Going Beyond Understanding

Arkansas Reading AssociationArkansas Reading Association““How Sweet It Is”How Sweet It Is”November 21, 2013 November 21, 2013

Grades 4-6Grades 4-6

Sponsored by Sundance/Newbridge Sponsored by Sundance/Newbridge PublishingPublishing

Judy Smith, presenterJudy Smith, presenter

jasmith@sundancepub.comjasmith@sundancepub.com

Who Me? Worry?Who Me? Worry?

Last School Year, various schools Last School Year, various schools volunteered to take different volunteered to take different parts of PARCC as a practice run. parts of PARCC as a practice run. Kentucky students took the Kentucky students took the entire ELA test.entire ELA test.

Results: 28% drop in proficiencyResults: 28% drop in proficiency

So What Is Happening?

Oral Language

Decoding

Comprehension

CriticalThinking

New Expectations Types of Questions

Selected Response Constructed Response Performance Tasks

Level of Questions Comprehension Analysis Inference Synthesis Evaluation

The Confusion Between The Confusion Between Complexity and DifficultyComplexity and DifficultyWhich of the following questions would Which of the following questions would

be most difficult for you/your group be most difficult for you/your group to answer?to answer?

1.1. List the 50 U.S. states in List the 50 U.S. states in alphabetical order.alphabetical order.

2.2. List the 50 U.S. states with their List the 50 U.S. states with their state capitals in alphabetical order.state capitals in alphabetical order.

3.3. List the 50 U.S. states with their List the 50 U.S. states with their state capitals in order of entry into state capitals in order of entry into the union.the union.

What level is each of these three What level is each of these three questions?questions?

What is Selected Response?

Assessments in which students will need to choose the best answer to the question. PARCC gives either four or five possible responses and has not used “All of the above” or “None of the above” as possibilities. Unlike traditional MC, the selected response questions trigger critical thinking.

What Level of Questions What Level of Questions Again?Again?

Analysis: Analysis: The detailed examination of the The detailed examination of the parts of the whole.parts of the whole.

Comprehension: Comprehension: The ability to understand The ability to understand the meaning of a text.the meaning of a text.

Evaluation: Evaluation: The ability to make a judgment The ability to make a judgment based on criteria.based on criteria.

Inference: Inference: The process of drawing a logical The process of drawing a logical conclusion based on factual knowledge or conclusion based on factual knowledge or evidence.evidence.

SynthesisSynthesis: The combining of parts into a : The combining of parts into a whole.whole.

What Does That Look Like for a Selected

Response Question?1A. What is one main idea of “How Animals Live”?1A. What is one main idea of “How Animals Live”?

A. There are many types of animals on the planet.A. There are many types of animals on the planet.

B. Animals need water to live. B. Animals need water to live. SynthesisSynthesis

C. There are many ways to sort different animals.C. There are many ways to sort different animals.

D. Animals begin their life cycles in many different forms.D. Animals begin their life cycles in many different forms.

1B. Which sentence from the article best supports the answer 1B. Which sentence from the article best supports the answer to part 1A?to part 1A?

A. “Animals get oxygen from air and water.”A. “Animals get oxygen from air and water.”

B. “Animals can be grouped by their traits.”B. “Animals can be grouped by their traits.”

C. “Worms are invertebrates.” C. “Worms are invertebrates.” AnalysisAnalysis

D. “All animals grow and change over time.”D. “All animals grow and change over time.”

E. “Almost all animals need water, food, oxygen, and shelter to live.”E. “Almost all animals need water, food, oxygen, and shelter to live.”from from Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment, August, 2012Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment, August, 2012

More SR Examples, Please

In the brochure Alignment to PARCC, In the brochure Alignment to PARCC, look atlook at

Second grade examples on page 4

Fifth grade examples on page 5

Note that assessments should contain various levels of questions!

Fifth Grade SR Example from

“The Nelson Mandela Story” (pg. 20-21)1. Of what significance was Mandela’s

wearing a Springbok shirt?A. South Africa was hosting the games, and it was

important that the president support rugby.B. Black men had never worn the shirt before, and

the president needed to be the first.C. Mandela was giving the opening speech so he

needed to look like the team.D. Mandela was telling South Africans that

apartheid was over and everyone needed to unite as South Africans.

Inference

Your Turn To Write a Selected Response

Using any section of the book “The Using any section of the book “The Nelson Mandela Story” write a Nelson Mandela Story” write a question and choices. Make sure question and choices. Make sure you write a question that causes you write a question that causes the students to the students to Analyze Infer Synthesize Evaluate

What is Constructed What is Constructed Response?Response?

Constructed Response Questions Constructed Response Questions are assessments in which students are assessments in which students must compose answers. must compose answers. Constructed responses address Constructed responses address assessment targets and claims that assessment targets and claims that are of greater complexity and are of greater complexity and require morerequire more

analytical thinking [inference, analytical thinking [inference, analysis, synthesis, evaluation] and analysis, synthesis, evaluation] and reasoning.reasoning.

What Does That Look Like for a Constructed Response Question?

Drag the words from the word box into the Drag the words from the word box into the correct location on the graphic to show the correct location on the graphic to show the life cycle of a butterfly as described in life cycle of a butterfly as described in How How Animals Live. Animals Live. Advances Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment, August, 2012in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment, August, 2012

frAdvanin the PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessment, August

444

Pupa Adult

Egg Larva

1

2

3

4

More CR Examples, Please

In the brochure Alignment to PARCC, In the brochure Alignment to PARCC, look atlook at

Second grade examples on page 8, 9

Fifth grade examples on page 8, 9

Note that assessments should contain various levels of questions!

Fifth Grade CR Example from

“The Nelson Mandela Story”(pg. 14-15)1. Explain at least two ways by 1. Explain at least two ways by

which Nelson Mandela improved which Nelson Mandela improved prison life for himself and other prison life for himself and other prisoners.prisoners.SynthesisSynthesis

Your Turn To Write a Constructed Response

Using any section of the book “The Using any section of the book “The Nelson Mandela Story”, ask the Nelson Mandela Story”, ask the students to do a task. Make sure students to do a task. Make sure your task causes the students to:your task causes the students to:

Analyze Infer Synthesize Evaluate

What Is A Performance What Is A Performance Task?Task?

Performance Tasks involve multiple steps which may include Performance Tasks involve multiple steps which may include several readings, working with graphic organizers, and several readings, working with graphic organizers, and writing using details and proof from the materials. In testing, writing using details and proof from the materials. In testing, performance tasks are generally allotted up to two hours to performance tasks are generally allotted up to two hours to complete.complete.

Generally, performance tasks at third grade will involve at Generally, performance tasks at third grade will involve at least one video and at least one reading. Part of the least one video and at least one reading. Part of the discussion will be whole or small group. Students are discussion will be whole or small group. Students are allowed to use their notes and are not graded on the quality allowed to use their notes and are not graded on the quality of the notes.of the notes.

Generally, performance tasks for fourth grade and up will Generally, performance tasks for fourth grade and up will involve at least one video and at least two readings. Part of involve at least one video and at least two readings. Part of the discussion will be whole or small group. Students are the discussion will be whole or small group. Students are allowed to use their notes and are not graded on the quality allowed to use their notes and are not graded on the quality of their notes.of their notes.

What Does That Look Like for a Performance

Task?1.1. View a video section about Nelson View a video section about Nelson

Mandela – e.g. Mandela – e.g. InvictusInvictus

2.2. Read “The Nelson Mandela Story” and fill Read “The Nelson Mandela Story” and fill in graphic organizers his life and in graphic organizers his life and accomplishments.accomplishments.

3.3. Read a newspaper or magazine article Read a newspaper or magazine article about Nelson Mandela.about Nelson Mandela.

4.4. Ask the students to answer the question Ask the students to answer the question “Using information from your research, do “Using information from your research, do you agree or disagree that Nelson you agree or disagree that Nelson Mandela deserved the Nobel Peace Prize?”Mandela deserved the Nobel Peace Prize?”

Writing: Four Types of Sentences in Informative &

Persuasive Writing1. Introductory sentence – using

opinion words

2. Text-based sentences in body.3. Thought-based sentences in

body.4. Concluding sentence.

Report to Informative & Persuasive: Introductory

SentenceTopic sentence – gives an overview of the topic Topic sentence – gives an overview of the topic

(expository); takes a side of the issue, tells (expository); takes a side of the issue, tells what the writer is going to prove what the writer is going to prove (persuasive) (persuasive)

1.1. Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president of the United States. (report)United States. (report)

2.2. Abraham Lincoln, one of the Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents,greatest presidents, served in the 1860’s. (simple paragraph/essay – one served in the 1860’s. (simple paragraph/essay – one area of proof)toarea of proof)to

3. 3. Abraham Lincoln, one of the Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatesgreatest t presidentspresidents, , served in the 1860’s served in the 1860’s which which tore the country apart tore the country apart because of the Civil War. (more complex – two areas)because of the Civil War. (more complex – two areas)

..

Report to Informative & Report to Informative & Persuasive: Fact-Based Persuasive: Fact-Based

SentencesSentencesText-Based

What It Is

Fact A statement that can be proven by observation, checking a valid reference, talking to an authority

Statistic Information that involves numbers found in a valid reference

Sensory Detail

Use of specific detail to explain how something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels – e.g. what damage a tornado does

Example An instance of something that is valid and provable – e.g. a story of what a rainstorm did to houses in the neighborhood.

Quote Exactly what an authority said about the topic

Illustration

An extended example – e.g. all the steps a student must take when they’ve missed school

Report to Informative & Persuasive: Thought-

Based Sentences Comes from putting the pieces together Comes from putting the pieces together

and drawing valid conclusions, and drawing valid conclusions, opinions, analysis, evaluation. opinions, analysis, evaluation.

Help students find their thoughts by Help students find their thoughts by asking these questions about the facts:asking these questions about the facts:So what?So what?Why is that important?Why is that important?Why did you use that fact?Why did you use that fact?

Your Turn!

Use a fact you are currently teaching or one of the facts below, and answer one or more of the thought-based questions.

“People from all over the world, including governments, artists, and sports teams, chose not to have links with South Africa.”

“The Nelson Mandela Story” pg. 16

Report to Informative & Persuasive: Concluding

Sentence

Important phrase from

introductory sentence

Going Beyond Going Beyond UnderstandingUnderstanding

Arkansas Reading AssociationArkansas Reading Association““How Sweet It Is”How Sweet It Is”

November 21, 2013 November 21, 2013

Grades 4-6Grades 4-6Sponsored by Sundance/Newbridge Sponsored by Sundance/Newbridge

PublishingPublishing

Judy Smith, presenterJudy Smith, presenter

jasmith@sundancepub.comjasmith@sundancepub.com