A Testing Update

We have some updates on testing dates. These are not official dates. As of right now, we are being told that we will take the English Language Arts PARCC Performance Based Assessments (PBA's) February 23rd, 24th, and 25th. The following week the Math PBA's will take place over two days. As soon as these dates are written in stone we will let you know.

I imagine that many of you have questions about these new assessments. Remember you are always able to get in touch with me to discuss your questions or concerns. I would guess that one of your biggest questions might be: what can we do to prepare for these assessments?

My answer to this question would be to just have your students read and write. I believe nothing can prepare someone for taking a test that will, "focus on writing effectively when analyzing text" than actually reading and writing.

Now I realize that for many of you that answer will not be sufficient. I believe one thing that would help greatly would be to work on supplying evidence to support any answer. The PARCC assessments place a great deal of weight on supplying evidence. Here is an example of a type of question that might show up on the test:

Part A Question: What is the meaning of the word avenge as it is used in the story?

a. believe
b. get even*
c. make friends with
d. scare

Part B Question: Which detail from the story best supports the answer to Part A?

a. "’In this forest, I am the chief of the animals!’"
b. “’I don't believe you, little insect,’ snarled Cougar.”
c. "’Ahrr! Ahrr!’" cried the cougar in pain, "’Get out of my ear!’"*
d. "’Cricket, come out! Let me meet 

All the multiple choice questions on the released PARCC materials show this two part type of question. These are not two separate questions but instead two parts of the same questions. Students will time and again be asked on these PBA's to support their answer using the text. This has been a focus of our year. This is not just because of these upcoming assessments but because it is important for students to understand that the text contains answers to many questions.

Today with Mrs. Sanford's class we got a chance to look back at the poem "A Nation's Strength" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In each stanza I would ask the class if the stanza contained Emerson's answer to what makes a nation strong.

Here is one of the stanzas that we read:

Is it the sword? Ask the red dust 

Of empires passed away; 

The blood has turned their stones to rust, 

Their glory to decay.

The students were able to tell me that this stanza did not contain Emerson's answer. Then I asked the class which line best proves this is not Emerson's answer. This forced the students to look back in the text to give me an answer. 

A simple question like this when someone is reading or watching a movie will reinforce that idea of always supporting your thinking with evidence from the text. I will continue to try and give you more and more of an idea of what these assessment will contain in the coming weeks. Over the next three weeks I will take one night to explain what the three different PBA's will actually cover. If you want to learn more, here is the link to PARCC's website http://www.parcconline.org/

I hope you are having a great week.