Georgia Milestones Practice Tests 4th Grade + How to Ace the GMAS Test!
/Georgia public school students annually take the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS), a set of tests that assess student mastery of state-adopted content standards in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
GMAS testing occurs in grades 3-12, so your fourth grader will need to test at the end of the school year. In this article, we’ll answer your questions about the Georgia Milestones, give you helpful preparation tips, and even provide Georgia Milestones practice tests 4th grade.
Our goal is to help make testing season as stress-free as possible for you and your child. Let’s get started! First click the button below to get a 4th grade GMAS practice test. Along with this test, you will also receive a bonus PDF "5 Top Tips to Use Practice Tests Effectively" to help your child study for the test.
4th Grade GMAS Test Basics
You may be familiar with the Criterion Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) and End of Course Tests (EOCTs). The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (GMAS) replaced these tests during the 2014-2015 school year.
The GMAS was designed to reflect the increased rigor of the updated content standards adopted by the Georgia State Board of Education in 2010.
These standards are based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), a shared list of the skills and knowledge students should master at each grade level in the United States.
What Subjects Does GMAS Test?
GMAS tests include end of year tests in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies, in addition to ten end of course exams for key high school courses.
In fourth grade, however, students are only tested in English Language Arts and mathematics at the end of the school year.
Are GMAS Tests Multiple Choice?
While there are mostly multiple choice questions on GMAS tests, there are three question types in total:
Additionally, all GMAS ELA tests include two extended written responses: an opinion essay and an informational essay.
What is a “Good Score” on the GMAS Tests?
There are four achievement levels for each GMAS test:
For fourth grade students, GMAS test scores are not linked to promotion and retention.
Is GMAS Testing Computer-Based or Paper-Pencil?
According to the Georgia Department of Education, computer testing is the primary mode of administration, with paper-pencil testing serving as back up.
By the 2018-2019 school year, all GMAS testing will be computer-based.
GMAS ELA 4th Grade
On the English Language Arts (ELA) exam, fourth grade students must answer 60 questions divided into three sections.
Sections 1 and 2 are administered on Day 1 and are 75 minutes each, while Section 3 is administered on the following day and has a time limit of 90 minutes.
Students answer questions in two domains:
For the reading component, students read both fictional and informational passages. They then answer questions that assess the following abilities:
Writing skills will be assessed through both extended constructed responses and essays.
The extended constructed response questions ask students to use narrative techniques such as completing a story, writing an alternate ending, or adding dialogue.
There are two essays: an opinion essay and an informational essay. For both, students must read two passages and incorporate information from both passages in their response. Below is an example of a 4th grade opinion essay prompt.
A high-scoring essay presents a student’s own ideas supported with information from the passages, is logically organized, and demonstrates appropriate language conventions.
Correct use of language conventions is also assessed through multiple choice questions related to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and usage, as in the examples below:
Although this is a very challenging test, remember that there are plenty of resources available. You can use the GMAS study guides and/or the Georgia Milestones practice tests 4th grade to help your child feel confident and prepared on test day.
GMAS Mathematics 4th Grade
The GMAS Mathematics test contains 73 questions divided into two 85-minute sections. Questions included selected responses, constructed responses, and extended constructed responses.
Questions fall into the following five categories:
Below, we’ll take a look at the skills needed to successfully answer questions in each category.
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Students should demonstrate the following skills:
Number and Operations in Base 10
Students will be assessed on the ability to:
Number and Operations- Fractions
Your child will be expected to:
Measurement and Data
These questions will test the following abilities:
Geometry
Lastly, fourth grade students should be able to:
Like the ELA assessment, GMAS Mathematics is a difficult test. Remember to utilize the Georgia Milestones practice tests 4th grade to help your child adequately prepare.
How to Ace the GMAS Tests
It’s important to remember that the skills tested on GMAS exams are based on the same skills outlined in the curriculum of Georgia teachers.
This means that from the first day of school, it’s critical for your child to pay attention in class, take notes, and complete classwork and homework, particularly in the key areas of mathematics and ELA.
If your child falls behind in a key subject, consider asking the teacher for extra help or hiring a tutor. Many schools also offer tutoring before or after school, and these programs are free and effective.
Reading every day is excellent preparation for the ELA exam because it will improve your child’s reading comprehension, vocabulary, and language skills.
Try to set a goal for your child to read a certain amount of pages or minutes weekly, and encourage your child to read about topics that are of interest to him or her.
Your child should also practice responding in writing to texts he or she has read. Be sure your child uses complete sentences and includes specific textual details.
Lastly, one of the most effective ways to prepare is by practicing with the Georgia Milestones practice tests 4th grade. This free resource will help your child build familiarity and confidence with GMAS test content.
Be sure to discuss why right answers are correct and wrong answers are incorrect, and help your child develop the best strategies and approaches to solving various question types.
After following these tips and studying with the Georgia Milestones practice test 4th grade, your child should turn in a successful performance on the GMAS!