FRIDAY, MAY 23 is the last day to assess your students

The PALS spring assessment window is open until  May 23. The spring assessment window in Wisconsin is April 28 through May 23. You may enter spring scores into the PALS Online System any time between April 28 and June 6. All students must be assessed during the spring window, regardless of their fall scores.  Updating records before spring score entry Remember to add any new students to your Class List. These students need to be assessed, even if they weren't assessed in the fall. It's okay to remove students who have moved away. Their data will be preserved.  Take note of any IEP updates that might require changes to students' accommodations and/or disability status in the PALS Online System. Make sure these changes are made before entering scores. Once scores have been entered, the disability field for that student is locked until the next screening window. You have everything you need for assessment in your Form A Teacher Set -- the same set you used in the fall.  Spring Assessment  Window First Grade: April 28 - May 23 4K and 5K: April 28 - May 23 Last day to enter scores: June 6 Quick Links: PALSWisconsin.info PALS Online Score Entry & Reporting System Online Courses Toll-Free Hotline: 888-924-7257 Email: support@palshelp.com

PALS spring reports During the PALS spring assessment window, the PALS Online Score Entry and Reporting System will only accept complete score entry; no required tasks may be omitted. Required tasks are outlined in each Administration & Scoring Guide and will be prompted during score entry into the Online System.   The PALS Online System offers several reports that are available only during the spring, which can be viewed on the History tab once logged into your PALS Online account. Notice also the various history and growth reports at the classroom level.   While all of your PALS data is permanently stored and available to you in future years through the Data Downloads, it's a good idea to print out any other reports in the spring that you may want to view in future years for data analysis, as some of them are only visible during the spring window of the school year in which the data was collected. This is also true for PALS Quick Check reports.

Just what is meant by Text Complexity in the CCSS

Text Complexity is one of the keys in understanding whether or not your the text you are working with  is "rigorous" enough for your learners, for your grade level common assessment work, etc.  Certainly the level of thinking or Depth of Knowledge is also key. DOK Question Stems  

Depth of Knowledge - Level 3 Questions 
• How is ____ related to ____?
• What conclusions can you draw _____?
• How would you adapt____to create a
different____?
• How would you test____?
• Can you predict the outcome if____?
• What is the best answer? Why?
• What conclusion can be drawn from
these three texts?
• What is your interpretation of this text?
Support your rationale.
• How would you describe the sequence
of____?
• What facts would you select to
support____?
• Can you elaborate on the reason____?
• What would happen if___?
• Can you formulate a theory for___?
• How would you test___?
• Can you elaborate on the reason___?
Depth of Knowledge - Level 4 Questions 
• Write a thesis, drawing conclusions from
multiple sources.
• Design and conduct an experiment.
Gather information to develop
alternative explanations for the results of
an experiment.
• Write a research paper on a topic.
• Apply information from one text to
another text to develop a persuasive
argument.
• What information can you gather to
support your idea about___?
• DOK 4 would most likely be the writing o

WISCONSIN's focus on Disciplinary Literacy............much different than Reading in the Content Areas

Applied Literacy/Disciplinary Literacy/Information Transliteracy

in the 21st Century Classroom

“In Wisconsin, disciplinary literacy is defined as the confluence of content knowledge, experiences, and skills merged with the ability to read, write, listen, speak, think critically  and perform in a way that is meaningful within the context of a given field.”

from Common Core State Standards for Literacy in All Subject Areas

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Additional Resources for disciplinary literacy from the State of Wisconsin:

http://standards.dpi.wi.gov/stn_disciplinaryliteracy

Overarching Idea:

Students demonstrate their content knowledge and ability to communicate clearly through reading, writing, speaking, and listening as part of a content literate and collaborative community.

KEY Concepts for Educators to Grasp:

1.  Academic learning begins in early childhood and develops across all disciplines when educators collaborate to enhance student learning; academic learning is enhanced when students think critically around information, maintain a critical stance, and employ that stance.

2. Content knowledge is strengthened when educators integrate discipline-specific literacy and 21st Century Skills into teaching and learning.  

3. Communication and critical thinking improve when content-rich learning experiences motivate and engage students.

Thinking Around the Corner: The Power of Information Literacy

In order to care for others, you must be willing to take time to care for yourself