FCAT Explorer

FCAT Explorer

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

Program Overview

From the Florida Department of Education www.fcatexplorer.com

FCAT Explorer

Interactive program offers practice on the FCAT-tested benchmarks

Reinforces reading comprehension skills

Available at no cost to all Florida public schools

Accessible from any computer connected to the Internet

Interactive practice program

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Fidelity with the Official FCAT

Strict adherence to the Sunshine State Standards and the DOE’s Test Item & Performance Task Specifications

Rigorous item development process

Items drafted by reading teachers and professional item writers

Items reviewed by instructional designers, testing specialists, bias reviewers, and professional editors

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Input from Education Professionals

Exemplary classroom teachers

Recommended for expertise in subject area and grade level

National Board CertifiedRecipients of Teacher of

the Year awards Experienced as FCAT

coach and/or reading coach

Masters’ degrees

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Passages

and

Practice Items

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

FCAT-like Practice

60 passages written to support FCAT-like practice on all tested benchmarks

Topics drawn from other Sunshine State Standards subject areas Science

Social Studies

The Arts

Health & Physical Education

PASSAGES

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Same average length and readability level as on the FCAT

Variety of passage types: poems, articles, and stories

Reviewed by teachers for interest & readability

Reinforced by photographs and illustrations

FCAT-like Passages

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Same average number of items per passage as on the FCAT

FCAT-like Practice Items

Rigorous item development process

Written by professional item writers

Reviewed and approved by teachers

Revised as needed based on statistical item analysis

Number of items per skill based on teacher recommendation for struggling readers

No fewer than 5 items per skill

From 5 to 50 items per benchmark

Same type, style, format, scope, & cognitive level as on the FCAT

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

694 FCAT-like practice

items:

FCAT-like Practice

362 Multiple Choice

135 Short-Response

37 Extended-Response

52 Open-Response (OR/SR & OR/ER)

108 Main Idea Application (MC)

Many items reflect

real-world activities

and situations

PRACTICE ITEMS

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

FCAT-like Practice

MULTIPLE CHOICE (MC)

Careful review of every item for psychometric criteria

Item must clearly

support skill

Only plausible choices

All answer choices are

parallel (e.g., grammatical

form)

One clearly best answer

Correct answer supported in

the text

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

FCAT-like Practice Items

SIMULATED SRs & ERs

Short-response items: Compare two responses & select the high score

Extended-response items: Read one response & assign a high or partial score

Simulation strategies recommended by teachers

Based on classroom instructional practices

Requires student to compare or assess critical attributes

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

FCAT-like Practice

Open Response (OR)

Students compose original answers

Read high-score sample response

Read explanation of attributes that earn sample response a high score

Compare student’s original composition to high-score sample response

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

LET’S STOP AND THINK

Content questions posed throughout passage

Correct answer identified

Highlighted selections in yellow suggest correct answers

Recognition of crucial content in reading passages reinforced

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Instructional Support

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

1ST ATTEMPT CORRECT

Auditory congratulations

Correct answer explanation (CAE)

Confirms which answer is correct

Explains attributes that make the answer correct

Provides option to review passage and confirm how passage supports correct answer

Instructional Support

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Informs student that selection is incorrect

Delivers hint or takes student to yellow-highlighted passage offering guidance to correct answer

1ST ATTEMPT INCORRECT

Provides second chance to answer correctly

Instructional Support

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

2nd ATTEMPT CORRECT or INCORRECT

Congratulations or notification that selected answer is incorrect

CAE (correct answer explanation) as well as feedback on the incorrect answer

Option to review passage and confirm how passage supports correct answer

Instructional Support

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Instructional Support

Main Idea Workshop

Three-Step Strategy:

•Step 1—Identify the Who or What•Step 2—Identify the Most Important Point•Step 3—Identify the Most Important Point about Who or What

Utilizes interactive graphic approach with photographs

Illustrates main idea concept in paragraphs and passages

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Special Features

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

VIEW QUESTIONS

Allows students to preview item stems(not answer choices)

Helps students establish a purpose for reading

Teacher-requested feature

View Questions

Special Learning Features

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Linked (blue) words in passage

“Ear icon” to hear word pronounced

Definition

Example to show use

Spanish and Haitian Creole translations

GLOSSARY Click the word nautical to view that glossary entry

Passage

Glossary entry

Special Learning Features

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Daily reports of student progress

School Year reports of cumulative progress

Custom reports for specific dates

Explorer’s Report

Shows the number of practice items attempted and percentage correct for each benchmark

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Available any time from the “Start Reading” home page

Displays performance results and allows access to incorrectly answered questions

Helps students to be aware of areas of strength and weakness

CHALLENGE LIST

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Motivational Features

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Animated Vocabulary Games

Motivational Features

Earn points for correct answers

Play one of three vocabulary games upon completing three passages and accompanying items

Scoring tally for correct responses

Repetition of question for incorrect responses

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

HIGH-INTEREST PASSAGE TOPICS

Motivational Features

Topics drawn from other subject areas in the Sunshine State Standards

Passages reviewed by 8th grade teachers for potential to interest struggling 8th grade students

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Motivational Features

Reinforce important ideas in the passage

Pique curiosity

Maintain attention & endurance

Help students perceive reading as an interesting activity

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Educators’ Tools

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Educators’ Tools

Classroom Teacher’s Desk

District Administrator’s Desk

School Administrator’s Desk

Curriculum resources

Skills location map

Table of benchmarks and skills

Item review

Letter to parents

Information management tools

Sign-in names and passwords

Progress reports

Messages to students

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Check progress on individuals or classes

View reading data by benchmark, skill, or passage

Compare percentage correct before and after instructional support

Student Performance Reports

At the Classroom Teacher’s Desk

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

The Parent & Family Guide

Accessible from the home page without a password

Available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole

Helps parents, guardians, and mentors understand the Sunshine State Standards and the FCAT

Provides Everyday Activities to help parents reinforce benchmarks and skills

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Linked from the home page

Download this PowerPoint presentation

Download the School Administrator’s Desk Manual

Download the Teacher’s Desk Manual

Reading Focus Overview Math Focus Overview Program-specific presentations

Download other presentations

Educator Resources Page

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Toll-Free Help Desk

Accessible from the home page without a password

1-888-750-FCAT

1-888-750-3228

Weekdays from

7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

School Principals:

Contact your district

office and speak to the

district administrator

for the FCAT Explorer

Teachers:

Contact your school

administrator for the

FCAT Explorer

FCAT Explorer Home Page (www.fcatexplorer.com)

To get sign-in names & passwords

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks

FCAT Explorer

Log on to the FCAT Explorer!

www.fcatexplorer.com

Reading Boardwalk: 8th Grade Benchmarks