TOSA Tribune

Nixa Public Schools

Intermediate November 2010

Volume 5, Issue 3

November M.A.P. Checklist

Inside this issue:

November M.A.P. 1
Checklist

Brrr… Benchmarks 2
are Cold Assessments

Shared Resources are 3

Just a Click Away

Wait! Thinking Takes 3

_____1. I use the correct M.A.P. math vocabulary in my lessons: http:// Time!
www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/documents/MAgleglossaryK-6.pdf

_____2. I use the correct M.A.P. communication arts vocabulary in my lessons: Bump Up Participa- 3
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/documents/caglossary1109.pdf tion

_____3. I use the correct M.A.P. science and social studies vocabulary in my lessons: Lighting and Learning 4
http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/index.html

_____4. I use the Mathematics Grade-Level Examples with my students: http://

www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/GLE/examples/index.htm

_____5. I use questions from the Communication Arts Show-Me Standards Interpre-
tations in my lessons: http://www.dese.mo.gov/divimprove/curriculum/commarts/
documents/ca_standards_interp_111208.pdf

_____6. I have read through the achievement level descriptors and know exactly what
a student needs to know to score proficient or advanced on the M.A.P. test:
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/documents/ca_long_descriptors_new.pdf
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/documents/ma_long_descriptors_new.pdf
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/documents/sc_long_descriptors_new.pdf

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Brrr… Benchmarks are COLD Assessments
The M.A.P. tests are cold assessments. We know
which GLEs to teach, but we never know how
they will be assessed by the state department
until the students actually take the tests. For
you to gather the best data to help you prepare
your students for the M.A.P. assessment, use the
district Scope and Sequences to ensure you are
teaching the correct GLEs. Then, without
looking at the test prior to administra-
tion, simply give your students the tests.
Follow the same guidelines as administering the
M.A.P. to see how your students do. The Educa-
tion Office will collect your data and create
spreadsheets so you can compare your students
to other students in your school and other stu-
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dents in the district. Other teachers will not be
able to see how the students in your class scored,
but they will be able to see an average of how all
the students in your grade level in your building
scored. This data is simply to help you predict
how your students will score in comparison to
other students in the district. The only way for
the data to be valid is for all teachers to adminis-
ter the tests in a cold setting.
DESE has sample items you may want to use as
cold assessments throughout the year: http://
dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/
grade_level_resources.html
It is the assessment which dis-
tinguishes between the teaching
and the learning.
TOSA Tribune Intermediate
Shared Resources are
Just a Click Away
www.nixastaffresources.net

When is the last time you checked out the Staff

Curriculum page? It’s chalk full of Math Inves-
tigations PowerPoints, science lessons, anchor
charts, etc. Donna Zauss is constantly updating
the resources on this page. If you have re-
sources you are willing to share, please send
them to the education office:
donnazauss@nixaschools.net.

Thinking Takes Time

Wait time will increase the quality and depth of
answers in general.
Some students from poverty need more wait
time because they have less background knowl-
edge and limited vocabulary.
Often English-language learners need additional
time to process.
Many students with learning disabilities need
extra processing time too.
Sometimes those highly able students in your
room have neural networks that are much
denser, and their thoughts and responses are
more complex (Kingore, 2004).

Bump Up Participation
Give students about five seconds to respond to a
question.
Make sure they KNOW that they’re expected to
use that time to think about their answers.
Pose Question . . . slowly count to five in your
head.
Instruct students to Pair/Share answers.
Then, call on students to respond.
Don’t call on students until at LEAST half of
them have raised their hands.

Volume 5, Issue 3 Page 3

 Lighting and Learning
We spend so much time in our classrooms rearranging librar-
ies, seating areas, and book displays to entice children to read
more. I wonder if we spend enough time thinking about light-
ing for our students. When students are reading and working
in your classroom, can they see the words in front of them?
As the quality of light changes outside with the winter sun,
maybe it’s a good time to rethink the lighting in our class-
rooms. Something as simple as bright lighting can enhance
performance.

*Maintain a constant, adequate level of

bright lighting (2,000 lux recom-
mended). Indirect, but bright natural
lighting is best.

Many of the principles of lighting from home décor guides can

be used to highlight and enhance literacy areas in classrooms,
building interest and use among students. There is plenty of
research that shows more light of the right kind can elevate
mood considerably. Adding a couple of lamps to your class-
room, varying their heights, and spotlighting book displays
may be more powerful than you think in lifting your energy
and that of students during the long dark months ahead.

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