FCAT Explorer. Galactic Library: 3 rd Grade Benchmarks Program Overview From the Florida Department of Education

FCAT Explorer

FCAT Explorer

Galactic Library: 3rd Grade Benchmarks

Program Overview

From the Florida Department of Education www.fcatexplorer.com

FCAT Explorer

Leaping Lemurs


Interactive program offers practice on the FCAT-tested benchmarks

Reinforces reading comprehension skills

Available at no cost to all Florida public schools

Accessible from any computer connected to the Internet


FCAT Explorer

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

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Input from Exemplary Education Professionals

Highly-qualified classroom teachers

Recommended for expertise in subject area and grade level

National Board CertifiedRecipients of Teacher of

the Year awards Experienced as FCAT

Coach and/or Reading Coach

Masters Degrees


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The Galactic Library’s

Adaptive Support Model


FCAT Explorer

Automatically adjusts

readability level and

instructional support

level based on

student’s success with

practice questions

Materials at both levels

derived from 3rd grade

benchmarks

only difference is

readability


INDIVIDUALIZED ADAPTIVE SUPPORT

Scalloping

Amazing Spider Webs


FCAT Explorer

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

1. ADAPTIVE READING LEVEL

Rabbit’s Tug-of-War2nd grade readability level

Mapmaking3rd grade readability level



FCAT Explorer

Word Click: Click to hear any word

Embedded questions: Interim comprehension checks

Three levels for both sets of materials

Full Support:

2. ADAPTIVE SUPPORT LEVEL

Moderate Support: Embedded questions only

No Support: Neither



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Passages

and

Practice Items


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FCAT-like Practice

Same average length

and reading level

as the FCAT

Same genres: poems,

plays, articles and

stories

Engaging illustrations

reinforce important ideas

PASSAGES


FCAT Explorer

Same average number of items per passage as on the FCAT

FCAT-like Practice

Rigorous item development processWritten by professional item writers

Reviewed, edited and approved by teachers

Revised as needed based on statistical item analysis

PRACTICE ITEMS

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


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FCAT-like Practice

MULTIPLE CHOICE (MC)

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

Vocabulary question

Comprehension question


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Instructional Support


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1ST ATTEMPT CORRECT


Congratulations!

Correct Answer

Explanation (CAE)

Confirms the

attributes that make

an answer correct

Reinforces effective

skill application


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Hint (for vocabulary

questions)

See Clues (for

comprehension

questions)

1ST ATTEMPT

INCORRECT

Takes student back to passage

Student reviews highlighted clues

Hint

See Clues



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2nd ATTEMPT

For CORRECT answer, CAE confirms and reinforces effective skill application

For INCORRECT answer, CAE helps student understand why the correct answer is correct



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Special Features


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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

Special Features


FCAT Explorer

Precede each passage

Teach five potentially

challenging words

Word recognitionPhonicsDefinition

Meaning in context

VOCABULARY EXERCISES

Engage students and

increase confidence & success

If student selects incorrect answer, correct answer flashes

Review of all five words

Syllables appear in dynamic “visual beat”

Special Features


FCAT Explorer

Purpose for Reading

statements precede

each passage to help

establish good

comprehension habits

“PURPOSE FOR READING”

STRATEGIES

“See Questions”

feature allows students

to preview item stems

(not answer choices)

Click “See Questions” icon (magnifying glass)

Purpose for Reading statement

Special Features


FCAT Explorer

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

GLOSSARY Student can click the word hundreds to go to that Glossary entry

Special Features


FCAT Explorer

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

“SEE CLUES”

Special Features


FCAT Explorer

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!

MY CHALLENGE LIST

Special Features


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Motivational Features


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Captain Frog Hopkins Wordsworth

Melville

Eureka

Characters

accompany students

on a mission

Students earn

animated

“pleasure reading”

selections by

completing items

ANIMATED CHARACTERS


FCAT Explorer

Four different game-like activities

Each activity reviews words from one set of Vocabulary Exercises

VOCABULARY ACTIVITIES


Word Wall

Space Stories

Space WordsAsteroid Blasteroid


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Educators’ Tools


FCAT Explorer

Educators’ Tools

Classroom Teacher’s Desk

District Administrator’s Desk

School Administrator’s Desk

Curriculum resources

Skills Location Map

Table of Benchmarks and Skills

Item Review

Letter to Parents

Information

management tools

Sign-in names and passwords

Progress Reports

Messages to students


FCAT Explorer

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

Student Performance Reports

At the Classroom Teacher’s Desk


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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 Activities

to reinforce Benchmarks

and Skills


FCAT Explorer

Linked from the home page

Download this PowerPoint presentation

Download the School Administrator’s Desk Manual

Download the Teacher’s Desk Manual

Reading Focus Overview Math Focus Overview Program-specific presentations

Download other presentations

Visit the Educator Resources Page


FCAT Explorer

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)

To get sign-in names & passwords


FCAT Explorer

Toll-Free Help Desk

Accessible from the

home page without

a password

1-888-750-FCAT

1-888-750-3228

Weekdays

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.


FCAT Explorer

Log on to the FCAT Explorer!

www.fcatexplorer.com


Documents

FCAT Explorer. Galactic Library: 3 rd Grade Benchmarks Program Overview From the Florida Department of Education