1. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Fall 2013

2. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity The NCDPI strongly recommends that every student participating in the beginning-of-grade 3 English Language Arts/Reading Test complete the practice activity before test day. Therefore, school systems must administer the grade 3 practice activity before test day.

3. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity General Information The practice activity is not a test. It allows students to become familiar with o answering multiple-choice questions o transferring answers from a test book to an answer sheet o coding responses on an answer sheet

4. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity General Information The practice activity is designed to simulate the test administration and is to be administered in one day. The practice activity includes 15 multiple-choice English Language Arts/Reading items. There is no time limit for students to complete the practice activity, however the test is timed.

5. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity General Information The practice activity answer sheets are nonscannable and may be hand scored by the teacher. Students may write on blank paper and in the practice activity test book, but all final answers must be marked on the answer sheet. The only marks students should make on the answer sheet are answers to the test questions.

6. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Coding Information on Student Answer Sheets Students will not bubble student information during the practice activity. –Testing Department precoded answer sheets. –Extras are provided for new students. Test coordinator/teacher must precode the answer sheets for new students.

7. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Coding Information on Student Answer Sheets The following information should not be completed on the practice activity answer sheet (continued): o Special Codes o Absent from Makeup bubble

8. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Practice Activity Materials (page 2) North Carolina Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Teacher’s Guide An appropriate number of practice activity books and nonscannable practice activity answer sheets Blank paper Extra sharpened No.2 pencils with erasers

9. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Answers to the Practice Activity Teachers who use the practice activity may elect to make a transparency of the answer key to check student responses on the nonscannable practice activity answer sheet. The answer key is located in the back of the Practice Activity Teacher’s Guide.

10. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Answers to the Practice Activity After the practice activity has been completed, teachers may discuss the items with students. Students should be told that the content and difficulty of the practice items are not designed to be similar to the content and difficulty of items on the test. However, the format of the items on the practice activity is similar to that of the items on the test.

11. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Practice Activity Schedule (page 2) The practice activity is completed with students on a day or days before the test administration. It must not be given the day of the test. Teachers may elect to talk to students about time limits and recording time on the board for the actual test. Proctors are not required, but are recommended to simulate an authentic testing setting.

12. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Instructions for the Practice Activity (page 3) The teacher will explain to students that the practice activity will help them learn how to take the actual test. The teacher can help students with the questions on the practice activity, but will not be able to help with questions and answers on the test. The teacher will explain that there will be more questions on the actual test than on the practice activity.

13. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Instructions for the Practice Activity (page 3) The teacher ensures that students have a sharpened No. 2 pencil. Teachers will distribute the correct answer sheet to each student. They will be asked to check their first and last name to be sure that the computer marked the correct information.

14. Beginning-of-Grade 3 Practice Activity Instructions for the Practice Activity The teacher distributes the practice activity book and students are asked to write their first and last name on the blank line on the cover. Students will be told that the teacher is not allowed to read to students any part of the practice activity or the actual test. Students will answer two sample questions and complete the practice activity.