NJ ASK Parent Workshop
March 26, 2009
Leslie Lopez
DO NOW:
Please begin the test in front
of you. Stop where you see
the STOP sign. We will do
the rest together!
NJ ASK Testing Dates 2009

Grade 3 - 4 Days total
– May 4th-7th (2 days LA, 2 days math - 1 more
day this year)

Grade 4 - 5 days total
– May 4th-8th (2 days LA, 2 days math, 1 day
science)

Grade 5 -4 days total
– May 11th - 14th (2 days LA, 2 days math)
Reading Tasks

Narrative Text: literature that tells a
story

Everyday Text: text that people
encounter in their everyday lives
Alignment to Content
Standards
Working with Text


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Extrapolating Information
Paraphrasing/Vocabulary
Recognition of purpose for
reading
Recognition of central idea
or theme
Recognition of supporting
details
Text organization
Analyzing Text



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Making judgments, drawing
conclusions
Forming opinions
Literary elements and textual
conventions
Prediction of meanings
Questioning, Clarifying,
Predicting
Reading Strategies:
Multiple Choice

Read the questions first

Underline important words
in the story

Cross out wrong answer
choices using process of
elimination

Bubble in the correct
answer choice
How well did you do on
the Multiple Choice?
Reading Strategies:
Open Ended

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TS:Topic Sentence
E1: Evidence One
E2: Evidence Two
E3: Evidence Three
PC: Personal
Connection
CS: Closing Sentence
Transition Words: First, Next,
Another, In addition, Furthermore,
Lastly, Finally, In conclusion, To
wrap it up
Now you try it!
Format of Test: Reading
Reading
Tasks
3 tasks
Multiple
Choice
Open Ended
18 (Grade 3)
27 (Grade 4)
31 (Grade 5)
3 (Grade 3)
3 (Grade 4)
3 (Grade 5)
Total Points
30 (Grade 3)
39 (Grade 4)
43 (Grade 5)
Time
30
minutes
90
minutes
total
Language Arts Literacy:
Writing Tasks


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Students will have to respond to two
writing prompts: Speculative and
Explanatory
Some, like the poem prompt, will be
familiar; others will be newer types of
tasks.
Students will have 30 minutes to complete
each task
Note that the picture prompt has been
taken out for 2009
Explanatory Prompt:
Sample
Most people have a special activity or
hobby that they enjoy. Some people collect
things while others like to read or play
games. What activity do you like to do?
Write a composition describing what you
enjoy doing. Explain why that activity is
special to you.
12
Explanatory Prompt:
Sample
(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.
13
Speculative Prompt: Sample
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.
14
14
Writing Task Strategy

Planning: BME
(5 minutes)

Writing:Include
STACK PEAS
(20 minutes)

Check: Use checklist
(5 minutes)

30 minutes total
Let’s give it a try!
Writing Task Rubric
NJ ASK 3-5: Math
Format of the Test

NJASK 3-5
– 44 test items in total

35 Multiple Choice
– Each multiple choice item is worth 1 point
– Total multiple choice points ~ 35 points

6 Short Constructed Response
(NEW this year!)
– Only non-calculator section
– Each “SCR” worth 1 point - 6 points total

3 Open Ended (Extended Constructed Response)
– Problems worth 3 points each
– Total of 9 points
– Total points for all of math - 50 points
Points by Standard
Grades 3-4
 Number Sense– 20
 Geometry & Measurement - 11
 Patterns & Algebra - 11
 Data Analysis, Probability, Discrete
Math - 8
Grade 5
 Number Sense– 14
 Geometry & Measurement- 12
 Patterns & Algebra - 12
 Data Analysis, Probability, Discrete
Testing the Standards

In the standards, whatever is in the
grade before is tested in all the
following grades
– Everything for grade 3 standard can be
tested in grade 4
– There is a balance of strands
– Importance placed on geometry,
patterns, data, and probability
Sample Multiple Choice
Questions: Third Grade
4th Grade
Multiple Choice Sample
Grade 5 Sample Multiple
Choice Questions
Short Constructed Response
Examples
Item: 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? (answer: 6)
Item: 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: .25, ¼, 5/20, or 25%)
Short Constructed Response
Questions

Standard to be assessed 4.1.4 B.4 “Use an
efficient and accurate paper-and-pencil
procedure for computation with whole numbers
– addition of three digit numbers.”

This standard cannot be assessed with a
calculator active item because the standard
requires the use of paper-and-pencil to perform
the correct computation.

Also, students could use the multiple choice
answers to find the answer without knowing
how to do the computation!
Other reasons…
Other than paper-and-pencil computations
there are other reasons why items are put
in as “short constructed response”
questions:

If the multiple choice answers would be a
distraction (and a likely possible wrong
choice)

So that students can show answers in the
format they are most used to.
Open Ended Questions
(Extended Constructed Response)

The Open Ended items require students to
construct their own written or graphical
responses and explain their responses.

It is expected that students will take
approximately 10 minutes to answer each
question.
How will these be scored?

Short Constructed Response: One Point
Each
– Answers are right or wrong
– Student work to get the answer will
NOT be assessed.

Extended Constructed Response (Open
Ended)
– 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
Using the Manipulatives


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In grades 3 & 4, students will get a
set of punch-out shapes & ruler
5th Grade - set of triangles, ruler,
protractor
Teachers give students a chance to
practice using these manipulatives
Qualities of Good
Student Work
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They answer the question.
The answer is accurate.
They answer all parts.
They label parts of their work to
match parts of the problem.
They use the example at the
beginning as a model
They explain clearly.
Their explanations are complete.
They don’t assume the reader can
read their minds.
Strategies for Improving
Open Ended Scores

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Give open-ended questions often and for
everything!
Teach students that they need to answer
all parts of the question (each bullet point,
if applicable).
Encourage students to use numbers,
pictures, words, charts, anything and
everything they can. They can’t include
too much.
Have them work together to improve
responses.
Train students on how to score these
types of questions.
Scoring Open-Ended Items



A general scoring guide was created
to score these items
This guide is used in the classroom
to score open-ended questions that
teachers create or find.
Students should be familiar with and
practice using this rubric.
3 Point Response


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The response shows complete
understanding of the problem's essential
mathematical concepts
The student executes procedures
completely and gives relevant responses
to all parts of the task.
The response contains few minor errors, if
any.
The response contains a clear, effective
explanation detailing how the problem
was solved so that the reader does not
need to infer how and why decisions were
made.
2 Point Response



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The response shows nearly complete
understanding of the problem's essential
mathematical concepts.
The student executes nearly all
procedures and gives relevant responses
to most parts of the task.
The response may have minor errors.
The explanation detailing how the problem
was solved may not be clear, causing the
reader to make some inferences.
1 Point Response



The response shows limited
understanding of the problem's
essential mathematical concepts.
The response and procedures may
be incomplete and/or may contain
major errors.
An incomplete explanation of how
the problem was solved may
contribute to questions as to how
and why decisions were made.
0 Point Response


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The response shows insufficient
understanding of the problem's
essential mathematical concepts.
The procedures, if any, contain major
errors.
There may be no explanation of the
solution or the reader may not be
able to understand the explanation.
The reader may not be able to
understand how and why decisions
were made.
Sample Open Ended
Question
Sample 1
Sample 2
Sample 3
NJ ASK: Science (4th grade only)
•
•
•
•
•
•
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
Life Science- 40% of the test
Physical Science- 30% of the test
Earth Science- 30% of the test
How Constable Prepares
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
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Faculty meeting time for test
analysis. Grade level work
sessions throughout year.
Mid-year review of student
writing with comparison to
State.
All teachers use the best
instructional practices to
embed test-taking strategies.
– Some samples of
curriculum-embedded
instruction include: Reading
passages, comprehension
questions, journal
responses, fiction and non
fiction reading, writing
rubrics & writing mini
lessons


Test Preparation lessons with
targeted strategy instruction
Relaxation Lessons

Some resources teachers
use:
– Test taking link on NJDOE
website
– Released Test Samples
– Math “Quick Review”
booklets

Additional resources for
students struggling to meet
target goals:
–
–
–
–

NJ ASK Academy
Homework clubs
Extended day programs
Study Island
Some resources we provide
parents:
Basic Skills Night, Parent
Booklets, Study Island, at-home
access to databases, PTO
Nights, NJ ASK Parent Workshop
Home Preparations
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Normal Routines
Balanced
Breakfast
Try Your Best
Attendance/Arrival
Share Relaxation
Techniques
Be Positive
Official State Websites

http://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/
– This site has sample tests and general information.
Look under NJASK/ESPA sample tests


http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/e
s/sample/espa.htm#form4
http://www.state.nj.us/education/assessment/e
s/sample/espa.htm#form5
– These 2 sites have an old ESPA test and sample
student responses (ESPA is the old name for
NJASK)

http://www.state.nj.us/education/njpep/assess
ment/index.html
– New Jersey Professional Education Port (njpep) More state assessment info
Test Prep Websites for Kids)

http://rozauer.tripod.com/el
em.htm

ftp://www.uky.edu/pub/arsi/
openresponsequestions/m
athorq.pdf

www.studyisland.com

http://edweb.tusd.k12.az.us
/ekowalcz/math/elementary
_web_sites.htm