Life is all about balance.
That’s why the most important meal of the day is a balanced breakfast.
And why our government is made up of a system of checks and balances.
And why seeing someone lose their balance is…pretty much the funniest thing in the
world. Well, a balanced brain is important, too…
…and having one will help a student nail the Smarter Balanced—or SBAC—assessment test
Shmoop is one of the only places you can go for help on this particular test.
So, if you’re in one of the states using the SBAC to test students’ Common Core know-how…
…you’ll definitely want to check out what we’ve got cooking in the Shmoop kitchen.
Our test prep materials are tailored specifically to the Technology-Enhanced Items and Depth
of Knowledge questions that the SBAC is designed to test.
You’ll find boatloads of drills and diagnostic exams for both the Math and ELA portions of
the exam…
…as well as assessment tools that will help teachers gauge where a student is struggling
and needs help…i.e. where the Common Core may not quite be…common sense.
For each problem, Shmoop provides a thorough review of an ideal response, and explains
how a student can get inside those test-makers’ heads and deliver precisely what they’re
looking for.
By the time they’ve gone through our product, each student will be the Robin Hood of…hitting
assessment targets. We know that this test is new and scary, like
some strange, shadowy, looming figure…
…but we’ll shrink it down to size, bring it into the light…and slap a smiley face
on it.
We’ll be with your students every step of the way…
…from familiarizing them with Common Core-aligned assessments…
…to understanding TEI problems and what’s expected of them…
…to learning how to review effectively for the summative assessment they’ll have to
take at the end of the school year.
Hopefully, they’ll even get to the point where terms like “summative assessment”
don’t cause them to immediately break down in tears.
Okay, so…what’s the deal with all these tabs? We’ll give you the quick rundown so
you can…keep tabs on them…
First, there’s the Topics tab, where you’ll get the low-down on what the Smarter Balanced
is all about…
…including what question types your students can expect to see, and the relevancy of their
scores.
In both the Math and ELA sections you’ll find a list of “targets,” which are further
broken down into Depth of Knowledge, Question Type, Description of the topics and Common
Core tags…
…with links to corresponding drill sets, so students can practice the different subsets
of the targets.
Or, as we like to call them... “Mini-targets…” Next there’s the Drills tab, which will
link students directly to untimed, bite-sized practice questions that are broken down by
target areas.
And, because they’re bite-sized, they don’t have to worry about ruining their appetite
for the actual test. Moving right along we come to the Assessment
tab. It includes Assessment and Diagnostic exams…
…that have been segmented by Claims…which is just a fancy word the Smarter Balanced
uses for “major categories.”
To their credit, the word “Claims” is way, way shorter. So…good call.
The Diagnostics are just as long and thorough as the Assessments…but are guaranteed to
cover every target at least once, so teachers can assess the full breadth of material to
be tested.
The Assessments more accurately reflect the makeup of an actual test, but may not hit
every single target.
So…you can pick your poison. Just remember that the vessel with the pestle has the brew
that is true.
When a student’s score is submitted, we immediately provide a grade…and go through
each question with a thorough explanation of the answer…
…as well as show the question’s target area and common core standards it covers.
We have got them covered. Like a warm blanket.
Or…like a cold blanket, if it’s hot outside. Whatever sounds best, really, temperature-wise.
And finally, there are Performance Tasks, which ask students to synthesize knowledge
and skills covering multiple standards…focusing on research, writing, complex analysis and more.
Each performance task includes an activity that will help your students cut their teeth
on a given topic…
…as a warm-up for the more extensive, project-based activity that will be required by the SBAC.
They’ll be provided with any sources or information needed to answer their questions…
…so we’re not going to leave them stranded on a raft in the middle of a sea of uncertainty.
That sea is, by the way, the place you’re most likely to find someone stranded on a
raft… And don’t forget that you can always create
your own virtual Classroom.
To set one up, all you have to do is click your name in the upper-right corner…
find the “Create Classroom” button, and then link to Common Core 8th.
Don’t forget to give your students the classroom code, or they’ll be back on that raft.
Once you’ve decided that our test prep is a must-have…
…you can access it the same way you would any of our other prep…by logging in, visiting
your profile page…
…and then navigating to Common Core 8th or 11th grade.
And…that’s it. You’re in, and ready to begin getting your students ready for the
ride of their lives.
Unless they ever get the chance to take a shuttle into space, in which case we may be
overselling it a tad.