Silver Whistle Assessment
NYS Next Generation ELA • Grade 4
Short Response Reading Assessment
Student Name
Date
Directions: Read the story carefully. As you read, pay close attention to the characters, setting, and how Mateo's feelings change throughout the text. You will use details from the story to answer a written response question on the next page.
The Silver Whistle
by Elena Ramirez
1 Ten-year-old Mateo stood at the base of the Cape Gull lighthouse, staring up at the winding iron staircase. Today was his first evening assisting his grandfather, the head keeper. Before they climbed, Grandfather held out a worn silver whistle attached to a braided leather cord. Its metal was scuffed from decades of sea spray.
2 "Your great-grandfather carved the notch in this whistle," Grandfather said softly. "It has warned three generations of fishermen away from the Jagged Reef when the mist creeps in fast." Mateo slipped the cold cord around his neck, but he felt skeptical. The lighthouse had an electric siren and an automated brass foghorn. A tiny pocket whistle seemed like a useless old toy compared to modern machines.
3 Just after twilight, a wall of gray fog rolled across the bay like thick smoke. Suddenly, the tower went completely dark. The storm generator sputtered and died with a loud screech. Inside the lantern room, the rotating beacon stopped, leaving the rocky coastline pitch black. Grandfather rushed down to the lower engine room to restart the backup fuse, calling back, "Keep watch on the catwalk!"
4 Mateo stepped out onto the windy catwalk. Through the damp gloom, he spotted the faint amber lantern of Captain Reed’s fishing dory drifting directly toward the shallow, razor-sharp rocks. The electric horn was dead. Panic gripped Mateo’s chest until his fingers brushed the silver whistle tucked under his collar. Remembering the keeper's code his grandfather taught him, Mateo took a deep breath and blew four long, piercing blasts into the sea wind.
5 The sharp, high pitch sliced cleanly through the fog. Below, the dory’s lantern swung sharply to the right as Captain Reed steered safely into deep water. When the generator hummed back to life and Grandfather returned to the deck, Mateo grasped the silver whistle tightly in his palm with new respect. It wasn't an antique relic at all—it was a lifeline.
NYS ELA Standard: 4R1, 4R3 (Key Ideas & Details) Turn to Page 2 for the Response Prompt →
Part 2 • Short Constructed Response
2-Point Short Response Question
Score Value
2 Points Max
QUESTION Read the prompt below carefully:
In "The Silver Whistle," how does Mateo’s point of view about his grandfather’s whistle change from the beginning to the end of the story? Use two details from the passage to support your response.
1. State a Claim State how Mateo's view changed.
2. Cite Two Details Include 2 specific text details.
3. Explain Evidence Connect details back to claim.
Student Written Response Write in complete sentences
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NYS 2-Point Holistic Scoring Guide Teacher Evaluation: [ / 2 pts]
2 Points: Valid claim with 2 accurate text details and complete explanation of change.
1 Point: Partially correct response; provides only 1 detail or incomplete interpretation.
0 Points: Incorrect, irrelevant, or insufficient evidence from the passage.
