How to raise MAP Math Scores | NWEA MATH Test Scores

 Raise MAP Math Score | NWEA MATH Test Scores

Learn how to raise your students NWEA Math test scores using RIT leveled Math vocabulary!  Get higher scores on the NWEA MAP Math Testm in as few as 20 days! Students that study the Tier 3 Academic Math Vocabulary will score up to 20 or even 30 points higher than students that are not exposed to the Math vocabulary. The NWEA publish the vocabulary for anyone to use and study, but they are now making the Math, ELA, Reading and Science available only for districts and schools that are using the NWEA testing resources. The links below are still usable without having to login to the NWEA web site!

Students must also master the Tier 2 Academic Testing Vocabulary to understand what the test questions are asking. Words like “accurately” are examples of Tier 2 words that can get in students way when talking test, if they are not sure of their meaning.

The NWEA has a RIT Level MATH Sample Test that that is very helpful.

NWEA MATH TEST SAMPLES

NWEA MATH TEST WORDS BY RIT LEVEL

Academic Tier 3 Mathematics Glossary
PDF  Word

Reading and Vocabulary Games

Vocabulary Games

Alien Vocabulary Game (Tier 3 Testing Words) (or Chutes and Ladders) Use this free tier 3 academic vocabulary game to build test readiness. The game is designed to be a fun way to build academic vocabulary using a game students already know. A number of "CAMO Aliens" (ladders) and "Blues Aliens" (or "chutes") are pictured on the board, each connecting two specific board squares. The object of the game is to navigate one's game piece from the start (bottom square) to the finish (top square), helped or hindered by CAMO Aliens and Blues Aliens, respectively. Any time you land on an alien you have to draw a new card! If you land on the CAMO Aliens and answer the vocabulary question correctly you beam to the next highest CAMO Alien plus the move allowance on the card. If you land on the Blue Alien and get the question wrong you beam down to the next lowest Blues Alien. If you are on a Blue Alien and answer correctly you stay put until your next turn.

Dragons and AirShips Game

The game is a simple race to the top using the RBC Vocabulary Flash Cards, and is popular with children.

Complete Vocabulary Game Card Set

NO EXCUSES TESTING VOCABULARY

Vocabulary Game RULEs

Alien Vocabulary Game Board

Math Vocabulary Game Cards
Vocabulary Game Cards1st
Vocabulary Game Cards 2nd
Vocabulary Game Cards 3rd
Vocabulary Game Cards 4th
Vocabulary Game Cards 5th
Vocabulary Game Cards 6th
Vocabulary Game Cards 7th
Vocabulary Game Cards 8th

HARD GAME CARDS
Power Words 4th Grade Reading Vocabulary
Power Words 4th Grade Reading Vocabulary II
Literary Device
Idioms
Metaphor and Simile
Poetry

Science Vocabulary Cards
Science 4th and 5th Grade

 The Legendary Lands is the Best Way to increase Reading and Math Scores!

Steampunk Board Game | Steampunk Reading Comprehension Board Game 

"The Legendary Lands" Steampunk Airship Board Game and Literary Adventure Game!

In this RISK style “word domination game“ Steampunk board game of reading comprehension and reading strategies you are battling to conquer the world of literacy, writing elements, plot, text structures, literary elements, poetry and academic vocabulary. To win, you must launch daring adventures, assemble teams of scholars, resolve the quest set before you, build floating sky fortresses of learning (Sky Libraries), seek knowledge on all fronts, and sweep across vast literary lands with boldness and cunning. But remember, the dangers, as well as the rewards, are high. Just when the world of knowledge is within your grasp, your antagonist opponent might strike and take it all away!

The game was designed to easily teach complex concepts like tier 2 and tier 3 academic vocabularies in a fun and novel way!

PDF Sample of Games Cards Grade 4
Sample One  Sample Two  Sample Three Sample Four  
Sample Study Cards 1 Sample Study Cards 2
Sample Study Cards 3 

Knowledge of key academic concepts is imperative for success on standardized test. 

• The Game can be played as an ongoing simulation with teams or individuals working towards literary goals. Graduating with a diploma[s] from different colleges or building their own University.

• The game can be played similarly to classic risk with the roll of the dice determining the outcome.
• The game can played using the student’s knowledge of tier 2 and 3 academic vocabulary, math facts, quick math problems, reading comprehensions passages, or math terms to determine the outcome.
• The students can invent their own plot ideas, Miss Red R Hood is captured and must be rescued, Queen Eleanor is besieged by Mr. Wolf in the Aquitaine Castle.
• Students can use the Board | Map and Characters and make up their own rule.
• The game is a great teaching tool for all forms of creative writing.
    
  

  The Legendary Lands Rules

The Game can be played using modified Risk rules, as a teaching aide and or simulation, replacing the dice rolls with the students knowledge to determine the outcome.

The Set Up | Cooperative Learning Groups

The “Boss” may assign students at the table the jobs of ‘banker (Secretary and Scribe), ticket master (Gopher and Cleanup Boss), geographer/chronologist (Praiser keeps the game positive)’ or any other cooperative grouping works above four students. Students playing in small groups can change jobs after a few rounds. The Boss is the Boss. The Banker will make sure all vocabulary cards (Tier 2 and 3 Academic Words), character pieces (glass beads), florins (money); dice are accounted for and will make certain that players’ vocabulary cards are in good condition before the start of the game. The ticket master sells tickets and keeps the game organized. The geographer/chronologist (praiser) keeps the game positive, moving forward, and ensures the rules are being followed and understood.

The game pieces are organized and its time to set up the game!

Rescue Red Initial Set Up 

Most games are played with a plot or mission card. Miss Red is Kidnapped by the Sky Pirates. The sky pirates have kidnapped Miss Red, the other players must work together and rescue her if they can! Each player is limited to a maximum of 5-10 companions and the one sky pirate is limited to 10-20 henchmen depending on ability. Each player earns 25 florin for each correct answer to any knowledge question. All ties the dice determine the winner. The student may ask for the term or the definition on the study cards being played. The sky pirate wins if they defeat any single player on the board. The players win if the defeat the pirate by reducing their minions by half.

Lady Alice Amelia Wonderland

Basic Placement

All players roll for highest dice to start the game and determine initial board placement. The player with the highest roll of the dice will deploy 5 scholars and one professor to any value 5 florin territories as well as become the first player to start the game. Play will proceed clockwise once the starting game player has been determined. If a tie for the highest roll exists, the involved players will roll again until a starting player is determined. Students start with One Main Character (ex. Queen Eleanor) and Five Companions, 200 Florin coins, conveyance ticket handed out randomly face down, and vocabulary cards or dice depending on the lesson or academic level. 

You and your students can make Steampunk characters or use literary characters like Alice in Wonderland.

• Lady Alice Amelia Wonderland |  Airship Designer and Captain
• Lord Jack “The Bean” Quick | Steampunk Mechanic and Engineer
• Mr. Wolf | Sky Pirate 
• Miss Red  R. Hood | Wolf Hunter, Geographer and Cartographer   
• Mr. P. N. Boots | Ships Captain Retired 
• Kate "Bonny Lass" Crackernuts | Restaurateur, Airship Caterer and Chef
• Baron Von Rum Pelstiltskin | Time Bandit and Part Time Gold Weaver
• Mr. Harry "Mad" Hatter | Tea Monger and Clockwork Engineer
• Count Harry Beast | Barrister of Enchantments and Curses

Chronology of “The Legendary Lands”

1.      Placement and hiring of Main Characters and Companions, and movement and or hiring a conveyance

2.      Exploring an unoccupied territory, invading or migrating into an occupied territory. Migration is a good way to make allies or form teams.

3.      Knowledge phase, attack resolution for invaders and defenders, occupying new lands resolution. All knowledge phase activities use the vocabulary cards to determine completion of migration, invasion, or migration action. Dice are used for knowledge question ties, high roll wins the battle.

4.      Payment and Reinforcements

When a player is ending his/her turn they should:

1. State the intent to end turn

2. Decide to execute or not to execute the allowed movement and act accordingly based on that decision

3. Take the Florins if earned for completion of knowledge phase

If a player has not conquered a new Territory during the course of his/her turn then that player is not entitled to receive a Florin payment. If the non conquering  attacker  chooses  to  end  his/her  turn without  overtaking  another  territory then they should:

1. State the intent to hire a conveyance or to end turn

 See Movement

A turn consists of the following actions:

1. If hiring scholars is warranted a player begins by paying the banker 25 florins for each new scholar or 200 florin for a professor. Five scholars and one professor is the maximum reinforce allowance during the reinforcement part of a players turn. New scholars must be deployed to occupied territories immediately. Scholars are deployed, moved or reinforced.

2. You, as the invader or migrant, clearly express the territory you will invade as well as the territory you are defending, you can only invade a territory with a professor and any of his/her accompanying scholars. If a preference exists to answer level 5, 15 or 30 Florin question this must be stated during the attack. If no preference is stated the defender can ask any level question from any vocabulary card.



Steampunk Airship | Steampunk Sky Pirates

3. Attack begins and evaluation of scholars knowledge commences, a win or loss for both sides is determined via  the answer to the vocabulary questions. The invader decides  to continue with  the attack cycle  until  all  desired  goals  of  the  attack  have  been  met or retreat is needed to stay in the game.  The attacker chooses when  to  stop  the  attack  cycle. The attacker should state that his turn is ending when attacks for his/her turn are finished.

4. When  attacks  have  been  completed  the  defender   has  the  option  to execute a reinforcement or movement from adjacent territory to fortify his/her position.

Rules for movement are as follows: 

A. Scholars/Professors can move to any adjacent territory on the board that is contiguous without a conveyance. Players are not allowed to move across water without an airship, clipper, steamship or ferry!
B.  minimum  of  one scholar must remain on a Territory at all times to show who is in possession of that territory.

C. You may opt not to execute movement.

D. If exploring  a new territory a player will take his/her scholar question to see if they can stay in the new territory.  

Conveyance Movement | Dice Mechanics | Natural Disasters Chart |
Time Bandits, Sky Pirates, Sea Pirates Probability Charts

Legendary Lands Conveyance	Movement	Capacity	Natural Disasters Lose half your scholars	Sky Pirates, Time Bandits, Sea Pirates Lose half your money or lose 2 turns
Airship	6 territories	10 Scholars	Roll 3 or higher	Roll 1
Steam Train	3 territories	30 Scholars	Roll a Six	Roll 1
Clipper	3 Atlantis Miles	5 Scholars	Roll 4 or higher	Roll odd
Steamship	6 Atlantis Miles	30 Scholars	Roll a Six	Roll 1
Ferry	Ferry Crossing	30 Scholars

Teach Reading and Writing the Fun Way!

Trade in Values

Scholars 25 Florin

Professors 200 Florin or 4 scholars

Dice Rolling Rules

Same as Risk 

End of the Game | Students can write their own Plot ideas or stories on cards and play or use the three bellow. Having the students write their own plot is a great tool to teach writing.

The best games are the ones the kids make up! 

Castle Colleges 2500 Florin

Scenario One | First Plot | Limited Rounds 3, 5 or 7 Rounds

When a player has successfully taken control of more territory at the end of the agreed number of rounds  and or his/her territory is more than all other players you have won the game! You may lose if a player has fewer territories but more points from airships, trains and florins. Congratulation! You have reached the end of the game.

Scenario Two | Second Plot | Sky Ship Port Control

When a player has successfully taken control of all 4 Sky Ship Ports they are also the winner! Congratulation! You have reached the end of the game.

Steampunk Airship | Steampunk Sky Library

Scenario Three  |  Third Plot | Building a Sky Library

When a player has successfully built a Sky Library at a cost of 5000 florin they are the winner! Congratulation! You have reached the end of the game.

A Sample of a Vocabulary Flash Cards used with Board Games or "The Legendary Lands" A student reads the definition and a student must provide the term or read the term to the player and they must give a denotation or connotation.

Student can also use reading passages and answers but this slows down the play. Read the Passage and answer the question:

Sample Reading Passages

A solar cell (also called a photovoltaic cell) is an electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect. It is a form of photoelectric cell that when exposed to light can generate and support an electric current without being attached to any external voltage source. The term "photovoltaic" comes from the Greek meaning "light", and from "Volt", the unit of electro-motive force, the volt, which in turn comes from the last name of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta, inventor of the battery (electrochemical cell). The term "photo-voltaic" has been in use in English since 1849.  Words 128 reading Level High School
If answered correctly Move 6 or win the Battle


Which of theses statement is correct?

1. A solar cell generates electricity using heat.
2. The term "photovoltaic" comes from the Italian meaning "light"
3. A photo-voltaic cell works without an outside power source.

Read the Passage and answer the question:
  

Learning the CCSS ELA the Fun Way!

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn has a large ring system that consists of nine continuous main rings and three discontinuous arcs, composed mostly of ice particles with a smaller amount of rocky debris and dust. Sixty-two known moons orbit the planet; fifty-three are officially named. This does not include the hundreds of "moonlets" within the rings. Titan, Saturn's largest and the Solar System's second largest moon is larger than the planet Mercury and is the only moon in the Solar System to retain a substantial atmosphere. Saturn is a gas giant with an average radius about nine times that of Earth. While only one-eighth the average density of Earth, with its larger volume Saturn is just over 95 times more massive than Earth. Reading Level Middle School

Which of these statements is not true?

Reading Questions
"The Legendary Lands"

1. Saturn is the largest planet in the solar system and has nine large rings.
2. Saturn is named after the Greek god Saturn.
3. Titan, Saturn’s moon is larger than all others moons in the solar system except one.

To receive a free digital copy of “The Legendary Lands” board game we ask that you submit 5 grade level CCSS ELA test questions. They can be multiple choice or extended response ela questions.  All Test questions will be added to the blog and shared with teachers free of charge. 

Extra Images From The Game! 

The Queen

Steampunk Character Sheet Back