication
1. The student uses listening and observation skills to gain understanding.
*Checks for understanding by asking questions and paraphrasing
Fourth Grade Reading
1. The student understands and uses different skills and strategies to read.
*Practices reading in phrases rather than word by word to increase fluency and comprehension
*Adjusts reading for purpose and material (example: expository text like social studies or science)
*Uses the dictionary, table of contents, index, glossary, thesaurus, etc. for information and meanings
*Continues building vocabulary through fiction and non-fiction reading
*Understands elements of literature (example: humor, figures of speech, exaggeration)
2. The student understands the meaning of what is read.
*Reads grade-level material independently by the end of 4th grade
*Makes personal connections with story characters and situations
*Makes predictions based on what was read
3. The student reads different materials for a variety of purposes.
*Determines the difference between fiction and non-fiction
*Reads fiction and non-fiction to learn information
*Read to complete a task (examples: follow written directions, use schedules, etc.)
4. The student sets goals and evaluates progress to improve reading.
*Is self-motivated to read
*Reads independently for 30+ minutes
Examples:
Below is a sample of what a fourth grade student reads at the end of fourth grade.
Like grocery shoppers, scientists need to be able to find things easily. Just as you did with shoes in the investigation, scientists look at living things and identify their characteristics. They then group together living things that have similar features. This act of grouping things by using a set of rules is called classification.
Fourth Grade Writing
1. The student writes clearly and effectively using traits of quality writing.
*Understands the Six-Trait Writing terminology: ideas, organization, word choice, conventions (spelling and grammar), voice (the way the story sounds), and fluency (how the story flows).
*Writes narrative (telling about something), and expository (explaining why) papers.
*Can write for a specific purpose (examples: to explain, entertain, inform, describe)
*Varies the length of sentences in a story
*Uses a variety of references to write a story (examples: dictionary, thesaurus, etc.)
*Is able to assess own writing for strengths and weaknesses
Examples:
Below is a narrative writing sample of what a fourth grade student is writing at the end of fourth grade.
Goodbye, Mr. Jenkins
It will be hard for us to say good-bye to the man who has been our gym teacher for so long. Mr. Jenkins is known for three things: his towering height, his powerful voice, and his loud laugh. Many generations of students have known his as "The Incredible Hulk". Almost everyone jumps after being called on by the booming voice. At first glance, Mr. Jenkins is a pretty scary person. However, anyone who get to know him finds out that he really has a soft heart. If you an get him to laugh, you have made a friend for life. We will miss him here at Bridgeport Elementary School.
Fourth Grade Mathematics
1. Content Targets
*Identifies, compares, and orders numbers to 1 million
*Identifies fractional parts of a whole (1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/8, etc.)
*Adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides whole numbers
*Estimates an answer for all four operations
*Calculates the value of currency. Finds sums or differences in amounts of currency
*Rounds numbers to the nearest 10's, 100's, 1000's
*Is capable of measuring in both metric and standard measurements
*Understands and applies concepts and procedures of geometric sense (examples: perimeter, volume, etc.)
2. Process Targets
*Uses a variety of strategies to solve problems
*Can average a set of numbers
*Identifies the unknowns in a problem
*Expresses mathematical thinking in writing
*Explains the process used to solve problems
Examples:
Below is a sample math problem that a fourth grade student is expected to do.
At 9:30 a.m. Kathleen started painting one of her bedroom walls. By 10:00 a.m. she had painted this much of the wall:
If she continues at this rate, at what time would she finish painting this wall?
O A. 10:30 a.m.
O B. 11:00 a.m.
O C. 11:30 a.m.
Bridgeport School District
Bridgeport, Washington