North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District

English Department Workshop

October 1, 2014
7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Voorhees Media Center

This department workshop has the following purposes:

To give media specialists an opportunity to collaborate on best practices;
To understand the three PARCC Performance-Based Assessment tasks; and
To work with other teachers to develop PARCC-like tasks.

1. Attendance and sign in

2. Overview of todays workshop

Give an overview of the PARCC PBA tasks;
Have time to collaborate on developing these tasks to use in your classes.

3. English department goal for 2014-2015:

During the 2014-15 school year, English classes are working to incorporate
PARCC-like questions now that specific samples have been released. All
students will be exposed to the three tasks on the Performance-Based
Assessment (research simulation task, literary analysis, and narrative
writing). Students will complete PARCC sample items and the tutorials
through the Pearson learning platform.

4. PARCC Performance-Based Assessment Tasks

PARCC is the assessment tool for Common Core State Standards
if you are basing your lessons in the standards, then these are the
kinds of activities you should be doing
March 2-6 (152 days from today!)
Research Simulation Task (http://www.parcconline.org/samples/english-
language-artsliteracy/grade-9-elaliteracy):
The Research Simulation Task is an assessment component worthy
of student preparation because it asks students to exercise the career-
 and college- readiness skills of observation, deduction, and proper use
and evaluation of evidence across text types.
In this task, students will analyze an informational topic presented
through several articles or multimedia stimuli, the first text being an
anchor text that introduces the topic. Students will engage with the
texts by answering a series of questions and synthesizing information
from multiple sources in order to write two analytic essays.
Sample: http://www.parcconline.org/samples/english-language-
artsliteracy/grade-11-elaliteracy
Rubric: https://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/Grade%206-
11%20July%2029%20Rubric%20Final.pdf
Literary Analysis (http://www.parcconline.org/samples/english-language-
artsliteracy/grade-9-elaliteracy):
The Literature Task plays an important role in honing students
ability to read complex text closely, a skill that research reveals as the
most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-
ready readers. This task will ask students to carefully consider
literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay.
Sample: http://www.parcconline.org/samples/english-language-
artsliteracy/grade-10-elaliteracy
Rubric: https://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/Grade%206-
11%20July%2029%20Rubric%20Final.pdf
Narrative Task (http://www.parcconline.org/samples/english-language-
artsliteracy/grade-9-elaliteracy):
The Narrative Task broadens the way in which students may use this
type of writing. Narrative writing can be used to convey experiences
or events, real or imaginary. In this task, students may be asked to
write a story, detail a scientific process, write a historical account of
important figures, or to describe an account of events, scenes or
objects, for example.
Sample: http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/# (select practice tests,
ELA, and then grade 10) (slides 18-23)
Rubric: https://www.parcconline.org/sites/parcc/files/Grade%206-
11%20July%2029%20Rubric%20Final.pdf (page 2)
 Multiple-choice/objective questions
multiple parts
more than one correct answer
higher-level thinking

5. Shared folder through Google Docs

one sub-folder for each grade
sub-folder for toolbox

6. Break-out sessions
English 1: Mark Davis, Lori Imhof, Pam Peschel, Julie Stine, Charlie
Heidecker, Mary Meo, Raime Miller, Lauren Sheldon, Lauren Young
English 2: Bonnie Beneszewski, Meeghan Smolinsky, Scot Ebner, Suanne
Fetherolf, Sherryl Snare
English 3: Nancy Anne Castello, Mike Crane, Regina Cavo, Erin Erwin,
Renee Clark, Laurie Simpson, Shannon Smith
English 4: Brian Baumann, Gerry Dodge, Tom Higgins, Dave Sosidka
AP Language: Whitney DAgusto and Barb Carr
AP Literature: Joe Masser and Lauren Fedorko
Media specialists: Judy Skene, Leslie Edwards, Martha Hickson

7. Share successes