A PARCC Guide for Parents Berry Elementary School Sandra Taylor, Principal Tara Zeier, Vice Principal Amy Clements, Instructional Specialist Beth Sorsby, Reading Resource Teacher Kristin Joson, Learning Resource Teacher Melissa

What is PARCC? Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for college and careers The PARCC assessment is an online test for reading as well as math that is given to students in grade 3-5. This year students will take the test in May. Melissa

For the ELA Assessment Students will need to be able to… Read sufficiently complex texts independently Write effectively to sources Build and present knowledge through research Students need to be comfortable working with more than one text at a time as they will be asked to compare between texts. Students also need to correctly use the Conventions of English such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

A Better Way to Measure Learning, By Grade TESTING THEN Multiple Choice Memorization Information Without Context TESTING NOW Read, Write, Reflect Analyze, Show Results Information in Real-World Context As a check-up, PARCC is designed to -Measure real-world skills. -Identify whether students are ready for the next grade, or to succeed in college, or to compete for a job. -Use technology to provide better information for teachers and parents. -Help teachers to intervene early, as needed.

What do Students have to do for the reading assessment? The reading assessment will take place over 3 days. Each day the test will take about an hour and a half. On day one students will complete the literary analysis task where they will read literary text and answer questions. Students will also complete a writing prompt. On day two students will complete a research simulation task where they will read and watch video clips about a topic. Students will then have to share what they learned by writing a response to a specific prompt. On day three students will complete the narrative writing task. The students will have to write a narrative.

What types of questions do Students have to answer? EBSR: Evidence Based Selected Response Questions Part A students will answer the question and Part B is the evidence to prove the answer is correct. Students must get part A correct in order for Part B to count. How can you show evidence for an incorrect answer?

What types of questions do Students have to answer? TECR: Technology Enhanced Constructed Response Students will have to use the mouse to drag and drop items. They might have to put the story in sequence or choose a character trait from a list and drag it to the correct box for a specific character.

What types of questions do Students have to answer? Writing: Students will also have to type their answer to 3 writing prompts (one each day). Students will need to make sure they use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.

What do Students have to do for the Math assessment? The math assessment will take place over 4 days. Each day the test will take about an hour and ten minutes. Each grade level test consists of questions from the following areas: Major Content of the Grade Level Additional & Supporting Content Mathematical Reasoning Modeling & Application

Major Content of each grade 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade Multiplication/Division Place Value Multi-Step Word Problems Multi- Step Word Problems Computation with multi-digit numbers Fractions Fraction Computation (+, -) Perimeter and Area Decimals Fraction Computation (x, ÷ ) Time Decimal Computation Measurement Volume

Additional/Supporting Content 3rd Grade 4th Grade 5th Grade Number Sense Factors and Multiples Measurement Conversions Place Value Fractions Data and Algebra Graphs Geometry Measurement Patterns Measuring Angles

Mathematical Reasoning Explain why you selected a certain approach. Justify why your answer is correct. Review someone else’s work and explain where they went wrong.

Modeling & Application Solve real world problems (with no key words). Create and use models to solve problems. Estimate and evaluate reasonableness of answers. Adjust or modify if something isn’t working.

Short Answer with Equation Editor Multi-step Problems Math Question Types Multiple Choice Drag & Drop Drop Down Menu Short Answer Short Answer with Equation Editor Multi-step Problems

Multiple Choice

Drag & Drop

Drop Down Menu

Short Answer with Equation Editor

Multi-step Problems

Multi-Step Problems Continued

How is the PARCC scored? Students will receive two scores; one for reading and one for math. A students’ score is given a level Level 5: Exceeds expectations Level 4: Met Expectations Level 3: Approaching Expectations Level 2: Partially Met Expectations Level 1: Did Not Meet Expectations We want all of our students to score a level 4 or 5 Melissa

How can help my child at home? Help them to learn their basic facts for speed and accuracy to help them work more quickly. Visit Great Schools Website for websites, handouts, and real world activities to help your child with specific areas of need. Expose your child to when you use math in real world situations and make sure to have a positive attitude about it. Meet with your child’s teacher to pin point areas of strength and weaknesses. Read at home at least 20 minutes a night. Don’t stop at just reading, ask questions that require your child to go back in the text to find evidence Take the On-line Practice Tests and encourage students to use scrap paper and pencil to solve.

Websites: PARCC: http://www.parcconline.org/resources/parent-resources Understandthescore.org Great Kids: http://www.greatschools.org/gk/common-core-test-guide/ Maryland State Department of Education: http://marylandpublicschools.org/parents/index.html http://marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/parcc/ Charles County Public Schools: http://www.ccboe.com/ Grammar Ninja: http://www.kwarp.com/portfolio/grammarninja.html Parent Resources: http://www.readwritethink.org/parent-afterschool- resources/ Maryland College Savings Plan: http://www.collegesavingsmd.org/ PARCC PRACTICE: https://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/