April 7th, Monday

 Today's lesson 

1. Review oral exam stories in class. 

Grade 4-A2 – Midterm Oral Exam – Spring 2025

1. Fable - The Lion and the Clever Fox

Once upon a time in the animal kingdom, a mighty lion ruled the land. The animals feared him greatly. One day, the lion grew bored and decided to trick the animals for fun.

“I’ll invite them to a feast,” he thought, “and eat the ones who come.”

The clever fox heard about the lion’s plan. "I must warn the others," she said. The fox told the animals, "Be careful! The lion isn’t being kind; he wants to trap you."

On the day of the feast, the lion waited, but only the fox arrived. "Where are the others?" the lion roared. The fox replied, "They were afraid. They saw the lion's footprints only going in, but none coming out."

The lion knew his plan had failed, and the clever fox saved the animals once again. The fox reminded the animals that wisdom is often stronger than strength. From that day forward, the animals trusted the fox to help them stay safe, and the lion learned that tricks and greed would not win him friends.

2. Realistic Fiction - The Big Hockey Match

Jack’s hockey team, the Thunder Blades, was about to play their biggest game of the season. The crowd cheered loudly as the players skated onto the ice. Jack felt nervous. His hands shook as he held his hockey stick. "What if I mess up?" he thought.

The game started, and Jack tried to focus. The other team was strong, scoring two quick goals. "We can’t give up!" Jack told his teammates.

In the final period, Jack stole the puck and raced toward the goal. "Shoot!" his friend yelled. Jack took a deep breath and hit the puck hard. It zipped past the goalie — GOAL!

With just seconds left, Jack’s teammate scored the winning goal. The crowd roared! Jack smiled proudly, knowing he had played his best. The Thunder Blades had won the big match, and Jack felt stronger than ever. He realized that courage and focus were just as important as skill.

3. Expository Text - Amazing Killer Whales

Killer whales, also known as orcas, are one of the most powerful predators in the ocean. They are black and white with large, strong bodies that help them swim quickly through the water. Orcas can reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour when chasing prey.

Killer whales live in groups called pods. Each pod is like a family, and they hunt together. They use special sounds to talk to one another and to find food. These clever hunters eat fish, seals, and sometimes even whales larger than themselves!

Killer whales are also known for their amazing tricks. They can jump high out of the water and even wave their fins. Scientists believe this is how they communicate with their pod or scare off predators.

These beautiful creatures are found in oceans all around the world. Although they are called "killer" whales, they are usually gentle and smart. Orcas remind us that teamwork and communication are important, even in the wild!

4. Fairy Tale - The Enchanted Shoes

In a small village, a poor shoemaker worked hard but could never make enough money. One night, he left unfinished shoes on his workbench. To his surprise, the next morning, the shoes were beautifully made. The stitches were perfect, and the leather shone brightly.

"Who could have done this?" he wondered. The same thing happened the next night, and the next! The shoemaker hid behind a curtain to watch. He saw two tiny elves sewing and stitching with amazing speed.

"I must thank them," the shoemaker said. His wife made tiny clothes for the elves as a gift. When the elves found the clothes, they danced with joy and left the village, never to return.

But thanks to the elves' help, the shoemaker and his wife became successful. They were able to sell many beautiful shoes and live happily ever after. The shoemaker never forgot the kindness of the little elves and often told their story to his children as a reminder that kindness brings unexpected rewards.

 

5. Myth - How the Sun Found Its Place

Long ago, the sky was dark, and the animals had no light. The moon tried to shine brighter, but it was too weak. The stars twinkled, but they couldn’t brighten the earth.

"I will help," said the Sun, a brave ball of fire. The Sun rose into the sky, filling the world with warmth and light. The plants grew, and the animals danced with joy. But the Sun became tired. "I must rest," he said.

The Moon and stars promised to watch over the earth while the Sun slept. Ever since that day, the Sun lights the world in the morning, and the Moon and stars take care of the night.

The animals remembered to give thanks to the Sun, the Moon, and the stars for sharing their light and keeping the world in balance. The Sun’s gift taught the animals that both work and rest are important to live a happy life.

6. Biography - The Story of Walt Disney

Walt Disney was born in 1901. As a boy, Walt loved drawing and dreamed of becoming an artist. He spent hours sketching animals on his family’s farm. When Walt grew older, he started working for a newspaper, but he lost his job because his boss thought he wasn’t creative enough!

Despite this setback, Walt didn’t give up. He started a small company to make cartoons, but that business failed too. Even though things were tough, Walt kept trying. One day, he created a cheerful mouse named Mickey, and soon Mickey Mouse became famous all over the world! Walt kept creating more characters like Donald Duck and Goofy, and his cartoons became popular everywhere.

Walt didn’t stop there. He wanted to create a special place where families could have fun together. That’s how Disneyland was born. Walt Disney’s dream of a magical park came true, and it became one of the most famous theme parks in the world.

Today, Walt Disney’s cartoons, movies, and theme parks bring joy to people everywhere. His creativity, courage, and hard work show us that with imagination and determination, dreams can come true.

Oral Exam Scoring Rubric (Out of 100 Points)

Criteria	Excellent (18-20 / 13-15 / 5)	Good (15-17 / 10-12 / 4)	Fair (12-14 / 7-9 / 3)	Needs Improvement (8-11 / 4-6 / 2)	Poor (0-7 / 0-3 / 0-1)
Fluency (20 pts)	Smooth, natural flow with clear pacing; minimal hesitation.	Mostly smooth with minor pauses; good pacing.	Noticeable pauses or uneven pacing.	Frequent pauses or choppy delivery.	Speech is slow, unnatural, and hard to follow.
Clarity (20 pts)	Words are clear and easy to understand throughout.	Mostly clear; only a few unclear words.	Some words are hard to understand.	Several unclear words make parts of the story difficult to follow.	Very unclear; speech is difficult to understand.
Pronunciation (20 pts)	Accurate pronunciation with minimal mistakes.	Mostly accurate with 2-3 minor errors.	Noticeable errors that slightly affect understanding.	Frequent errors that affect understanding.	Major pronunciation issues make speech hard to follow.
Performance (20 pts)	Outstanding energy, emotion, and engagement; strong eye contact and body language.	Good use of expression, gestures, and some eye contact.	Limited performance; some gestures or expression used.	Little energy or expression; minimal engagement.	No effort to engage; flat and robotic reading.
Volume  (15 pts)	Voice is consistently clear, strong, and easy to hear.	Mostly clear; occasional quiet parts.	Occasionally too soft or inconsistent volume.	Often too quiet or hard to hear.	Speech is barely audible.
Time (5 pts)	Perfect timing (2:30 - 3:00 minutes).	Slightly over or under by 10-15 seconds.	Over or under by 20-30 seconds.	Over or under by 30-45 seconds.	Over or under by more than 45 seconds.

 

2. Review vocabulary and definitions for the exam.  Please practice in Google Classroom. 

3. Week 9 Communication Book: 

G4A2 Week 9 Communication Book

4/7 Monday	Review worksheet -Monday Google classroom (GC) Review Oral Exam
4/8 Tuesday	Sensay homework Week 9 due 4/14 Review worksheet-Tuesday
4/9 Wednesday	Review worksheet -Wednesday Review Written Exam
4/10 Thursday	Review worksheet -Thursday Review Written Exam
4/11 Friday	Review worksheet –Friday Review Written Exam Google classroom (GC)