Standards of Learning “Parent Tips” for Fourth Graders
from the Virginia Standards Of Learning “Blue Prints”
-Based Upon A Collection of Frequently Asked QuestionsSeventh Edition of “Parent Tips”
By
George K. McCrum
Dear 4th Grade Parents,
Winter 2007
The next few pages are an initiative to assist parents with their understanding of the Standards Of
Learning (SOL) and provide information about how SOLs can be reinforced at home. As we
"Count Down to the Standards of Learning” assessments, you can follow along with our
countdown by asking simple application questions each night as a fun and motivating way to
encourage a united and focused effort.
Each example is directly related to a Standard Of Learning that will be assessed during May 7th
through May 23rd. The examples and descriptions of the items in each section of this document
is not intended to be a comprehensive curriculum but have proven to add significantly to the
probability of success with the SOL assessments.
The websites of www.virginiasol.com, www.pen.k12.va.us and www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us
also offer practice exercises, sample examination questions and important graphics that are
frequently used with most examinations. These materials parallel the assessments but are
variations and no single example should be expected on the S.O.L. examination.
This is the second time our 4th graders have been formally assessed on multiple SOL
exams. Though your child has experiences from the 3rd grade, the 4th grade SOL
examinations are limited to the Standards Of Learning of 4th grade exclusively.
Standards of Learning “Parent Tips”
-Focused On The Virginia SOL “Blue Prints”4th Grade Reading
Have your child demonstrate their abilities to use word analysis strategies and informational
resources with both fiction and nonfiction by reading passages from children’s magazines, any
trade book and sections from Spotsylvania County School texts that they have not read before
then…
use the context found within sentences of the text to figure out the meanings of unfamiliar
words…
use context clues that they recall from stories that you read to them to figure out the
meaning of unfamiliar words
explain how words have different meanings when used in different sentences and contexts…
name words that that are spelled the same, and/or sound the same with different
spellings, but have and different meanings…[joint: a section of the arm & place
to go] and or [fair & fare] and or [right: correct & cardinal direction] and [top: a
child’s toy & highest point]…
demonstrate their knowledge of word origins with synonyms, antonyms, homophones
and words with multiple meanings…
demonstrate use of word-reference materials to best identify where to find information
in either a dictionary or glossary or thesaurus…
demonstrate a thorough comprehension and understanding of informational resources for
completing research by choosing from among the resources of a media center,
including on-line sites, printed materials and media resources of various types…
Have your child demonstrate their abilities in the comprehension of printed materials by…
explaining an author’s purpose for writing a story from among a listing of choices…
choosing from among a list of wording that contributed to an author’s purpose after
reading a selection that are defined by choice of language used, settings in the
story and basic information in the selection…[the selection of the statement that
does not fit is critical to success]
explaining and comparing the use of fact and fantasy in historical fiction with other forms
of literature… [Johnny Appleseed, Sounder and The Slave Dancer are historical
fiction examples]
showing you that they understand the major events and supporting details found in a
selection of fiction…
identifying sensory words in a selection of fiction…
Have your child demonstrate their comprehension of nonfiction by…
using text organizers (story maps), fonts, printing type and graphics to predict and
organize information…
choosing among selections that could formulate questions that are answered by a
selection…[the selection of the statement that does not fit is critical to success]
explaining an author’s purpose for writing a selection…
explaining the inferences that can be drawn from information in a selection…
explaining what conclusions that can be drawn from information in a selection…
identifying important details that summarize content…[The 5 W’s]
distinguishing between fact and fiction in a selection of nonfiction…
identifying facts and distinguishing what are opinions in a selection of nonfiction…
Standards of Learning “Parent Tips”
-Focused On The Virginia SOL “Blue Prints”4th Grade Mathematics
The children will have manipulative materials to use during parts of the Mathematics examination.
A four-function calculator and standard & metric rulers are provided by the school. The
Mathematics examination is the largest of the examinations for the 4th graders.
Have your child…
demonstrate place value of each digit through millions…
demonstrate understanding of comparisons between whole numerals through
millions with true and false statements using symbols like <, >, =, and word
phrases of is greater than, is less than and is equal to…
demonstrate estimation for the purpose of rounding to the nearest 1000, 10,000 and
100,000 and then expand their understanding to include all the digits through a
million.…[1,435,579 is best represented by what number?” [hundreds - 1,435,600
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or 1,435,500], [ten thousands - 1,440,000 or 1,435,500]…or “The value of 4 in
1,435,579 is what numeral?” [400,000 or 40,000 or 4,000,000]
identify, model and compare rational numerals (both fractional and mixed numerals)
using illustrations and pictures…
show they can compare numerical values of fractions that contain both like and unlike
denominators of less than 12 using concrete models from a listing of selection
choices…
show that they understand equivalent fractions by relating a concrete model to a
fractional value from among choices of a list…
demonstrate that they can relate fractions to decimal values that are expressed as
concrete objects from a selection of choices listed…
demonstrate that they can read, represent and identify decimals expressed through
thousandths…[This requires clear understanding of decimal placement/value]
demonstrate and explain rounding of decimals to the nearest whole number, tenth and
hundredth place…
compare the value of two decimals using symbols of <, > and = as well as relating
decimal equivalent values to concrete models, drawings and graphics on a
calculator…
explain their understanding of estimating sums and differences…
demonstrate their ability to refine their thoughts about rounding using the specific
terminology of closer to, between and a little more than…
show that they can accurately add and subtract whole numerals written in vertical and
horizontal forms with paper & pencil as well as with a calculator…
demonstrate that they can both estimate and multiply two and three digit numerals and
estimate answers into the place value units of both tens and hundreds…
show you that they can estimate and find the quotient of two whole numbers given a one
digit divisor…
show they can add and subtract fractions that contain both like and unlike denominators
of 12 or less that are represented by pictures and illustrated models by choosing
from a listing…
demonstrate they can add and subtract with decimals through the thousandths place that
are represented by pictures, models, illustrations by choosing from a listing…
show they can solve problems involving addition and subtraction with fractions that
contain both like and unlike denominators of 12 or less and with decimals
through the thousandths place that are represented by pictures, models or
illustrations by various computational methods including the use of calculators…
demonstrate that they can identify equivalent measurements within the customary system
of ounces and pounds and within the metric system of grams and kilograms…
approximate the conversion of one ounce as equal to twenty eight grams and one
kilogram as a little more than two pounds…
show you that they can measure with both metric and customary units including both an
inch and parts of ½, ¼, and 1/8, along with feet, yards, meters, centimeters and
millimeters…
approximate the conversion of customary inches to centimeters, yards to meters and
miles to kilometers with one inch = @ 2.5 centimeters, one meter =@one yard,
and one mile =@1.5 kilometers so a kilometer is slightly more than a half a
mile…
show that they can identify equivalent measurements within the customary system of
cups, pints, quarts and gallons and within the metric system of milliliters and liters…
show that they can estimate the conversion of quarts and liters using approximate
comparisons…
show that they can use a ruler to measure the distance around a polygon to establish
perimeter…
describe the relationships of points, to lines, to line segments and to rays…
show that they can determine the distance between points and create a line segment as
well as a ray…
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describe the differences between congruent and non-congruent shapes…
describe the properties of both two and three dimensional geometric figures…
describe what an ordered pair for a point represents and have them locate a point in the
first quadrant of a coordinate plane…
define the vocabulary of mathematics in terms of the likelihood of particular outcomes
such as certain, likely, unlikely and impossible…
demonstrate that they can interpret data from a graph and draw conclusions from a listing
of choices…
Note carefully what seems to be missing with your child’s mathematics skills and return to
them at a later time for extra practice on those skills.
Standards of Learning “Parent Tips”
-Focused On The Virginia SOL “Blue Prints”4th Grade Virginia Studies
The 4th Grade Virginia Studies examination is comprised of four general categories: History of
Virginia, Geography of Virginia and its Neighbors, Civics and Economics.
Variations in the examination over the years have produced few reliable questioning patterns.
Have your child…
rehearse the following terms and distinctive characteristics of Virginia’s Regions Coastal Plain: Low flat plain often called the Tidewater area is East of the Fall Line
located on the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay.
Piedmont : Located West of the Fall Line at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains
comprised of rolling hills.
Blue Ridge: Located between the Piedmont and Valley/Ridge Regions it is the
source of many rivers since it is a part of the Appalachian Mountain range with
old rounds mountains.
Valley and Ridge: Located west of he Blue Ridge mountains this region includes the
Great Valley of Virginia.
Appalachian Plateau: A small portion of land located in far Southwestern Virginia
rehearse the following vocabulary terms Fall Line: The natural border between the Coastal Plain (Tidewater) and the Piedmont
Regions, where waterfalls prevent further travel on a river.
Plateau: An area of elevated land.
Peninsula: A piece of land bordered on three sides by water.
show and tell you the four major rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay…[James,
York, Potomac, and Rappahannock]
name and locate the major cities on the four major rivers of Virginia…[ Richmond &
Jamestown on the James, Yorktown on the York, Alexandria on the Potomac and
Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock]
describe the direction necessary to travel East, West, North and South from different
regions, cities and the Atlantic Ocean… (This examination uses maps extensively)
explain their understanding of the impact of rivers on the settlement of Virginia…
describe why the rivers of Virginia flow from the West to the East AND empty into what body of
water… [elevation & Chesapeake Bay]
name the three major language groups of First Americans in Virginia…[Algonquian, Siouan &
Iroquoian]
name the region and Indian tribe associated with the language spoken...
[Algonquuian/Tidewater/Powhatans]
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[Souian/Piedmont/All Indians]
[Iroquoian/Valley&Ridge/Cherokee]
explain why First Americans are typically called Indians…
explain what artifacts prove that First Americans lived thorough out Virginia…
explain why Virginia Indians are referred to as Eastern Woodlands Indians…
explain what climatic conditions are characteristics of Virginia…[mild climate with four distinct
seasons that produce a variety of vegetation/plants]
Internet websites, printed materials like “Parent Tips” and regular attendance have proven to be
exceedingly useful activities to increase your child’s success on the SOL.
In the 2006 – 2007 school year our children may be taking the SOL examinations “on-line”.
Additional SOL Practice Websites and Sources
http://virginiasol.com/index.htm
http://www.salem.k12.va.us/south/gradelevels/third/solLinks.htm
http://www.sps.k12.va.us/schools/btwes/quizzes.htm
http://www.socialstudies.cayennepaper.com/6thgrade.htm
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/online/2003/grade4/writing.htm - Writing SOL
http://www.iq.poquoson.org/ - interactive quizzes based on released test items
http://education.jlab.org/solquiz/index.html - Jefferson lab SOL practice for Math and Science
http://www.solpass.org/ - The password is spot for Science and Social Studies Practice
http://www.dailypress.com/extras/solutions/archive.htm - Cartoon SOL site
http://www.pwcs.edu/mullen/sol/SOLpage.htm - SOL Practice grades 3, 4, and 5
http://web.dps.k12.va.us/ParkAve/soltest.htm - SOL practice all subjects
http://marg.mhost.com/mugifs/FunQuizes.html - SOL Practice (all grades)
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/HutchisonES/solquiz/solquiz.html - Virginia History
http://www.wendyseger.com/sol_games.htm - 4th and 5th grade practice - collection of learning
tools
http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/sol.html#mathematics
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