Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Assessment Development, OSPI, Washington State
Table of Contents Purpose Statement... 2 Disclaimer... 2 Lesson Objectives... 2 Lesson Overview... 2 Lesson Preparation & Materials... 3 Lesson... 3 Log in... 3 Directions... 4 Questions... 11 Review/End Test... 14 Suggestions for further practice... 17 Appendix A Tool button images... 18 Appendix B... 19 Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 1
Purpose Statement The purpose of this lesson plan is to assist teachers as they prepare students to take the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) using the online testing engine. The Online Tools Training (OTT) is an interactive practice tool designed to allow students to practice with the testing software before taking the MSP. This Lesson Plan is designed to help teachers guide students through the OTT, ensuring that students practice all the tools and functionality available. This Lesson Plan may also be used to supplement test proctor training. Disclaimer While OSPI requires that students are provided the opportunity to use the OTT before actual MSP testing, the use of this document as part of that practice is not required. This document was created in response to requests from the field. It is left to teacher professional judgment about how to best use this information to prepare students. Lesson Objectives Students will practice the log in steps for the Washington State online testing engine. Students will become familiar with multiple choice, completion, and short answer questions as they appear in the online test. Students will become familiar with the tools that can be used during the online test. Students will know how to read the Review/End test page, and how to exit the testing engine properly. Lesson Overview This lesson is divided into four parts: Log in, Directions, Questions, and Review/End Test. The lesson can be presented in one sitting or spread out over multiple sittings. One recommendation for presenting each part of this lesson is to present to an entire class using one computer and an LCD projector, then following up with opportunities for students to walk through the OTT on individual computers with varying levels of teacher guidance. The Log In section mimics the process for the real test, but some differences are noted in the lesson which should be pointed out to students. The Directions section contains more guidance than the real test. The Questions section contains instructions for using specific tools with each question. Each of the tools and test engine functionalities will be covered by the end of the lesson. The Review/End Test section will enable students to practice using the review page to check their work. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 2
Lesson Preparation & Materials The WA Online Assessment Secure Browser must be installed on all computers by district/school technology staff before the OTT can be accessed by teachers and students. Please check with district/school technology staff to be sure the browser is installed on the computers you will use for the lesson. Each student will need his or her own computer, scratch paper, and a pencil, unless the teacher is demonstrating with one computer. Lesson Log in Time estimate: 10 minutes Direct students through the following steps which will take them through a series of new screens: 1. Double click on the WA Online Assessment icon on the computer desktop. 2. Choose Online Tools Training 3. Choose Reading 4. Choose Reading Grade 4 5. Choose Practice A 6. Enter the username read04otta and the password read2468 in the correct boxes [These are found above the username box. Remind students that when they take the MSP, they will each have unique usernames and passwords that will need to be entered carefully.] Click Sign in to log in to the OTT. 7. Verify/check that the Test Name is 4 and the Test Session is Student s Session in the middle of the screen. [Remind students that when they take the MSP, they will each have a unique State ID that will need to be checked carefully on this screen. The numbers shown on this screen in the OTT are placeholders.] Note: The blue Options button and the gray Exit button appear for the first time on this screen. If students click the gray Exit button a warning will pop up and ask them if they really want to exit and close the test. Instruct students to click the green No, Return to Test button. Selecting the blue Options button on the left will open a box with screen color options. Students can pick a color for the screen at any time during the online test. Students can click on the red x in the top corner to close the box. Both the Options and Exit buttons will appear on every screen throughout the Directions. Click the green Continue button. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 3
8. Click on the test link Reading Grade 4 that appears next to the bullet. After completing step 8 of the log in process, the OTT Directions will load automatically. Directions Time estimate: 15 25 minutes There are many approaches which can be used for walking through the Directions section. Use a combination that will work best with your students: Read through direction text verbatim as you would on an actual test day OR Call on students to read the directions on each screen out loud OR Instruct students to read the directions silently and proceed on their own until they reach the green Begin the Test button. Each direction screen is in the text boxes on the following pages. It is provided so you can read the text verbatim or follow along as students read the screens. Helpful information and suggestions for teachers are in italics outside the text boxes. After each screen has been read and questions from students have been addressed, instruct students to click the gray Next button in the middle of the screen to move to the next screen. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 4
Screen 1: Please note which computer screens do not display the three gray circles and report it to your school/district technology staff. The computer can still be used for the OTT, but the screen settings need to be adjusted before taking the MSP assessment. Screen 2: During the Questions section of this lesson, each of the tools will be practiced, so it is not necessary to take too much time to explain or discuss the tools at this point. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 5
Screen 3: Ensure students are familiar with the page set up. There is no need to read the multiple choice question or answer options. Screen 4: This example shows passages labeled (P1) Passage Title #1. In the OTT and the MSP, the actual passage title will follow, for example, for example: (P1) Climbing Techniques. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 6
Screen 5: Ensure students are familiar with the Pointer tool function. There is no need to read the multiple choice question or answer options. Screen 6: Ensure students are familiar with response boxes and Maximum Characters Reached. There is no need to answer the completion question. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 7
Screen 7: Ensure students are familiar with the Click To Respond function. There is no need to read the completion question. Screen 8: Ensure students are familiar with how the graphic organizer works, notice how just the answer box enlarges, not the question. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 8
Screen 9: Ensure students are familiar with short answer questions and Maximum Characters Reached. There is no need to read the short answer question or the answer. This is the end of the Directions section. To end the lesson here, have students chose the gray Exit button and a warning box will popup. Direct students to select the gray Yes, Exit button to exit the program. To continue to the next lesson, have students click on the green Begin the Test button and the program will move into the Questions section of the OTT. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 9
Note: Once Begin the Test has been chosen, students can return to the directions by choosing the Help button. The button is located in the top right corner of the screen: Choose Open Help from the drop down menu. Click the Test Directions tab and the directions will appear in the box. Use the scroll bars to read through the directions. Click the different tabs to explore what is available in Help. Click the red X in the top right corner of the box to close Help. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 10
Questions Time estimate: 20 40 minutes Lead students through the questions while pointing out important features of the test software and having students practice using the tools. The different tools can be activated by clicking on the tool icon at the top of the screen. Change to a different tool by clicking the new tool icon at any time. We suggest that the first time through the OTT students concentrate on the functionality of the testing software. The reading content of the passages and questions can be addressed at a later time. A list of the tool icons is available in Appendix A of this document. For each set of stand alone questions or questions related to a passage, important features/tools to point out are included. Read the question first, and then follow the instructions in the Important features/tools to point out: column. Questions Lesson: Reading Practice A Question/type: Important features/tools to point out: Questions #1 #2 are stand alone questions. Correct answer: Stand alone questions fill the entire screen and have the statement This question is not connected to a passage at the top of the screen 1 multiplechoice 2 multiplechoice Use Pointer tool to mark C. Use Cross Off tool to eliminate A and B. Then change to the Pointer tool to mark C. The Cross Off tool does not have to be used to mark every wrong answer; it is just a tool to help students think through a question. Clicking the crossed off text with the Cross Off tool a second time will remove the cross off. Click the blue Flag button at the bottom of the screen. The button will turn yellow and the label will change to Flagged. This will remind students to check this question later. C C Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 11
Question/type: Important features/tools to point out: Questions #3 #8 are from the passage: A Bear of a Job. Correct answer: Click on the Go to Questions tool next to Question 3 in the top left corner of the screen. Drag the mouse down to (P1) A Bear of a Job and note that questions 3 through 8 are underlined in the list. Also note that question 2 has a flag on the number. Use the Line Guide tool to help read passages and questions. Click and hold the blue tab or the blue line that appears, use the mouse to move the Line Guide up and down. Use the scroll bar to move down when the Line Guide reaches the bottom of the screen. Blue bars will indicate at the top and bottom of the passage if there is More text above or More text below. Read the entire passage before answering any questions. 3 multiplechoice 4 shortanswer question 5 click to respond Use the Magnifier tool to move over the question to enlarge the print. Click the Magnifier tool, and then choose x1.5 or x2.0. Use the scroll bars on the right and bottom of the screen to see the rest of the screen. Click the Magnifier tool again, and then choose Off to turn off the Magnifier. Then change to the Pointer tool to mark C. Use the Highlighter tool time to highlight key phrases or sentences within the passage. Then practice typing an answer by clicking in the response box.the character counter under the response box shows there are 500 characters available, which should be more than enough room. The response box will scroll to make room for entered text. Click on the Click to Respond button to see the diagram and answer space more clearly. Move the diagram around on the screen by clicking and holding on the blue bar and moving the mouse. Notice you will want to move it to a place where the question and passage are still visible. Practice typing in the answer box. Notice that when you click OK the box will close and save the answer. C See Appendix B for a creditable example answer See Appendix B for a creditable example answer Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 12
Question/type: 6 multiple choice 7 multiplechoice 8 multiplechoice Important features/tools to point out: Use the Highlighter tool to mark key words in the question and options. Go back up to the tool bar and select the Pointer tool to mark A. Click on the blue Pause button at the bottom of the screen. This is what students should use during the MSP if they need to move away from their computer for a break. The clock will count down a 20 minute pause. Click the green Resume button to return to the test. Use the Sticky Note tool to make a sticky note on one of the options. Click on the Sticky Note tool symbol, choose New Sticky Note, and then click at the end of an option. A sticky note box will open. Students can practice typing on the sticky note. Close the sticky note by clicking on the red X in the top corner. Re open a sticky note by double clicking on the note number. Delete a sticky note by clicking on the trash can symbol on the open sticky note. Sticky notes cannot be used in response boxes for completion or short answer questions. Use any of the tools to work through this item. Note that the Next button does not appear on this screen. This is the last question in OTT Reading Practice A. After answering the question, choose the green Review/End Test button to move to the Review page and the next part of this lesson. Correct answer: A A B Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 13
Review/End Test Time estimate: 10 minutes The Review /End page was designed to help students check their work before ending their testing session. Students can go to this page at any time during the test by clicking the green Review/End Test button on the bottom left corner of the screen, but is most appropriate when a student has finished answering all the questions. The question numbers are listed with a question status indicator symbol next to each question number. A Key to the indicator symbols is located below the list of questions. For example: The example shows: question 2 is flagged question 6 is blank question 4 & 5 are completion/short answer questions 1 5, and 7 8, have been completed stand alone questions only have the question number Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 14
Questions connected to the passage have (P1) next to the question number. Point out the following features of the Review/End Test screen: Use the Key to interpret the question status indicator symbols on the page. Return to the questions by either clicking on the green Return to Questions button (which will return to the last question viewed) or on the question line (which will return to that question). Suggested actions: Read the Key and discuss what student screens currently show. As a whole group, or individually, go back to a few questions and change how they are answered. Then return to this page and see if/how the symbol changed. Exiting the OTT A series of steps are in place to ensure that students are absolutely ready to exit the test engine. The steps in the OTT mimic what will happen when exiting the actual test engine. 1) When on the Review/End Test screen, choose the gray End Test button. This pop up box will appear: 2) Instruct students to choose the gray End Test button. This screen will appear: Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 15
3) Instruct students to choose the gray Exit button. The login screen will appear: 4) Instruct students to choose the Back button. A screen listing the available OTT subjects will appear. (This screen will only appear when exiting the OTT.) 5) Instruct students to choose the Back button. The Test Sign In screen will appear. 6) Instruct student to select Exit. The testing engine will close. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 16
Suggestions for further practice Have students go through Practice A again on their own. Go through Practice A as a whole class, concentrating on the reading content and how to give a complete answer to the short answer questions. Paper/pencil versions of the passages and questions in Practice A of the OTT can be found on the Reading Assessment webpage http://www.k12.wa.us/reading/assessment/default.aspx. Go through Practice B as a class or independently. Practice B of the OTT has a different passage and practice questions. Paper/pencil versions of the scenarios and questions in Practice B of the OTT can be found on the Reading Assessment webpage http://www.k12.wa.us/reading/assessment/default.aspx Additional practice scenarios and questions can be found on the Reading webpage. This Lesson Plan could also be used to supplement test proctor training. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 17
Appendix A Tool button images Image Name of Image Pointer Cross Off Highlighter Magnifier Line Guide Help Go To Questions Grade/Subject All All All All All All All Measurement Tools Math grades 3 8 References Math grades 3 8 Science grades 5&8 Calculator Math grades 7&8 Science grades 5&8 Graphing Tool Math grades 7&8 Equation Builder Sticky Note Math grades 7&8 and Science 5&8 All Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 18
Appendix B A complete answer to question 4: San Diego A complete answer to question 5: Wild pandas have become endangered. China officials have developed a plan for protecting pandas. They are planning on preserving panda habitats. Online Tools Training Lesson Plan Reading grade 4 Page 19