2021 NSCAS Grade 4 Classroom Assessment English Language Arts - Student's Name: Nebraska Department of Education 2021
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2021 NSCAS Grade 4
Classroom Assessment
English Language Arts
Student’s Name:
Nebraska Department of Education 2021Copyright © 2021 by the Nebraska Department of Education. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Nebraska Department of Education.
2021
Grade 4 - Classroom Assessment
English Language Arts4
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
Directions:
On the following pages of your booklet are passages and questions for the Grade 4
Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System English Language Arts (NSCAS-ELA)
Classroom Assessment.
Read these directions carefully before beginning this classroom assessment.
This classroom assessment will include several different types of questions. Some
questions are based on one or two passages. Multiple choice questions will ask you to
select an answer from among four choices. Multiple select questions will ask you to select
multiple correct answers from among five or more answer choices. For some questions,
there may be two parts, Part A and Part B, where each part has a multiple choice or multiple
select question.
For all questions:
• Read each question carefully and choose the best answer.
• You may use scratch paper to make notes.
• Be sure to answer ALL the questions.
When you come to the word STOP, you have finished the Grade 4 NSCAS English
Language Arts Classroom Assessment.
5 STOP.ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS - CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
Mari Sandoz
1896–1966
1 Trappers, traders, and gold miners often stopped by the Sandoz farm to visit and tell
stories. Mary (Mari) Sandoz listened and remembered the stories these people told. When
she grew up, she wrote these stories to share with others. Today, Sandoz is sometimes known
as the “Story Catcher of the Plains.”
Childhood Memories
2 Mari Susette Sandoz was born on May 11, 1896, near Hay Springs, Nebraska. Her
parents, Jules and Mary, had come to America from Switzerland. They spoke French and
German at home.
3 Sandoz began school at the age of nine. She was a quick learner and was soon able to
speak English. She gained an interest in reading, and eventually she started writing her own
stories.
4 Native Americans visited Sandoz’s family, and Mari enjoyed listening to their stories.
She liked how they used words to paint a picture of life on the plains.
Early Careers
5 After finishing school, Sandoz took a teaching exam. After passing the exam, she taught
in a country school near her family’s farm.
6 Sandoz moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1919. She worked as a proofreader and
researcher. Her love for learning continued. She decided to take classes at the University of
Nebraska and began writing stories for magazines.
Becoming a Writer
7 Toward the end of his life, Sandoz’s father asked her to write his life’s story. She was
surprised because her father had never approved of her writing. She agreed and began to
write her father’s biography.
8 Sandoz finished the book in 1933. The book was titled Old Jules. Sandoz sent the book
to several publishers, but all of them rejected it. Sandoz did not become discouraged. She
entered Old Jules in a contest. The book was published after winning first place! It gave
people all over the country a closer look at pioneer life.
9 Old Jules was the first of many books for Sandoz. She kept writing. Her books showed
respect and understanding for Nebraska’s native people. Other books focused on pioneer
men and women building farms and towns on the plains.
10 In 1942, Sandoz moved to New York City. She wanted to be closer to her publishers. She
continued to give a voice to the people of the plains in her writings. Sandoz died in 1966.
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Honoring a Writer
11 Nebraska continues to honor Sandoz and her work. In 1969, the Mari Sandoz Award
was established. This award is given yearly to honor a person who has made a significant
contribution to the writing world of Nebraska. In the mid-1970s, Mari Sandoz was admitted
into Nebraska’s Hall of Fame. Mari Sandoz influenced other writers by encouraging them to
honor and preserve stories of their past.
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1. What is the author’s purpose for writing the passage?
A. to explain how Mari Sandoz wrote books
B. to inform by telling facts about Mari Sandoz
C. to entertain by telling a story about Mari Sandoz
D. to persuade the reader to become a writer like Mari Sandoz
2. Read the events in Mari Sandoz’s life.
1. She moved to New York City.
2. She published Old Jules.
3. She became a teacher.
4. She attended college in Lincoln.
According to the timeline, what is the correct order of events?
A. 3, 4, 1, 2
B. 2, 4, 3, 1
C. 3, 4, 2, 1
D. 4, 3, 1, 2
3. What is the meaning of the root bio in the word biography?
A. life
B. light
C. sound
D. study
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4. In paragraph 8, what is the meaning of the word rejected?
A. recovered
B. refused
C. repaired
D. rewarded
5. Why is Mari Sandoz known as the “Story Catcher of the Plains”?
A. She published her first book when she lived on the plains.
B. Her father asked her to write a book about his life on the plains.
C. Her books tell the stories of people who lived on the plains.
D. She began writing stories when she attended college on the plains.
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Forget and Forgive, Forgive and Forget
1 Wyatt propped his head up on his hands as he sat on the front steps and waited. His older
sister Nora had promised to take him on the mountain bike trails that afternoon, but she was
thirty minutes late. Wyatt had already counted 74 ants parading across the sidewalk in front
of him.
2 “Hey, Wyatt!” Nora suddenly hollered to him from the street.
3 A second later, she coasted into their yard on her mountain bike. With narrowed eyes,
Wyatt observed the muddy splatters covering her clothes. She had gone biking without him!
4 Wyatt’s hands clenched into tight fists, and his mouth twisted down. “I have been
waiting for you for a million years!” he sputtered, feeling betrayed.
5 “Oh, Wyatt, I am sorry,” Nora apologized in a stream of words. “I was practicing the
hilly loop for my race tomorrow, and I completely forgot about our plans.”
6 Nora’s explanations did not soften the scowl on Wyatt’s face. Whirling around, he
marched into the house, leaving her behind.
7 At dinnertime, Wyatt noticed that Nora was making an earnest effort to draw him into
the conversation. She asked for his opinion on the poster she was making for her high school
biology class. It was a giant diagram of a cell. Usually, Wyatt leaped at the opportunity to
share his art skills, so Mom gave him a confused glance.
8 “Is something wrong, Wyatt?” Mom asked.
9 “I forgot our biking plans,” Nora explained quietly.
10 “You two can go another time,” Mom told Wyatt with a reassuring voice. “The weather
this weekend is supposed to be sunny and warm.”
11 Wyatt nodded, but he still felt a knot of anger and disappointment sitting in his stomach.
As soon as he finished his meal, he escaped into his bedroom.
12 Later, Wyatt was pacing the floor in his room and explaining his problems to his goldfish
when someone knocked on his door. With a sigh, he yanked it open.
13 “I just came to tell you that your friend Allie is here,” Nora said.
14 “Thanks,” Wyatt mumbled as he brushed past his sister. He did not want to admit it, but
he was getting tired of his own company.
15 Wyatt greeted Allie with a wide grin. She lived next door, and she was always willing to
try something new. They had attempted to play chess and put on silly plays. Once, they even
competed against each other to see who could build the strongest toothpick bridge.
16 “Do you have something planned?” Wyatt asked Allie, pointing to the pad of paper
tucked under her arm.
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17 Allie frowned at him. “You were supposed to give me a painting lesson after school,
remember?” Allie asked. “I decided I should come and check on you to make sure you were
alright, because you never showed up.”
18 Wyatt’s jaw dropped open. He had forgotten all about his promise.
19 “I . . . I am so sorry,” Wyatt stuttered. The sight of Allie’s gloomy face made him feel
miserable, too.
20 “I can give you your lesson right now,” Wyatt offered. “I bought some new paints
yesterday, and we can try them out. I have brushes and an extra heavy canvas, too. You can
use that for your painting.”
21 As Allie listened to Wyatt, he saw her lips slowly curve into a forgiving smile.
22 Ten minutes later, Wyatt was guiding Allie’s brush across an empty canvas. As they
worked, Wyatt thought about how easily he had forgotten their plan, and he realized how
grateful he felt for Allie’s patient understanding. Biting his lip, he thought about how he had
treated Nora. His head dropped to his chest as he remembered his rude actions. Reaching for
a paper, Wyatt grabbed a paintbrush. It was time for him to make something special, too.
23 That evening, Allie left with a painting of a beautiful sunset glowing in the sky and a
triumphant look lighting her face. As soon as Wyatt waved good-bye to her, he dashed back
into the kitchen to get his painting.
24 Quietly, Wyatt tiptoed down the hall, admiring the swirling blue letters on the paper. He
had made a sign to tape on Nora’s door. It said: “Good luck on your race to the BEST sister
in the world.”
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6. Read the sentence from the story.
“I have been waiting for you for a million years!” he sputtered, feeling betrayed.
Which sentence from the story helps the reader know the meaning of betrayed in the
sentence?
A. Wyatt propped his head up on his hands as he sat on the front steps and waited.
B. She had gone biking without him!
C. “Is something wrong, Wyatt?” Mom asked.
D. “You were supposed to give me a painting lesson after school, remember?”
7. Which sentence from the story shows the author’s use of hyperbole?
A. Wyatt had already counted 74 ants parading across the sidewalk in front of him.
B. With narrowed eyes, Wyatt observed the muddy splatters covering her clothes.
C. “I have been waiting for you for a million years!” he sputtered, feeling betrayed.
D. “Oh, Wyatt, I am sorry,” Nora apologized in a stream of words.
8. How is the event of the family eating dinner together important to the plot?
A. It shows why Mom is upset with Wyatt.
B. It shows why Wyatt and Nora usually do not get along well.
C. It shows how Mom thinks Nora forgetting to take Wyatt was not a problem.
D. It shows how Nora attempts to make up with Wyatt for what happened earlier.
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9. Read the sentence from the story.
“Later, Wyatt was pacing the floor in his room and explaining his problems to his goldfish
when someone knocked on his door.”
What does the reader learn about Wyatt from the sentence?
A. Wyatt feels frustrated.
B. Wyatt wants to leave the house.
C. Wyatt has difficulty speaking to his mom.
D. Wyatt is excited to spend time with his friend.
10. Select three ideas from the story to include in a summary of “Forgive and Forget, Forget
and Forgive.” Select three.
A. Two friends enjoy spending time together.
B. Allie paints a picture of a beautiful sunset.
C. Wyatt spends the day feeling disappointed.
D. Nora has a cell diagram project to finish for school.
E. Wyatt forgets he promised to teach Allie how to paint.
F. Nora forgets to take Wyatt on the mountain bike trails.
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The Leafcutter Ant: A Master Gardener
1 An endless line of leafcutter ants marches across the floor of the rainforest. Each ant
carries a piece of a leaf over its head like a green umbrella. However, the ants do not plan to
eat their leaves. Leafcutter ants have developed an unusual skill. They have learned how to
grow their own special food.
A Unique Garden
2 When the ants return from the rainforest to their nest with their leafy loads, they chew
them into a mushy paste. Next, the ants carry this paste into an underground chamber, or
room. Carefully, they add the leafy mush to a lumpy ball with fuzzy white knobs of fungus.
The mush helps the fungus grow. Fungus is a kind of mushroom. Protecting this fungus
from germs is an important job for the ants. Without this fungus, the ants would not survive
because their bodies cannot process any other foods. To help them accomplish this task, they
have helpers that actually grow on their bodies. They are tiny dots that look like a whitish
powder but are actually a living bacteria. The ants rub the bacteria over any germy spots in
their garden to kill the invaders.
The Ant Colony
3 As time passes, the ants keep digging new chambers and adding more fungus gardens
to their colony. Older colonies may have up to 8,000 garden chambers! Millions of ants can
live in these enormous nests, but they all work together. When a new young queen ant is
born, she grows a pair of wings and mates with the drones, or male ants. Next, the young
queen flies off and searches for a new place to live because there cannot be two queens in
one nest. When the queen finally finds a suitable location near some trees, she lands on the
ground. She sheds her wings and digs a hole. Next, the queen opens her mouth. She has a
lump of fungus stored inside her mouth from her old home. She takes the fungus out and
starts a new garden in her burrow. At first, the queen takes care of the fungus by herself.
She also lays many eggs. Eventually, the eggs hatch and grow into adult ants. As the fungus
garden grows, the ant population increases. Soon, there are many worker ants of every size.
4 Worker ants are the force that operates the colony; they perform a wide range of jobs.
• Scouting: Some of the workers search for leaves around their nest. When an ant
finds a tasty patch, it leaves a trail of smelly chemicals from the source to the nest.
Others use their antennae to “sniff” the scent and follow the trail. These medium-sized
ants have strong jaws and can easily cut off pieces of the leaves to haul to their nest.
• Guarding: Sometimes ants hitch a ride on the leaf. These ants are not just enjoying
a free trip; they are guarding their partners. Tiny flies like to attack the leafcutter ants’
heads, especially when their mouths are full. The guards stop the flies.
• Gardening: After the ants deliver the leaves, another group of workers begins their
task. They are the smaller-sized “gardeners.” First, they inspect the leaf and remove its
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waxy coat. Next, they produce the leafy mush for the fungus. Their tiny size enables
them to creep through the narrow tunnels in the fungus gardens.
• Nursing: When the queen lays her eggs in the fungus gardens, the nurses make sure
the eggs stay clean and safe. When the eggs hatch, the nurses feed the young larvae.
They care for them until they mature into adults.
• Trash Collecting: The oldest ants in the colony become its “trash” collectors. These
ants carry rotting leaves to a “dump.” The dumps are deep chambers. The ants are
careful to build these rooms a safe distance from their gardens.
• Defending: Outside the nest, the biggest leafcutter ants are the colony’s “soldiers.”
These fierce ants also have the largest jaws and heads. The soldier ants defend the nest
from other animals, such as anteaters. Their painful bites discourage predators.
A Friend to the Rainforest
5 At times, people consider leafcutter ants to be pests. A large colony can strip the leaves
from a small tree in one day, and they consume more vegetation in the rainforest than any
other creature. However, the leafcutter ants’ habits provide key benefits, too. When they
clear away leaves from some trees, more sunlight can reach the lower levels of the forests.
Plus, the ants’ tunnels and gardens enrich the soil.
6 Today, scientists continue to study the leafcutter ants. They want to better understand
how the ants’ leafy “mush” helps their fungus grow. They hope the ants’ “farming” secrets
will one day teach people how to make better use of the leafy parts of plants, too.
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11. Based on the passage, what is the author’s perspective on leafcutter ants?
A. The author believes leafcutter ants are fun to watch.
B. The author believes the ants play an important role in nature.
C. The author believes leafcutter ants cause harm in the rainforest.
D. The author believes scientists should study more animals in the rainforest.
12. Which two sentences from the passage help the reader know the meaning of the word
scouting? Select two.
A. Worker ants are the force that operates the colony; they perform a wide range of jobs.
B. . . . it leaves a trail of smelly chemicals from the source to the nest.
C. Others use their antennae to “sniff” the scent and follow the trail.
D. These medium-sized ants have strong jaws and can easily cut off pieces of the leaves to
haul to their nest.
E. Their tiny size enables them to creep through the narrow tunnels in the fungus gardens.
13. How are the tiny whitish dots MOST important to the way the leafcutter ant grows food?
A. The bacteria kills germs.
B. The fungus is a mushroom.
C. The mush allows the fungus to grow.
D. The helpers grow on the ants’ bodies.
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14. Which sentence from the passage shows a cause-and-effect relationship?
A. At first, the queen takes care of the fungus by herself.
B. Tiny flies like to attack the leafcutter ants’ heads, especially when their mouths are full.
C. A large colony can strip the leaves from a small tree in one day, and they consume more
vegetation in the rainforest than any other creature.
D. When they clear away leaves from some trees, more sunlight can reach the lower levels
of the forests.
15. This question has two parts. Answer part A, and then answer part B.
Part A
How would the rainforest be different without leafcutter ants?
A. Ant colonies would be smaller.
B. The soil would be better for plants.
C. The forest floor would receive less light.
D. Larger animals would become more powerful.
Part B
Which sentence from the passage supports the answer to part A?
A. Older colonies may have up to 8,000 garden chambers!
B. The ants are careful to build these rooms a safe distance from their gardens.
C. The soldier ants defend the nest from other animals, such as anteaters.
D. When they clear away leaves from some trees, more sunlight can reach the lower levels
of the forests.
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The items on this page are not passage-based.
★ 16. A student found a source about gophers and groundhogs to use for a report.
Read the source.
Despite sharing some traits, gophers and groundhogs are very different. These brown,
bristly rodents are actually separate species. Gophers are more closely related to rats and
mice, while groundhogs belong to a group of large squirrels called marmots. In fact, size
is the main difference between the two rodents. Gophers weigh, at most, two pounds.
Groundhogs can weigh more than ten pounds.
Which sentence that the student wrote should be revised because it plagiarizes the source?
A. Both gophers and groundhogs are familiar sights to many people.
B. People often think that gophers and groundhogs are the same animal.
C. Groundhogs belong to a group of large squirrels that are called marmots.
D. Gophers and groundhogs each have a large pair of upper front teeth used for chewing.
★ 17. A student is writing a report about the characteristics of mammals.
Which two sources should the student use to gather the most useful information? Choose two.
A. a dictionary entry that defines mammals
B. a story with mammals as the main characters
C. a history book describing when the first mammals appeared
D. an article from a science magazine about the diet of mammals
E. a video on public television showing the physical features of mammals
F. an article from a newspaper listing which mammals make the best pets
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The items on this page are not passage-based.
★ 18. A student is writing a research paper on magnets. She uses the word attracted too many times.
Magnets
A metal spoon is attracted to a magnet, but a plastic spoon is not. A magnet is
attracted to your parent’s scissors but not your little brother’s toy scissors. Why are some
objects attracted to magnets when other objects are not? Magnets are attracted by only
certain types of metals. If an object is made of, or contains, iron, nickel, or cobalt, chances
are it will be attracted to a magnet.
Choose two words she can use in place of attracted. Choose two.
A. drawn
B. formed
C. loved
D. pulled
E. tangled
★ 19. A student is writing a report about electric cars. Read the sentences from his report.
Electric cars are the future! Everyone should think about replacing their gas-run cars
with electric cars. An electric car is so easy to use because it can be plugged in right in your
garage. No more trips to the gas station! The car charges overnight so that you are ready to
go the next day. An electric car also does not hurt the environment. It doesn’t even have a
tailpipe, so no black smoke is coming out of the car and making the air dirty.
The student took additional notes about electric cars.
Which two notes support the student’s opinion in his report? Choose two.
A. Many people are buying electric cars.
B. Some electric cars also have a gas tank.
C. Electric cars go short distances on one charge.
D. Electric cars are expensive to buy but cost less to drive.
E. Driving electric cars saves money because they do not need gas.
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The item on this page is not passage-based.
★ 20. Read the paragraph.
Growing sunflowers is a fun and easy project. You will need a medium-sized flowerpot,
some sunflower seeds, and soil. First, put damp soil into the flowerpot. Poke your finger into
the soil to make a hole for the sunflower seeds. Drop two sunflower seeds into the hole and
cover the hole with a little soil. Sprinkle some water on top of the soil. Place the flowerpot
outside in a sunny area. You should see a sprout in three to eight days. Remember to water
your plants each day. You should see flowers after about eight weeks.
Which sentence BEST concludes the paragraph?
A. You can get sunflower seeds from a local garden center.
B. Be sure to clean the flowerpot before placing the seeds in it.
C. With care and a little patience, you will have beautiful flowers to enjoy.
D. To get the seeds, you will need to wait until the flower dries.
20 STOP.You can also read
