BatmansWife Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) In the school program we are in, we are required to take tests in the beginning and at the end of the school year. I got the beginning of the year test results back. My dd has some areas of weakness that I need to work on with her so her end of the year tests will show some improvement. In Reading, her weak area is "Foundations / Vocabulary". I'm not really sure what "foundations" means. In Language Usage her weak area is "Understand Grammar / Usage". Interestingly, I had already been looking at Zanor-Bloser G.U.M. and Wordly Wise. So, I guess I better get those. For G.U.M., I'm thinking of getting the workbooks for level 2 and 3 (maybe for Wordly Wise too). That way I can maybe fill in any gaps with level 2, and continue on with level 3 right after (even use it through the summer). Does anyone know if the TE's are necessary at this level? I can't get any TE samples to work. Are they just basically the answers? My only concern is that I have only $80 in our fund left to spend, and I need to get two levels of G.U.M., Wordly Wise, and different spelling for my son. I don't have enough $ for the G.U.M. TE's. Also...what does this mean? She scored a bit low in "Number & Operations". She knows her numbers. She knows what her operations are. Unless she was tested on multiplication and division....she knows a little about that but not a lot yet. I'm not really sure how to focus on this....or just keep using what we are using and we'll get to those things. For Science she scored a little low on "Nature of Science / Connections". I don't have any idea what that means. And, she scored a little low on "Earth & Space Science" and "Life & Environment Science". Well, we are a few weeks into R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Life. If we stick with this, she'd be doing the R.E.A.L. Science Earth & Space next year. Hmmm...I do have Home Science Adventures Astronomy on the shelf....maybe I should dust that off and use that a bit with her this year too. I was kind of discouraged with these results. But she does have more areas of strengths than weaknesses. And, if this is 3rd grade stuff how can you score very well on 3rd grade material when school starts September 6th and the tests were September 11th and 12th?! :glare: Edited November 2, 2012 by ~AprilMay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Can you get some help in interpreting the test results? Results without specific interpretation aren't of much value. The test administrator or the company which produces the test should be able to help you with this. I would be stumped at some of those categories, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 Can you get some help in interpreting the test results? Results without specific interpretation aren't of much value. The test administrator or the company which produces the test should be able to help you with this. I would be stumped at some of those categories, as well. Yes, I probably will be getting more info. When is the question. Last year I didn't get the first results until it was almost time to take the 2nd test! Because I told them I needed to order son a different spelling, I figured I might as well get the other orders in at the same time (especially since some of the stuff is at the same place I need to get the spelling from). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Well, that time frame for getting help is not too helpful.:glare: What test is it? So much information is available online that it is quite possible you can get some good information about the subtests on your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 Well, that time frame for getting help is not too helpful.:glare: What test is it? So much information is available online that it is quite possible you can get some good information about the subtests on your own. It's the MAP test. I googled it and I can find a chart with low, average, and high scores by grade level, and a Lexile level chart....but nothing that really explains what I'm confused about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I got just the student workbook for G.U.M. and that was fine. Maybe try just grade 3, and only get grade 2 if grade 3 seems too hard? I did not have grade 2, but grade 3 didn't seem to me like it would leave gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NASDAQ Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 MAP tests science in two categories: general, and concepts and processes. So your daughter scored a little low in the second category, concepts and processes. General Science covers specific science concepts within the three major domains of science: Life sciences, earth and space sciences, and physical sciences. Concepts and Processes measures a student's performance in both the processes used in science and the major themes underlying the science disciplines. MAP is supposed to align to the National Science Education Standards, which gives fairly detailed information for free online: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=4962 You can see that the PDF is free. It includes information for K-4 in each of those areas that you mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Download the RIT charts on this page. They give sample questions for each subcategory of the MAP test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) I got just the student workbook for G.U.M. and that was fine. Maybe try just grade 3, and only get grade 2 if grade 3 seems too hard? I did not have grade 2, but grade 3 didn't seem to me like it would leave gaps. I was also thinking about this very same thing this afternoon. Looking at the table of contents, they both teach basically the exact same things. I don't want to be starting her in a lower level than what she needs, so I'm just going to get the 3rd grade. Thanks for confirming what I was thinking. And, I'm glad to know I don't need the TE for this level. MAP tests science in two categories: general, and concepts and processes. So your daughter scored a little low in the second category, concepts and processes. General Science covers specific science concepts within the three major domains of science: Life sciences, earth and space sciences, and physical sciences. Concepts and Processes measures a student's performance in both the processes used in science and the major themes underlying the science disciplines. MAP is supposed to align to the National Science Education Standards, which gives fairly detailed information for free online: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=4962 You can see that the PDF is free. It includes information for K-4 in each of those areas that you mentioned. General Science is broken down into physical, earth/space, life/environmental. Her RIT range for physical is 197-212, earth/space is 192-205, and life/environmental is 192/204. They highlighted the last two as being lower. Concepts and Processes is broken down into Nature of Science/Connections (RIT score 189-200) and Science Inquiry (RIT 190-200). The first one was highlighted....but look how close the score is to the other one. :001_huh: But, even though I know what the science categories are and what they are broken down into, I didn't really know what to help her learn for "Nature of Science/Connections". I'll look at the pdf...thanks. Download the RIT charts on this page. They give sample questions for each subcategory of the MAP test. So, I take her RIT score....look across the page and see a couple sample questions. I should probably look at the next questions up, too, to see what to work on. I hope I'm reading this right. These charts are helpful...I'll be taking a closer look at them. Thank you! ETA: looking at the sample questions of Nature of Science. Yep...I can see why she didn't do that great. If I look at the questions under her RIT score, here are the sample questions: Here is a picture of a real electrical circuit. How do scientists and engineers think of this real electrical circuit? A. as a cell B. as a cycle C. as a model D. as a system A student poured water into a bowl and set the bowl in front of a window. The student recorded observations and inferences until all the water was gone. Which statement from the student' notebook is an inference and not an observation? A. Half of the water is gone by day two. B. Water evaporated faster on sunny days. C. There is a line of residue in the bowl where the water was. D. The water temperature is the same as the room temperature. Really?? Sheesh...this is why I hate tests like this. :glare: Edited November 2, 2012 by ~AprilMay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 We have used and enjoy GUM grammar. I do like an answer key though. We got ours with an answer key only through homeschool supercenter. Wordly Wise A,B and C are perfect for 3rd grade. Again, we got just the books and an answer key only from Seton. I prefer answer keys to teacher's guides at this level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) We have used and enjoy GUM grammar. I do like an answer key though. We got ours with an answer key only through homeschool supercenter. Wordly Wise A,B and C are perfect for 3rd grade. Again, we got just the books and an answer key only from Seton. I prefer answer keys to teacher's guides at this level. I didn't know there was an answer key. I wonder why ZB doesn't sell it? I'm now trying to decide if it's worth the extra $17 for the key. I'm thinking not. I actually forgot about Wordly Wise A, B, and C. I was thinking of the 3000 edition. But, hmmm....I actually have A from when my son was young and didn't use it. Have you ever used the 3000 edition? If so, how does it compare the the A,B,C? I wonder what level 3000 you'd go to after finishing A,B,C? What are the differences? So many questions....I need to do more research. Ugh! :001_smile: ETA: Nevermind with the questions. I read a good explanation at Rainbow and they answered them there. Edited November 3, 2012 by ~AprilMay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I didn't know there was an answer key. I wonder why ZB doesn't sell it? I'm now trying to decide if it's worth the extra $17 for the key. I'm thinking not. I actually forgot about Wordly Wise A, B, and C. I was thinking of the 3000 edition. But, hmmm....I actually have A from when my son was young and didn't use it. Have you ever used the 3000 edition? If so, how does it compare the the A,B,C? I wonder what level 3000 you'd go to after finishing A,B,C? What are the differences? So many questions....I need to do more research. Ugh! :001_smile: GUM stands for Grammar Usage Mechanics. More than one publisher has books called GUM. Is the answer key for the Z-B GUM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted November 3, 2012 Author Share Posted November 3, 2012 GUM stands for Grammar Usage Mechanics. More than one publisher has books called GUM. Is the answer key for the Z-B GUM? Yes, I'm talking about G.U.M. Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics by Zanor-Bloser. The answer key with student workbook is here. ZB only has the workbook and TE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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