Mastering the eligible content
- 1. All of the eligible content is in our curriculum.....but not all of our curriculum is eligible content. So, by mastering the eligible content, the children are mastering a great deal of our curriculum. The PSSA tests holds us accountable for that.
- 2. West Allegheny Language Arts & Math CurriculumOtherEligible ContentSome of that “other” curriculum is taught after the PSSA tests because it does not have an effect on student performance i.e. long division (4th grade). Other parts of the curriculum aid in student success i.e. mastering math facts, applying before/during/after reading strategies, building fluency and need to be modeled and mastered though they aren’t listed in the eligible content.
- 3. Understand the eligible content like the back of your hand.Post it where it is visible to you at all times. a. Math i. If you do not have a practical system of viewing the EC on a regular basis that works for you, consider arranging the colored assessment anchor cards on a poster board and hand it on the wall near your desk. ii. Sequencing chart: This will help bridge the eligible content to the math textbook but only if the sequencing chart is correct. Analyze it and correct it at spring grade level meetings.
- 4. Understand the eligible content like the back of your hand. b. Reading The eligible content is organized into several categories:Understanding fictionappropriate to grade level. Understanding non-fiction appropriate to grade level. Understanding components within and between texts in fiction and non-fiction. Understanding literary devices in fiction and non-fiction. Understanding concepts and organization of non-fiction text. Same info. organized into BOTH FICTION AND NON-FICTIONNON-FICTION ONLY ii. 3rd4th5th
- 5. Understand the eligible content like the back of your hand.2. Verbs, Verbs, Verbs, : EC verbs are important because they reveal what the children will need to do: Example 1: Use or develop regions and/or sets (e.g., circle graph, base ten blocks) to model fractions and mixed numbers through hundredths (may include reducing the fractions). (Develop suggests create which is higher level than simply identifying from a list of four choices.) Example 2: Identify, explain, and/or describe examples of text that support the author’s intended purpose. (Identify suggests it will be from choices; explain and describe are higher level verbs and also open this up to being an open-ended....explain/describe in words.)
- 6. Understand the eligible content like the back of your hand.3. Get down to the specifics. Example 1: 5th grade affixes: Affixes will be limited to prefixes: pre-, dis-, mis-, non-, inter-, extra-, post-, super-, sub-; suffixes: -less, -ble, -ly, -or, -ness, -ment, -er, -ship, -tion, -en. Example 2: Identify and/or describe properties of all types of quadrilaterals (parallelogram, rectangle, rhombus, square, trapezoid). (It says quadrilaterals, not triangles nor all polygons.) Example 3: Cite evidence from text to support generalizations. (Cite suggests that the students will need to show the evidence in the form of choosing from multiple choice OR even in an open ended.....Give two examples from the text to support this....) Example 4: Identify, explain, interpret, and/or describe examples of metaphors in text. (This is more than just distinguishing between a metaphor and other types of figurative language.)
- 7. Summary:Understanding the eligible content forwards and backwards means you can plan for more effective teaching, practicing, and assessing to help students master the majority of the curriculum.
- 8. Adjust Your Questioning Techniques.1. In class discussion Question: What are typical questions you ask when discussing fiction? Non-fiction?Refer to the cardstock cards in 3rd/5th grades.Refer to master list of questions sorted by EC.Refer to released items where we sorted out the questions by EC.
- 9. Adjust Your Questioning Techniques.2. Written assignments – Make the most of them. When selecting and creating assignments ask yourself ‘why’. Is it in line with the eligible content (which is most of our curriculum) or is it just part of your tradition? Example 1: Identify, explain, interpret, compare, describe, and/or analyze character actions, motives, dialogue, emotions/feelings, traits, and relationships among characters within fictional or literary nonfictional text. What kind of assignment can you create where students can APPLY the above EC? What is the problem with assigning this with a text you are reading with the whole class?
- 12. Adjust Your Questioning Techniques.3. Assessments If you’ve analyzed your HARCOURT selection tests and/or your math textbook tests, chances are they would not be in full alignment with the eligible content. Modifying the existing tests to include the PSSA ‘lingo’ and EC is a better measure of what EC they have mastered and will give the students an advantage. Of course, that is not the end all to assessment. After all, you’ve beat that selection into the ground, right?
- 13. Summary: We need to be aware of the type of questions we are asking in discussions, on written assignments, and on assessments. Using textbook company assessments will not meet our needs. (Remember, the textbook is not our curriculum. Do you agree we seem to grasp this concept of making our own tests better in math than in reading?)
- 14. Written Expression = Open-Ended Questions Mastering Open-Ended Responses - an essential part of our reading, writing, and math curriculaIf the EC says to ‘explain’ and/or ‘describe’, how do you practice that? How do your students show you they can do that effectively? They can orally tell us during discussions or conferences. But that won’t help come PSSA time…. They need to demonstrate it to us in writing. (OK, you can argue this is a ‘test specific thing’. But if you look at our writing curriculum….it’s in there!
- 15. Written Expression = Open-Ended Questions 1. Master the paragraph first. Model, Practice, Practice, Apply, Apply, Apply, Apply, Apply,.....in context of reading, math, science, social studies - early and often.Here’s a suggestion……
- 16. Written Expression = Open-Ended Questions 2. Teach the paragraph structures early: (essentially 4 different structures) -main idea/detail -description-sequence -summary (Summary - takes lots and lots of time to master summarizing because of the synthesis.) -compare/contrast-cause/effect -problem/solutionvery, very closely related; If you master one, it’s like mastering them all.
- 21. Written Expression = Open-Ended Questions 3. Pick a graphic organizer and stick with it.Then the resource teachers have common language in which to remediate. The next grade level has a point of reference in which to build. The kids become confident.***See the Reading Summary Resource for graphic organizers. Evaluate: Can my students recreate this as needed? Remember: You will not always be there to provide them with an organizer.***
- 22. The advantage to this is kids can easily draw this for each and every paragraph type.
- 23. Written Expression = Open-Ended Questions Make open-ended questions a part of your regular assignments across the curriculum now that the students can write more fluently:Compare/contrast the main character in your independent reading book to the one in our story. Describe two similarities and two differences.Explain how to regroup when you subtract…Explain the causes of the Civil War. Use three examples from your SS text.Explain how to determine the hardness of minerals….
- 24. Summary: Start the year off with teaching the paragraph structures as part of your English/Writing.Model Practice Apply Use the same graphic organizer every time so they “own it” and become fluent writers. Eventually they won’t need it. Create HW assignments across the curriculum using the verbs: explain, describe, summarize, compare/contrast, give examples of…early and often.
- 25. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment1. Appropriate materialsLocating good review materials that focus in on the eligible content is tricky. Most of the PSSA materials are based on ASSESSMENT ANCHORS which are a tad broader in nature. There’s no time to go beyond the EC! If you use PSSA materials, don’t ASSUME they just focus on EC – most likely NOT. At least put an X over the ones the children aren’t responsible for to avoid mixed messages to students and parents.
- 26. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment2. Samples of Effective Teacher Created EC Reviewsa. Calendar Math:Developed by some Donaldson teachers based on the EC. Concepts are based on the date, special times, etc. This takes MINIMAL effort on the teacher’s part and is copied for the WHOLE month with optional weekly quiz.
- 28. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment2. Samples of Effective Teacher Created EC Reviewsa. Calendar Math Samplesi. Third grade ii. See Lynanne iii. Fifth Grade
- 29. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment2. Samples of Effective Teacher Created EC Reviewsb. Spelling Math: Words change on a weekly basis so math practice will change on a weekly basis. i. Third grade ii. Fourth grade iii. Fifth grade
- 30. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment3. Time for Kids/Scholastic News They sure do pile up! How about creating a template that can be used with (almost) any issue of these magazines to address some EC?At a centerIn partner pairsHomework
- 32. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment4. Effective Vocabulary Chart - Promotes word work.Words change on a nearly weekly basis; so will experience with words.EC: affixes, synonyms, antonyms,
- 34. Spiral Review + Formative Assessment5. Progressive Bulletin BoardThink of EC that is true of any book….author’s purpose, text structure (can get tricky with fiction), point of view (5th only), __________Create a bulletin board where you can progressively add the book titles and this information to. Why? So we don’t wait until the last minute to teach and master this!
- 35. Think: How can students use this same concept with their own books? Electronically?
- 36. Review + Formative Assessment Now that you are constantly reviewing EC a lot of mastery is bound to happen! But what about those kids that STILL haven’t mastered some EC?6. Organized arsenal of tools ready for additional practice: a. Math: Old workbook pages/resources copied and filed into EC ready to send home as needed. b. Reading: Reading Skills Rocket; Test Tutor; worksheets; HARCOURT practice book page
- 37. Review + Formative Assessment7. Have a system in place for meeting individual needs:a. A standard note to staple to a worksheet or direct to a website. b. A folder that goes home with work (WIT folder)
- 38. Summary: Review concepts often using a systematic approach such as calendar math or writing 5 new questions on the board each day.Pay attention to who is STILL not mastering a concept. Do something about it…..Send extra work home.Guide the student to some good websites.Re-assess. Did they learn it? What’s your next step? Don’t give up on them!