A high-impact, daily ELA review routine for 4th-grade students, aligned with TEKS Editing and Mechanics. Consistently revisits spelling, grammar, punctuation, and sentence editing across multiple weeks to build mastery.
Mr. Gonzalez said, "Please bring me those books on Tuesday."
Key corrections: Capital M/G in Mr. Gonzalez, comma after said, capital P in Please, change "them" to "those", capital T in Tuesday, period inside quotation marks.
1. The brave ( knight / night ) rode his white horse.
2. She ( knew / new ) the right answer.
2 CAPITALIZATION
4.11.D.ix
Titles & Grades
Correct the capitalization errors:
we read the book *charlotte's web* in our fourth grade class.
Rewrite correctly:
We read... Charlotte's Web... fourth-grade...
3 PUNCTUATION
4.11.D.x
Commas in a Series
Add commas to separate items:
She packed pencils, erasers, markers, and crayons in her bag.
Rewrite correctly:
...pencils, erasers, markers, and...
4 NOUN PATROL
4.11.D.iii
Collective Nouns
Complete the sentence:
colony | pack | pride | herd
A large pride of lions rested in the tall yellow grass.
5 VERB VENTURE
4.11.D.ii
Helping Verbs
Underline helping verb and circle main verb:
They will arrive at the party very soon.
6 PRONOUN POWER
4.11.D.vii
Possessive Pronoun
Fill in the correct possessive pronoun:
That new bicycle belongs to my brother. It is his.
7 MODIFIERS
4.11.D.iv/v
Irregular Adjectives
Circle correct adjective form:
That was the ( worse / worst ) cold I have ever had.
8 SENTENCE SURGEON
4.11.D.i
Structure Check
What describes this sentence?
We went to the beach we swam in the warm waves.
Sent. Frag. ✓ Run-on
9 WORD STUDY
4.3.A
Suffix Analysis
Analyze the word homeless:
Suffix:
-less
What does the suffix -less mean?
without
10 THE BIG FIX
TEKS 4.11.D
Proofreading & Sentence Correction
Find and fix all errors, then rewrite the sentence perfectly on the lines below:
does you know if mr green is coming to our school on friday.
Do you know if Mr. Green is coming to our school on Friday?
Key corrections: Change "does" to "Do", capital D in Do, capital and period in Mr., capital G in Green, capital F in Friday, change period to question mark.
Leo loved visiting his grandfather’s house in the Texas hill country. The best part of the visit was exploring the massive backyard garden. Grandfather called it a "jungle of wonders" because of the tall sunflowers, wild vines, and hidden stone paths.
On Thursday afternoon, Leo was kneeling near a patch of sweet-smelling lavender when his shovel struck something hard. He expected to find another limestone rock. Instead, his fingers brushed against a cold, dirty piece of metal. Leo carefully pulled it from the loose soil and brushed away the damp dirt. It was a heavy, brass key with beautiful, swirling patterns carved into the handle.
Leo’s heart raced with excitement. What did this key unlock? He immediately ran to the porch to show Grandfather.
Grandfather put on his reading glasses and stared at the key with a warm smile. "Well, look at that," he whispered softly. "I thought this key was lost forever. My father gave me this key when I was just your age. It belongs to the old wooden treasure chest in the attic."
Leo’s eyes went wide. "A treasure chest? What is inside?"
"Why don't we go find out together?" Grandfather replied, standing up and dusting off his overalls.
As they walked up the creaky wooden stairs to the attic, Leo felt a thrill of anticipation. He clutched the cold key tightly in his hand. He realized that the true treasure wasn't just whatever lay inside the chest, but the wonderful mystery he got to solve alongside his grandfather.
Vocabulary definitions Anticipation: A feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen.
1 TEKS 3.8.C (PLOT)
Why does Leo run to the porch to see his grandfather?
A He is tired of working in the backyard garden B He wants to show him the sweet lavender C He is excited about the key he discovered D He needs help moving a heavy limestone rock
2 TEKS 3.8.B (CHARACTERS)
Grandfather's reaction to seeing the key shows that he feels —
A annoyed that Leo was digging in the soil B sentimental and happy to see a lost memory C worried that the old key is too dirty to use D confused about where Leo found the key
3 TEKS 3.8.A (THEME)
Which sentence from the story best supports the theme?
A Leo loved visiting his grandfather’s house... B He carefully pulled it from the loose soil... C "It belongs to the old wooden treasure chest..." D He realized that the true treasure was the mystery...
Reading Spark Warmups • Grade 3 STAAR Comprehension Practice
3 TEKS 3.10.A
Correct: D
What is the primary purpose of this passage?
A. To tell a story about a little armored dinosaur
B. To persuade the reader to adopt a forest animal
C. To explain how Texas armadillos build burrows
✓ D. To inform the reader about armadillo adaptations Rationale: The text is informational and focuses on the physical/behavioral adaptations of armadillos.
Reading Spark Answer Key • Grade 3 STAAR Comprehension Practice
READING SPARK WARMUPS
TEACHER ANSWER KEY • GRADE 3 • WEEK 1
Thursday Key
M T W T
[ LITERARY GENRE KEY ]
Literary Text
The Missing Key
Leo loved visiting his grandfather’s house in the Texas hill country. The best part of the visit was exploring the massive backyard garden. Grandfather called it a "jungle of wonders" because of the tall sunflowers, wild vines, and hidden stone paths.
On Thursday afternoon, Leo was kneeling near a patch of sweet-smelling lavender when his shovel struck something hard. He expected to find another limestone rock. Instead, his fingers brushed against a cold, dirty piece of metal. Leo carefully pulled it from the loose soil and brushed away the damp dirt. It was a heavy, brass key with beautiful, swirling patterns carved into the handle.
Leo’s heart raced with excitement. What did this key unlock? He immediately ran to the porch to show Grandfather.
Grandfather put on his reading glasses and stared at the key with a warm smile. "Well, look at that," he whispered softly. "I thought this key was lost forever. My father gave me this key when I was just your age. It belongs to the old wooden treasure chest in the attic."
Leo’s eyes went wide. "A treasure chest? What is inside?"
"Why don't we go find out together?" Grandfather replied, standing up and dusting off his overalls.
As they walked up the creaky wooden stairs to the attic, Leo felt a thrill of anticipation. He clutched the cold key tightly in his hand. He realized that the true treasure wasn't just whatever lay inside the chest, but the wonderful mystery he got to solve alongside his grandfather.
Vocabulary definitions Anticipation: A feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen.
1 TEKS 3.8.C
Correct: C
Why does Leo run to the porch to see his grandfather?
A. He is tired of working in the backyard garden
B. He wants to show him the sweet lavender
✓ C. He is excited about the key he discovered Rationale: Paragraph 3 states his "heart raced with excitement" and he "immediately ran to the porch."
D. He needs help moving a heavy limestone rock
2 TEKS 3.8.B
Correct: B
Grandfather's reaction to seeing the key shows that he feels —
A. annoyed that Leo was digging in the soil
✓ B. sentimental and happy to see a lost memory Rationale: Grandfather smiles and softly says, "I thought this key was lost forever," showing sentimental joy.
C. worried that the old key is too dirty to use
D. confused about where Leo found the key
3 TEKS 3.8.A
Correct: D
Which sentence from the story best supports the theme?
A. Leo loved visiting his grandfather’s house...
B. He carefully pulled it from the loose soil...
C. "It belongs to the old wooden treasure chest..."
✓ D. He realized that the true treasure was the mystery... Rationale: This explicitly highlights that the relationship and time spent with his grandfather is the real treasure.
Reading Spark Answer Key • Grade 3 STAAR Comprehension Practice
What are Maya's feelings and character traits at the beginning of the story?
2
The Interaction
What specific interaction or event causes Maya's attitude to change?
3
The Destination
How has Maya changed by the end of the story? What is her new outlook?
Literary Elements Analysis Case File • Grade 4 TEKS 4.8B Character Interactions & Changes
By the end of the project, Maya apologized to Samir for her sour attitude. "I was wrong to assume I could do everything better by myself," she admitted with a warm smile. Maya realized that collaboration and listening to others made their science project far better than she ever could have created alone.
1
Starting Point
What are Maya's feelings and character traits at the beginning of the story?
• Stubborn • Doubted others / sour attitude • Preferred to work alone
2
The Interaction
What specific interaction or event causes Maya's attitude to change?
• Samir sketched a beautiful, highly detailed plant cell diagram. • Maya was astonished by his quiet talent.
3
The Destination
How has Maya changed by the end of the story? What is her new outlook?
• She realized collaboration makes work much better. • She apologized for her attitude and smiled warmly.
Literary Elements Analysis Answer Key • Grade 4 TEKS 4.8B Character Interactions & Changes
2
Metric Conversion Tables
Complete the input-output conversion tables from larger to smaller units:
Meters (m) to Centimeters (cm)
Input (m)
Output (cm)
1
100
3
300
6
800
12
Kilograms (kg) to Grams (g)
Input (kg)
Output (g)
1
1,000
2
2,000
4
7,000
15
3
Conversion Word Problems
A construction worker bought 8 meters of thick nylon rope. The hardware store clerk measures rope in centimeters. How many centimeters of rope did the construction worker buy? Show your work.
Complete the input-output conversion tables from larger to smaller units:
Meters (m) to Centimeters (cm)
Input (m)
Output (cm)
1
100
3
300
6
600
8
800
12
1,200
Kilograms (kg) to Grams (g)
Input (kg)
Output (g)
1
1,000
2
2,000
4
4,000
7
7,000
15
15,000
3
Conversion Word Problems
A construction worker bought 8 meters of thick nylon rope. The hardware store clerk measures rope in centimeters. How many centimeters of rope did the construction worker buy? Show your work.
Measurement Problem Solving Worksheets • Grade 4 TEKS 4.8C Length, Volume, & Mass Operations
Total Milliliters: 5,500 mL
Scenario C: The Baker's Sack PROBLEM 3
A bakery had a sack containing 5 kilograms of flour. The baker used 1,200 grams of flour to make cookies and 2,500 grams to make bread. How many grams of flour are left inside the sack?
• Convert sack mass to grams: 5 kg = 5,000 g • Flour used: 1,200 g + 2,500 g = 3,700 g • Flour left: 5,000 g - 3,700 g = 1,300 g
Grams of Flour Left: 1,300 g
Measurement Problem Solving Answer Key • Grade 4 TEKS 4.8C Length, Volume, & Mass Operations
Convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Complete the empty boxes:
Kilometers (km) to Meters (m) [×1000]
Input (km)
Output (m)
1
1,000
3
6
6,000
9,000
Meters (m) to Centimeters (cm) [×100]
Input (m)
Output (cm)
1
100
4
700
12
Centimeters (cm) to Millimeters (mm) [×10]
Input (cm)
Output (mm)
1
10
5
120
25
Metric Mass Tables
Convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Complete the empty boxes:
Kilograms (kg) to Grams (g) [×1,000]
Input Kilograms (kg)
Output Grams (g)
1
1,000
3
6,000
10
15
Mass Critical Thinking
The mass of a soccer ball is about 400 grams. If a coach packs a mesh bag containing 5 soccer balls, what is the total mass of the soccer balls in kilograms? Show work.
Metric Capacity Tables
Convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Complete the empty boxes:
Liters (L) to Milliliters (mL) [×1,000]
Input Liters (L)
Output Milliliters (mL)
1
1,000
4
8,000
12
20
Capacity Critical Thinking
A large jug contains 6 liters of water. If students pour 250 milliliters of water into 4 individual cups, how many milliliters of water are left inside the jug? Show work.
Convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Complete the empty boxes:
Kilometers (km) to Meters (m) [×1000]
Input (km)
Output (m)
1
1,000
3
3,000
6
6,000
9
9,000
Meters (m) to Centimeters (cm) [×100]
Input (m)
Output (cm)
1
100
4
400
7
700
12
1,200
Centimeters (cm) to Millimeters (mm) [×10]
Input (cm)
Output (mm)
1
10
5
50
12
120
25
250
Metric Mass Tables
Convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Complete the empty boxes:
Kilograms (kg) to Grams (g) [×1,000]
Input Kilograms (kg)
Output Grams (g)
1
1,000
3
3,000
6
6,000
10
10,000
15
15,000
Mass Critical Thinking
The mass of a soccer ball is about 400 grams. If a coach packs a mesh bag containing 5 soccer balls, what is the total mass of the soccer balls in kilograms? Show work.
Total grams: 5 soccer balls x 400 g = 2,000 g
Convert to kilograms (2,000 / 1,000) = 2 kilograms
Metric Capacity Tables
Convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit. Complete the empty boxes:
Liters (L) to Milliliters (mL) [×1,000]
Input Liters (L)
Output Milliliters (mL)
1
1,000
4
4,000
8
8,000
12
12,000
20
20,000
Capacity Critical Thinking
A large jug contains 6 liters of water. If students pour 250 milliliters of water into 4 individual cups, how many milliliters of water are left inside the jug? Show work.
Total poured: 4 x 250 mL = 1,000 mL water. Jug: 6,000 mL
Leftover water: 6,000 mL - 1,000 mL = 5,000 milliliters
The library table shows the relationship between the number of hours the library is open (h) and the total number of visitors who enter (v).
Hours Open (h)
Total Visitors (v)
3
45
5
75
8
120
10
150
If the pattern continues, write an equation that represents the relationship between h and v. Then, calculate how many visitors will enter if the library is open for 12 hours.
Mrs. Davis packs markers for her class. Each box contains exactly 12 markers. Let b represent the number of boxes she packs, and m represent the total number of markers she has. Which table and equation correctly represent this relationship?
Option A: m = b + 12
Boxes (b)
Total Markers (m)
2
14
4
16
6
18
✓
Option B: m = b × 12 (CORRECT)
Boxes (b)
Total Markers (m)
2
24
4
48
6
72
The Library Pattern PROBLEM 2
The library table shows the relationship between the number of hours the library is open (h) and the total number of visitors who enter (v).
Hours Open (h)
Total Visitors (v)
3
45
5
75
8
120
10
150
If the pattern continues, write an equation that represents the relationship between h and v. Then, calculate how many visitors will enter if the library is open for 12 hours.
A selling toys to neighborhood stores B cleaning up a messy kitchen counter C testing different ideas to see how they work D designing computer codes on a screen
2 TEKS 4.8.B (CHARACTER TRAITS)
Based on the details in the passage, which trait best describes Aaron Muderick?
A Impatient and easily frustrated B Creative and determined C Quiet and secretive D Careless and forgetful
3 TEKS 4.6.F (INFERENCES)
Why did Aaron most likely decide to teach himself chemistry?
A He wanted to get a new job as a chemistry teacher B He wanted to know how to create special types of putty C His grandfather told him chemistry was important D He needed to pass a difficult science exam in college
4 TEKS 4.8.C (CAUSE & EFFECT)
According to the passage, why did Aaron's kitchen become a "mini science lab"?
A His computer broke down, so he had to work in the kitchen B He wanted to mix ingredients to invent new putty features C His coworkers complained about the raw fifteen-pound putty D He wanted to bake colorful cookies for his office friends
5 TEKS 4.9.D (TEXT STRUCTURE)
The author organizes the passage primarily by —
A comparing silly putty with computer programming B explaining the steps required to buy a factory in Pennsylvania C tracing Aaron's journey from a child playing with toys to a business owner D listing the best ways for adults to focus while working at their offices
Thinking Putty Student Packet • Grade 4 STAAR Comprehension Practice
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS 6–10 • TEKS ALIGNED COMPREHENSION
[ END OF COMPREHENSION PACKET ]
6 TEKS 4.9.D.i (CENTRAL IDEA)
What is the central idea of paragraph 5?
A Thinking Putty is manufactured in Pennsylvania B Aaron's business is highly successful and focuses on helping others C Both children and adults worldwide use colorful putty D Playful curiosity is important for young computer programmers
7 TEKS 4.6.F (TEXT EVIDENCE)
According to the passage, what makes Crazy Aaron’s company unique besides the toy itself?
A They only sell putty in metallic gold colors B They hire individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities C They package their putty inside tiny plastic comic books D They offer computer programming classes inside the factory
8 TEKS 4.9.D.ii (TEXT FEATURES)
The author most likely chose the title "The Putty Pioneer" because —
A Aaron lived on a farm during the early pioneer days B Aaron was the first person to invent silly pink putty eggs C Aaron explored new ideas and led the way in putty creations D Aaron worked alone to build a wooden factory in Pennsylvania
9 TEKS 4.10.A (AUTHOR'S PURPOSE)
What is the author's primary purpose in writing this passage?
A To persuade toy factories to make larger fifteen-pound egg toys B To explain the step-by-step chemical equations used to make magnet toys C To inform the reader about how Aaron Muderick built a successful toy company D To entertain the reader with a funny story about a computer programmer's kitchen
10 TEKS 4.6.F (CONCLUSIONS)
Based on the details in paragraph 5, the reader can conclude that Thinking Putty —
A is only useful for people who enjoy computer science B can help people relax and feel more creative C is far too heavy to be packed by factory workers D will soon be replaced by computer screen models
Thinking Putty Student Packet • Grade 4 STAAR Comprehension Practice
PRACTICE QUESTIONS KEY
QUESTIONS 1–5 • TEKS ALIGNED ANSWERS
[ ANSWERS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED ]
1 TEKS 4.3.B
Correct: C
In paragraph 3, the word experimenting means —
A. selling toys to neighborhood stores
B. cleaning up a messy kitchen counter
✓ C. testing different ideas to see how they work
D. designing computer codes on a screen
2 TEKS 4.8.B
Correct: B
Based on the details in the passage, which trait best describes Aaron Muderick?
A. Impatient and easily frustrated
✓ B. Creative and determined
C. Quiet and secretive
D. Careless and forgetful
3 TEKS 4.6.F
Correct: B
Why did Aaron most likely decide to teach himself chemistry?
A. He wanted to get a new job as a chemistry teacher
✓ B. He wanted to know how to create special types of putty
C. His grandfather told him chemistry was important
D. He needed to pass a difficult science exam in college
4 TEKS 4.8.C
Correct: B
According to the passage, why did Aaron's kitchen become a "mini science lab"?
A. His computer broke down, so he had to work in the kitchen
✓ B. He wanted to mix ingredients to invent new putty features
C. His coworkers complained about the raw fifteen-pound putty
D. He wanted to bake colorful cookies for his office friends
5 TEKS 4.9.D
Correct: C
The author organizes the passage primarily by —
A. comparing silly putty with computer programming
B. explaining the steps required to buy a factory in Pennsylvania
✓ C. tracing Aaron's journey from a child playing with toys to a business owner
D. listing the best ways for adults to focus while working at their offices
