9) Cluster 3

FCAT Reading - Cluster 3 : 

FCAT Reading - Cluster 3 Comparison/Contrast Cause/Effect

Slide 2: 

There are only 2 benchmarks in Cluster 3. LA.A.2.2.7 The student recognizes the use of Comparison and contrast in a text. LA.E.2.2.1 The student recognizes cause-and-effect relationships in literary texts. [Applies to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.] These benchmarks have been part of students’ curriculum since elementary school.

Slide 3: 

What do we need to know about this cluster? • According to the Test Design document, Cluster 3 can range from 10 - 25% of the Reading Test. • Despite the wording of the LA.E.2.2.1 benchmark, the Test Specs document states that “Passages may be literary text or informational text.” • On both the 9th and 10th Grade Test in 2007, Broward students averaged 7 our of 11 raw score points.

Slide 4: 

How many questions has the test contained in this Cluster? In 2004 The Grade 9 Test had 11 items out of 45: 2 Contrast Items 2 Comparison Items 7 Cause/Effect Items The Grade 10 Test had 8 items out of 51: 2 Comparison Items 6 Cause/Effect Items

Slide 5: 

How many questions has the test contained in this Cluster? In 2005 The Grade 9 Test had 11 items out of 45: 3 Comparison Items 2 Contrast Items 6 Cause/Effect items The Grade 10 Test had 10 items out of 51: 2 Contrast Items 3 Comparison Items 5 Cause/Effect Items

Slide 6: 

How many questions has the test contained in this Cluster? In 2006 The Grade 9 Test had 10 items out of 45: 1 Comparison Item 2 Contrast Items 7 Cause/Effect items The Grade 10 Test had 13 items out of 51 : 3 Contrast Items 3 Comparison Items 7 Cause/Effect Items

Slide 7: 

How many questions has the test contained in this Cluster? In 2007 The Grade 9 Test had 11 items out of 45: 3 Comparison Items 0 Contrast items 8 Cause/Effect items The Grade 10 Test had 11 items out of 51: 2 Contrast Items 5 Comparison Items* 4 Cause/Effect Items * Includes Short-Response Item or Items

Slide 8: 

In Comparison and Contrast Questions . . . • Elements that can be compared or contrasted may include, but should not be limited to, • character or subject • author’s purpose • setting • tone • main idea or topic • organizational structure • style • author’s point of view Note the overlap with other clusters.

Slide 9: 

In Comparison and Contrast Questions . . . • Items may assess this benchmark across two passages or on one passage that consists of sections containing elements that can be compared or contrasted. • If tones are compared across passages, each passage must contain a readily identifiable, consistent tone.

Slide 10: 

What do comparison and contrast questions look like? Here is an example of a 9th grade item of moderate difficulty on a piece of narrative text. The content focus is contrast. Ex. How is the client different at the end of the day? He is deeply satisfied by having fulfilled a dream. He feels drained of emotion after sharing his story. He is exhausted and anxious to return to his family. He feels selfish and guilty that he caught so many fish. 89% of test takers marked the correct answer

Slide 11: 

What do comparison and contrast questions look like? Here is an example of a 9th grade item of moderate difficulty on a piece of narrative text. The content focus is comparison. Ex. As the author swims closer to the point, the sea resembles a winter day. deep valley. violent storm. quiet meadow. 51% of test takers marked the correct answer

Slide 12: 

What do cause and effect questions look like? Here is an example of a 9th grade item of moderate difficulty on a magazine article. The content focus is cause/effect. Ex. What allowed Georgia O’Keefe to become established in the world of art? Her successful studies in Chicago Her enrollment in the convent school The enormous size of her flower paintings The invitation to display her work in New York 50% of test takers marked the correct answer

Slide 13: 

What do cause and effect questions look like? Here is an example of a 9th grade item of moderate difficulty on a magazine article. The content focus is cause/effect. Ex. Why does the author swim back toward the shore? He is forced back by the tide. He is unable to see his spotter. He is unable to see the bottom. He is swarmed by the silversides. 49% of test takers marked the correct answer

Slide 14: 

The 10th Grade MC Items on Cluster 3 are very similar to the items on 9th Grade tests. Here is an example of a 10th grade item of moderate difficulty on a magazine article. The content focus is cause/effect. Ex. Dawkins regrets having misspelled a person’s name in a profile he wrote. Why is this error more embarrassing to him than other errors he has made? His subject was a schoolteacher. He had a reputation to maintain. His editor failed to catch the error. He had no excuse for such an error. 70% of test takers marked the correct answer

Slide 15: 

So what can we conclude? • Students may NOT understand that the items are really comparison/contrast or cause/effect questions because those word may not even be used in the stem. • Teachers need to teach these concepts in a variety of ways and ask students questions on these concepts in ways that students will then be prepared to answer Cluster 3 questions on the test.