parent university preparing for end-of-grade tests

Parent UniversityParent UniversityPreparing for End-of-Grade Tests

……Standardized tests help educators Standardized tests help educators determine which skills students determine which skills students have mastered and which ones have mastered and which ones they still need to be taught.they still need to be taught.

……At the schoolhouse, testing provides At the schoolhouse, testing provides information on the progress students information on the progress students are making according to the are making according to the academic standards of the stateacademic standards of the state

• Overview of North Carolina EOG testing program– Reading EOG (Grades 3-8)– Math EOG (Grades 3-8)– Science EOG (Grades 5 and 8)

• Academic Preparation

• Test-taking Strategies

• Practice Tests

Preparing for EOGs Overview

• May 18 – 21 EOG Regular Administration (Grades 3 – 8)

• May 21 – June 1 EOG Make-Up Administration (Grades 3 – 8)

• June 1 – 4EOG Retest for Reading & Math (Grades 3, 5, & 8)

Testing Window - 2009

*Only one subject can be given on a regular school day (math and reading must be scheduled on consecutive days, science can be scheduled the same week or on a consecutive week).

End-of-GradeEnd-of-GradeReadingReading

• Measures reading comprehension and knowledge of vocabulary

• Based on the North Carolina English Language Arts Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS)

• Students read selections and answer questions related to those selections

• There are eight (8) selections for grades 3 -5 and nine (9) for grades 6 – 8

Reading EOG

Reading EOG Test Breakdown

Grade Span # of items Time limit

(minutes)*virtually untimed

3 - 5 50 115

6 - 8 56 115

End-of-GradeEnd-of-GradeMathMath

Math EOG

• Measures student understanding and knowledge of five strands or goals:

1. Number and operations

2. Measurement

3. Geometry

4. Data analysis and probability

5. Algebra

• Based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS) for mathematics

• There is a calculator active and a calculator inactive section

Calculator Grade Span # of items Time limit(minutes)

Active 3 - 7 54 *135

Inactive 3 - 7 28 *60

Calculator Grade Span # of items Time limit(minutes)

All Active 8 80 *150

Math EOG Test Breakdown

* The Math EOG is virtually untimed

End-of-GradeEnd-of-GradeScienceScience

Science EOG

• Administered at grades 5 and 8

• Measures student understanding of principles and concepts; requires interpretation of laboratory activities and relation of scientific information to everyday situations

• Students may use calculators on the test and students at grade 8 will also use The Periodic Table during administration of the test

Calculator Grade Span # of items Time limit(minutes)

All Active 5 and 8 92 *130

*The Science EOG is virtually untimed

Science EOG Test Breakdown

Question Question StemsStems

Knowledge• Tell, list, describe, relate, locate, fine,

state, name

Organizing• Explain, interpret, outline, discuss,

distinguish, predict, restate, translate, compare, describe

Applying• Solve, show, use, illustrate, construct,

complete, examine, classify

Question Stems and Thinking Skills

Analyzing• Analyze, distinguish, examine, compare,

contrast, investigate, categorize, identify, explain, separate, advertise

Generating & Integrating• Create, invent, compose, predict, plan,

construct, design, imagine, propose, devise, formulate

Evaluation• Judge, select, choose, decide, justify,

debate, verify, argue, recommend, assess, discuss, rate, prioritize, determine

Question Stems

Assessment Flow Chart

Academic Academic PreparationPreparation

• Discuss your child’s academic performance with him or her – how he or she is doing in school

• Encourage your child to ask questions about things he or she doesn’t understand

• Work with your child on his or her homework

• Communicate with your child’s teacher(s)• Encourage your child to make a

commitment to do well in school and set goals

Academic Preparation

• Make sure your child eats and rests well the night before the test

• Make sure your child is on-time the day of the test

• Use flash cards to review concepts and vocabulary before the test

• Reduce anxiety by reminding your child to do his or her best, but not with daily reminders about expected performance

Academic Preparation

Test-taking Test-taking StrategiesStrategies

• Read all directions carefully

• Skim selections to attempt at identifying the main idea

• Skim questions so that you know what to look for when reading the passage

• Use the process of elimination on multiple choice questions

Test-Taking Strategies

• Use confident answers to previous questions to assist on difficult questions

• If you are stuck on a question, move on and return to it later

• Take time to answer all questions. A blank response is the same as an incorrect response

Test-Taking Strategies

Practice Test

How Did You Do?

GatewayGateway

Grade 3 – Gateway 1

Students must:

• Meet local promotion requirements

• Demonstrate grade-level proficiency by scoring at or above Achievement Level III on state end-of-grade tests in reading and mathematics

Grade 5 – Gateway 2

Students must:

• Meet local promotion requirements

• Demonstrate grade-level proficiency by scoring at or above Achievement Level III on state end-of-grade tests in reading and mathematics

Grade 8 – Gateway 3

Students must:

• Meet local promotion requirements

• Demonstrate grade-level proficiency by scoring at or above Achievement Level III on state end-of-grade tests in reading and mathematics

Online Information:

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/eog/

Questions?Questions?