English Language Arts Materials Collections for Year-End States

Spring 2024 Assessment Window: Year-End Model

Download the English Language Arts Materials Collections List for Year-End States (pdf)

Dynamic Learning Maps^® (DLM^®) testlets sometimes call for the use of specific materials. The Testlet Information Page (TIP) for each testlet identifies these materials. Sometimes materials are required and cannot be substituted, but substitutes are allowed in most cases. If a testlet requires materials, the TIP will state the specific materials mentioned in the testlet and describe their attributes so that test administrators can find appropriate substitutions. For more information about substituting materials, see the TEST ADMINISTRATION MANUAL sections titled Teacher-Administered Testlets and Retrieve the Testlet Information Page and Gather Materials.

Since the DLM system uses adaptive delivery to assign a linkage level for each testlet, the system provides the TIP when each testlet is assigned. Therefore, the exact materials needed to assess each student are unknown prior to the opening of the spring assessment window.

The following list contains materials commonly needed in English language arts (ELA) testlets and gives test administrators more opportunity to prepare for the ELA alternate assessment prior to the opening of the assessment window. The lists in this document indicate materials per grade level for general testlets and, where appropriate, for students who are blind or have visual impairments.

Materials may be substituted unless the TIP specifically states, “No substitutions allowed.”

Hints for using this list

• Look at the whole list for each grade and find materials that can meet multiple purposes. Note the types of materials mentioned more than once.
• Find materials that already exist in the classroom or are easily found somewhere in the school building.
• Pick materials that are familiar to the student.
• Remember that in most cases, materials can be substituted if they have the same attributes as those on the list. Examples of possible substitutions are found in the table below.
• Materials substitutions are listed for individual testlets on the corresponding TIP.
• The student’s safety should be the primary concern when choosing materials or substitutions.

The following information is contained in the accordions below:

• Lists by grade of common materials used in ELA testlets.
• Lists by grade of common materials that may be used to administer testlets to students who are blind or have visual impairments. Some ELA testlets are special forms designed for these students, while others are general testlets that have been adapted to make them accessible for students who are blind or have visual impairments.

Grade 3

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

any symbol representations needed that represent an action associated with cleanup time
any symbol representations needed that represent an action associated with game time
any symbol representations needed that represent an action associated with homework time
examples of informational topics
five new objects
four selected objects
one bag that has pockets, zippers, and straps
one coat that has zippers, pockets, sleeves, a collar, and a hood
one hairbrush with a handle and bristles
one magazine
one notepad
one pen with a cap and a tip
one photograph of a familiar place
one purse with pockets, straps, and zippers
one purse with straps and pockets
one purse with zippers and a strap
one purse with zippers and pockets
one symbolic representation of an action associated with art time
one symbolic representation of an action associated with lunch
one symbolic representation of an action associated with recess
resource materials for the topic the student selects
resource materials used during instruction
three familiar objects that belong to the student
three familiar objects that can be easily removed from the student's view
two backpacks with pockets, straps, and zippers
two books
two jackets with sleeves, pockets, hoods, and collars
two markers with a cap and a tip
two notebooks
two pairs of familiar, identical objects
two pairs of similar (but not identical) objects
two photographs of a familiar person
two photographs of unfamiliar people
two photographs of unfamiliar places
two toothbrushes with handles and bristles
two unfamiliar objects
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

five familiar objects that belong to the student
four tactually different objects 
one backpack or backpack represented in a tactile graphic
one bus stop sign or bus stop sign represented in a tactile graphic
one pair of familiar identical objects
one toy bus or bus represented in a tactile graphic
three new objects 
two pairs of tactually identical objects
two pairs of tactually similar objects
two unfamiliar objects

Grade 4

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

four different objects
four selected objects
one letter card or notecard with the first letter of the student's name written lowercase
one letter card or notecard with the first letter of the student's name written uppercase
one photograph of a familiar person
one photograph of a familiar place
three familiar objects that belong to the student
three objects or pictures that belong to the cup category
three objects or pictures that belong to the hat category
three objects or pictures unassociated with the cup category
two pairs of identical objects
two pairs of similar (but not identical) objects
two photographs of unfamiliar people
two photographs of unfamiliar places
two unfamiliar objects
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

four different objects
one bandage or bandage represented in a tactile graphic
one blanket or blanket represented in a tactile graphic
one broom or broom represented in a tactile graphic
one chair with legs
one clothespin with a metal spring
one hat or hat represented in a tactile graphic
one notebook or notebook represented in a tactile graphic
one pair of pants or pants represented in a tactile graphic
one shoe or shoe represented in a tactile graphic
one spoon with a handle
one toothbrush or toothbrush represented in a tactile graphic
three familiar objects that belong to the student
two pairs of tactually identical objects
two pairs of tactually similar objects
two unfamiliar objects

Grade 5

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

examples of informational topics about the student's personal experiences
four selected objects
one bottle of glue
one familiar object
one lump of clay
one marker
one paintbrush
one pencil
one photograph of a familiar place
one piece of paper
three different objects
three familiar objects that belong to the student used during instruction
three pairs of familiar identical objects
three photographs of a familiar person
three similar objects
three pairs of similar (but not identical) objects that are the same except for one property, such as color, size, shape, or texture
two photographs of unfamiliar people
two photographs of unfamiliar places
two unfamiliar objects
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

one boot or boot graphic
one cup or cup graphic
one hat or hat graphic
three familiar objects that belong to the student
three objects or object graphics
two unfamiliar objects

Grade 6

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

any objects the student uses to make a list
any objects the student uses to read a book
examples of informational topics used during instruction
five different objects
five objects or pictures that belongs to the animal category
five objects or pictures unassociated with the animal category
objects the student uses to eat lunch
objects the student uses to pack a bag
objects the student uses to turn in homework
objects the student uses to wash hands
one ball
one flower
one jacket
one jacket with a zipper
one letter card or notecard with any letter not in the student's first name
one letter card or notecard with the first letter of the student's first name
one shoe
one shoe with laces
one slipper
resource materials
three objects from the familiar packing a backpack routine, all of which should be from the same routine but have unique properties (e.g., color, size, shape, texture)
three objects or pictures that belong to the clothing category
three objects or pictures unassociated with the clothing category
three pairs of similar (but not identical) objects
two familiar objects used during instruction
two pairs of identical objects
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

one bag
one book
one bowl
one brush
one napkin or napkin represented in a tactile graphic
one pair of tactually identical objects
one plate or plate represented in a tactile graphic
one shirt
one shoe
one spoon or spoon represented in a tactile graphic
one symbolic representation of a bag
one symbolic representation of a book
one symbolic representation of a bowl
one symbolic representation of a brush
one symbolic representation of a shirt
one symbolic representation of a shoe
three objects or objects represented in a tactile graphic
three tactually different objects
two pairs of tactually similar (but not identical) objects

Grade 7

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

an object that can serve as a screen (i.e., bandana, box, piece of cardboard, etc.)
examples of informational topics and related resource materials
five objects or pictures that are unassociated with the ball category
five objects or pictures that belong to the ball category
one ball
one book
one crayon
one cup
one familiar book used during instruction
one glove
one hat
one paintbrush
one pen
one pencil
three familiar objects that can be easily removed from the student’s view
three familiar objects, two of which are from a first category and one that is from a second category
three objects or pictures not of a sport
three objects or pictures of a sport
three objects or pictures that belong to the art supplies category
three objects or pictures that belong to the cup category
three objects or pictures unassociated with the art supplies category
three objects or pictures unassociated with the cup category
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets for Students Who Are Blind or Have Visual Impairments

one bag
one ball
one book
one bowl
one cup
one jar
one marker
one notebook
one paintbrush
one pen
one pencil
one ribbon
one symbolic representation of a bag
one symbolic representation of a ball
one symbolic representation of a book
one symbolic representation of a bowl
one symbolic representation of a cup
one symbolic representation of a jar
one symbolic representation of a marker
one symbolic representation of a notebook
one symbolic representation of a paintbrush
one symbolic representation of a pen
one symbolic representation of a pencil
one symbolic representation of a ribbon
one symbolic representation of a vase
one symbolic representation of a whistle
one vase
one whistle

Grade 8

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

a person associated with checking out books
a person associated with teaching art class
a person associated with teaching music class
examples of informational topics used during instruction
five pairs of similar (but not identical) objects that are the same except for one property, such as color, size, shape, or texture
five different objects
one backpack
one book
one cup
one hat
one object needed to complete doing classwork
one object needed to complete packing your backpack
one object needed to complete washing your face
one object unassociated with packing your backpack
one object unassociated with doing classwork
one object unassociated with washing your face
one pair of sunglasses
one pen
one pencil
one spoon
one toothbrush
three familiar objects used as part of a familiar routine, two of which are from a first category and one that is from a second category
three familiar objects, two which are from a first familiar routine and one that is from a second familiar routine
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Grades 9–10

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

examples of informational topics used during instruction
fifteen notecards
four objects or pictures from the shirts category
one letter card or notecard with any letter not in the student's first name
one letter card or notecard with the first letter of the student's first name
resource material that includes vocabulary words used during instruction
six objects or pictures from the broad category "animals," four of which come from the "farm animals" subgroup and two of which come from the "zoo animals" subgroup
ten objects or pictures from the broad category "school", four of which come from the "writing utensils" subgroup, four of which come from the "textbooks" subgroup, and two of which come from the "rulers" subgroup
three familiar objects from a familiar routine, two of which are from a first subgroup and one that is from a second subgroup
three objects or pictures not from the cups category
three objects or pictures from the toy category
three objects or pictures not from the toy category
three objects or pictures that belong to the cups category
two objects or pictures from the shoes category
writing tools used by the student during instruction

Grades 11–12

Common Materials Used to Administer Testlets

any symbol representations needed that represent an action associated with greeting a friend
any symbol representations needed that represent an action associated with making a phone call
any symbol representations needed that represent an action associated with washing your hands
examples of informational topics used during instruction
five objects or pictures that are unassociated with the plant category
five objects or pictures that belong to the plant category
nine notecards
one letter card or notecard with any letter not in the student's first name
one letter card or notecard with the first letter of the student's first name
resource materials that include some vocabulary words used in instruction
three familiar objects, two of which are from a first familiar routine and one that is from a second familiar routine
three objects or pictures from the cups category
three objects or pictures that are not from the cups category
two or more resource materials that include vocabulary words used in instruction
writing tools used by the student during instruction