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Basin City Elementary has several networked / internet based computer programs to assist the classroom
teacher. These programs are listed below. If you have any questions about any of the programs, please
see Mr. Berndt, Library Media Specialist who has responsibility for them. The programs are:
Accelerated Reader (AR)
Basin City Elementary's Accelerated Reader Program rewards students for achieving reading goals
you have set them. This program's cost is based upon the number of students participating in the AR
program.
At the start of the school year, Mr. Berndt, Media Specialist will survey the reading block teachers to see if
they wish to participate in the AR Program. Based on this survey, the Library Media Center will license the
program for another year. If you agree to participate in the AR program and then change your mind, the
school does not get a refund. Therefore, it is important that you either commit your self to the AR program
or not for financial reasons.
Information that you will need to use the AR program (procedures, protocols,etc.) will be given to you by
Mr. Berndt , Mrs. Kirkpatrick amd / or Mrs. Stevenson, and we can help to answer your questions. So
please ee one of us.
More information about the Accelerated Reader program is below.
Quizzes: Students may take quizzes during Reading Block (as part of SSR if that is a part of your
reading program), in the classroom, or in the computer lab at your scheduled time (the lab will be
scheduled for use later). We have over 100,000 AR quizes. There are four different types of quizzes
which are:
Practice Quizzes: These quizzes ask literal questions that measure a students comprehension of a book.
Vocabulary Quizzes: These quizzes help you get students more excited about learning vocabulary and
they help you measure a students command of the vocabulary words they encounter while reading.
Literacy Quizzes: Literacy Quizzes ask higher-level questions that require students to apply 24 specific
literacy reading skills. They help you measure the proficiency and progress of specific literacy
skills (that are in the ELRs / GLEs) within the context of the book the student has read. With Literacy
Skill Quizzes, you can easily monitor your students mastery of 24 specific skills that are in the ELRs and
your GLEs.
Literacy quizzes test literary areas such as: Literary Analysises, recognizing setting, understanding literary
features, characterizations, Inferential Comprehension, comparing and contrasting, drawing conclusions,
making inferences, Initial Undertanding(s), recognizing feelings, identifying reasons, understanding
sequence, Constructing Meaning, deriving word or phrase meaning, identifying reading strategies,
understanding the main idea, etc.
Other Quizzes: We have AR quizzes on 96% of the stories in our old Scott Foresman Reading Series.
An idea for using this would be to give the appropriate reading level in the old Scott
Foresman to a student as reading homework. He could read a story a day and the next
day take the quiz on the story. This would provide accountability and let you know how the
student is doing.
AR Record Keeping: Accelerated Reader handles all your record-keeping chores. Quizzes are automatically
scored by the software, so teachers who choose to participate in the AR program no longer spend time
correcting quizzes or poring over book reports. With the click of a mouse teachers using the AR program
have an ongoing record of the books students are reading, comprehension levels, vocabulary progress,
and more.
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MATH FACTS IN A FASH
Math Facts in a Flash helps classroom teachers give students, at all levels, valuable practice on their
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. The program also provides practice on other
mental math skills, including squares and fraction/decimal conversion.
Math Facts in a Flash is an internet based program that will allow students to practice and /or test on their
Math Facts at home and still be tracked by the program so the teacher can see how their student(s) are
doing. In order for the student to be listed as mastering the fact level they are working on, they must retest
at school. Results can be viewed at home or at school by parents, students and teachers.
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NWEA MAP TESTING
NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests are state-aligned computerized adaptive
assessments that provide accurate, useful information about student achievement and growth.
These tests are given three times a year. The first MAPS test is usually given the fourth week of September
and first week of October. The second MAPS test is usually given in the second or third week of January.
The third and last MAPS test is usually given the third and fourth week of May (after the WASL testing period).
Classroom teachers proctor the NWEA MAPS testing. If you have any questions about this, please speak
with Mr. Berndt, Media Specialist.
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READ NATURALLY
The Read Naturally program combines three research- proven strategies to develop the reading fluency
of students.
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STAR READING
Assesses students reading progress in grades 1-12 in a fast, accurate, and easy way. STAR Reading helps
determine the reading level of each student.
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STAR MATH
Assesses students math progress in grades 1-12 in a fast, accurate, and easy way. STAR Math
helps determine the math level of each student,
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Mr. Berndt our Media Specialist, is in charge of the network software and other software with
in the building. This includes: Accelerated Reader, STAR Reading, STAR Math, Filemaker Pro,
Read Naturally etc.
If you need help with the programs or have concerns, please talk to Mr. Berndt
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