GED 2014

1. GED 2014 Science and Social Studies Tests Randy Feldsien Terri Ferris

2. Sample test items, used in this presentation, for the 2002 test were taken from the official GED pre tests developed by Steck-Vaughn • Sample test items and information about test content for the 2014 test was taken from the GED Testing Services website • Additional sample test items, information and pre-recorded webinars may be found on the GED Test Services website www.steckvaughn.hmhco.com www.gedtestingservices.com

3. Getting to know the crowd • Raise your hand if you only teach Science • Raise your hand if you only teach Social Studies • Raise your hand if you primarily teach in a one room school house setting

4. Current Science and Social Studies Tests • How do you currently prepare students to take the science and social studies test? • What books do you use? • What supplemental materials do you bring into your classroom? • What activities do you do with your students?

5. What we already know about the 2014 Science and Social Studies tests • Computer-based format • Will no longer be primarily a multiple choice test • Will include technology enhanced items; multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, hot-spot, drag-and-drop • The Science and Social Studies tests will each have two short answer items • There will be more cross-content test items • Will use a calculator to answer some math questions in the science and social studies content areas

6. Example of a More Cross-Content Question Current Test 2014 Test • Testers used basic math operations (+,-,× and ÷) to answer questions • Testers use equations and advanced math skills to answer questions

7. Science and Social Studies Tests Question types Some examples of the technology enhanced items

8. Short Answer (2 questions per test)

9. Hot Spot

10. Another example of a Hot Spot

11. Drag and Drop

12. Another example of a Drag and Drop

13. Fill in the Blank

14. Extended Response (Social Studies Test)

15. Science Test Some Things Never Change! What will be the same?

16. The Content Areas will Be Similar Current Test 2014 Test • Life Science -45% • Physical Science - 35% • Earth & Space Science – 20% • Life Science 40% • Physical Science - 40% • Earth & Space Science – 20%

17. More Similarities Between the Tests • Both tests use graphics • The primary focus of the test continues to be a measurement of reasoning skills applied to scientific context • Students still do not need an in-depth knowledge of each sub topic, but they should be familiar with basic concepts in the areas of physical, life, and earth and space science

18. Science Test Some questions will look similar

19. Applying scientific principles Current Test 2014 Test

20. Finding supporting details from a reading

21. Science Test Let’s Break it down The Content Areas

22. Physical Science Content (40%) Current Test 2014 Test • Structure of atoms • Structure and property of matter • Chemical reactions • Motion and Forces • Conservation of energy • Interaction of energy and matter • Conservation, transformation, and flow of energy • Work, motion, and forces • Chemical properties and reactions related to living systems

23. Physical Science Handout Chemical Properties and Reactions related to Living Things

24. The Spinning Coin - Centripetal Force. Find a balloon and insert a small coin into it. Blow the balloon up and tie the end. Now start swirling the balloon round to get the coin spinning inside it. It may bounce around at first but eventually it should settle down. When you have it swirling, stop moving the balloon and let the coin continue swirling on its own. It carries on for some time due to the low amount of friction acting on it. For an object to change direction it must have a force acting on it. In this case the force is a centripetal force -- the force provided by your hand to keep the balloon steady and keep the coin moving in a circular path.Forces & Motion Experiments | eHow.com Physical Science Experiment Work, Motion, and Forces

25. Life Science Content (40%) Current Test 2014 Test • Transmission of disease/pathogens • Effects of disease or pathogens on populations • Disease prevention methods • Matter • Energy • Organization in living systems • Human body and health • Relationship between life functions and energy intake • Energy flows in ecological networks (ecosystems) • Organization of life • Molecular basis of heredity • Evolution

26. ONION DNA EXTRACTION Lana Hays Materials fresh onions graduated cylinders (10ml and 100ml) knife 15-ml test tube blender test tube rack or 250 ml beaker   strainer glass stirring rod coffee filters non-iodized salt Adolph's natural meat tenderizer Palmolive detergent beaker distilled water ice cold 95% ethanol Detergent/salt solution: 20 ml detergent 20 g non-iodized salt 180 ml distilled water 5% meat tenderizer solution: 5 g meat tenderizer 95 ml distilled water Protocol Cut an inch square out of the center of 3 medium onions. Chop and place in a blender. Add 100 ml of detergent/salt solution. Blend on high 30 sec-1 minute. Strain the mixture into a beaker using a strainer with a coffee filter. Add 20-30 ml meat tenderizer and stir to mix. Place 6 ml filtrate in a test tube. Pour 6 ml ice cold ethanol carefully down the side of the tube to form a layer. Let the mixture sit undisturbed 2-3 minutes until bubbling stops. The DNA will float in the alcohol. Swirl a glass stirring rod at the interface of the two layers to see the small threads of DNA. http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/highsch.html Life Science Activity Molecular Basis of Heredity

27. Life Science Worksheet Molecular basis of heredity

28. Earth and Space Science Content (20%) Current Test 2014 Test • Energy in the Earth system • Geochemical cycles • Origin and evolution of Earth system • Origin and evolution of the universe • Interactions between Earth’s system and living things • Earth and its system components and interactions • Structures and organization of the cosmos

29. Science Test Change is on the Horizon What will be different?

30. How are the questions going to be different? • There are three dimensions that underline each test question • Content-based core ideas • Science practices • Crosscutting themes • Each question will be aligned to a science content as well as a science practice and will focus on one of two crosscutting themes

31. Crosscutting Themes (Focusing Themes)

32. Science Practices A skill that is necessary to reason about science Basic scientific practices assessed on the 2014 test: • Determining details and making inferences • Determining central ideas, hypotheses, and conclusions • Analyzing events and ideas • Interpreting meaning of symbols and terms • Analyzing structures • Integrating content presented in diverse ways • Evaluation reasoning and evidence • Analyzing relationships between sources • Reading and interpreting graphs, charts, and other data representations • Measuring the center of statistical dataset • Determining sample space and using probability models to interpret data • Understanding and applying the appropriate tools, techniques and units in scientific investigations

33. Determining Sample Space and using Probability Models to Interpret Data • A probability model is a mathematical representation of a random phenomenon. It is defined by its sample space, events within the sample space, and probabilities associated with each event. • The sample space S for a probability model is the set of all possible outcomes. Suppose a bowl contains 3 red and 2 blue marbles. If three marbles are picked, one at a time, from the bowl the sample space or set of all possible outcomes is: S = {(red, red, red), (red, red, blue), (red, blue, blue), (red, blue, red), (blue, blue, red), (blue, red, red), (blue, red, blue)} - 7 possibilities • An event A is a subset of the sample space S. Once again, the bowl contains 3 red marbles and 2 blue marbles. If an individual picks three marbles, one at a time, from the bowl, the event "pick 2 red marbles" can be achieved in 3 ways, so the set of outcomes is: A = {(red, red, blue),(red, blue, red), (blue, red, red)}. - 3 Favorable possibilities

34. Probability Probability of a favorable outcome = = The probability of picking two red marbles is

35. Understanding and applying the appropriate tools, techniques, and units in scientific investigation

36. Some questions will look different! Current Test 2014 Test • Uses simpler concepts, more explanation, and more familiar terminology • Requires more prior knowledge and understanding of a concept

37. Another example Current Test 2014 Test • Testers analyzed patterns • Testers must know how to read a chemical equation and translate it into words

38. Social Studies Test What will be the same?

39. The Content Areas will Be Similar Current Test 2014 Test • History (National and World) -40% • Geography- 15% • Civics and Government -25% • Economics - 20% • Civics and Government - 50% • US History - 20% • Economics - 15% • Geography and the World - 15%

40. More Similarities Between the Tests • Both tests use graphics • The primary focus of the test continues to be a measurement of reasoning skills applied to social studies context • Students still do not need an in-depth knowledge of each sub topic, but they should be familiar with basic concepts in the areas of civics and government, US history, economics, geography and the world

41. Social Studies Test Some questions will look similar

42. Interpreting Information from a map 2002 Test 2014 Test

43. Interpreting information from a table, chart or graph 2002 Test 2014 Test

44. Social Studies Test Let’s Break it down The Content Areas

45. Civics and Government (50%) Current Test 2014 Test • Civic Life • Politics and Government • Foundations of the American Political System • Relationship of US to other Nations • The Roles of Citizens in American Democracy • Types of modern and historical governments • Principles that have contributed to development of American constitutional democracy • Structure and design of US government • Individual rights and civic responsibilities • Political parties, campaigns, and elections in American politics • Contemporary Public Policy

46. US History (20%) Current Test 2014 Test • Beginnings to 1820 (Native Peoples, Colonization, Revolution, the New Nation) • 1801-1900 (Expansion, Reform, Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrial Development) • 1890-present (Emergence of Modern America, Great Depression, World War II, Post War US, Contemporary US) • Key historical documents that have shaped American constitutional government • Revolutionary and Early Republic Periods • Civil War and Reconstruction • Civil Rights Movement • European settlement and population of the Americas • World War I & II • The Cold War • American foreign policy since 9/11

47. US History: Videos on YouTube and TeacherTube The Cold War www.youtube.com Keyword: hiphughes

48. US History: PBS Website American Foreign Policy Since 9/11 • Aviation and Transportation Security Act • Federal flight deck officer • September 11 fee (TSA fee added to airline tickets) • Patriot Act • Enhanced border security • Visa Entry Reform Act • Post – 9/11 G.I. Bill http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/09/911-to-now-ways-we-have-changed.html

49. Geography and the World (15%) Current Test 2014 Test • World in Spatial Terms • Places and Regions • Physical Systems • Human Systems • Environment and Society • Uses of Geography • Beginnings – 1000 B.C. (Beginnings and Early Civilization) • 1000 B.C. – 300 B.C. (Classical Traditions, Empires, Religions) • 300 B.C. – A.D. 1770 (Growing Trade, Hemispheric Interactions, First Global Age) • 1750 – 1914 (Age of Revolutions) • 1900 – present (Urbanization, World Wars, Global Depression, Advances in Science and Technology) • New Democracies of Africa, Asia, South America; The Cold War; Global Culture • Development of classical civilizations • Relationships between the environment and societal development • Borders between peoples and nations • Human Migration

50. Economics (15%) Current Test 2014 Test • Economic Reasoning and Choice • Comparison of Economic Systems • Business in a Free Enterprise System • Production and Consumers • Financial Institutions • Government’s Role in the Economy, Labor and the Economy • Global Markets and Foreign Trade • Key economic events that have shaped American government and policies • Relationship between political and economic freedoms • Fundamental Economic Concepts • Microeconomics and Macroeconomics • Consumer economics • Economic causes and impact of war • Economic drivers of exploration & colonization • Scientific and Industrial Revolutions