MAP Testing and Introductions

Students in my eighth-grade classes all had MAP testing today. We’ll continue with Nightjohn tomorrow.

Today was also the first day with my new class, a group of bright seventh grade students during seventh period. We went over some expectations, and we will continue tomorrow.

Homework
  • First and sixth periods: none.
  • Second and fourth periods: complete the final draft of the character analysis. (This will be due Thursday at midnight.)
  • Seventh period: none.

MAP Testing

All classes had MAP testing today. Regular programming will resume tomorrow.

Remember the Spring Break reading assignments are due tomorrow:

  • First and seventh periods: Glory Field through page 137 (end of part three).
  • Fourth period: Great Expectations through chapter 33.

MAP Testing

neaAll classes completed the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test today.

The MAP test is an adaptable academic test intended to determine where, on a nationally-normed scale, a student’s present academic abilities lie. It is not a test of potential; it is a test of current understanding.

Northwest Evaluation Association, the developers of the MAP assessment, explain it thus:

Created by educators for educators, MAP assessments provide detailed, actionable data about where each child is on their unique learning path. Because student engagement is essential to any testing experience, NWEA works with educators to create test items that interest children and help to capture detail about what they know and what they’re ready to learn. It’s information teachers can use in the classroom to help every child, every day.  (NEA Website)

Teachers in Greenville County generally use the MAP data to measure yearly progress and determine individual needs.

Homework

None

Spring 2009 MAP Testing

All students in all classes took the spring 2009 MAP test today. It’s a good way to measure progress from the beginning of the year, but it does take one day of class time. Then again, nothing’s free.

After completing the test, students worked on their individual projects: first period, the newsletter for The Giver; fourth and sixth periods, the Charlie Report; second period, the Lord of the Flies/Antigone presentations.

Works Cited

First period completed a second round of MAP testing. We were unable to do anything else today.

Second period began the Odyssey. We looked at elements of the epic form and discussed the background to the Odyssey.

Fourth and sixth periods worked on creating “Works Cited” pages.

Homework
  • First period: none
  • Second period:
    • vocabulary work;
    • study for quiz.
  • Fourth period: create “Works Cited” page for research project (project due Monday 8 December).
  • Sixth period: none.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

All classes had MAP testing.

The MAP test is an adaptive test produced by the Northwest Evaluation Association. According to NWEA’s web site,

The assessment itself is unique in that it adapts to the student’s ability, accurately measuring what a child knows and needs to learn. In addition, MAP tests measure academic growth over time, independent of grade level or age. Most importantly, the results educators receive have practical application to teaching and learning.

We will be using the MAP results to guide individualized learning.