Test Topics Archives - Smarty Buddy Blog

February 13, 2019August 19, 2020

Math Analogies

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We all remember analogies from the SAT tests we took back in high school. But did you know that mathematical reasoning can be trained with math analogies? This is a pretty fun way to work with your child on short math problems.

Check out these sample math analogy problems:

Find the analogy:

2 hours : 120 :: 3 hours : ?

123 : 12 tens :: 567 : ?

Pentagon : 5 :: Octagon : ?

45 : 55 :: 65 : ?

10, 20 : 30 :: 40, 50 : ?

For more sample problems check out the Math Analogy Workbook, now on sale on Amazon:

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February 5, 2019

Elementary GT Identification and Instructional Recommendation Processes

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Today we continue posting information about gifted and talented identification at one of the largest school districts in the country (*Source MCPS publication):

During the second semester, all Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) grade 2 students will be screened as part of the Student Instructional Program Planning and Implementation (SIPPI) process. Additionally, during the second semester, students in Grades 3, 4 and 5 who are new to MCPS are screened as part of the New Student Screening process; students who have been recommended for rescreening by parents or school staff in Grades 3, 4 and 5 are screened as part of the Rescreening process. The elementary GT identification processes are designed to capture data about students’ strengths for gifted and talented designation and for instructional planning for the next school year. Regardless of the recommendations made, students’ strengths that are demonstrated through these processes and through students’ daily instructional performance will be supported and extended. Although students do not need to be formally identified as gifted and talented to receive enrichment and/or acceleration, this process allows schools
to look at a student’s profile more holistically. With support, effort, and good study skills, all children can excel academically.

At the end of the screening processes in June, parents are provided with a Parent Report that summarizes their student’s performance on the InView ™ cognitive assessment, instructional recommendations for the next school year; and gifted and talented identification designation.

What cognitive assessments are administered?

All Grade 2 Students:
Grade 2 students take all five subtests of the InView™ Level 1: Sequencing, Analogical Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning-Words and Verbal Reasoning-Context.

New Student Screening:
Grade 3, 4 and 5 students, who are new to MCPS, take all five subtests of the InView™ Level 1 (Grade 3) or InView Level 2 (Grades 4 and 5): Sequencing, Analogical Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning-Words and Verbal Reasoning-Context.

Rescreening:
Grade 3, 4 and 5 students can be re-assessed on all five subtests of the InView™ Level 1 (Grade 3) or InView Level 2 (Grades 4 and 5) if they did not meet benchmark on any subtest. Students are identified for rescreening by the local school committee or by parent request. Rescreening occurs during the school’s specified assessment dates.

What data are gathered in the elementary GT identification processes?

The elementary GT identification processes use data gathered from a variety of sources. Multiple sources of data allow for emerging strengths to be noted and nurtured. Students who demonstrate strengths across several of these areas can be recommended for gifted and talented identification.

Specific data sources include:
 Staff advocacy
 Teacher survey
 Parent Input form
 InView™ cognitive assessment data
 Classroom performance data in reading and mathematics

What does the cognitive assessment data mean?
Cognitive assessments measure developed, not innate, reasoning abilities. The InView™ cognitive assessment can help guide teachers to adapt instruction and provide appropriate critical thinking learning
opportunities.

What do the InView™ scores mean?
InView™ scores are reported as age-normed national percentile scores. A score of 60 indicates that a student performed better than 60% of students of his/her age that took this assessment. For purposes of using the score as a factor in gifted and talented identification, MCPS considers a score of 80 or higher as one possible
indicator.

Sequencing
Students who show strength in sequencing comprehend a rule or principle implicit in a pattern or sequence of figures, letters, or numbers. These students can analyze the pattern established in a row of figures, letters, or numbers, then select the answer choice that would continue or complete the pattern. Students demonstrating this strength should be given opportunities to infer, recognize special patterns and progressions, and make sense of parts in relation to a whole. As this is a non-verbal assessment, students may demonstrate this strength while still developing verbal and quantitative skills.

Analogical Reasoning
Students who show strength in analogical reasoning are able to recognize the nature of the relationship between two items and select an answer that will produce a parallel relationship. These students should be given opportunities across all content areas to build classification and problem solving skills. These students should be given many opportunities to explain relationships and connections in their learning.

Quantitative Reasoning
Students who show strength in quantitative reasoning often have the ability to:
 Draw logical conclusions
 Identify arithmetic patterns
 Model complex relationships
 Infer relationships among data
 Apply deductive math reasoning
Students demonstrating strength in this area should have a math experience that routinely includes enrichment opportunities.

Verbal Reasoning – Words and Context
Students who show strength in verbal reasoning show potential in logic, inferencing and complex reasoning. Students who perform well in this area do best when they are encouraged to talk and/or write about whatever it is they are learning. They should be provided opportunities for in-depth textual analysis (i.e., interpreting symbolism and figurative language of stories) and writing.

How are decisions about instruction and gifted and talented identification made?
Each school convenes a diverse committee of professional school staff members to review all data gathered for each student. Committee members note strengths that have been demonstrated and make instructional recommendations for the next school year accordingly. Next, the committee reviews the data to make a gifted and talented designation for each student. Students not identified gifted and talented can be rescreened at
least one year after their initial screening when requested by parents or school staff.

Is previous identification as gifted and talented from another school district considered?
If a student has been given a “gifted and talented” designation in another school system, MCPS will accept that designation. The parent/guardian should submit the assessment data and gifted and talented designation
information to the local school. It will be requested that these students still participate in the MCPS’ screening process(es) described above so schools may gather additional data to inform instructional decisions.

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January 29, 2019February 6, 2019

What’s the InView™ Test?

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In many school districts January is the month of gifted testing! Let’s talk about the InView™ Test.

The InView™ Test is a cognitive abilities aptitude test that aims to measure cognitive skills and abilities that are essential for academic success. It is frequently used as an entrance exam for gifted and talented programs throughout the United States.

Currently, all second graders (and new students) in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Montgomery County, Maryland take the Inview Test to be screened for the gifted and talented programs in elementary schools. School districts in North Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Wyoming also use the Inview test to assess 2nd graders (and in some school districts 5th graders) for gifted and talented programs.

Smarty Buddy CoGAT Practice
Smarty Buddy Gifted and Talented Practice
Smarty Buddy SCAT Practice
Smarty Buddy Inview Practice
Smarty Buddy Inview Practice
Smarty Buddy My First Analogies
Smarty Buddy Math Analogies

The Inview Test Format

The Terra Nova Inview Test has been designed to assess students in grades 2-12. While many of the placement tests such as the SCAT, CogAT, OLSAT tests are computerized, the Inview test is a paper and pencil test. The test is divided in to five sections: sequences, analogies, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning-words, and verbal reasoning-context.

The Inview Test Difficulty Levels are as follows:

Level 1: Grades 2-3
Level 2: Grades 4-5
Level 3: Grades 6-7
Level 4: Grades 8-9
Level 5: Grades 10-11
Level 6: Grades 11-12

Typically, for a gifted and talented placement test students are offered a test with a difficulty level one grade ahead of their current grade. So for example 2nd graders will be offered a Level 1, and 3rd graders a Level 2 test.

The Inview Test Content

The test assesses students in verbal and nonverbal questions. The nonverbal sections are the sequences, analogies, and quantitative reasoning sections. Each section is approximately 20 questions long. All of the questions are multiple choice questions.

Sequences: The sequence section contains sequences of letters, numbers, shapes and/or figures. The student must select the answer that logically completes the sequence. They are provided with four possible answer choices.

Analogies: This section aims to test the concept of analogies in a non-verbal format. The question will contain a table with two rows of images. The first pair of images will have a specific logical relationship. The student will need to determine the relationship between the first pair of images and then choose the image that has the same logical relationship with the third image.

Quantitative Reasoning: For these questions, your child will need to understand basic numerical concepts like “more,” “less,” “most,” and “least.” She will then need to be able to apply this understanding to images and figures. For example, she may be asked to determine which of four grids has the most black area shaded.

The verbal score is comprised of the verbal reasoning-words and verbal reasoning-context sections.

Verbal Reasoning-Words: This question type measures the ability to understand relationships between words.

For example, your child may be given a list of words like the following: “Cool, cold, freezing,” followed by, “Warm, ___, boiling.” Four choices would then be provided to fill in the blank, with the correct choice being “hot.”

Verbal Reasoning-Context: These questions involve the ability to make logical inferences based on provided information.

For example, your child may be given two statements such as, “Alice likes all of her teachers. Mrs. Lee is Alice’s teacher.” Based on these statements, your child would need to choose the most logical conclusion from a list of four choices. In this case, the correct answer would be, “Alice likes Mrs. Lee.”

InView Test Scores

After your child takes the TerraNova InView test, you will receive a score report with her NPA (percentile by age) and NPG (percentile by grade), both overall and for each individual section. Percentiles range from 1-99 and represent your child’s performance compared to a national sample of children in the same grade and of the same age. For example, if your child scores in the 90th percentile, she scored as well or higher than 90% of children in her age and/or grade group.

You will also receive a CSI (Cognitive Skills Index) that provides a measurement of your child’s overall academic aptitude, based on the cognitive skills assessed with this test. The CSI has a ceiling of 141, a mean of 100, and a standard deviation of 16. Typically, a child is considered “gifted” if she scores a 132 or higher.

The TerraNova InView test scores that qualify for admission to gifted programs vary by school district. In many cases, your child will be required to score in the 97th percentile overall. However, it is always best to call your district and ask about qualifying test scores in order to know for sure.

In many cases, the TerraNova InView test is administered as a component of the TerraNova 3rd Edition, an achievement test that measures abilities in core academic subjects. If this is the case, your child will receive an Anticipated Score and an Achievement Score. The Anticipated Score is an average of what a student with your child’s age, grade, and ability level should be expected to achieve. The Achievement Score is your child’s actual performance on the test.

Comparing the Anticipated Score and Achievement Score can give you an idea of whether or not your child is reaching her full potential academically. If the two scores are close, your child is making expected progress. Scores that are significantly different from expected are indicated with “above” or “below” on the score report.

Benefits of the TerraNova InView Test

The TerraNova InView Test provides an accurate and reliable measurement of deductive, inductive, and quantitative reasoning abilities, all of which are crucial to academic achievement. For this reason, it gives teachers, parents, and schools insightful information about student skills that can be a valid predictor of the student’s academic capability and success. It is a useful tool to identify students for placement in the most appropriate learning group.

How to Succeed on TerraNova InView Test

Assessments such as this one are meant to be resistant to preparation, but you can still help familiarize your child with the question types and build her confidence. Work on practice questions related to analogies, sequences, basic math concepts, word relationships, and inferences. Work test concepts like “more” and “less” into everyday conversation, or give your child a pair of words and ask her to determine how they are related.

Most importantly, remind your child that one test cannot fully measure her abilities and certainly not her worth as a person. Text anxiety can overwhelm children on test day and dramatically impact both their stress levels and their scores. Help your child feel prepared and confident about the test without putting too much pressure on her.

Hopefully we’ve answered all of your questions about the TerraNova Inview test. Begin practicing about two months prior to the test to give your child the best chance of success and, if applicable, admittance to your district’s gifted program.

We designed the Smarty Buddy App and Smarty Buddy Inview Books to help kids get familiar with test format. Let’s face it, sometimes an unfamiliar test question in a stressful test situation that 2nd graders are not used to can really ruin a child’s performance! Every child deserves to be offered a spot in the most advanced programs. The pacements tests are a subjective determination created by a school system administrator. We as parents and educators believe in offering parents and their children the opportunity to learn about the test format and have a positive test taking experience!

The Smarty Buddy App was designed based on the types of questions a child might encounter on the Inview and similar gifted placement tests.

Smarty Buddy App

The full version game features 3 grade levels, 5 test topics, and 3 levels of difficulty. With over 670 questions to play, this fun game can complement or replace any worksheet test preparation. Now on all App Stores!

Test Topics: Number Sequences, Picture Sequences, Picture Analogies, Quantitative and Number Puzzles

Features: Positive reinforcement through game badges; progress reports for parents.

The Smarty Buddy CogAT Practice Book is a workbook designed to give any child the opportunity to get familiar with CogAT question format. For a hands on approach of testing at home with mom and dad – try practicing with our workbooks and apps. Your child will feel more confident on test day, and you will feel assured that you provided the best educational resource for your child to get ahead!

Check out our products on Amazon and All App Stores!

Good Luck and your opinion is very important to us! Leave us a review!

Elementary school aged kids:

Pre-school aged kids:

Smarty Buddy My First Analogies

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November 20, 2018

Take advantage of the Holidays

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It’s that time of the season! Kids are getting numerous days off school with the holidays, snow days, sick days off. Everyone needs a break of course, but some kids get sucked into the electronic world of texting, movies, cartoons, and gaming.

I have found with my own school aged kids that girls are very much self-motivated to keep on learning. For some boys, Lego and computer time takes over their time. I actually, banned all electronic games in my household. I encourage my son to work on the things that are giving him the most difficulty right now : writing and math Olympiad.

As Mark Twain said, “Eat that frog first”. There’s no frog eating at my home, but we are working on getting the hardest school work out of the way early in the day. Get the hard things done, hard writing assignments, etc. then enjoy your play time or outdoor hangouts with friends.

This holiday we are starting to prep for the Kangaroo Math Olympiad. If you have not heard of this competition, check out the Kangaroo Math site. This is an international math Olympiad that takes place around the world in late March. Practicing the test questions is a great way to enrich your in-home math curriculum. Math Olympiad questions are on par with international math standards (which unfortunately are much more advanced than the U.S. math curriculum).

Enjoy these free Math Olympiad Practice Questions:

Thirteen children are playing hide and seek. One of them is the “seeker”. After a while nine children have been found. How many children are still hiding?

(A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 7 (E) 22

Today, Betty added her age and her sister’s age and obtained ten as the sum. What would the sum of their ages be after one year?

(A) 5 (B) 10 (C) 11 (D) 12 (E) 20

On Friday Dan starts to paint the word BANANA. Each day he paints one letter. On what day will he paint the last letter?

(A) Monday (B) Tuesday (C) Wednesday (D) Thursday (E) Friday

A dragon has three heads. Every time a hero cuts off one head, three new heads emerge. The hero cuts one head off, and then he cuts off one more head. How many heads does the dragon have now?

(A) 8 (B) 7 (C) 6 (D) 5 (E) 4

Comment to get answers!

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September 14, 2018September 14, 2018

Analogies on Gifted Placement Tests

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Analogies are test questions where a pair of words are given, and you are asked to choose another pair with the same relationship. Most gifted tests give analogies in a multiple choice format:

Practice Analogy Questions

1. Nest : Bird

a. Cave : bear
b. flower : petal
c. window : house
d. dog : basket

2. Teacher : School

a. Businessman : Money
b. Waitress : Resturant
c. Dentist : Tooth
d. Fish : Water

3. pebble : boulder

a. pond : ocean
b. river: rapids
c. fish : elephant
d. feather : bird

4. Poodle : Dog

a. great white : shark
b. dalmatian : great dane
c. money : stock market
d. horse : pony

5. fox : chicken

a. rat : mouse
b. cat : mouse
c. dog : cat
d. rabbit : hen

6. lawyer : trial

a. plumber : pipe
b. businessman : secretary
c. doctor : operation
d. hairdresser : blow dryer

Answer Key
1. A

This is a Functional relationship. A Bird lives in a nest, the way way a bear lives in a cave.

2 B

This is a functional relationship. A teacher works in a school in the same way a waitress works in a resturant.

3. A

This is a Degree relationship. A boulder is a very large pebble – both are rocks, in the same way an ocean is a very large pond – both are very bodies of water.

4. A

This is a type relationship. A poodle is a type of dog in the same way a great white is a type of shark.

5. B

This is a predator/prey relationship. Foxes eat chickens in the sam way as cats eat mice.

6. C

This is a functional relationship. A lawyer defends a client in a trial in the same way a doctor performs an operation on a patient.

Here’s a sample of analogy questions where a student needs to fill in the blanks. This method provides a more rigorous test preparation option, where a child needs to find a vocabulary word that would complete the logic connection.

CTY Summer Programs for the Gifted

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CTY’s gifted and talented summer programs offer bright students the opportunity to engage in challenging academic work in the company of peers who share their exceptional abilities and love of learning. While the focus is on rigorous academics and learning, the social experience that results from bringing these students together is an integral part of the program.

Products from Amazon.com

‹ ›

Summer 2018

Session 1:

June 24 – July 13 (all residential sites, except Santa Cruz and Seattle)
July 1 – July 20 (all domestic day sites, and the Santa Cruz and Seattle residential sites)
July 8 – July 27 (Hong Kong sites)

Session 2:

July 15 – August 3 (all residential sites except Santa Cruz and Seattle)
July 22 – August 10 (all domestic day sites, and the Santa Cruz and Seattle residential sites)

Summer 2018 Hong Kong sites

One session only:

July 8 – July 27

CTY’s 25 residential and day sites in the U.S. and Hong Kong serve thousands of students each year from all 50 states and dozens of countries around the world. Qualifying students come from all walks of life and a variety of educational backgrounds to spend three weeks immersing themselves in their academic passions, meeting others like themselves, and growing intellectually and personally. Class size is 12-18 students, and each class has a highly skilled instructor and a teaching assistant. Outside of class, students participate in a full and fun social program at all locations, from sports and games to talent shows and band practice.

Check out the JHU CTY Website for admission information and SCAT Test dates.

Smarty Buddy CoGAT Practice

Smarty Buddy Gifted and Talented Practice

Smarty Buddy SCAT Practice

Smarty Buddy Inview Practice

Smarty Buddy My First Analogies

Smarty Buddy Math Analogies

(* Source – JHU CTY Website )

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April 20, 2018April 30, 2018

SCAT practice test ebook

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Lot’s of activity on our blog by parents looking for SCAT Test information and sample questions. Here’s a new ebook that just came out on Amazon – in our opinion one of the cheapest full length tests out there:

SCAT® Test Prep: School and College Ability Tests – Elementary Series

We believe that a child should have an understanding of what is expected of him or her on a test. So for all the parents out there we can’t stress enough to just get all the information that you can get about your GAT test and give your child a chance to review the test format. Usually workbooks are the best practice materials. But most tests are actually administered on the computer. So an e-book workbook might be a great option for practicing test questions.

Please see the sample questions offered on Amazon book preview.

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April 20, 2018August 19, 2020

Sample SCAT Test analogy practice questions

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Analogies are a common test topic on many standardized placement tests. And it turns out that analogies are not just found in the SAT and ACT tests. Your child will be tested on the topic of analogies as early as elementary school or even pre-school, if you are preparing for a kindergarten placement program. It is never too early to get your child acquainted with analogies. Try out these sample analogy questions, and check out some of the books available from our authors.

1. blue : sky ::

A. green :grass

B. pink : color

C. cat : pet

D. cane : walk

2. straw : drink ::

A. food : kitchen

B. spoon : eat

C. fork : knife

D. ear : music

3. morning : breakfast ::

A. juice : milk

B. coat : hat

C. evening : dinner

D. lunch : taco

4. brother : boy ::

A. family : happy

B. sister : girl

C. people : planet

D. glasses : face

5. apple : fruit ::

A. carrot : vegetable

B. cloud : rain

C. cold : hot

D. strawberry : red

6. bird : feather ::

A. finger : hand

B. coat : hanger

C. fish : scale

D. man : face

7. large : small ::

A. truck : bus

B. coat : thread

C. boat : water

D. full : empty

8. all : none ::

A. many : few

B. one : two

C. letter : number

D. all : many

9. open : closed ::

A. awake : asleep

B. silly : smart

C. sad : depressed

D. happy : smile

10. bright : dark ::

A. open : lid

B. warm : hot

C. rich : poor

D. sky : sun

Smarty Buddy CoGAT Practice

Smarty Buddy Gifted and Talented Practice

Smarty Buddy SCAT Practice

Smarty Buddy Inview Practice

Smarty Buddy My First Analogies

Smarty Buddy Math Analogies

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March 15, 2018March 16, 2018

Did you get your child’s test result?

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Did you come across this blog, as you were looking to decipher the test results letter from your school? If not, let me tell you – there is no better motivation to get started with test preparation than receiving a “bad” test result for your elementary school aged child. This test might be over, but there’s always the next and the next, until well, … after college.

I have been in this situation exactly twice with my eldest child. The first letter, opened my eyes to the hidden world of standardized tests that the school system uses to place my child in a group of peers. This was back when she was a 2nd grader. She took the Inview Test, and failed miserably on 2 sections out of 5. As a parent, reading the IQ test results, something doesn’t sit well when your child gets a 90 percentile in some sections and 45 % in 2 others. After talking to my child, I realized that the format and directions in a stressful test environment can make or break your child.

I set out on a crusade to find out more information about the Inview test, and how it is used in our school system to separate highly gifted children for placement in more rigorous math and English classes.

Thus the idea for Smarty Buddy App was born… I sat down with my kids and created a framework for a fun app that would be a nice alternative to worksheet test preparation. We worked very hard to get the art work done in warm and inviting graphics; then we worked on programming the app , testing and releasing it to the public.

Since then, we released about 5 test preparation books and 4 more apps to help with basic multiplication, division and math facts. The kids love being part of the app development process and get to test out our products before they are released to the public.

Also Check out our Apps

Also Check out our Workbooks

In the midst of working on products for other kids, my daughter geared up to take the CoGAT test in 5th grade. We have worked very hard to try out different types of test questions and develop test preparation workbooks for other kids.

But on my daughter’s test day I realized that I did not stress the test taking tips enough!

So on test day, my daughter comes back saying that the test was easy, but she had to skip a few questions.

“You skipped questions?”

So we went through a long discussion that on standardized test we NEVER, NEVER, EVER skip answering a question! We can make an EDUCATED guess, and come back to the question if time allows. But never skip a question!

Also Check Out our Test Preparation Tips

The test results came back, and lo and behold – we get 95% on all sections, except 64% on the section where a quarter of the questions was skipped.

I will try to get a copy my daughter’s test results to help you visualize the effect this little test taking tip can have on your child’s score. Come back soon to get a glimpse of what CoGAT test results look like!

I hope you get a chance to browse through our blog and try out our apps and books. We look forward to your feedback. And as always “Good Luck” to you and yours!

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February 19, 2018

Test Taking Tips

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This post is based on a true story. One of our staffs’ children took the CogAT test a month ago. The 5th grader took the test, and was generally happy about the test process, but admitted that she left a bunch of answers blank – to the dismay of her mom!

Test taking tip #1:

Even the brightest kids do poorly on standardized tests. Get familiar with the test format. This can make or break your child’s performance on the standardized test! Do your research, grab a workbook from our collection of workbooks. get our Smarty Buddy App.

The CogAT test results came back. An lo and behold, the 5th grader got 91-94 on all sections except the section that she left blank…. 67!

Test taking tip #2:

Ok, do this several times with your child! Talk about the importance of answering every question! If your child answers the question as an educated guess, there is a 25% chance the answer will be correct (1 out of 4 answer choices). But if the child skips the questions that seem hard, there is no chance of getting points for those questions.

Even the brightest kids do poorly on standardized tests. Get familiar with the test format. This can make or break your child’s performance on the standardized test!

Test taking tip #3

Talk about managing time on the test. Answer every question, and mark any questions that are hard and need extra time for review. (on paper test circle the question. On the computer test, use the scrap paper to mark the question numbers) If time allows, come back to the questions as needed and double check your work.

Test taking tip #4

Some school systems are administering the CogAT test on computers. This is also a true story – one child’s computer died in the middle of the test. The child did not perform as well as she could. She started getting nervous and ultimately got a low score. As a parent, you should be able to appeal the test score to the school system for a retest or reconsideration for the gifted program based on the hardware malfunction during test time.

Good luck with your test prep and as always leave us review and comments to help us build our community!

Smarty Buddy CoGAT Practice

Smarty Buddy Gifted and Talented Practice

Smarty Buddy SCAT Practice

Smarty Buddy Inview Practice

Smarty Buddy My First Analogies

Smarty Buddy Math Analogies

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