Minutes of the Social Studies Program Network
    November 23, 1998
     

    Present: Cinda Lisanto-North Rose Wolcott; Margo Ulmer-Naples;
    Donna Stalker-Wayne, Susan Vorce-Gorham Middlesex;
    Terri Smith-Sodus; Monica Bell-Bloomfield; Larry Gambee-Romulus;
    Marie Johnson-Romulus; Barbara Quinn-Romulus; Barbara Stevens-
    Boces-Voc. Ed. (WAVC).
     
    Cinda Lisanto talked about the grid for the fifth grade Social Studies test. The grid is the only problem with the test at the present time. Kindergarten through second grade is not mentioned and this sends a poor message to these grades in regard to the test. The primary grades should be part of the grid. The high percentage of government questions is a little unrealistic. Early inhabitants and European encounter have been included in the grid. The Social Studies test is not timed while the ELA test is. Social Studies is a two sitting test; the feeling is to increase the % of multiple choice questions and lower the % on the DBQ’s.
    November 1998 Field test of questions
    November 1999 Prototype test will be available to all schools.
    November 2000 Statewide testing – present third grade will take the test in fifth grade.
    A copy of the “General Characteristics of the New Elementary Social Studies Assessment” was shared with the group.
     
    WFL Council Social Studies Meeting (10/29/98) – Cinda Lisanto and Larry Gambee were the only Elementary representatives that attended. Many ninth and tenth grade teachers were there to discuss the new Global curriculum and strategies. It was determined that students have difficulty weaving the presented documents into their writing. They need to be given choices to spur thinking.
    Membership in the WFL Council for Social Studies was encouraged.
     
    Rubrics- The Global test has a rubric for each aspect of the test.
    On the DBQ’s use of the majority of documents counts while the
    Thematic essay is free standing.
    Both U.S. History and Global rubrics range from 5 to 0.
    The Elementary rubrics should be uniform which they are not at the present time.
     
     
     
    Margo Ulmer related some of her experiences on scoring the pilot questions. She went to Albany for a week this past summer. The scoring groups had to have a balance of male/female, varied grade levels, and varied localities.
    Margo stressed the point that scoring training in this Boces is very important. The message she received while getting her training was no state training means no grading in your locality. She shared with the group a generic Social Studies Thematic Essay rubric and one for DBQ questions.
     
    Barbara Stevens recommended the CD-ROM program “3-D Atlas”
    by Creative Wonders for students having difficulty with map reading,
    etc.
     
    It was suggested that at one of our meetings someone from Albany would come to work on training for scoring the tests, mainly techniques for consensus.
     
     

    Back to top