Preparing for the 4th Grade FCAT

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Preparing for the 4th Grade FCAT
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What is the FCAT 2.0?

• The Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test is
  part of Floridas overall plan to increase
  student achievement by implementing higher
  standards. The FCAT 2.0 also measures student
  progress toward meeting the Next Generation
  Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS) benchmarks.
• Common Core Standards implemented 2014-2015
  school year.

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When will the FCAT test be given?

• FCAT Writes
• February 26, 2013
• FCAT Reading and Math
• April 15-26, 2013
• Assessment schedule has been posted at
• http//info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document
  -5063/fcatscheduleb.pdf
• Rubric can be found on
• languageartsreading.dadeschools.net

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FCAT Writing
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What can my child score on the FCAT Writes?
6 Has focus, organization, higher end vocabulary used appropriately, plenty of support and conventions. Variety of sentence structure adds fluency and enhances understanding.
5 Writing is focused, has organization, precise vocabulary, plenty of support and proper use of conventions. Writer builds suspense in a well-crafted story.
4 Generally focused based on topic/prompt, has organization, transitions connect within and between paragraphs, higher end vocabulary used appropriately, plenty of support and mostly proper use of conventions.
3 Generally focused based on topic, organization attempted, lacking supporting details and elaboration. Some transitions move the action through time. Few minor errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Demonstration of knowledge of conventions.
2 Slightly related to topic/prompt, incomplete organization, some details, unrelated information shifts the topic, word choice limited or immature, missing punctuation resulting on run-on sentences.
1 Minimally addresses topic/Lists multiple responses/prompt, has extraneous information, frequent errors in all areas of conventions
Unscorable Did not write to the topic/prompt
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Types of Topics/Prompts

• Expository
• Explain
• Beginning, Middle, End
• 60 minutes
• Rough Draft

• Narrative
• Tell a story
• Beginning, Middle, End
• 60 minutes
• Rough Draft

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FAQ

• Who scores the test?
• How are the scores calculated?
• What is the passing score?
• Can fourth grade students be retained for not
  passing this test?
• Can students use visual aids, dictionaries, and
  notes?

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What are the Scorers looking for?
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How can you help your child???

• The better the reader, the better the writer
• Journal Writing
• Review their writing home learning using rubric
• Encourage mature vocabulary
• Correct grammar, spelling, and capitalization on
  all assignments.
• Example- Reading Log

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FCAT READING
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What can my child score on the FCAT?
Level 5 This student has success with the most challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards. A student scoring in Level 5 answers most of the test questions correctly, including the most challenging questions.
Level 4 This student has success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards. A student scoring in Level 4 answers most of the test questions correctly, but may have only some success with questions that reflect the most challenging content.
Level 3 This student has partial success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards, but performance is inconsistent. A student scoring in Level 3 answers many of the test questions correctly but is generally less successful with questions that are the most challenging.
Level 2 This student has limited success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards.
Level 1 This student has little success with the challenging content of the Sunshine State Standards.
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How the Test is Designed

• FCAT DESIGN (90 min/ with short stretch break)
• Multiple Choice (MC) 1pt. - 1 min each
• Combination of Fiction (fables), Non-Fiction and
  Poetry (compared)
• Reference research (graphs, pictures, maps,
  charts, captions, footnotes)
• Identify, understand and apply the use of
  figurative language.

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Meet the Benchmarks

• Cause/Effect
• Main Idea/Relevant Supporting Details
• Text Features
• Vocabulary
• Compare/Contrast (Similarities/Differences)
• Authors Perspective/Point of View
• Chronological Order
• Theme/Topic
• Elements of Story Structure
• Text Structure/Organizational Patterns
• Descriptive, Idiomatic Figurative Language
• Informational Text

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Figurative Language
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How can you help your child???

• Read books with your child aloud
• Ask questions of the 5 Ws and How
• Monitor student book choice ( AR level and
  genres)
• Assign activities that will have your child
  graphing, classifying, predict, estimating,
  comparing, identifying patterns, interpreting,
  and summarizing material

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FCAT MATH
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How the Test is Designed?

• Multiple Choice
• Diagrams
• Conversions
• Rulers
• No calculators
• Gridded Responses

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Gridded-response items appear in Grade 4 for the
first time
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Gridded Response
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Rulers will be provided for use on the second
session
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Megans father won first place in a bicycle race.
The race was divided into equal sections, each
measuring exactly 7 miles in length. Which number
could be the total number of miles of the
race? A. 17 B. 28 C. 43 D. 54
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(No Transcript)
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Meet the Strands

• Number Sense, Concepts and Operations
• Measurement
• Geometry and Spatial Sense
• Algebraic Thinking
• Multi-Step Word Problems

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Number Sense
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Geometry and Spatial Sense
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Geometry and Spatial Sense
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Algebraic Thinking

• Michèle is paid 2.00 for each hour she watches
  her younger brother. She then spends 3.00 of her
  total earnings.
• Let h represent the number of hours Michèle
  watched her brother.
• Which expression below could be used to show how
  much money she will have left?
• h - 3
• h 2
• 2 3b
• (2h) - 3

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How can you help your child???

• Review multiplication facts
• Bake with your child (use metric units and
  customary)
• Incorporate estimation when shopping with your
  child
• Use the online Etext book Go Math!
• Have students underline and circle key words and
  concepts when completing assignments
• Always show work

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Parent/Student Resources

• http//www.fldoe.org
• http//oada.dadeschools.net/TestingCalendar/Testin
  gCalendar.asp
• http//www.infoplease.com/homework/
• http//www.riverdeep.dadeschools.net
• http//www.explorelearning.com
• http//www.aplusmath.com
• http//www.tickettoread.com
• http//www.fcatexplorer.com

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Questions and Comments