February 10, 2011

When?
• NJASK 3, 4, 5: May 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 (Grade 4 Science)
• NJASK 3, 4 5 Make Up Testing: May 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 (Grade 4
Science)

Why?
 NCLB (ESEA)“No Child Left Behind” –2002
 Every state must have an assessment for annual tests in
Language Arts and Math in grades 3-8.
 Assess every student in science by 2007- 08 at least once in each of these grade spans: 3-5, 6-9, 10-12.
 Have all students attain a level of proficiency by the 2013-2014 school year.

How is data used?
 To analyze and compare data over the years to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses
 To examine test scores to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses on a grade level and for individual students.
 To analyze data and plan instruction based on student needs
 To integrate test taking strategies across the curriculum
 To use in addition to OTHER district and school assessments in order to learn more about our student’s academic levels (IS (Basic Skills), Accelerated Math,
Enrichment)

What?
Writing
(2 Writing Tasks)
(30 Minutes)
Reading
(3 Passages)
(30-40 Minutes)
Math Science
Grade 3
Speculative or
Expository
Grade 4
Grade 5
18 MC, 3 OE 43 MC
8 SCR
4 ECR
27 MC, 3 OE 43 MC
8 SCR
4 ECR
31 MC, 3 OE 43 MC
10 SCR
5 ECR
N/A
33 MC
2 OE
N/A

Writing Prompts
• The speculative prompt presents a brief scenario which students use as a springboard for writing a story, drawing on stories they have read as well as on their own experiences to develop ideas for their composition.
• There are two formats for assessing expository writing : one will introduce a topic in a brief verbal prompt and ask students to develop a composition about that topic; the second format uses a poem to introduce a topic. That topic is elaborated further by a brief verbal prompt that students will use as a basis for writing their composition.

Example Writing Prompts
Speculative
When the school bell rang, Katie and Pablo grabbed their books and raced out of the classroom. They had been looking forward to this afternoon all week long. Today they were going to go on an adventure.
Write a story about the adventure Katie and Pablo had after they left school.

Example Writing Prompts
Expository Writing (Poem Prompt)
(Students first listen to and read the Shel Silverstein poem “Moon-Catchin’ Net”)
Has there ever been something you wanted very much that you may or may not have been able to get? Write about what you wanted. Include the following:
What did you want to have and why did you want this?
If you got it, explain how it happened and why you were successful.
If you didn’t get it, explain why not.
Explain how you might be successful in getting it in the future.

In 30 Minutes…
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Create an opening “hook”
Create characters, setting and plot (Speculative)
Dialogue
State and explain the main problem and solution (if any)
Do all tasks while using high level vocabulary, descriptive adjectives and verbs, specific nouns, figurative language, varied sentence structure, and other advanced writing techniques
Spelling and Grammar
All scores based on a 5 point rubric

Writing Rubric (10 Points Total)

At BA, we prepare our students for writing by…
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Writer’s Workshop
(Leads, Supporting Ideas, Organizations, Grammar,
Spelling)
Provide multiple opportunities to practice (Timed Writing)
Evaluate assessments and data to make instructional decisions
Provide instructional support as needed
Provide opportunities to free write or self select topic
Integrate writing into other content areas (science, social studies)
We hold conferences with our writers
Share and celebrate our writings
Review their writings from the beginning of the year

Parents can prepare our students for writing by…
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Review your child’s writing
Provide ample opportunities for students to practice
Time the students’ writing once in a while
Try writing one yourself and share your writing with your child.
Score the writing with the students using the rubric
Allow children to discuss with you openly about areas for improvements
Have students use a Writing Journal
Have students read their writings over again throughout the year
Write about Non-Fiction topics, Editorial and Opinions

Reading Multiple Choice Questions
1.
What is a theme of “Brave as a Mountain Lion”?
A. Hard work can lead to good ideas.
B. Nature teaches us about ourselves.
C. We can do hard things with help from others.
D. Everything we know we learn in school.
3. On page 14, the school letter states that Spider has been chosen for the spelling bee. Why was he chosen?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The teacher thinks Spider wants to be on stage.
Spider’s father was in a spelling bee.
People know that Spider is brave and clever.
Spider spelled every word correctly on the spelling test.

Reading Open Ended Question
Throughout the passage, Spider exhibited many different character traits.
• Choose three adjectives from the list given which best describe Spider in this story.
• Explain how these character traits influenced Spider’s behavior at the end of the story.
Use details from the text to support your opinion.

Reading Rubric

At BA, we prepare our students for reading by…
• Guided Reading
(Fluency, Decoding Skills, Comprehension Skills,
Make Inferences)
• Running Records to evaluate students
• Provide multiple opportunities to practice reading
(At Home - Reading Logs, Science, Social Studies)
• Provide instructional support as needed
• Students answer multiple choice questions as well as open-ended
• Allow students to read in other genre areas
(Non-Fiction, Biographies, Etc.)

Parents can prepare our students for reading by…
• Check to see students are reading everyday
• Read with your child (Books, Newspapers, Magazines)
• Help students use the rubric to score their response to
OE questions.
• Regularly discuss with your child the main idea, author’s purpose and the theme of the story.
• Delve deeply into the book to compare characters and summarize problem and solution of the story.
• Allow children to discuss with you openly about areas for improvements

Third Grade
Multiple Choice Questions

Fourth Grade
Multiple Choice Sample

Fifth Grade
Multiple Choice Questions

 Short Constructed Response (SCR)
 Extended Constructed Response
(ECR)

How will these be scored?
 Short Constructed Response:
– Answers are right or wrong
– 1 point each
– Student work to get the answer will NOT be assessed.
 Extended Constructed Response (Rubric Used)
– Scored on a 3 point scale - partial credit is awarded
– Students can receive up to 2 points for a proper execution of strategy with a small computational mistake
– Student work can be looked at and assessed.

Short Constructed Response
Examples
A lunch menu has 3 beverage selections: water, juice and milk. The menu also offers 2 sandwich selections: turkey and peanut butter. How many different meals of one beverage and one sandwich are possible?
(correct answer: ?)
A bag contains 5 red marbles, 8 blue marbles, and 7 green marbles. Arturo reaches into the bag and removes one marble. What is the probability that marble is red?
(correct answers: ?)

Extended Constructed Response
Question

Extended Constructed Response
Examples
 The ECR items require students to construct their own written or graphical responses and explain their responses.
 These questions are the most difficult and require multiple steps or procedures to solve all parts of the problem .

Extended Constructed Response
Question

Sample 1

Sample 2

Sample 3

At BA, we prepare our students for math by…
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Mathematics Curriculum (Investigation)
Sample tests and analyze student data to plan for instructions
Instructional support as needed
Problem of the Day (POD)
Connect to real world
Mad Minute / Rocket Math
Integrate math with science (temperature graph)
Give students ECR as well as SCR questions
Review materials as needed
Kid friendly rubric

Parent can prepare our students for math by…
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Allow students to use various strategies to answer questions
Use rubric to score their response to OE questions
Have students create questions for an answer
Have students answer questions using pictures, numbers and words (if applicable)
Have students find more than one answer for a given problem (making change)
Review materials from the beginning of the year frequently

NJ ASK: Science (4 th grade only)
General Science Knowledge
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• Each multiple choice is worth one point; Each open ended is worth 3 points.
33 multiple choice questions, 2 open ended questions; 39 total possible points.
60 minutes testing time

Home Preparations
 Normal Routines
 Balanced Breakfast
 Try Your Best
 Attendance/Arrival
 Share Relaxation
Techniques
 Be Positive
 ONE test

Official School and State Websites
 Study Island www.studyisland.com
 NJCCS www.state.nj.us/education/assessment
 New Jersey Department of Education www.state.nj.us/education/
Search Keywords…
“state standardized tests New Jersey”
“released NJASK questions”
“NJASK”

Q / A
Thank you for attending the
BA PTO NJ ASK Night!