Important announcements for Mrs. Clifton's Literacy Group

We have moved to a new genre study of standardized testing as the children work on publishing their Memoirs. The objectives we are focusing on during this study include:

• meaning and purpose of standardized testing
• become familiar with a variety of text structures
  
• ways to be successful before, during, and after the test
• what to expect when testing

During the past week, they have read general articles about what is standardized testing and its purpose. Here are some of their findings:

• helps teachers decide what to teach
• a way for parents to see how child is progressing
• scores compared with other children

The children did a mini investigation into text structure of a released standardized test. They worked with a partner to read, discuss, and share their findings. Then they organized their information into a graphic organizer to be shared in front of their peers. Students attended to punctuation, bold print, question and answer, fill in the blank, content, prior knowledge required to answer questions, vocabulary, graphs, diagrams, pictures, and labels.

Next week, we will move into two new topics. First, learning ways of being successful on the test. I'll call this BDA! Before-During-After strategies. Then, students will learn what to expect in a testing environment.

As part of this study, students have been given spelling words with spelling tests on Thursdays. Thursday, February 17th has been their second test. I have been working out the details, so here are some of the expectations we as a group have decided on.

• 20 words
• tests will be every Thursday during work time
• before taking test, students must turn in their practice spelling-handwriting sheet
• any words missed on test will continue to be spelling word for the following week
• words spelled correctly are highlighted and child is held accountable
  

Friday, February 18th expect to see a word list and weekly spelling word list come home. I think it would be beneficial for your family to have one at home as well as at school. New spelling word lists should be expected to come home every week on Thursday or Friday.

*Spelling tests are saved on the last page of the draft book.