Galactic Library: 3 rd Grade Benchmarks

2. From the Florida Department of Education www.fcatexplorer.com Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Program Overview

3. Leaping Lemurs Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Interactive program offers practice on the FCAT-tested benchmarks Reinforces reading comprehension skills Available at no costto all Florida public schools Accessible from any computer connected to the Internet

4. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Fidelity with the Official FCAT Strict adherence to the Sunshine State Standards and the DOE’s Test Item & Performance Task Specifications • Rigorous item development process • Items drafted by reading teachers and professional item writers • Items reviewed by instructional designers, testing specialists, bias reviewers, and professional editors The Wind Cars of China

5. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Input from Exemplary Education Professionals • Highly-qualified classroom teachers • Recommended for expertise in subject area and grade level • National Board Certified • Recipients of Teacher of the Year awards • Experienced as FCAT Coach and/or Reading Coach • Masters Degrees

6. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks The Galactic Library’s Adaptive Support Model

7. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Adaptive Support Model INDIVIDUALIZED ADAPTIVE SUPPORT • Automatically adjusts readability level and instructionalsupport level based on student’s success with practice questions • Materials at both levels derived from 3rd grade benchmarksonly difference is readability Scalloping Amazing Spider Webs

8. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Adaptive Support Model • ADAPTIVE READING LEVEL Mapmaking 3rd grade readability level • When student struggles at 3rd grade level, program moves to 2nd grade level • When student succeeds at 2nd grade level, program seamlessly moves back to 3rd grade • Same 3rd grade benchmarks at both levels only difference is readability Rabbit’s Tug-of-War 2nd grade readability level

9. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Adaptive Support Model • ADAPTIVE SUPPORT LEVEL • Three levels for both sets of materials • Full Support: • Word Click: Click to hear any word • Embedded questions: Interim comprehension checks • Moderate Support: Embedded questions only • No Support: Neither

10. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Passages and Practice Items

11. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice PASSAGES • Same average length and reading level as the FCAT • Same genres: poems, plays, articles and stories • Engaging illustrations reinforce important ideas

12. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice PRACTICE ITEMS • Rigorous item development process • Written by professional item writers • Reviewed, edited and approved by teachers • Revised as needed based on statistical item analysis • Same average number of items per passage as on the FCAT • Number of items per skill based on teacher recommendation for struggling readers • No fewer than 5 items per skill • From 5 to 50 items per Benchmark • Same types of items as on the FCAT

13. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks FCAT-like Practice MULTIPLE CHOICE (MC) Vocabulary question Careful review of every item for psychometric criteria • Item clearly supports the skill • All answer choices are parallel (e.g., in grammatical form) • Only plausible choices • One “clearly best” answer • Correct answer supported in the text Comprehension question

14. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support

15. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support • 1ST ATTEMPT CORRECT • Congratulations! • Correct Answer Explanation (CAE) • Confirms the attributes that make an answer correct • Reinforces effective skill application

16. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support • 1ST ATTEMPT INCORRECT Hint • Hint (for vocabulary questions) • See Clues (for comprehension questions) • Takes student back to passage • Student reviews highlighted clues See Clues

17. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Instructional Support • 2nd ATTEMPT • For CORRECT answer, CAE confirms and reinforces effective skill application • For INCORRECTanswer, CAE helps student understand why the correct answer is correct

18. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features

19. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features FLUENCY LIST • Glossary & Vocabulary Exercise words • Easy-to-use chart for recording progress • Effective pre-reading activity • Available from School Administrator’s Desk and Classroom Teacher’s Desk

20. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features • VOCABULARY EXERCISES Syllables appear in dynamic “visual beat” • Precede each passage • Teach five potentially challenging words If student selects incorrect answer, correct answer flashes • Word recognition • Phonics • Definition • Meaning in context • Engage students andincrease confidence & success Review of all five words

21. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features “PURPOSE FOR READING” STRATEGIES Purpose for Reading statement • Purpose for Reading statements precede each passage to help establish good comprehension habits • “See Questions” feature allows students to preview item stems(not answer choices) Click “See Questions” icon (magnifying glass)

22. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features GLOSSARY Student can clickthe word hundreds to go to that Glossary entry • Click linked (blue) words in passage • Click “ear icon” to hear word pronounced • Word spelled & in syllables • Definition & sample sentence • Spanish and Haitian Creole translations

23. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features • “SEE CLUES” • Reinforces re-reading the passage to find correct answer • Student must go to every page containing clues related to that question • After going to every page with relevant clues, student gets second attempt

24. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Special Features • MY CHALLENGE LIST • Links directly to items answered incorrectly • Helps students focus on skill improvement • Accessible through the Planet Room—just click the red circles to try a question again!

25. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features

26. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features • ANIMATED CHARACTERS • Characters accompany students on a mission • Students earn animated “pleasure reading” selections by completing items Melville Eureka Captain Frog Hopkins Wordsworth

27. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Motivational Features • VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES Space Stories • Four different game-like activities • Each activity reviews words from one set of Vocabulary Exercises Word Wall Asteroid Blasteroid Space Words

28. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Educators’ Tools

29. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Educators’ Tools • Curriculum resources Classroom Teacher’s Desk • Skills Location Map • Table of Benchmarks and Skills • Item Review • Letter to Parents School Administrator’s Desk • Information management tools • Sign-in names and passwords • Progress Reports • Messages to students District Administrator’s Desk

30. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Student Performance Reports At the Classroom Teacher’s Desk • Check progress on individuals or classes • View reading data by Benchmark, Skill, or Passage • View math data by Benchmark, Strand, or Theme • View Science data by Benchmark or Strand • Compare percentage correct before and after instructional support

31. Galactic Library: 3rd 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 • Provides Everyday Activitiesto reinforce Benchmarks and Skills

32. Galactic Library: 3rd 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 • Reading Focus Overview • Math Focus Overview • Program-specific presentations

33. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks To get sign-in names & passwords School Principals: Contact your District Office and speak to the “District Administrator” for the FCAT Explorer Teachers: Contact your “School Administrator” for the FCAT Explorer FCAT Explorer Home Page (www.fcatexplorer.com)

34. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks Toll-Free Help Desk • Accessible from the home page without a password • 1-888-750-FCAT1-888-750-3228 • Weekdays 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

35. Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks www.fcatexplorer.com Log on to the FCAT Explorer!