Third Grade SOL Tests Together We Can Succeed!

SOL Standards of Learning Federally Mandated State Tests These are not classroom grades. Test results do not determine promotion to 4 th grade. Official scores will be sent home the last day of school in report cards.

Two Online Tests Reading Math

Reading Test Tested over 2 days Approximately 50 questions Usually 4-6 passages (fiction, nonfiction, poem, advertisement, websites) Comprehension questions (right-there answers and inferential), sequencing, affixes, homophones, synonyms, rhyming words, compound words, contractions, use of apostrophes, dictionary skills Technology Enhanced Items (Venn Diagrams, selecting more than one answer, etc) VDOE - Reading TestNav - Reading Practice Problems /epatLogin.jsp?testnavTestId=3060&testnavFormId=1https://vastatic.testnav.com/vaqc/testnav /epatLogin.jsp?testnavTestId=3060&testnavFormId=1

Math Test 28 questions ( field test items) Number Sense (7 questions) Computation and Estimation (7 questions) Measurement and Geometry (8 questions) Probability/Patterns/Algebra (6 questions) Taken over 2 days Technology Enhanced Items (creating graphs, entering answers, selecting more than one correct choice, etc) Multi-step word problems VDOE – Math TestNav – Math Practice Problems

How does this CAT test work? AT_in_VA/CAT_in_VA.swf

Advantages to CAT Shorter tests Convenient administration Immediate scoring for school/division More flexibility in testing and re-testing Supports measuring and tracking growth Improved security Increased reliability and precision of measurement (especially for higher performing and struggling students) Student engagement

How will CAT be different for students? Students must provide a response to proceed. Students cannot go back to a question. Students cannot skip a question. Students cannot review their responses. It is impossible to submit an incomplete test. Some students will perceive greater success while proceeding through a testing event. Some students will perceive greater difficulty while proceeding through a testing event.

Online Test Window May 7 th - June 10 th You will get your child’s testing schedule when we get closer to the SOL tests!

Common Mistakes Misreading a question Misreading answer choices Not reading all of the answer choices Not choosing ALL correct answer choices

Making an error with horizontal math problems Performing the wrong math operation Performing only one math operation on a multistep problem Misreading key words such as NOT or OPPOSITE

#1 Mistake Rushing

Are you smarter than a 3 rd Grader? Sample Questions o/

What are we doing to prepare at school? Small group instruction in Reading and Math Online, iPad, Board games and card games Practice tests SMARTboard Responder activities Daily spiral review in reading and math Study Island Test-taking strategy lessons “Test Talks”

How can you help at home? Review test taking materials and strategies in small increments Help your child complete nightly homework to check for errors Practice basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts Have your child use Study Island, IXL, and SumDog for review- computer programs

Help at home continued… Discuss their thinking when answering a practice problem in math and reading Encourage your child to double-check their work Encourage your child and help build his/her confidence that they can be successful! Write a parent letter or note to encourage your student (look for more information as we near the SOLs) Check the Pattie website for links to SOL review *Help your child remember their GLASSES

The Night Before the Test and All Through the House… Get a good night’s sleep Eat a healthy breakfast No distressing news No stressful cramming

Day of… COME TO SCHOOL ON TIME

Online Resources Piney Branch Website VA Dept. of Education SOL Testing site (specific subjects can be accessed by clicking the tabs on the right) Jefferson Lab Math Practice Tests TEI Enhanced Questions

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