TerraNova Testing Guide

By: Erin Hasinger, Tests.com

The TerraNova is a standardized test that assesses students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Three versions of the test are available, including Multiple Assessments, Complete Battery and Survey. TerraNova tests are used to determine if students are performing at, below than or higher than grade level. Test scores can help teachers to evaluate what topics particular students may be struggling with. Test scores are also used state-wide to evaluate the progress of individual schools, school districts and the state as a whole. Now in its third edition, TerraNova tests cover reading, math, language, science and social studies topics.  TerraNova tests are used by the state of California as part of its  statewide testing program, California Achievement Tests (CAT).

TerraNova Multiple Assessments test students in kindergarten through twelfth grade in reading and math, students in first through twelfth grade in science and social studies, and students in third through twelfth grade in language. Test questions include multiple-choice and constructed response answer formats. The total number of test questions will range from 136 to 184, depending on the level of the test taker, and the time limit ranges from four hours and ten minutes to five hours and 35 minutes.

-     Reading covers oral comprehension, basic understanding, text analysis and reading and writing strategies. This section asks between 39 and 47 items, depending on the grade level. Also depending on grade level, the time limit ranges from an hour and 20 minutes to an hour and 25 minutes.

-     Language covers sentence structure, writing strategies and editing skills. All students are given 40 minutes to answer either 23 or 30 questions, depending on the grade level of the test taker.

-     Math covers number relations, estimation, basic operation, measurement, geometry, statistics, probability, algebra and problem solving. Between 34 and 43 questions are asked, for which students have between an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and 30 minutes to answer.

-     Science covers physical, life, earth and space science, technology and history of science. Students have between 45 and 60 minutes to answer between 28 and 43 questions.

-     Social studies covers geography, cultural perspectives, civics, government and economics. Twenty-eight to 37 questions are to be answered in 45 to 65 minutes.

TerraNova Complete Battery also tests kindergarteners through twelfth graders in reading and math, first through twelfth graders in science and social studies and third through twelfth graders in language. Test questions are all multiple-choice format. Depending on the level of the test taker, the length of the test and number of test items will range from an hour and 35 minutes to four hours and five minutes and between 70 and 217 test questions.

Each section covers the same topics as in Multiple Assessments, but the number of questions asked and time limits vary:

     -    Reading: 40-46 questions, 55-70 minutes

     -    Language: 28-34 questions; 35 minutes

     -    Math: 30-57 questions; 40-70 minutes

     -    Science: 20-40 questions; 20-40 minutes

     -    Social Studies: 20-40 questions; 20-40 minutes

TerraNova Survey is designed to be an abbreviated version of the TerraNova Complete Battery and is used when time is a factor. The test asks multiple-choice questions in reading and math for students in grades two through twelve; language for students in grades three through twelve; and science and social studies for students in first through twelfth grade.

While the test includes the same topics as both the Complete Battery and Multiple Assessments, the number of test questions and time limits are reduced. The total number of test questions ranges from 106 to 142, and the time limit ranges from two hours and 15 minutes to two hours and 50 minutes. The individual tests include:

     -    Reading: 30-40 items; 50-60 minutes

     -    Language: 20-27 items; 30 minutes

     -    Math: 25 to 32 items; 35 to 40 minutes

     -    Science: 20-25 items; 20-25 minutes

     -    Social Studies: 20-25 items; 20-25 minutes

All TerraNova tests are paper-and-pencil format. Score reports include individual test scores as well as percentile ranks. Test kits vary in price, but start at about $140 for a set of 25.

A number of test preparation materials are available to help students become familiar and comfortable with the exam format and content. To find TerraNova test prep materials, please visit the TerraNova Test Directory.

Source: McGraw-Hill