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ASSESSMENT GUIDE

English Language Arts, Mathematics,

Science, and Social Studies

Grades 10 and 11

Cecil J. Picard

State Superintendent of Education

Revised September 2006

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (^) www.louisianaschools.net et

1. 8 7 7. 4 5 3. 2 7 2 1

State Board of Elementary

and Secondary Education

Ms. Linda Johnson

President 8th BESE District

Ms. Leslie Jacobs

Vice President Member-at-Large

Mr. Dale Bayard

Secretary-Treasurer 7th BESE District

Ms. Penny Dastugue

1st BESE District

Ms. Louella Givens

2nd BESE District

Ms. Glenny Lee Buquet

3rd BESE District

Mr. Walter Lee

4th BESE District

Dr. James Stafford

5th BESE District

Ms. Polly Broussard

6th BESE District

Mr. Edgar Chase

Member-at-Large

Ms. Mary Washington

Member-at-Large

Ms. Weegie Peabody

Executive Director

For further information, contact: Division of Standards, Assessments, and Accountability Louisiana Department of Education 225.342.3393 or toll free 1.877.453.

This public document was printed at a cost of $9,949.00. One thousand, one hundred copies (1,100) of this document were printed in this first printing at a cost of $9,949.00. The total cost for the printing of this document, including reprints was $9,949.00. This document was published by the Louisiana Department of Education, Office of Student and School Performance, Division of Standards, Assessments, and Accountability; P.O. Box 94064; Baton Rouge, LA 70804 - 9064 , by Data Recognition Corporation, 13490 Bass Lake Road, Maple Grove, Minnesota, 55311. This material was printed in accordance with the standards for printing by State Agencies established pursuant to R.S. 43:31.

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any of the education programs or activities that it operates, including employment and admission related to such programs and activities. The LDE is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulations not to engage in such discrimination. LDE’s Title IX Coord. is Patrick Weaver, Deputy Undersecretary, LDE, Exec. Office of the Supt.; PO Box 94064, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9064; 877- 453 - 2721 or [email protected]. All inquiries pertaining to LDE’s policy prohibiting discrimination based on sex or to the requirements of Title IX and its implementing regulations can be directed to Patrick Weaver or to the USDE, Asst. Sec. for Civil Rights.

ii

• Strand D: Data Analysis, Probability, and Discrete Math 2-
• Strand P: Patterns, Relations, and Functions 2-
• Sample Test Items: Grade 10 Mathematics 2-
• Standards and Benchmark Statements, Across Grades 2-
• Mathematics Achievement Level Descriptors: Grade 10 2-
• Mathematics Reference Sheet 2-
• Chapter 3: GEE Science, Grade
• Test Structure 3-
• Item Types 3-
• Test Description 3-
• Scoring the Science Sessions 3-
• Science Test Specifications 3-
• Strands, Standards, Benchmarks, and Dimensions Assessed 3-
  • Science as Inquiry 3-
  • Physical Science 3-
  • Life Science 3-
  • Earth and Space Science 3-
  • Science and the Environment 3-
• Sample Test Items: Grade 11 Science 3-
• Benchmark Statements, Across Grades 3-
• Science Achievement Level Descriptors: Grade 11 3-
• Chapter 4: GEE Social Studies, Grade
• Test Structure 4-
• Item Types 4-
• Test Description 4-
• Scoring the Social Studies Sessions 4-
• Social Studies Test Specifications 4-
• Strands, Standards, and Benchmarks Assessed 4-
  • Strand G: Geography 4-
  • Strand C: Civics 4-
  • Strand E: Economics 4-
  • Strand H: History 4-
• Sample Test Items: Grade 4 Social Studies 4-
• Standards and Benchmark Statements, Across Grades 4-
• Social Studies Achievement Level Descriptors: Grade 11 4-
• Appendix A: Glossary A- Appendices
• Appendix B: Testing Special Populations B-
• Appendix C: Scoring Information C-
• Appendix D: Foundation Skills D-

GEE Assessment Guide (^) iii Preface

This Assessment Guide may be distributed in its entirety to all teachers. However, schools may choose to provide the specific content chapters to teachers who are responsible for each content area.

Note: All teachers should be provided with the following sections of the Assessment Guide: Preface Appendices A, B, C, and D, which include a glossary, information about testing special populations, scoring information, and foundation skills

Preface

What Are LEAP and GEE?

The Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) and Graduation Exit Examination (GEE) assessments are criterion-referenced tests (CRTs) in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The LEAP measures the knowledge and skills contained in the state’s content standards and benchmarks that are clustered by grades K– 4 and grades 5–8. The LEAP is administered at grades 4 and 8. The GEE measures the knowledge and skills contained in the state’s content standards and benchmarks that are clustered by grades 9–12. The GEE is administered at grade 10 (ELA and mathematics) and grade 11 (science and social studies). Both LEAP and GEE assess complex thinking skills as well as knowledge and application of information through multiple-choice items and constructed-response items, which require students to provide a written response to a question or series of questions. The LEAP tests are high stakes for students in grades 4 and 8 because they are tied to promotional policy. The GEE tests are high stakes because they require high school students to meet an established achievement level to be eligible to receive a high school diploma. The high-stakes testing policy can be accessed at www.louisianaschools.net under Testing.

Why Have the LEAP and GEE Assessment Guides Been Revised?

The LEAP and GEE assessment guides have been reorganized into three grade-specific versions—grade 4 (LEAP), grade 8 (LEAP), and grades 10 and 11 (GEE)—that each include four content areas. Previous editions of the Teachers’ Guide to Statewide Assessment were organized by content and included all grade levels. This reorganization was made in response to requests from many teachers asking that all information for each grade be combined in one guide.

It is important to note that the LEAP and GEE tests have not changed. The content standards and benchmarks that form the basis for the LEAP tests have not changed. Rather, the format and the organization of the guides have been revised, and the text has been edited for conciseness.

GEE Assessment Guide (^) v Preface

Types of Items

Each content-area assessment includes both multiple-choice and constructed-response items. Multiple-choice (MC) items assess knowledge, conceptual understanding, and application of skills in each of the four content areas. Multiple-choice items consist of a stem followed by four response options (A, B, C, and D) and are scored correct or incorrect. Constructed- response (CR) items require students to compose an answer and generally require higher- order thinking. Constructed-response items include those requiring short answers, scored 0 to 2 points, and extended constructed-response items requiring more in-depth answers, scored 0 to 4 points. The content-area sections of the guide present detailed information about the characteristics of the items.

General LEAP and GEE Test Design

The table on the next page presents the overall design (test components) of the contents and grades assessed. It presents the approximate number of items for each test and the item types, multiple-choice and constructed-response.

GEE Assessment Guide (^) vi Preface

LEAP and GEE Test Design

CONTENT AREA TEST SESSIONS

English Language Arts (Grades 4, 8, and 10)

1. Writing (in response to prompt) Gr. 4: descriptive or narrative Gr. 8: narrative or expository Gr.10: expository or persuasive
2. Reading and Responding 4 reading passages: 2 short/2 long 4 to 6 MC items (1 point each) per passage 2 CR (short-answer) items (2 points each) per passage Grades 8 and 10 only: one extended CR item (4 points)
3. Using Information Resources One resource packet with 4 to 6 sources 5 MC items and 2 CR (short-answer) items
4. Proofreading Editing a short passage 8 MC items

Mathematics (Grades 4, 8, and 10)

1. 60 MC items (across 6 strands) 30 noncalculator 30 calculator Problem-solving context
2. Extended CR items (4 points) Grade 4: 3 items Grades 8 and 10: 4 items

Science (Grades 4, 8, and 11)

1. 40 MC items (across 5 strands) Science as Inquiry Physical Science Life Science Earth and Space Science Science and the Environment
2. 4 CR (short-answer) items (2 points) 1 per content strand
3. Comprehensive Science Task 3 CR (short-answer) items (inquiry strand) 1 extended CR item (4 points) related to content strand

Social Studies (Grades 4, 8, and 11)

1. 50 MC items (across 4 strands) Grade 4 60 MC items (across 4 strands) Grades 8 and 11 Geography Civics Economics History
2. Extended CR item (4 points) 4 items (1 per strand)

GEE Assessment Guide (^) viii Preface

A Word to the General Education Teacher about Test Accommodations

Test accommodations are provided to minimize the effects of a disability and to ensure that a student can demonstrate the degree of achievement he or she actually possesses. An accommodation is a change in the setting of the test administration, the timing, scheduling, presentation format, and/or method of response to the assessment. Although some students with disabilities will not need test accommodations, many will need them to provide a valid and accurate measure of their abilities. The goal in using accommodations is to give students with disabilities an equal opportunity in assessment, not to give students with disabilities an unfair advantage over other students or to subvert or invalidate the purpose of the tests. The accommodation should allow the test score to reflect a student’s proficiency in the area tested without the interference of his or her disability.

Test accommodations should not be different from or in addition to the accommodations provided in the classroom during instruction and assessment and as indicated on the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan (IAP). Testing and instructional accommodations must be based on each student’s needs as documented in the student’s IEP or IAP. If an accommodation approved for use during a state assessment is not provided during general instruction or classroom assessment, it becomes inappropriate to provide that accommodation during a state assessment. For example, if the student does not have tests read aloud during classroom assessments, then Tests Read Aloud would not be an appropriate accommodation for state assessments.

Since accommodations used during state assessments must be an ongoing part of classroom instruction and assessment, it is crucial that general educators be knowledgeable about accommodations, use them routinely in the classroom, and be prepared to implement the use of approved accommodations during state assessments.

For a list of approved test accommodations that may be used for students with disabilities and suggestions for implementing accommodations during assessment, see appendix B.

What Additional Resources Are Available?

The Louisiana Department of Education has developed several resources to assist educators as they prepare students for LEAP and GEE. Information about access to these resources can be found on the LDE Web site, www.louisianaschools.net.

Bulletin 118: Statewide Assessment Standards and Practices explains the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program policies of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Content Standards Documents explain the framework for Louisiana’s Content Standards for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Comprehensive Curriculum is based on Louisiana’s Content Standards and organizes Grade-Level Expectations into coherent, time-bound units with sample activities and classroom assessments.

GEE Assessment Guide (^) ix Preface

Practice Assessment/Strengthen Skills (PASS) offers an online practice assessment aligned with LEAP and GEE. Released Items Documents provide test items and student responses from previous LEAP and GEE tests. Test Administration Manuals include comprehensive information regarding the administration of the LEAP and GEE.

Questions or requests for additional information regarding this Assessment Guide should be addressed to the Division of Standards, Assessments, and Accountability, Louisiana Department of Education at 225-342-3393 or toll free at 1-877-453-2721.

GEE Assessment Guide 1-1 English Language Arts Grade 10

Chapter 1: GEE English Language Arts, Grade 10

This chapter provides specifications for the English language arts assessment for Grade 10 GEE. It describes the content and format of the test, provides the number and types of items, and explains how the standards and benchmarks for English language arts are assessed.

Test Structure

The English language arts test consists of four sessions and is administered over two days. Students are allowed as much time as they need to complete each session, but suggested times are provided in the Test Administration Manual ; it explains the procedures for allowing students additional time to complete a session of the test.

Test Sessions

Writing • Using Information Resources

Reading and Responding • Proofreading

Item Types

The grade 10 GEE English language arts assessment includes a written composition, short-answer questions, multiple-choice questions, and an extended-response (essay) question.

Multiple-choice items consist of a stem and four answer options (A, B, C, and D). All sessions of the English language arts test, with the exception of Writing, include multiple-choice questions.

Constructed-response items require students to express their answers in writing. In response to a writing prompt, students write compositions, which are scored using a 12- point rubric. Other constructed-response items include short-answer questions scored on a 0- to 2-point scale and one extended-response (essay) question scored on a 0- to 4-point scale.

The test sessions and number of item types are as follows:

Writing consists of a prompt that requires students to write a composition. Reading and Responding consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, 10 short-answer questions, and one 4-point extended-response (essay) question based on reading passages. Using Information Resources consists of 5 multiple-choice questions and 2 short- answer questions. Proofreading consists of 8 multiple-choice questions.

GEE Assessment Guide 1-2 English Language Arts Grade 10

Test Description

Writing

This session of the test is designed to measure key aspects of standards 2 and 3. In response to a writing prompt, students are required to draft and edit compositions in their test booklets and write their final drafts in their answer documents.

At grade 10, the mode of writing will alternate between expository and persuasive. Students are allowed to use dictionaries and thesauruses for the Writing session only. They are also given a Writer’s Checklist. A reduced copy of the Writer’s Checklist is located on page 1-77. An electronic version, suitable for printing, is located on the Department Web site.

The instructions that accompany each writing prompt direct students to focus on the:

purpose and focus of the composition intended audience recommended length of the composition important elements that will be considered in evaluation of the composition (focus, or central idea, supporting details, development of ideas, organization, and sentence formation, usage, mechanics, and spelling)

Legibility is assessed through the ease of understanding what the student has written. Any legible composition is scored, but the quality of penmanship is not scored.

Using Information Resources

This session assesses standard 5, except for benchmark ELA-5-H4.

Students are provided four to six reference sources to use to answer 5 multiple-choice and 2 short-answer items. These reference sources may include sources such as:

articles (from encyclopedias, magazines, newspapers, textbooks) parts of books (tables of contents, indexes, appendixes, bibliographies) visual aids (maps, graphs, tables, charts, illustrations, schedules, diagrams) computer information (such as a picture of a page from an online card catalog or a Web page)

All of the information resources are realistic, grade-appropriate materials that a tenth- grade student might find in a library and use in preparing a project or report. All materials are related to a specific topic. With the reference materials, students receive a written description of a task, such as gathering information and planning to write a report. Students are directed to skim through the resources to locate and select information.

GEE Assessment Guide 1-4 English Language Arts Grade 10

Scoring the English Language Arts Sessions

Multiple-choice items:

Each multiple-choice item has four response options (A, B, C, and D) and is scored right/wrong. Correct answers receive a score of 1; incorrect answers receive a score of 0.

Written composition:

Students’ compositions are scored for elements of composing (such as central idea, elaboration, and coherence) and for style and audience awareness (such as vocabulary, sentence variety, tone, and voice) under standard 2; and for sentence formation, usage, mechanics, and spelling under standard 3.

Legibility contributes to the scorers’ ease of understanding what the student has written. Any legible composition will be scored, regardless of penmanship. Students may write in print or cursive.

Only the written response to the writing prompt is scored for the conventions of writing (sentence formation, usage, mechanics, and spelling). All other written responses for the English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies assessments are scored for content only.

A 12-point rubric is used to score writing. The dimensions and point values of the writing rubric are:

Composing 4 points (on a 1-to- 4 - point scale) Style/Audience Awareness 4 points (on a 1-to- 4 - point scale) Sentence Formation 1 point (on a 0-to- 1 - point scale) Usage 1 point (on a 0-to- 1 - point scale) Mechanics 1 point (on a 0-to- 1 - point scale) Spelling 1 point (on a 0-to- 1 - point scale)

For the Composing dimension and for the Style/Audience Awareness dimension, the following descriptors apply to the score points:

Score Level Description of Score Level

4 The writer^ demonstrates^ consistent , though not necessarily perfect, control of almost all of the dimension’s features.

3 The writer demonstrates^ reasonable , but not consistent, control of most of the dimension’s features, indicating some weakness in the dimension.

2 The writer demonstrates enough^ inconsistent^ control of several features to indicate significant weakness in the dimension.

1 The writer demonstrates^ little or no^ control of most of the dimension’s features.

GEE Assessment Guide 1-5 English Language Arts Grade 10

Control is defined as the writer’s ability to use a given feature of written language effectively at the appropriate grade level.

The Composing dimension includes the focusing, supporting, and structuring that a writer does to construct an effective message for a reader. The writer crafts that message by focusing on a central idea, providing elaboration of ideas to support the central idea, and delivering the central idea and its support in a unified, organized text. Specific features of Composing are as follows:

• Central idea
• Support/Elaboration
• Unity
• Organization

This chart shows the specific elements considered when scoring the Composing dimension:

Score Points Central Idea^ Elaboration^ Organization and Unity

4 Consistent Control

sharp focus clarity of purpose strategy (preplanning and foreshadowing)

selected information thorough elaboration ideas are developed (examples) necessary information specific details

wholeness throughout ideas related to central idea beginning, middle, end logical order transitions sense of completion

3 Reasonable Control

clear central idea clear focus

ideas are developed necessary information relevant may have uneven development

beginning, middle, end logical order simple transitions wholeness (may have a weak ending)

2 Inconsistent Control

vague central idea shifts in focus digressions

listing information may be superficial, incomplete, and/or irrelevant idea clusters little or uneven development

weak beginning, middle, end retreats and/or repetitions gaps random order no ending

1 Little or No Control

unclear central idea confusion

automatic writing without selection relevant information missed little or no development minimal information

no beginning or end severe gaps random order too little to demonstrate

GEE Assessment Guide 1-7 English Language Arts Grade 10

The dimensions of Sentence Formation, Usage, Mechanics, and Spelling are scored with either a + (receiving a score point of 1) or – (receiving a score point of 0).

Sentence Formation: Desirable features are completeness and construction of a variety of patterns.

+

The response exhibits acceptable control of sentence formation. Most sentences are correct; there are few, if any, run-on sentences or fragments. Additionally, there is a variety of sentence patterns, indicating that the writer can construct more than one type of sentence competently.

-

The response exhibits unacceptable control of sentence formation. There are run-on sentences, fragments, and/or poorly constructed sentences that indicate that the writer does not have adequate skill in sentence formation. There may be evidence of control of only one type of sentence pattern (usually simple).

Usage: Features are agreement, standard inflections, and word meaning.

+

The response exhibits acceptable control of usage. Subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, forms of adjectives and adverbs, and word meaning are generally correct. If errors are present, they do not appear to be part of a pattern of usage errors.

-

The response exhibits unacceptable control of usage. There are errors in subject-verb agreement, verb tenses, forms of adjectives and adverbs, and/or word meaning. The pattern of errors is evidence of a lack of control of the features of usage.

Mechanics: Features are punctuation and capitalization.

+

The response exhibits acceptable control of mechanics. Punctuation and capitalization are generally correct. If errors are present, they do not appear to be part of a pattern of mechanics errors.

-

The response exhibits unacceptable control of mechanics. There are errors in punctuation and capitalization. The pattern of errors is evidence of a lack of control of the features of mechanics.

Spelling:

+

The response exhibits acceptable control of spelling. The majority of grade- appropriate words are spelled correctly. There is no pattern of spelling errors.

- The response exhibits unacceptable control of spelling. There is a pattern of spelling errors. There are errors in spelling grade-appropriate words.

In some cases, a paper may not be scorable. For example, if a paper is illegible, it will not be scored in any dimension and will receive a score of zero. A paper may be off-topic and cannot be scored for Composing or Style/Audience Awareness dimensions, but it may be scored for Sentence Formation, Usage, Mechanics, and Spelling. Such a paper could receive a maximum of 4 of 12 points.

GEE Assessment Guide 1-8 English Language Arts Grade 10

Additional Scoring Criteria for Writing

No Double Jeopardy

During scoring, one word will constitute only one error. In situations in which it is difficult to determine to which dimension the error should be assigned, the scorer will take into account priority, context clues, and error patterns that are evident in the paper.

• Priority is given to the more serious grammatical errors.
• Context clues may indicate the writer’s intention.
• Error patterns already evident in the paper indicate a skill weakness in that dimension.

Sentence Formation:

If a sentence with omissions, extra words, or wrong words can be corrected by changing one word , the error should count as a usage error. Example : When it’s no school, I play all day. If a sentence requires the rearrangement, omission, or addition of more than one word , the error should count as a sentence formation error. Example : I saw those boys fighting while driving my car. Nonparallel structure, often in a series, is a sentence formation error. Example : We will live better lives, coping with our sorrows, and how to be joyful of our happiness. In grades that are not responsible for mastery of colons, a sentence that contains a series that should have been preceded by a colon would count as a sentence formation error. The alternate correct construction would be another sentence. Example : Janet is a good librarian because of all three of these reasons she is helpful, she is smart and she is courteous. If a sentence fragment is deliberately presented for effect, the error is not counted as an error_. Example_ : What a break! A pattern of awkward syntax (word order) should be considered a sentence formation error.

Quotations:

All spelling and grammar errors that appear in a direct quotation are assumed to be the errors of the speaker, not the writer. They are not counted in any dimension. Errors in mechanics that appear in a direct quotation do count. Example : ―You aint got no reason ta be here Manny!‖ shouted the foreman.

Direct quotations should not be preceded by that. Indirect quotations should be preceded by that. These count as errors in mechanics. Example : Then Mom said that, ―We cannot go along.‖ After we returned, she said we are in trouble.