1. What is TCAP?  TCAP stands for Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program

2. What is TCAP?  The 2014 assessment that measures student progress on specific skills compared to peers across the state  Used as 20% of final average for report card

3. Who takes TCAP?  All students in grades 3-8 will take TCAP  Across Tennessee in all public schools

4. When is TCAP?  TCAP will take place the week of April 28.  Students will complete 2 tests per day for 4 consecutive days  It is critical students are present and on time

5. Why do we give TCAP?  To measure students' skills and progress in Reading/Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science  Helps teachers know students’ strengths and weaknesses for the following school year

6. Things we need from your child!  Be on time each day  Get plenty of sleep each night  Eat a healthy breakfast  Have confidence  Try their best

7. What we need from parents!  Proctors (volunteers to help with test administration)  Healthy snacks and drinks  Encouragement letters to your child or the class  Support with homework, test practice, and strategies

8. Proctors and Snacks  Please consider volunteering to help in a classroom  We would like to provide a snack and drink during the test break each day  A letter will come home soon

9. Encouragement Letters  Students need to hear from you that they can do succeed!  Please be on the look out for a letter about this secret surprise for the students

10. Homework after Spring Break  TCAP style practice homework will be assigned each night  Please REVIEW and discuss the homework each evening  Sign record sheet

11. Strategies for Homework Help Reading/Language Arts  Use a highlighter to prove evidence from the text  Ask students throughout reading about the characters, setting, plot, etc.  UNREAL strategies

12. Strategies for Homework Help Mathematics  Students will be allowed to use a calculator, half inch ruler, multiplication table  Show their thinking/work  Discuss why it makes sense (Is my answer reasonable?)

13. Strategies for Homework Help Science/Social Studies  Read carefully  Eliminate obvious wrong choices  Look for clue words (not, all except, would be, etc.)  Understand key vocabulary words (i.e. consumers/producers, government services, etc.)

14. Sample Reading Question Which sentence from the passage best states the main idea? F Despite their similarities, horns and antlers are quite different. G Horns are permanent parts of an animal’s head. H Some animals may use their horns to dig holes and to scratch their skin. J Unlike horns, antlers are often branched.

15. Sample Writing Question

16. Sample Language Question

17. Sample Math Question

18. Sample Science Question

19. Sample Social Studies Question

20. Links for More Information Practice Questions  http://www.tn.gov/education/assessm ent/ach_samplers.shtml http://www.tn.gov/education/assessm ent/ach_samplers.shtml Proficiency Scores  http://www.tn.gov/education/assessm ent/doc/Spring2013CutsforTCAPAch- ELSA.pdf http://www.tn.gov/education/assessm ent/doc/Spring2013CutsforTCAPAch- ELSA.pdf

21. During the test  Students must stay seated  Only EMERGENCY trips to the restroom  Cannot work on other activities while waiting on others to finish  A break will be taken between the tests each day  May not ask the teacher or proctor any questions

22. What happens after TCAP?  Math Constructed Response Assessment in May  Covers Common Core State Standards for Mathematics  “ Moving Up ” to 4 th grade mid May