ISAT Social Science Performance Definitions
Grade 4
EXCEEDS STANDARDS
In the Political context fourth graders whose performance exceeds
standards are consistently able to differentiate between local,
state, and national offices and the public goods and services governments
provide. They can explain the purpose of rules and laws. Students
at this level can describe rights and responsibilities and the sources
of these rights. They can explain how individuals and groups participate
in elections and other public actions to influence policy. Usually,
fourth graders performing at the exceeds level can explain relationships
between the United States and other nations. Students performing
at the exceeds level can consistently identify political symbols
such as the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, the White House,
and name documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the
United States Constitution. Students performing at the exceeds level
can identify that political systems (such as the forms and functions
of government) change over time.
In Economic context, fourth graders at the exceeds level can explain
that scarcity requires consumers and producers to make choices.
At this level students can identify a range of goods and services
and the role of money in the exchange of goods and services. Usually,
a exceeds level student can make some complex interpretations of
data from graphs, charts and other sources of data. Students at
this level can identify divisions of labor and economic interdependence
in communities (i.e., factory workers, shop keepers, doctors. ).
Students at the exceeds level can consistently identify a range
of public and privately produced goods and services. Students performing
at the exceeds level can identify that economic systems such as
financial institutions, stores, trade and money change over time.
In the Historical context, fourth grade students who exceed standards
can identify an extensive range of significant people and events
in political, economic, environmental, and social history. They
can make appropriate interpretations of life in the past based on
such historical sources as a picture or document. Fourth grade students
at the exceeds level can connect significant events to explain the
difference between past and present. Students can identify where
a significant event took place and when it happened. A fourth grade
student at the exceeds level can describe customs and traditions
that reflect a community’s cultural heritage and relate them
to other cultures.
In the Geographical context, fourth grade students who exceed standards
can use maps, globes, other geographic representations (charts,
graphs, images, software, etc.), and tools to locate places and
geographic features. Students performing at the exceeds level can
consistently identify how human activity impacts the environment;
and how the environment affects human activity. Students at this
level can make connections of how the physical and human characteristics
of a region change over time.
In the Social Systems context, fourth grade students who exceed
standards can consistently identify literature, folktales, the arts,
traditions, and institutions which reflect the culture of a community
or region at given time periods. Students at this level can describe
cultural traditions from other lands that are part of American life
today. Students at the exceeds level can consistently recognize
examples of how roles of individuals and groups influence peoples
lives. Students performing at the exceeds level usually can describe
how social institutions such as neighborhoods, schools, and clubs,
change over time.
MEETS STANDARDS
In the Political context fourth graders whose performance meets
standards are usually able to differentiate between local, state,
and national offices and the public goods and services governments
provide. They usually can explain the function of rules and laws.
Students at this level can explain their rights and responsibilities
and the sources of these rights. They can explain how individuals
and groups participate in elections and other public actions to
influence policy. Usually, fourth graders can recognize a relationship
between the United States and other nations. Students performing
at the meets level can identify some political symbols such as the
American flag, the Statue of Liberty, White House, and documents
such as the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
Students performing at the meets level usually can identify that
political systems (such as the forms and functions of government)
change over time.
In Economic context, fourth graders can usually explain that scarcity
requires consumers and producers to make choices. At this level
students can identify some goods and services and the role of money
in the exchange of goods and services. Usually, a meets level student
can make basic interpretations of data from graphs, charts and other
sources of data. Students can identify division of labor and economic
interdependence in communities (i.e., factory workers, shop keepers,
doctors. ). Most fourth graders can identify commonly provided public
and privately produced goods and services. Students performing at
the meets level usually can identify that economic systems such
as financial institutions, stores, trade and money change over time.
In the Historical context, fourth grade students who meet standards
can identify significant people and events in political, economic,
environmental, and social history. They can make an interpretation
of life in the past based on such historical sources as a picture
or document. Fourth grade students at the meets level, can usually
connect significant events to explain the difference between past
and present. Students can identify where a significant event took
place. A fourth grade student can describe customs and traditions
that reflect a community’s cultural heritage.
In the Geographical context, fourth grade students who meet standards
can use maps, globes, other geographic representations (charts,
graphs, images, software, etc.), and tools to locate places and
geographic features. Students performing at the meets level can
identify how human activity impacts the environment; and how the
environment affects human activity. Students can describe how the
physical and human characteristics of a region change over time.
In the Social Systems context, fourth grade students who meet standards
can identify literature, folktales, the arts, traditions, and institutions
which reflect the culture of a community or region. Students can
identify cultural traditions from other lands that are part of American
life today. Students at the meets level can recognize an example
of how roles of individuals and groups influence peoples lives.
Students performing at the meets level usually can identify that
social institutions such as neighborhoods, schools, and clubs, change
over time.
BELOW STANDARDS
In the Political context fourth graders who performance below standards
are unable to differentiate between local, state, and national offices
and the public goods and services governments provide. They usually
can explain the function of rules and laws. Students at this level
can on occasion identify their rights and responsibilities and some
sources of these rights. Students below standards seldom explain
how individuals and groups participate in elections and other public
actions to influence policy. Fourth graders at this level can seldom
recognize a relationship between the United States and other nations.
Students performing at the below standard level can identify few
political symbols such as the American flag the Statue of Liberty,
and the White House and documents such as the Declaration of Independence
and the United States Constitution. Students performing at the at
this level seldom identify that political systems (such as the forms
and functions of government) change over time.
In Economic context, fourth graders who perform below standard
seldom identify that scarcity requires consumers and producers to
make choices. At this level students can identify some goods and
services but do not comprehend the role of money in the exchange
of goods and services. A below standard level fourth grader makes
few basic interpretations from graphs, charts and other sources
of data. Students at this level seldom identify division of labor
and economic interdependence in communities (i.e., factory workers,
shop keepers, doctors. ). Fourth graders at the below standard level
identify few commonly provided public and privately produced goods
and services. Students performing at the below standard level inconsistently
identify components of economic systems such as financial institutions,
stores, trade and money change over time.
In the Historical context, fourth grade students who perform below
standard can identify few significant people and events in political,
economic, environmental, and social history. Students performing
at this level do not know why people or events are considered significant.
They seldom make an interpretation of life in the past based on
such historical sources as a picture or document. Fourth grade students
performing below standard, seldom connect significant events to
explain the difference between past and present. Students at this
level sometimes identify where a significant event took place. A
fourth grade student performing below standard usually cannot describe
customs and traditions that reflect a community’s cultural
heritage.
In the Geographical context, fourth grade students who are below
standard have difficulty using maps, globes, other geographic representations
(charts, graphs, images, software, etc.), and tools to locate places
and geographic features. Students performing below standard level
rarely identify how human activity impacts the environment; and
how the environment affects human activity. Students at this level
have limited descriptions of how the physical and human characteristics
of a region change over time.
In the Social Systems context, fourth grade students who perform
below standard can identify a few examples of literature, folktales,
the arts, traditions, and institutions, which reflect the culture
of a community or region. Students at this level identify few cultural
traditions from other lands that are part of American life today.
Students at this level have difficulty in recognizing an example
of how roles of individuals and groups influence peoples lives.
Students performing below standard seldom identify that social institutions
such as neighborhoods, schools, and clubs, change over time.
ACADEMIC WARNING
In the Political context fourth graders whose performance is at
the academic warning level are unable to differentiate between local,
state, and national offices and the public goods and services governments
provide. They usually cannot explain the function of rules and laws.
Students at this level have some understanding of their rights and
responsibilities, but have difficulty in identify the sources of
these rights. Students at this level do not understand how individuals
and groups participate in elections and other public actions to
influence policy. Fourth graders at the academic warning level cannot
recognize a relationship between the United States and other nations.
Students performing at this level may occasionally identify some
political symbols such as the American flag, the Statue of Liberty,
the White House, and documents such as the Declaration of Independence
and the United States Constitution. Students performing at this
level do not identify that political systems (such as the forms
and functions of government) change over time.
In Economic context, fourth graders at the academic warning level
cannot explain that scarcity requires consumers and producers to
make choices. At this level students identify very few goods and
services and the role of money in the exchange of goods and services.
A fourth grade student at the academic warning level make very few
basic interpretations from graphs, charts and other sources of data.
Students at this level do not identify division of labor and economic
interdependence in communities (i.e., factory workers, shop keepers,
doctors. ). Most fourth graders performing at the academic warning
level occasionally identify a few commonly provided public and privately
produced goods and services. Students performing at this level usually
do not identify that institutional components of economic systems
such as financial institutions, stores, trade and money change over
time.
In the Historical context, fourth grade students who perform at
the academic warning level can occasionally identify very few significant
people and events in political, economic, environmental, and social
history. They have great difficulty in making an interpretation
of life in the past based on such historical sources as a picture
or document. Fourth grade students at the this level, cannot connect
significant events to explain the difference between past and present.
Academic warning students rarely identify where a significant event
took place. A fourth grade student performing at this level cannot
describe customs and traditions that reflect a community’s
cultural heritage. At this level students lack a conceptual understanding
of past, present and future.
In the Geographical context, fourth grade students who perform
at the academic warning level can at a very limited and inconsistent
way use maps, globes, other geographic representations (charts,
graphs, images, software, etc.), and tools to locate places and
geographic features. Students performing at the this level cannot
identify how human activity impacts the environment; or how the
environment affects human activity. Students at the academic warning
level rarely describe how the physical and human characteristics
of a region change over time.
In the Social Systems context, fourth grade students who perform
at the academic warning level can seldom identify any examples of
literature, folktales, the arts, traditions, and institutions with
the culture of a community or region. Students at this level can
identify very few cultural traditions from other lands that are
part of American life today. Students performing at this level cannot
recognize an example of how roles of individuals and groups influence
peoples’ lives. Students performing at the academic warning
level usually cannot identify that social institutions such as neighborhoods,
schools, and clubs, change over time.
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