Alternate Assessment Apps for Fourth Grade

Fourth grade students are required to be tested in ELA, math and science.

English

  • Required Component 1—Key Idea: Reading

Choice Component 2—Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

The student will answer “who,” “what" and/or “when” questions with classmates by creating a group project based on the text.

The student work product is a collage made by the student and his or her classmates that answers “who,” “what,” and/or “when” questions.

If you are feeling creative, this is a clever way to answer Wh questions. Using your iPad 2 camera, take some photos and then use photowall pro collage ($2.99) to create amazing photo collages.

  • Required Component 2—Key Idea: Writing

Choice Component 1—Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

The student will identify main ideas of informational texts for note-taking by selecting the main ideas using pictures or phrases from a set of choices. The student work product includes the title of the texts, choices, and the student’s selection of main ideas.

Noteshelf ($4.99) Allows students to write with a stylus, choose their own color and keep their ideas in separate notebooks -- my favorite!

Math

  • Required Component 1—Strand: Number Sense and Operations

Choice Component 1—Band: Number Systems

The student will put three or more numbers in correct order. The student work product is a set of three or more unordered numbers that the student ordered correctly.

The Counting Game ($ .99) Allows students to count by 1’s, 2’s, etc., based on their level.

  • Required Component 1—Strand: Number Sense and Operations

Choice Component 2—Band: Operations

The student will solve simple one-digit addition and/or subtraction problems with or without manipulative. The student work product shows simple addition and/or subtraction problems.

Park Math HD ($4.99) Visual manipulatives for addition and subtraction. Five apps in one!

Science

  • Required Component 1—Standard: 1-Analysis, Inquiry, and Design (Scientific Inquiry)

Key Idea 1: The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process. The student will recognize objects with different characteristics when given two or more grouped objects. The student work product shows the grouped items and the items the student chose as not belonging to the group.

Which does not belong ($.99) Student is given three pictures; he or she must choose which item does not belong.

  • Required Component 2—Standard: 4-The Living Environment

Choice Component 1—Key Idea 3: Individual organisms and species change over time.

The student will identify basic plant (or animal) structures by labeling a diagram of a plant (or an animal) with the basic structures. The student work product is the diagram with labels placed on basic structures.

Labelbox (Free) Take a picture of a plant, then use Labelbox to label the parts.

Vicki Windman is a special education teacher at Clarkstown High School South.