SMARTER BALANCED Student Overview

1. SMARTER BALANCED Student Overview

2. Key Elements for ELA • Reading: 15-16 CAT qstns • 3-5 Informational Texts (11-12 qstns) • 1 Literary Text (4 questions) • Listening (informational): 8-9 qstns • Writing: 10 CAT qstns, 1 PT essay • Research: 6 CAT qstns, 2-3 short constructed response

3. Smarter Balanced Summative Components • Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) • Item Types: • Selected Response (Multiple Choice) • Technology-Enhanced/Enabled Items • Short Constructed Response • Performance Task (PT) • Two-day event in ELA; recommended single-day in Mathematics • ELA will access multiple resources • Short answer questions build understanding of the longer essay task

4. Reading: Types of Informational Text Questions • What is the central idea of the entire text or paragraph? • Which statement best describes a claim? • What conclusion (inference) can be drawn? • Which evidence or details supports a conclusion? • How does one paragraph affect the structure of the text as a whole? (What is the purpose of that paragraph?) • What is a word’s meaning?

5. Reading Informational Texts Scan to get an overview • Read the title to find the topic. • Read the first paragraph, then find and highlight the thesis. • Read and highlight the first topic sentenceof each paragraph. • Read and highlight the main ideas in the conclusion. Read the entire article • Highlight key details • Annotate the main idea or purpose of each paragraph.

6. Hints: Informational Text Questions Key Details – Evidence • Read the conclusion given: The fashion industry has started to become more sustainable. Click on the sentence that best supports this conclusion. Choose 1 sentence from several paragraphs. HINT: Be careful to select a specific supporting detail. Avoid looking for key words (e.g., sustainable).

7. Hints: Informational Text Questions Part A: Reasoning Example Click on the statement that best describes what the use of the cotton t-shirt example shows about the fashion industry’s attempt at becoming a sustainable industry. • Choose from 4 MC options. Part B: Details Click on the sentences that best support your answer in part A. • HINT:Note that it’s asking for more than one sentence. In this case, always choose TWO.

8. Hints: Informational Text Questions Text STRUCTURE Example • How does the third paragraph affect the structure of the text as a whole? (Choose from 4 MC options.) • HINT:Look for the statement that sums up the main idea and purpose of the paragraph.

9. Audio-Visual Question Types • Tone & Purpose • What is the presenter's overall agenda? (purpose) • What is the presenter's overall tone? • Claims • What point does the author emphasize with the details that are included? (What claim or conclusion do the details support?)

10. Audio-Visual Question Types • Evidence & Reasoning • How does the information best influence the audience's understanding of the presentation? • What does a specific fact demonstrate? (What conclusion or inference can be drawn?) • Which detail supports a conclusion or inference?

11. Audio-Visual Question Types Rhetorical Techniques • Why does the author use the rhetorical technique of (comparison, repetition, etc.)? (What is the purpose or effect of this rhetorical technique?) • COMPARISON – to identify similarities (and differences) • ANALOGY – make comparisons to help an audience to understand • REPETITION – to emphasize • HYPERBOLE – exaggerate to make a point or emphasize

12. Audio-Visual Question HINTS Listen/Interpret audio visual presentations. Language • Based on information in the presentation, what does a specific term or concept mean? Central Idea - Example • Based on the information in the presentation, what does the term “mass produced” mean in pop culture? (MC) • HINT:Review the presentation to understand the main idea or key point made about mass production in pop culture.

13. Audio-Visual Question HINTS Listen/Interpret audio visual presentations. Key Point • Which point does the author emphasize by including details about performances? (MC) HINT: A point is an argument or claim. In other words, what does the detail (example) prove?

14. Audio-Visual Question HINTS Listen/Interpret audio visual presentations. Analysis: • Which of the following terms best describes the Carter Center’s overall agenda? (MC) • HINT: Agenda = Purpose, Goal, or Motivation • The presentation describes the conditions of the countries where the Carter Center helps with elections. How does this information best influence the listener’s understanding of the presentation? (MC)

15. Audio-Visual Question HINTS Listen/Interpret audio visual presentations and analyze the central idea, key points, purpose, point of view,or rhetorical techniques. Rhetorical Devices: • Why does the author use the rhetorical technique of comparison to show how popular culture is mass produced? (MC) • HINT: What is the purpose and/or effect of a specific rhetorical technique? For example, comparison is used to emphasize similarities.

16. Reading: Types of Literary Text Questions • What central idea is expressed in the entire excerpt • Which sentence reveals the central idea in a paragraph?

17. Reading: Types of Literary Text Questions • Inferences: • What inference can be drawn? • How does one paragraph add to the characterization of the narrator or character? • What statement best describes what the metaphor in the sentences adds to the meaning to the text? • What does the text reveal about the narrator, character, or author? (What is the purpose of the details in the text?)

18. Reading: Types of Literary Text Questions • Which detail (or sentence) best supports an inference or central idea? • How does one paragraph affect the structure of the text as a whole? (What is the main idea and purpose of that paragraph?) • What is the meaning of the underlined word?

19. Literary Text Question HINTS Reasoning & Evaluation What do the stories of survival in the last paragraph suggest to the reader about the narrator? Your short constructed response should include: • CLAIM: Infer meaning about the narrator’s traits, motivation, conflicts, development, attitude / tone. • EVIDENCE:Support your inferences with specific examples. • REASONING:Explain your reasoning – What do the examples prove?

20. Literary Text Question HINTS Text Structure • Why did the author structure elements within the text in a certain manner? • How does the order (of paragraphs or sentences) affect meaning? HINT 1:Identify this type of question • Look for mention of a paragraph number. • Look for wording such as “adds to” or “develops.” • Look for “how” questions.

21. Literary Text Question HINTS Text Structure HINT 2 - How to approach this question: • Re-read the suggested passage or paragraph. • Analyze the purposeof placing the information in that specific order. • Example: How does this order affect plot or character development? • Look for the statement that sums up the main idea of the passage. Or, in a short constructed response, explain the main idea and purposeof the passage or paragraph.

22. Literary Text Question HINTS Text Structure – Example How does the second paragraph about the solar stills add to the characterization of the narrator? Select allthat apply. (Often this means TWO). • The solar stills demonstrate the narrator’s ingenuity. • The solar stills prove that the narrator’s concern for his material belongings. • The solar show how important fresh water is to the character’s survival. • The solar stills show how hard the narrator works to be free from responsibility.

23. Writing & Revision Question Types • Order & Coherence: Move the underlined sentence to another place in the text that would best maintain coherence. • Punctuation: commas, semicolons, colons • Grammar: parallelism, subject verb agreement • Other Mechanics: capitalization, spelling

24. Writing: Argument Structure • Intro: Thesis • Body: • Claims, Evidence, Reasoning • Counterclaim • Rebuttal, Evidence, Reasoning • Conclusion And don’t forget to consider: • Diction & Tone – Precise Language • Transitions

25. Writing: Expository Structure • Intro: Thesis • Body: • Claims – topic sentences • Evidence • Reasoning – What conclusion best explains the significance of the information? • Conclusion And don’t forget to consider: • Diction & Tone – Precise Language • Transitions

26. Pause Rules • Tests can be paused at any time; students get a warning message to verify they want to pause. • If a CAT test is paused less than 20 minutes, students may review questions already answered. • If a CAT test is paused more than 20 minutes, students may not review or change questions already answered.

27. Pause Rules • When resuming after a pause, the student sees the first page that has unanswered questions. • If a test is idle for over 20 minutes, the system will automatically pause the test and log the student out. • There are no pause limits for the performance task portion of Smarter Balanced tests.

28. Smarter Balanced Assessments Neither portions of the test are timed; students will be allowed to continue working as long as they are making progress.