April+PARCC+Bytes

**April 3 **
This month we will share with you some specific information about how assessment questions will be framed. This week focuses on Multiple Choice questions for ELA, when only one answer is correct. The kinds of question stems students may encounter after reading one or more passages about a topic (or piece of media) are listed below. To prepare students to be successful on the PARCC assessments, you may want to use these stems during your instruction so students become familiar with these types of questions.

**Target Evidence Statement: **
1. The student will identify text evidence (explicit details and/or implicit information) to support a GIVEN inference or conclusion based on the text. Secondary
 * Appropriate Stems: **
 * Which detail/sentence/line from the passage best shows that [description of inference or conclusion based on the passage]? (Secondary will use “evidence/detail/sentence/line”).
 * [description of inference or conclusion based on the passage]. Which detail/sentence/line from the passage best supports this idea/best shows that [idea in the inference or conclusion]?
 * Which detail from the passage best supports this sentence/best shows that [idea in the inference or conclusion]?
 * Which detail from the passage best supports this sentence/best shows that [idea in the inference or conclusion]?
 * The reader can conclude/infer [inference or conclusion based on the text]. Which evidence/detail/sentence/line from the text best supports this conclusion/inference/best shows/justifies [idea in the inference or conclusion]?
 * The author/The narrator/[character] implies [inference based on the text]. Which evidence/detail/sentence/line from the text best supports this idea/inference/best shows/justifies [idea in the inference]?
 * Read this statement/conclusion/inference {Optional: about the text/about [idea in text]} and the directions that follow. [inference or conclusion based on the text]. Which evidence/detail/sentence/line from the text best supports this statement/conclusion/inference/best shows/justifies [idea in the inference or conclusion]?


 * Appropriate Stems for Dual-Text Stimuli Only: **
 * Which [detail/sentence/line] from [text #1 name] best shows that [description of inference or conclusion based on the two passages] is true of both passages? NOTE: This stem can only be used with two literary passages.
 * Based on the information in [text #2 name OR informational text name], [description of inference or conclusion based on text #1]. Which [detail/sentence/line] from [text #1 name] best supports that [description of idea in the inference or conclusion]?


 * April 10 **

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This week we are looking at mathematics instruction that will help students be successful with the PARCC Assessment.

//<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Illustrative Mathematics //<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> was developed at University of Arizona in 2011. Their goal is to provide teachers with **//vetted//** projects that provide a deeper understanding of mathematics and to develop skill in using mathematics.

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This resource can assist you in designing hands-on instruction in mathematics, aligned to Common Core and PARCC Assessments. It includes videos and other resources, in addition to lesson/unit plans.

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What is Available:

**<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Explore the Standards **

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">[|K-8 Standards]

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">[|High School Standards]

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">[|Standards for Mathematical Practice]

**<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Other Resources **

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;">[|Fractions Progression Videos]


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mathematics Vision Project-Secondary **

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Includes lesson plans for high school level mathematics that are integrated CCSS.

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Inside Mathematics **

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teachers resources for teaching math, including video clips of demonstration lessons, “guided tours of reflective math practice” and much more.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">CCSS Resource **

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Standards are listed by grade level; clicking on the standard will provide a list of sample lesson/unit plans and other resources that support instruction of the standard. This is a refereed site.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">April 17 **

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let’s look at the technology skills students will need to have to interact with the online PARCC Assessment.

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Technology skills include:

|| <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Click/tap
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Select an object  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use text highlighter   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Scroll  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Select text   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use on-screen calculator   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Plot points  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Select area   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use on-screen protractor   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Drag and drop  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Select and drag/slide   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use on-screen ruler   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Type with text editor  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Unselect   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use video player   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Manipulate graphs  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Change font size and background colors   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Knowing when to select multiple answers (square boxes) and when to select only one (circles)   ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Use a secure browser  ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cut/Paste   ||  <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">General Keyboarding   ||

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This site provides the PARCC sample items with the technology skills required for the sample questions, broken down by Grade Level and Content (ELA and Math): []


 * <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Resources **

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|21st Century Skills Maps]-These are //GREAT// toolkits for you to use, sorted by content areas, including sample lesson plans that embed technology and 21st Century Skills

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Big6]—A six stage model to assist in problem solving and decision-making skill development that embeds technology skills. Includes separate pages for each grade, 1st-8th, High School, and “Advanced”.

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Links for students to view and/or practice some PARCC-specific technology skills:

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[] and []

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">For Elementary Students: [|Practice Mouse Skills] and []

<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Keyboarding websites (lessons and games): <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic',sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]