Reading Sage

"The Dyslexic Reading Teacher Sean Taylor" Literacy for me was almost an unrealized unattainable dream! As a dyslexic learner I was unable to read, write, or decode words as a child, p,d,b and q were all the same letter. Many classroom teachers assumed I would never read or write due to the severity of my dyslexia and this made me feel worthless. I am a dyslexic reading teacher that has built a reputation for finding innovative ways "FREE" to teach reading to all students!

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Common Core Reading Passages Making Inference and Drawing Conclusion

Common Core Reading Passages Making Inference/Drawing Conclusion

CCSS Making Inference/Drawing Conclusion Reading Passages with Test Questions Grade 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 | Common Core Making Inference/ Drawing Conclusion Test Samples. Drawing Conclusion, Inferring, To Infer, and Inference is the act or process of deriving logical conclusions from premises known or assumed to be true.The conclusion drawn is also called an idiomatic.

Common Core Anchor Standards for Reading

Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Craft and Structure Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

The available test question resources for teachers, parents and students is limited for CCSS Literature: Making Inference/ Drawing Conclusion!

Teaching inferring
Making Inference/Drawing Conclusion Practice Activities
Recognizing and Answering Test Question Stems
Strategies to Help Readers Make Meaning through Inferences
STRATEGIES FOR ANSWERING READING QUESTIONS
Making Inferences Activities and Test Questions
Logical conclusions based on observations and prior knowledge

Inquiry Activity: Making Inferences

Language Arts, Reading GED Practice Test with Making Inference/ Drawing Conclusion passages

Delightfulness of Children,

I am fond of children. I think them the poetry of the world, the fresh flowers of our hearths and homes; little conjurers, with their "natural magic," evoking by their spells what delights and enriches all ranks, and equalizes the different classes of society. Often as they bring with them anxieties and cares, and live to occasion sorrow and grief, we should get on very badly without them. Only think, if there was never anything anywhere to be seen, but great grown-up men and women! How we should long for the sight of a little child ! Every infant comes into the world like a delegated prophet, the harbinger and herald of good tidings, whose office it is "to turn the hearts of the fathers to he children," and to draw " the disobedient to the wisdom of the just." A child softens and purifies the heart, warming and melting it by its gentle presence; it enriches the soul by new feelings, and awakens within it what is favorable to virtue. It is a beam of light, a fountain of love, a teacher whose lessons few can resist. Infants’ recall us from much that engenders and encourages selfishness, that freezes the affections, roughens the manners, indurate’s the heart: they brighten the home, deepen love, invigorate exertion, infuse courage, and vivify and sustain the charities of life. It would be a terrible world, I do think, if it was not embellished by little children ! — Binney. 249 CWPM Fluency Passages

Common Core Inference Question STEMS

What is the tone/theme of the poem______?
Why do you think the authors feels that way about __________?
How did you know what the author is feeling______________?
What can you infer from _________?
What clues led you to your opinion_________?
What does the passage imply____________?
What does the author suggests about__________?
Why might the author agree___________?
The reader can infer that ___________?
The reader can conclude that__________?
The reader can assume that___________?

Poetry is a great way to help students make inferences and draw conclusions!

A Night With a Wolf

Little one come to my knee!

Hark how the rain is pouring

Over the roof in the pitch dark night,

And the winds in the woods a-roaring

Hush, my darling, and listen,

Then pay for the story with kisses;

Father was lost in the pitch-black night

In just such a storm as this is.

High on the lonely mountain

Where the wild men watched and waited;

Wolves in the forest, and bears in the bush,

And I on my path belated.

The rain and the night together

Came down, and the wind came after,

Bending the props of the pine tree roof

And snapping many a rafter.

I crept along in the darkness,

Stunned and bruised and blinded...

Crept to a fir with thick-set boughs,

And a sheltering rock behind it.

There, from the blowing and raining,

Crouching I sought to hide me;

Something rustled, two green eyes shone,

And a wolf lay down beside me.

Little one, be not frightened;

I and the wolf together,

Side be side through the long, long night,

Hid from the awful weather.

His wet fur pressed against me;

Each of us warmed the other;

Each of us felt in the stormy dark

That beast and man was brother.

And when the falling forest

No longer crashed in warning,

Each of us went from our hiding place

Forth in the wild wet morning.

Darling, kiss me in payment...

Hark! how the wind is roaring!

Father's house is a better place

When the stormy rain is pouring.

Bayard Taylor

The Hermit

Now the quietude of earth

Nestles deep my heart within;

Friendships new and strange have birth

Since I left the city's din.

Here the tempest stays its guile,

Like a big kind brother plays,

Romps and pauses here awhile

From its immemorial ways.

Now the silver light of dawn

Slipping through the leaves that fleck

My one window, hurries on,

Throws its arms around my neck.

Darkness to my doorway hies,

Lays her chin upon the roof,

And her burning seraph eyes

Now no longer keep aloof.

And the ancient mystery

Holds its hands out day by day,

Takes a chair and croons with me

By my cabin built of clay.

When the dusky shadow flits,

By the chimney nook I see

Where the old enchanter sits,

Smiles and waves and beckons me.

George William Russell

Stanzas

OH, weep not, love! each tear that springs

In those dear eyes of thine,

To me a keener suffering brings

Than if they flowed from mine.

And do not droop! however drear

The fate awaiting thee;

For MY sake combat pain and care,

And cherish life for me!

I do not fear thy love will fail;

Thy faith is true, I know;

But, oh, my love! thy strength is frail

For such a life of woe.

Were 't not for this, I well could trace

(Though banished long from thee)

Life's rugged path, and boldly face

The storms that threaten me.

Fear not for me--I've steeled my mind

Sorrow and strife to greet;

Joy with my love I leave behind,

Care with my friends I meet.

A mother's sad reproachful eye,

A father's scowling brow--

But he may frown and she may sigh:

I will not break my vow!

I love my mother, I revere

My sire, but fear not me--

Believe that Death alone can tear

This faithful heart from thee.

Anne Bronte

Friday, November 29, 2013

Charcoal Portraits | Commission Charcoal Portraits

My "gift" of Dyslexia paid for graduate studies in Sweden and two trips around the world. I still paint and draw, but my art was put on hold when I started my teaching career. I draw with my students to demonstrate even someone with innate ability also needs to practice and study constantly. I am working on new drawings and illustrations for my reading game The Legendary Lands. I take one or two portrait commissions a year usually from family or do free work for charities. My charcoal portraits are in the style of old-world masters using the Grisaille method. The charcoal "pastel" portraits are an archival work of fine art, in the style of the

renaissance masters. The portrait process is labor of love for me, a truly ZEN working process to produce a work of fine art, it takes time and patience, people are not interested in commissioning fine art portraits in modern days with the time and expense involved, yet I love the rich look and aesthetic of traditional art! Please contact Me for more information on portrait commissions at seansart@ hotmail.com

Quality fine arts portraits take a month to complete, the processes includes the collaboration of the person commissioning the work and the artist. The processes starts with many preliminary drawings or a visit to a fine arts portrait photographer if commissioning from outside my area. Finding a perfect aesthetic that captures the essence of the person and that is more than a drawing capturing the likeness, we are capturing the inner beauty and soul of the subject.

Portraits are priced based on working with high-quality pictures from a professional portrait photographer and or portrait sittings when possible. The price includes preliminary composition studies and ongoing consultation to create a master work of art. The traditional Grisaille method is used to create the old world aesthetic. (gray scale under painting with glazing)

Only the finest portrait linen in the world is used to produce the oil, pastel, and charcoal "pastel" portraits.

Working Procedure |To produces the best images from which to work to create the Portrait, a sitting is conducted, the subject is photographed under a variety of lighting conditions and in different poses. Sean then does a series of oil sketches, color studies and or drawings from life. In addition, background subject maters is discussed also additions of pets or toys to benefit the composition. From these materials, Sean then chooses several of the best portrait concepts and confers with the client to select the final pose. A sample small portrait is painted to give client final say on full-size portrait.

Initial Charcoal Study

Final background and pose are confirmed and the final portrait is started and in phase the client is given photo updates to confirm happiness with portrait. There is a final sitting for details and changes to be sure of clients happiness. The terms for the Portrait are 50% on ordering and the remaining 50% on delivery. Client satisfaction is important from start to finish.

Add caption

Charcoal Pastel Portrait

Game Illustration for The Legendary Lands

About the Artist

Sean David Taylor is a part-time portrait artist, Illustrator, and summer art teacher. Sean lives in Tucson Arizona, and spends time in Uppsala Sweden, and Paris France in the summer whenever possible, Sean has been painting since 1989. Sean's portraits and paintings hang in public and private collections in the US, Europe and Asia. Sean has had international shows in Stockholm and England. Sean's one man show in Sweden was held at Uppsala Universitet the home of the Nobel Prizes in Science, Literature, and Medicine. His ability to capture the likeness and personality of his subjects have made his work popular and in demand around the world.

Sean David Taylor studied fine arts at the Musee de Louver Paris, Uppsala Universitet in Sweden, and the Hermitage in St Petersburg Russia. Sean has worked in the book illustration field, and has taught art classes in Europe and the US.

Sean enjoys challenging portrait commissions, as well as doing reproductions of masters works. Sean, while in Sweden completed a series of reproductions of Renoir's paintings from works in the Louver Paris, Hermitage St Petersburg, and the Musee D' Orsay Paris. Sean has been reproducing impressionist paintings for clients in Europe and the US with the emphasis on the Impressionist collections during the 1900s. Sean favorite museums for study include the museums above yet Sean has a special place in his heart for the "Musee D' Orsay" in Paris.


Only the finest portrait linen in the world is used to produce the oil, pastel, and charcoal portraits. Working Procedure To produces the best images from which to work to create the Portrait, a sitting is conducted, the subject is photographed under a variety of lighting conditions and in different poses. Sean then does a series of oil sketches, color studies and drawings from life. In addition, background subject maters is discussed also additions of pets or toys to benefit the composition. From these materials, Sean then chooses several of the best portrait concepts and confers with the client to select the final pose. A sample small portrait is painted to give client final say on full size portrait. Final background and pose are conformed and portrait is started and in phase the client is given photo updates to confirm happiness with portrait. There is a final sitting for details and changes to be sure of clients happiness. The terms for the Portrait are 50% on ordering and the remaining 50% on delivery. Client satisfaction is important from start to finish.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Common Core Elements of Poetry with Question Stems

Common Core Elements of Poetry with Question Stems | Poetry Samples with Question Stems

The CCSS ELA Reading Curriculum in many published programs is lacking in quality poetry lessons, elements of poetry test questions, quality and varied poetry samples and opportunities for students and teachers to do analysis with question stems. Students will perform poorly on the PARCC and Smarter Balanced assessments if teacher do not supplement the published curriculum with quality poetry and elements of poetry analysis!

Common Core Poetry Rubrics, Lessons, and Resources!

How to Interpret a Poem Rubric

How to Read a Poem - English Companion ‎

How to Analyze a Poem - Vanier College

Strategies to Read and Analyze Poetry | Scholastic.com

Analyzing a Poem

Example Poetry Analysis, Prepared by Sara Patrick

Poetry Analysis Sheet - ReadWriteThink

POEtry Analysis Outline.pdf

How to Read a Poem - Englishbiz

how to read and analyse a poem - NSW Department of Education

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.5 Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

Poetry Analysis Question STEMS

The word or phrase __________ in poem ____ means?
In the poem ____, the repetition of the word __________ means to?
In stanza ____, the phrase __________ emphasizes?
What is the main message/theme/tone of the poem?
The poet helps the reader understand how it felt mainly by?
The reader can tell that the poem is written in free-verse form because it does not have?
Which poetic structures are found in the poem?
ALLITERATION
ALLUSION
ASSONANCE
CHARACTER
DETAILS
FREE VERSE
HYPERBOLE
IMAGE
INFERENCE
METAPHOR
METER
MOOD
NARRATION
PERSONIFICATION
PLOT
REPETITION
RHYME
SCENE
SIMILE
STANZA
STORY
STRUCTURE
THEME
TONE
VOICE
WORD CHOICE
The poet uses figurative language ___________ at the beginning, middle, end of the poem to convey?
The poet places the words "_______________" on a line by themselves most likely because the words?
The rhyming section of the poem serves to?
What do lines ____ through ____ tell the reader?
Which line indicates that the speaker does or dose not _______________?
Which statement best describes the contrast between the speaker's experiences in the two settings of the poem?
What does the image, dream, thought, tone, mood reveal to the reader?
To the speaker, "________" means?
At the end of the poem, the speaker expresses a feeling of ?
Because the poem is written from the speaker's point of view, the reader is better able to understand?
Lines ____ through ____ are included in the poem because they?
Which word describes the feeling that the poet creates in this poem?
Lines ____ through ____ are important to the poem because they?
The poet titled this poem ____________ most likely because?
Lines ____ through ____ are included in the poem because they ?
Which word describes the feeling that the poet creates in this poem?
The poet titled this poem ____________ most likely because?

Common Core Anchor Standards for Reading

Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Craft and Structure Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.

"We All Work"

Education vs. School!

Walt Whitman ~ O Captain My Captain - poem

William Blake's "The Tyger"

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost poem

Byron ~ She Walks In Beauty ~ poem

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Grade 4 ELA Test Questions | CCSS ELA Grade 4

Grade 4 ELA Test Questions Common Core practice test, Common Core released ELA Reading grade 4. Use the Grade 4 ELA Reading Tests (PDF) below to prepare for the new Common Core ELA Reading standards in 2013-2014. Common Core State Standards Practice Test: Reading ELA Grade 4

Grade 4 COMMON CORE Annotated Test Questions

Grade 3 ELA Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 3 Mathematics Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 4 ELA Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 4 Mathematics Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 5 ELA Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 5 Mathematics Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 6 ELA Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 6 Mathematics Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 7 ELA Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 7 Mathematics Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 8 ELA Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

Grade 8 Mathematics Annotated 2013 State Test Questions

More Downloadable Grade 4 CCSS TEST Resources From California:

English-language Arts

Grade 2 English-language Arts

Grade 3 English-language Arts

Grade 4 English-language Arts

Grade 5 English-language Arts

Grade 6 English-language Arts

Grade 7 English-language Arts

Grade 8 English-language Arts

Grade 9 English-language Arts

Grade 10 English-language Arts

Grade 11 English-language Arts

Mathematics

Geometry

Algebra I

Algebra II

Science

Chemistry

Physics

Mr. Taylor's Kid Friendly CCSS Academic Testing Vocabulary
Third Grade

atlas
A book of maps or a book of tables, charts, pictures on one subject.
Mr. Taylor has a world atlas in his classroom.

abbreviation
A shorter form of a word or phrase, i.e. AZ for Arizona.
The abbreviation for the United States of America is U.S.A.

adverb
A word that modifies a verb by identifying time, place, speed, etc.
Quickly is an adverb in the sentence "Jose quickly finished his homework. "

antonyms
A word opposite in meaning to another word.
Cold is the antonym of hot.

apostrophe
The mark used to show a letter or letters have been left out of a word or phrase or to show ownership.
Example of letters left out: You've is short for "you have" and an apostrophe shows that "have" is missing two letters.
Example of ownership: Mr. Taylor's class reads several books each year.
Example of ownership: The apostrophe in the sentence "Mr. Taylor's class reads several books each year." shows the class belongs to Mr. Taylor.

bias
One meaning of "bias" is to like or dislike one thing over another.
Claudia has bias for chocolate over all other candy.

chronological order
To arrange events in the order they occurred.
In chronological order, our class has computer lab on Monday, music on Tuesday, gym on Wednesday, library on Thursday, and art on Friday.

complete sentence
A complete sentence includes at least a subject and a verb.
"Claudia ran." is a complete sentence.

context clues
Words, phrases or sentences around a new word that helps the reader make a logical guess about the meaning of the new word.
Use context clues to figure out what a new word means.

contraction
A word or phrase shortened by leaving out one or more letters or sounds.
"You'll" is the contraction of "you will."

compound word
A compound word is made when two words are joined to form a new word.
The words "shoe" and "string" are joined to form the compound word "Shoestring."

biography
The history of a persons life.
If you become famous, someone will write your biography.

describe
To tell or write about something.
Please describe your backpack.

declarative
A sentence that makes a statement.
"The earth is round." is a declarative sentence.

dictionary
A book of alphabetically listed words with their meanings and other information.
Students need a dictionary when they go to college.

exclamatory
A sudden, angry outcry; to cry out; shout; or speak suddenly in surprise, etc.
"Lillian, be quiet! shouted her mother is an exclamatory phrase.

fact
Something that really happened; truth; actuality; things as they exist.
It is a fact that the moon revolves around the earth.

fairy take
A fairy tale is a type of short story with fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments.
The story "Jack and the Beanstalk" is a fairy tale.

folk tale
A story or legend originating and traditional among a group of people (folk = people), especially one forming part of the spoken tradition of the everyday people.
The stories about Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox are folk tales.

interrogative
Asking a question.
"Do you like chocolate ice cream?" is an interrogative.

index
One meaning of "index" is an alphabetical list of names, subjects, etc., together with page numbers where they can be found--usually placed at the end of a book.
In this book, the index says there is information about the moon on pages 31 and 73.

instructions
Education; teaching; lessons or a list of steps to be followed to complete an assignment.
(1) Every teacher at Rio Vista gives instructions to their students. (2) It is hard to use a TV remote without reading the instructions.

main characteristics
The most important things that identify a person, plant, object--or anything in the universe.
The main characteristics of most cars are four wheels, a body where the driver and passengers sit, a steering wheel, an engine, and headlights and taillights.

nonfiction
Books and stories which only include real people, animals, plants, science, events, etc.
A book about birds in Tucson is a nonfiction book.

main idea
The main idea of a passage or reading is the the most important thought or message. (In contrast to the term topic, which refers to the subject under discussion.)
The main idea of Mr. Taylor's instructions is that it is important to follow directions.

multi-meaning words
Words which have more than one meaning.
Multi-meaning words will have the different meanings listed and numbered (1, 2, 3, etc.) in the dictionary.

opinion
A person's belief based on what seems true, or probable; a person's judgment.
Many people have the opinion that French cooking is the best in the world.

organization
A group of persons organized for some specific purpose, such as a club, business, team, etc.
The Rio Vista band is an organization of students with an interest in music.

personal narrative
A story that tells a story based on a personal experience of the writer.
Jasmine wrote a personal narrative about a trip to visit her grandmother.

plural
More than one of something.
The plural of bone is bones.

plot
The arrangement of the main events in a book, story, poem, or film, also known as the "story line."
The plot of most mysteries starts with a murder.

point of view
A way of viewing things; an attitude or the position from which something is observed or considered; a standpoint.
It is Mr. Taylor's point of view that students must be held responsible for completing their work.

possessive
The form of a word that shows ownership.
The possessive form of John is John's. For example, to say John owns the airplane, you would say "It is John's airplane."

predicate
In a sentence, the verb (action word) or the verb and words that describe the verb.
"Runs fast" is the predicate in the sentence "Magaly runs fast."

prefix
A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to change its meaning.
In the word "unhappy," "un-" is the prefix.

prefixes
Prefixes are placed at the beginning of words to change their meanings.
The prefixes we will see often are "pre-" (before), "post-" (after), "un-" (opposite of), "anti-"(against), "hemi-" (half), "non-" (absence of), "out-" (exceeding), "trans-" (across), etc.
The sentence "John was unhappy in preschool" has two prefixes.

punctuation (commas)
Special marks in sentences or phrases that make the sentences or phrases easier to understand. Some common punctuation marks are: . , ' ; ? !
The comma ( , ) tells where to pause or take a breath.
root word
A word that can start to build the meaning of many words.
"Corn" is the root word of : popcorn; cornflower; cornmeal; cornbread; and cornmeal: all the words mean something about corn.

run-on sentence
A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses (i.e., completesentences) are joined without appropriate punctuation ( ; ) or a conjunction (and, for, nor, but, or, yet and so).
"Sydney and Sabrina were in the band Sydney played the saxophone Sabrina played percussion" is an example of three run-on sentences.

introduction
The introduction is at the beginning of a story and it tells you what the main idea(s) will be; it lets you
"meet" the main idea.
An introduction to your teacher lets you meet.

singular
In grammar, the form of a word that says there is only one of something.
In the sentence "There was only one Juliana in the class, but there were two Gabriels," Juliana issingular and Gabriels is plural.

sign
The word "sign" has many meanings. Among them are: to write your name (signature); a symbol with a specific meaning ( $ meaning dollars); and hand gestures that give information (sign language).
When you vote in any election, you have to sign your name.
story elements (character, setting, plot)
The who, what, where and why--the parts that make up a story.
In Harry Potter, the main characters are Harry, Hermione, and Ron; the setting is Castle Hogwarts; and the plot is to learn to be wizards and keep Harry safe from Voldemort.

schedule
The way things are planned to happen in our lives, schools, or work.
Sometimes Mr. Taylor's class schedules a trip to the gem and mineral show in February.

subject
The person, place or thing that does the action in a sentence.
In the sentence "Michael finished his report before lunch," "Michael" is the subject, and "finished" is the action (verb).

suffixes
Letters or syllables added to the end of a word to change its meaning.
Suffixes such as "-ish" and "-er" can be added to the word "small" to change its meaning to smallish and smaller.

summarize
To state briefly; to shorten to its most important parts.
Mr. Taylor asked us to summarize the first chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone.

supporting details
They come after the topic sentence, making up the body of a paragraph. What do they do? They give details to develop and help the reader better understand the topic sentence (main idea).
If your topic sentence is "Harry Potter has a special wand," you could add supporting details about the wand, such as where he got it, what it's made of, and why it's a special wand.

synonyms
Different words that have the same meaning.
Synonyms of "bend" are curve and twist.

verb (types and functions)
A word that in a sentence that tells you the action (bring, read, walk, run, learn), or a state of being (be, exist, stand).
In the sentence "Anthony ran his race and is now standing next to the track," "ran" (the action) and "standing" (state of being) are both verbs.

Fourth Grade

acronym
A word that is made by putting together parts of other words.
The word "radar" is an acronym that was built from "radio detecting and ranging"
( "ra + d + a + r" ).

adjective
A word or phrase that modifies (describes) a noun .
The word "brilliant" is an adjective in the sentence "Yatzari is a brilliant student". "Brilliant" describes the noun "student".

adverb
A word that Modifies (describes) a verb.
"Suddenly" is an adverb in the sentence "Anthony suddenly remembered his homework assignment". "Suddenly" describes the verb "remembered."

almanac
A book that gives useful information about a particular subject; sometimes published in a month-by-month order.
For example, a gardening almanac might tell when to plant different flowers and vegetables.

analogy
A phrase or sentence that shows how different things may be alike in some ways.
"A human heart is like a pump" is an analogy. The heart and pump are alike in one way: they each pump something.

anthology
A book that is a collection of different writers' works (essays, stories, poems, etc.).
"Mr. Taylor had so many interesting stories to tell. One day he was going to publish his collection as 'An Artist's Anthology.' "

antonym
A word that has an opposite meaning.
An antonym of "hot" is "cold"; an antonym of "fast" is "slow".

aphorism
A short, clear, wise statement that tells an opinion or a saying that many people believe is true.
An aphorism about a famous musician is the sentence "Irving Berlin has no place in American music - he IS American music."

audience (as listeners and readers)
A group of people that gather to see or hear a performance - when the performance is an "out-loud" reading, the performers are the readers and the audience are the listeners.
For example: "Mr. Taylor and Maria were taking turns reading 'The Chamber of Secrets' to the class. Theaudience was very quiet as the readers reached a scary part of the story."

author's purpose
The reason for writing - to inform, to question, to entertain.
"Fernando worked hard on his first prompt. His author's purpose was to entertain his readers with his funny story."

autobiography
The story of someone's life, written by that person.
"Mr. Taylor had given the students their first assignment of the year: a one-page autobiography."

bibliography
A list of the books and materials consulted; appearing at the end of the text.
"Leslie was sure to include her bibliography at the end of her science report."

brochure
A booklet or pamphlet that describes a subject; often an advertisement.
"Mrs. Kuhn carefully read the brochure that announced the opening of the University Science Fair."

caption
A short description or title of an illustration in a text.
"Gloria had written the caption ' What I Want to be When I Grow Up ' under her drawing of a jet pilot ."

category
A set of things that are grouped together because they have something in common.
"Eric had lots of homework to do. Which category would he start with? Reading, Writing, Science, Math ...? "

cause/effect characteristics
Cause is the action that makes something happen; Effect is the something that happens.
"Sarah knocked over a glass of water onto her homework pages. Knocking over the glass was the cause of soaking her homework. Wet homework was the effect of knocking over the glass."
conclusion
The part that brings something to an end OR
a decision that is made after looking at all the facts.
"Andrew thought the conclusion of ‘Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets‘ was really exciting!"
"After much thought, Anthony came to the conclusion that the answer to the long division problem was '286' "

conjunction
A connecting word that links sentences or words ("and", "or", "if", "but" ...).
"David and Jose wanted to talk to Gage or Sam before school, but the bus was late."
Conjunctions in this sentence were "and", "or", and "but".

contest
An organized test among entrants to find out which is best at doing something.
"On Tuesday there was a contest between the two fourth grades to see which class was best at playing cricket."

conversation
A talk with someone.
"Mrs. Kuhn would have a conversation with the "Wheels in Motion" people to learn whether their contest would come to Rio Vista this year."

diary
A book of a person's daily happenings and thoughts.
"George Washington's diary was full of interesting things that happened before the United States became a nation."

double negatives
Using two negative forms together in a phrase or sentence; not good English.

"I won't never use double negatives when I write a story!"

drama
Works written for performance on stage, television, or radio; usually serious subjects and manner of performance. Sometimes anything that is not a comedy is called a drama.
The book “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” was dramatized into a movie.

drawing conclusions
Reaching a conclusion, or a final decision, about something.
"After Mr. Taylor sees the results of the test, he will be drawing conclusions on on the next homework assignment."

encyclopedia
A reference book or set of books giving much information on all areas or specialized areas of knowledge.
"Jade, did you find 'Mount St. Helens' in the encyclopedia?"

fable
A make-believe short story that teaches a moral, especially with animals as characters.
In the fable “The Tales of Peter Rabbit“, a young rabbit has adventures and learns about the world.

genre
A category of artistic works, based on form, style or subject matter.
For example, a detective novel is a genre of fiction.

index....Copied from 3rd and 5th

noun
A word (or group of words) that names a person, place, or thing.
The sentence "Ellie quickly gathered up her books to fill her backpack ,"
contains three nouns.

making inferences
Reaching a conclusion or decision from facts and reasoning.
"Hector and Alexis were making inferences on the cost of their field trip by adding up their lunch expenses."

metaphor...Copied from 3rd and 5th

myth...Copied from 3rd and 5th

outline
A rough plan of a written work or speech; a list of main points or features to be covered.
"Mr. Taylor's drew an outline of his chapter on the smart board."

possessive nouns
Persons, places, or things that show ownership.
In the sentence "Sally’s car is with yellow stripes," the possessive noun is "Sally's" .

preposition
A relation or function word that connects a noun or pronoun to another part of a sentence ( "in", "by", "for", to", etc.).
In the sentence "Steven hit the ball and ran for first base," the word "for" is a preposition that joins "first base" to the rest of the sentence.
pronoun
A word that may be substituted for a noun ("I", "you", "them", "who", "ours", "he", "she", "anybody", etc.).
"Adriana has been working hard on long division, and it has been worth the effort because she scored high onher math test!" The three pronouns in this sentence are "it", "she", and "her".

proofread
To check written work for errors and mark the changes to be made.
"Pedro just needed to proofread and correct his 'Read and Response' chapter, and he would be finished."

sentence fragment
Words that do not form a complete sentence of subject and verb.
"Mr. Taylor for the first time." is a sentence fragment because it has no verb.

simple predicate
The verb or action word of a sentence or phrase, without words that modify the verb.
"Ran" is the simple predicate of the sentence "Monique expertly ran the cotton candy booth for the Rio Vista's Fantasy Fair."

simile
A figure of speech that compares two different things (often with "as" or "like") .
"Red as a beet" is a simile in the sentence "Tim's face was red as a beet."

simple subject
The subject of the verb of a sentence, without words that modify the subject.
In the sentence "The shiny spotted horse frisked around the pasture," the word "horse" is the simple subject.

synonym
A word that means the same, or almost the same, as another word.
The word "scholar" is a synonym for "student".

tall tale
A story with characters or happenings that are exaggerated or made bigger than real life.
"Pecos Bill" is a tall tale of a cowboy who could do unbelievable things, like rope a tornado with his lariat.

thesaurus"...Copied from 3rd and 5th

title page (parts of)
A title page is a page at the beginning of a book that gives the book’s title, the author, and the publisher.
The title, “HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE”; the author, “J.K. ROWLING”; and the publisher, “Arthur A. Levine Books” all appear on the title page for the first Harry Potter book.

verb tense
The form of a verb that shows not only the action, but when the action happens (in the past, present, or future).
In the sentence “ Mr. Taylor’s class will leave for lunch in 15 minutes”, the verb tense is future; In the sentence “The class is leaving now”, the verb tense is present; In the sentence “The class left,” the verb tense is past.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Grade 3 ELA Test Questions | CCSS ELA

Grade 3 ELA Test Questions Common Core practice test, Common Core released ELA Reading grade 3. Use the Grade 3 ELA Reading Tests below to prepare for the new Common Core ELA Reading standards in 2013-2014. Common Core State Standards Practice Test: Reading ELA

COMMON CORE Annotated Test Questions