Science Understanding the Transition from TAKS to STAAR An Opportunity to Focus on Transitions from Elementary to Middle School Science (and Math)

& Assessment Blueprint (scroll down web page)

A Way Into Understanding the Shift from TAKS to STAAR

TEKS Readiness TEKS Supporting READINESS Receives More than 4 Times the Emphasis Over Supporting as Presented in TEKS = =

What does this look like in the Assessment Blueprint?

TEKSSTAAR

TEKSSTAAR

Readiness & Supporting Standards Readiness standards have the following characteristics. They are essential for success in the current grade or course. They are important for preparedness for the next grade or course. They support college and career readiness. They necessitate in-depth instruction. They address broad and deep ideas. Supporting standards have the following characteristics. Although introduced in the current grade or course, they may be emphasized in a subsequent year. Although reinforced in the current grade or course, they may be emphasized in a previous year. They play a role in preparing students for the next grade or course but not a central role. They address more narrowly defined ideas.

… consistent with a growing national consensus regarding the need to provide a more clearly articulated K–16 education program that focuses on fewer skills and addresses those skills in a deeper manner, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is implementing a new assessment model for the STAAR tests for elementary, middle, and high school. TEA is also implementing a number of changes that should serve to test knowledge and skills in a deeper way. Tests will contain a greater number of items that have a higher cognitive complexity level. Items will be developed to more closely match the cognitive complexity level evident in the TEKS. o Assessments will increase in length at most grades and subjects. o Overall test difficulty will be increased by including more rigorous items. o The rigor of items will be increased by assessing skills at a greater depth and level of cognitive complexity. In this way, the tests will be better able to measure the growth of higher-achieving students.

These are THE Topics from 3 rd to 8 th Grade

Needs to be Understood Before Shifting to Back to Assessed Curriculum

3 rd The Curriculum Road Maps are not (yet) updated but to the extent they seem to reflect the basic structure of Instructional Planning Guides that are organized by sequences of pages in existing textbooks NOT CONSISTENT with this level of alignment, there is a NEED/OPPORTUNITY to look for other materials or approaches that could be organized in terms of BIG IDEAS from New Yearly Itinerary :: Grades 3, 4, 5, and 8 Note the Similarity 4 th 5 th 8 th What curriculum starts to look like …

Lamar Science A Theme: There are important and challenging transitions students need to make in mathematics and science in moving from elementary school to middle school and these transitions need to addressed directly and inclusively if we want all students to be successful.

Some of the Transitions in Math Repeated Addition Model of Multiplication Breaks X goes from unknown to variable terials/aisd.htm A Theme: There are important and challenging transitions students need to make in mathematics and science in moving from elementary school to middle school and these transitions need to addressed directly and inclusively if we want all students to be successful. Examples in Math Above & in Science next page.

Some Transitions in Science Intensive and Extensive Dynamics (Rate & Amount) Micro & Macro Materials:  Example: Different amounts of Water, same Blue-ness (intensive)