What is an appropriate summative assessment for fourth graders learning parts of speech?

• A. Making a poster about nouns
• B. Having students independently label each part of speech for words in a given sentence
• C. Answering true/false questions about verbs
• D. Writing a paragraph using a list of adjectives

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is the ability to identify and name different parts of speech within actual language, applying knowledge to analyze a sentence.

Having students independently label each part of speech in a given sentence requires them to apply what they’ve learned to real text. They must decide, word by word, whether something is a noun, verb, adjective, or another part of speech in context. This shows they can analyze language and accurately classify multiple parts of speech at once, which is exactly what a solid summative assessment for this topic should measure.

A poster about nouns focuses on one category and is more about demonstration of knowledge than applying it across a sentence. A true/false quiz about verbs tests only verbs, leaving other parts of speech unassessed. Writing a paragraph using adjectives evaluates writing ability and the use of adjectives, but it doesn’t require identifying and labeling the parts of speech throughout a sentence.

So, labeling each word’s part of speech in a sentence best captures the ability to analyze and apply knowledge across multiple parts of speech, making it the strongest summative measure.