Preparing for the 4th
Grade FCAT
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What is the FCAT 2.0?
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The Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test
is part of Florida’s overall plan to increase
student achievement by implementing higher
standards. The FCAT 2.0 also measures student
progress toward meeting the Next Generation
Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) benchmarks.
Common Core Standards implemented 20142015 school year.
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When will the FCAT test be given?
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FCAT Writes
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February 25, 2014
FCAT Reading and Math
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April 14-17,2014
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FCAT Writing
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What can my child score on the FCAT Writes?
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Has focus, organization, higher end vocabulary used appropriately,
plenty of support and conventions. Variety of sentence structure
adds fluency and enhances understanding.
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Writing is focused, has organization, precise vocabulary, plenty of
support and proper use of conventions. Writer builds suspense in a wellcrafted story.
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Generally focused based on topic/prompt, has organization, transitions
connect within and between paragraphs, higher end vocabulary used
appropriately, plenty of support and mostly proper use of conventions.
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Generally focused based on topic, organization attempted, lacking
supporting details and elaboration. Some transitions move the action
through time. Few minor errors in spelling, capitalization, and
punctuation. Demonstration of knowledge of conventions.
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Slightly related to topic/prompt, incomplete organization, some details,
unrelated information shifts the topic, word choice limited or immature,
missing punctuation resulting on run-on sentences.
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Minimally addresses topic/Lists multiple responses/prompt, has
extraneous information, frequent errors in all areas of conventions
Unscorable
Did not write to the topic/prompt
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Scoring
Unscorable
The paper is unscorable because
• the response is not related to what the prompt requested the student to
do,
• the response is simply a rewording of the prompt,
• the response is a copy of a published work,
• the student refused to write,
• the response is written in a foreign language,
• the response is illegible,
• the response is incomprehensible (words are arranged in such a way that
no meaning is conveyed),
• the response contains an insufficient amount of writing to determine if
the student was attempting to address the prompt, or
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• the writing folder is blank.
Types of Topics/Prompts
 Expository
 Explain
 Beginning,
Middle, End
 60 minutes
 Rough Draft
 Narrative
 Tell
a story
 Beginning,
Middle, End
 60 minutes
 Rough Draft
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What is a Writing Prompt?
 A prompt defines the topic for the student's writing.
Prompts have two basic parts: the writing topic and
the directions for writing.
 During the FCAT writing assessment students will
receive a writing prompt that asks them to respond
with an Expository or Narrative essay.
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What else is a Writing Prompt?
 Given an Expository writing prompt a student
will be asked to EXPLAIN a why, how, or, what
question about the prompt.
 Given a Narrative writing prompt students will
be asked to TELL or WRITE a STORY about a
given writing situation.
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Writing Prompt Example
Expository - EXPLAINS
 Writing Situation:
 We all have things we really enjoy doing outside.
You may like to play ball, jump rope, or play with
your pet.
 Directions for Writing:
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Before you begin writing, think about things
you really enjoy doing outside. Now explain to
the reader of your paper, what you enjoy doing
outside.
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Writing Prompt Example
Narrative – TELLS A STORY
 Writing Situation:

All of us like to go on trips. Think about a trip you
have been on in the past.
 Directions for Writing:

Before you begin writing, think about a trip you
have taken. Now write a story to tell about your trip.
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Figurative Language
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What are the Scorers looking
for?
Conventions- Spelling
 Spelling will be considered, however, it is commonly used
words being misspelled that could impact the score.
 If students take a Compositional Risk by including words
that are not commonly used at his/her level, and such words
are misspelled, the scoring will not be negatively affected.
SO
 Students should take time to proof-read and correct
inadvertent misspellings and punctuation BUT still be
encouraged to use mature and precise word choice.
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Looking at spelling: What is a Compositional Risk?
Example: 4th Grade
Non-example: 4th Grade
I cherised that magical
moment.
But when they left it was
traject.
All of it turned out real
phenomanal!
I said to my friend Mike dose he
know how to cook.
Wile we were cooking during
lunch everyone tried our food.
Explanation:
Notice in the example, the student takes a risk by attempting to utilize words that fit
correctly within the context of their writing, although the words are misspelled. However,
the non-example shows frequent errors in the spelling of commonly used words (dose
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and Wile).
How can you help your child???
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The better the reader, the better the writer
Journal Writing
Review their writing at home
Encourage mature vocabulary
Correct grammar, spelling, and capitalization on
all assignments.
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At Home Review
Please encourage your child to re-read what they write, to add
voice to their paper and remember those JUICY words!
Please review daily, with your child, the difference between an
expository and a narrative.
Ask them questions like:
 What are the parts of an expository?
 What are the parts of a narrative?
 What should you always in your expository or narrative essay
to make it POP?
 What are JUICY words?
 Give an example of a simile and a metaphor.
 Give an example of a strong verb.
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FAQ
Who scores the test?
 How are the scores calculated?
 What is the passing score?
 Can fourth grade students be retained for
not passing this test?
 Can students use visual aids, dictionaries,
and notes?
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FCAT READING
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What can my child score on the FCAT?
Level 5
This student has success with the most challenging
content of the Sunshine State Standards. A student
scoring in Level 5 answers most of the test questions
correctly, including the most challenging questions.
Level 4
This student has success with the challenging content
of the Sunshine State Standards. A student scoring in
Level 4 answers most of the test questions correctly, but
may have only some success with questions that reflect
the most challenging content.
Level 3
This student has partial success with the challenging
content of the Sunshine State Standards, but
performance is inconsistent. A student scoring in Level
3 answers many of the test questions correctly but is
generally less successful with questions that are the
most challenging.
Level 2
This student has limited success with the challenging
content of the Sunshine State Standards.
Level 1
This student has little success with the challenging
content of the Sunshine State Standards.
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How the Test is Designed
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FCAT DESIGN (90 min/ with short stretch break)
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Multiple Choice (MC) = 1pt. - 1 min each
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Combination of Fiction (fables), Non-Fiction and
Poetry (compared)
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Reference research (graphs, pictures, maps, charts,
captions, footnotes)
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Identify, understand and apply the use of figurative
language.
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Meet the Benchmarks
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Cause/Effect
Main Idea/Relevant Supporting Details
Text Features
Vocabulary
Compare/Contrast (Similarities/Differences)
Author’s Perspective/Point of View
Chronological Order
Theme/Topic *
Elements of Story Structure
Text Structure/Organizational Patterns
Descriptive, Idiomatic & Figurative Language *
Informational Text
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Figurative Language
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How can you help your child???
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Read books with your child aloud
Ask questions of the 5 W’s and How
Monitor student book choice ( AR level and
genres)
Assign activities that will have your child
graphing, classifying, predict, estimating,
comparing, identifying patterns, interpreting,
and summarizing material
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FCAT MATH
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How the Test is Designed?
Multiple Choice
 Diagrams
 Conversions
 Rulers
 No calculators
 Gridded Responses
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Gridded-response items appear in
Grade 4 for the first time
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Gridded Response
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%
Rulers will be provided for use on
the second session
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Megan’s father won first place in a bicycle race. The race was
divided into equal sections, each measuring exactly 7 miles in
length. Which number could be the total number of miles of
the race?
A.
B.
C.
D.
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Meet the Strands
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Number Sense, Concepts and Operations
Measurement
Geometry and Spatial Sense
Algebraic Thinking
Multi-Step Word Problems
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Number Sense
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Geometry and Spatial Sense
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Geometry and Spatial Sense
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Algebraic Thinking
Michèle is paid $2.00 for each hour she watches her younger
brother. She then spends $3.00 of her total earnings.
Let h represent the number of hours Michèle watched her
brother.
Which expression below could be used to show how much
money she will have left?
A. h - 3
B. h ÷ 2
C. 2 – 3b
D. (2h) - 3
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How can you help your child???
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Review multiplication facts
Bake with your child (use metric units and
customary)
Incorporate estimation when shopping with
your child
Use the online E*text book Go Math!
Have students underline and circle key words
and concepts when completing assignments
Always show work
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Parent/Student Resources
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http://www.fldoe.org
http://www.fcatexplorer.com
http://fcit.usf.edu/fcat/
http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcat2/fcatitem.asp
http://fcat.fldoe.org/rubrcpag.asp
http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcat2/pdf/2013Gr4Ancho
rSet.pdf
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Questions and Comments
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