Check out these strategies and resources to prepare students for end of year state science assessment using InnerOrbit. Consider your curricula's scope and sequence, student stamina, and overall classroom culture when designing supports for end of year state testing.
These strategies and resources are focused on building students' confidence as they practice towards the state test. Check out this resource about how to use your data on InnerOrbit to focus your reteaching!
Building Student Confidence for State Tests
Strategy 1: Scaffolded Phenomenon Explorations
Description
Build just one assessment, with one standard and one phenomenon, for students to explore all week. Select 2-3 questions for each level of rigor (listed below).
Structure this exploration to be independent (students log into InnerOrbit), with a partner (print assessment), or as a whole class (project assessment in room). InnerOrbit automatically saves students work as they access this assessment throughout the week and then submit on Friday.
Students gradually make sense of the phenomenon through this scaffolded approach, building up confidence to tackle a 3D question by the end of the week.
Monday: Prior-Knowledge Questions
Tuesday: Core Content Questions
Wednesday: Content and Concepts (2D) Questions
Thursday: Content and Practices (2D) Questions
Friday: Sensemaking (3D) Questions
How-To:
Login to InnerOrbit
Search by a standard/keyword or use the "Browse By" tiles
Select ONE phenomenon
Pick 2-3 questions for each level of rigor (see weekly flow above and learn more here)
Title and save assessment
Access assessment later in Library tab and decide to:
Strategy 2: Daily Do-Nows
Description
Use InnerOrbit's pre-made assessments to create small assessments focused on specific standards as review.
Select either the scaffolded formatives for more review on the Disciplinary Core Ideas
(DCIs) or the sensemaking summatives for a fully 2D/3D assessment similar to what students will see on the state test.
Have students complete these do-nows in pairs or independently, with optional whole class discussion review afterwards.
Over time, select a wide variety of standards/phenomena for your "do-nows" to ensure a sweeping review.
How-To:
Login to InnerOrbit
Search by a standard/keyword or use the "Browse By" tiles
Select a premade assessment. Either:
Select green "Use all questions" button
Title and save assessment
Screenshare Question Results (in Assignment Report) as a whole class review
Strategy 3: Mock Exams
Description
Using InnerOrbit's pre-made inventories, educators can create longer assessments for students to simulate the day-of state testing experience.
These inventories cover many standards and can be used entirely as is, OR you can pick which questions from the inventory to add to your mock exam.
You can even use inventories from prior grades to build confidence and uncover any big gaps of understanding.
How-To:
Login to InnerOrbit
Under the "Build" tab, select Inventories.
Select an Inventory by clicking on it.
Either:
Click the green "Use all questions" button OR...
Scroll through the assessment and select questions you want by clicking "Add question"
Title and save assessment
Review data in your Dimensions Report
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