Grade 4

Approaching-Level
Weekly
Assessments
 Table of Contents
Teacher Introduction ................................................................................... v

Unit 1

Week 1 Assessment ................................................................................. 1

Week 2 Assessment ................................................................................ 12

Week 3 Assessment ................................................................................ 23

Week 4 Assessment ................................................................................ 34

Week 5 Assessment ................................................................................ 45

Unit 2

Week 1 Assessment ................................................................................. 56

Week 2 Assessment ................................................................................ 66

Week 3 Assessment ................................................................................ 77

Week 4 Assessment ................................................................................ 88

Week 5 Assessment ................................................................................ 97

Unit 3

Week 1 Assessment ................................................................................. 107

Week 2 Assessment ................................................................................ 118

Week 3 Assessment ................................................................................ 129

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Week 4 Assessment ................................................................................ 139

Week 5 Assessment ................................................................................ 149

Table of Contents– Cont’d.

Unit 4

Week 1 Assessment ........................................................................ 158

Week 2 Assessment ....................................................................... 168

Week 3 Assessment ....................................................................... 179

Week 4 Assessment ....................................................................... 188

Week 5 Assessment ....................................................................... 198

Unit 5

Week 1 Assessment ....................................................................... 208

Week 2 Assessment ....................................................................... 219

Week 3 Assessment ...................................................................... 230

Week 4 Assessment ....................................................................... 241

Week 5 Assessment ...................................................................... 252

Unit 6

Week 1 Assessment ....................................................................... 263

Week 2 Assessment ...................................................................... 274

Week 3 Assessment ...................................................................... 285

Week 4 Assessment ...................................................................... 296

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Week 5 Assessment ...................................................................... 307
 UNIT 1 WEEK 1

Read the passage “The Robin and the Vase” before answering Numbers 1
through 5.

The Robin and the Vase

Based on “The Crow and the Pitcher” from Aesop’s Fables

A robin was flying south for the winter. During his flight, he became thirsty.
Without water he would be too weak to continue. He looked for a place to
rest near water, but he did not see a drop anywhere.
Just when the robin was about to abandon all hope, he spotted a vase on a
picnic table. He was glad he had not given up trying to find water. The vase
was exactly what he needed. “I’ve seen people put flowers in these containers,”
the robin said. “Flowers need water. Maybe there is some water left.”
The robin flew to the vase. There was water inside! He was very grateful that
he would be able to drink some water. Then he tried to put his beak inside
the vase.
The robin’s joy quickly turned to despair. He found that his beak was not
long enough to reach the water. The vase was too tall and narrow.
The robin thought about his problem. He needed water to stay alive. “My
survival depends on getting water from this vase!” he shouted.
The water was so close yet so very far away. He could see the water, but he
could not get close enough to drink it. Somehow, he needed to raise the
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water. Suddenly, the robin got an idea.

The robin looked around the yard and saw a pile of small stones. If he could
drop stones into the vase, the water level would rise.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1 Grade 4 1
UNIT 1 WEEK 1

The robin flew toward the stones. He used his beak to pick up two small stones.
Then he flew back to the vase. After dropping the stones into the vase, he saw
that the water was a little higher. He felt hopeful. The robin flew back and forth
between the stones and the vase. Each time, he dropped a few small stones in
the vase. Then he watched as the water rose.
Finally the vase was full of stones. The water was at the top! The robin took a
long drink of water. He was proud of himself for having such a clever idea.

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WA_001A_127091

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2 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “The Robin and
the Vase.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the passage.

Just when the robin was about to abandon all hope, he spotted a vase
on a picnic table. He was glad he had not given up trying to find water.

Which word means almost the same as abandon?

A find
B quit
C start
D take

Part B: Which words from the sentence help you understand what
abandon means?

A “spotted a container”
B “on a picnic table”
C “was glad”
D “given up trying”
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2 What happens after the robin gets thirsty but before the robin collects
the stones?

A The robin sees a vase.

B The robin gets a drink of water.
C The robin puts stones in the vase.
D The robin watches the water rise.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1 Grade 4 3
Name: Date:

3 Read the paragraph from the passage.

The robin’s joy quickly turned to despair. He found that his beak was
not long enough to reach the water. The vase was too tall and narrow.

Which word means almost the same as despair?

A anger
B happiness
C sadness
D surprise

4 Tell what happens in the story. Write the sentences in the correct order
in the chart.

First

Next

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Last

Sentences:
The robin sees a pile of stones.
The robin looks for a place to rest.
The robin drops stones into the vase.

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4 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What happens last in the passage?

A The robin finds water.
B The robin thinks of a plan.
C The robin drinks from the vase.
D The robin cannot reach the water.

Part B: Which word from the last paragraph shows that this
happens last?

A finally
B water
C proud
D clever
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1 Grade 4 5
UNIT 1 WEEK 1

Read the passage “What Did She Want?” before answering Numbers 6
through 10.

What Did She Want?

Dan studied the tracks on the ground. For the third night, the adult bear had
returned to visit the pen. Was she looking for food? Or was she here because
of the cub in the pen? And what would she want with the little bear?
Dan thought about the cub. He knew the cub could learn from an adult bear.
He didn’t want to interfere with the bears getting to know each other. He
was afraid to disturb a meeting between them. After all, the cub had been
brought to him injured. As the cub’s guardian, Dan had a responsibility to
make sure it was safe. It was possible that the cub had been hurt by the adult
bear. But what if the adult bear was friendly? She could teach the cub things
so it could survive in the wilderness. Dan decided it was worth taking a
chance. He would let the adult bear near the cub. But he had an idea about
how to protect himself.
That night, Dan waited with a big flashlight. If the adult bear tried to hurt the
cub, he would try to scare her off with the light. If that did not work, he also
had a loud horn. The sudden noise from the horn would frighten the adult. It
would drive her away.

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6 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1
 UNIT 1 WEEK 1

Soon, there was a rustling in the woods. Then the adult arrived with a low
growl. Dan saw that she was strong and healthy. He hoped that she would
scare easily.
When the cub heard her growl, it jumped up. It ran toward the fence. The
adult put her front paws against it. The cub tried to do the same, but fell
forward. Then the adult bear snorted. Dan was not sure what the snort
meant. The cub stuck its nose through the fence in a friendly greeting. How
would the adult respond? Dan’s heart raced. He was ready with the light and
the horn.
Then the adult bear gently rubbed her nose against the cub’s nose. Dan
lowered the flashlight and the horn. Everything was going to be just fine.
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1 Grade 4 7
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “What Did
She Want?”

6 What do you think happens before the passage begins?

A The cub is put in the pen.

B Dan scares away the adult bear.
C The adult bear is put in the pen.
D The adult bear runs away from the cub.

7 Read the sentences from the passage.

He knew the cub could learn from an adult bear. He didn’t want to
interfere with the bears getting to know each other. He was afraid to
disturb a meeting between them.

Which word from the sentences means almost the same as interfere?

A learn
B want
C know
D disturb

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8 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1
 Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the passage.

After all, the cub had been brought to him injured. As the cub’s
guardian, Dan had a responsibility to make sure it was safe. It was
possible that the cub had been hurt by the adult bear.

Which word could be used instead of guardian?

A doctor
B fighter
C protector
D teacher

Part B: Which phrase from the sentences helps to show what

guardian means?

A “brought to him”
B “make sure it was safe”
C “was possible”
D “by the adult bear”
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9 What happens at the end of the passage?

A Dan thinks of a plan.

B Dan puts the cub in the pen.
C Dan thinks the cub will be fine.
D Dan sees the tracks of the adult bear.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1 Grade 4 9
Name: Date:

10 Draw lines to tell what happens first, next, and last in the passage.

First The bears rub noses.

Dan waits with a light

Next
and horn.

The adult bear puts her

Last
paws on the fence.

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STOP

10 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 1

UNIT 1 WEEK 2

Read the passage “One Act of Kindness” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

One Act of Kindness

It was a bright, sunny Saturday morning. The local grocery store was busy, and
the store manager was at the front door. She saw a boy struggling to push his
grandmother’s wheelchair through the doors. The manager rushed to help.
“Let me help you with that,” she said with a smile. The manager pushed the
wheelchair into the store.
“Thank you for helping me,” the boy said. He smiled as he pushed his
grandmother through the store. They passed a man reading the label on a
box of cereal. Suddenly the man’s groceries began to tumble from his cart.
“Oh, no!” the man exclaimed, frowning at the groceries on the floor. “Now
I’m in a pickle! I have quite a mess to clean up here.” There were cans and
boxes all over the grocery aisle.
“Let me help you with those groceries,” the boy said. Together they began
picking up the groceries. Then they reloaded them into the cart.
“Thank you! That was very thoughtful,” the man said.
The boy thought,
“Helping others is a
piece of cake!”

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The man beamed as he
walked to the checkout
lanes. He arrived at the
same time as a woman.
She had a few items in
her basket while he had
many items in his cart.

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12 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2
 UNIT 1 WEEK 2

“You can go ahead of me,” he said to the woman. “You only have two items,
so you’ll be done in a flash. It will take me much longer to check out.”
The woman smiled and thanked him. After checking out she walked out of
the store. She saw a father with two young children. The daughter stood next
to the car. The father worked to get his son out of a car seat.
The little girl spotted a feather on the ground. Suddenly she darted to pick
up the feather. The woman ran to the girl. She stopped her just as a bicycle
zoomed past.
“Thank you!” the father cried. “You would have been hurt if that bike had hit
you!” he said to his daughter. “We’re lucky this kind woman was here
to help.”
The father thanked the woman again before heading into the store. As he
shopped, the father thought about the woman’s act of kindness. He wanted
to do something kind for someone, too. He noticed a teenage girl trying to
reach a can on the top shelf.
“Let me help you,” he said with a smile.
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2 Grade 4 13
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “One Act

of Kindness.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the passage.

“Oh, no!” the man exclaimed, frowning at the groceries on the floor.
“Now I’m in a pickle! I have quite a mess to clean up here.” There were
cans and boxes all over the grocery aisle.

What does it mean to be “in a pickle”?

A to be dirty
B to feel angry
C to have a problem
D to think of a solution

Part B: Which detail from the passage helps you know what “in a
pickle” means?

A A woman keeps a girl safe.

B A boy helps to pick up groceries.
C A man lets someone check out first.

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D A manager helps to push a wheelchair.

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14 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2
 Name: Date:

2 Read the sentences from the passage.

“You only have two items, so you’ll be done in a flash. It will take me
much longer to check out.”

What does “in a flash” mean?

A brightly
B loudly
C quickly
D slowly

3 Match each problem from the passage with its solution. Write the letter
of the solution next to the number of each problem.

Problem Solution
1. The man dropped his groceries. A. The man got the can for
the girl.
2. The girl was not able to reach B. The boy helped to pick up
the can. the groceries.
3. The boy was not able to get C. The manager helped to push
through the door. the wheelchair.

Correct Solution to Problem

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1.

2.

3.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2 Grade 4 15
Name: Date:

4 How does the woman solve the father’s problem?

A She pushes his wheelchair.

B She reaches the can on the shelf.
C She gets his son out of his car seat.
D She stops his daughter from being hurt.

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: How are the problems solved in the passage?

A People help each other.

B People keep asking for help.
C One person comes to everyone’s rescue.
D One person is helped by many different people.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage tells how the problems
are solved?

A “It was a bright, sunny Saturday morning.”

B “They passed a man reading the label on a box of cereal.”
C “After checking out she walked out of the store.”

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D “He wanted to do something kind for someone, too.”

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16 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2
 UNIT 1 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Swing and a . . .” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Swing and a . . .
It was Gordon’s first day on the baseball team. He was nervous. Today his
team was facing the best pitcher in the league. Billy’s fastball was legendary.
Gordon’s team had never won a game against Billy and his team.
In the first inning, Billy struck out three players. But in the second inning,
the first batter got on base. The next batter hit a single. Now they had two
runners on base!
Billy struck out the next two batters. Then it was Gordon’s turn at bat. This
was his chance to help the team! Gordon felt the pressure to get a hit and
bring in the two runners. He knew that if Billy struck him out, the inning
would be over.
“You might as well throw in the towel,” the catcher muttered as Gordon
walked up to the plate.
Gordon knew the catcher was trying to make him nervous. Even so, it
seemed as though the catcher had read his mind. Gordon didn’t think he
could hit one of Billy’s fast pitches. But he was sure going to try. He decided
to put all of his attention on the ball.
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2 Grade 4 17
UNIT 1 WEEK 2

Gordon swung the bat to loosen up. Then he squared his shoulders and faced
the pitcher. The first pitch came so fast that Gordon flinched. He did not even
see the ball as it whizzed by!
The second pitch blazed just as fast. It was in the catcher’s glove before Gordon
knew it had been thrown. “Billy is on fire,” the catcher said, taunting Gordon.
The outfield players on Billy’s team moved in. This batter wasn’t going to hit
the ball. If he did, it wasn’t going to go very far.
Gordon barely saw the third pitch. Something told him to swing hard. He felt
the bat connect with the ball.
Gordon had hit a home run! Suddenly, the score was three to zero! It was the
best his team had ever done against Billy.
When the inning was over, an angry Billy walked up to Gordon. Billy was
seeing red. “That was a fluke!” he hissed.
“Maybe it was,” Gordon admitted. “But the next time you face me, you might
not be so sure of yourself.”
This time, it was Billy who flinched.

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18 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Swing

and a . . . .”

6 What makes Gordon nervous before he steps up to bat?

A The pitcher smiles at him.

B He already has two strikes.
C He does not know how to play baseball.
D The pitcher on the other team is very good.

7 Read the sentences from the passage.

Gordon knew the catcher was trying to make him nervous. Even so, it
seemed as though the catcher had read his mind.

What does the phrase “read his mind” mean here?

A The catcher knew how well Gordon played baseball.

B The catcher seemed to know what Gordon was thinking.
C The catcher and Gordon had read the same book about baseball.
D The catcher told Gordon the same thing every time he came
up to bat.
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2 Grade 4 19
Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: Read the paragraph from the passage.

“You might as well throw in the towel,” the catcher muttered as Gordon
walked up to the plate.

What does the catcher tell Gordon to do?

A hit
B quit
C run
D watch

Part B: Which sentence from the passage shows what “throw in the
towel” means?

A “Then it was Gordon’s turn at bat.”

B “This was his chance to help the team!”
C “He knew that if Billy struck him out, the inning would be over.”
D “He decided to put all of his attention on the ball.”

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20 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2
 Name: Date:

9 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: How is Gordon’s problem solved?

A Gordon hits the ball.
B The catcher drops the ball.
C Billy does not throw the ball.
D Gordon’s team wins the game.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage shows how the problem
is solved?

A “He did not even see the ball as it whizzed by!”

B “This batter wasn’t going to hit the ball.”
C “Gordon barely saw the third pitch.”
D “Suddenly, the score was three to zero!”

10 Underline the sentence that tells the main problem in the passage.

It was Gordon’s first day on the baseball team. He was nervous. Today
his team was facing the best pitcher in the league. Billy’s fastball was
legendary. Gordon’s team had never won a game against Billy and
his team.
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STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 2 Grade 4 21

 UNIT 1 WEEK 3

Read the article “All Shook Up” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

All Shook Up
On August 23, 2011, an earthquake shook the eastern part of the United States.
No major damage or injuries were reported.
The center of the earthquake was in Virginia. This quake had a magnitude
of 5.8. Magnitude is a way to measure how strongly the ground shakes. The
strongest earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5.
People near the Virginia quake said it sounded like a train stopping. The
ground heaved. Buildings swayed. Farther away, people felt only a slight
shaking.
The Recovery Begins
After the earthquake, everything was checked for damage. Schools and
government buildings were closed. Roads and bridges were closed. Train
tracks and airports had to be inspected.
How Quakes Work
Earthquakes are caused by the shifting of huge rocks deep underground.
These rocks are called plates. Sometimes these plates crack or break apart.
The area where they separate is called a fault. When the plates move they
grind together. This causes the ground above to shake. Sometimes the edges
slip past each other. This also causes the earth to move.
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There are faults all over the United States. Some are more active than others.
Different from Most Quakes
There are also faults near the area affected by the Virginia quake. This quake
was unusual. It happened in the middle of a plate instead of along a fault.
The energy created by the Virginia quake traveled farther than most quakes
in the West. This is because many of the rocks under the East are solid and
cold. When these rocks shift, the energy travels far. In the West, the rocks are
cracked and warm. These cracks prevent the energy from traveling as far.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3 Grade 4 23
UNIT 1 WEEK 3

Be Prepared
Earthquakes are dangerous. It is important to know what to do in an
earthquake. If you ever find yourself in an earthquake:
• Find shelter under a sturdy object.
• Stay away from anything that might fall.
• Cover your head.
• Don’t go outside.
• Don’t use elevators.

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24 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “All Shook Up.”

1 Read the paragraph from the article.

On August 23, 2011, an earthquake shook the eastern part of the

United States. No major damage or injuries were reported.

What does the word major mean in the paragraph?

A serious
B an officer
C important
D a program

2 Read the paragraph from the article.

The center of the earthquake was in Virginia. This quake had a

magnitude of 5.8. Magnitude is a way to measure how strongly the
ground shakes. The strongest earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5.

What does the author contrast in this paragraph?

A different earthquake strengths

B different tools to measure earthquakes
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C different places where earthquakes happen

D different ways to stay safe during an earthquake

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3 Grade 4 25
Name: Date:

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

The area where they separate is called a fault.

What does the word fault mean in this sentence?

A blame
B a split
C a problem
D responsibility

Part B: Which sentence from the article helps to tell what fault means?
A “Sometimes these plates crack or break apart.”
B “When the plates move they grind together.”
C “This causes the ground above to shake.”
D “This also causes the earth to move.”

4 How does the author show how earthquakes happen?

A by explaining the effects of an earthquake

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B by telling how to stay safe in an earthquake
C by describing the damage from different earthquakes
D by comparing what happens underground in earthquakes

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26 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3
 Name: Date:

5 Circle the paragraph that uses compare or contrast to tell how quakes
in the West are different from quakes in the East.

How Quakes Work

Earthquakes are caused by the shifting of huge rocks deep
underground. These rocks are called plates. Sometimes these plates
crack or break apart. The area where they separate is called a fault.
When the plates move they grind together. This causes the ground
above to shake. Sometimes the edges slip past each other. This also
causes the earth to move.
There are faults all over the United States. Some are more active
than others.
Different from Most Quakes
There are also faults near the area affected by the Virginia quake. This
quake was unusual. It happened in the middle of a plate instead of
along a fault.
The energy created by the Virginia quake traveled farther than most
quakes in the West. This is because many of the rocks under the East
are solid and cold. When these rocks shift, the energy travels far. In the
West, the rocks are cracked and warm. These cracks prevent the energy
from traveling as far.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3 Grade 4 27
UNIT 1 WEEK 3

Read the article “The Importance of Precipitation” before answering

Numbers 6 through 10.

The Importance of Precipitation

Have you seen a water wheel? It looks like a large tire made out of wood. It
is covered with buckets or slots. When they fill with water, the wheel turns.
The water’s weight forces the wheel to spin.
A process similar to this happens on Earth. It is known as the water cycle.
Heat from the sun warms bodies of water. This heated water turns into
vapor and rises into the air. The process of heated water turning into gas is
called evaporation. Soon water droplets form. They join together in the
clouds. They get so heavy that the air cannot hold them. When they fall
from the clouds, they become precipitation. Then the process repeats.
Liquid precipitation is called rain. Solid forms of precipitation are called
snow, sleet, and ice.
The Good and Bad of Precipitation
The water cycle is very important. But too much rain causes problems. A
flood occurs when water covers a dry area. Sometimes flooding happens in
cities. Floods can destroy property and close roads.

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28 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3
 UNIT 1 WEEK 3

When the water drains, the problems in cities can be fixed. The same is not
true outside of cities. Property is damaged here, too. But floods also damage
crops. This problem cannot be fixed quickly. Also, soil is usually ruined after
a flood. This means new crops cannot be planted right away.
During winter, strong winds and heavy snow often combine. They cause
blizzards. These storms cause roads and schools to close. They cause airports
to cancel flights. Entire cities come to a complete stop!
Precipitation affects what people wear, too. People use umbrellas to keep dry
in the rain. They wear special clothing such as heavy coats, hats, and mittens
to keep warm in the snow. Boots help people keep their feet dry and warm.
Precipitation does many good things, too. In the summer, precipitation helps
to lower temperatures. It also cleans harmful things out of the air. Good or
bad, we need precipitation. It is an important part of our lives.
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3 Grade 4 29
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “The Importance
of Precipitation.”

6 Read the sentences from the article.

A process similar to this happens on Earth. It is known as the

water cycle.

Which sentence uses cycle in the same way it is used above?

A What kind of cycle do you ride?

B How many miles did you cycle today?
C This is the last book in a cycle of seven.
D A baby being born is part of the life cycle.

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

For these storms, roads close, schools shut down, and airports cancel
flights.

What does flights mean in the sentence?

A sets of stairs

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B efforts to escape
C airplane trips
D acts of imagination

Part B: Which word from the sentence tells what flights means?
A storms
B close
C schools
D airports

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30 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3
 Name: Date:

8 Read the paragraph from the article.

When the water drains, the problems in cities can be fixed. The same is
not true outside of cities. Property is damaged here, too. But floods also
damage crops. This problem cannot be fixed quickly. Also, soil is usually
ruined after a flood. This means new crops cannot be planted right away.

What does the author contrast in this paragraph?

A land and crops

B water and floods
C property with and without crops
D floods inside and outside of cities

9 Why does the author contrast rain and snow?

A to show what causes rain

B to show the effects of snow
C to show how rain and snow form
D to show how rain and snow are different
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3 Grade 4 31
Name: Date:

10 A student took notes on this article. Place a mark next to one note that
uses compare and contrast.

Compare/Contrast

Snow can stop cities.

The water cycle is important.

Flooding can ruin soil and cause

problems with crops.

People use umbrellas in the rain and

heavy coats in the snow.

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STOP

32 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 3

UNIT 1 WEEK 4

Read the article “Pedal Power” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Pedal Power
What could be more fun than pedaling a bike? The first bicycles did not have
pedals or brakes. During the mid-1800s, bikes were built with pedals.
Roads today are smooth. In the past, roads were bumpy. They were made of
stone, brick, or dirt. One early bicycle was called the boneshaker. It had hard,
wooden wheels. Imagine riding a bike with wooden wheels on a bumpy road.
No wonder they called it the boneshaker!
Over time, bikes changed. They had two rubber tires. They were the same
size in the front and the back. Riders sat on a seat near the middle of the
bike. From there they could pedal.
Bikes today are lower to the
ground than bikes of long ago.
These modern bikes are also more
comfortable. They are stronger
than bikes of the past. They are
safer and go faster, too!
What makes a bike move? The
pedals are attached to cranks.
When the rider pedals, the cranks

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

turn a sprocket. This wheel with
metal teeth then pulls a chain that
moves a gear. The gear turns the
rear tire. Then the bike moves
This bike was called a Penny-farthing because the tires
forward. This makes the front reminded people of the British coins the penny and the
wheel turn. farthing. It was also called a High Wheeler.
WA_007A_127091
Most bikes work the same way, but their parts can be different. For example,
there are two kinds of pedals. Block pedals have rubber or plastic blocks. The
blocks fit into a metal frame. Other pedals are metal. They have tiny teeth
along the edges. The teeth keep feet from slipping off the pedals by gripping
onto the rider’s shoes.

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34 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4
 UNIT 1 WEEK 4

To stop a bike, foot or hand brakes are used. With foot brakes, the pedals are
pushed backward to stop. Hand brakes use a lever on the handlebars. It is
squeezed to make the bike stop.
Bikes have different purposes. Touring bikes have a light frame and thin tires.
Most have ten or more speeds. These bikes are for taking long, relaxing bike
trips. Racing bikes are even lighter than touring bikes. They have skinny tires
and low handlebars. They are built to go fast in long road races.
Dirt bikes are small and strong. They have long handlebars. But they have
only one speed. Dirt bikes are made for racing on bumpy dirt tracks.
Mountain bikes have strong frames with thick, wide tires. These bikes are
used on roads that are rough and uneven.
Bikes all have the same basic parts. But they can be so different. Whichever
kind of bike you ride, just keep on pedaling!
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4 Grade 4 35
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Pedal Power.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the paragraph from the article.

Roads today are smooth. In the past, roads were bumpy. They were
made of stone, brick, or dirt. One early bicycle was called the
boneshaker. It had hard, wooden wheels. Imagine riding a bike with
wooden wheels on a bumpy road. No wonder they called it the
boneshaker!

Why does the author give the nickname of a bike in this paragraph?

A to tell a funny story about bikes

B to tell why this bike was popular
C to help show what this bike was like to ride
D to help show how bones were used to make the bike

Part B: Which sentence from the paragraph supports your answer?

A “Roads today are smooth.”
B “In the past, roads were bumpy.”
C “They were made of stone, brick, or dirt.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

D “Imagine riding a bike with wooden wheels on a bumpy road.”

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36 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4
 Name: Date:

2 Read the sentences from the article.

Bikes today are lower to the ground than bikes of long ago. These
modern bikes are also more comfortable.

What does the word modern mean in these sentences?

A not real
B from today
C from the past
D from the future

3 Read the sentences from the article.

When the rider pedals, the cranks turn a sprocket. This wheel with
metal teeth then pulls a chain that moves a gear.

What is a sprocket?

A a gear
B a crank
C a pedal
D a wheel
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4 Grade 4 37
Name: Date:

4 Read the paragraph from the article.

Most bikes work the same way, but their parts can be different. For
example, there are two kinds of pedals. Block pedals have rubber or
plastic blocks. The blocks fit into a metal frame. Other pedals are
metal. They have tiny teeth along the edges. The teeth keep feet from
slipping off the pedals by gripping onto the rider’s shoes.

Why does the author describe metal pedals?

A to show problems that metal pedals have

B to show where metal pedals are on a bike
C to show when metal pedals were first used
D to show how metal pedals help you ride a bike

5 Draw lines to match each cause with an effect.

Cause Effect
1. The gear turns the rear A. The bike is called the
tire. boneshaker.
2. The bike has wooden B. The bike stops.
wheels.
3. The pedals are pushed C. The bike moves forward.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

backward.

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38 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4
 UNIT 1 WEEK 4

Read the article “Wind Power” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

Wind Power
People have used wind power for a long time. In China, windmills were used
to pump water. They were used to grind grain and saw wood. The Dutch used
windmills to drain lakes and marshes. Over time, new machines were
invented. Windmills were used less.
Today, windmills have made a big comeback. Early windmills had four sails.
Modern windmills are called turbines. They usually have three blades. The
blades are on top of a tall tower. When the wind blows, it spins the blades.
The turning blades run a generator. This machine creates electrical energy.
The more the wind blows, the more electricity is created.
Wind turbines are often placed in groups called wind farms. They are built on
sites with lots of wind. Flat, open lands are good locations for wind farms.
Many wind farms are on farmland in the Midwestern United States. They are
also in the deserts of the West and Southwest. Turbines are often located near
oceans and lakes.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4 Grade 4 39
UNIT 1 WEEK 4

Land is not the only good location. Wind is strong and steady over water.
People plan to build wind farms in the middle of oceans.
There are many benefits to wind farms. But they do cause problems. Birds
may be hurt if they fly into the spinning blades. Some people think the
turbines are hideous. They believe the towers spoil the look of the land.
Tourists might not go to beaches with wind farms. This could cause local
businesses to lose money. Others say they are noisy.
Wind power has many advantages. Wind is free. It will never run out. Also,
it does not create pollution. So, wind power is good for the environment.
Wind power is becoming popular in the United States. More than half of the
states have turbines. California is one of the highest producers of wind power.
Wind energy has been useful for a long time. Next time you feel the wind
blowing, think what that energy could do for you!

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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40 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Wind Power.”

6 Read the sentences from the article.

The turning blades run a generator. This machine creates electrical

energy.

What does a generator do?

A It turns blades.
B It creates wind.
C It makes energy.
D It uses electricity.

7 Read the paragraph from the article.

Wind turbines are often placed in groups called wind farms. They are
built on sites with lots of wind. Flat, open lands are good locations for
wind farms. Many wind farms are on farmland in the Midwestern
United States. They are also in the deserts of the West and Southwest.
Turbines are often located near oceans and lakes.

How is the paragraph organized?

A sequence
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

B cause and effect

C problem and solution
D compare and contrast

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4 Grade 4 41
Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

Some people think the turbines are hideous. They believe the towers
spoil the look of the land.

What does hideous mean?

A plain
B pretty
C special
D ugly

Part B: Which word from the sentences helps to show what hideous
means?

A think
B towers
C spoil
D land

9 Why does the author talk about the history of windmills?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A to show the different types of windmills
B to tell why we should protect wind farms
C to show that windmills are a new invention
D to explain that windmills are getting popular again

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42 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4
 Name: Date:

10 Draw lines to match each cause with its effect.

Causes Effects
The wind is strongest and Wind power becomes
steadiest where there is more popular again.
nothing to block it.
Wind farms do not create Deserts are good places to
pollution. build wind farms.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 4 Grade 4 43

 UNIT 1 WEEK 5

Read the article “Open for Business” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Open for Business

Imagine you have a pet turtle. It is lonely. Where could it play with other
turtles? There are no turtle parks. But what if you created one? You could
charge a small fee. People could bring their turtles.
Many new businesses start just like this. Someone gets an idea for a product
or service. It meets a want or need. Most also hope to make a profit. This
means they make more money than they spend running it. Here are some
examples of businesses. They serve a specific need or want.
Need a Lift?
Some businesses do work for charity. They donate things to people in need.
They do not make a profit. A bike shop fixes used bikes. It makes them safe.
It gives them to people who need transportation. Bikes can be expensive.
Many people cannot afford them. This business helps those people get a bike.
Fun for All
One day, a father noticed that his daughter’s special needs stopped her from
enjoying outdoor activities. He wanted a fun place for her to play. He helped
design a special
amusement park. At
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

this amusement
park, everyone can
enjoy the rides. They
have special seats
that fit wheelchairs.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5 Grade 4 45
UNIT 1 WEEK 5

Trash to Treasure
Resale shops are another type of business that helps people. Resale shops sell
everything from clothes to useful household items such as furniture. People
donate or sell used items to the shop. The items are then sold to customers at
a discounted price.
Homework Help
Some businesses help students learn. Tutoring centers help students with
schoolwork. At these centers, tutors or teachers work with students
individually or in small groups. The extra practice helps improve their
understanding.
A lot of planning must happen before starting any business. Owners must
decide what type of business to open. Then lots of decisions need to be made.
The owner has to find a location, set competitive prices, hire employees, and
advertise. Starting a business can be very rewarding. What type of business
would you like to start?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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46 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Open

for Business.”

1 Read the paragraph from the article.

Many new businesses start just like this. Someone gets an idea for a
product or service. It meets a want or need. Most also hope to make a
profit. This means they make more money than they spend running it.
Here are some examples of businesses. They serve a specific need
or want.

What is the paragraph mostly about?

A Making a profit is important.

B Businesses have many products.
C It is difficult to start a new business.
D Businesses can serve wants and needs.

2 Read the detail about starting a business.

Reselling items keeps them out of landfills.

In which section of the article does this detail belong?

A Need a Lift?
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

B Fun for All

C Trash to Treasure
D Homework Help

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5 Grade 4 47
Name: Date:

3 Read the sentences from the article.

Then lots of decisions need to be made. The owner has to find a

location, set competitive prices, hire employees, and advertise.

The word compete means “try to win.” What does competitive mean?

A winning
B not winning
C wanting to try to win
D not wanting to try to win

4 Read the sentence from the article.

Resale shops sell everything from clothes to useful household items

such as furniture.

What does useful mean?

A never used
B able to be used
C used many times
D

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

not able to be used

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48 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which business from the article helps people get around town?
A bike shops
B resale shops
C tutoring centers
D amusement parks

Part B: Which sentence from the article tells about this business?
A “This business helps those people get a bike.”
B “At this amusement park, everyone can enjoy the rides.”
C “The items are then sold to customers at a discounted price.”
D “Tutoring centers help students with schoolwork.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5 Grade 4 49
UNIT 1 WEEK 5

Read the passage “Young Thomas Edison” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Young Thomas Edison

The name Thomas Edison has come to stand for inventions that greatly
changed life. Even when he was young, Edison liked to make things. He was
always ready to start a new business.
Edison was born in 1847. His mother had been a teacher. She taught him at
home. Judging by what he eventually accomplished, she did a good job.
As a boy, Edison loved to read science books. They made him ask questions.
He wanted to know how things worked. He built models of things. He built
a working sawmill and a train engine. Both models ran on steam.
Edison was a very active and enterprising boy. He grew and sold vegetables.
At 12 years old, he sold food and newspapers to train passengers. As a
teen, the creative Edison started his own newspaper, which he called The
Weekly Herald.
Edison began to have hearing problems. As he grew older, his hearing would
become worse. Later, he could not hear people unless they shouted. These
problems were difficult for him. However, they did not stop him from
constantly trying to improve the world around him.
When he was 15, Edison saved a boy’s life. He pulled him out of the path of a

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

train. The boy’s father was a telegraph operator. As a reward, the man taught
Edison how to operate a telegraph. Edison kept at it and worked hard. He got
jobs working as a telegraph operator.

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50 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5
 UNIT 1 WEEK 5

Working as a telegraph operator was another learning opportunity for

Edison. He sent and received messages. He communicated with people
from all over the country. He learned about the telegraph and how it
worked. He did his own experiments with telegraph equipment. He found
ways to make it work better.
Later, Edison moved to Boston. He began making improvements to the
telegraph. The hard-working boy had grown into a busy young man. His
inventions, such as an early movie camera, would later change the world.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

An Edison movie camera

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5 Grade 4 51
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Young

Thomas Edison.”

6 Which sentence describes Thomas Edison as both a child and

an adult?

A He was not very active.

B He did not like science.
C He often forgot to do things.
D He was always building things.

7 Read the paragraph from the passage.

Edison was born in 1847. His mother had been a teacher. She taught
him at home. Judging by what he eventually accomplished, she did a
good job.

The word eventual means “final.” What does eventually mean?

A at last
B not at all
C in a sudden way
D happening again and again

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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52 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5
 Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the main idea of the passage?

A Edison created his own newspaper.
B Edison liked to make and try new things.
C Edison’s inventions changed how people think.
D Edison wanted to know how everything worked.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage supports the main idea?
A “He was always ready to start a new business.”
B “When he was 15, Edison saved a boy’s life.”
C “He got jobs working as a telegraph operator.”
D “He communicated with people from all over the country.”

9 Read the paragraph from the passage.

Edison began to have hearing problems. As he grew older, his hearing

would become worse. Later, he could not hear people unless they
shouted. These problems were difficult for him. However, they did not
stop him from constantly trying to improve the world around him.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

What is the paragraph mostly about?

A Many people have hearing problems.

B People sometimes had to shout at Edison.
C Edison lost his hearing when he was older.
D Edison had hearing problems for much of his life.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5 Grade 4 53
Name: Date:

10 Read the words and the sentences from the passage. Write the word
next to its meaning below the chart.

Word Sentence from Passage

greatly “The name Thomas Edison has come to stand for
inventions that greatly changed life.”
creative “As a teen, the creative Edison started his own
newspaper, which he called The Weekly Herald.”

having original ideas

in important ways

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

54 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 1, Week 5

UNIT 2 WEEK 1

Read the passage “Help, Please!” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Help, Please!
“A warm, baked apple would taste so wonderful right now!” Raccoon said.
Raccoon headed for the apple tree, but the apples on the ground were rotten.
She saw apples hanging from the tree. Sadly, Raccoon had a difficult time
climbing trees.
Raccoon stopped Deer as he trotted past. “I want to make a baked apple. Is
there a possibility that you could reach up and pick one of those nice apples
for me?”
But Deer kept on walking. “Sorry, Raccoon!” he called. “I’m late!”
Then Bear padded by. “Bear,” Raccoon said, “could you please reach up and
pick one of those nice apples for me?”
“I need to save my energy for my long winter nap,” Bear said.
So, Raccoon started up the tree.
She crawled along a branch. She
was almost there when her back
paws slipped! Raccoon hung by
her front paws. Finally she pulled
herself up.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“Whew! I better get two apples,”
Raccoon thought, “because I’m not
doing this again!” Holding two
apples made it difficult to climb
down. Raccoon fell the last few
feet. Luckily, she wasn’t hurt.
Now Raccoon had to make a fire.
She started looking for twigs. Just
then, Rabbit saw Raccoon and
asked, “What are you looking for,
Raccoon?”

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56 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1
 UNIT 2 WEEK 1

“I want to build a fire so I can bake some apples,” Raccoon explained. “Could
you help me find sticks?” Her smile was full of friendliness.
“I can’t because I hurt my leg today,” Rabbit said. He held up one front leg.
Then he hopped off using all four legs.
Next, Raccoon spotted Mouse. “Mouse,” Raccoon begged, “would you help
me gather sticks to make a fire? I want to bake some apples.”
“Oh,” Mouse said, “I’m too small to carry a twig.” Mouse scurried into
the bushes.
Then Bee buzzed by. Raccoon called, “Bee? Oh, never mind! You’re too small
to be of any help.”
“Maybe not,” Bee told her. “You are only as small as your ideas. What do
you need?”
Raccoon told Bee her problem. Bee smiled and said, “I might be too small to
gather twigs, but I have some nice honey to sweeten your apples!”
Raccoon found enough twigs to make a small fire. Soon, Raccoon and Bee
were happily feasting on sweet, warm baked apples. Deer, Bear, Rabbit, and
Mouse watched hungrily from the bushes. They were not too busy, tired, or
small to help eat the apples, but now Raccoon and Bee did not need help!
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1 Grade 4 57
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Help, Please!”

1 Read the sentence from the passage.

“Is there a possibility that you could reach up and pick one of those nice
apples for me?”

Possible means “able to happen.” What does possibility mean?

A something that could happen

B something that has happened
C something that cannot happen
D something that needs to happen

2 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which lesson do you learn from this passage?

A Everyone needs friends.

B Learn from your mistakes.
C You cannot solve every problem.
D You will be rewarded if you help.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Part B: Which detail helps you learn this lesson?

A Raccoon falls out of the tree.

B Raccoon asks animals to help her.
C Raccoon and Bee share the apples.
D Raccoon needs twigs to make a fire.

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58 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1
 Name: Date:

3 Read the sentence from the passage.

Her smile was full of friendliness.

What is the root word of friendliness?

A end
B friend
C fry
D ness

4 Which sentence from the text supports the theme of the passage?

A “Raccoon headed for the apple tree, but the apples on the ground
were rotten.”
B “‘Bear,’ Raccoon said, ‘could you please reach up and pick one of
those nice apples for me?’”
C “‘I better get two apples,’ Raccoon thought, ‘because I’m not doing
this again!’”
D “Bee smiled and said, ‘I might be too small to gather twigs, but I
have some nice honey to sweeten your apples!’”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1 Grade 4 59
Name: Date:

5 How does the text below help to teach the lesson of the passage? Write
the letter of the correct sentence in the chart.

How It Helps to Teach

Text from the Passage
the Lesson of the Passage
“Soon, Raccoon and Bee were
happily feasting on sweet,
warm baked apples. Deer,
Bear, Rabbit, and Mouse
watched hungrily from the
bushes.”

Sentences:
A – It shows that baked apples taste better with honey.
B – It shows that Raccoon and Bee are very close friends.
C – It shows that Deer, Bear, Rabbit, and Mouse make a mistake.
D – It shows that Deer, Bear, Rabbit, and Mouse cannot help
Raccoon.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
60 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1
 UNIT 2 WEEK 1

Read the passage “Visitors in the Woods” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Visitors in the Woods

Gwen and her father were spending the day in the state park a few miles
from their house. When Gwen’s father saw an animal, he would stop and
lower his voice. Then they watched it. They heard a scuffling sound along
the trail.
About 100 feet ahead, a deer and her fawn carefully stepped onto the trail.
Gwen’s father put his hand on her shoulder. He whispered, “Look!”
“They are beautiful!” Gwen said softly.
The mother deer froze in her tracks and stared at them, almost as if she were
eavesdropping and following their conversation. She also was paying close
attention to her baby.
Gwen took a step toward the deer, but her father’s voice stopped her in her
tracks. “Keep your distance, Gwen.” He continued speaking softly. “Don’t get
too close or you’ll scare them.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1 Grade 4 61
UNIT 2 WEEK 1

Gwen knew her father’s warning was logical, but she still wanted a better
look at the deer. She was thinking of taking just one more step. Then she
noticed that she was about to walk on some twigs. The noise would frighten
the deer, so Gwen decided to stay right where she was.
Just then, Gwen heard someone talking loudly behind them. It was a father
and his son, who were laughing and joking around with each other. The
mother deer watched them carefully and moved closer to her baby.
“Shhh,” Gwen’s father warned. “You’ll frighten the deer.”
“So what?” the father answered rudely. “It’s better to scare the deer away
than to have them on the trail while we’re hiking.” He spoke so loudly that
Gwen thought he was deliberately trying to frighten the deer.
Sure enough, the mother and fawn bounded into the dense woods. Gwen
gazed after them.
The father and son did not even care. “They should be more careful when
people are on the trail,” the father said.
“No,” replied Gwen’s father. “It’s the other way around. The animals live here
and we are the visitors.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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62 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Visitors in

the Woods.”

6 Read the sentence from the passage.

Gwen knew her father’s warning was logical, but she still wanted a
better look at the deer.

What does the root word “logic” tell about something logical?

A It is easy.
B It is quick.
C It makes sense.
D It can be scary.

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of this passage?

A It is important to spend time outside.
B People should respect animals in nature.
C Animals are more important than people.
D People should try to be quiet around animals.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Part B: Which sentence from the text helps to show the theme?
A “About 100 feet ahead, a deer and her fawn carefully stepped onto
the trail.”
B “‘They are beautiful!’ Gwen said softly.”
C “It was a father and his son, who were laughing and joking around
with each other.”
D “‘The animals live here and we are the visitors.’”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1 Grade 4 63
Name: Date:

8 Read the sentence from the passage.

He spoke so loudly that Gwen thought he was deliberately trying to

frighten the deer.

What is the root word of deliberately?

A deliberate
B delicate
C library
D rate

9 Underline two sentences in the paragraph that support the theme of

the passage.

Gwen took a step toward the deer, but her father’s voice stopped her in
her tracks. “Keep your distance, Gwen.” He continued speaking softly.
“Don’t get too close or you’ll scare them.”

10 What does Gwen’s father do to support the theme of the passage?

A He hears a noise on the trail.
B He points out the deer to Gwen.
C He takes Gwen hiking in the park.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

D He tells the man not to scare the deer.

STOP

64 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 1

UNIT 2 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Little Red” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Little Red
Once upon a time, there was a girl called Little Red. She lived in a big city.
The girl and her granny liked to ride bikes, run, and dance together. The two
were always active, never idle.
Little Red took a backpack filled with food to Granny’s apartment. A family of
pigs lived nearby. The largest pig, named Piggy, was always hungry. “I think
Little Red has sweets in her backpack,” said Piggy. “I want them—yummers!”
Piggy planned to trick Little Red by dressing like Granny, who always wore
comfortable, casual clothes. So Piggy put on jogging clothes and sunglasses.
Then he waited for Little Red.
“Hi, Granny,” said Little Red. “I brought lunch!” Everything seemed the same
as usual, but Granny looked peculiar.
Little Red said, “What funny hands you have, Granny.”
“The better to hold the food,” said Piggy.
Little Red said, “What a big nose you have.”
“The better to smell the food you brought,” said Piggy.
Little Red exclaimed, “What a big mouth you have!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“The better to eat all your food!” yelled Piggy.
Little Red ran away from
Piggy. The pleasure Piggy felt
suddenly turned to
discomfort, as Piggy was out
of shape and had no energy
to chase Little Red. With
sweat dripping off his snout,
he squealed, “I’m so tired
that I can’t move another
step!” Piggy fell down.

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66 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2
WA_013A_127091
 UNIT 2 WEEK 2

Little Red kindly went back to help Piggy. “Piggy, you need to eat some
healthy food,” she said.
“Yummers! Do you have any fudge?” asked Piggy.
“No, but I have corn,” said Little Red. “When you eat healthy foods like
vegetables and fruit, you feel better. Don’t devour it, but slowly eat a bit of
this corn,” she offered.
“You need to exercise, too,” insisted Little Red. “Let’s go to Granny’s
apartment. We can exercise. Exercise gives you strength and energy! And
then join Granny and me for a healthy lunch,” she added.
“Yummers!” agreed Piggy.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2 Grade 4 67
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Little Red.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which sentence describes the theme of the passage?

A Pigs are clever animals.

B Exercise and eat healthy.
C Always carry food with you.
D Visit your grandparents often.

Part B: Which text evidence best supports the theme of the passage?
A “‘I brought lunch!’”
B “‘The better to smell the food you brought,’ said Piggy.”
C “‘Do you have any fudge?’ asked Piggy.”
D “‘When you eat healthy foods like vegetables and fruit, you
feel better.’”

2 Read the sentence from the passage.

“Don’t devour it, but slowly eat a bit of this corn,” she offered.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Which word means the opposite of devour?

A destroy
B gobble
C nibble
D smash

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68 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2
 Name: Date:

3 Read the paragraph from the passage.

Little Red ran away from Piggy. The pleasure Piggy felt suddenly turned
to discomfort, as Piggy was out of shape and had no energy to chase
Little Red. With sweat dripping off his snout, he squealed, “I’m so tired
that I can’t move another step!” Piggy fell down.

What does this paragraph help to explain?

A why you need to wear sneakers

B what happens when you squeal
C how to exercise safely with a friend
D why you should exercise and eat well

4 Which detail from the passage helps to show the theme?

A Little Red is kind.

B Little Red is healthy.
C Piggy tries to trick Little Red.
D The largest pig is named Piggy.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2 Grade 4 69
Name: Date:

5 Look at the underlined words in the sentences. Draw a line to match

each sentence with the word that means the opposite of the
underlined word.

“The two were always active,

normal
never idle.”

“Piggy planned to trick Little

Red by dressing like Granny,
busy
who always wore comfortable,
casual clothes.”

“Everything seemed the same

as usual, but Granny looked fancy
peculiar.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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70 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2
 UNIT 2 WEEK 2

Read the passage “The Three Little Mice” before answering

Numbers 6 through 10.

The Three Little Mice

Once upon a time, three little mice went out to build houses. The first mouse
wanted to build one safe house all together. The others wanted to have big
houses of their own.
The second mouse built his house of dried grass. It was a weak house, but it
had a gym for running. The mouse thought, “This house is all mine!”
The third mouse built a house of twigs. It was not strong, but it had a puddle for
swimming. The little mouse thought, “When I work alone I get what I want.”
Meanwhile, the first mouse searched until he found a hollow log. “This will
be my home for now,” he thought. It was small, but it was sturdy and safe.
The second mouse heard a voice outside. “Whooo! Who will let me come in?”
hooted the Big Bad Owl.
“Not a chancey-chance-chance,” squeaked the little mouse.
“Then I’ll flap, and I’ll slap, and I’ll knock your house down!” screeched the
Big Bad Owl. So the owl knocked the grass house down.
The second little mouse did not linger. He hurried away to the twig home of
the third little mouse. Both mice heard a voice outside. “Whooo! Who will let
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

me come in?” hooted the Big Bad Owl.

“Not a chancy-chance-chance,” squeaked the mice.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2 Grade 4 71
UNIT 2 WEEK 2

“Then I’ll flap, and I’ll slap, and I’ll knock your house down!” screeched the
Big Bad Owl.
So the owl flapped and slapped his wings and demolished the twig house.
The mice ran to the log home. Once inside, they admitted, “We made a big
mistake by working alone!”
“You’re safe now,” said the first mouse. The Big Bad Owl flapped all night. He
could not move the log house. In the morning the owl was asleep. The mice
ran to the other side of the forest. This time, they worked together and they
got the job done right. The three little mice dug a small, well-built burrow.
Here they lived safely away from the Big Bad Owl.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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72 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “The

Three Little Mice.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A Mice need big houses.

B It is best to build things at night.
C Working together gets the job done.
D Do not let strangers into your house.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage best shows the theme?
A “The little mouse thought, ‘When I work alone I get what I want.’”
B “‘This will be my home for now,’ he thought.”
C “‘Who will let me come in?’ hooted the Big Bad Owl.”
D “Once inside, they admitted, ‘We made a big mistake by working
alone!’”

7 Read the sentences from the passage.

The second little mouse did not linger. He hurried away to the twig
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

home of the third little mouse.

Which word means the opposite of linger?

A hurry
B laugh
C sleep
D wait

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2 Grade 4 73
Name: Date:

8 Select two words that have to do with the message of the passage.
Write the words in the chart.

Message of the Passage

Kindness
Mistakes
Luck
Sadness
Teamwork

9 Read the sentence from the passage.

So the owl flapped and slapped his wings and demolished the twig
house.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Which word means the opposite of demolished?

A broke
B built
C stopped
D visited

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74 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2
 Name: Date:

10 Read the sentences from the passage.

This time, they worked together and they got the job done right. The
three little mice dug a small, well-built burrow.

How do these sentences help to show the theme?

A They tell how to finish any kind of job.

B They tell how long it takes to build a home.
C They tell that burrows are the best homes to live in.
D They tell what happens when you work with others.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 2 Grade 4 75

 UNIT 2 WEEK 3

Read the article “Life in the Forest” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Life in the Forest

Forests are home to many living things. Many types of forests cover parts of
Earth. One kind is the deciduous forest. In this type of forest the leaves
change color and fall off in autumn.
Deciduous forests have five different zones. The animals, plants, and other
organisms in each zone have learned to survive together. Animals eat forest
plants or other animals. They also get shelter from trees. Forest plants get
nutrients from the ground.
The canopy is the highest layer in the forest. It is home to the tallest trees.
This area gets the most sunlight. It produces the most food. Animals that live
here eat leaves and fruits that grow on trees.
The understory is found below the canopy. Small trees and saplings are found
in this zone. Small trees need the shade of the canopy to survive. Saplings are
young trees that will eventually join the canopy. The understory can be thick.
This helps animals find food and shelter.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3 Grade 4 77
UNIT 2 WEEK 3

The third zone is the shrub layer. Shrubs have woody stems. They do not
grow as tall as trees. Many birds and insects live in the shrub layer.
Beneath the shrub layer is the herb zone. Ferns, grasses, and wildflowers live
in this zone. It is home to animals such as snakes, mice, turtles, bears, and
deer. These animals feed on the plants and small animals found in this zone.
The lowest zone is the forest floor. This layer is covered by waste materials
like leaves and dead organisms. Millions of creatures, such as earthworms,
insects, and spiders, are found on the forest floor. These creatures help break
down waste materials. Then this material goes back into the soil. Forest
plants take it in as nutrients. Animals eat these plants. Then they become
food for meat-eating animals. Plants and animals create more waste. Then the
cycle continues.
The five zones in a deciduous forest are connected. All life in the forest
depends on the energy it gets from other living things. Every living thing in
the forest is important. Each has a role in helping the others survive.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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78 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Life in

the Forest.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

The animals, plants, and other organisms in each zone have learned to
survive together.

What does the word organisms mean?

A problems
B water
C large places
D living things

Part B: Which word in the sentence helps to show what organisms

means?

A animals
B zone
C learned
D together
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

2 Which animal lives in the shrub layer?

A birds
B mice
C snakes
D turtles

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3 Grade 4 79
Name: Date:

3 Read the detail below.

Sunlight is very important to the canopy.

Circle the paragraph where this detail belongs.

The canopy is the highest layer in the forest. It is home to the tallest
trees. This area gets the most sunlight. It produces the most food.
Animals that live here eat leaves and fruits that grow on trees.

The understory is found below the canopy. Small trees and saplings are
found in this zone. Small trees need the shade of the canopy to survive.
Saplings are young trees that will eventually join the canopy. The
understory can be thick. This helps animals find food and shelter.

The third zone is the shrub layer. Shrubs have woody stems. They do
not grow as tall as trees. Many birds and insects live in the shrub layer.

Beneath the shrub layer is the herb zone. Ferns, grasses, and
wildflowers live in this zone. It is home to animals such as snakes, mice,
turtles, bears, and deer. These animals feed on the plants and small
animals found in this zone.

4 Read the sentence from the article.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The canopy is the highest layer in the forest.

What does canopy mean?

A forest
B home
C top
D tree

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80 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the article mostly about?

A how all trees lose their leaves
B how forests grow all over the world
C how living things in a forest are connected
D how trees give food to many types of birds

Part B: Which sentence from the article helps to show this idea?
A “Forests are home to many living things.”
B “Many types of forests cover parts of Earth.”
C “Every living thing in the forest is important.”
D “Each has a role in helping the others survive.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3 Grade 4 81
UNIT 2 WEEK 3

Read the article “The Coral Reef” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

The Coral Reef

Some people think a coral reef is a large rock under the water. That is not
true. Unlike a rock, coral is alive. It also is brittle and breaks easily. Many
people do not know that when they break a piece of live coral, the coral dies.
Over time, the entire reef may die if many pieces break off.
Many coral reefs have fish near them. The fish and the reef form a
partnership and work together as a team. Fish eat the plants growing on the
reef. The reef gives fish a home.
People enjoy swimming along coral reefs. It is exciting to explore the reef.
Some coral is very pretty. Other coral looks a lot like something alien from
another planet. Some people like to drift over the reef. They can see many
colorful fish swimming nearby. Both the coral and the fish are beautiful.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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82 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3
 UNIT 2 WEEK 3

Two different types of people visit reefs. The first group is people whose
behavior causes damage to the reef. They break off pieces of live coral. This
causes the coral to die. They also stand on the reef. This can hurt the coral
and the person. The person can get cut or scratched. Sometimes these
wounds can be very serious.
The second group is made up of people who learn how to behave near the
reef. These people learn what they should and should not do on the reef.
They make sure that both they and the coral will stay safe. It would be
wonderful if everyone did this. It would help us all be able to enjoy coral reefs
for a long time to come.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3 Grade 4 83
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“The Coral Reef.”

6 Read the sentence from the article.

The fish and the reef form a partnership and work together as a team.

Which word from the sentence helps you know what partnership means?

A fish
B reef
C work
D team

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: How do you know that coral is a living thing?

A It is brittle.
B It is like a rock.
C It dies when it breaks.
D It is a home to animals.

Part B: Which sentence from the article shows that coral is alive?
A “Some people think a coral reef is a large rock under the water.” Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

B “Over time, the entire reef may die if many pieces break off.”
C “The first group is people whose behavior causes damage to
the reef.”
D “It would help us all be able to enjoy coral reefs for a long time
to come.”

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84 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3
 Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

Other coral looks a lot like something alien from another planet.

What does the word alien mean?

A boring
B important
C pretty
D strange

Part B: Which phrase from the sentence helps the reader figure out
what alien means?

A “Other coral”
B “looks a lot”
C “like something”
D “from another planet”

9 Which detail belongs in the last paragraph of the article?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A Coral reefs are living things.

B Coral reefs can be home to small sharks.
C People can learn about coral reefs through research.
D Coral reefs are sure to live for many more years to come.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3 Grade 4 85
Name: Date:

10 Complete the chart with two details that support the main idea of
the article. Write the correct details from the box. Not all details will
be used.

Main Idea Supporting Details

Coral reefs are full of living things.

Supporting Details:
Plants grow on coral reefs.
Coral reefs are found in the ocean.
People enjoy swimming near coral reefs.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Many coral reefs have colorful fish living nearby.

STOP

86 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 3

UNIT 2 WEEK 4

Read the article “Swimming to Survive” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Swimming to Survive
Did you know that humpback whales travel very far every year? Some
migrate from Central America to Antarctica without stopping. That’s more
than 5,000 miles! Other humpbacks travel from Hawaii to Alaska, a distance
of about 3,000 miles.
Whales live in all of Earth’s oceans. Each group has its own route. The map
below shows routes used in the North Pacific Ocean.

From North to South

Why do whales make this journey? Whales spend the cold winter months in
warm water. There, they have babies called calves. As summer approaches,
the whales head to colder waters. There, they feed on millions of tiny fish and
shrimp called krill.
If the whales stayed in the warmer water they would not have enough to eat.
One whale needs 3,000 pounds of food a day. Whales fatten up on krill before
they leave. They eat
very little on their long
ASIA
migration to warm
waters. They live off the

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

fat they store in their NORTH
bodies. A M E R ICA
PA C I F I C
How do whales know OCEAN

their routes? Scientists H AWA I I

are unsure how the

whales know which
direction to head. They
might learn by traveling
with older whales.

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88 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4
WA_017A_127091
 UNIT 2 WEEK 4

Protecting the Whales

Years ago, whales were killed by hunters. Their blubber, or fat, was used as
oil. They were also killed for their meat. In the North Pacific, only about 1,400
humpbacks remained in 1966. Then the whales were listed as endangered. It
is illegal to kill a humpback whale. This helped the whales. Today, about
21,000 humpbacks live in the North Pacific. As a precaution, humpbacks are
still listed as endangered.

Amazing Creatures
Humpback females are about 60 feet long. Males are a little smaller. These
whales are mostly gray. They have white markings on their bellies and fins.
These markings are one-of-a-kind. Scientists use them to track whales as
they migrate.
Humpbacks are famous for jumping out of the water. They slap the water
with their tails. Why do they jump? Maybe it’s a way to communicate or
attract a mate. Maybe it’s just for fun!
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4 Grade 4 89
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Swimming

to Survive.”

1 Underline two sentences that help to tell what the article is

mostly about.

Summary of “Swimming to Survive”

There are millions of krill in the ocean.

Humpbacks need a lot of food to survive.

People are working to protect humpbacks.

Humpbacks can slap the water with their heads.

2 Read the sentence from the article.

Scientists are unsure how the whales know which direction to head.

The word sure means “certain.” What does unsure mean?

A not certain
B certain again
C always certain

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

D sometimes certain

3 Why do whales migrate?

A to find food
B to attract a mate
C to escape hunters
D to visit other whales

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90 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4
 Name: Date:

4 Read the sentence from the article.

As a precaution, humpbacks are still listed as endangered.

The word caution means “a warning about a problem.” What does

precaution mean?

A not warning about a problem

B wanting to warn about a problem
C a warning after a problem happens
D a warning before a problem happens

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the article mostly about?

A Whales must swim to stay alive.

B Migration helps whales stay alive.
C We must try to save humpback whales.
D Whales like to travel thousands of miles.

Part B: Which sentence from the article best helps to show this
main idea?
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A “Other humpbacks travel from Hawaii to Alaska, a distance of about

3,000 miles.”
B “As summer approaches, the whales head to colder waters.”
C “If the whales stayed in the warmer water they would not have
enough to eat.”
D “They eat very little on their long migration to warm waters.”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4 Grade 4 91
UNIT 2 WEEK 4

Read the article “Fireworms” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

Fireworms
The fireworm lives in the tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Most fireworms are three to four inches long. These creatures are flat. They
have white bristles along their sides. They look like paint brushes, but they
break easily if touched.
The size and shape of the fireworm are not the only things that set it apart. A
fireworm also gives off light. Females use this light to attract males. The
females spin on the surface of the water. When the males see their lights, they
flash their own lights. Then the males dart to the surface. They bob up and
down in the water. Scientists can predict exactly when this will take place.
On dark summer nights, the water glows green as the fireworms eerily dance.
Scientists believe that fireworms also use the light for defense. The light may
be used to distract or mislead their predators.
Fireworms also defend themselves with their bristles. This behavior keeps
other creatures from getting too close. If a person touches a fireworm, the
bristles will break off. They stick into the person’s skin. This releases poison
into the wound. It causes a painful burning sensation on the skin. It is this
reaction that gives the fireworm its name.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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92 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4
 UNIT 2 WEEK 4

Fireworms would rather hide than fight. They are nonaggressive creatures.
They often hide in areas covered with seagrass. Unless you know where to
look, you may never see a fireworm.
Once in a while, fireworms are found on objects that float onto shore. Some
fireworms have even ended up in tanks at stores that sell tropical fish. Most
fireworms live in coral reefs. They do not live more than about 500 feet deep.
Other fireworms live under stones. Some even live on mud bottoms. They eat
shrimp, clams, and mussels. Their favorite food is coral.
Fireworms eat both soft and hard coral. It is easy to tell where fireworms have
been eating. They eat coral down to its skeleton. Wherever fireworms feed,
the coral is left with the white tips of its bones showing.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4 Grade 4 93
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Fireworms.”

6 What happens when male fireworms see the light of female fireworms?

A They spin in the water.

B They flash their own light.
C They stop flashing their light.
D They move away from the females.

7 Read the sentence from the article.

The light may be used to distract or mislead their predators.

The word lead means “to guide.” What does mislead mean?

A lead again
B lead quickly
C lead in the wrong direction
D lead in the correct direction

8 Underline the sentence that states the main idea of the paragraph.

Fireworms also defend themselves with their bristles. This behavior

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

keeps other creatures from getting too close. If a person touches a
fireworm, the bristles will break off. They stick into the person’s skin.
This releases poison into the wound. It causes a painful burning
sensation on the skin. It is this reaction that gives the fireworm its name.

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94 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4
 Name: Date:

9 Read the sentence from the article.

They are nonaggressive creatures.

The word aggressive means “ready to fight.” What does nonaggressive

mean?

A feeling angry
B fighting again
C getting attacked
D not ready to fight

10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the main idea of the article?

A Fireworms light up.

B Fireworms eat coral.
C Fireworms like to dance at night.
D Fireworms are interesting creatures.

Part B: Which sentence from the article best supports this main idea?
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A “The size and shape of the fireworm are not the only things that set
it apart.”
B “Unless you know where to look, you may never see a fireworm.”
C “Once in a while, fireworms are found on objects that float
onto shore.”
D “Some fireworms have even ended up in tanks at stores that sell
tropical fish.”

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 4 Grade 4 95

 UNIT 2 WEEK 5

Read the passage “Trouble with Poetry” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Trouble with Poetry

In shock, I listened as Mrs. True described our newest writing assignment.
Did she actually think I could write a poem? My mind was spinning as fast as
a top, and I shut my eyes and focused on listening to the rest of her
directions.
Mrs. True was saying, “You could write poems about everyday things. Poets
sometimes write about experiences or emotions.”
I glanced over at my friend Nate and tried not to groan. What could I write
about? My life wasn’t interesting. No one wanted to read a poem about my
messy room and I wasn’t writing about my feelings! Then, I realized Mrs.
True was still talking.
“Take out your journals,” she instructed. “We will spend the next twenty
minutes brainstorming ideas. Then we’ll write rough drafts of our poems.
Remember to include some poetry elements. Your poem must rhyme and
have stanzas.”
“Great,” I muttered under my breath. With a huge sigh, I dug my journal out
of my desk and slapped it down.
Mrs. True walked over. “Is everything all right, Elan?” she asked.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“I’m not much of a poet, Mrs. True,” I replied. “I don’t know where to begin.”
“Try thinking of things
that make you happy,”
said Mrs. True. “It might
be easier to write about
something that makes
you smile.”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5 Grade 4 97
UNIT 2 WEEK 5

As she walked away, I thought of the things that made me happy. Like a
speeding train, Trouble crashed into my thoughts. You see, Trouble is the
name of my dog. She got her name because she is always getting into trouble.
I had millions of stories about her!
Trouble was great inspiration. I quickly filled my page with great ideas. Then
I started a rough draft of my poem.
Trouble is the name of my dog,
She hops and jumps like a frog.
She tears up our shoes
On sofas she chews.
I wish she’d sit still like a log.
She jumped through the back door screen.
She licked my soup bowl clean.
She barks at all cars.
I’d send her to Mars
For a break from this wild machine!
But Trouble is loyal and true,
She sticks to my side just like glue.
I love every part
Her big eyes and big heart,
She cheers me when I am so blue.
I pushed back from my desk and grinned. Writing poetry seemed to be no

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“trouble” after all!

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98 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Trouble

with Poetry.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Who is the narrator that is telling the story?

A Mrs. True
B Trouble
C Nate
D Elan

Part B: What do you learn from the narrator?

A Elan’s thoughts
B Nate’s thoughts
C Trouble’s thoughts
D Mrs. True’s thoughts

2 Read the sentence from the passage.

My mind was spinning as fast as a top, and I shut my eyes and focused
on listening to the rest of her directions.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

What does it mean that Elan’s mind is spinning “as fast as a top”?

A Elan suddenly feels sick.

B Elan is thinking of his new toy.
C Elan is rolling his head in circles.
D Elan has many thoughts in his head.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5 Grade 4 99
Name: Date:

3 Which sentence from the passage shows what Elan thinks about poetry?

A “Then, I realized Mrs. True was still talking.”

B “‘Take out your journals,’ she instructed.”
C “‘I don’t know where to begin.’”
D “You see, Trouble is the name of my dog.”

4 Why does Elan love Trouble?

A Trouble jumps a lot.

B Trouble is a loyal dog.
C Trouble causes problems.
D Trouble chews on sofas.

5 Look at the underlined simile in each sentence. Draw a line to match

each sentence with the correct meaning of the underlined simile.

Like a speeding train, Trouble

in a still way
crashed into my thoughts.

She hops and jumps like a frog. in a powerful way Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

I wish she’d sit still like a log. in a busy way

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100 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5
 UNIT 2 WEEK 5

Read the passage “A Visit to the Zoo” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

A Visit to the Zoo

It was a beautiful spring
day, and Raj and his sister,
Adara, were visiting the zoo
with their parents. The
family loved the zoo.
Near every animal’s home,
there was a sign that told
what kind of food it ate and
where it lived in the wild.
They also had poems about
each animal.
Raj and Adara couldn’t wait
to read all the poems. Adara
wanted to know what was
written about her favorite animals,
the prairie dogs. She read the sign at the exhibit.
Prairie dogs are funny clowns
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Popping up and popping down.

As their heads rise through the ground
They stare at you without a sound.
“That poem really explains how prairie dogs act,” Adara said. Next they
walked to the duck pond. Raj read the sign there.
The ducks are marching robots
Following their leader.
Two run, while one trots
Going to the feeder.
“That’s exactly how they walk,” laughed Raj.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5 Grade 4 101
UNIT 2 WEEK 5

Next, Adara and Raj led their parents to the reptile house. Inside, they visited
the python. Adara read the sign this time.
Slithering, sliding all day long,
The python sings his snaky song.
He tells of adventures and glorious meals
While gliding silently toward your heels.
“Yikes!” Adara shuddered. “I have shivers from reading that one. I’m glad it
can’t get out!”
Next, they walked to the monkey cages. Inside, the monkeys screeched like
sirens. Everyone plugged their ears as Raj shouted, “Let’s skip the monkeys
today! They’re too loud!”
Then they saw some peacocks with their tail feathers fully opened. “Their
feathers look like jeweled eyes keeping watch over the birds,” Adara said.
“You sound like a poet!” Raj replied. “Maybe we should think of our own
poems for some of the animals.”
At lunchtime the family tried composing a few poems of their own. Finally, it
was time to go home. Raj and Adara walked to the car with smiles on their
faces. It had been a wonderful day.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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102 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “A Visit to

the Zoo.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Who is telling the story?

A an outside narrator
B Raj’s father
C Adara
D Raj

Part B: Which sentence shows who is telling the story?

A “It was a beautiful spring day, and Raj and his sister, Adara, were
visiting the zoo with their parents.”
B “Near every animal’s home, there was a sign that told what kind of
food it ate and where it lived in the wild.”
C “‘I have shivers from reading that one.’”
D “‘Maybe we should think of our own poems for some of the animals.’”

7 Read the lines from a poem in the passage.

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Prairie dogs are funny clowns

Popping up and popping down.

Why does the poem call prairie dogs clowns?

A to show they are not very funny

B to show they are dressed like clowns
C to show they have cute little ears and noses
D to show they do things that make people laugh

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5 Grade 4 103
Name: Date:

8 Put the events from the passage in the correct order. Write the
sentences in order in the chart.

Events:
The family sees ducks.
The family sees peacocks.
The family sees the python.

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104 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5
 Name: Date:

9 Read the lines from a poem in the passage.

Slithering, sliding all day long,

The python sings his snaky song.
He tells of adventures and glorious meals
While gliding silently toward your heels.

What would the author probably think about pythons?

A They are hard to find.

B They make good pets.
C They cannot be trusted.
D They are not dangerous.

10 Read the sentence from the passage.

Inside, the monkeys screeched like sirens.

What does it mean that the monkeys “screeched like sirens”?

A They were tired.

B They were noisy.
C They were listening.
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D They were being fed.

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 2, Week 5 Grade 4 105

 UNIT 3 WEEK 1

Read the passage “Welcome to a New School” before answering

Numbers 1 through 5.

Welcome to a New School

I looked around at the other kids in the group. We were all members of the
new student welcoming committee. Each was once a new kid at this school.
We knew what the first days in a strange place were like. Then the advisor of
the committee, Mrs. Campos, walked in.
“I am so excited to hear your ideas,” Mrs. Campos said. “Welcoming new
students is an important responsibility. Who wants to share an idea?”
Mrs. Campos called on Leah. “We should give new students a buddy,”
Leah offered.
Then Jordan added, “The buddy could sit with the new kid at lunch. It’s scary
to eat alone.”
I thought back to my first day at this school. I felt so nervous. I had entered the
lunchroom cautiously because I was so afraid that I would have to sit by myself.
I told Jordan that I liked his idea. Then I said, “We could give new kids a tour. It
would have to be before school because the halls are too busy during the day.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1 Grade 4 107
UNIT 3 WEEK 1

I beamed with pleasure when Mrs. Campos said, “I really like that idea,
Suwon. We would have to ask the principal for permission, but I am
confident that he will like the idea. I know he wants new students to feel
comfortable.”
Then Mrs. Campos asked for other ideas. Hunter said, “When I was a new
student, I saw a lot of kids wearing shirts with the school’s name on them. I
felt really left out. I think we should give school shirts to new students.”
I liked Hunter’s idea but wondered how we would get the money to pay for
the shirts. Mrs. Campos said, “I will talk to the school’s parent group. They
might be able to donate shirts for new students.”
After hearing all these great ideas, I was really glad that I had joined the
group. We had some wonderful plans to help new students feel welcome.
Now all we had to decide was where to start!

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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108 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Welcome to a

New School.”

1 Read the sentences from the passage.

I looked around at the other kids in the group. We were all members of
the new student welcoming committee.

What does the word committee mean?

A group
B member
C student
D teacher

2 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What does the point of view in the passage help to show
about Suwon?

A why she loves her old school

B why she was nervous at lunch
C why she came to a new school
D why she did not like her new school
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Part B: Which detail from the passage gives this information?

A “‘I am so excited to hear your ideas,’. . .”
B “. . . I was so afraid that I would have to sit by myself.”
C “‘. . . the halls are too busy during the day.’”
D “I beamed with pleasure . . .”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1 Grade 4 109
Name: Date:

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the passage.

“We would have to ask the principal for permission to have students in
the building before school starts, but I am confident that he will like the
idea. I know he wants new students to feel comfortable.”

What does confident mean?

A careful
B comfortable
C excited
D sure

Part B: Which phrase from the sentences helps to show what

confident means?

A “ask the principal”

B “before school starts”
C “I know he wants”
D “new students”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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110 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1
 Name: Date:

4 Underline the sentence that shows what Suwon thinks of Hunter’s idea.

Then Mrs. Campos asked for other ideas. Hunter said, “When I was a
new student, I saw a lot of kids wearing shirts with the school’s name
on them. I felt really left out. I think we should give school shirts to
new students.”

I liked Hunter’s idea but wondered how we would get the money to pay
for the shirts. Mrs. Campos said, “I will talk to the school’s parent
group. They might be able to donate shirts for new students.”

5 What would you know if the passage were written from Mrs. Campos’s
point of view?

A how Jordan feels about Mrs. Campos

B which idea Mrs. Campos likes the best
C if Leah wants to be a new student buddy
D if the parent group would pay for new shirts
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1 Grade 4 111
UNIT 3 WEEK 1

Read the passage “Sadie Says Hello” before answering

Numbers 6 through 10.

Sadie Says Hello

Howard was excited. Today was the big pet festival at his school. His pet
snake, Sadie, was going to be in the festival. Howard gently placed Sadie in a
cardboard box. He could barely contain his excitement as he put the box by
the front door. Howard made sure that Sadie was comfortable while he
waited for his mother to get ready.
As Howard and his mother were just about to leave, the doorbell rang. It was
their neighbor Mrs. Brent.
Mrs. Brent was always nervous, and she made Howard nervous, too. Howard
decided that this was an ideal opportunity to get a glass of juice, so he headed
for the kitchen, leaving his mother and Mrs. Brent talking by the door.
When Howard returned from the kitchen, he peeked into Sadie’s box. He
could not believe it, but the box was empty! Then he saw a slight movement
out of the corner of his eye. Sadie had slithered out of her box. She was
headed straight toward Mrs. Brent!
Mrs. Brent had not seen Sadie yet, so Howard rushed forward. But it was not
soon enough. Mrs. Brent felt something on her foot and looked down. “Oh,
my goodness, a snake!” she screamed.

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112 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1
 UNIT 3 WEEK 1

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Brent. She’s harmless,” Howard said. “Just stay calm while
I get her.” Then he quickly scooped Sadie up and put her back in her box.
“No snake is harmless!” cried Mrs. Brent. “Did it bite me? Do I need to go to
the hospital? Oh, I may faint!”
Howard knew that Sadie would not hurt Mrs. Brent. But he could see that
Mrs. Brent’s fear was real. She really thought Sadie was dangerous.
“Please don’t worry—everything is all right,” Howard’s mother assured her.
“Howard has everything under control. Now Howard, please apologize to
Mrs. Brent and tell her how sorry you are that this happened.”
Howard was not quite sure why he should apologize, but he knew he had
to do it. “I am very sorry, Mrs. Brent,” he said. “I think Sadie just wanted to
say hello.”
“How does a snake say hello?” Mrs. Brent asked as she stepped back.
By curling around you, Howard thought to himself. He decided it would be
better if he kept that to himself.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1 Grade 4 113
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“Sadie Says Hello.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Who is telling the story?

A Howard
B Mrs. Brent
C Howard’s mother
D an outside observer

Part B: Which sentence from the story shows who the narrator is?
A “Howard decided that this was an ideal opportunity to get a glass
of juice, so he headed for the kitchen, leaving his mother and
Mrs. Brent talking by the door.”
B “‘Oh, my goodness, a snake!’ she screamed.”
C “Howard was not quite sure why he should apologize, but he knew
he had to do it.”
D “‘I think Sadie just wanted to say hello.’”

7 Read the sentences from the story.

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Then he saw a slight movement out of the corner of his eye. Sadie had
slithered out of her box. She was headed straight toward Mrs. Brent!

What does slithered mean?

A flew
B jumped
C slid
D stopped

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114 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1
 Name: Date:

8 Draw a line to match each problem and solution.

Problem Solution

Howard needs to get Howard explains that

Sadie to the pet festival. Sadie is harmless.

Howard puts Sadie

Sadie gets out of the box.
in a box.

Mrs. Brent gets upset. Howard picks up Sadie.

9 How would the story be different if it were written from Sadie’s point
of view?

A It would tell why Sadie leaves the box.

B It would tell what the pet festival is like.
C It would tell what Mrs. Brent thinks of Howard.
D It would tell what Howard’s mother thinks of Sadie.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1 Grade 4 115
Name: Date:

10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the paragraph from the passage.

“Please don’t worry—everything is all right,” Howard’s mother

assured her. “Howard has everything under control. Now Howard,
please apologize to Mrs. Brent and tell her how sorry you are that
this happened.”

What does the word apologize mean?

A ask a question
B give an answer
C ask for forgiveness
D explain what happened

Part B: Which phrase from the paragraph tells what apologize means?
A “don’t worry”
B “everything under control”
C “how sorry you are”
D “this happened”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

116 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 1

UNIT 3 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Bingo” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Bingo
“Wow, they’re using dogs to help find people after the earthquake,” I called
while reading the newspaper. I wished I could help, but what were the
chances my parents would let me go to South America?
I slumped on the couch. It wasn’t fair. I wanted to do something wonderful
enough to be on the news.
“Jacob,” Mom called, “it’s time to go!” Instead of becoming famous, I was
going to visit Great Aunt Beth at the nursing home.
A few weeks ago, Aunt Beth had pneumonia, an illness that affects your
lungs. She was feeling better now and breathing easily. Thankfully, she would
be going home soon. Now, I love my aunt, but I still don’t want to spend all
morning at the nursing home.
When we arrived, we found Aunt Beth in the dining hall playing bingo.
“Mom,” I whispered, “I don’t want to play.”
“Jacob!” Aunt Beth cried happily. I sighed and walked over to my aunt. Then
she gave me one of her bingo cards.
“No cheating, young man!” someone shouted accusingly. A frowning, grumpy
man sat on the other side of Aunt Beth. Was he blaming me for not playing

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

fair? The game hadn’t even started yet! “You’ll soon be bored to death,” the
man bellowed. “We don’t have those fancy gadgets you young ones use all
the time.”
“Don’t mind Dave,” Aunt Beth whispered. “He’s hard of hearing.” Still, I
wanted to shout back that I do NOT cheat at games. Besides, I don’t even
have a cell phone!
I’d show that guy! “Can I have another Bingo card, please?” I asked my aunt.
The old man grumbled something about cards costing a quarter. Aunt Beth
gave me a dollar. Soon, I was playing five Bingo cards. I was determined to
win—without cheating!

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118 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
 UNIT 3 WEEK 2

At last the caller said O-62, and I happily yelled, “Bingo!”

Then Dave leaned over to me and said, “So, do you think you could beat me
at a more challenging game, like chess?”
“I never played chess,” I mumbled.
“I could teach you,” Dave said with a wink.
“Umm, Aunt Beth is going home soon,” I told him, “and I won’t be coming
here anymore.”
“You don’t think you could learn chess, huh?” Dave asked, raising one
eyebrow.
I thought for a second and then said, “I could ride my bike here since it’s not
that far.”
“Okay, then,” Dave said, “I’ll see you next Saturday, same time, same place!”
As Mom and I left, Dave couldn’t stop smiling. Neither could I, even though
I wouldn’t be on the evening news.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2 Grade 4 119
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Bingo.”

1 Read the sentences from the passage.

A few weeks ago, Aunt Beth had pneumonia, an illness that affects your
lungs. She was feeling better now and breathing easily.

What is pneumonia?

A a game Aunt Beth plays

B air for Aunt Beth’s lungs
C a sickness Aunt Beth had
D a place where Aunt Beth stayed

2 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A Playing games can help you grow up.
B You must learn the rules of any game.
C Friends make the world more interesting.
D There are simple ways to make a difference.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Part B: Which detail shows the theme?
A Jacob wins a game of Bingo.
B Dave tells Jacob no cheating.
C Dave is happy that Jacob will play chess with him.
D Jacob does not want to play a game at the nursing home.

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120 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
 Name: Date:

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the paragraph from the passage.

“No cheating, young man!” someone shouted accusingly. A frowning,

grumpy man sat on the other side of Aunt Beth. Was he blaming me for
not playing fair? The game hadn’t even started yet! “You’ll soon be
bored to death,” the man bellowed. “We don’t have those fancy gadgets
you young ones use all the time.”

What does bellowed mean?

A asked
B pointed out
C noticed quickly
D spoke in a loud voice

Part B: Which phrase from the paragraph tells what bellowed means?
A “shouted accusingly”
B “on the other side”
C “not playing fair”
D “bored to death”
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2 Grade 4 121
Name: Date:

4 Circle one paragraph below that shows how Jacob’s feelings about
Dave change.

“You don’t think you could learn chess, huh?” Dave asked, raising
one eyebrow.

I thought for a second and then said, “I could ride my bike here
since it’s not that far.”

“Okay, then,” Dave said, “I’ll see you next Saturday, same time,
same place!”

As Mom and I left, Dave couldn’t stop smiling. Neither could I, even
though I wouldn’t be on the evening news.

5 What would you learn if the passage were written from Dave’s point
of view?

A whether Jacob likes Dave

B whether Aunt Beth likes Dave
C why Dave wants to play chess
D what Jacob’s mother thinks about Dave

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
122 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
 UNIT 3 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Tomorrow” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

Tomorrow
Teresa was wide awake again. She was listening to the adults talk in the next
room. She overheard them talking in low, solemn voices. Teresa did not
understand why everyone sounded so serious.
Teresa did not understand everything she heard, either. If the adults had been
speaking in English, she would have understood even less. But, like her
family, they had come to the United States from Mexico. They came in search
of possible work prospects, or chances for jobs in America.
The adults were talking about something called a union. Teresa was not sure
what unions were. She knew that a union could make their lives better. She
had heard field workers say how a union could help their community.
Tonight, a stranger named Mr. Ramirez was doing most of the talking. Teresa
did not know who he was. Someone said he had become a citizen of the
United States. Teresa had heard her parents use that word before. When they
spoke the word citizen, there was always hope and longing in their voices.
They had strong feelings about wanting to become Americans.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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WA_024A_127091
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2 Grade 4 123
UNIT 3 WEEK 2

In the next room, Mr. Ramirez was talking about a possible strike. Teresa
knew what a strike was. It meant that everyone would stop working until
they got things they wanted. He said that some strikes had been successful.
Others had not. He explained that strikes often had positive effects in
communities. He also said that some lasted a long time.
Then Mr. Ramirez started talking about something called a boycott. He
explained that if there was a boycott, the public would be asked to stop
buying melons. Teresa’s father and many of their friends had jobs
picking melons.
Finally, Mr. Ramirez said that tomorrow all the workers were going to vote on
whether there would be a strike. He told them to think about everything he
had said, because tomorrow was going to be a very important day.
After everyone left, Teresa lay in bed, still unable to fall asleep. She was
thinking about tomorrow.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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124 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Tomorrow.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Who is telling the story?

A Teresa
B Mr. Ramirez
C Teresa’s dad
D an outside observer

Part B: What is the point of view in the story?

A A narrator tells how a character feels.
B A character describes her own feelings.
C A character tells how many characters feel.
D A narrator describes the feelings of the reader.

7 What would you know if the passage were told from the point of view
of Teresa’s mom?

A what it feels like to be a U.S. citizen

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B why Mr. Ramirez is at Teresa’s home

C how Teresa will feel if the workers decide to strike
D why Teresa is listening to the adults as she lies in bed

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2 Grade 4 125
Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the story.

They came in search of possible work prospects, or chances for jobs

in America.

What are prospects?

A families
B ideas
C opportunities
D results

Part B: Which word from the sentence tells what prospects are?
A search
B work
C chances
D America

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126 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2
 Name: Date:

9 Fill in the chart. Write one word that tells how Teresa feels. Then write
the number of one sentence from the passage that shows how she feels.
Choose from the box below.

How Teresa Feels Sentence from

the Passage

How Teresa Feels:

angry
bored
confused

Sentences from the Passage:

1 – “Teresa knew what a strike was.”
2 – “Teresa had heard her parents use that word before.”
3 – “Teresa did not understand why everyone sounded so serious.”

10 Read the sentences from the story.

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He explained that if there was a boycott, the public would be asked to

stop buying melons. Teresa’s father and many of their friends had jobs
picking melons.

What do you do in a boycott?

A work
B not eat fruit
C talk to someone
D not buy something

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 2 Grade 4 127

 UNIT 3 WEEK 3

Read the article “School Strike” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

School Strike
In 1951, John was a senior at Moton High School in Virginia. This school had
been built for 180 students. Now, more than 450 African-American students
crowded into the school.
The school had no gym, no cafeteria, and no lockers. The white students
attended classes in a modern brick building.
On April 23, 1951, John and other students decided to act. They marched to
the county courthouse. They wanted the community to know about the
dreadful conditions at their school.
The county felt it was providing a separate but equal school. According to a
Supreme Court ruling, this was all that it was required to do.
Yet the schools were not equal. One school was
much better than the other. The students from
Moton decided to go on strike. For two
weeks, they stayed away from their pitiful
school. People from the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP) heard about the strike.
The NAACP convinced the students at
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Moton to join a lawsuit. Four other

groups from across the South were
already a part of this lawsuit. Like
Moton, these other schools were old
and overcrowded. Some had no
indoor plumbing or heating.

190721_A520_AW

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3 Grade 4 129
UNIT 3 WEEK 3

The lawsuit reached the Supreme Court in 1954. The judges listened to both
sides of the dispute. The court decided that separate but equal schools were
not fair. All children should be educated together. However, the school board
refused to do this. Instead, it closed all of the schools!
Most white families found ways to educate their children. Private academies
for white students were opened. Some African-American children were
taught in church basements or homes. Unfortunately, not all African-
American students were able to attend school. As a result, many children
did not attend school for more than four years.
In 1964, the courts finally forced the school district to reopen the schools.
They had to admit all students. In 2003, the State of Virginia apologized to
students who lost years of education in the battle for civil rights.
In time, John Stokes became a teacher and a principal. Today, he visits
schools. He wants to make sure students appreciate being educated together.
His story is proof that small groups can make a huge difference. In fact,
Stokes tells them, “You can change the world!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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130 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “School Strike.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What does the author think of African-American schools?

A They were very popular.
B They were not understood.
C They were in very bad condition.
D They were bigger than other schools.

Part B: Which sentence shows what the author thinks?

A African-American students went on strike.
B White students had a modern brick building.
C The school board added three temporary classrooms.
D Moton High School was crowded with too many students.

2 What did the students do to improve their school?

A They went on strike.

B They closed the school.
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C They went to another school.

D They added a gym to the school.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3 Grade 4 131
Name: Date:

3 Read the points that the author makes. In the chart, write the number
of the detail that supports each point.

Author’s Point of View Detail

Many people were angry about
the conditions at the African-
American schools.

African-American families
believed in education.

Detail:
1 – Families across the South joined the lawsuit.
2 – African-American children were taught in homes.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

4 Read the sentences from the article.

The lawsuit reached the Supreme Court in 1954. The judges listened to
both sides of the dispute.

Which word means almost the same as dispute?

A argument
B discussion
C law
D school

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132 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

Unfortunately, not all African-American students were able to

attend school.

What does attend mean?

A like
B go to
C leave
D find out

Part B: What means the opposite of attend?

A stay
B arrive
C not go to
D join again
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GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3 Grade 4 133
UNIT 3 WEEK 3

Read the article “Standing Up to Segregation” before answering

Numbers 6 through 10.

Standing Up to Segregation
Many believe that Rosa Parks helped initiate the civil rights movement. She
did this by refusing to give up her seat on a bus.
In 1955, the American South was segregated. Segregation meant that people
of different races were separated. Black people could not go to the same
hospitals as white people. They could not go to the same restaurants. They
could not use the same water fountains. Black and white children could not
attend the same schools.
Black people also had to ride in the back of public buses. In Montgomery,
Alabama, even if a black person was seated in the back of the bus, he or she
may have had to surrender that seat. If a white person wanted to sit, a black
person had to give up his or her seat. Black people followed these rules every
day. But one day, Rosa refused. When she did not give her seat to a white
man, Rosa was arrested.
Some people saw the injustice
of segregation while others
did not. There were
challenges in court.

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However, Southern states
did not change the laws.
The bus driver
ordered Rosa to
give up her seat.
The official charge
was “refusing to
obey the orders of
a bus driver.” That
day on the bus,
history was
being made.
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134 Grade 4 WA_026A_127091 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3
 UNIT 3 WEEK 3

Soon, black leaders in Montgomery organized a boycott of the buses. This

boycott was led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
For 382 days, black people refused to ride the buses. They found other ways
to get to work and school. They walked. They rode bicycles. They rode with
people who had cars. As the boycott went on, it grew bigger. Finally, the
Alabama Supreme Court came to a decision. They said that segregated
seating violated the Constitution.
Rosa continued her civil rights work for the rest of her life. She became a
well-known activist. She spoke out for the rights of African Americans. In
1999, she was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. That is the
highest award given by the government of the United States.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3 Grade 4 135
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Standing Up

to Segregation.”

6 Read the sentences from the article. Draw a line to match each
sentence with the word that means the opposite of the
underlined word.

“Many believe that Rosa Parks

helped initiate the civil rights fight
movement.”

“In Montgomery, Alabama, even if

a black person was seated in the
back of the bus, he or she may have finish
had to surrender that seat.”

7 Why does the author tell what Rosa does on the bus?

A to show she was a very quiet person

B to show she was well-liked by most people
C to show she was an important person in history
D to show she had no choice but to do what she did

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136 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3
 Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What does the author think about segregation?

A It was wrong.
B It has never stopped.
C It was accepted by everyone.
D It hurt both white and black people.

Part B: How does the author support the point in part A?

A the events that led to Rosa’s arrest
B facts about segregation in education
C the court ruling about segregation on buses
D details about the bus boycott

9 What does the author talk about to show that Rosa was successful?

A her arrest on the bus

B the law that Rosa broke
C a description of life in the South
D the boycott of the city bus system
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

10 Read the sentence from the article.

Some people saw the injustice of segregation while others did not.

Which word means almost the same as injustice?

A beginning
B correction
C idea
D unfairness
STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 3 Grade 4 137

 UNIT 3 WEEK 4

Read the article “Hybrid or Electric?” before answering

Numbers 1 through 5.

Hybrid or Electric?
These days, many people want to “go green.” They know that burning
gasoline causes pollution. So, people are thinking about buying an electric or
hybrid car.
Here is how electric cars work. Electric cars have large, powerful batteries.
They send electricity to an electric motor. The motor turns the wheels. The
batteries must be plugged in when they run low on energy.
There are two types of hybrid cars. Both use gasoline and electricity in order
to work. One type relies mostly on electric power. This car must be plugged
in to receive a full recharge.
The second type of hybrid car gets its power from a small gasoline engine. An
electric motor serves as a backup. The electric motor also helps the car build
up speed. This car recharges itself while it is running. When the driver
brakes, that energy is stored in the battery.
Today, gas prices continue to rise. Also, more people are worried about
pollution. That’s why more “green” car models are being sold every year.
Advantages of an Electric Car
An electric car costs little to recharge. It produces almost no pollution. This
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

type of car cannot travel very far without needing to be charged.

Electric cars can be recharged using any electrical outlet. Drivers can run an
extension cord from their house to their car! However, charging a car this way
can take a long time. Some cities have built charging stations. Recharging is
much faster at one of these stations.
Electric cars run very quietly. They also cost less to maintain because they
have fewer parts. That makes the car more dependable. However, batteries
have to be replaced every 10–15 years. These batteries are very expensive.
Some cost as much as $10,000!

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4 Grade 4 139
UNIT 3 WEEK 4

Advantages of Hybrid Cars

Hybrid cars can refuel at any gas station. If the batteries cannot be recharged,
hybrids can run on gas for as long as necessary. However, their gas-powered
engines require upkeep. Also, the batteries wear out in time.
Electric and hybrid cars have one similarity. Right now, both cost more than
gas-powered cars. However, that cost should come down eventually.
Drivers must consider which type of car would be better for them. If drivers
need a car for short trips, an electric car is perfect. If drivers travel far from
home and can’t charge a car, a hybrid would be the right choice.

Electric charging stations like this one “refuel” both electric and hybrid cars.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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140 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Hybrid

or Electric?”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the paragraphs from the article.

There are two types of hybrid cars. Both use gasoline and electricity in
order to work. One type relies mostly on electric power. This car must
be plugged in to receive a full recharge.

The second type of hybrid car gets its power from a small gasoline
engine. An electric motor serves as a backup. The electric motor also
helps the car build up speed. This car recharges itself while it is
running. When the driver brakes, that energy is stored in the battery.

How are the paragraphs organized?

A They tell how hybrid cars are made.

B They compare and contrast hybrid cars.
C They describe the problems with hybrid cars.
D They show how hybrid cars make travel better.

Part B: Which sentence best shows how the paragraphs are organized?
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A “Both use gasoline and electricity in order to work.”

B “This car must be plugged in to receive a full recharge.”
C “An electric motor serves as a backup.”
D “The electric motor also helps the car build up speed.”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4 Grade 4 141
Name: Date:

2 Which detail supports the point that electric cars are good?

A They are sold every year.

B They do not pollute the air.
C Their batteries do not last long.
D Their batteries need to be charged.

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

They also cost less to maintain because they have fewer parts. That
makes the car more dependable.

The suffix -able means “able to.” What does it mean if something is
dependable?

A You can trust it.

B You forget about it.
C You try to get rid of it.
D You must always fix it.

Part B: Which other word has the suffix -able?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A cable
B fable
C payable
D table

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142 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4
 Name: Date:

4 Read the sentence from the article.

Electric and hybrid cars have one similarity.

The suffix -ity means “state of being.” If two things have a similarity,
what are they?

A attached
B exactly the same
C alike in some way
D completely different

5 Drivers must think of what they need when choosing between an electric
car and a hybrid car. Underline the sentence that makes this point.

Electric and hybrid cars have one similarity. Right now, both cost more
than gas-powered cars. However, that cost will come down as more
carmakers enter the market.

When choosing one of these cars, drivers must consider which type will
work best for them and their budget. If drivers need a car for short trips,
an electric car is perfect. If drivers travel far from home and won’t be
able to charge a car, a hybrid would be the right choice.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4 Grade 4 143
UNIT 3 WEEK 4

Read the article “Nuclear Power: The Key to the Future” before answering
Numbers 6 through 10.

Nuclear Power: The Key to the Future

People all over the world use nuclear energy. Most people would agree that it
is a good source of electricity.
Many groups speak in favor of nuclear energy. Actors, athletes, and other
famous people have been ambitious in promoting its use. Many of these
people have been tireless in their efforts. They have received criticism from
people who question its safety.
Some people believe nuclear energy could have negative effects on the
environment. It is possible, if we are not careful. However, nuclear energy
saves natural resources. It gives us more power than other energy sources.
Uranium is used to create nuclear energy. Then it becomes electricity.
Another way to make electricity is by burning
coal. One pound of uranium produces more
energy than three million pounds of coal.
This means fewer resources are used.
Also, burning fuels causes air
pollution. Uranium does not cause
air pollution.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Nuclear energy is not without
problems. What do we do with the
used uranium? Uranium gives off
radiation, or dangerous energy
waves. It gives off radiation for a long time. It takes thousands of years before
this material is fully decayed. When allWA_028A_127091
the uranium has wasted away, it is
safe. Until then, nuclear material must be handled with care. However, it is
possible that we will find a safe way to store used nuclear material.
We will not have huge amounts of natural resources such as coal and oil
forever. We must find other ways to create energy. People need to share the
same vision of how we will get our energy. Nuclear energy is the key to
the future!
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144 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Nuclear Power:
The Key to the Future.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

Actors, athletes, and other famous people have been ambitious in

promoting its use.

The suffix -ous means “having.” What does it mean if you are
ambitious?

A You are quiet.

B You are selfish.
C You have many fears.
D You try hard to succeed.

Part B: Which other word has the suffix -ous?

A hours
B houses
C joust
D joyous
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4 Grade 4 145
Name: Date:

7 Read the sentence from the article.

They have received criticism from people who question its safety.

A critic may point out what is wrong. What does it mean to

get criticism?

A to be judged
B to be ignored
C to be thanked
D to be rewarded

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which point does the author make about nuclear energy?
A It can be dangerous.
B It was never dangerous.
C It was once dangerous, but it is now safe to use.
D It is only dangerous at certain times of the day.

Part B: Which detail from the article supports this point?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A Many groups want to use nuclear energy.
B Burning coal is another way to create energy.
C Uranium gives off radiation, or dangerous energy waves.
D It is possible to find a safe way to store nuclear material.

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146 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4
 Name: Date:

9 What is the author’s point of view of nuclear energy?

A It is already being used everywhere.

B It will possibly hurt the environment.
C It will be most helpful in the United States.
D It still has problems that need to be solved.

10 The author thinks that nuclear energy will get better in the future.
Write one detail from the list that supports this point.

Author’s Point Nuclear energy will continue to get better.

of View

Detail
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Details:
Burning fuel causes air pollution.
People have different opinions about nuclear energy.
We have learned to control nuclear energy so that it is safer.
It takes thousands of years for uranium to completely decay.

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 4 Grade 4 147

 UNIT 3 WEEK 5

Read the article “Intensive Farming: We Can Feed the World” before
answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Intensive Farming: We Can Feed the World

Feeding the world is a big challenge. The world’s population is increasing
every day. Every person on Earth needs food to survive.
People have turned to a special method of farming. It is called intensive
farming. It is done on very large farms. Crops are grown in huge fields and are
then sold. This produces food more quickly and more cheaply than ever before.
Intensive farming is the best way to meet the challenge of feeding our world.
Intensive farming does not use many workers. These large farms are
mechanized. People and animals are replaced by machines. Farmers use
sophisticated machines such as combine harvesters. These large machines
can cover a large area in a short amount of time. Many of the machines have
more than one purpose. For example, one machine can harvest, separate, and
load crops. This saves time and money.
In intensive farming, a few people can grow a lot of food. This makes the food
less expensive. Lower prices mean more people can afford it.
Farmers on these large farms often use new varieties of plants. Scientists have
developed plants that can produce more food. One example is corn plants
that grow more corncobs. Some plants have been created so that they do not
spoil quickly. These plants can be shipped long distances.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

This combine is harvesting, separating, and loading crops.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5 Grade 4 149
UNIT 3 WEEK 5

As plants grow, they get materials they need from the soil. This happens
naturally over time. But this is too slow for large farms. Scientists developed
fertilizers with chemical nutrients for plants to grow well. This allows farmers
to plant the same crop every year in the same soil. Scientists also generated
new ideas that help farmers protect their crops. They developed a wide
variety of pesticides that kill insects that eat crops. Herbicides were also
developed to kill weeds growing among the crops. These advances in science
help meet the goal of growing more food.
There are many people to feed on our planet. There will be even more in the
future. Intensive farming makes more affordable food available. Intensive
farming is the best way to be certain that each person gets enough to eat.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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150 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Intensive

Farming: We Can Feed the World.”

1 Read the paragraph from the article. Underline the sentence that tells
the main idea.

People have turned to a special method of farming. It is called intensive

farming. It is done on very large farms. Crops are grown in huge fields
and are then sold. Intensive farming produces food more quickly and
more cheaply than ever before. Intensive farming is the best way to
meet the challenge of feeding our world.

2 Read the sentence from the article.

Farmers use sophisticated machines such as combine harvesters.

The root of sophisticated means “no longer simple.” What does this tell
you about a sophisticated machine?

A It is very small.
B It is brand new.
C It is complicated.
D It is easy to break.

3
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The author says that new types of plants can help to feed the world.
Which sentence from the article supports this point?

A “Crops are grown in huge fields and are then sold.”

B “For example, one machine can harvest, separate, and load crops.”
C “Some plants have been created so that they do not spoil quickly.”
D “As plants grow, they get materials they need from the soil.”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5 Grade 4 151
Name: Date:

4 Read the sentence from the article.

Scientists also generated new ideas that help farmers protect

their crops.

The Greek root of generated means “to create.” What does

generated mean?

A made
B planted
C shipped
D stopped

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What does the author think about bugs?

A They can damage plants.
B They work like machines.
C They are needed to make herbicides.
D They can be helpful for intensive farming.

Part B: Which sentence from the article helps to show what the

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

author thinks?

A “Scientists developed fertilizers with chemical nutrients for plants to

grow well.”
B “They developed a wide variety of pesticides that kill insects that
eat crops.”
C “Herbicides were also developed to kill weeds growing among
the crops.”
D “There are many people to feed on our planet.”

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152 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5
 UNIT 3 WEEK 5

Read the article “Stop Intensive Farming” before answering

Numbers 6 through 10.

Stop Intensive Farming

What is the best way to feed the world? Some people think intensive farming
is. Intensive farming grows crops using modern machines. It produces large
amounts of food quickly and cheaply. It also harms the environment. It is
important to stop intensive farming now.
There are many problems with intensive farming. The same crop is grown
year after year on the same field. These plants eventually drain the soil of
nutrients, the food plants need to grow. Then farmers must feed the soil
with fertilizers.
Some of the fertilizers seep through the soil. They end up in our water.
Fertilizers can promote the growth of tiny plants and bacteria. The bacteria
use up most of the oxygen in the water. Fish and other creatures die because
they cannot breathe. This is pathetic and unacceptable.
There are ways for farmers to prevent this. They could use thermal imaging
cameras. These cameras take aerial photographs of crops as they ripen.
Healthy and diseased crops show up different colors. With this information,
farmers know exactly where to use fertilizer. Then, they can use smaller
amounts of fertilizer.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5 Grade 4 153
UNIT 3 WEEK 5

Insects can destroy crops as they feed. To keep insects away, many farmers
spray chemicals called pesticides. Traces of these chemicals are often found
in our food and water. Researchers conducted a ten-year study. They found
that ninety-seven percent of water samples showed small amounts of
pesticides. These chemicals are bad for the environment. They are bad for our
health, too!
Farmers should find other ways to control pests. They could use pesticides
that break down into harmless substances. Onions and marigolds have strong
smells that many insects do not like. Farmers could grow these plants
between their crops to get rid of pests naturally.
Intensive farming may work for a while, but it cannot last forever. Over time,
intensive farming destroys the environment. We need to find a better way to
feed our world.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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154 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“Stop Intensive Farming.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What does the author think of using chemicals in farming?

A They are helpful.
B They are harmful.
C They are necessary.
D They are expensive.

Part B: Which detail from the article shows what the author thinks?
A Some pesticides break down and do not harm us.
B Farmers must give soil the nutrients that are missing.
C Fertilizers and pesticides end up in our water supplies.
D Thermal image cameras take photos of unhealthy crops.

7 Read the sentences from the article.

Fish and other creatures die because they cannot breathe. This is
pathetic and unacceptable.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The root of pathetic means “to suffer.” What does this tell you about
something pathetic?

A It is very sad.
B It is very noisy.
C It is easy to lose.
D It wants to be happy.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5 Grade 4 155
Name: Date:

8 Read the sentence from the article.

These cameras take aerial photographs of crops as they ripen.

The root of aerial means “air.” From where are the aerial
photographs taken?

A the sky
B the water
C the ground
D underground

9 What does the author discuss to support the point that pesticides are in
our water supplies?

A interviews
B photographs
C research
D videos

10 The author makes several points about intensive farming. Draw a line to
match each point with the detail that supports it.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“These plants eventually drain
Farmers can control pests
the soil of nutrients, the food
naturally.
plants need to grow.”

“Onions and marigolds have

Intensive farming damages
strong smells that many
the earth.
insects do not like.”

STOP

156 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 3, Week 5

UNIT 4 WEEK 1

Read the article “Three Levels of Government” before answering

Numbers 1 through 5.

Three Levels of Government

The United States has a system of laws that protects its citizens. These laws
provide citizens with personal freedoms. They make sure people are treated
equally and fairly.
Three levels of government make laws. At the
national level, laws are made for the country.
The freedom of religion is a national law.
State laws only apply to people in a particular
state. Most states have laws requiring
everyone to wear a seatbelt.
Local governments control communities, such
as deciding which areas of the community are
set up for businesses.
Each level of government has a court system.
It makes sure laws are followed. If a person
has been accused of breaking a law, a judge or
a jury decides if the person is guilty. A jury is
a group of people chosen to find the truth.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The government also provides services. At the
national level, government workers check
food. They make sure food safety laws are
followed so that no spoiled or unsafe food is
sold. The national government also makes
sure the air and water are safe. Government
workers also check people at airports. People
cannot take anything that is harmful on
planes. The national government provides a
military. The military protects the nation. The
government also takes care of national parks
and forests.
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158 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1
 UNIT 4 WEEK 1

State governments build and maintain state roads. Roads must be kept in
good repair so cars and trucks can transport goods and people. State
governments provide money for public education. They offer programs that
help keep people healthy. They also provide a National Guard to protect the
people in the state.
Local governments make sure trash is collected. They provide police and
firefighters. They repair local streets. They plow them after it snows. Local
governments take care of libraries and public parks.
All levels of government collect taxes. People pay national, state, and local
taxes. Tax money pays for services. The services provided at each level of
government allow citizens to have better lives.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1 Grade 4 159
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Three Levels

of Government.”

1 What is one result of a law made by government?

A You must work all day.

B You must wear your seatbelt.
C People are nice to each other.
D People can do whatever they want.

2 Read the paragraph from the article.

Local governments control communities, such as deciding which areas

of the community are set up for businesses.

The word local has the Latin root locus, which means “place.” What is
something local?

A hidden
B popular
C in a certain area
D without any power

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160 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1
 Name: Date:

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

The government also provides services. At the national level,

government workers check food. They make sure food safety laws are
followed so that no spoiled or unsafe food is sold. The national
government also makes sure the air and water are safe.

The author explains the effects of food safety laws. What does
this show?

A Food must be priced fairly.

B The food you buy is safe to eat.
C The food sold in stores may be spoiled.
D Food must be sold only in grocery stores.

Part B: Which sentence from the paragraph tells the effects of

these laws?

A “The government also provides services.”

B “At the national level, government workers check food.”
C “They make sure food safety laws are followed so that no spoiled
or unsafe food is sold.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

D “The national government also makes sure the air and water
are safe.”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1 Grade 4 161
Name: Date:

4 Read the sentence from the article.

Roads must be kept in good repair so cars and trucks can transport
goods and people.

The Latin root of transport means “to carry across.” What does this
show about the goods and people?

A They are being moved.

B They are being watched.
C They are buying something.
D They are waiting for something.

5 Underline two sentences in the paragraph that tell how people pay for
government services.

All levels of government collect taxes. People pay national, state, and
local taxes. Tax money pays for services. The services provided at each
level of government allow citizens to have better lives.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
162 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1
 UNIT 4 WEEK 1

Read the article “Yellowstone” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

Yellowstone
A national park is a special area set aside by a nation. The plants and animals
there are protected. The area cannot be developed and remains natural.
Yellowstone National Park was created in the United States in 1872. It was the
world’s first national park.
During the 1800s, trappers and hunters returned to the East with tales of the
wondrous sights of the West. They told stories of pools of hot water and a hill
made of black glass. They also told of water that burst from the ground.
Some people did not believe these strange tales. In 1870, a group of men set
out to see if they were true. They were amazed by the land’s beauty. They
decided to try to protect it so everyone could enjoy it. The men wrote articles
and met with government officials. Yellowstone National Park was created
thanks to them.
The park got its name from the yellow rocks found in one river there. Most of
the park is in the northwest corner of Wyoming. But parts of the park are
located in Montana and Idaho.
Yellowstone is a popular park. It is famous for its geysers. These hot-water
springs erupt, throwing boiling water and steam into the air. The park’s most
famous geyser is called Old Faithful.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Yellowstone also is known as a wildlife reserve. Most of its animals have

roamed the park for many years. There are black bears, grizzly bears, elk, and
deer. Moose, bison, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and wolves live there, too.
Many varieties of fish can be found in the park’s rivers and streams. More than
275 kinds of birds can be seen in the park.
We have to keep our national parks beautiful and wild. Then we can enjoy
them for a long time. Park visitors can help by not hurting or disturbing
animals or plants. Also, people should not leave trash. If visitors do their part,
people will enjoy Yellowstone for a long time to come.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1 Grade 4 163
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Yellowstone.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why did people protect Yellowstone?

A It was a national park.
B It was a good place to hunt.
C There was a hill of black glass.
D They wanted everyone to enjoy it.

Part B: Which sentence from the article shows why people protected
Yellowstone?

A “They told stories of pools of hot water and a hill made of

black glass.”
B “Some people did not believe these strange tales.”
C “They decided to try to protect it so everyone could enjoy it.”
D “The men wrote articles and met with government officials.”

7 What does the author think about Yellowstone?

A Too many people come to visit the park.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

B It is the most beautiful park in the world.
C The park should continue to be protected.
D There are not enough animals in the park.

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164 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1
 Name: Date:

8 Read the sentence from the article.

These hot-water springs erupt, throwing boiling water and steam

into the air.

The Latin root of erupt means “to break out or burst.” Which word has
the same root found in erupt?

A interrupt
B printer
C repeat
D trapped

9 Draw a line to match each cause with its effect.

Cause Effect
Yellowstone becomes a The park is named
national park. Yellowstone.

Yellow rocks are found in The park is known as a

a river in the park. wildlife reserve.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Animals roam the park. Plants and animals are

protected.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1 Grade 4 165
Name: Date:

10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

Many varieties of fish can be found in the park’s rivers and streams.

The Latin root of varieties means “difference.” What does the word
varieties mean?

A animals
B kinds
C parks
D water

Part B: Which word has the same root found in varieties?

A rare
B rating
C various
D vase

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

166 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 1

UNIT 4 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Running for Mayor” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Running for Mayor

I stared out the window and thought about issues affecting my city. For one
thing, the parks were not kept up. There was broken equipment in almost
every park, and I worried that someone could get hurt. A lot of snow fell in
the winter, and the streets were never cleared quickly. There were also a lot of
people out of work because companies had moved. I loved this city, and it
made me sad to see these problems. Something needed to change!
I didn’t hear my husband, Gary, enter the room until he said, “Alita, you’ve
been sitting here for an hour. Why do you look so down in the dumps?”
“I’m unhappy with our city’s problems,” I said sadly. “But I’m just not sure
what I can do about it.”
Gary smiled at me. “You’re a smart woman and a great leader. Maybe you
should run for mayor.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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168 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2
 UNIT 4 WEEK 2

I started to laugh, but stopped when I realized Gary’s words made sense. I am
a member of the Oneida Tribe, which is part of the Iroquois Nation. In our
history, women have always held positions of leadership. Women select the
male leader, and if the man chosen does not do a good job, they remove him.
Maybe our mayor should be replaced, and I should run for mayor!
I thought about Gary’s suggestion for a while longer and began to like his
idea. I had been a leader before, when I led the group that raised money for
the homeless shelter. I also organized volunteers for litter cleanup. I knew
how to take charge and get things done.
I called my mother to find out what she thought.
“I think that is a wonderful idea,” she said. “You come from a long line of
women leaders, and your grandmother and great-grandmother would be
proud. What do we need to do to get the ball rolling? How do you get your
name on the ballot?”
After I said good-bye to my mother, I felt like a million bucks! I had my
mother’s support and knew that she will help me in the run for mayor. I
knew I had Gary’s backing, too. Instead of feeling hopeless about the city’s
problems, I now felt energized. Things would get better, and I wanted to be
the one to start the changes.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 4 169
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Running

for Mayor.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Who is telling the story?

A Alita
B Gary
C the mayor
D Alita’s mother

Part B: Which detail helps you know who the narrator is?
A The narrator is not happy.
B The narrator makes a phone call.
C The narrator’s husband calls her “Alita.”
D The narrator thinks of running for mayor.

2 Underline one sentence that sums up how Alita feels about her city.

I stared out the window and thought about issues affecting my city. For
one thing, the parks were not kept up. There was broken equipment in

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

almost every park, and I worried that someone could get hurt. A lot of
snow fell in the winter, and the streets were never cleared quickly. There
were also a lot of people out of work because companies had moved. I
loved this city, and it made me sad to see these problems. Something
needed to change!

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170 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2
 Name: Date:

3 Read the paragraph from the passage.

I didn’t hear my husband, Gary, enter the room until he said,

“Alita, you’ve been sitting here for an hour. Why do you look so
down in the dumps?”

What does the phrase “down in the dumps” mean?

A mad
B sad
C tired
D unclean

4 What does the narrator of the story help you learn about?

A city problems that worry Alita

B the opinions of Alita’s mother
C different types of government jobs
D different Native American cultures
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 4 171
Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

“What do we need to do to get the ball rolling?”

What does it mean to “get the ball rolling”?

A get started
B play a game
C go for a ride
D cause a problem

Part B: Which sentence from the passage helps you know what it
means to “get the ball rolling”?

A “‘I think that is a wonderful idea,’ she said.”

B “‘How do you get your name on the ballot?’”
C “After I said good-bye to my mother, I felt like a million bucks!”
D “I had my mother’s support and knew that she will help me in the
run for mayor.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
172 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2
 UNIT 4 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Time to Move On” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Time to Move On
It was the end of the workday. Ting shut his computer down. He put his
hands behind his head and sighed. He truly loved his job as state senator. He
made a difference in the lives of the people of his state.
Ting looked up when his office door opened. “Do you need anything else?”
Ting’s assistant, Denise, asked. “I’m getting ready to call it a day.”
Ting smiled and answered, “Yes, would you please make sure these get to the
right people?” He handed her some papers. “Thanks for your hard work today.”
After Denise left, Ting settled back in his chair. For weeks, he had been
thinking of running for the United States Senate. He had been elected to the
state senate three times and had written and passed many laws. “I know the
ropes,” he thought. Now he felt it was time to work at the national level.
Ting had always been interested in politics. He remembered winning
the election for class
president in high school.
Then he organized
projects to help the
community. As a
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

lawyer, Ting
represented people
who needed his
services, and Ting was
happy when he
represented people in
court. As a state
senator, he made
sure the people in his
district were heard.
He helped pass laws that
improved schools and towns.
GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 4 173
UNIT 4 WEEK 2

Now, Ting wanted to be able to help more people, and working in the federal
government would give him that opportunity. He asked his trusted advisor,
Esteban, to come to his office. When Esteban arrived, Ting asked, “What do
you think about me running for the United States Senate?”
Esteban’s face went through a quick change of emotions. At first, he looked
shocked, but then he slowly started nodding his head. “Ting, I think that
should be the next step for you. You have done great things for the people
of this state, and now is the time to throw your hat into the ring for the
U.S. Senate.”
Ting smiled at Esteban and suggested that they talk more tomorrow. He was
excited about the future and eager to help more people.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
174 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“Time to Move On.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the passage.

He had been elected to the state senate three times and had written
and passed many laws. “I know the ropes,” he thought. Now he felt it
was time to work at the national level.

What does “know the ropes” mean?

A tie knots
B like to sail
C break the rules
D know what to do

Part B: Which phrase from the sentences helps to show what “know
the ropes” means?

A “been elected”
B “passed many laws”
C “time to work”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

D “national level”

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 4 175
Name: Date:

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why does Ting want to run for the United States Senate?
A He wants to help more people.
B He has nothing to do right now.
C He does not like being a state senator.
D He thinks it is too hard to be a state senator.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage tells why Ting wants to run?
A “As a lawyer, Ting represented people who needed his services,
and Ting was happy when he represented people in court.”
B “As a state senator, he made sure the people in his district
were heard.”
C “He helped pass laws that improved schools and towns.”
D “Now, Ting wanted to be able to help more people, and working in
the federal government would give him that opportunity.”

8 Read the sentences from the passage.

“Ting, I think that should be the next step for you. You have done
great things for the people of this state, and now is the time to

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

throw your hat into the ring for the U.S. Senate.”

What does it mean to “throw your hat into the ring”?

A get new clothes

B try for a new job
C keep the same job
D throw your hat away

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176 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2
 Name: Date:

9 What is a main message in the passage?

A People have different types of jobs.

B All jobs are hard in their own ways.
C You need help from many people in any job.
D It is good to set goals for yourself in your job.

10 Write one word to show Ting’s point of view at the end of the passage.
Then write the number of one sentence from the passage that supports
your choice. Choose from the lists in the box below.

Ting’s Point of View

Sentence from Passage
at END of Passage

Point of View:
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

hopeful
tired
worried

Sentence from Passage:

1 – “Ting smiled and answered, ‘Yes, would you please make sure these get
to the right people?’”
2 – “When Esteban arrived, Ting asked, ‘What do you think about me
running for the United States Senate?’”
3 – “He was excited about the future and eager to help more people.”

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 2 Grade 4 177

 UNIT 4 WEEK 3

Read the passage “Way to Go, Grandma” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Way to Go, Grandma

“Jamal, how is your sister Kellyn doing in college?” Grandma asked me. “How
about your brother Michael’s baby, Jayden? I hope he’s over his cold.”
I said, “Grandma, let me show you how to send emails. If Kellyn got an email
from you, she’d reply to you in seconds, and Michael’s wife would love to
email you!”
Grandma smiled at the thought and then said, “You’ve been offering to teach
me for a long time and I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I think technology has
passed me by.”
“Why don’t I send Kellyn an email,” I suggested, “and you can tell me what
to say?”
Grandma’s face lit up, her hesitation and doubts gone. All she needed was a
little help, and she was ready to try! She pulled me over to the computer and
pushed me down in the chair. “If you insist,” she said eagerly.
I typed the first letters of Kellyn’s address.
The whole address immediately appeared.
Grandma was amazed, and asked, “How did
the computer know we are writing to Kellyn?”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Grinning, I said, “It’s magic, I guess.”

Grandma rolled her eyes and started
telling me what she wanted to say to Kellyn.
As I typed, I purposely made mistakes and
soon Grandma was so frustrated with me that she said, “Oh, get up. I can
type better than that!”
“Well, okay,” I said, trying to hide my cleverness. My quick thinking even
surprised me, as it wasn’t often that I outwitted Grandma! I gave her my seat
and with no help, she typed an email to Kellyn. When she was finished,
I pointed out the send button, and she clicked on it.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3 Grade 4 179
UNIT 4 WEEK 3

Smiling from ear to ear, Grandma asked, “Do you think Kellyn will
be surprised?”
“I think she will probably faint,” I replied.
Then Grandma looked at the computer and asked, “Can we write another
one? Sending an email to Jayden’s mom would really be the icing on the
cake.” Without waiting for my answer, Grandma positioned her fingers over
the keyboard. “Just tell me the first letters of Michael’s email, and the
computer will do the rest!”
So I told her, and she started typing. I left, but a few minutes later, Grandma
called me back to the computer.
“The computer was dinging,” she said with a frown. “Did I do
something wrong?”
I glanced at the screen. “You got a reply from Kellyn. I guess she didn’t faint
after all!”
Grandma poked me in the ribs with her elbow and demanded, “Show me
how to get to her email, young man, and hurry!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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180 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Way to

Go, Grandma.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

Grandma’s face lit up, her hesitation and doubts gone.

Which word means almost the same as hesitation?

A joy
B quiet
C uncertainty
D unhappiness

Part B: Which word from the sentence is a synonym for hesitation?

A face
B lit
C doubts
D gone

2 Read the sentences from the passage.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

She pulled me over to the computer and pushed me down in the chair.
“If you insist,” she said eagerly.

What do these sentences show about Grandma?

A She pretends to send an email.

B She wants to make Jamal happy.
C She would rather be doing something else.
D She pretends that Jamal is making her send an email.

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3 Grade 4 181
Name: Date:

3 Why does Jamal make typing mistakes on purpose?

A to learn how to send an email

B to get Grandma to type the email
C to send an email to a different person
D to show how fast it is to send an email

4 Read the sentences from the passage.

“Well, okay,” I said, trying to hide my cleverness. My quick thinking

even surprised me, as it wasn’t often that I outwitted Grandma!

Which word means almost the same as outwitted?

A called
B helped
C stopped
D tricked

5 Draw a line to match each part of the story with Jamal’s point of view
about his grandmother.

Part of Story Jamal’s Point of View

Beginning playful Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Middle serious

End proud

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182 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3
 UNIT 4 WEEK 3

Read the passage “The Good Old Days” before answering Numbers 6
through 10.

The Good Old Days

“So, Grandma,” Jamal asked with a grin, “how do you like sending emails?”
Smiling proudly, his grandmother told him, “Emailing is a piece of cake!”
Jamal nodded and said, “Maybe you could get a new phone and use it for
your emails.”
Grandma said, “Emailing is already fast enough for me, Jamal. I realize these
new phones do amazing and remarkable things, but it’s just a treat for me to
be able to call someone from wherever I am.”
“You couldn’t always do that?” Jamal frowned. “You had to be in a certain
place to call people when you were growing up?”
Grandma patted his hand and said, “You have no idea, Jamal. You had to be
next to the phone. And there was only one phone in our house. It was in the
living room. We had our own phone, but we shared the phone line with five
other families! It was called a party line. It wasn’t much of a party because
Sheila, who lived across the street, hogged the phone every night!”
How could five families share one phone line? “Since the phone was in the
living room, what if people were watching TV? Did you have to ask them to
turn down the sound all the time?”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Grandma explained, “Well, at first the TV was only on a few hours each day.
Everyone wanted to watch it during those hours, so the sound wasn’t a
problem.”
Jamal admitted, “I’m only allowed to watch TV a few hours a day, too.”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3 Grade 4 183
UNIT 4 WEEK 3

She shook her head and said, “No, the TV only showed programs for a few
hours each day. We were the first on our street to have one. The neighbors
came to our house to watch TV, even though the screen was tiny. The most
exciting show on TV was about a cowboy and his horse, and it was black and
white with absolutely no special effects. That show would look quaint and
unusual now.”
Jamal had another question. “I guess you didn’t have any computers back
then, so how did you do your homework?”
“We did it with paper and pencils,” Grandma answered. “If you were really
lucky, you had a typewriter.”
“What’s a typewriter?” Jamal wanted to know.
Grandma pointed at the computer. “A typewriter is like this keyboard, but
the first ones had no electricity. You pressed a key, and it popped up and
printed a letter on the paper.”
Jamal asked, “Grandma, were those ‘the good old days’?”
Laughing, she said, “I think any day that you enjoy life is a good old day!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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184 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “The Good
Old Days.”

6 Underline the word in the paragraph that means almost the same as
remarkable.

Grandma said, “Emailing is already fast enough for me, Jamal. I realize
these new phones do amazing and remarkable things, but it’s just a
treat for me to be able to call someone from wherever I am.”

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why is Jamal speechless when Grandma tells him about phone
party lines?

A He is surprised that Grandma had a phone.

B He likes the idea of having a phone party line.
C He would not want to share one phone line with others.
D He wonders if Grandma liked talking on the phone.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage best tells why Jamal
is speechless?

A “‘You had to be in a certain place to call people when you were

growing up?’”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

B “Grandma patted his hand and said, ‘You have no idea, Jamal.’”
C “How could five families share one phone line?”
D “‘Did you have to ask them to turn down the sound all the time?’”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3 Grade 4 185
Name: Date:

8 Read the sentences from the passage.

“The most exciting show on TV was about a cowboy and his horse, and
it was black and white with absolutely no special effects. That show
would look quaint and unusual now.”

Which word means almost the same as quaint?

A odd
B real
C small
D ugly

9 Why does Grandma tell Jamal about the phones and TV from when
she was young?

A to make him laugh

B to make him feel sorry for her
C to show him how different things were
D to show him how things will change soon

10 Which new information would you learn if the passage were written

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

from Jamal’s point of view?

A if Grandma liked having a TV

B if Grandma needs to send an email
C if Jamal has ever heard of a typewriter before
D if Jamal wants to hear more about “the good old days”

STOP

186 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 3

UNIT 4 WEEK 4

Read the article “Stories in the Sky” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Stories in the Sky

People have always been guided by the stars. Farmers used the stars to decide
when to plant or harvest crops. Travelers used stars to guide their journeys.
Stars guided
people long
before maps or
computers.
Long ago, people noticed that stars
form patterns in the sky. They told
stories about these groups of stars, called
constellations. These stories used people,
animals, or objects to describe the stars, and
each story reflected the storyteller’s culture.
Most stories come from the ancient Greeks. Today,
astronomers recognize eighty-eight constellations.
The Big Dipper looks like a cup with a long handle. It is part of a larger
constellation called Ursa Major. It looks like a bear. In the Greek myth about
Ursa Major, Zeus, the king of the gods, changes a woman named Callisto into
a bear. Native American stories about this constellation also use a bear.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Escaped enslaved workers used this constellation to guide them North. This
led to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
The Little Dipper looks like a smaller version of the Big Dipper. It is part of a
constellation called Ursa Minor. The stories of the two dippers are related. In
the myth, the bear Callisto wanders in the woods. Callisto’s son is hunting.
He sees the bear but he does not recognize the bear as his mother. The son is
about to kill her when Zeus stops him by turning him into a bear as well.
Zeus flings both bears by their tails into the night sky. This unusual detail
explains why the bears have long tails.

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188 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4
 UNIT 4 WEEK 4

Bright stars make Orion another easy constellation to find. It can be

identified by the three bright stars in Orion’s belt. The Greek myth about
Orion tells of a great hunter with a big ego. Orion thinks that he is the best
hunter in the world. He brags that he can kill any animal. The goddess of
Earth is worried that Orion might harm animals. She sends a scorpion to
sting and kill him. Because of this fight, the constellation Scorpius is on the
other side of the sky from Orion. This distance keeps Orion and the scorpion
from fighting.
Constellations and their stories are interesting. Grab a star chart and go
outside. There are many stories waiting to be told.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4 Grade 4 189
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Stories in

the Sky.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: The author tells how travelers used the stars. What does this
show about stars?

A They are pretty to watch at night.

B They can show people where to go.
C They are the subject of many stories.
D They can be seen only a few times a year.

Part B:Which sentence from the article best tells how stars helped
travelers?

A “People have always been guided by the stars.”

B “Farmers used the stars to decide when to plant or harvest crops.”
C “Stars guided people long before maps or computers.”
D “Long ago, people noticed that stars form patterns in the sky.”

2 Read the sentences from the article.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

These stories used people, animals, or objects to describe the stars, and
each story reflected the storyteller’s culture. Most stories come from the
ancient Greeks.

What does the word culture mean in the sentences above?

A friendships
B mistakes
C problems
D traditions

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190 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4
 Name: Date:

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: In one of the stories, Zeus flings Callisto and her son into the
sky. What happens as a result?

A The bears in the sky have long tails.

B The North Star lands high in the sky.
C The son does not recognize his mother.
D Zeus turns Callisto and her son into bears.

Part B: Which sentence from the article tells what happens as a result?
A “The Little Dipper looks like a smaller version of the Big Dipper.”
B “The stories of the two dippers are related.”
C “The son is about to kill her when Zeus stops him by turning him
into a bear as well.”
D “This unusual detail explains why the bears have long tails.”

4 Why did enslaved workers look for the North Star?

A It made them want freedom.

B It led them in the right direction.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

C It was part of a bear constellation.

D It was found on the Underground Railroad.

5 Read the sentences from the article. Underline one sentence that helps
to explain what ego means.

The Greek myth about Orion tells of a great hunter with a big ego.
Orion thinks that he is the best hunter in the world. He brags that he
can kill any animal. The goddess of Earth is worried that Orion might
harm animals. She sends a scorpion to sting and kill him. Because of
this fight, the constellation Scorpius is on the other side of the sky from
Orion. This distance keeps Orion and the scorpion from fighting.
GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4 Grade 4 191
UNIT 4 WEEK 4

Read the article “A Giant Star” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

A Giant Star
The sun is a giant star at the center of our solar system. It is a large ball made
of many kinds of gases. It gives light and heat to the planets that move
around it and make up our solar system.
The sun rises in the eastern sky each morning, swallowing up the eerie
darkness from the night before. Some find the darkness creepy. Sunlight
marks the beginning of a new day. At the end of the day, the sun sets in the
western sky. At night, the stars can be seen in the dark sky.
Without the sun, there would be no life on Earth as we know it. All living
plants and animals need the sun to survive. Plants use sunlight to make food.
While doing this, they give off oxygen. Animals and people eat plants and

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

breathe in oxygen. They breathe out carbon dioxide. Plants use carbon
dioxide, energy from sunlight, and water to make more food.
Earth’s climate and temperature depend on the sun, too. The temperature of
a place depends on the position of the sun. It is cooler in the morning when
the sun is lower in the sky. As the sun rises, it becomes hotter. It cools down
as the sun sets. Places near the equator are hot because the sun shines almost
directly overhead at noon. The equator is an imaginary line around the
middle of Earth. Places near the North Pole and South Pole are cold because
the sun does not rise high there.

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192 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4
 UNIT 4 WEEK 4

Every 365 days, Earth makes a trip around the sun. For six months, the
northern half of Earth leans toward the sun, causing spring and summer in
that part of the world. The southern half of Earth has fall and winter during
this time. During the other six months, the northern half of Earth leans away
from the sun, causing fall and winter in that part of the world. This is also
when the southern half has spring and summer.
As you can see, the sun controls many things on Earth. It controls the food
that we eat and the air that we breathe. Without the sun, nothing would
survive.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4 Grade 4 193
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “A Giant Star.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

The sun rises in the eastern sky each morning, swallowing up the eerie
darkness from the night before. Some find the darkness creepy.

What does eerie mean?

A comforting
B exciting
C quiet
D spooky

Part B: Which word from the sentences helps you know what
eerie means?

A sun
B eastern
C swallowing
D creepy

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
194 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4
 Name: Date:

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which point does the author make about the sun?
A It is a mystery to us.
B It is always changing.
C It is necessary for life.
D It is bigger than we think.

Part B: Which detail from the article helps the author make this point?
A Animals need the sun.
B The sun is a giant star.
C Earth travels around the sun.
D The sun rises in the eastern sky.

8 Read the sentences from the article.

All living plants and animals need the sun to survive. Plants use
sunlight to make food.

What does the word survive mean?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A live
B move
C fall apart
D start again

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4 Grade 4 195
Name: Date:

9 Choose the correct cause and effect from the list below. Write them in
the chart. Not all causes and effects will be used.

Cause Effect

Causes and Effects:

Animals and people eat plants.
Plants continue to live and grow.
Plants use carbon dioxide to help make food.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

10 What happens because Earth travels around the sun?

A We have rainy days.

B We have different seasons.
C We always have a mild climate.
D We are always very cold at night.

STOP

196 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 4

UNIT 4 WEEK 5

Read the passage “A Friendly Contest” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

A Friendly Contest
A poetry contest sounded interesting, so Jason read the rest of the article in
the local newspaper. The contest was for ages 8–15, and the deadline was two
weeks away.
Jason thought he had a talent for
writing poetry and his parents said
he was a wonderful poet. But, his
parents showed favoritism toward
everything he did. This contest might
be a good way to see if anyone else
liked his poems. He could enter a
poem under a fake name.
Jason thought he had a good start on
a winning poem:
Are you a friend in word?
Or are you a friend in deed?
Sometimes the line is blurred.
Sometimes our acts mislead.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Jason told his parents about the contest, but decided not to mention it to
anyone else. He still couldn’t decide whether to put his real name on his
poem. What if no one liked it? What an embarrassment that would be!
Finally, Jason finished his poem.
In sadness or laughter,
A friend knows what to say,
In hard times or after,
Friends help you find your way.
Before Jason emailed his poem to the newspaper, he changed the name to his
own and then crossed his fingers.

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198 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5
 UNIT 4 WEEK 5

At last, it was Thursday, delivery day for the weekly newspaper. After school,
Jason did not even wait to walk home with Kyle. He ran all the way to his
house. His mom was waiting for him, smiling and holding the newspaper
with his poem printed on the front page! He had won the contest!
She said “We are so proud of you!”
The phone rang, so Jason grabbed it. “I thought I was your best friend!” Kyle
grumbled. “Why didn’t you tell me you entered that contest? I want to read
your poems!”
Suddenly Jason was regretful, telling himself that he should have trusted Kyle
to read his poems.
Jason told Kyle, “I’ll bring my poems over right now because I do want to
know what you think, and maybe you could even give me some ideas for
more poems!”
At school, everyone congratulated Jason on winning. When a girl named
Ashley told him she had memorized the last part, he blushed. That was the
first time she had ever talked to him!
He was even happier when kids at school asked if they could read more of his
poems. That was true success!
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5 Grade 4 199
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on

“A Friendly Contest.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A Learn from your mistakes.

B True friends are hard to find.
C Not everyone can be trusted.
D If you don’t try, you won’t succeed.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage best supports the theme?

A “The contest was for ages 8–15, and the deadline was two
weeks away.”
B “This contest might be a good way to see if anyone else liked
his poems.”
C “At last, it was Thursday, delivery day for the weekly newspaper.”
D “After school, Jason did not even wait to walk home with Kyle.”

2 Read the sentences from the passage.

What if no one liked it? What an embarrassment that would be!

What does the word embarrassment show about Jason? Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A He does not want to upset his parents.

B He does not care if people like his poem.
C He thinks that his poem might upset someone.
D He feels worried that no one will like his poem.

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200 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5
 Name: Date:

3 What does Jason think is true success?

A winning a poetry contest

B having a poem in the newspaper
C having your friends play with you
D having your friends enjoy your poems

4 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

Suddenly Jason was regretful, telling himself that he should have trusted
Kyle to read his poems.
What does regretful mean?

A angry
B confused
C sorry
D unsure

Part B: Which word has a negative association like regretful?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A proud
B puzzled
C shocked
D upset

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5 Grade 4 201
Name: Date:

5 Circle two sentences from the passage that help to show the theme.

Sentences that Help to Show the Theme

“A poetry contest sounded interesting, so Jason read the rest of the

article in the local newspaper.”

“But, his parents showed favoritism toward everything he did.”

“Before Jason emailed his poem to the newspaper, he changed the

name to his own and then crossed his fingers.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“That was the first time she had ever talked to him!”

“He was even happier when kids at school asked if they could read
more of his poems.”

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202 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5
 UNIT 4 WEEK 5

Read the passage “The Rockin’ Rhymer” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

The Rockin’ Rhymer

I am in my usual disguise as an ordinary fourth-grade girl, and my friends

have no idea that I am actually the Rockin’ Rhymer. I am like the superhero
of poetry. For example, when I grabbed my backpack, this poem sprang to
my mind.
My backpack is full of books.
It’s heavier than it looks.
My poems usually don’t have much use, until
today. This morning as I walk to school with
my friend, Celia, she is calling, “Daisy! Come
here, kitty!”
“Daisy’s probably in the
neighborhood,” I tell Celia.
As we near the school, more
friends join us, all calling for
Daisy. “Maybe Daisy’s lost
forever,” Celia whispers,
and scans the street.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Later, as I sit in class, I think about how miserable Celia is. I write down a
poem that has been in my head.
Your kitten named Daisy
Is not really crazy.
She’ll come home when school’s out.
Of that there’s no doubt!
I tell Celia I forgot something in my locker. I rush back and stick the poem in
Celia’s locker before sprinting to get to history on time.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5 Grade 4 203
UNIT 4 WEEK 5

At lunchtime, Celia meets me in the cafeteria, looking more puzzled than

worried. “Someone left me a poem,” she tells me. “Who would do that?”
Smiling, I say, “It was probably one of the kids who looked for her
this morning.”
It’s not easy to deceive Celia. She can spot a lie a mile away, and she gives me
another doubtful look before going up to the lunch counter to buy some milk.
Another poem comes to my mind, and I hurriedly scribble it.
Don’t decide that all is lost!
That’s a line we haven’t crossed!
Celia gets back before I can conceal my latest poem in her lunch bag, so I
quickly drop it on the floor. “What’s this?” she asks, picking up the poem.
I shrug and tell her, “Keisha just walked by, so maybe she dropped it.”
Shaking her head, Celia reads my poem. Then she smiles and says, “I don’t
know who is writing these poems, but I like them. School will be out soon,
and I think Daisy will be waiting for me. She’ll probably be hungry and cold.”
We run home from school, and there is Daisy, pacing in front of Celia’s door.
“Oh, Daisy!” Celia cries joyfully as she reaches for her cat. I pet Daisy too,
glad that my poems finally have a good use!

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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204 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“The Rockin’ Rhymer.”

6 What does the narrator’s point of view help to explain?

A where Daisy went for the day

B why the narrator writes poems
C who Celia thinks is writing the poems
D why the narrator and Celia are friends

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A Don’t let your pets run loose.

B Everyone is good at something.
C People love to read good poems.
D Helping others makes you feel good.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage best tells the theme?

A “As we near the school, more friends join us, all calling for Daisy.”
B “I tell Celia I forgot something in my locker.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

C “At lunchtime, Celia meets me in the cafeteria, looking more

puzzled than worried.”
D “I pet Daisy too, glad that my poems finally have a good use!”

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5 Grade 4 205
Name: Date:

8 Read the sentences from the passage.

It’s not easy to deceive Celia. She can spot a lie a mile away, and she
gives me another doubtful look before going up to the lunch counter to
buy some milk.

Which word has the same association as doubtful?

A angry
B excited
C uncertain
D worried

9 Read the sentence from the passage.

Celia gets back before I can conceal my latest poem in her lunch bag, so
I quickly drop it on the floor.

What does conceal tell about the narrator?

A She has a secret.

B She made a mistake.
C She does not know what to do.
D She knows Celia has read the poem.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

10 Complete the sentence about the theme of the passage. Write two
words from the box.

is using your poetry to others.

Words:
Help Teach
Success Work

STOP

206 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 4, Week 5

UNIT 5 WEEK 1

Read the passage “A Hug in a Box” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

A Hug in a Box
The Herrera family was having a discussion. Cousin Flora was a soldier
serving overseas, and the family wanted to let her know they were thinking
of her. They were already sending a weekly email that updated Flora on
family news, but they wanted to do more.
Dorinda asked if Flora could receive regular mail. “I love getting mail. I bet
Flora would love to get mail, too!” Dorinda said excitedly.
Mrs. Herrera answered that they could mail things to Flora. “In fact, we could
put together a box of things that would remind Flora of home. Boxes like that
are called care packages,” Mrs. Herrera added.
“We want to fill the box with great things so she knows that we care,”
said Matias.
The family found a Web site that listed items often included in care packages
for soldiers.
Matias was quiet for a minute, and then he said, “I think that other soldiers
would enjoy care packages, too. Could we send packages to lots of soldiers?”
Mrs. Herrera said she liked the idea.
But sending many care packages

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

would be expensive. Matias wilted in
defeat, but after a few minutes he
became excited again. He suggested
they tell other families in the
neighborhood about their idea. Maybe
other families would be able to send
care packages. Then lots of soldiers
would know people care about them.

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208 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1
 UNIT 5 WEEK 1

Mr. Herrera hugged his son and praised his idea. Just then, Dorinda had a
concern that struck like a bolt of lightning. How would they get the names
and addresses of other soldiers? They decided to ask Flora for the names of
some other soldiers serving with her.
The family spent the rest of the afternoon working on the plan. Mr. Herrera
and Dorinda made fliers explaining their project. Then they handed them to
their neighbors. Mrs. Herrera and Matias made a list of the items they wanted
to put in Flora’s care package. The next day, the family put Flora’s package
together and mailed it.
A few weeks went by. One afternoon, Mr. Herrera opened an email from
Flora. “Thanks so much for the hug in a box,” wrote Flora. “I cannot thank
you enough for your affection. These reminders of home really brightened my
day. Some of my fellow soldiers have received packages from your kind
neighbors, as well. Thank you for all that you have done!”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1 Grade 4 209
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “A Hug in a Box.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which is a main problem in the passage?

A The family wants to do more for cousin Flora.

B The family needs to send an email once a week.
C The family needs to find information on the Internet.
D The family wants to update cousin Flora on family news.

Part B: Which detail from the passage shows this problem?

A “The Herrera family was having a discussion.”
B “. . . the family wanted to let her know they were thinking of her.”
C “They were already sending a weekly email that updated Flora on
family news, . . .”
D “Dorinda asked if Flora could receive regular mail.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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210 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1
 Name: Date:

2 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

Matias wilted in defeat, but after a few minutes he became

excited again.

What does “wilted in defeat” mean?

A felt happy
B was disappointed
C looked like a flower
D wanted to be a soldier

Part B: Which detail helps to show what “wilted in defeat” means?

A Mrs. Herrera tells Matias she likes his idea.
B Matias has an idea to send care packages.
C Mrs. Herrera says it is expensive to send care packages.
D Matias thinks they should tell other families about his idea.

3 Read the sentence from the passage.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Just then, Dorinda had a concern that struck like a bolt of lightning.

What does “like a bolt of lightning” tell about Dorinda’s concern?

A It is bright.
B It is sudden.
C It is powerful.
D It is dangerous.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1 Grade 4 211
Name: Date:

4 Draw a line to match each problem from the passage with its solution.

Problem Solution
Flora is overseas and does The family asks neighbors to
not know what is happening send care packages.
at home.

The family wants to do The family sends their cousin

more to show Flora they are a care package.
thinking of her.

It is too expensive to send The family sends Flora an

care packages to a lot of email every week.
soldiers.

5 How does the Herrera family probably feel at the end of the passage?

A grateful
B nervous
C proud
D surprised

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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212 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1
 UNIT 5 WEEK 1

Read the passage “A Neighbor’s Helping Hand” before answering

Numbers 6 through 10.

A Neighbor’s Helping Hand

I trudged down the sidewalk to Mrs. Goodman’s
house. She had just had knee surgery, and Mom
told her that I would do her yard work until
she was able to again. I had been going to
her house every Saturday for a month, but
I didn’t mind because Mrs. Goodman was
very kind.
The wind blew as cold as ice across my face
as I rang her doorbell. Finally the door
opened. “Hi, Rodney,” Mrs. Goodman said.
“Sorry it took me so long, but I am a snail
with this knee brace! Can you clean out my
flowerbeds and rake the yard? Do you have
any questions?”
I paused before answering because I was unsure of how to do either task.
I didn’t know how to clean out a flowerbed, but Mrs. Goodman was patient,
and I knew I could ask my questions.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“Could you tell me how to clean out a flowerbed? And I’m not sure how
to rake leaves by myself.” I blushed and said, “I’m sorry I have so many
questions!”
Mrs. Goodman smiled as she said, “Rodney, you never have to apologize for
asking questions.” She explained how to complete each task, and soon I was
ready to get started.
While I worked, I thought about a problem I was having at school. I did not
understand my math homework and we were having a test soon. I remembered
my mom saying that Mrs. Goodman was a retired teacher, so I wondered if she
might help me with my math. Even though she was kind, I was nervous to ask
her for help.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1 Grade 4 213
UNIT 5 WEEK 1

When I was done, Mrs. Goodman invited me inside and said, “You have done
a great job these past few weeks, Rodney. It was hard for me to admit that
I needed help. Have you ever had a hard time asking for help?”
“I sure have, Mrs. Goodman,” I answered. “Is it true that you used to be
a teacher?”
“Yes, Rodney,” Mrs. Goodman replied. “I taught high school math for
many years.”
I could not believe my ears! She was the perfect person to help me with my
math homework! I explained my problem and asked if she would help me.
She replied, “You have done so much to help me, so of course I would be
happy to help you!” I knew that I would help Mrs. Goodman again whenever
she needed me.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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214 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “A Neighbor’s

Helping Hand.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why does Mrs. Goodman need help with her yard work?
A She is not able to do it.
B She is not home to rake.
C She does not like yard work.
D She does not know how to rake.

Part B: Which detail from the passage best supports your answer in
part A?

A “. . . Mom told her that I would do her yard work until she was able
to again.”
B “I had been going to her house every Saturday for a month, . . .”
C “She explained how to complete each task, . . .”
D “. . . I would help Mrs. Goodman again whenever she needed me.”

7 Read the sentence from the passage.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The wind blew as cold as ice across my face as I rang her doorbell.

What does “as cold as ice” mean?

A dry
B fast
C freezing
D wet

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1 Grade 4 215
Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

“Sorry it took me so long, but I am a snail with this knee brace!”

What does “I am a snail” show about Mrs. Goodman?

A She is upset.
B She feels tired.
C She wiggles around.
D She moves very slowly.

Part B: Which detail from the passage helps to show what “I am a

snail” means?

A Mrs. Goodman is happy to see Rodney.

B Mrs. Goodman has tasks for Rodney to do.
C Mrs. Goodman used to be a math teacher.
D Mrs. Goodman apologizes for taking so long.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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216 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1
 Name: Date:

9 Underline one sentence below that shows the solution to

Rodney’s problem.

“. . . Can you clean out my flowerbeds and rake the yard? Do you have
any questions?”

I paused before answering because I was unsure of how to do either

task. I didn’t know how to clean out a flowerbed, but Mrs. Goodman
was patient, and I knew I could ask my questions.

10 Why is Rodney happy that Mrs. Goodman used to be a math teacher?

A Math is Rodney’s favorite subject.

B Mrs. Goodman is able to help Rodney.
C Mrs. Goodman will need yard work done.
D Rodney’s school needs a new math teacher.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 1 Grade 4 217

 UNIT 5 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Land of Their Own” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Land of Their Own

The Carpenter family lived in a small house near a
large farm in Tennessee. The Carpenters worked for
the family who owned the farm. Mr. Carpenter
worked in the fields.
Mrs. Carpenter
cooked and cleaned
for the family. Althea knew her parents were working hard to save enough
money to move to Kansas. The people of Kansas fought to keep slavery out of
its borders, and Althea’s parents wanted to live in a place that had never
known slavery. They wanted better lives for their children.
Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter were born into slavery. Following the Civil War, they
were freed from slavery. Now they dreamed of having their own farm. They
knew that it would take hard work to make this dream come true.
Althea had heard of the open land west of the Mississippi River. The
government was giving this land away. Anyone who had never fought against
the United States government could apply. In order to keep this land, the
person had to live on the land for five years and improve it. After five years,
the person could apply for the land deed. This paper gave the land to the
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

person who improved it.

One night, Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter had huge smiles on their faces. They told
the children that they had finally saved enough money to move to Kansas.
The family hugged, cheered, and cried as they began planning the trip west.
A few weeks later, Althea said goodbye to her friends. She had to refrain from
crying, for she knew she might never see her friends again. Althea’s friend,
Dorothy, gave her a doll made from scraps of fabric. Dorothy was worried
Althea would forget their friendship. Althea held the doll tightly as she and
her family set off in the jerky wagon.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2 Grade 4 219
UNIT 5 WEEK 2

The trip to Kansas was long and difficult. The family travelled as far as they
could each day. They wanted to reach Kansas before winter. Sometimes, they
had to stop for a few days because of bad weather.
After months of traveling, the family finally reached their new home, Kansas.
A big job lay ahead of them. Many trees had to be cut down so a house could
be built before winter, and Althea and her brothers spent many days helping
their father hack down the trees and cut them into boards. Finally a small
house was built. At last the Carpenter family had land of their own.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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220 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Land of

Their Own.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why do the Carpenters want to live in Kansas?

A They do not want to be enslaved again.
B The land is better in Kansas than in Tennessee.
C They want to live where there was never slavery.
D They want to meet new people and make friends.

Part B: Which detail from the passage tells why the Carpenters want to
live there?

A “The Carpenter family lived in a small house . . .”

B “The Carpenters worked for the family who owned the farm.”
C “Althea knew her parents were working hard to save enough
money . . .”
D “. . . Althea’s parents wanted to live in a place that had never
known slavery.”

2 Read the sentence from the passage.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

She had to refrain from crying, for she knew she might never see her
friends again.

What does refrain mean in the sentence?

A repeat
B a saying
C hold back
D part of a song

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2 Grade 4 221
Name: Date:

3 How are the Carpenters able to get a farm?

A They save enough money.

B They travel to different states.
C They are friends with farmers.
D They help people who are slaves.

4 Fill in the chart to show cause and effect. Choose the correct sentences
from the list and write them in the chart. Not all sentences will be used.

Cause Effect

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Sentences:
Dorothy gives Althea a doll.
Althea’s family lives in Tennessee.
Dorothy worries Althea will forget her.
Althea’s family reaches their new home.

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222 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

Many trees had to be cut down so a house could be built before winter,
and Althea and her brothers spent many days helping their father hack
down the trees and cut them into boards.

What does hack mean in the sentence?

A chop
B cough
C handle
D hurt

Part B: Which phrase from the sentence helps to show what

hack means?

A “cut down”
B “built before winter”
C “spent many days”
D “helping their father”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

GO ON
Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2 Grade 4 223
UNIT 5 WEEK 2

Read the passage “A Golden Moment” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

A Golden Moment

Big Bob Benton was well known among the prospectors who had all moved
west to look for gold. They said gold followed Big Bob. When he heard that,
Bob got annoyed. Any real prospector knew you had to hunt for gold. It took
hard work to find it.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Sure, he had struck it rich three times. But he did not give up at the first
disappointment like other prospectors. Bob worked tirelessly on all of his
gold claims. Other prospectors would quit when they did not find gold after a
few days.
Now he was going out a fourth time and many prospectors wanted to follow
him. People wanted to set up diggings next to Bob’s new claim. Bob was
bound for the mountain slope, but he decided to take an exhausting route to
get to his destination. His plan was to lose and frustrate those who were
following him. Bob alternated his direction of travel for hours.

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224 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2
 UNIT 5 WEEK 2

As he started to cross a stream a twig snapped behind some elder trees. Just
then, Jokin’ Joe, the one prospector Bob admired and respected, appeared
from behind the trees. “Howdy,” Joe greeted Bob. “Find gold yet?”
“Nope,” Bob answered, wondering what Joe was doing there.
“Hoped you’d lead me right to it,” bluffed Joe.
“I thought you were a better man than that,” Bob replied.
“Just joking,” Joe assured Bob. “You know what people are saying about
following you, but I am a better man than that. I’m content to try my luck on
the other side of the mountain, so I’ll leave this side to you.”
Big Bob remained still until Jokin’ Joe had vanished around a curve up the
mountain. When he was sure he was alone again, he got back on his horse.
But next to the stream, something bright caught his eye on the bank. He got
off his horse, scooped up what appeared to be a pebble, and found himself
holding a shiny gold nugget.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2 Grade 4 225
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“A Golden Moment.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Which message is told in the passage?

A Most people are not truthful.

B Most people like to be alone.
C No one wants to be fooled by others.
D No one wants others to be used by others.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage helps to tell this message?

A “Big Bob Benton was well known among the prospectors who had
all moved west to look for gold.”
B “His plan was to lose and frustrate those who were following him.”
C “As he started to cross a stream a twig snapped behind some
elder trees.”
D “Big Bob remained still until Jokin’ Joe had vanished around a curve
up the mountain.”

7 Which detail shows that Big Bob is upset when others say that gold

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

follows him?

A He thinks Joe is a good person.

B He works tirelessly on all his gold claims.
C He finds gold shortly after Joe leaves.
D He does not like it when Joe jokes with him.

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226 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2
 Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

Bob was bound for the mountain slope, but he decided to take an
exhausting route to get to his destination.

What does bound mean in the sentence?

A certain
B determined
C held
D tied

Part B: Which word from the sentence best shows what bound means?

A slope
B exhausting
C route
D destination

9 Read the sentence from the passage.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“I’m content to try my luck on the other side of the mountain, so I’ll
leave this side to you.”

What does content mean in the sentence?

A facts
B relaxed
C satisfied
D overall meaning

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2 Grade 4 227
Name: Date:

10 Write one effect for each cause in the chart. Then write the number for
one detail that supports each effect. Choose from the lists in the box.

Cause Effect Text Evidence

Bob sees something

shiny.

Bob gets upset with

Jokin’ Joe.

Effect:

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Bob discovers a gold nugget.
Joe meets Bob while on the trail.
Joe tells Bob that he is just joking.

Text Evidence:
1 – “Just then, Jokin’ Joe, the one prospector Bob admired and
respected, appeared from behind the trees.”
2 – “You know what people are saying about following you, but
I am a better man than that.”
3 – “He got off his horse, scooped up what appeared to be a
pebble, and found himself holding a shiny gold nugget.”

STOP

228 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 2

UNIT 5 WEEK 3

Read the article “Staying Fresh” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Staying Fresh
Growing and preparing food
takes up a lot of time.
Throughout history, people have
struggled to find ways to keep it
fresh. All food spoils or grows
mold eventually. The challenge is
to slow or stop food from
spoiling. This challenge led to
inventions that are now used
every day. Inventions such as
refrigerators and freezers allow
us to eat all types of food in any season.
One early food storage problem was keeping meat safe to eat. People hunted
animals for meat, which needed to last a long time. The meat was preserved
by drying it. It was cut into strips and hung to dry in sunlight. Today, modern
machines are used to dehydrate meat. Without water, the tiny organisms that
cause food to spoil cannot survive. The dried meat stays good for a long time.
Another challenge is keeping fruits and vegetables safe to eat all year round.
Fruits and vegetables grow in warm weather and spoil soon after they ripen.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Canning keeps food safe for a long time. When canning, food is placed in a
glass or metal container and the air is removed from the container. The
container is sealed, heated, and then cooled. If unopened, the canned food
stays good for months, and sometimes years.
Some foods need to be kept cold to stay fresh. Cold storage is easy to do in
winter. The challenge is keeping food cold in warm weather. The first
invention to solve this problem was the icebox. Blocks of ice were placed in
box-like containers that held food. But people who lived in warm climates
had a hard time getting ice. Inventors looked for other ways to cool air.

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230 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3
 UNIT 5 WEEK 3

Eventually, the modern refrigerator was invented. Compressors cool the air in
a refrigerator, and a thermostat keeps the inside of the refrigerator at a
constant temperature. Refrigeration helped metropolitan areas grow. Food
was moved to cities using refrigerated trucks and trains.
Canned food keeps for a long time, but nutrients can be lost. The solution
was the freezer. Freezing has the least effect on the flavor and nutrients.
Many foods can stay frozen for months at a time and still be safe to eat.
Food storage helps avoid food shortages. Floods, droughts, or other natural
disasters can kill crops. Being able to store food keeps us from running out
of food. Think of the ways that your food was stored and kept safe before
you dig in.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3 Grade 4 231
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Staying Fresh.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the paragraph from the article.

One early food storage problem was keeping meat safe to eat. People
hunted animals for meat, which needed to last a long time. The meat
was preserved by drying it. It was cut into strips and hung to dry in
sunlight. Today, modern machines are used to dehydrate meat. Without
water, the tiny organisms that cause food to spoil cannot survive. The
dried meat stays good for a long time.

How does the author organize this paragraph?

A by listing the steps to spoil meat

B by comparing places to store food
C by describing how a food storage problem is solved
D by telling what caused people to begin hunting animals

Part B: Which detail best shows how the paragraph is organized?

A “One early food storage problem . . .”
B “People hunted animals for meat, . . .”

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C “. . . which needed to last a long time.”
D “. . . dried meat stays good for a long time.”

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232 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3
 Name: Date:

2 Underline one sentence that explains why canning is a good food

storage solution.

Another challenge is keeping fruits and vegetables safe to eat all year
round. Fruits and vegetables grow in warm weather and spoil soon after
they ripen. Canning keeps food safe for a long time. When canning, food
is placed in a glass or metal container and the air is removed from the
container. The container is sealed, heated, and then cooled. If unopened,
the canned food stays good for months, and sometimes years.

3 Read the sentence from the article.

Compressors cool the air in a refrigerator, and a thermostat keeps the

inside of the refrigerator at a constant temperature.

What does the root of thermostat most likely mean?

A heat
B speed
C time
D weight
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3 Grade 4 233
Name: Date:

4 Read the sentence from the article.

Refrigeration helped metropolitan areas grow.

The word metropolitan has a root that means “city.” What does a
metropolitan area have?

A dirt roads
B open land
C many farms
D tall buildings

5 Why does the author share problems and solutions in the article?

A to show the best way to store food

B to show that food storage is not needed
C to show the steps to store any type of food
D to show there is more than one way to store food

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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234 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3
 UNIT 5 WEEK 3

Read the article “What’s Next?” before answering Numbers 6 through 10.

What’s Next?
People have been inventing things for thousands of years. Some of them are
extremely useful. Others might be considered hilarious. The silly inventions
often do not get much attention. However, the really useful ones can make an
enormous difference in the way we live.
Thinking about all these inventions can make us aware of just how much they
have changed our world. Can you imagine what your life would be like
without electric lights, television, computers, or automobiles? These things
make our lives easier. But there was a time when they did not exist.
Before the wheel was invented, people had to carry loads on their backs and
drag heavy things behind them. Can you sympathize with those people? With
the wheel, people were able to build carts and wagons that helped them move
heavy things much more easily. It also helped them move larger loads.
Before the seed drill, farmers planted seeds by throwing them on the ground.
This wasted a lot of seeds. Then the seed drill was invented. This machine
was a huge advancement in technology for agriculture. Farmers could make
straight rows of holes in the ground. Then they drop the seeds into these
holes. Farmers had more control over where they planted crops. This helped
them grow more crops, which meant more food for people.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The first cars had to be started using a hand crank.

This crank was hard to turn. Charles Kettering
invented the electric starter, which made it
possible for people to start a car’s engine
by pushing a button.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3 Grade 4 235
UNIT 5 WEEK 3

While flying a kite during a storm, Ben Franklin discovered something

important about the physical properties of lightning. He discovered that
lightning conducts electricity. This little bit of creative mischief led him to
invent the lightning rod. Before his invention, people had problems
protecting their houses from lightning damage. The lightning rod protects
buildings and ships from lightning strikes. It has saved a lot of property from
being destroyed. It has saved many lives, too.
We welcome inventions that make our lives safer, better, and easier. Even silly
inventions have their place. Can you imagine the exciting things that might
be next?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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236 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “What’s Next?”

6 Circle one main idea of the article. Then circle one detail from the
article that supports the main idea.

Main Idea Supporting Detail

Many inventions create “People have been inventing

problems for people. things for thousands of years.”

“With the wheel, people were

Many inventions change our able to build carts and wagons
lives and change the world. that helped them move heavy
things much more easily.”

Inventions often have the effect “Even silly inventions have

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

of bringing people together. their place.”

7 How does the author show how inventions help people?

A by asking questions about inventions

B by comparing old and new inventions
C by telling how inventions solved problems
D by listing all of the inventions throughout history

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3 Grade 4 237
Name: Date:

8 Read the sentences from the article.

Before the wheel was invented, people had to carry loads on their
backs and drag heavy things behind them. Can you sympathize with
those people?

The Greek root of sympathize means “feeling.” What does

sympathize mean?

A explain
B join
C remember
D understand

9 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

Then the seed drill was invented. This machine was a huge
advancement in technology for agriculture.

The word technology has the Greek root logy. What does this root mean?

A without
B shaped like

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C the science of
D one who completes

Part B: Which word has the same root as found in technology?

A biology
B clog
C locate
D logger

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238 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3
 Name: Date:

10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why does the author tell how Ben Franklin flew a kite
during a storm?

A to show that Franklin liked to do fun things

B to explain the effect of lightning on houses
C to show how a problem was solved by an invention
D to explain how Franklin invented many strange things

Part B: Which detail from the article best supports your answer
in part A?

A “He discovered that lightning conducts electricity.”

B “The lightning rod protects buildings and ships from
lightning strikes.”
C “We welcome inventions that make our lives safer, better,
and easier.”
D “Can you imagine the exciting things that might be next?”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 3 Grade 4 239

 UNIT 5 WEEK 4

Read the article “Stargazing” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Stargazing

Many people enjoy looking at the night sky. Some people might want a closer
look at the stars and planets. A telescope lets you view these objects more
closely. It takes preparation for a night of looking at the stars. Here are some
tips for enjoying the night sky.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Before using your telescope, you should do some planning. You need to wait
for a clear night without many clouds and when the moon is not very full.
You might think that a full moon will help you see more stars, but the moon’s
brilliance can make it difficult to see some stars. Wait for a night when there
is more darkness.
Decide where to set up your telescope. A good location would be very dark
and far from buildings. It is important to make sure the area you choose is
safe. The tripod holding the telescope should stand on solid, level ground.
A telescope is fragile and not very sturdy, and it can break easily if it falls.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4 Grade 4 241
UNIT 5 WEEK 4

Now you are ready to set up your telescope. The first basic step is to open the
tripod’s legs and to make sure they are planted firmly on the ground. This
will keep the image in the telescope steady. Next, attach the long tube to the
tripod mount. Then attach the low-power eyepiece, which is marked with the
highest number. This eyepiece makes the telescopic images sharper. Then
attach the finderscope, which is the little spotting scope on the top of the
telescope. Now, look through the eyepiece. Move the lens until the image is
not blurry.
Star maps will help you identify the objects you locate in the night sky.
Monthly star maps tell which stars and planets can be seen. A star map
shows the entire night sky. The center of the map is the part of the sky that is
directly overhead. Hold the star map so that the direction you are facing is
the direction written at the bottom of the map. Then look up and see if you
can find a star or group of stars that match the stars on the map. Star maps
list stars that can be seen with or without a telescope.
With practice, you can look for more challenging objects, such as galaxies.
Looking at the stars can be fun for people of all ages.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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242 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Stargazing.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

You might think that a full moon will help you see more stars, but the
moon’s brilliance can make it difficult to see some stars. Wait for a night
when there is more darkness.

What does brilliance mean in the sentences?

A age
B light
C shape
D size

Part B: Which word from the sentences means the opposite

of brilliance?

A moon
B stars
C night
D darkness
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

2 What must you do before you set up your telescope?

A Use a star map.

B Find a safe spot.
C Look for a full moon.
D Set up the finderscope.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4 Grade 4 243
Name: Date:

3 Read the sentences from the article.

The tripod holding the telescope should stand on solid, level ground.
A telescope is fragile and not very sturdy, and it can break easily if
it falls.

Which word from the sentence means the opposite of fragile?

A level
B sturdy
C easily
D falls

4 How do you put a telescope together? Write the steps in the correct
order in the chart.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Step 4

Steps:
Attach the finderscope.
Put the tripod on the ground.
Attach the low-power eyepiece.
Attach the long tube to the tripod mount.

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244 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: When you use a star map, what do you do before you look at
the sky?

A Find planets and stars.

B Look for new galaxies.
C Loosen the telescope’s eyepiece.
D Hold the star map the correct way.

Part B: Which part of the article supports your answer in part A?

A “Star maps will help you identify the objects you locate in the
night sky.”
B “A star map shows the entire night sky. The center of the map is
the part of the sky that is directly overhead.”
C “Hold the star map so that the direction you are facing is the
direction written at the bottom of the map. Then look up and see
if you can find a star or group of stars that match the stars on
the map.”
D “Star maps list stars that can be seen with or without a telescope.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4 Grade 4 245
UNIT 5 WEEK 4

Read the article “Prehistoric Art” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Prehistoric Art

Many people think that ancient people spent all their time trying to survive,
yet prehistoric cave art proves them wrong. Some of these people took time
to draw, just like modern artists of today. Carvings from this time show that
ancient people were not unskilled, but rather they were talented at creating
many kinds of art.
Scientists have many theories about why early humans created art.
Archeologists say this art might have been used in rituals. It might have been

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

used to pass on messages. Maybe they just enjoyed creating art.
One interesting discovery was a group of statues found in Europe. The
statues are about twenty-six thousand years old. Most carvings done around
this time were made of bone, soft stone, or ivory. These were materials that
were easily found. But what surprised everyone were the terra-cotta figures.
These were made by people who knew how to make pottery by heating clay.
Scientists did not think that early humans knew how to use fire to make
pottery. They thought that pottery was invented much later.

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246 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4
 UNIT 5 WEEK 4

Scientists dug up more than seven thousand pieces of fired clay at this site.
They even found two kilns. They are special ovens used for firing clay. They
also dug up more than two thousand balls of burnt clay.
One expert who studied the pieces said the clay had lime added to it. This
allowed them to fire the clay at low temperatures. That way they could
harden it in a small open fire. The heat made the clay hard and turned it into
terra-cotta, a shiny brown pottery.
These early humans may have discovered how to make pottery by accident.
But the statues they made took real talent. The statues were detailed
likenesses, not just general shapes. One of the statues is a woman. She is only
four-and-a-half inches tall. There are also animals, such as a bear, lion, and
fox. The artists who made them must have known what these animals looked
like. Firing the clay saved the sculptures. It is amazing that they have lasted
all these years!
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4 Grade 4 247
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“Prehistoric Art.”

6 Read the sentence from the article.

Carvings from this time show that ancient people were not unskilled,
but rather they were talented at creating many kinds of art.

Which word from the sentence means the opposite of talented?

A time
B ancient
C unskilled
D art

7 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is a main idea of the article?

A Prehistoric art is just like modern art.

B The purpose of prehistoric art is not known.
C A lot of prehistoric art has not been found yet.
D Prehistoric art is more important than other art.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Part B: Which sentence from the article best supports the main idea?
A “Some of these people took time to draw, just like modern artists
of today.”
B “Scientists have many theories about why early humans
created art.”
C “The statues are about twenty-six thousand years old.”
D “These early humans may have discovered how to make pottery
by accident.”

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248 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4
 Name: Date:

8 Which detail tells what happened after scientists dug up buried objects
in Europe?

A Experts studied clay that was found.

B Terra-cotta animal figures were made.
C Burnt clay was rolled into separate balls.
D People made different types of prehistoric art.

9 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

The statues were detailed likenesses, not just general shapes. One of the
statues is a woman. She is only four-and-a-half inches tall.

What does the word detailed mean in the sentences?

A difficult
B exact
C large
D pretty

Part B: Which word from the sentences means the opposite

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

of detailed?

A statues
B likenesses
C general
D tall

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4 Grade 4 249
Name: Date:

10 Tell how to make terra-cotta pottery in the correct order. Number the
steps from 1 to 3.

Fire the clay at low temperatures.

Wait until the clay hardens and turns brown.

Mix the lime into the clay.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

250 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 4

UNIT 5 WEEK 5

Read the article “Mary Anning: First Fossil Hunter” before answering
Numbers 1 through 5.

Mary Anning: First Fossil Hunter

In 1799, Mary Anning was born in Lyme Regis, England. When Mary was
young, she and her brother, Joseph, would go to the seashore with their
father. He taught them how to hunt for fossils. At this time, scientists were
just beginning to understand fossils. Fossils are the remains of plants and
animals that lived long ago. Wealthy visitors would come to Lyme Regis to
vacation. The Anning family had little money, so they sold the fossils they
found to tourists.
Mary was a quiet girl. Some might say that in Mary’s case still waters run
deep because she was also bright, curious, and a hard worker who spent long
days on the beach looking for fossils. Soon, Mary’s father died. Although she
was only ten, Mary was forced to quit school and work even harder to find
fossils to sell. Because of unstable cliffs, battering waves, and sudden storms,
Mary had to be bold and daring. It was dangerous work.
But one day, something happened to show that every cloud has a silver lining.
When Mary was about twelve, Joseph made a fantastic find. He found a fossil
skull that had a long nose and many teeth.
First, Mary planned how to uncover the rest of the creature. Then, slowly, she

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

unearthed each part of the fossil. Mary did not want to hurry and damage the
fossil. She carefully chiseled and brushed. Finally, Mary uncovered an almost
complete skeleton of a prehistoric creature. A neighbor bought the fossils and
scientists named the creature ichthyosaur, or fish-lizard.
The discovery of the ichthyosaur called attention to Mary as a fossil hunter,
but her family was still poor. Mary continued to uncover fossils to sell. Even
though she had little formal schooling, Mary knew how to read and write.
During her teenage years, Mary taught herself about rocks, animals, fish, and
the earth. She wrote letters to well-known scientists. Some scientists came to
visit her in Lyme Regis.

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252 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5
 UNIT 5 WEEK 5

Later, Mary made another astonishing discovery. She dug out another reptile
that had lived in the sea, the first complete plesiosaur. The plesiosaur was
nine feet long with a lizard’s head and crocodile teeth. Scientists called the
long-necked plesiosaur the sea dragon. This was followed by her discovery of
the rare fossil of the flying dragon, pterodactyl.
Mary was one of the first persons to make a living as a fossil hunter. After her
death in 1847, Mary was honored with a stained-glass window in the church
of Lyme Regis. Many of the fossils Mary Anning uncovered are still displayed
in museums.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5 Grade 4 253
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Mary Anning:

First Fossil Hunter.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: How is the article organized?

A The author compares dinosaur skeletons.
B The author tells why Mary became a fossil hunter.
C The author explains how to find dinosaur skeletons.
D The author tells the sequence of events in Mary’s life.

Part B: Which sentence from the article shows how the text
is organized?

A “Although she was only ten, Mary was forced to quit school, and
now she needed to work even harder to find fossils to sell.”
B “Because of unstable cliffs, battering waves, and sudden storms,
Mary had to be bold and daring.”
C “Even though she had little formal schooling, Mary knew how to
read and write.”
D “Scientists called the long-necked plesiosaur the sea dragon.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

2 Read the sentences from the article.

Mary was a quiet girl. Some might say that in Mary’s case still waters
run deep because she was also bright, curious, and a hard worker who
spent long days on the beach looking for fossils.

What does “still waters run deep” mean?

A Mary is quiet but she is also funny.

B Mary is quiet but she likes the ocean.
C Mary is quiet but she talks to herself a lot.
D Mary is quiet but she is smart and thoughtful.

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254 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5
 Name: Date:

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

But one day, something happened to show that every cloud has a silver
lining. When Mary was about twelve, Joseph made a fantastic find.

What does “every cloud has a silver lining” mean?

A Clouds can bring good luck.

B Good can be found in a bad situation.
C You should always prepare for bad times.
D The clouds turn silver when it is about to rain.

Part B: Which phrase from the sentences helps to show what the
saying means?

A “but one day”

B “something happened”
C “about twelve”
D “a fantastic find”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5 Grade 4 255
Name: Date:

4 Complete the chart. Write the events from the article in the order
they happened.

Events:
Joseph discovers the skull of an ichthyosaur.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Scientists name the creature an ichthyosaur.
Mary makes a plan to dig up the ichthyosaur.
A neighbor buys the fossils that Mary digs up.
Mary slowly chisels away the rest of the fossils.

5 Why does the author give the dates of Mary’s birth and death?

A to show time order in Mary’s life

B to show what caused Mary to like fossils
C to show how Mary and Joseph were different
D to show how Mary’s family had an effect on her life

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256 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5
 UNIT 5 WEEK 5

Read the article “Science in Your Bones” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Science in Your Bones

What was Earth like a long time ago? What kinds of plants and animals were
here? It is a paleontologist’s job to answer questions like these. Paleontology
is “the study of old things.”
The “old things” that these scientists study are fossils, the remains of plants
or animals left behind in rocks. Some fossils are shells, leaves, or bones. Some
are tracks that were left by animals.
How did the fossils get into the rocks? The rocks were formed millions of
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

years ago. Then animals and plants died and were buried in the rocks.
Through time, the rocks piled up and the shape of the plant or the animal’s
bones became part of the rock.
The oldest fossils are the remains of bacteria. Scientists think these bacteria
lived more than 3 billion years ago. These microscopic fossils are not large
enough to be seen without a microscope.
Fossils have been found all over the United States. Scientists believe they
represent just a small fraction of the animals and plants that have lived on
Earth. Scientists also believe that many living things vanished from the planet
without leaving a single fossil behind.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5 Grade 4 257
UNIT 5 WEEK 5

Paleontologists learn many things from fossils. It takes a lot of painstaking

work to gain a small amount of knowledge, but good things come to those
who wait! One thing they learn is what kinds of animals roamed the planet
long before there were people. They also learn whether rocks were formed on
land or in the sea. Most rocks that have fossils of sea creatures were formed
in water. Most rocks that have fossils of land creatures were formed on land.
Knowing where rocks were formed tells us what Earth may have looked like
millions of years ago.
Like other kinds of science, paleontology can be very exciting. Think about
the first paleontologists who stumbled upon a dinosaur fossil. Imagine what
they felt like when they inspected the fossil and realized what they had
found. As some paleontologists might say, “Leave no stone unturned!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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258 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Science in

Your Bones.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: How does the author explain what paleontologists learn

from fossils?

A by telling why sea creatures formed fossils

B by listing the kinds of rocks that make fossils
C by telling the sequence of how fossils formed
D by contrasting sea creatures with land animals

Part B: Which sentence from the article shows this organization?

A “It is a paleontologist’s job to answer questions like these.”
B “Through time, the rocks piled up and the shape of the plant or the
animal’s bones became part of the rock.”
C “Scientists think these bacteria lived more than 3 billion years ago.”
D “Scientists also believe that many living things vanished from the
planet without leaving a single fossil behind.”

7 Read the paragraph from the article.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

How did the fossils get into the rocks? The rocks were formed millions
of years ago. Then animals and plants died and were buried in the
rocks. Through time, the rocks piled up and the shape of the plant or
the animal’s bones became part of the rock.

How does the author organize the paragraph?

A by explaining the effects of finding fossils

B by contrasting animal fossils and plant fossils
C by telling how rocks formed millions of year ago
D by describing the sequence of how fossils get into rocks
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5 Grade 4 259
Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

Paleontologists learn many things from fossils. It takes a lot of painstaking

work to gain a small amount of knowledge, but good things come to those
who wait!

What is the meaning of the saying “good things come to those

who wait”?

A You may wait and still get nothing.

B It is better to wait and let others work.
C If you wait, you will get what you want.
D If you wait too long, you will miss your chance.

Part B: Which word from the sentences helps to show what the
saying means?

A paleontologists
B fossils
C amount
D knowledge

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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260 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5
 Name: Date:

9 The author suggests that paleontology can be very exciting. Write

the number of one sentence from the article that supports this point
of view.

Point of View:
Paleontology can be very exciting.

Sentence:

Sentences:
1 – “The ‘old things’ that these scientists study are fossils, the
remains of plants or animals left behind in rocks.”
2 – “These microscopic fossils are not large enough to be seen
without a microscope.”
3 – “Most rocks that have fossils of sea creatures were formed
in water.”
4 – “Imagine what they felt like when they inspected the fossil
and realized what they had found.”

10 Read the sentence from the article.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

As some paleontologists might say, “Leave no stone unturned!”

What does “leave no stone unturned” say about paleontologists?

A They look at every detail.

B They worry about their work.
C They like to joke around a lot.
D They do not believe what they see.

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 5, Week 5 Grade 4 261

 UNIT 6 WEEK 1

Read the passage “The Babushka” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

The Babushka
The winters were always harsh, but the one Mary Kowalski remembered was
especially fierce. For weeks, snow, ice, and strong winds had battered her
village in Poland. Mary dreaded her frigid walk to school
each day. Before she left, Mary’s mother would tie her
own babushka, or kerchief, under Mary’s chin. The
babushka was large and colorful. In spite of the
freezing weather, Mary could feel the warmth
of the soft babushka, and she imagined the touch
of her mother’s hands. The babushka made Mary
feel cozy and safe.
When Mary came to the United States, she brought
the babushka. She worked as a cook in a Polish restaurant.
The city where Mary lived had severe winters, so she wore her
mother’s babushka to work every day. The weather reminded
her of Poland, and the babushka reminded Mary of her mother.
The years passed, and before long Mary was a mother. When her daughter
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Jenny left for college, Mary gave her the babushka. Jenny did not think it was
stylish, but she didn’t want to disappoint her mother. Jenny knew why the
babushka was special to her mother. She had heard the story, so Jenny
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

pointed out, “Since the babushka’s color is starting to fade, I’ll try not to wear
it too much.”
After Jenny unpacked at college, she lovingly placed the babushka on her bed.
I’ll find a drawer for it tonight, Jenny thought.
That day, Jenny was surprised by all the work that was required in college.
She was overwhelmed and scared. So she plopped down and laid her head on
the babushka.

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UNIT 6 WEEK 1

Jenny started to feel better. The babushka made her think of her mom and
gave her encouragement. “Mom worked hard at the restaurant. I will work
hard at school,” Jenny promised herself. She would lay her head on the
babushka at the end of the day. If she was upset or worried, the feel of her
mom’s faded babushka would calm her.
By the time Jenny was ready to pass the babushka on to her own daughter,
the material was very thin. The colors were even lighter. “Why would I want
this shabby, faded piece of cloth?” asked Marie.
“I think it’s lovely, but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Jenny
answered. Then she realized that Marie did not know the story. “Sit down,
Marie. I want to tell you a story that begins years ago in a village in Poland.
One harsh, fierce winter . . .”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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264 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “The Babushka.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is a theme of the passage?

A Learn from your mistakes.
B Be a good friend to others.
C Life is filled with exciting things.
D Families love and help each other.

Part B: Which detail from the passage shows the theme?

A “The city where Mary lived had severe winters, . . .”
B “. . . ‘I’ll try not to wear it too much.’”
C “That day, Jenny was surprised by all the work that was required
in college.”
D “The babushka made her think of her mom and gave her
encouragement.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1 Grade 4 265
Name: Date:

2 Underline one sentence in the paragraph that shows what the babushka
means to Mary.

The winters were always harsh, but the one Mary Kowalski remembered
was especially fierce. For weeks, snow, ice, and strong winds had
battered her village in Poland. Mary dreaded her frigid walk to school
each day. Before she left, Mary’s mother would tie her own babushka, or
kerchief, under Mary’s chin. The babushka was large and colorful. In
spite of the freezing weather, Mary could feel the warmth of the soft
babushka, and she imagined the touch of her mother’s hands. The
babushka made Mary feel cozy and safe.

3 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

After Jenny unpacked at college, she lovingly placed the babushka on

her bed.

What does the word lovingly show about the babushka?

A It is very old.
B It is very warm.
C It is important to Jenny.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

D It is important to Jenny’s mother.

Part B: Which word has the same connotation, or association,

as lovingly?

A finally
B gently
C quickly
D slowly

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4 Which best shows the lesson of the passage?

A Mary makes food for others.

B The babushka becomes faded.
C The babushka reminds Mary of her mother.
D Marie is not sure what to do with the babushka.

5 Read the sentence from the passage.

“Why would I want this shabby, faded piece of cloth?” asked Marie.

Which word from the sentence sounds negative or not good?

A want
B shabby
C piece
D cloth
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1 Grade 4 267
UNIT 6 WEEK 1

Read the passage “The Night Before” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

The Night Before

Running Deer sat on the hill under the countless stars. He was a Native
American. He was also the leader of the Lakota, and his people were a
powerful nation. But the settlers were coming, along with their greed for

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

land, and it was a need that could never be satisfied.
They viewed the land as a wilderness that needed them to settle it. They
thought of themselves as the civilized people.
The settlers had started in the east, taking land as they spread west. It was
Native American land, but the settlers had taken what they wanted.
At first, Running Deer listened to the stories about the settlers with
amazement. He was filled with great sadness because the settlers had
reached the eastern edge of the Great Plains. What would happen now?

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268 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1
 UNIT 6 WEEK 1

As leader of the Lakota, it was Running Deer’s responsibility to make the

right decisions for his people. Running Deer had heard of a group of Native
Americans called the Algonquin. They had traditions similar to those of the
Lakota. At first, the settlers had promised that the Algonquin could keep their
land, but their actions spoke louder than words. The settlers took the land
and forced the Algonquin to leave. Now the settlers were building a town on
the land that had belonged to the Algonquin. They had rules about who could
use the land and what they could do with it. The Native Americans who had
lived there had been pushed west.
Running Deer was willing to fight for Lakota land. He would stay on his
horse for days if that would help, but would it help? There were so many
settlers, and the settlers had better weapons. Was it better to give up their
land so his people might live in peace, or was it better to fight for what was
theirs? And what if, by fighting, they lost everything? The Lakota were part of
a group of related Sioux tribes. Tomorrow was the great council, when all the
Sioux chiefs would talk this over. Sitting here alone tonight, Running Deer
did not know what the council would decide, but he did know that, for his
people, life would never be the same after the settlers came.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1 Grade 4 269
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“The Night Before.”

6 Read the sentence from the passage.

But the settlers were coming, along with their greed for land, and it was
a need that could never be satisfied.

Which word from the sentence has a negative connotation?

A coming
B greed
C land
D satisfied

7 Circle the one main problem of the passage. Then circle one detail from
the passage that supports your choice.

Main Problem Supporting Detail

The settlers broke their promise “They thought of themselves as

to the Algonquin. the civilized people.”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

The settlers are about to take “The settlers had started in the
over the Lakota’s land. east, taking land as they spread
west.”

Running Deer does not have “As leader of the Lakota, it was
anyone to help him with his Running Deer’s responsibility to
difficult decisions. make the right decisions for his
people.”

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270 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1
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8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

At first, Running Deer listened to the stories about the settlers

with amazement.

What does the word amazement show about Running Deer?

A He thinks the settlers are very smart.

B He is confused about the information.
C He cannot believe the stories he hears.
D He wishes his people told better stories.

Part B: Which word gives you the same positive feeling as amazement?
A disbelief
B doubt
C question
D wonder
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1 Grade 4 271
Name: Date:

9 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A A new neighbor is a new friend.
B Do not break your promise to a friend.
C It is hard to know how to deal with change.
D The future is always bright if you have a plan.

Part B: Which detail from the passage shows the theme?

A “They viewed the land as a wilderness that needed them to
settle it.”
B “. . . the settlers had reached the eastern edge of the Great Plains.”
C “Now the settlers were building a town on the land that had
belonged to the Algonquin.”
D “. . . for his people, life would never be the same after the
settlers came.”

10 Read the sentences from the passage.

Was it better to give up their land so his people might live in peace, or
was it better to fight for what was theirs? And what if, by fighting, they

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

lost everything?

What do these sentences show about the Lakota?

A They faced a hard decision.

B They were a peaceful people.
C They wanted to fight the settlers.
D They felt they should have more land.

STOP

272 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 1

UNIT 6 WEEK 2

Read the passage “The Cranberry Connection” before answering

Numbers 1 through 5.

The Cranberry Connection

“What is this book?” Anna mumbled to herself as she helped her mom look
through old boxes. They had belonged to her grandparents who died when
Anna was a baby.
“I think I found Grandma’s diary,” she told her mother.
Her mother quickly came closer and said, “What a find! I can’t wait to read it.
I miss her.” Then seeing Anna’s frown, Mom added, “But you found Grandma’s
diary, so you can read it first.”
Nodding happily, Anna read the date on the first entry, August 13, 1953.
“How old was Grandma in 1953?” she asked.
Her mom thought for a minute. “She must have been about nine, the same
age as you are right now.”
Anna had seen photos of her grandparents, but they looked so old that it was
hard to imagine that her grandma was ever nine.
Anna read the first entry:
The county fair is only two weeks
away and today I’m going to practice

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

making Mother’s cranberry bread.
Last time, the dough was so
thick that I couldn’t
even knead it! I get
mad at myself when
my baking turns out
wrong, but Mother
keeps telling me to
have more patience.
I’ll use less flour
today and hope for
the best.
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274 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2
 UNIT 6 WEEK 2

Then Anna realized that her mother made cranberry bread, too, and the
recipe for that bread must have been passed down through the generations.
Anna suddenly wanted to learn how to make it, and quickly asked, “Mom,
could you help me make cranberry bread today?”
She could tell by the long pause that her mom was a little surprised by her
request. “I guess we could make some,” she replied, “but you’ll have to do the
kneading because my shoulder is sore from all this work.”
“I’ll do it all,” Anna told her. “Just make sure I’m doing it exactly the way you
do it.”
Her mom pointed out, “Anna, you don’t have a lot of . . .”
“Patience!” Anna interrupted. “I’m just like Grandma! But I want to learn
how to make that bread just like you do it—and like your mother did it, and
her mother did it, and . . .”
Laughing, her mom held up her hand. “I get it, but I’m wondering why you’re
suddenly so interested in that bread. Maybe I’d better read the diary before
we start!”
Anna smiled and handed the dusty diary to her mom. “I don’t want to break
the cranberry connection,” she said. “I have to be ready to teach my own kids
how to make that bread!”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 4 275
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “The Cranberry

Connection.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the message of the passage?

A Old boxes have many surprises.
B People need to be more patient.
C Some traditions should be continued.
D The past is more interesting than you think.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage helps to give this message?
A “‘I think I found Grandma’s diary,’ she told her mother.”
B “Then seeing Anna’s frown, Mom added, ‘But you found Grandma’s
diary, so you can read it first.’”
C “She could tell by the long pause that her mom was a little surprised
by her request.”
D “‘But I want to learn how to make that bread just like you do it—and
like your mother did it, and her mother did it, and . . .’”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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276 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2
 Name: Date:

2 Read the sentences from the passage.

Her mother quickly came closer and said, “What a find! I can’t wait to
read it. I miss her.”

Why is Anna’s mom excited to read the diary?

A She misses her mom.

B She needs to learn old recipes.
C She wants to learn the family’s secrets.
D She wants to see if her mom was like Anna.

3 Draw a line to match each word from the passage with the definition for
a homophone for it.

Word from Passage Definition for Homophone

knead people who see a doctor

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

patience to fly without flapping wings

sore to require something

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 4 277
Name: Date:

4 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

I’ll use less flour today and hope for the best.

What does flour mean in the sentence?

A a plant
B to open
C a baking ingredient
D to show your talents

Part B: Which word sounds like flour but has a different meaning
and spelling?

A flier
B floor
C flower
D four

5 Read the sentences from the passage.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

“I don’t want to break the cranberry connection,” she said. “I have to be
ready to teach my own kids how to make that bread!”

What do these sentences show about Anna?

A She really enjoys baking.

B She really likes cranberry bread.
C She needs to learn to be patient.
D She knows that cranberry bread is a tradition.

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278 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2
 UNIT 6 WEEK 2

Read the passage “Mysterious Neighbors” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Mysterious Neighbors
“How can something that old be right here in Illinois?” Rob asked himself. He
had been using the Internet to research lost civilizations for a history project.
Rob found a place called Cahokia.
He was amazed to find that Cahokia was about two hours from his home!
Between 20,000 to 40,000 people once lived there and built 120 mounds, yet
researchers disagree about the purpose of the mounds. The Cahokia people
disappeared and left behind no written records.
Rob read that long ago Cahokia covered 4,000 acres and was the largest city
north of Mexico. Living there were farmers, hunters, craftsmen, traders, and
priests. Most researchers think that the city was settled before the year 1000.
What really surprised Rob was that everyone abandoned the city about 300
years later, about 100 years before Columbus or any other Europeans arrived
in North America.
“Why would people build a big city and then abandon it?” Rob wondered. He
was excited to tell his parents about what he had learned. They had heard
about Cahokia but hadn’t been there. His mom suggested that they visit it the
following weekend.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

On Saturday morning, they stopped at the Visitor Center. A model of the

ancient city showed the mounds and hundreds of homes. Next, Rob wanted
to explore the huge
Monks Mound, which
was ten stories high.
Rob wondered how
many trips it took
to haul enough dirt
to make a mound
that big.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 4 279
UNIT 6 WEEK 2

The family climbed 156 steps to the top of the mound. The view was
astounding. It was more amazing than Rob had expected.
“I can see parts of a wooden wall around the city,” Rob said. “Maybe the
people who lived here were attacked and killed by their enemies.”
“Maybe,” his mom agreed. “The ruler of Cahokia probably lived on
this mound.”
“But no one knows for sure that this ruler existed,” Rob said. “Why didn’t the
Cahokia people leave behind any records?”
His dad explained. “Long ago, many groups didn’t have a written language,
so they couldn’t record their history. Instead, parents told stories to their
children, and the children told the same stories to their own kids. That’s how
they tried to preserve their history, yet those stories are lost now.”
“That’s too bad,” Rob said, “because I’d really like to know more about the
people who lived here. After all, they were our neighbors!”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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280 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Mysterious

Neighbors.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the message in this passage?

A History is very exciting.
B Some things cannot be explained.
C You can find many facts on the Web.
D Some stories from history are lost to us.

Part B: Which detail from the passage helps to show this message?
A Rob and his family visit Cahokia.
B Rob wishes he knew more about Cahokia.
C Rob looks up lost civilizations on the Internet.
D Rob sees what an ancient city might have looked like.

7 Read the sentence from the passage.

Rob read that long ago Cahokia covered 4,000 acres and was the largest
city north of Mexico.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Which word from the sentence is a homophone for a word that means
“a type of color”?

A read
B long
C city
D north

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 4 281
Name: Date:

8 Why does Rob want to visit Cahokia?

A He is interested in the city’s history.

B He wants to tell his friends about it.
C He wants to spend time with his family.
D He is interested in having a class trip to see it.

9 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

Rob wondered how many trips it took to haul enough dirt to make a
mound that big.

What does haul mean in the sentence?

A find
B carry
C a walkway
D a large room

Part B: Which word is a homophone for haul?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

A hall
B halt
C heal
D howl

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282 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2
 Name: Date:

10 Read the lesson from the passage.

Information that is not recorded may be lost forever.

Circle the paragraph that best supports this lesson.

The family climbed 156 steps to the top of the mound. The view was
astounding. It was more amazing than Rob had expected.
“I can see parts of a wooden wall around the city,” Rob said. “Maybe the
people who lived here were attacked and killed by their enemies.”
“Maybe,” his mom agreed. “The ruler of Cahokia probably lived on
this mound.”
“But no one knows for sure that this ruler existed,” Rob said. “Why didn’t
the Cahokia people leave behind any records?”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 2 Grade 4 283

 UNIT 6 WEEK 3

Read the article “Nonrenewable Resources” before answering Numbers 1

through 5.

Nonrenewable Resources
Fuels used to produce energy come from many different sources, some of
which are nonrenewable. These resources have a limited supply and cannot
be replaced. Once they are used, they are gone forever.
Some examples of nonrenewable resources are coal, oil, and natural gas. They
are usually found in deposits deep underground. Dead plants and animals
were buried under layers of rock and soil. Then heat and pressure were
applied to the remains. After millions of years, these fuels were created.
Oil has been used as a fuel for many years. Before the 1890s, the main product
made from oil was kerosene. It heated homes and lit lamps. The invention of
the automobile created a need for gasoline. Gasoline replaced kerosene as the
main product made from oil. The amount of gasoline needed increased as the
number of cars increased.
Like oil, natural gas has been used for a long time. In the past, natural gas had
problems as a fuel source. The wooden pipes used to carry natural gas leaked.
It was hard to move gas safely. The invention of strong pipes that did not leak
changed the gas industry by allowing natural gas to be carried far from where
it was found. Today, people use natural gas to heat their homes and water.
Natural gas powers clothes dryers, fireplaces, and gas grills.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Coal burns like oil and natural gas. Coal is a black or brownish-black rock.
There are four types of coal. Microscopes are used to help determine the type
of coal. Each type of coal is used for different things.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3 Grade 4 285
UNIT 6 WEEK 3

Coal has had many uses. In the past, it was used to make items for the
military, such as shot and shells. It was burned to produce steam for train
engines and steamboats, and it was also used as fuel to heat homes. Today,
coal is used to create almost half of all the electricity generated in the United
States. By-products of coal are used to make plastics, tar, and medicine. Coal
is also used to make steel, which is used to make building materials and
automobiles.
Nonrenewable resources provide electricity that powers many things. Oil,
coal, and natural gas have been used as fuel for many years. Our use of these
fuels has changed over time, and it will most likely continue to change.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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286 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Nonrenewable

Resources.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the article mostly about?

A Natural gas is used as a fuel.

B Coal powers train engines and steamboats.
C Before the 1890s, kerosene was made from oil.
D Uses for nonrenewable resources have changed through time.

Part B: Which detail from the article supports the main idea?

A Nonrenewable resources cannot be replaced.

B Different types of coal are buried in the ground.
C Gasoline replaced kerosene as the main product made from oil.
D Fuels were created from dead plants and animals over millions
of years.

2 Read the sentence from the article.

Fuels used to produce energy come from many different sources, some
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

of which are nonrenewable.

The prefix non- means “not.” What does it mean if something

is nonrenewable?

A It is getting bigger.
B It could be used up.
C It will always be there.
D It could be made again.

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Name: Date:

3 Which of these is a nonrenewable resource?

A animals
B coal
C paper
D plants

4 Underline the sentence in the paragraph that shows how a problem was
solved in the gas industry.

Like oil, natural gas has been used for a long time. In the past, natural
gas had problems as a fuel source. The wooden pipes used to carry
natural gas leaked. It was hard to move gas safely. The invention of
strong pipes that did not leak changed the gas industry by allowing
natural gas to be carried far from where it was found. Today, people use
natural gas to heat their homes and water. Natural gas powers clothes
dryers, fireplaces, and gas grills.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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288 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3
 Name: Date:

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

Microscopes are used to help determine the type of coal.

The prefix micro- means “tiny.” What do microscopes do?

A make small things look bigger

B make small things grow faster
C make large things look smaller
D make large things shrink faster

Part B: Which word has the same prefix as microscopes?

A helicopter
B macaroni
C microphone
D telescopes
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3 Grade 4 289
UNIT 6 WEEK 3

Read the article “Renewable Resources” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are used to produce energy. Renewable resources
are nondepletable, so they can never be used up. On the other hand,
nonrenewable resources can be depleted, or used up. Today, the price of
nonrenewable resources, such as oil and natural gas, has increased. Scientists
are searching for new ways to use renewable resources.
One renewable resource is biomass. It is a material that comes from plants and
animals and contains microorganisms. This resource is renewable because
there will always be plants and animals. Wood is a type of biomass that once
created most of the energy used. People used to burn wood to produce heat.
Today, some people still use wood to heat their homes and to cook. Most wood
fuel is used by the paper and wood industries, which burn their wood scraps to
produce electricity.
Another renewable resource is geothermal energy. It comes from heat within
Earth. This heat is always in the ground and is recovered as steam or hot water.
Geothermal energy can be seen at a hot spring. This natural pool is filled with
water heated underground. Geothermal energy can be used to heat buildings.
Water is another renewable resource. Hydropower is created when water
falls or flows. Water is one of the oldest energy sources. For instance, it was

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

used to turn a paddle wheel to grind grain thousands of years ago. Today,
about one-third of the power that comes from renewable resources comes
from hydropower.
The sun is a renewable resource because it does not stop shining. Solar energy
comes from the sun’s rays. During World War II, there was a limited supply of
electricity. Buildings were designed so that the windows, walls, and floors
collected and stored solar energy. Today, some homes and businesses use solar
panels to collect solar energy.

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290 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3
 UNIT 6 WEEK 3

The wind is a powerful renewable resource. Wind power has been used since
ancient times as an energy source. Windmills have pumped water, ground
wheat and corn, and generated electricity. Today, windmills are a
nonstandard way of generating power. However, their popularity is growing.
There has been an increase in the number of windmills. Using windmills
requires some preplanning. You need another energy source for days when
the wind does not blow.
Renewable resources have been used for thousands of years. Some people are
looking at renewable resources for new ways to replace some nonrenewable
resources.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3 Grade 4 291
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “Renewable

Resources.”

6 Use the list to fill in the chart. Write the main idea of the article and
one detail that supports it. Not all of the sentences will be used.

Main Idea

Supporting Details

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Sentences:
The price of nonrenewable resources has increased.
Windmills create electricity using wind power.
Renewable resources cannot run out.

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292 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3
 Name: Date:

7 Which of these is a type of biomass?

A oil
B plants
C steam
D water

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Why is geothermal energy a renewable resource?

A Earth will always produce heat.

B Hot springs can have very hot water.
C There will always be heat from the sun.
D The flow of water will always create electricity.

Part B: Which sentence from the article tells why geothermal energy
is renewable?

A “Most wood fuel is used by the paper and wood industries, which
burn their wood scraps to produce electricity.”
B “This heat is always in the ground and is recovered as steam or
hot water.”
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

C “Geothermal energy can be used to heat buildings.”

D “Today, about one-third of the power that comes from renewable
resources comes from hydropower.”

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Name: Date:

9 Read the sentence from the article.

Today, windmills are a nonstandard way of generating power.

What is a nonstandard way?

A an old way
B the best way
C not the usual way
D not the correct way

10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the article.

Using windmills requires some preplanning.

The prefix pre- means “before” What does preplanning mean?

A planning again
B waiting to plan
C planning ahead
D forgetting to plan

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Part B: Which word has the same prefix as preplanning?

A prefer
B preschool
C president
D pressure

STOP

294 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 3

UNIT 6 WEEK 4

Read the article “A Shirt for Two Chickens” before answering

Numbers 1 through 5.

A Shirt for Two Chickens

Long ago, if you needed a shirt, you might trade with your neighbor.
Thousands of years ago, people bartered, or traded, for what they could not
make or grow. They traded animals and extra crops for food, clothing, and
other necessities. They also traded their services.
Because necessity is the mother of invention, people began to use money. This
made sure people had something others wanted. Money was a lot easier to
carry around than crops and animals. Trading money for a pair of socks was
much neater than giving someone half of a chicken! However, it took a very
long time to develop the money system we use today.
The cowrie snail lives near the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its egg-shaped shell
is shiny and smooth with a flat underside. More than three thousand years
ago, people in China and Africa began using cowrie shells as money.
Then several hundred years later, the Chinese began forming metal into the
shape of cowrie shells. They used these metal shells as money. In time, the
metal shapes became round coins that had holes in the middle and could be
strung together, like a necklace.

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For thousands of years, cowrie shells like this one were used as money.

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296 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4
 UNIT 6 WEEK 4

About 2,500 years ago, people began to make coins out of silver, bronze, and
gold. They were often stamped with a picture of the current ruler. The metal
used in the coins made them valuable.
By the 700s, the Chinese tired of carrying around heavy coins. They began
printing and using paper money. But they printed so much paper money that
it lost its value. After all, if you could print money nonstop, everyone would
have plenty of it. In time, no one accepted the worthless money in exchange
for goods.
For many years, much of the paper money in our own nation was worthless.
Now the printing of money in the United States is tightly controlled to keep
our money valuable. Did anyone ever tell you, “Money doesn’t grow on
trees”? They wanted you to know that money is hard to get. However, if
money did grow on trees, no one would bother picking it. It, too, would be
worthless.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4 Grade 4 297
Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “A Shirt for

Two Chickens.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the main idea of the article?

A Not everyone likes chickens.

B Cowrie shells are the oldest money.
C Money was created to make trading easier.
D Paper money has been used for many years.

Part B: Which sentence from the article best supports the main idea?

A “Long ago, if you needed a shirt, you might trade with your
neighbor.”
B “Trading money for a pair of socks was much neater than giving
someone half of a chicken!”
C “The cowrie snail lives near the Pacific and Indian Oceans.”
D “For many years, much of the paper money in our own nation was
worthless.”

2 Read the sentence from the article.

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Because necessity is the mother of invention, people began to
use money.

What does it mean that “necessity is the mother of invention”?

A Invention needs mothers.

B Mothers need inventions.
C Mothers invent things to make work easier.
D Inventions are created when something is needed.

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298 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4
 Name: Date:

3 Write the effect for each cause in the chart. Use the effects in the list.

Cause Effect

Metals were used to make coins.

Coins became too heavy to carry.

Too much money was printed.

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Effects:
Money became worthless.
Coins were considered valuable.
The Chinese began to print paper money.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4 Grade 4 299
Name: Date:

4 Why most likely did forms of money keep changing?

A Not everyone agreed on the best form of money.

B People got tired of always using the same money.
C People found too many cowrie shells on the beaches.
D Everyone had enough chickens and did not need to trade.

5 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

Did anyone ever tell you, “Money doesn’t grow on trees”? They wanted
you to know that money is hard to get. However, if money did grow on
trees, no one would bother picking it.

What does the saying “money doesn’t grow on trees” mean?

A You have to work to get money.

B Money grows only on some trees.
C You have to be an adult to get money.
D No one knows where money comes from.

Part B: Which phrase from the sentences best explains what the

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

saying means?

A “anyone ever tell you”

B “wanted you to know”
C “is hard to get”
D “no one would bother”

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300 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4
 UNIT 6 WEEK 4

Read the article “What Good Is Money?” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

What Good Is Money?

Before the United States became a country, the colonists used a mixture of
Spanish, French, and English money. Banks were even allowed to print their
own money. However, much of this money was worthless. It’s not surprising
that people began to distrust paper money. They relied more on coins and
old-fashioned trading.
It was not until the Civil War that our government started to control the
printing of money. In 1861, Congress issued paper money in the amounts of
$5, $10, and $20. Most importantly, you could take this paper money to the
bank and exchange it for coins. Special paper with special ink was used to
print the money. People could not easily print their own money, so for the first
time, Americans could trust their paper money.
Since then, the look of paper money has changed slightly. Money is now
printed in $50 and $100 bills, too. But the money we use is much the same as it
was back in 1861. In fact, now most nations use paper money and coins that
are printed by their governments.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4 Grade 4 301
UNIT 6 WEEK 4

Today, we buy many things with credit and debit cards, and often, no real
money changes hands. Still, paper money and coins are not likely to
disappear anytime soon!
Prices are set in terms of money. For example, a farmer does not have to
figure out how many chickens to trade for a computer. An item has a price
tag that tells what it costs in dollars. Instead of trading something, we simply
use money.
Money is also used to pay people for the work they do. Have you heard the
saying, “Time is money”? If you are getting paid by the hour, that’s true. The
longer you work, the more money you earn. Imagine being paid in tomatoes
or chickens when what you really need is money to buy gas for your car.
We can save money, too. While chickens get old and tomatoes rot, money
keeps nicely, so in this way, money helps us plan for our future.
Anything, even shells, can be used as money, but everyone must be willing to
accept that form of money. When people stop accepting a form of money, it
loses its value. Are you thinking about inventing a new kind of money that
uses something you have lots of? Chances are you won’t succeed. Inventing a
new money system is easier said than done!

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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302 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on “What

Good Is Money?”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the main idea of the first two paragraphs of the article?

A Printing too much paper money leads to problems.

B The Civil War caused Americans to start using money.
C Americans struggled for years before setting up a good money
system.
D The main thing that has changed about our money is the way we
use it.

Part B: Which detail from the article best supports your answer in
part A?

A “. . . the colonists used a mixture of Spanish, French, and English

money.”
B “They relied more on coins and old-fashioned trading.”
C “In 1861, Congress issued paper money in the amounts of $5, $10,
and $20.”
D “. . . so for the first time, Americans could trust their paper money.”
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7 Read the sentences from the article.

Have you heard the saying, “Time is money”? If you are getting paid by
the hour, that’s true.

What is the meaning of the saying “time is money”?

A Time is valuable.
B Money is valuable.
C When you have money, you get time.
D When you have time, you get money.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4 Grade 4 303
Name: Date:

8 Read the sentence.

For better or worse, the worth of products and services is measured

in dollars.

Circle the paragraph where this sentence should be added.

Today, we buy many things with credit and debit cards, and often, no
real money changes hands. Still, paper money and coins are not likely
to disappear anytime soon!
Prices are set in terms of money. For example, a farmer does not have to
figure out how many chickens to trade for a computer. An item has a
price tag that tells what it costs in dollars. Instead of trading something,
we simply use money.
Money is also used to pay people for the work they do. Have you heard
the saying, “Time is money”? If you are getting paid by the hour, that’s
true. The longer you work, the more money you earn. Imagine being
paid in tomatoes or chickens when what you really need is money to
buy gas for your car.
We can save money, too. While chickens get old and tomatoes rot,
money keeps nicely, so in this way, money helps us plan for our future.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

Why do most people want money as a payment for working?

A It is easy to save money.

B Money is not worth a lot.
C Most people have worked for free.
D People can use money to buy things.

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304 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4
 Name: Date:

10 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentences from the article.

Are you thinking about inventing a new kind of money that uses
something you have lots of? Chances are you won’t succeed. Inventing a
new money system is easier said than done!

What does the saying “easier said than done” mean?

A Some people talk but never do anything.

B The task is easier to talk about than to do.
C It is important how you act toward others.
D Do not brag about what you are going to do.

Part B: Which phrase from the sentences tells what the saying means?

A “thinking about inventing”

B “uses something you have”
C “you won’t succeed”
D “a new money system”
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STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 4 Grade 4 305

 UNIT 6 WEEK 5

Read the passage “Thinking Big” before answering Numbers 1 through 5.

Thinking Big
“Welcome to our first ever poetry slam!” announced Mrs. Harmon. “We’re
happy that so many have come to support our local food bank.”
Olivia sat in the back of the classroom with the other poets and listened as
Mrs. Harmon thanked everyone for bringing cans and boxes of food to
the slam.
Olivia thought back to the day when the class had the idea to support hungry
people in their community. They noticed a photo in the newspaper of families
receiving food from the food bank. There was no caption, but a picture is
worth a thousand words. The students could see there was a need, and they
were determined to help fill it.
It took a while to come up with the
perfect way to help. Students thought
of raising money by holding a car wash,
a baked goods sale, or a garage sale.
All their ideas were snowflakes,
melting one by one until finally,
one stuck. They decided to hold
a poetry slam.
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Olivia was brought back to the

present by Mrs. Harmon’s voice.
“In a poetry slam, poets focus on
what they are saying and how they are saying it,” she explained.
WA_059A_127091
“The best part is that the audience is free to show the poets how
much they like the poems.”
The poetry slam seemed like a good idea, until now. Olivia was nervous. She
could tell her classmates were jittery too. Then Olivia thought big. She
whispered in Jon’s ear and said, “Pass it on.” When it was time to perform,
the poets were ready, and Jon confidently stepped up first.
Sharing food and a smiling face,
Our food bank is a caring place!
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5 Grade 4 307
UNIT 6 WEEK 5

Afterward, the audience was a pod of seals, clapping and clapping for Jon.
Then it was Kenji’s turn to perform.
No one should go hungry, this much we all know.
We can fill our food bank, let’s give it a go!
Kenji’s spunky reading gave the audience a good reason to stomp their feet.
Olivia was last, and she recited from the heart.
A slam each year is not enough,
One each month won’t be so tough.
Poems are fun. Who will write?
Will you join the hunger fight?
“Bravo! Right on!” shouted the crowd and soon, twenty people signed up to
write and recite poems at the next poetry slam.
Mrs. Harmon walked up to Jon. “I noticed Olivia whispered in your ear and
then the poets calmed down. What did she say?” she asked.
Jon responded, “Olivia reminded us of why we were here. She thought big.
She whispered, ‘Feed the hungry!’”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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308 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 1 through 5. Base your answers on “Thinking Big.”

1 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A Eat good foods to stay healthy.
B Stick with a task until you finish it.
C You can find a way to help those in need.
D People must work together to get anything done.

Part B: Which detail from the passage helps to show the theme?
A Mrs. Harmon is at the poetry slam.
B The students raise money for a food bank.
C The students feel nervous at the poetry slam.
D The students do not know how to raise money at first.

2 Read the sentence from the passage.

All their ideas were snowflakes, melting one by one until finally,
one stuck.
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Which feeling do you get from the saying, “their ideas were snowflakes,
melting one by one”?

A anger
B disappointment
C fear
D happiness

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5 Grade 4 309
Name: Date:

3 Underline the sentence in the paragraph that tells the overall message
of the passage.

Olivia thought back to the day when the class had the idea to support
hungry people in their community. They noticed a photo in the
newspaper of families receiving food from the food bank. There was no
caption, but a picture is worth a thousand words. The students could
see there was a need, and they were determined to help fill it.

4 Read the sentence from the passage.

Afterward, the audience was a pod of seals, clapping and clapping

for Jon.

What does the author want to show by using this sentence?

A failure
B fear
C sadness
D success

5 Read the lines from a poem in the passage.

Poems are fun. Who will write?

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Will you join the hunger fight?

What do these lines tell?

A how to keep from being hungry

B how people can help others in need
C why many people like to write poems
D what happens when you join fun groups

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310 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5
 UNIT 6 WEEK 5

Read the passage “The Next President” before answering Numbers 6

through 10.

The Next President

My heart is beating hard and fast
as I walk up on stage to speak. I am
thrilled because today I will become

OTE
the best president of the student
government.
Last night, my parents discussed
the election. They thought I was
overly confident. “You waged a FOR
hard campaign, Connor, but so did
Vanessa,” noted Dad.
“Either one of you could be elected,”
CONNOR
warned Mom.
I am a ticking clock, and my time is now. It is my final chance to get their
votes, so I will deliver an amazing speech.
“I’ll get electronic games for every classroom and a vending machine for the
lunchroom. Homework will be optional and recesses will last for an hour,
maybe longer. Bring in cell phones because there will be no rules against
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using them. Vote for me—Connor Storms—as your next president!”

To conclude, I start a cheer that I wrote myself:
Connor, Connor, he’s the one
To get the job done, done, done!
Most students join in, and I feel great about my chances. While Vanessa is
speaking, I pass around flyers I made because I know this poem will help
students decide I am right for the job.
When put to any kind of test,
Connor is by far the best!
It’s the start of a brand new day,
Vote for Connor. Hip! Hip! Hooray!
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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5 Grade 4 311
UNIT 6 WEEK 5

As students vote, I try not to show how happy I am. I notice that Vanessa is a
wooden toy soldier, standing tall and stiff, and I can see why, for it is no fun
to lose.
At the end of the day, our principal is ready to announce the results. He says,
“The next president of our student government is Vanessa Gainous!”
I cannot believe it! I thought I would be the next president. I see Vanessa
coming toward me, but I turn and walk out of the building.
Tonight, Mom and Dad could have said, “We told you so,” but they know how
stunned I am. We talk a long time about what it means to be a good sport
because there were times when I did not respect my opponent and I was not
polite. I definitely was not a gracious loser, but I will change. The first thing I
do is call and congratulate Vanessa, and I offer to help her in any way I can.
Then I get busy making flyers to hand out.
Keeping all her promises and working for our school,
Vanessa, our new president, is smart and very cool!

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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312 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5
 Name: Date:

Now answer Numbers 6 through 10. Base your answers on

“The Next President.”

6 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: What is the theme of the passage?

A Winners never lose.
B Always be a good sport.
C Listen to advice from everyone.
D Get involved in student government.

Part B: Which sentence from the passage helps to show this theme?
A “Most students join in, and I feel great about my chances.”
B “As students vote, I try not to show how happy I am.”
C “I see Vanessa coming toward me, but I turn and walk out of the
building.”
D “The first thing I do is call and congratulate Vanessa, and I offer to
help her in any way I can.”

7 Read the paragraph from the passage.

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I am a ticking clock, and my time is now. It is my final chance to get

their votes, so I will deliver an amazing speech.

Why is Connor compared to a ticking clock?

A He has a strong heart.

B He likes to know what time it is.
C He does not have much time before the election.
D He promises to give a new watch to each student.

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Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5 Grade 4 313
Name: Date:

8 This question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.

Part A: Read the sentence from the passage.

I notice that Vanessa is a wooden toy soldier, standing tall and stiff, and
I can see why, for it is no fun to lose.

Which feeling is created with “a wooden toy soldier, standing tall and
stiff”?

A confusion
B joy
C playfulness
D tenseness

Part B: Which phrase from the sentence helps to show what the
saying means?

A “notice that Vanessa”

B “I can see why”
C “for it is”
D “no fun to lose”

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education

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314 Grade 4 Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5
 Name: Date:

9 Read the sentence from the passage.

While Vanessa is speaking, I pass around flyers I made because I know

this poem will help students decide I am right for the job.

What does this sentence help to explain?

A why Connor wants to win so badly

B the best way to beat your opponent
C the importance of respecting others
D why speakers often cannot be heard

10 The passage is told from Connor’s point of view. How does this point of
view help you understand the passage? Circle two sentences.

Connor’s Point of View

It shows how Connor feels when he loses.

It compares Connor’s feelings with Vanessa’s feelings.

It shows how sure Connor is about winning the election.

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It shows who the students think will be the best president.

It describes why Vanessa does not complain about Connor.

STOP

Approaching-Level Weekly Assessment • Unit 6, Week 5 Grade 4 315