BRIEF OVERVIEW

1. Florida Department of Education’s FCAT Explorer BRIEF OVERVIEW

2. FCAT Explorer Interactive, benchmarks-based practice programs Available at no cost to all Florida public schools Accessible from any computer connected to the Internet Students automatically enrolled Includes Educator Resources and a Parent & Family Guide

3. Access to all programs • A student’s sign-in name and password provides access to all programs • Struggling students can experience success in easier programs and work their way up

4. Practice Programs

5. MATH PROGRAMS • READING PROGRAMS • SCIENCE PROGRAMS Math Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Math Navigator: 8th Grade Benchmarks Math Timeline: 10th Grade Benchmarks Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Reading Odyssey: 4th Grade Benchmarks Reading Island: 6th Grade Benchmarks Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks Reading Timeline: 10th Grade Benchmarks Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Science Voyager: 8th Grade Benchmarks Science Mission: 11th Grade Benchmarks

6. Reading, Math, and Science Practice • Developed with strict adherence to the Sunshine State Standards and DOE’s Test Item & Performance Task Specifications • Practice items provide explicit reinforcement of the FCAT-tested benchmarks Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

7. Reading, Math, and Science Practice • Designed with the help of teachers and testing specialists • Graphics explicitly illustrate science and math concepts or reading content • Reading and math practice is set in the context of other subject areas from the Sunshine State Standards Math Navigator: 8th Grade Benchmarks

8. Science Practice • Reviewed by teachers for difficulty level, age-appropriate content, and student interest • Struggling students are directed to remedial lessons to explore more difficult science concepts. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks

9. FCAT Explorer Science Programs Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks • Vocabulary exercises reinforce important science concepts • 15 remedial lessons on annually assessed benchmarks • Annually assessed benchmarks include context dependent items • 215 multiple-choice, short-, extended-, and open-response items

10. From the Florida Department of Education www.fcatexplorer.com Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Program Overview

11. 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

12. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Fidelity with the Official FCAT Strict adherence to the Sunshine State Standards and DOE’s 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, and professional editors SR item in Strand G: Life and Environment

13. 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)

14. 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

15. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support

16. 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

17. 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.

18. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Learning Guidance • 2nd ATTEMPT • For CORRECT answer, CAE confirms and reinforces accurate skill application • For INCORRECT answer, the CAE: • Identifies correct answer • Explains why the answer the student chose was incorrect

19. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Practice Items

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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 writing skills by comparing two sample answers. SR in Strand E: Earth and Space

23. 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 or assess critical attributes ER in Strand E: Earth and Space

24. 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 student’s original composition to high-score sample response OR in Strand A: Nature of Matter

25. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Special Features

26. 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

27. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Special Learning Features • READ/INQUIRE/EXPLAIN (RIE) ICON • Available on SR, ER, and OR items • Students click on the RIE icon to view rubric • Rubric helps students to identify elements included in high scoring answers

28. 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

29. 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

30. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Educators’ Tools

31. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Educators’ Tools • Curriculum resources • Table of Strands and Benchmarks • Item Review • Letter to Parents Classroom Teacher’s Desk School Administrator’s Desk • Information management tools • Sign-in names and passwords • Progress Reports • Messages to students District Administrator’s Desk

32. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Student Performance Reports AT THE CLASSROOM TEACHER’S DESK • Check progress on individuals or classes • View science data by Benchmark or Strand • Compare percentage correct before and after instructional support

33. 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

34. Science Station: 5th Grade Benchmarks Visit the Educator Resources Page • Linked from the home page • Download this PowerPoint presentation • Download the School Administrator’s Desk Manual • Download the Teacher’s Desk Manual • Download other presentations • Program-specific presentations

35. 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 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

36. 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)

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