Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Released Questions
July 2015
Copyright Information
“The Night the Bat Got In”: Used by permission of Bluffton News and Publishing
Company. Copyright © Fun for Kidz, property of Bluffton News and Publishing Company.
All rights reserved.
“Pioneer Fun”: Used with permission of Scott Publications and Kid Zone Magazine,
Vol. 6, Issue 6.
“Building the Longest, Tallest, Fastest Scream Machines”: From Appleseeds issue: How
Did They Build That?, copyright © Carus Publishing Company, published by Cobblestone
Publishing, Peterborough, NH. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission of the publisher.
“Hattie Big Sky”: From HATTIE BIG SKY by Kirby Larson, copyright © 2006 by Kirby
Larson. Used by permission of Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s
Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
“If Wishes Were Horses”: Used by permission of The Gina Maccoby Literary Agency,
Copyright © 2000 by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock.
Developed and published under contract with the New York State Education Department by NCS Pearson, Inc., 5601 Green
Valley Drive, Bloomington, Minnesota 55437. Copyright © 2015 by the New York State Education Department. All rights reserved.
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK /
ALBANY, NY 12234
1 The temperature was so stifling that no one even noticed that the back
door had been left ajar. Whoever came in last had forgotten to pull the
stubborn catch. It was one of those late August evenings, right in between
summer-closings and school-openings that dragged on boringly. It threatened
to be the dullest night of the summer.
2 And then the bat got in. Betsy saw it first. She leaped, screaming, from
the hassock and flew out the front door
before anyone knew what was happening. hassock = a padded footstool
3 Mr. Halvorsen arose and calmly declared, “There’s a bat in the house; I
wonder how it got in.” At this point, Mrs. Halvorsen disappeared in a flash.
4 “I’m not sticking around to find out!” her voice trailed into the baby’s
bedroom. Whisking Neil out of his crib, she joined Betsy on the front lawn.
The startled baby began to cry. Mrs. Halvorsen was shaking from her hair
roots to her toenails, and Betsy was shrieking frantically, “There’s a bat in the
house! There’s a bat in the house!”
5 Andrew watched the displaced bat dart erratically through his living room
before he joined his family on the lawn. Never had he seen such calmness
explode into such frenzied activity before!
6 The Overtons had, of course, heard the commotion next door. They came
dashing over, shouting, “What’s wrong?” and “Is everyone all right?”
7 Mr. Halvorsen, after a lapse, was finally heard through all the confusion.
“There’s a bat in our house,” he explained.
8 “I just hope it’s not rabid,” Mrs. Halvorsen worried aloud.
9 Andrew knew it probably didn’t have rabies because he had read a lot
about animals. First, bats are nocturnal, so this creature belonged up at night.
Secondly, it acted like a healthy bat, avoiding objects as it flew. A sick bat
would bump into things or not be able to fly at all. Most bats weren’t rabid,
and legends had given them a bad reputation.
The details about the setting are important to the story because they
Key: B
CCLS: RL.4.3:
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text
(e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 73%
14204044_4
Key: D
CCLS: L.4.5,b
Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 66%
Key: A
CCLS: RL.4.3:
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text
(e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 71%
14204037_1
In paragraph 17, Andrew turns the lights off in the house because he
Key: A
CCLS: RL.4.1:
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 78%
Key: C
CCLS: L.4.4,a:
Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 33%
14204040_2
A Mr. Overton and Mr. Halvorsen have a plan, but Andrew objects.
B Because of Andrew, the bat is able to fly off into the night.
C Mr. Overton praises Andrew for his smart thinking.
D Andrew asks everyone to wait quietly.
Key: B
CCLS: RL.4.2:
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 59%
Bodies in Motion:
Mountain Biking
by Edith H. Fine and Judith P. Josephson
1 Can you bike up a rocky hill, through a creek, over a fallen log, and
through a field of boulders?
2 If you’re a mountain biker, you can—and love it!
3 Mountain bikers take their bikes where they never used to go, and they
use special skills and equipment to do it. Would you like to try?
Getting Started
4 Mountain biking isn’t like riding down the street; you need a bike that can
handle the bumps, bangs, and rough treatment off-road riding can offer.
Check with friends who already take part in the sport. What kind of bike
works best for them?
5 Ask questions at bike stores, but remember, they want to sell you a bike,
so think carefully about what they tell you. Getting yourself in shape is
important, too. Biking calls for strong leg and arm muscles, so don’t forget
your deep knee bends and pushups. Before setting out, do your warm-ups
and stretches. And when you’re done, a cool-down period and more
stretching will help you keep from getting stiff and sore.
Skills
6 Maneuvering your bike on off-road trails calls for skills not usually
used around your neighborhood. For example, can you wheelie? On a trail,
a wheelie might be the best way to get over a fallen log. Broadslides,
bunny-hops, and jumps will also be a part of your arsenal as you attack a
biking trail.
7 You should even brush up on your braking techniques (rely more on your
rear brakes when biking off-road) and your gear shifting to make sure you
perform both smoothly and confidently even when things are happening fast.
According to the authors, why should readers who want to mountain bike ask
questions?
Key: D
CCLS: RI.4.1:
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 48%
14204003_1
How does the information in paragraphs 4 and 5 support a main idea of the article?
Key: A
CCLS: RI.4.2:
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 66%
Key: C
CCLS: L.4.4,a:
Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 57%
14204008_2
According to the “Competition” section of the article, why do some mountain biking
events need to be watched closely?
Key: B
CCLS: RI.4.3:
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what
happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 46%
According to the authors, how will training, learning about bike equipment, and
wearing helmets and pads help riders?
Key: A
CCLS: RI.4.5:
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events,
ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 81%
14204007_3
Which sentence from the text best summarizes a main idea of the article?
A “Check with friends who already take part in the sport.” (paragraph 4)
B “Ask questions at bike stores, but remember, they want to sell you a bike, so think
carefully about what they tell you.” (paragraph 5)
C “Maneuvering your bike on off-road trails calls for skills not usually used around
your neighborhood.” (paragraph 6)
D “The winner is the first to make it through a tough course filled with obstacles
like sharp turns, logs, rocks, streams, and jumps.” (paragraph 11)
Key: C
CCLS: RI.4.2:
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 42%
Pioneer Fun
by Kerrily Sapet
1 Can you imagine life without video games or trips to the mall? For
pioneer children growing up in the 1800s, the nearest town could be days
away by horseback or covered wagon. Trips to the town store were treats for
children, as families might only visit them a few times a year. Inside the
store, pioneer children glimpsed toys, but none that ran on batteries or
electricity.
2 Town stores featured candy, jump ropes, marbles, books that were
designed to teach children good behavior, china and paper dolls. But even
these simple toys were expensive. Most pioneer families had little money for
fun and games. Parents needed to spend their hard-earned money on items
that they couldn’t make themselves, such as tools, nails, and shoes.
3 Without store-bought toys, pioneer children made their own fun out of
what they had. This could be difficult too, as pioneers wasted nothing.
Families used every precious item. They braided small scraps of fabric into
rugs, made jelly from apple peels, and wrote with homemade ink created
from water and soot. Short on money and supplies, kids used their
imaginations, creating toys out of stones, sticks, buttons, cornhusks, wood,
broom straws, and scraps of fabric.
4 Pioneer children made dolls, simple wooden tops and whirling toys,
shaped marbles and beads out of clay, and played counting games. They
created their own fun, making stepping stone bridges, sliding on frozen
streams, and inventing new games to play. Some of the games they played
have been memorized and handed down from generation to generation and
are still played today, like hopscotch, jump rope, hide and seek, and “Mother,
May I?”
5 Today, pioneer crafts and games are just as much fun. Step back in time
and try your hand at making these toys from over 100 years ago.
Make it:
1. Thread the string through the
buttonholes. Tie the ends in a knot,
forming a loop.
2. Hold each end of the string, so that the
button is in the middle.
3. Swing the button in a circle to wind
up the string.
4. Pull your hands apart and push them
together again. The button will whirl
and sing as it swings.
Make it:
1. Fill a can with water and place it in the freezer until the water is
frozen. The ice will give you a hard surface to hammer against.
2. Draw a pattern on the outside of the tin can.
3. Use the hammer to punch holes in the can with the nails, according
to your pattern. The more holes you make, the more the candlelight
can shine through.
4. Make two nail holes near the top of the can on opposite sides for
stringing a handle.
5. String the wire through the holes at the top. Wrap the ends of the
wire around the holes a few times to secure the handle.
6. Place a small candle or tea light on the bottom of your lantern.
Watch for the interesting shadows it will create!
Key: A
CCLS: RI.4.5:
Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events,
ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 59%
132040024_3
Which sentence gives the best evidence that readers can relate the article to their
own lives?
A “Town stores featured candy, jump ropes, marbles, books that were designed to
teach children good behavior, china and paper dolls.” (paragraph 2)
B “Without store-bought toys, pioneer children made their own fun out of what they
had.” (paragraph 3)
C “Some of the games they played have been memorized and handed down from
generation to generation and are still played today, like hopscotch, jump rope,
hide and seek, and ‘Mother, May I?’ ” (paragraph 4)
D “Step back in time and try your hand at making these toys from over 100 years
ago.” (paragraph 5)
Key: C
CCLS: RI.4.8:
Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 54%
A “For pioneer children growing up in the 1800s, the nearest town could be days
away by horseback or covered wagon.” (paragraph 1)
B “Most pioneer families had little money for fun and games.” (paragraph 2)
C “Without store-bought toys, pioneer children made their own fun out of what they
had.” (paragraph 3)
D “Today, pioneer crafts and games are just as much fun.” (paragraph 5)
Key: C
CCLS: RI.4.2:
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 50%
132040019_2
A step 1
B step 2
C step 3
D step 4
Key: B
CCLS: RI.4.3:
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what
happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 49%
A nails will not puncture the hard surface created by the ice inside
B it allows the lantern maker to avoid smashing in the side of the can
C a hard surface will allow the lantern maker to draw detailed patterns
D it allows the lantern maker to avoid scratching the surface of the can
Key: B
CCLS: RI.4.3:
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what
happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 26%
132040021_4
Which definition of “secure” best matches its use in step 5 of “Tin Can Lantern”?
Key: D
CCLS: L.4.4,a:
Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 59%
Which object was most likely useful for the entire family?
A dolls
B whirligigs
C tin can lanterns
D clay marbles and beads
Key: C
CCLS: RI.4.1:
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from the text.
Percentage of Students Statewide Who Answered Correctly: 74%
1 YOUR HEART RACES. You stood in line for hours to ride the new
monster coaster. Now, you’re being strapped in and warned to keep your
hands and arms inside the car at all times. A thought crosses your mind as
you are launched out of the station: How in the world do they build these
monster coasters?
The Design
2 “Amusement parks don’t make their own rides. They go to
manufacturers,” says Monte Jasper. He is in charge of coasters at Cedar Point
Amusement Park in Ohio. It’s his job to maintain the coasters they have and
to work on new ones.
3 Sometimes an idea for a new coaster begins at the amusement park.
Someone takes the idea to different building companies and asks them to
come up with a design for the coaster. Then the park picks the design that
works best for them. Other times, new coasters begin when a company has a
design. Then that company goes to different parks and tries to sell their
design. Either way, the builders and the park work together before
construction begins.
4 Roller coaster designs are based on several things: How high will the
coaster be? What will the surroundings look like? How much does the park
want to spend? Some coasters are designed to break records—tallest, steepest,
fastest, longest.
5 Until recently, coasters could not be over 250 feet high. The chains that
pull the cars on the coaster to the top of the first big hill weren’t strong
enough to lift the coaster higher than 250 feet.
Why was switching from chains to cables in the building of roller coasters important?
Use two details from the article to support your response.
See Short-Response (2-point) Holistic Rubric and the full-credit sample student response.
Guide Paper 2
Page 27
According to the article, why do some amusement parks continue to build new roller
coasters? What factors do parks and builders consider when designing new roller
coasters? Use details from the article to support your response.
In your response, be sure to
• explain why parks continue to build new roller coasters
• describe the factors that amusement parks and builders consider when designing
roller coasters
• use details from the article to support your response
See Extended-Response (4-point) Holistic Rubric and the full-credit sample student response.
Guide Paper 1a
Page 36
2015 ELA Grade 4 Released Questions 25
Score Point 4 (out of 4 points)
This response clearly introduces a topic in a manner that follows from the task and purpose (It is
about how they construct roller coasters and Are they safe?). The response demonstrates insightful
comprehension and analysis of the text (they want to beat the world record of 456 feet and they don’t
want people to be in danger because the roller coaster wasn’t inspected or checked by the builders).
The topic is developed with relevant, well-chosen details from the text [the highest roller coasters
in the world is Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. It is also 456 feet in
the sky and workers will check the whole thing over before the people would be able to ride on the new
roller coaster(s)]. The use of varied, relevant evidence is sustained throughout (How high will the
coaster be? What will the surroundings be like? How much does the park want to spend? Is it safe for
people to ride?). The response exhibits clear, purposeful organization, and skillfully links ideas using
grade-appropriate words and phrases (Read on, because, For example, This proves that, So now, In
the text, As you can see, This reminds me when, now). The response uses grade-appropriate precise
language with domain-specific vocabulary (construct, they will ask themselves these questions, never
judge something else before you try it). The concluding statement follows from the topic and information
presented (Roller coasters aren’t as bad as you think so, never judge something else before you try it). The
response demonstrates grade-appropriate command of conventions, with few errors.
Guide Paper 1b
Page 37
Having lived in Iowa all her life, Hattie has recently moved to her uncle’s
farmland in Montana in 1918.
1 “Hey there, neighbor!” Rooster Jim waved and, with a groan, straightened
himself to a stand from the patch of garden he was weeding. “Out for a
Sunday stroll?” He chuckled at this, seeing as it was Wednesday.
2 “I finished my fence,” I said. There should be trumpets to herald the news.
“Thought I’d celebrate with a walk. Being as it’s getting so warm, I thought
you’d be missing your hat.” I handed it to him.
3 He took it from me and settled it just so on his head. “I wondered what
happened to it after my run-in with that monster machine.” He chuckled,
then sniffed the air. “My, my. This spring breeze is so rich it smells like
fresh-baked bread.”
4 I held out the package I’d been carrying. “I think I’m getting the hang of
this,” I said. “You can actually eat this loaf without soaking it in water first.”
5 Rooster laughed. “Bread that delicious deserves a trade,” he said.
6 “Oh, no need,” I assured him.
7 “Seems to me I’ve been by the Hattie Brooks place a time or two and
heard a most peculiar sound,” he said.
8 “You have? What?”
9 “Most fearful sound.” He shook his head. “The sound of a farm without
any hens.”
10 “Well, I plan on getting some after harvest.”
11 “That’s a long summer without fresh eggs.” He motioned me to follow
him. Over in his hen yard, he pointed out three scraggly hens. “Them’s
Martha, Rose, and June. They’ve got some setting left in them, and I need to
thin out the flock. You interested in giving them a new home? Course,
In “Excerpt from Hattie Big Sky,” what do paragraphs 18 and 19 show about Hattie?
Use two details from the story to support your response.
See Short-Response (2-point) Holistic Rubric and the full-credit sample student response.
Guide Paper 1
Page 83
How are the chickens presented as characters in “Excerpt from Hattie Big Sky”? Use
two details from the story to support your response.
See Short-Response (2-point) Holistic Rubric and the full-credit sample student response.
Guide Paper 3
Page 94
Lily, her Great Aunt Nell, who is visiting from India, and her father become
stuck on the road when their horse gets a nail in its hoof. Father needs to take
the horse home, so Mr. Babcock lends Lily and Nell a bull to get their buggy
back because his horse is very old. In the process, Nell strikes a bargain.
Excerpt from
If Wishes Were Horses
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
1 “I’ll make a deal with you,” Aunt Nell said, her voice chill as a January
night. “If I do get the bull hitched up and home, you’ll let me borrow your
automobile one day next week.”
2 “If you don’t take the cake,” Mr. Babcock said and grinned confidently.
“Lady, if you can get him hitched up, you can have my automobile!”
3 I never could figure out how Aunt Nell did it. She climbed over the fence
and started toward him. The bull had his head down, watching her, and he
was pawing the ground something fierce. I would have run for the hills but
not Aunt Nell. She started talking to him, low. I couldn’t make out what she
was saying, but the bull’s ears twitched like he was listening to her. When she
got close enough, she touched his head, still whispering to him, and I
wondered if she put some kind of spell on him because, even though he
snorted and kicked, he let Aunt Nell lead him out of the pasture and hitch
him up to the buggy. You could have stored butternuts in Mr. Babcock’s
mouth, it was hanging open so.
4 Keeping a tight hold on the reins, Aunt Nell climbed into the buggy.
5 “I guess we’re about set,” she said. “Mr. Babcock, would you care to ride
with us?”
6 Mr. Babcock shook his head slowly.
7 “I wouldn’t set foot in that buggy for a thousand dollars,” he said.
How does Lily feel about Aunt Nell in “Excerpt from If Wishes Were Horses”? Use two
details from the story to support your response.
See Short-Response (2-point) Holistic Rubric and the full-credit sample student response.
Guide Paper 1
Page 104
In “Excerpt from Hattie Big Sky” and “Excerpt from If Wishes Were Horses,” both
Hattie and Aunt Nell accept challenges that benefit them in some way. What
challenges do Hattie and Aunt Nell accept? How do the stories show the benefits of
accepting these challenges? Use details from both stories to support your response.
In your response, be sure to
• describe the challenges that Hattie and Aunt Nell accept
• explain the benefits of accepting these challenges in both stories
• use details from both stories to support your response
See Extended-Response (4-point) Holistic Rubric and the full-credit sample student response.
Guide Paper 1a
Page 114
40 2015 ELA Grade 4 Released Questions
Score Point 4 (out of 4 points)
This response clearly introduces a topic in a manner that follows from the task and purpose (The
main character . . . accept challenges that lead them to benefits). This response demonstrates insightful
comprehension and analysis of the texts (Auntie Nell accepted a challenge so that she could get an
automobile to take her girls to a circuis. Hattie accepted her challenge of taking care of the chickens to
have eggs to cook for delectable meals). The topic is developed with relevant, well-chosen details from
the texts (I’ll make a deal with you . . . If I do get the bull hitched up and you home, you’ll let me borrow
your automobile one day next week and “Can you manage to handle this?” The man who said this quote
was talking obout the chickens). The use of varied, relevant evidence is sustained throughout (I have
managed to borrow a car to take the girls to a circuis and Hours of practice has made me into a proficient
but slow fence builder). The response exhibits clear, purposeful organization, and skillfully links ideas
using grade-appropriate words and phrases (in paragraph 1, The benefit that, in paragraph 21, While
making, As you can see, So). This response uses grade-appropriate, stylistically sophisticated language
and domain-specific vocabulary (that lead them, different character traits, delectable meals, generous
and kind). The concluding statement follows from the topic and information presented (Auntie Nell
is a generous and kind person, while Hattie is a little selfish for just wanting meals). The response
demonstrates grade-appropriate command of conventions, with few errors (circuis).
Guide Paper 1b
Page 115
• If the prompt requires two texts and the student only references one text, the response can be scored no higher
than a 1.
* Condition Code A is applied whenever a student who is present for a test session leaves an entire
constructed-response question in that session completely blank (no response attempted).
—provide a concluding statement —provide a concluding statement —provide a concluding statement —provide a concluding —do not provide a concluding
that follows clearly from the topic that follows from the topic and that follows generally from the statement that is illogical or statement
and information presented information presented topic and information presented unrelated to the topic and
information presented
—demonstrate grade-appropriate —demonstrate grade-appropriate —demonstrate emerging —demonstrate a lack of —are minimal, making
CONTROL OF
command of conventions, with command of conventions, with command of conventions, with command of conventions, with assessment of conventions
CONVENTIONS: the extent
W.2 few errors occasional errors that do not some errors that may hinder frequent errors that hinder unreliable
to which the essay
L.1 hinder comprehension comprehension comprehension
demonstrates command of
the conventions of L.2
standard English grammar,
usage, capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling
• If the prompt requires two texts and the student only references one text, the response can be scored no higher than a 2.
• If the student writes only a personal response and makes no reference to the text(s), the response can be scored no higher than a 1.
• Responses totally unrelated to the topic, illegible, or incoherent should be given a 0.
• A response totally copied from the text(s) with no original student writing should be scored a 0.
* Condition Code A is applied whenever a student who is present for a test session leaves an entire constructed-response question in that session completely blank (no response
attempted).
43