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What are State Standards and CSAP?
What is a State Standard?
The state of Colorado has set a number of goals for students to meet in order to
be considered proficient, or competent, in their education. The state
established 11 different categories for students to master. These include:
Civics. Economics, Foreign Language, Geography, History, Math, Performing Arts,
Physical Education, Reading and Writing, Science and Visual Arts.
At each grade level the students are expected to master certain skills in order to meet the standard.
What is CSAP?
The state tests students each year with a test called the CSAP. This stands for
Colorado Student Assessment Program. Most students in grades 3-5 take the CSAP
test in February or March each year. Currently, 3rd and 4th grade students take
a Writing CSAP, 3rd - 5th grade students take a Reading CSAP, and 5th grade
students take a Math CSAP. The hope is to identify weaknesses so teachers can
adjust instruction and parents can better help their children reach the goal.
Sound confusing? Click on the links provided to find a simplified explanation of selected standards.
Reading Standard 1: Students will read and understand a variety of materials.
In other words: Your child should read different kinds of books and other reading materials such as magazines, newspapers, fiction, and non-fiction books, and be able to understand what is being read.
Some things your child should know:
Kindergarten - Second Grade
 | Learn how to choose a book |
| Use picture cues to help understand what is being read |
| Demonstrate that reading goes from left to right |
| Know sight words |
| Use inventive spelling |
| Begin using table of contents and glossary |
Third - Fourth Grade
| Look at and read a wide variety of books |
| Predict what will happen based on content of book and previous knowledge |
| Know terms such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, foreshadowing, flashback, and personification |
| Be able to compare/contrast, summarize, find the main idea, and know the authors purpose |
Fifth Grade
| Be able to skim, preview, predict, summarize and find the maid idea |
| Formulate questions about what information sis needed prior to reading in order to understand what is being read |
| Recognize the author's purpose and adjust reading strategy for the purpose |
| summarize, paraphrase, and evaluate information from a variety of genres |
| Use cause and effect to better understand |
Vocabulary:
Alliteration: Words that begin with the same sound: Silly Sam
or Lucky Lady
Onomatopoeia: Words that tell a sound: Vroom, Crash, Bang
Foreshadowing: The author dropping "hints" of what will happen next
Personification: To represent a thing as a person; A talking dog, a tree that
can walk
Genre: Different types of writing: mysteries, westerns, romance, etc.
What you can do:
| Read with your child |
| Talk about what you have read with your child |
| Point out examples of the vocabulary (commercials/ads are great for this) |
| Ask your child to summarize what he or she has read |
| When reading with young children, point to the words to show the left to right progression |
| Talk about the causes and effects of different things. |
Reading and Writing Standard 2: Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and diverse audiences.
In other words: Your child should be able to write about various topics and speak about what was learned in front of the class or a group of people. When presenting to the group your child should speak clearly and appropriately communicate ideas.
Some things your child should know:
Kindergarten - Second Grade
| Be able to speak at the appropriate level. For example, show and tell or talking to the teacher or in a small reading group |
| Write about a personal event |
| Tell a story about a personal event |
| Write a first draft of a story (narrative, descriptive, or expository) |
Third - Fourth Grade
| All the skills listed above |
| Understand and use the writing process |
| Revise first draft content. For example, organization, relevant details, and clarity |
| Generate topics and develop ideas for a variety of writing and speaking purposes |
| Give clear and concise oral report |
Fifth Grade
| All the skills listed above |
| Write for a variety of purposes: personal narratives, friendly letters, and descriptive narratives |
| Write for specific audiences including peers, teachers, and parents. |
| Produce legible final product |
| Incorporate source materials into speaking. (Interviews, quotes, articles) |
Vocabulary:
Narrative: telling a story
Descriptive: describing something
Expository: explaining something
What you can do:
| Read with your child--no matter what age! |
| Discuss what is being read. |
| Encourage your child to tell you stories. |
| Tell your child stories. |
| Pay close attention to your child's school work. |
Math Standard 1: Students will develop number sense and use numbers and number relationships in problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving these problems.
In other words: Your child should have a good understanding of what numbers are and the many ways numbers are used everyday. As your child gets older, he or she should be able to solve and create word problems that relate to the real world.
Some things your child should know:
Kindergarten - Fourth Grade
| Identify numbers |
| Know place value (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.) |
| Patterns (In lower grades this would be calendar work) |
| Skip count by 2's, 3's, 5's, 10's, and 100's. |
| Learn basic math facts |
| Tell time to the hour, half-hour, and five minute intervals |
| Recognize coins, count coins, and make change |
| Identify even and odd numbers |
| Order fractions |
Fifth Grade
| Explain place value through trillions |
| Solve real world problems involving money |
| Add, subtract, multiply, and divide fractions, decimals, and whole numbers |
| Identify and use Roman numerals |
| Use estimation in problem solving |
What you can do:
| Read with your child |
| Count change with your child |
| Point out how numbers are used everyday |
| Count by 2, 3, 5, 10, and 100 with your child |
| Put a clock (not digital) in your child's room |
| Let your child help you cook (point out fractions) |
Your child's teacher can give you age appropriate ideas to help increase learning. Don't be afraid to call and speak with the teacher!
Geography Standard 1: Students will know how to use and construct maps, globes, and other geographic tools to locate and derive information about people, places, and environments.
In other words: You child should be able to read a map and a globe and be able to find specific places. Your child should also be able to draw some conclusions about the people of a specific region. For example, if a coastal region is being discussed your child should know that fishing is an industry and boating is a form of transportation.
Some things your child should know:
Kindergarten - Second Grade
| Recognize a map a globe |
| Know directions: North, South, East, West |
| Describe relative location: Denver is north of Colorado Springs |
| Create a map of school, the playground, or your house |
Third - Fourth Grade
| Locate specific areas on the map (find Colorado on a map of the United States) |
| Explain why people settle where they do. For example, a community might settle next to a river because the river is a source of food and water. |
| Recognize land forms on maps and globes |
| Create a map of the continents or other smaller regions |
Fifth Grade
| Identify and locate places on Earth |
| Find exact location (latitude and longitude) |
| Draw accurate map from memory |
| Answer questions about location and human interaction with environment |
| Use geographic tools to organize information. For example, after finding an area on a map your child should be able to tell a little about the people who live there based on the geography. |
What you can do:
| Plan trips with your child using the atlas |
| Take out a map while driving and look at surroundings |
| Use vocabulary of north, south, east, and west |
| Locate cities, states, or countries you hear about on the news |
Science Standard 1: Students will understand the process of scientific investigation and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations.
In other words: Your child should understand that science is a process of asking questions and using information to "guess" at answers. Once your child is able to ask questions, he or she should be able to design a test, or experiment, to find out if the answers are right. Another very important part of this is being able to communicate those answers with other people and evaluate whether or not the experiment actually tested the right thing.
Some things your child should know:
Kindergarten - Second Grade
| Ask questions and predict outcomes. For example, if the class decides to roll a golf ball and a tennis ball down the slide they may ask which one will reach the end of the slide first. They may predict the outcome to be the golf ball reaching first because it is not furry. |
| Use simple devices and tools such as a ruler, a scale, or keeping a notebook. |
| Give reasons why things happen. (Such as the golf ball is not furry.) |
| Record observations |
| Communicate explanations |
Third - Fourth Grade
| All of the skills listed above |
| Plan, design, predict, and conduct an experiment. |
| Collect data and information and record it. |
| Report findings - both in writing and verbally |
| Organize data appropriately by using things like a bar graph or pie chart. |
Fifth Grade
| All the skills listed above |
| Use prior knowledge to help in current investigations |
| Select the correct tools or measurement units to gather and organize data. |
| Create a written investigation including: stating the problem, forming a hypothesis, following a procedure, collecting data and results, forming a conclusion, and evaluating the hypotheses. |
What you can do:
| Ask questions about everyday things. For example - why did the ball bounce back that way? |
| Cook with your kids. This involves measurement and the blinding of solutions. (Vinegar and oil) |
| Have your child explain why they think certain things happen. |
| If it is raining or snowing talk about the water cycle and why it snows. |
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