Welcome to FCAT Parent Night

2013-2014

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test

Designed to measure student achievement based on the Next Generation Sunshine State standards (NGSSS)

It measures what students know in Reading, Math, Writing, and Science

What is FCAT 2.0?

All students in grades 3rd -5th, including English Language Learner (ELL) and exceptional student education (ESE) students enrolled in the school.

Accommodations are provided to eligible ELL and ESE students.

Who is tested?

To measure the skills that students have acquired throughout the years.

The test helps teachers determine the level of success with the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS).

Gr. 3 Reading and mathGr.4 Reading, math and writingGr. 5 Reading, math and science

Why do students take FCAT 2.0?

To define what students should know and be able to do

To identify clear expectations for students, parents, and teachers

Standards define what we want to achieve

Why have standards?

Grade Subject Areas

Dates

3rd Reading Math

April 21-25April 21-25

4th WritingReading Math

Feb. 25-26April 21-25April 21-25

5th ReadingMathScience

April 21-25April 28-May 7April 21-25

Testing Dates

Students write an essay in response to a prompt.

Students will have 60 minutes to complete their prompt.

Writing prompts may be:Expository: Writing to inform, clarify, explain, define, or instruct. Narrative:

Writing to recount a personal or fictional experience or to tell a story based on a real or imagined event.

FCAT Writing (4th grade)

Samples of PromptsExpositoryWrite to explain

why you think a certain pet would be good for your classroom.

Explain why it is important to eat healthy foods.

NarrativeTell a story

about your most embarrassing moment.

Tell what happens after you go through a door that is always locked.

Papers are scored using a 1-6 rubric based on the following areas:

Focus: clearly maintains a main idea, theme or unifying point.

Organization: structured (sequence, cause and effect, compare and contrast, etc.)

Support: quality of details used to explain, clarify, or define. The quality depends on word choice, depth, relevance, etc.

Conventions: use of punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and sentence structure.

Writing Rubric

1 2 3 4 5 6

Minimally addresses topic. No organizational pattern. Supporting ideas may be sparse. Frequent errors in punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and sentence structure.

Slightly related to topic. Offers little relevant information and few supporting ideas or examples. Word choice may be limited. Frequent errors in writing conventions.

Generally on topic but may include loosely related information. Paper may lack completeness. Some supporting ideas may not be developed with specifics and details. Limited word choice.

Generally on topic but may include loosely related information. It’s organized. Demonstrates completeness. Some supporting ideas may contain details, while others may not be developed. Adequate word choice. Knowledge of conventions is visible.

Demonstrates consistent awareness of topic with supporting ideas. Great organizational pattern. Demonstrates sense of completeness. Word choice is adequate. Most sentences are complete, although a few fragments may occur. Very few errors in subject/verb agreement and with verbs/nouns. Writing conventions are followed.

Stays on topic and has logical organizational pattern (beginning, middle, conclusion). Ample supporting ideas. The writing demonstrates a sense of completeness and mature word choice. Subject/verb and verb/noun forms are usually correct. Uses complete sentences.

Fourth Grade Writing Rubric

Read!Be a writer yourself (model)Share some of your work (previous or

current) Remind your child to make connections

to real experiences or use their imagination

Make positive remarks and suggestions Show excitement as you read Remember to be the coach and not the

writer!

What You Can Do to Help

Consists of approx. 50-55 multiple choice questions

Broken up into 2 sessions ( Approx. 70 minutes each). Students will have a break during each session.

Reading questions are based on the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards

FCAT 2.0 Reading

Students will be asked more often to:

use and build from prior knowledge, such as grade-appropriate vocabulary.

make inferences that require higher order thinking.

analyze information across a pair of texts, such as making comparisons of main ideas.

FCAT 2.0 Reading: Examples of Increased

Rigor

Categories /Strands1. Vocabulary2. Reading Application3. Literary Analysis: Fiction and Nonfiction

4. Informational Text/Research Process

FCAT 2.0 Reading Grades 3rd -5th

Categories/StrandsVocabulary Approx. 15-25%

of points Context cluesAnalyze words in

textMultiple meanings Base words AntonymsSynonyms

Reading Application Approx. 25-35 % of points

Author's purpose Chronological order,

conclusions, inferences, main idea, details, cause and effect

Text structure Compare and contrast

Categories/StrandsLiterary Analysis:

Fiction and Nonfiction (Approx. 25-35 % of points )

Character point of view and development

Plot development; Problem/resolution

Descriptive language, figurative language

Informational Text and Reference and Research (Approx. 15-25 % of points )

LocateInterpretOrganize informationText features

Examples of Literary and Informational Texts that may be

included in FCAT 2.0 Reading. Types of Literary Text Fiction Short stories Poetry Historical fiction Fables and folktales Legends Myths Fantasy Drama Excerpts from novels Nonfiction Biographical and

autobiographical sketches Diaries, memoirs, journals,

letters Essays (e.g., personal and

classical narratives)

Types of Informational Text Primary Sources/Nonfiction

Historical documents (e.g., Bill of Rights)

Secondary Sources/Nonfiction Magazine articles Newspaper articles Editorials Encyclopedia articles Functional Materials Embedded in text (e.g., tables,

charts, maps, graphs, illustrations, photographs, captions, text boxes)

How-to articles Brochures, fliers, advertisements Schedules Website pages

Grade Literary Text Inf. Text

3 60% 40%

4 50% 50%

5 50% 50%

Passages include approximately

The complexity of questions will vary:

Low: recall and recognition of previously learned concepts.

Moderate: requires basic reasoning or problem solving with more than a single step process.

High: requires heavy demand on student thinking. Students must engage in abstract reasoning, planning, analysis, judgment, and creative thought. Students think in multiple steps.

Complexity Levels

Grade Low Moderate High

3rd 25–35% 50–70% 5–15%

4th 20–30% 50–70% 10–20%5th 15–25% 50–70% 15–25%

FCAT 2.0 Reading Percentage of Points by

Complexity Level

Create a reading routineRead to them (expression), with them

(to model reading rate) and have them read to you (independent reading)!

Ask your child to retell what they have read and to predict what will happen next

Make connections between reading and writing

What You Can Do to Help

Divided into two sessions. Students will have approximately 70 minutes

Approx. 50-55 questions***5th graders math portion will be

computerized Computer-based practice tests for

Math called ePATS are available at www.FLAssessments.com/ePAT

FCAT Math

* Number Sense: operations, problems, statistics, base 10 and fractions

*Geometry and Measurement

*Operations, problems, statistics, expressions and statistics

Math Clusters

Rigorous questions may include:Equivalent forms using whole numbers, decimals,

fractions and percent.Operations involving addition, subtraction and

multiplicationWord problems including estimating, length, weight,

perimeter, area, capacity, volume, time, temperature and angles.

Spatial relationships, symmetry, reflections, congruency and similarity

Graphing, diagrams and symbolic expressionsGenerating, collecting, organizing and analyzing dataMultiple steps and higher order thinking

FCAT 2.0 Mathematics:

About ¾ of Florida State Parks allow pets. Which decimal equals ¾?

0 .25 .50 .75 1.0

+--------+---------+---------+---------+0 ½

1A. .12B. .25C. .50D. .75

Number Sense

Kim’s family is driving from Georgia to Florida. They want to know how much time their trip will take. Which tool would be best for them to use?

A Thermometer B Ruler

C Measuring cupD Clock

Measurement

Sandra’s garden is in the shape of a trapezoid, which has only one pair of parallel sides. Which could be the shape of her garden?

A

B

C

D

Geometry

Mary and Tim were playing tennis. They started with 6 tennis balls. Three of the tennis balls went over the fence. If b represents the number of balls Mary threw back over the fence, which expression represents the situation?

A. (6-3) + bB. 6-(3+b)C. 6+(3-b)D. (6+3)-b

Algebraic Thinking

The table shows the outcomes for a game in which you use a spinner with 3 equal parts colored blue, green, and pink and toss a cube labeled 1, 2 or 3. How many possible outcomes are there?

A. 6 B. 9 C.12 D. 15

Data Analysis and Probability

Color 1 2 3

Blue

Green

Pink

Help your child master basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division)

Explore math in every day life situations (cooking, writing checks, paying bills, shopping, etc.)

Help your child learn math vocabulary Encourage your child to do math in their

head Involve your child when you plan home

improvement tasks.

What You Can Do to Help

Level 5 Students at this level demonstrate mastery of the NGSSS

Level 4 Students at this level demonstrate above satisfactory level of the

NGSSS Level 3 Students at this level demonstrate a

satisfactory level of the NGSSS

Level 2 Students at this level demonstrate a below satisfactory level of the

NGSSS Level 1 Students at this level demonstrate an

inadequate level of the NGSSS

FCAT 2.0 Achievement Levels

Two 80 minute sessions (approx. 60-66 multiple choice questions)

Strand areas include: *Nature of science Approx. points 17%

*Earth and space science Approx. points 9%*Physical science Approx. points 29% *Life science Approx. points 25%

FCAT 2.0 Science

Science SkillsIdentify, locate,

recognize, interpret, demonstrate, analyze, explain and apply their knowledge (scientific method).

Students should take time to understand science vocabulary (reread)

ObserveInvestigate Make logical

predictionsDesign and conduct

experimentsCollect and organize

dataExplore possible

conclusionsCommunicate data-

based decisions

Read with your childAsk your child to take a close look at any picture,

graph, or table that appears with a passage. Ask your child to make connections to self, text and

worldMotivate your child to be inquisitive and to be mini

investigators.Read articles related to scienceWatch science related documentaries and discuss as

you watch Many children learn by doing and not just by listening The more senses involved in the learning process, the

better understanding of concepts our children will have.

What You Can Do to Help

www.fcatexplorer.com (reading)www.Studyjams.com (science and math)www.floridachieves.com (reading and math)http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcatrelease.asp

(information/practice tests) Study Island (multiple subject areas)www.fldoe.org (information)www.thinkcentral.com (reading, math and science)www.educationcity.com (multiple subject areas) www.multiplication.com (math)www.Ar.com (reading)Computer based practice tests

www.FLAssessments.com/ePAT recommended for 5th graders Math computer assessment (Good practice for computerized tools)

Resources

A powerful phrase we should keep repeating

“I BELIEVE IN YOU”

We are glad to be part of your child’s

education and hope that tonight was an informational night.

Thank you for coming and have a

great evening!