1. PSSA Professional Development February 13, 2009

2. PSSA is a team Effort! Prompt: Write 1 letter of the alphabet that has exactly 2 lines of symmetry. Student Response: Dear Alphabet your shap has two lines of symmetry becas you can cu it by top to botum or right to left.

3. Objectives: Complete a thorough analysis of multiple choice answers. Discuss constructed response scoring and likely challenges that prevent students from attaining the highest score. Develop a plan that maximizes the remaining 19 days to ensure students learn needed strategies that will support their success on the PSSA.

4. Performance Tracker: Where: On the district Home Page under, “Instructional Resources” Log In: Usually your first initial and last name are your user name. If you forget your password try “data” or “nasddata”. Still not able to log-on…let us know!

5. The “How To”: 1. Click on “Reporting” 2. Click on “Question Summary” under “Item Level Reports” 3. Scroll down and click on “Run Report”. 4. Select the Assessment Subject, the Assessment Grade Level, and the year. 5. Hit the “Display/Re-Display” button. 6. Check the box for the appropriate Assessment data and then “OK and Run Now”. http://www.nasd.k12.pa.us/

6. Using the Results: Pick 4-5 problem questions for your class/the grade and discuss. What do you notice? What is the question type? How might students be thrown off by the question? How can teachers tackle coaching students to find the correct answer? What instruction can be implemented before the PSSAs to deal with areas of need? How can K-2 instruction support 3 rd and 4 th grade teachers the coming years in these areas?

7. Data Protocol Form: 1. Identify 3 areas of the greatest strength. 2. Cite reasons why these are strengths. 3. Identify 3 areas of the greatest need. 4. Cite reasons why these are weak areas. 5. Discuss how you can (or have) remediated weaknesses in your classrooms. Have you noticed these areas as weaknesses in your daily classroom observations? What weaknesses are not addressed in these assessments?

8. Constructed Response: Take a moment to review the Constructed Response Released Samples from the PSSA Reading 2007-2008 for Third Grade. Think about… What scores you would have assigned? Why students received certain scores? How can you start or how have you started to teach constructed response in your classrooms?

9. Constructed Response 4th:

10. Constructed Response 3rd:

11. Constructed Response: At your tables read the Constructed Response sample that received a score of 3. Why a 3? The student has given, in the student’s own words, a complete summary of what happens when Owl finds a scrap of paper, using three important events from the beginning, the middle, and the end of the passage (“first owl finds a note with letters on it like cc and bw and rr,” “And frog thinks bw is BEWARE!,” and “misses hen comes over and says its only my shopping list and all the letters mean foods”).

12. Constructed Response: At your tables read the Constructed Response sample that received a score of 2. Why a 2? The student has given, in the student’s own words, a partial summary of what happens when Owl finds a scrap of paper, using two important events from the passage (“First Owl found a note with letters all over it. He catches the note and reads it” and “He gets scared because he thinks cc means careful old chap and he thinks bw means beware and rr means run”).

13. Constructed Response: At your tables read the Constructed Response sample that received a score of 1. Why a 1? The student has given, in the student’s own words, an incomplete summary of what happens when Owl finds a scrap of paper by giving a general statement of the events of the passage (“Mr owl found a not full of cods so he showed it to Frog”).

14. Constructed Response: At your tables read the Constructed Response sample that received a score of 0. Why a 0? The student’s response is inaccurate. Other Scoring: BLK (blank)...No response or written refusal to respond or too brief to determine response OT..................Off task/topic LOE................Response in a language other than English IL....................Illegible

15. Your Turn: 1. At your tables, take turns reading two more constructed response samples. 2. Score the sample (3, 2, 1, or 0) anonymously by placing a post-it on the back of the constructed response. 3. Discuss why you assigned these scores. 1. Were your tables in agreement? Why or Why not?

16. Creating a Plan: Use the 19 Day Instruction Plan Sheet to create a map of how you plan to specifically help your students improve their PSSA score. Define the areas of need Target the specific students Assign dates when this instruction will take place Describe creative and effective lessons in these instructional “Hot Spots” K-2: How can you use today’s data to support 3 rd and 4 th grade teachers? What’s your plan?

17. Instructional Plan Sample: Needed Skill or Concept StudentsPlan (includes dates and strategies) Author’s Purpose John, Juan, Shakira, Taylor, & Ben 2/17: Re-define the various purposes author’s write and use previously read texts to sort into categories. 2/18: Review author’s purpose. Guide students in locating books in classroom with a different author’s purpose. Discuss the author’s purpose (less support than 2/17). 2/19: Review author’s purpose. Assess students with paragraphs to read independently and define the author’s purpose and the evidence that backed their decision. 2/20: Review their independent practice and address any further confusions. Students make “Keys” defining Author’s Purpose and the different types with examples to add to their “Keys to the PSSA” key ring.

18. Math Time: Please repeat for Math PSSA Practice! 1. Analyze strengths & weak areas. 2. Create an Instructional Plan for targeted areas. 3. Constructed Response? 1. Read Samples and report Post-it activity 2. Discuss scores and why or why not your tables agreed/disagreed on assigned scores.

19. Inspirational Quote: Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement. Brian Tracy, Eat that Frog