Preparing for the STAAR (Grade 4) NEW

theme

(all genres) a life lesson; something we learn from the author about human behavior or our society.

summary

(all genres) For Fiction: it includes the important parts of the story plot; For Informational: it includes the central idea and other main ideas from the selection (sometimes an important detail--but it has to be REALLY important!)

scene

(Drama) a part of a play that takes place in one setting

stage directions

(Drama) comments from the playwright that give the actors instructions about what their character should do/sound like- gestures, movement, tone of voice, etc.; these comments are put inside parenthesis

conclude

"figure out" using textual evidence

resolve

"fix" or "solve" a conflict/problem

role of a character

a character's purpose in a plot; how a character advances the plot events

narrator

the person telling a story

figurative language

examples: simile, metaphor, personification, etc.

convey

"tell" something

reveal

"show" something that was hidden before

drama

a type of genre that shares a story through action & speech and is supposed to be performed; includes a 'cast of characters' at the beginning, stage directions, and character dialogue

includes

"puts in"

headings

(informational/expository) a text feature that may give the reader a clue about what the main idea is for a section of text.

evaluate

"judge" or make a careful decision about something

italics

when authors make words slanted in a text in order to emphasize the important words/ideas in the story; also used to show when answer choices are taken directly out of a text.

emphasize (or emphasis)

make something "stand out" / to "draw attention" to something (ex: when words are made BOLD)

support

"provide evidence for" / to show to be true

fact

a statement that can be proven

opinion

what someone believes based on what they think or feel instead of on facts

encourage

to try and make someone do something; or to help someone by giving them hope and confidence

mainly about

"main idea"

evidence

"proof"