Are you smarter than a 9th grader? (To be done in class, Tuesday, September 30)

As schools across the nation adopt the Common Core standards, standardized tests are changing rapidly too. Most states are using either the PARC tests or (as here in South Dakota) the Smarter Balanced tests.  The Common Core curriculum calls for readings in social studies and history as part of the English/Language Arts (ELA) test. 

Please take the sample test at this link:

https://login4.cloud1.tds.airast.org/student/V42/Pages/LoginShell.aspx?c=SBAC_PT

If the link doesn't take you directly to the sample test, start at the SBAC portal and navigate to the high school ELA test.  After finishing the test (or as much as we have time for), add your comments here.

How does this test compare to the standardized tests you took in high school (for most of you the STEP test)?  Do you see any particular strengths or weaknesses to the test?