Teachers? Question for you..

[C.Ann]

I know that there are certain tests that are required each year now - I believe by the state..

DGD is in the 5th grade and just took something called a STRAND test for math.. Her teacher was extremely pleased with her grade (100) and made a point of calling calling DD and her DH to tell them that she was the only fifth grader who had a perfect score.. When DGD told me about it this weekend, I acted appropriately pleased - but in all honesty, didn't have a clue what this test was..

So what is a STRAND test? And will there be more of them in other subjects this year? If I need to react, I would at least like to know "what" I'm reacting to..

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm a 1st grade teacher w/ a DS10 of my own in the 5th grade.

I have no idea what the STRAND test is (never heard of it before).....they don't administer that in my county, but congratulations to your DGD!!!

 

[C.Ann]

I'm a 1st grade teacher w/ a DS10 of my own in the 5th grade.

I have no idea what the STRAND test is (never heard of it before).....they don't administer that in my county, but congratulations to your DGD!!!

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Thanks! She's a real little smarty pants - in a good way, of course..

Do you have "any" kind of tests that are mandated by the state? I thought all states were doing that now.. (Although I don't know if this STRAND test is part of that..)

 

[daisyduck123]

The students in my county are not taking any now, but in March elementary students (in grades 3-5, I'm not sure about 2nd grade) & middle school students will take the MSA (Maryland State Assessments) in Reading & Math. Grades 5 & 8 will also take the MSA in Science in May.

 

[SundancePass]

This link describes what a "strand" is: http://catalog.arizona.edu/2008-09/policies/math.htm

This one identifies math concepts in "Strand A":www.broward.k12.fl.us/STUDENTASSESSMENT/Updates/2006_BAT_Math_Grade05_Guide.pdf

A "strand" is a different level of math concept or operation. Your daughter is to be congratulated and encouraged. We don't have enough students who are high achievers in Math. The world needs her...or will when she is older!

Good luck and congrats to your DD!

 

[C.Ann]

This link describes what a "strand" is: http://catalog.arizona.edu/2008-09/policies/math.htm

This one identifies math concepts in "Strand A":www.broward.k12.fl.us/STUDENTASSESSMENT/Updates/2006_BAT_Math_Grade05_Guide.pdf

A "strand" is a different level of math concept or operation. Your daughter is to be congratulated and encouraged. We don't have enough students who are high achievers in Math. The world needs her...or will when she is older!

Good luck and congrats to your DD!

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Not my DD - my DGD.. Her dad is a genius when it comes to math, so I think she inherited that gene from him.. (I know she didn't get it from DD - math was not one of her "strong" points.. )

Yikes!! Maybe I should have been "more" excited.. We always congratulate and encourage her with her school work and fortunately she still hasn't reached that stage where homework is a "chore" that she has to do.. She really enjoys the challenge..

Now if we can just keep her from going ga-ga over boys when she gets into the higher grades.. That's usually where the grades start to tank if they're going to..

 

[Cindy B]

I would guess a strand test is a "concept" test. Here in my state we have certain state standards that I need to "teach to".

A strand is a specific set of standards that goes with a larger concept. For example in Math, there is a set standard on computations (main idea). The specific strands are addition, subtraction, problem solving, etc...

As if to make it more complicated, there are indicators inside the strands. These indicators are more in depth than the general strands.

I would compare a strand test to a "benchmark" assessement-- or even a district wide test.

As for national standardized test, they are called different names depending on grade level and state. . In NJ, they are called NJASK, GEPA and HSPA. NJASK is for 3rd to 7th grade. (the middle school ones used to be called NJPASS, but they changed that a while ago). GEPA is the Grade eight proficiency assessment, and the HSPA is the high school proficiency assessment.

 

[C.Ann]

I would guess a strand test is a "concept" test. Here in NJ, we have certain state standards that I need to "teach to".

A strand is a specific set of standards that goes with a larger concept. For example in Math, there is a set standard on computations (main idea). The specific strands are addition, subtraction, problem solving, etc...

As if to make it more complicated, there are indicators inside the strands. These indicators are more in depth than the general strands.

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Thank you.. That was as clear as mud..

Gosh - things are so complicated since I went to school - back in the dark ages..

 

[Cindy B]

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Thank you.. That was as clear as mud..

Gosh - things are so complicated since I went to school - back in the dark ages..

Here goes: I just happen to have a 3rd grade lesson plan right here.

NJCCCS (New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards)

Math:
NJ- New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
• Subject : Mathematics (Adopted July 2, 2002)

• Standard 4.1: (NUMBER AND NUMERICAL OPERATIONS) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP NUMBER SENSE AND WILL PERFORM STANDARD NUMERICAL OPERATIONS AND ESTIMATIONS ON ALL TYPES OF NUMBERS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

• Range/Grade Level 0: By the end of Grade 3

• Strand B: Numerical Operations

Cumulative Progress Indicator 1: Develop the meanings of the four basic arithmetic operations by modeling and discussing a large variety of problems.
· Addition and subtraction: joining, separating, comparing
· Multiplication: repeated addition, area/array
· Division: repeated subtraction, sharing


Cumulative Progress Indicator 2: Develop proficiency with basic multiplication and division number facts using a variety of fact strategies (such as "skip counting" and "repeated subtraction").


Cumulative Progress Indicator 7: Check the reasonableness of results of computations.


See the main idea is computation. Then the subtopic (or strand) would be Numerical Operations. Then the indicators just happen to state what specific numerical operations I am teaching.