NYS ELA Grade 4 case studies
NYS ELA Grade 4 · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Grade 4 English Language Arts test is part of New York State's Grades 3–8 testing program, administered by the New York State Education Department through its Office of State Assessment. It is a general assessment given to fourth-grade students in New York public and charter schools, and it is not a professional credential or licensure exam. The NYS ELA Grade 4 case studies are 5 cases and about 3,000 words.
1Inference or Literal Detail? A Kite on the Fire Escape
Alvarez's fourth-grade class of 24 students read an original story in which Maya, visiting her grandfather's city apartment, notices a blue kite tangled on a fire escape. After her grandfather says the kite has been there since winter, Maya climbs to the roof and frees it, even though she is afraid of heights.
654 words, about 3 min2Main Idea or Interesting Detail? A Beaver Article
Okafor's 22 fourth graders read a three-paragraph article about beavers. Paragraph 1 explains that beavers build dams across streams.
581 words, about 3 min3Choosing a Mentor Text When One Draft Has Strong Evidence but a Weak Claim
Chen's 26 fourth graders write an opinion essay on whether the school day should start one hour later. The class read two short sources: one explains that many children need more sleep, and one explains how bus schedules would need to change.
593 words, about 3 min4Scoring a Two-Point Short Response About a Character's Change
After a read-aloud of an original realistic fiction story, Ms. Patel's 24 students answer a two-point short response: 'How do Luis's feelings about moving change from the beginning to the end?
612 words, about 3 min5Multiple-Meaning Words: Bank and Current in a Science Passage
Rivera's 25 fourth graders read a science paragraph containing the sentence 'The river bank was muddy, so the hikers walked carefully.' The vocabulary item asks what 'bank' means as it is used in the sentence. Thirteen students choose 'a place where money is kept,' seven choose 'the land along a river,' three choose 'to tilt to one side,' and two choose 'a row of seats.' Later in the same paragraph, the word 'current' appears in 'the current was strong'; ten students choose 'belonging to the present time' for that item.
560 words, about 3 min