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LK Seaman Sixth and Seventh Grade Language Arts 2009-2010 |
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FCATFrequently Asked Questions about FCAT:
What are the reading benchmarks of the middle school FCAT? FCAT Reading 2010 Benchmarks LA.6.1.6.3 The student will use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar words. Context Clues LA.6.1.6.8 The student will identify advanced word/phrase relationships and their meanings. Word Relationships Analyze Words/Text LA.6.1.6.9 The student will determine the correct meaning of words with multiple meanings in context. Multiple Meanings LA.6.1.7.2 The student will analyze the author's purpose (e.g., to persuade, inform, entertain, or explain) and perspective in a variety of texts and understand how they affect meaning. Author's Purpose (within/across texts) Author's Perspective (within/across texts) LA.6.1.7.3 The student will determine the main idea or essential message in grade-level text through inferring, paraphrasing, Summarizing, and identifying relevant details. Main Idea (stated or implied) Relevant Details Conclusion/Inferences LA.6.1.7.4 The student will identify cause-and-effect relationships in text. Cause and Effect LA.6.1.7.5 The student will analyze a variety of text structures (e.g., comparison/contrast, cause/effect, chronological order, argument/support, lists) and text features (main headings with subheadings) and explain their impact on meaning in text. Text Structures/Organizational Patterns (e.g., comparison/contrast, cause/effect, chronological order, argument/support) LA.6.1.7.7 The student will compare and contrast elements in multiple texts. Compare (similarities within/across texts) Contrast (differences within/across texts) LA.6.2.1.2 The student will locate and analyze the elements of plot structure, including exposition, setting, character development, rising/falling action, conflict/resolution, and theme in a variety of fiction. Plot Development (e.g., foreshadowing, flashback) Setting Character Development Character Point of View Theme Conflict Resolution LA.6.2.1.7 The student will locate and analyze an author?s use of allusions and descriptive, idiomatic, and figurative language in a variety of literary text, identifying how word choice sets the author?s tone and advances the work?s theme. Descriptive Language (e.g., tone, mood, irony, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia) Figurative Language (e.g., hyperbole, symbolism, simile, metaphor, personification) LA.6.2.2.1 The student will locate, use, and analyze specific information from organizational text features (e.g., table of contents, headings, captions, bold print, italics, glossaries, indices, key/guide words). Text Features (e.g., headings, subheadings, titles, subtitles, captions, text boxes, bold or italicized text, charts and graphs, illustrations, maps, diagrams, stanzas) LA.6.6.1.1 The student will explain how text features (e.g., charts, maps, diagrams, sub-headings, captions, illustrations, graphs) aid the reader?s understanding. Text Features (e.g., headings, subheadings, titles, subtitles, charts, text boxes, maps, diagrams, captions, illustrations, graphs, bold or italicized text) LA.6.6.2.2 The student will collect, evaluate and summarize information using a variety of techniques from multiple sources (e.g., encyclopedias, websites, experts) that includes paraphrasing to convey ideas and details from the source, main idea(s) and relevant details. Synthesize Information (within/across texts) Analyze and Evaluate Information (within/across texts) Determine the Validity and Reliability of Information (within/across texts) What are the sixth-grade developmental scale scores? Level 1: 539-1149 Level 4: 1860-2125 Level 2: 1450-1621 Level 5: 2126-2758 Level 3: 1622-1859 NOTE: A LEVEL THREE IS CONSIDERED MINIMALLY PASSING. Sixth-graders must improve 134 point in order to show one year's growth. How do sixth graders show improvement on the reading FCAT?
What are the seventh-grade developmental scale scores? Level 1: 1671 - 1541 Level 2: 1542- 1714 Level 3:1715 - 1944 Level 4:1945 - 2180 Level 5: 2181 - 2767 NOTE: A LEVEL THREE IS CONSIDERED MINIMALLY PASSING. Seventh-graders must improve 111 points to show one year's growth. How do seventh graders show improvement on the reading FCAT?
Who takes the FCAT Writing test? Presently, only eighth graders take the FCAT Writing test in February, but sixth and seventh graders practice for it. (Eventually, the seventh grade will be responsible for taking the FCAT Writing test.) Here is the scoring system for FCAT Writing: FCAT Writing Rubric � Grade 8 Score Points in Rubric The rubric further interprets the four major areas of consideration into levels of achievement: 6 Points. The writing is focused, purposeful, and reflects insight into the writing situation. The paper conveys a sense of completeness and wholeness with adherence to the main idea, and its organizational pattern provides for a logical progression of ideas. The support is substantial, specific, relevant, concrete, and/or illustrative. The paper demonstrates a commitment to and an involvement with the subject, clarity in presentation of ideas, and may use creative writing strategies appropriate to the purpose of the paper. The writing demonstrates a mature command of language (word choice) with freshness of expression. Sentence structure is varied, and sentences are complete except when fragments are used purposefully. Few, if any, convention errors occur in mechanics, usage, and punctuation. 5 Points. The writing focuses on the topic, and its organizational pattern provides for a progression of ideas, although some lapses may occur. The paper conveys a sense of completeness or wholeness. The support is ample. The writing demonstrates a mature command of language, including precision in word choice. There is variation in sentence structure, and, with rare exceptions, sentences are complete except when fragments are used purposefully. The paper generally follows the conventions of mechanics, usage, and spelling. 4 Points. The writing is generally focused on the topic but may include extraneous or loosely related material. An organizational pattern is apparent, although some lapses may occur. The paper exhibits some sense of completeness or wholeness. The support, including word choice, is adequate, although development may be uneven. There is little variation in sentence structure, and most sentences are complete. The paper generally follows the conventions of mechanics, usage, and spelling. 3 Points. The writing is generally focused on the topic but may include extraneous or loosely related material. An organizational pattern has been attempted, but the paper may lack a sense of completeness or wholeness. Some support is included, but development is erratic. Word choice is adequate but may be limited, predictable, or occasionally vague. There is little, if any, variation in sentence structure. Knowledge of the conventions of mechanics and usage is usually demonstrated, and commonly used words are usually spelled correctly. 2 Points. The writing is related to the topic but includes extraneous or loosely related material. Little evidence of an organizational pattern may be demonstrated, and the paper may lack a sense of completeness or wholeness. Development of support is inadequate or illogical. Word choice is limited, inappropriate, or vague. There is little, if any, variation in sentence structure, and gross errors in sentence structure may occur. Errors in basic conventions of mechanics and usage may occur, and commonly used words may be misspelled. 1 Point. The writing may only minimally address the topic. The paper is a fragmentary or incoherent listing of related ideas or sentences or both. Little, if any, development of support or an organizational pattern or both is apparent. Limited or inappropriate word choice may obscure meaning. Gross errors in sentence structure and usage may impede communication. Frequent and blatant errors may occur in the basic conventions of mechanics and usage, and commonly used words may be misspelled. Unscorable. The paper is unscorable because � the response is not related to what the prompt requested the student to do, � the response is simply a rewording of the prompt, � the response is a copy of a published work, � the student refused to write, � the response is written in a foreign language, � the response is illegible, � the response is incomprehensible (words are arranged in such a way that no meaning is conveyed), � the response contains an insufficient amount of writing to determine if the student was attempting to address the prompt, or � the writing folder is blank. STUDENTS MUST ACHIEVE A FOUR ON FCAT WRITES IN ORDER TO PASS IT. � 2003 Florida Department of Education How can I help my child succeed on FCAT? There are many ways to help your child succeed on FCAT. On this website, I have a page entitled " FAVORITE WEBSITES." There are many challenging links, some of which are graded online. Your child can even earn extra credit by completing some of the exercises. I also offer free tutoring on Wednesdays from 3:45-5:00 p.m. |
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