SOL Changes and Preparation

SOL Changes and Preparation A parent presentation

The Focus on the New Tests is Rigor

Rigor is not… • Something extra you have to do on top of everything else • More • More pages ≠ rigor • More of the same type of problem ≠ rigor • More homework ≠ rigor

Rigor in the Classroom • Focus on what students are asked to do • Three main pieces • Course content • Instruction • Assessment

Secondary English SOL Changes: An Overview

The important things to remember for English are: • Thinking • Analyzing • Non-fiction • Let’s look at the new question types that make students think and analyze

Reading 2009-2010 Test

Reading 2012-2013 SOL Test

Writing 2009-2010 SOL Test

Nonfiction is another big part of the new SOLs. Here’s what you can do: Have students: • Read recipes to you while cooking • Read instruction manuals when you are putting things together • Read the newspaper (print or online) • Help fill out applications

Changes to Science SOLs

Investigate & Understand • Many of the standards in the Science Standards of Learning begin with the phrase “Students will investigate and understand.” • This phrase was chosen to communicate the range of rigorous science skills and knowledge levels embedded in each standard.

Investigate & Understand “Investigate” refers to scientific methodology and implies systematic use of the following inquiry skills: • observing; • classifying and sequencing; • communicating; • measuring; • predicting; • hypothesizing; • inferring; • defining, controlling, and manipulating variables in experimentation; • designing, constructing, and interpreting models; and • interpreting, analyzing, and evaluating data.

Investigate & Understand “Understand” refers to various levels of knowledge application. In the Science Standards of Learning, these knowledge levels include the ability to: • recall or recognize important information, key definitions, terminology, and facts; • explain the information in one’s own words, comprehend how the information is related to other key facts, and suggest additional interpretations of its meaning or importance; • applythe facts and principles to new problems or situations, recognizing what information is required for a particular situation, using the information to explain new phenomena, and determining when there are exceptions;

Investigate & Understand “Understand” refers to various levels of knowledge application. In the Science Standards of Learning, these knowledge levels include the ability to: • analyze the underlying details of important facts and principles, recognizing the key relations and patterns that are not always readily visible; • arrange and combine important facts, principles, and other information to produce a new idea, plan, procedure, or product; and • make judgments about information in terms of its accuracy, precision, consistency, or effectiveness.

Changes to the SOL tests • 15% of the test will be non-multiple choice questions • They will be Technology Enhanced Items • The remaining multiple choice questions will be more rigorous

Technology Enhanced Items Fill in the blank (word or number) Drag and Drop (sort or order) Hot spots (select) Graphs

Assessments – Then and Now Grade 8 – Then

Assessments – Then and Now Grade 8– Now

Assessments – Then and Now Grade 8 – Then

Assessments – Then and Now Grade 8– Now

Assessments – Then and Now Earth Science – Then

Assessments – Then and Now Earth Science – Now

How have teachers responded to these changes? Science Instruction – Then • “Cookbook” labs • Teacher-led instruction • Multiple choice assessments • Teach facts Science Instruction – Now • Inquiry-based labs • Student-led instruction • Open ended assessments • Teach process • Teach students to think rather than memorize

What you can do support your student • Take an interest • Encourage perseverance • Help them with their problem solving skills • If they are confused, you may not be able to answer their questions, but you can help them formulate questions to ask the teacher

Changes to Math SOLs

A New Trend Line in Student Achievement “…this will be an indication that we are now expecting more of students, not that they are learning less.” - Dr. Patricia I. Wright Superintendent of Public Instruction

2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning • “Revised” versus “new” • New content - Repetition has been decreased • Increased rigor (higher-level) questions • Technology enhanced items (TEI) – approximately 15% of the items • Technology-enhanced items allow students to apply what they have learned and use critical-thinking skills in ways not possible with traditional multiple-choice questions. The items mirror common classroom tasks and assignments.

Process Goals for Students Students will • become mathematical problem solvers that • communicatemathematically; • reasonmathematically; • make mathematical connections; and • use mathematical representationsto model and interpret practical situations

“The content of the mathematics standards is intended to support the five goals for students”- 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning

Conceptual vs. Procedural Area and Perimeter A= l x w P = 2(l + w) Conceptual Procedural 3 4

Conceptual vs. Procedural Fractions Change 7/6 to a mixed number. Conceptual: • Procedural: • Divide the numerator by the denominator. • Write the quotient as the whole number. Write the remainder as the numerator. Use the same denominator. • 7  6 = 1 R1 … 1 1/6 It takes 6 sixths to make a whole, so it’s 1 whole with 1 sixth left over… 1 1/6

Sample TEI – Fill in the Blank

Sample TEI – Drag and Drop

Sample TEI – Hot Spot

Sample TEI – Create Graphs

What are teachers doing to address new levels of rigor? Then: • Direct instruction • Tell students how to do it, now do it • Practice with the skill Now: • Let students experience “intellectual struggle” • Expect of a variety of strategies and explanation of thinking • Ask higher level questions in class and practice APPLYING the skill

Examples of tasks/problems used in classes now… • Problem: • Grading Tool:

SOL Changes and Preparation