ged 2014 science and social studies tests randy feldsien terri ferris

GED 2014Science and Social Studies Tests

Randy FeldsienTerri Ferris

Sample test items, used in this presentation, for the 2002 test were taken from the official GED pre tests developed by Steck-Vaughn

Sample test items and information about test content for the 2014 test was taken from the GED Testing Services website

Additional sample test items, information and pre-recorded webinars may be found on the GED Test Services website

www.gedtestingservices.com

www.steckvaughn.hmhco.com

GETTING TO KNOW THE CROWD

Raise your hand if you only teach Science

Raise your hand if you only teach Social Studies

Raise your hand if you primarily teach in a one room school house setting

CURRENT SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES TESTSHow do you currently prepare students to take the science and social studies test?What books do you use?What supplemental materials do you bring into your classroom?

What activities do you do with your students?

WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE 2014 SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES TESTS

Computer-based format Will no longer be primarily a multiple choice test Will include technology enhanced items; multiple

choice, fill-in-the-blank, hot-spot, drag-and-drop The Science and Social Studies tests will each

have two short answer items There will be more cross-content test items

Will use a calculator to answer some math questions in the science and social studies content areas

EXAMPLE OF A MORE CROSS-CONTENT QUESTION

Testers used basic math operations (+,-,× and ÷) to answer questions

Testers use equations and advanced math skills to answer questions

Current Test 2014 Test

QUESTION TYPESSome examples of the technology enhanced items

SHORT ANSWER (2 QUESTIONS PER TEST)

HOT SPOT

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A HOT SPOT

DRAG AND DROP

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A DRAG AND DROP

FILL IN THE BLANK

EXTENDED RESPONSE (SOCIAL STUDIES TEST)

SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE!What will be the same?

THE CONTENT AREAS WILL BE SIMILAR

Life Science -45% Physical Science -

35% Earth & Space

Science – 20%

Life Science 40% Physical Science -

40% Earth & Space

Science – 20%


MORE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TESTS

Both tests use graphics The primary focus of the test continues to be

a measurement of reasoning skills applied to scientific context

Students still do not need an in-depth knowledge of each sub topic, but they should be familiar with basic concepts in the areas of physical, life, and earth and space science

SOME QUESTIONS WILL LOOK SIMILAR

APPLYING SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES


FINDING SUPPORTING DETAILS FROM A READING

LET’S BREAK IT DOWNThe Content Areas

PHYSICAL SCIENCE CONTENT (40%)

Structure of atoms Structure and

property of matter Chemical reactions Motion and Forces Conservation of

energy Interaction of

energy and matter

Conservation, transformation, and flow of energy

Work, motion, and forces

Chemical properties and reactions related to living systems


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Physical Science Handout

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Physical Science Experiment

The Spinning Coin - Centripetal Force.

Find a balloon and insert a small coin into it. Blow the balloon up and tie the end. Now start swirling the balloon round to get the coin spinning inside it. It may bounce around at first but eventually it should settle down. When you have it swirling, stop moving the balloon and let the coin continue swirling on its own. It carries on for some time due to the low amount of friction acting on it. For an object to change direction it must have a force acting on it. In this case the force is a centripetal force -- the force provided by your hand to keep the balloon steady and keep the coin moving in a circular path.

Forces & Motion Experiments | eHow.com

LIFE SCIENCE CONTENT (40%)

Transmission of disease/pathogens

Effects of disease or pathogens on populations

Disease prevention methods

Matter Energy Organization in living

systems

Human body and health

Relationship between life functions and energy intake

Energy flows in ecological networks (ecosystems)

Organization of life Molecular basis of

heredity Evolution


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Life Science Activity

ONION DNA EXTRACTION

Lana Hays

Materials

fresh onions graduated cylinders (10ml and 100ml)

knife 15-ml test tube

blender test tube rack or 250 ml beaker

strainer glass stirring rod

coffee filters non-iodized salt

Adolph's natural meat tenderizer Palmolive detergent

beaker distilled water

ice cold 95% ethanol

Detergent/salt solution:

20 ml detergent 20 g non-iodized salt

180 ml distilled water

5% meat tenderizer solution:

5 g meat tenderizer 95 ml distilled water

Protocol

Cut an inch square out of the center of 3 medium onions. Chop and place in a blender. Add 100 ml of detergent/salt solution. Blend on high 30 sec-1 minute.

Strain the mixture into a beaker using a strainer with a coffee filter. Add 20-30 ml meat tenderizer and stir to mix. Place 6 ml filtrate in a test tube. Pour 6 ml ice cold ethanol carefully down the side of the tube to form a layer. Let the mixture sit undisturbed 2-3 minutes until bubbling stops. The DNA will float in the alcohol. Swirl a glass stirring rod at the interface of the two layers to see the small threads of DNA.

http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/highsch.html

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Life Science Worksheet

EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE CONTENT (20%)

Energy in the Earth system

Geochemical cycles Origin and evolution

of Earth system Origin and evolution

of the universe

Interactions between Earth’s system and living things

Earth and its system components and interactions

Structures and organization of the cosmos


CHANGE IS ON THE HORIZONWhat will be different?

HOW ARE THE QUESTIONS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT?

There are three dimensions that underline each test question Content-based core ideas Science practices Crosscutting themes

Each question will be aligned to a science content as well as a science practice and will focus on one of two crosscutting themes

CROSSCUTTING THEMES (FOCUSING THEMES)

SCIENCE PRACTICES

Basic scientific practices assessed on the 2014 test:

Determining details and making inferences Determining central ideas, hypotheses, and conclusions Analyzing events and ideas Interpreting meaning of symbols and terms Analyzing structures Integrating content presented in diverse ways Evaluation reasoning and evidence Analyzing relationships between sources Reading and interpreting graphs, charts, and other data

representations Measuring the center of statistical dataset Determining sample space and using probability models to interpret

data Understanding and applying the appropriate tools, techniques and

units in scientific investigations

A skill that is necessary to reason about science

DETERMINING SAMPLE SPACE AND USING PROBABILITY MODELS TO INTERPRET DATA

A probability model is a mathematical representation of a random phenomenon. It is defined by its sample space, events within the sample space, and probabilities associated with each event.

The sample space S for a probability model is the set of all possible outcomes. Suppose a bowl contains 3 red and 2 blue marbles. If three marbles are picked, one at a time, from the bowl the sample space or set of all possible outcomes is:

S = {(red, red, red), (red, red, blue), (red, blue, blue), (red, blue, red), (blue, blue, red), (blue, red, red),

(blue, red, blue)} - 7 possibilities An event A is a subset of the sample space S. Once

again, the bowl contains 3 red marbles and 2 blue marbles. If an individual picks three marbles, one at a time, from the bowl, the event "pick 2 red marbles" can be achieved in 3 ways, so the set of outcomes is:

A = {(red, red, blue),(red, blue, red), (blue, red, red)}.

- 3 Favorable possibilities

PROBABILITY

Probability of a favorable outcome =

=

The probability of picking two red marbles is

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SOME QUESTIONS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT!

Uses simpler concepts, more explanation, and more familiar terminology

Requires more prior knowledge and understanding of a concept


ANOTHER EXAMPLE

Testers analyzed patterns

Testers must know how to read a chemical equation and translate it into words


WHAT WILL BE THE SAME?

THE CONTENT AREAS WILL BE SIMILAR

History (National and World) -40%

Geography- 15% Civics and

Government -25% Economics - 20%

Civics and Government - 50%

US History - 20% Economics - 15% Geography and the

World - 15%


MORE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TESTS

Both tests use graphics The primary focus of the test continues to be

a measurement of reasoning skills applied to social studies context

Students still do not need an in-depth knowledge of each sub topic, but they should be familiar with basic concepts in the areas of civics and government, US history, economics, geography and the world

SOME QUESTIONS WILL LOOK SIMILAR

INTERPRETING INFORMATION FROM A MAP

2002 Test 2014 Test

INTERPRETING INFORMATION FROM A TABLE, CHART OR GRAPH

2002 Test 2014 Test

LET’S BREAK IT DOWNThe Content Areas

CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT (50%)

Civic Life Politics and

Government Foundations of the

American Political System

Relationship of US to other Nations

The Roles of Citizens in American Democracy

Types of modern and historical governments

Principles that have contributed to development of American constitutional democracy

Structure and design of US government

Individual rights and civic responsibilities

Political parties, campaigns, and elections in American politics

Contemporary Public Policy


US HISTORY (20%)

Beginnings to 1820 (Native Peoples, Colonization, Revolution, the New Nation)

1801-1900 (Expansion, Reform, Civil War, Reconstruction, Industrial Development)

1890-present (Emergence of Modern America, Great Depression, World War II, Post War US, Contemporary US)

Key historical documents that have shaped American constitutional government

Revolutionary and Early Republic Periods

Civil War and Reconstruction

Civil Rights Movement European settlement and

population of the Americas World War I & II The Cold War American foreign policy

since 9/11


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US History: Videos on YouTube and TeacherTube

www.youtube.comKeyword: hiphughes

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US History: PBS Website

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/09/911-to-now-ways-we-have-changed.html

• Aviation and Transportation Security Act• Federal flight deck officer•September 11 fee (TSA fee added to airline tickets)• Patriot Act•Enhanced border security• Visa Entry Reform Act• Post – 9/11 G.I. Bill

GEOGRAPHY AND THE WORLD (15%)

World in Spatial Terms

Places and Regions

Physical Systems

Human Systems

Environment and Society

Uses of Geography

Beginnings – 1000 B.C. (Beginnings and Early Civilization)

1000 B.C. – 300 B.C. (Classical Traditions, Empires, Religions)

300 B.C. – A.D. 1770 (Growing Trade, Hemispheric Interactions, First Global Age)

1750 – 1914 (Age of Revolutions)

1900 – present (Urbanization, World Wars, Global Depression, Advances in Science and Technology)

New Democracies of Africa, Asia, South America; The Cold War; Global Culture

Development of classical civilizations

Relationships between the environment and societal development

Borders between peoples and nations

Human Migration


ECONOMICS (15%)

Economic Reasoning and Choice

Comparison of Economic Systems

Business in a Free Enterprise System

Production and Consumers

Financial Institutions Government’s Role in

the Economy, Labor and the Economy

Global Markets and Foreign Trade

Key economic events that have shaped American government and policies

Relationship between political and economic freedoms

Fundamental Economic Concepts

Microeconomics and Macroeconomics

Consumer economics Economic causes and impact

of war Economic drivers of

exploration & colonization Scientific and Industrial

Revolutions


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Economics Terminology

Economics is the study of goods and services are produced, consumed, and distributed in a society.

Microeconomics seeks to understand how individuals and companies make decisions about how to allocate scarce resources.

• Supply and demand•Consumer preferences•Markets•Monopolies

Macroeconomics seeks to understand economics on a large scale, often from the point of view of government policy.

•National output•Unemployment•Interest rates•Inflation

CHANGE IS ON THE HORIZONWhat will be different?

CROSSCUTTING THEMES (FOCUSING THEMES)

SOCIAL STUDIES PRACTICES

Drawing conclusions and making inferences Determining central ideas, hypotheses and

conclusions Analyzing events and ideas Interpreting meaning of symbols, words, and

phrases Evaluating reasoning and evidence Analyzing relationships between text Writing analytic response to source texts Reading and interpreting graphs, charts, and

other data presentations Measuring the center of a statistical dataset

Skills that are essential to reasoning in both textual and quantitative context

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Social Studies Practice “How To”

A measure of central tendency (also referred to as measures of center) is a summary measure that attempts to describe a whole set of data with a single value that represents the middle or centre of its distribution.

There are three main measures of central tendency: the mode, the median and the mean. Each of these measures describes a different indication of the typical or central value in the distribution.

ACTIVITY: MEASURING THE CENTER OF A STATISTICAL DATASET

MEASURING THE CENTER OF A STATISTICAL DATASET

SOME QUESTIONS WILL LOOK DIFFERENT

2002 Test 2014 Test

MORE DIFFERENCES

2002 Test 2014 Test

NEXT STEPSLet’s wrap it up!

WHAT CAN I DO NOW TO PREPARE?

Create hands-on activities that provide opportunities for students to hypothesize

Construct graphs, charts, tables, and diagrams from written passages

Connect science to everyday life

Incorporate videos, photographs, and internet into lessons

Build students’ reading skills

Connect social studies to everyday life

Construct and interpret graphs, charts, tables, and diagrams

Work on students’ writing skills by having them summarize the texts they read

For Science For Social Studies

PD OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES

•http://abe.mpls.k12.mn.us/ged_2014_2•http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/new-assessment•http://www.wonderlic.com/webinars/2014GEDSS

QUESTIONS?

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Fill in your PD plan for science and social studies.

How can we help you to meet your PD goals for science and social studies?

ged 2014 science and social studies tests randy feldsien terri ferris

Documents

space science slide

reading slide

similar slide

test content

d rop slide

b lank slide

h ot s pot slide

s hort