FCAT Explorer A School Presentation

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Program Overview
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From the Florida Department of Education
www.fcatexplorer.com
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Interactive practice program

• FCAT-like practice on all FCAT-tested strands and
  benchmarks
• Reinforces important science concepts
• Available at no cost to all Florida public
  schools
• Accessible from any computer connected to the
  Internet

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Fidelity with the Official FCAT

• Strict adherence to the Sunshine State Standards
  and DOEs Test Item and Performance Task
  Specifications

• Rigorous item development process

• Items drafted by science teachers and
  professional item writers
• Items reviewed by instructional designers,
  testing specialists, science teachers, and
  subject matter experts

SR item in Strand G Life and Environment
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice

• FCAT-like practice on all tested strands and
  benchmarks

• A Nature of Matter
• B Energy
• C Force and Motion
• D Processes that Shape the Earth
• E Earth and Space
• F Processes of Life
• G How Living Things Interact with Their
  Environment
• H Scientific Thinking

MC item in Strand G Life and Environmental

• 215 FCAT-like practice items

• 125 Multiple Choice (MC)
• 45 Context Dependent (CD)
• 24 Short Response (SR)
• 6 Extended Response (ER)
• 15 Open Response (OR)

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice

• Number of items per benchmark based on teacher
  recommendation

• Difficulty of benchmark
• Difficulty for struggling students

• Same style, format, scope and cognitive level
  as FCAT
• Reviewed by teachers for interest and difficulty

ER item in Strand H Scientific Thinking
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Instructional Support
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Learning Guidance
1ST ATTEMPTCORRECT

• Congratulations!
• Correct Answer Explanation (CAE)

• Confirms the elements that make an answer correct
  
• Reinforces effective skill application

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Learning Guidance
1ST ATTEMPT INCORRECT

• Includes hints to clarify the question without
  giving away the answer
• Immediate second chance to apply the skill
  correctly

 
Click on Glossary Terms for definitions of more
difficult science concepts.
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Learning Guidance
2nd ATTEMPT

• For CORRECT answer, CAE confirms and reinforces
  accurate skill application

• For INCORRECT answer, the explanation

• Identifies correct answer
• Explains why the answer the student chose was
  incorrect

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Practice Items
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice Items
MULTIPLE CHOICE (MC)

• Same formatting details as on the FCAT
• Same notation conventions as on the FCAT

MC in Strand G Life and Environmental
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice Items
CONTEXT DEPENDENT MULTIPLE CHOICE (CD)

• Students read a short passage
• Answer three multiple choice items based on
  passage content
• Students can review passage at any time

CD in Strand G Life and Environmental
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice Items
SHORT-RESPONSE (SR)

• Students are presented with two sample student
  responses and are asked to select the high
  scoring answer
• Reinforces critical thinking by asking students
  to compare two sample answers

SR in Strand E Earth and Space
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice Items
EXTENDED-RESPONSE (ER)

• Student reads a response and assigns it a high or
  partial score.
• Simulation strategies recommended by teachers

• Based on classroom instructional practices
• Requires student to compare and assess critical
  attributes

ER in Strand E Earth and Space
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
FCAT-like Practice Items
OPEN-RESPONSE (OR)

• Students compose original answers
• Read high-score sample response
• Read explanation of attributes that earn sample
  response a high score
• Compare students original composition to
  high-score sample response
• Option to print

OR in Strand A Nature of Matter
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Features

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
GLOSSARY

• Linked (blue) words in first incorrect response
• Click speaker icon to hear word pronounced
• Definition
• Spanish and Haitian Creole translations

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
READ/INQIRE/EXPLAIN (RIE) ICON

• Available on SR, ER, and OR items
• Students click on the RIE icon to view rubric
• Rubric helps students identify elements included
  in high scoring answers

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
Science Vocabulary Exercises

• Before each item set, students work with science
  terms important to that benchmark
• Frayer model approach

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
Science Vocabulary Exercises

• Summary screen at completion of set
• Same words appear in vocabulary games at end of
  benchmark sequence

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
Animated Vocabulary Games

• Play one of four vocabulary games upon completing
  a group of benchmarks
• Includes repetition of question for incorrect
  responses

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
Remedial Lessons

• Provided when students miss 3 or more items per
  benchmark sequence
• Each annually assessed benchmark offers a lesson

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
Remedial Lessons

• Interactive
• Students control pace
• Learning checks spaced throughout
• Reinforcement of key concepts

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
Remedial Lessons Super SRs

• Students build answer by dragging sentences
• Focus on key ideas needed to answer question

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Special Learning Features
CHALLENGE LIST

• Links directly to items answered incorrectly
• Helps students focus on skill improvement
• Displays corresponding strand

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Educators Tools

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Educators Tools
Classroom Teachers Desk

• Curriculum resources

• Table of Strands and Benchmarks
• Item Review
• Open Response Items
• Vocabulary activities review
• Letter to Parents
• Lesson Review
• Fluency List

Vocabulary Exercise Review
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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Student Performance Reports
AT THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS DESK

• Check progress on individuals or classes
• View science data by Benchmark
• Compare percentage correct before and after
  instructional support

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
The Parent Family Guide

• Accessible from the home page without a password
• Available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole
• Helps parents, guardians, and mentors understand
  the Sunshine State Standards and the FCAT

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Visit the Educator Resources Page

• Linked from the home page
• Download this PowerPoint presentation
• Download the School Administrators Desk Manual
• Download the Teachers Desk Manual

• Download other presentations

• Program-specific presentations

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
Toll-Free Help Desk

• Accessible from the home page without a password
• 1-888-750-FCAT 1-888-750-3228
• Weekdays from 700 a.m. 600 p.m.

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
To get sign-in names and passwords

• School Principals Contact your District Office
  and speak to the FCAT Explorer District
  Administrator
• Teachers Contact your FCAT Explorer School
  Administrator

FCAT Explorer Home Page (www.fcatexplorer.com)
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Sneak Preview!8th Grade Science
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(No Transcript)
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Same Instructional Features as 5th Grade Science
Vocabulary exercises and games All item
types Strand-based remedial lessons Super
SRsMini Lessons within item sequence
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Super SRMini Lessons Step 1
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Super SRMini Lessons Step 2
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Super SRMini Lessons Step 3
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Delivery Schedule Science
8th Grade ScienceDecember 31, 2007 11th Grade
ScienceJune 2008 Focus Mini Assessments2008-2009

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Science Station 5th Grade Benchmarks
www.fcatexplorer.com
Log on to FCAT Explorer!