Are Books Pertinent?

This holiday weekend, I spent a considerable amount of time organizing our children’s books. We have five children, ages four to thirty; and we have early reader books to high school novels. By my estimate, we have over two hundred children’s books.

As an educator, and even as a parent, I am always trying to use the tools of the day, the latest software and hardware, social media (full disclosure, I hate Twitter), and the newest technological approaches to life and learning. So as I organized the books, I wondered, are books still pertinent?

Last week, I worked with a district to begin the process of writing their English, mathematics, science, and social studies curricula. Each core had to adopt new text source materials. And similar to my parent quandary regarding books, the curriculum committees struggled with the same concerns. They wondered if they should purchase textbooks or if they should go with online access.

We now live in Florida with our school-aged children. I was concerned at first because I heard rumors of Flori’duh.’ However, that has not been our experience. We love our children’s schools. They are filled with caring educators and have well-organized curricula and instruction. Plus, my daughter does not carry home heavy textbooks. Every night she logs into stimulating websites where she can communicate directly with her instructor, complete assignments, watch videos, and receive immediate assistance if she does not understand a concept. The new online texts and systems really transform the relationship between home and school.

In the end, the curriculum committees decided to buy online texts for all their students, but they also purchased a class set of texts. The reason for this is that school networks are not foolproof. They are often down or very slow. And not every student has online access at home. By purchasing one class set (plus a couple extra) students can be assured access to the text in class (without worrying about the network), and also have a few texts to give to students that do not have online access at home.

In my home, I am still not sure about books. I was a professional organizer at one time. According to professional organizer associations, unless you read the book recently, the book should be donated and not take space and collect dust in your home. However, I thought about what the books could mean to our children. If our young children see a lot of books, then they know that we value reading. That was a good enough reason to keep them. Yes, they could read the book online, but there is something wonderful about having the boys seated on either side as we read Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, or Oh, the Places You’ll Go! or the Berenstain Bears.

What do you think? Are books still pertinent? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Victoria Pagonis

Founder and President
Standards Solution

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part XI

Preparing for PARCC

Building Comfort with the 

PARCC Math Equation Editors

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

Imagine you are a student taking the PARCC Summative Assessment for Math online. As you click, drag and drop, and make other answer selections, you encounter an item with a large text box that has selections that look much like calculator functions. Perhaps, it is a calculator (it is not). You have encountered one of the PARCC Equation Editors. If this is your first encounter with the editor, it may appear as a “BIG SCARY BOX.”

Many software programs provide equation editors that are useful for creating math expressions and equations. Most equation editors provide symbols for the mathematical operations (+, -, *, ÷). Other symbols are provided such as <, π, . Equation editors are not universal in design; each software program can have a unique editor. Because many students are beginners with keyboarding skills, they may have little to no experience with equation editors.

The PARCC online assessments are delivered on the TestNav8 software program and have unique equation editors.

The Basic Equation Editor is provided as the answer box with an item that requires the student to construct the math answer. The Basic Equation Editor is provided because the answer may require the use of special functions. For example, an item may have this instruction: “Enter only the fraction.” It is not possible to enter fractions in a simple text box using a standard keyboard on the TestNav8 software program. However the Basic Equation Editor has a special fraction function. Here is a screenshot of the Basic Equation Editor for various grade bands:

Notice how the functions are different for each grade band.

The Open Equation Editor is provided as the answer box for items that require the student to enter words and math. PARCC Type II and Type III items with hand-scored responses will include the Open Equation Editor. Here is a screenshot of the Open Equation Editor for each grade band:

PARCC has provided both equation editors at all grade bands for practice. On the PARCC Pearson.com website, select the “Test Preparations” drop-down menu. Then select “Tutorials.”

On the right-hand side of the page, there is a menu of selections for the Equation Editors:

The Equation Editor Guide is a PDF on how to use the editors to create responses. A separate guide is provided for each grade band.

Select the “Practice with the Equation Editor” drop-down menu for online practice with equation editors. Here are some suggestions for providing students with a practice experience:

• Allow students to practice entering sample answers. Create a document of sample math answers that make use of the various functions on the Basic Equation Editor. For example, for grade 3:

                     

• Allow students to respond on paper to a sample PARCC Type II or Type III practice item. Ask the student to enter the response in the Open Equation Editor online.
• Continue with practice experiences online using the PARCC practice tests. The equation editors are provided with the items, as needed. 
• Provide a poster of the editors in the classroom or a small printed image of the editors for each student to reference as needed. This allows the editors to be reviewed frequently. Students can identify the function keys that are needed to create specific answers. As a result, the functions are familiar and visible each day in the classroom, not just when practicing on the PARCC website.
• Use a screenshot of the editors on classroom paper items as the answer box. Ask the students to circle any functions they used in their responses.

The Equation Editor Tutorials provide helpful hints and practice. It highlights various features and operational techniques for entering responses.

Students have varying abilities with keyboarding. The same is true with the equation editors. Each student’s learning curve is unique. Experience with the online editors is necessary to build familiarity with the tool and ease of use. Building a level of comfort will allow students to be more confident with online assessment and to focus more on the content of the assessment items, instead of the software platform. There is no reason why the equation editor should be the “BIG SCARY BOX.”

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information. 

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202.

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part X

Preparing for PARCC

 Gaining a Greater Understanding 

of 

PARCC’s Type I Math Items

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

When I was a classroom teacher, I often asked myself, “What can I do to provide my students with an authentic summative assessment-like experience that will enhance their learning and not interrupt the instruction?” For me, the answer was to understand the design of released summative assessment items and to incorporate similar items in the classroom.

PARCC has shown itself to be transparent. They’ve disclosed the summative assessment structure and focus, evidence statements, and released items from the 2014-2015 PBA and EOY assessments, and provided testing tutorials, practice tests, and other support materials. According to the PARCC Claims Structure (Grades 3-8, HS), more than 50% of the total points on the 2015-2016 summative assessment in math are from Type I items (Sub-Claims A and B). Making sure your students understand Type I items is essential to their success.

What Are PARCC Type I Items?

Type I Tasks assess concepts, skills, and procedures:

• Balance of conceptual understanding, fluency, and application
• Can involve any or all mathematical practice standards
• Machine-scored, including innovative, computer-based formats
• Sub-claims A and B, including fluencies

What Do Type I Items Look Like?

Before PARCC, most state summative assessments included mainly multiple choice and short-constructed response items that were used to measure concepts, skills, and procedures. The level of rigor was limited. In some previous assessments, the lack of quality distractors and/or the effective implementation of simple testing strategies could allow students to score well, but the scores were not a true reflection of the students’ understanding of the concepts. With the new styles of PARCC summative assessment items and the design of high quality distractors, the level of rigor is increased. Students need a deep level of understanding of the math concepts, and they need to apply reasoning and other critical thinking skills. There are two categories of PARCC items:

Constructed Response: The student constructs the answer. This could be a single number, an expression, equation or inequality, and/or a completed mathematical model.

Here’s an example of a PARCC machine-scored Type I item in which the student constructs the answer:

Selected Response: A selection of possible responses are provided; the student selects the correct response(s). There are at least seven different styles of these technology-enhanced items. Some of these styles include: Drag and Drop, Multiple Select, Multiple Choice, Drop-Down Menus, Sort by Category, Reorder the selections. 

Here’s an example of a PARCC machine-scored Type I in which the student selects the answer:

The best way to see the PARCC Type I items is to access the website: http://parcc.pearson.com/

In the menu, select Test Preparation. You will find tutorials and practice tests. I highly recommend engaging in the Student On-line Tutorial  for your grade band. Descriptions of the styles of items and sample items are provided. Also, I highly recommend taking the on-line EOY practice test  for the grade/course you teach. As you engage with the practice items, ask yourself, “What features within the items will be challenging for my students?” 

Consider these features:

• Imbedded Vocabulary
• “Teachers should use strategies for involving students in reading, writing, speaking, and listening as necessary to meet the mathematics standards — for example, to understand the meanings of specialized vocabulary, symbols, units and expressions to support students in attending to precision (MP.6)…”  
• Details in Directions
• Each item has its own specific directions that describe how to record the answer.  Students should highlight directions. Refer to: How to Respond to PARCC Math Items “Direction Detective”  blog.
• Technology Skills
• Notice the technology skills needed to provide the response.
• Design of Distractors
• When identifying distractors, consider how a student may solve the problem incorrectly. This incorrect response is usually one of the distractors. Notice that the distractors are not obvious; this increases the rigor.

Consider the features in this PARCC sample item:

What content is measured by the PARCC Type I Items?

PARCC has disclosed the Evidence Statements  used by the assessment designers.

“Evidence Statements describe the knowledge and skills that an assessment item or a task elicits from students. These are aligned directly to the Common Core State Standards, and highlight their advances especially around the coherent nature of the standards.” 

Evidence Statements include information on "Clarifications, Limits and Emphasis," related "Mathematical Practices" and "Calculator Designations." 

When examining the document, notice the first column on the left side of the table. It identifies the PARCC Sub-Claim. Type I items are Sub-Claims A and B.

A great way to connect the Evidence Statements to the practice test items is to:

• Print the answer key to the practice test. It provides the Evidence Statement Key aligned to the items. 
• Find the matching key in the Evidence Statement Table.
• Review the assessment item. 

This comparison will allow you to gain insights on how a standard is being measured on the summative assessment.

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information. 

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202.

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part IX

Integrating PARCC Practice:

Rethinking Homework

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

Preparing for the PARCC assessment is not something that can be done overnight. It’s important to set a year-long plan of PARCC integration so that students are prepared for not only the content but also the format of the test. Many facets of the school day may need to be reexamined, including rethinking traditional homework.

           

What does homework currently look like?

In many cases, homework looks a lot like it has always looked. For math, it may be a series of short answer items, designed to give students practice with the skill that was taught in class that day. It may conclude with a word problem which requires students to practice that same skill. For English, it may be reading a passage and answering questions or looking up definitions for the weekly vocabulary list. This is the way homework has always looked. But now students are taking a new type of assessment, based on a new set of high-expectation standards. It’s time to rethink homework.

Homework, PARCC Preparation-Style

“Teaching to the test” is a negative term that is often tossed around when talking about preparing for any assessment, especially PARCC. But consider that PARCC is the assessment of the Common Core State Standards, and these standards set the expectations for our students. Therefore if classroom (and homework) experiences are aligned to these standards, then PARCC preparation is already taking place to some degree. It’s important to examine all facets of the students’ learning to ensure this!

Rethinking Homework in the Mathematics Classroom

The mathematics portions of the PARCC assessment include three types of items:

• Type I items assess concepts, skills, and procedures. These items are all machine-scorable and include multiple select, category sorts, drop down menus, drop and drag items, and other technology enhanced items.
• Type II items assess expressing mathematical reasoning. These items may require students to critique the mathematical process used to solve a particular problem or to describe their own process in solving a problem.
• Type III items assess modeling and applications. These items require students to apply mathematical models to real-world contexts or scenarios. 

So what does this mean when it comes to mathematics homework? Consider how to incorporate PARCC-like items alongside or in place of the more traditional homework. For example, instead of asking students to solve a list of expressions such as 5 x 75 + 3, provide students with a Type I multiple-select item, such as:

With this Type I item they are practicing the same skill they would have with the traditional homework, but now they have also practiced answering a PARCC-like Type I item.

What about the more challenging Type II and Type III items, in which students may be asked to critique a process or apply a mathematical model? In this case, students may not be ready to attempt these items as homework until they have had ample classroom practice. This is a perfect opportunity to implement a flipped classroom model. The “homework” is actually the lesson, delivered through a digital media format such as an existing YouTube video or a teacher-made Powtoon. Students learn the skill or new concept at home, and then practice with the Type II or III items comes during class, when students can collaborate with each other and receive guidance and feedback from the teacher. 

Rethinking Homework in the English Classroom

Parts of the ELA portion of the test are performance-based assessments, where students have to read one to three passages, answer questions, and write a prose constructed response (PCR). Other parts of the ELA portion require students to read a single passage and answer questions. For both the performance-based assessments as well as the stand-along reading passages, there are two types of questions:

1. Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR): An EBSR is a two-part question (Part A and Part B). “The term refers to a type of ELA/literacy test item that asks students to show the evidence in a text that led them to a previous answer.” (parcconline.org). An EBSR item assesses vocabulary knowledge, elements of literature, main ideas, key details, structure, or integration of ideas.
2. Technology-Enhanced Constructed Response (TECR): “This ELA/Literacy item uses technology to capture student comprehension of texts in authentic ways that have been historically difficult to capture using current assessments. Examples include using drag and drop, cut and paste, and highlight text features.” (parcconline.org). A TECR item also assesses elements of literature, main ideas, key details, structure, and integration of ideas.

Many times students are assigned “reading comprehension” packets which require them to read one or more texts and respond to questions about those texts. Creating EBSR and TECR questions to accompany these reading comprehension packets will familiarize students with these types of questions, providing them with a comfort level when it comes to answering questions in this format.

A typical vocabulary assignment for students will find them looking up definitions for a specific list of words, perhaps using those words in a sentence, and possibly finding a synonym and antonym for each word. The standards require students to go beyond this, however, and on PARCC, students may be asked to reflect on author’s choices when it comes to vocabulary. Consider this alternative to the traditional vocabulary assignment: instead of just looking up definitions, students first identify three to five words in a reading passage. They then consider possible synonyms that the author could have used in place of the identified word (looking up the definitions and synonyms as needed.) Finally, students write a description of how the meaning or tone of the passage would have changed had the author used one of the alternative words instead. This combines the development of vocabulary (in looking up the definitions) with consideration for an author’s choices and the impact of words in a text.

By making changes to homework such as those suggested above, students will have experiences applying their knowledge and skills in a variety of formats, including those that will prepare them PARCC.

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information: 

judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part VIII

Preparing for PARCC

Creating PARCC-Like English Assessments – Part 2 TECRs

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

One way to assist students to perform at their personal best on PARCC is to simulate the test-taking experience, both in terms of the test content and the testing conditions. This two-part blog post covers how to create a PARCC-like English assessment. Part 1 addressed how to select text, how to identify what is special or unique about the text, and how to write Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR) items. This blog will present ideas and templates for creating the assessment’s Technology-Enhanced Constructed Responses (TECR).

What is a TECR?

“This ELA/literacy item uses technology to capture a student’s comprehension of texts in authentic ways that have been historically difficult to capture using current assessments. Examples include using drag and drop, cut and paste, and highlight text features.”  (parcconline.org) 

What types of technology-enhanced items does PARCC utilize?

The PARCC assessments include several types of technology-enhanced items:

• Multiple Select: These items are similar to multiple choice questions, except that students can select more than one correct answer.
• Highlight Text: Students highlight sections of the text to identify evidence that answers the question.
• Reorder Text: Students rearrange text selections to place them in chronological order, or to display theme, supporting details, etc.
• Drag and Drop Text: Students drag blocks of text to tables to display attributes of the text: setting, characterization, chronology, etc.

At this time PARCC only has a few sample online practice tests. However, instructors can make their own TECR items and integrate the concepts as paper and pencil experiences. It’s a matter of identifying what the question types are requiring of students. By providing additional opportunities to practice TECR items in class, students will be more familiar with the construct of the TECRs. Additionally, the TECRs assess students’ ability to meet Common Core ELA Standards.

Below are several templates you can use in your classroom. Download the template, and fill in the blanks based on the text you use. Students can either cut and paste the items or draw lines to the correct space. Either way, students will have a chance to apply the Standards as well as practice using the TECR formats.

Literature TECR Templates	Informational Text TECR Templates
Character Comparison	Attribute Comparison
Character Responses	Problem-Solution
Setting and Supporting Evidence	Cause, Effect and Response
Characters Attributes – Story and Poem	Detail Comparison
Narrator and Character Perspectives	Sequence of Events

Standards Solution’s president, Victoria Pagonis, would be happy to review your work. Email your TECR to victoria.pagonis@standardssolution.com along with the text, your reason for choosing that text, and the standards that you wish to assess with the item. She’ll reply with feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information: 

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part VII

Preparing for PARCC

Creating PARCC-Like English Assessments – Part 1 EBSRs

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

One way to assist students to perform at their personal best is to simulate the test-taking experience, both in terms of the test content and the testing conditions. This two-part blog post covers how to create a PARCC-like English assessment. In Part 1, we’ll address how to select a text, how to identify what is special or unique about the text, and how to write Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR) items. In Part 2, we’ll explain the Technology-Enhanced Constructed Response (TECR) items and provide templates for creating these items.

What is an EBSR?

An EBSR is a two-part question (Part A and Part B).

“The term refers to a type of ELA/literacy test item that asks students to show the evidence in a text that led them to a previous answer.” (parcconline.org)

An EBSR assesses vocabulary knowledge, elements of literature, main ideas, key details, structure, or integration of ideas.

In order to create an assessment, we have to identify what PARCC calls “texts worth reading.” Let’s look at how PARCC determines if a text is worthy of study.

Five PARCC Criteria for Selecting Texts Worth Reading:

“Texts Are Complex: PARCC assessments follow the staircase of text complexity in the CCSS to ensure assessments track student progress each year towards college and career readiness.

Texts Are Diverse: PARCC texts stem from across the disciplines (e.g. ELA, history, science and technical subjects), are written by authors with diverse backgrounds, reflect the CCSS prescribed balances of literature and informational text, and appeal to a wide range of student audiences.

Texts Are Authentic: PARCC texts are authentic works of exceptional craft and/or rich repositories of ideas and information rather than commissioned-for-the-test passages lacking sufficient evidence, organization, and style.

Texts Are Paired Effectively: PARCC text pairings, where required by the CCSS, have meaningful and significant points of comparison that invite questions beyond superficial observations.

Texts Meet Demands of Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines: PARCC texts are carefully vetted to ensure that while they pique student interest and appeal to a wide audience they avoid highly controversial topics that may be troublesome to students.”

(parcconline.org)

Now, let’s complete the following four steps to create your first EBSR item.

Step #1 – Consider Your Text

Once you have selected your text, you have to think about what is special or unique about the text. Take a look at your text. With the understanding that text complexity is important and students should continually be exposed to increasingly complex text, determine which sections or passages may be difficult for students. Here is a sample for you to consider.

OK, so now we’re ready to create text-dependent questions. Read what PARCC has to say about text-dependent questions:

“Good text dependent questions will often linger over specific phrases and sentences to ensure careful comprehension of the text—they help students see something worthwhile that they would not have seen on a more cursory reading.

An effective set of text dependent questions delves systematically into a text to guide students in extracting the key meanings or ideas found there.

They typically begin by exploring specific words, details, and arguments and then move on to examine the impact of those specifics on the text as a whole.

Along the way they target academic vocabulary and specific sentence structures as critical focus points for gaining comprehension.”

(parcconline.org)

Step #2 – Identify What You Want to Assess

Now that you know what is special about your text, what do you want to assess? PARCC created Reading Evidence Tables for Kindergarten through grade 11. Take a look at your grade level’s document.

PARCC Reading Evidence Tables (Scroll about halfway down the page to see the list of evidence tables.)

Using your grade level’s table, identify passages in the text that can be used to assess the evidences to be measured by your test item.

Step #3 – Construct Part A of Your EBSR

Think about PARCC’s Item Guidelines listed below and use our template to construct Part A of your EBSR.

Constructing Distractors – Part A

ü  “The primary purpose of a distractor is to provide evidence that a student is not able to meet the standard(s) assessed due to student misconceptions.

ü  Distractors must be plausible responses to item stems.

ü  Items should not use negative distractors.

ü  The written style of all distractors in an item should be similar to that of the correct response(s).

ü  Answer responses (distractors) are not ordered alphabetically by first word or by short to long, etc. the answers in the order they appear in the passage.”

(PARCC - Item Guidelines for ELA/Literacy PARCC Summative Assessment- Best Practices for Distractors for EBSR items)

Step #4 – Construct Part B of Your EBSR

Follow these PARCC guidelines for creating Part B:

ü  “In Part B, when writing the distractors for evidences, all of the answer choices must be the same type of citation of evidence (e.g. all quotes or all paraphrases).

ü  Particular care must be taken for Part B items, where students are asked to select evidence from the text such that distractor wording to achieve parallelism in style does not overly impose distractor wording.

ü  All answer choices for Part B must be accurate/relevant/from the passage.”

(PARCC - Item Guidelines for ELA/Literacy PARCC Summative Assessment- Best Practices for Distractors for EBSR items)

There you have it! You constructed the first EBSR for your PARCC-like assessment. Standards Solution’s president, Victoria Pagonis, would be happy to review your work. Email your EBSR to victoria.pagonis@standardssolution.com along with the text, your reason for choosing that text, and the standards that you wish to assess with the item. She’ll reply with feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Let’s review. To create a PARCC-like English assessment with Evidence-Based Selected Responses, you have to:

• Select a text worthy of close study via a comprehensive analysis of the text.
• Identify specifically what you want to assess with a comparison of the reading evidence docs AND what is special and unique in the text.
• Create EBSRs that have quality distractors.

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information:

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202.

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part VI

Preparing for PARCC

How to Respond to PARCC Math Items 

“Direction Detective”

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

Rigor in the PARCC Assessment

I asked students, “How does the new assessment compare to the previous assessment?” The most common response was “the new questions are challenging.”

I asked for more details about how they are challenging. “Thinking more” was the phrase many students used to describe the increased rigor and use of higher-level critical-thinking skills.

Here is how Common Core describes “rigor”: “The standards will include high-level cognitive demands by asking students to demonstrate deep conceptual understanding through the application of content knowledge and skills to new situations.” - http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Criteria.pdf

Increased rigor in the assessment is not just part of the question design and how PARCC measures understanding. It’s also part of how the student is required to provide their answers. Advancements in assessment delivery via technology contribute to this rigor. Consider the critical thinking needed to consider all the possible ways to express a number verses identifying just one way to express a number:

Features to Emphasize in the PARCC Assessment Items

The PARCC assessment features new technology-enhanced items in two categories:

Constructed Response: The student constructs the answer. This could be a single number, an expression, equation or inequality, a completed mathematical model, or a combination of words and math.

Selected Response: A selection of possible responses are provided; the student selects the correct response(s). There are at least seven different styles of these items, including: Drag and Drop, Multiple Select, Multiple Choice, Drop-Down Menus, Sort by Category, Reorder the selections.

A PARCC assessment item is more than a standard math question. Each item has specific directions that describe how the student should provide the answer. Here is a short list of the various directions provided with PARCC practice items:

• Drag and drop the fractions and operation symbols.
• You may select more than one box for each figure.
• Select the correct symbol from each drop down menu.
• Enter your answer in the space provided.
• Which explanation about the figures is correct?
• Enter only your fraction.
• Choose three statements that correctly describe….
• Select all that apply.

Because each assessment item has its own unique directions, students need to become a

How to Become a Direction Detective:

• When practicing with the PARCC Practice Test online, students need to use the electronic highlighter to decipher and to draw attention to the specific directions given with each item.
• When students practice math in the classroom, students should use a highlighter to decipher the directions for any task. Allow the student to do this independently and then check for understanding by asking the student to state the directions in his or her own words.
• Incorporate similar styles of questions and accompanying directions in the tasks used in the classroom. If the direction sentences are commonplace, they become familiar.
• Ask students to recognize what error(s) can occur when the directions are ignored.

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information. 

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.