Castle Learning Handbook for Teachers

198 Pages·2008·1.9 MB·English

castlelearning.com

Handbook
for Teachers

April 30, 2008

Castle Software, Inc.
626 Layport Drive, Suite 100
Sebastian, FL 32958
1-800-345-7606
e-mail:
Castle Learning Online Handbook for Teachers

Prepared by Theresa Fischette, White Light Communications for Castle Software.
Copyright 2001-2008 Castle Software, Inc.
All rights reserved. Castle Learning Online is a trademark of Castle Software, Inc.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and distribute this document to teachers in your school. Reproduction
and distribution of this document in any form, printed or electronic, for any other purpose is strictly prohibited
without permission in writing from Castle Software, Inc.

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Welcome!.............................................................................1-1
Scope/Purpose .........................................................................................................1-1
Getting Started .........................................................................................................1-1
Activating School-Purchased Accounts ...............................................................1-1
Activating Home-Purchased Accounts.................................................................1-2
Using This Handbook ...............................................................................................1-3
Getting Help..............................................................................................................1-4
Next Step..................................................................................................................1-4
Chapter 2 - Signing In and Out..............................................................2-1
Objective...................................................................................................................2-1
Signing In..................................................................................................................2-1
Signing Off................................................................................................................2-1
Next Step..................................................................................................................2-2
Chapter 3 - Using the Teacher Home Page ..........................................3-1
Objective...................................................................................................................3-1
Accessing Features ..................................................................................................3-1
Returning to the Home Page ....................................................................................3-3
Terminating a Session ..............................................................................................3-3
Next Step..................................................................................................................3-3
Chapter 4 - Using the Classes Page .....................................................4-1
Objective...................................................................................................................4-1
Description................................................................................................................4-1
Accessing the Classes Page ....................................................................................4-2
Viewing List of Classes.............................................................................................4-3
Adding a Class .........................................................................................................4-4
Overview ..............................................................................................................4-4
Using Custom Classes ........................................................................................4-6
Editing Class Name and Primary Course .................................................................4-7
Overview ..............................................................................................................4-7
Using Custom Classes ........................................................................................4-9
Deleting a Class......................................................................................................4-10
Monitoring Classes .................................................................................................4-11
Overview ............................................................................................................4-11
Using the Class Management Tab.....................................................................4-12
Using the Short Answer Activity Tab..................................................................4-18
Using Constructed Response Activity Tab.........................................................4-26
Using Courses with Math Skills Activity Tab ......................................................4-28
Managing Access Rights Tab ............................................................................4-30
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Castle Learning Online Handbook for Teachers
Reading Skills .........................................................................................................4-32
Factual Information ............................................................................................4-32
Inferences and Conclusions ..............................................................................4-32
Vocabulary in Context........................................................................................4-32
Main Theme.......................................................................................................4-32
Mood ............................................................................................................4-33
Multiple Levels of Meaning ................................................................................4-33
Next Step................................................................................................................4-33
Chapter 5 - Using the Assignments Page ............................................5-1
Objective...................................................................................................................5-1
Accessing the Assignments Page.............................................................................5-1
Selecting Assignment Type ......................................................................................5-2
Using Short Answer Assignments.............................................................................5-3
Overview ..............................................................................................................5-3
Viewing Assignment Lists ....................................................................................5-5
Viewing Assignments in Another Folder ..............................................................5-6
Creating a New Short Answer Assignment..........................................................5-7
Editing an Existing Short Answer Assignment ...................................................5-18
Assigning an Assignment to One or More Students ..........................................5-31
Monitoring Students...........................................................................................5-38
Deleting an Assignment.....................................................................................5-44
Moving Assignments into Another Folder ..........................................................5-44
Sharing Assignments with Other Teachers........................................................5-45
Publishing Public Assignments..........................................................................5-46
Submitting Assignments as Benchmarks...........................................................5-47
Duplicating Assignments ...................................................................................5-50
Viewing Public Assignments..............................................................................5-50
Using Vocabulary Flash Cards ...............................................................................5-51
Accessing Vocabulary Flash Cards ...................................................................5-51
Viewing Assignment Lists ..................................................................................5-52
Viewing Assignments in Another Folder ............................................................5-52
Creating a Flash Card Assignment ....................................................................5-53
Editing a Flash Card Set....................................................................................5-57
Assigning an Assignment to One or More Students ..........................................5-60
Monitoring Students...........................................................................................5-66
Deleting an Assignment.....................................................................................5-68
Moving Assignments into Another Folder ..........................................................5-69
Sharing Assignments with Other Teachers........................................................5-69
Duplicating Assignments ...................................................................................5-70
Using Constructed Response .................................................................................5-71
Overview ............................................................................................................5-71
Accessing Constructed Response Assignments ...............................................5-71
Viewing Assignment Lists ..................................................................................5-73
Viewing Assignments in Another Folder ............................................................5-74
Creating a New Constructed Response Assignment .........................................5-74
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Table of Contents
Editing an Existing Constructed Response Assignment ....................................5-78
Assigning an Assignment to One or More Students ..........................................5-84
Monitoring Students...........................................................................................5-90
Deleting an Assignment.....................................................................................5-91
Moving Assignments into Another Folder ..........................................................5-92
Sharing Assignments with Other Teachers........................................................5-92
Duplicating Assignments ...................................................................................5-93
Using DBQs............................................................................................................5-94
Overview ............................................................................................................5-94
Accessing DBQ Assignments ............................................................................5-94
Viewing Assignment Lists ..................................................................................5-95
Viewing Assignments in Another Folder ............................................................5-96
Creating a New DBQ Assignment......................................................................5-97
Editing an Existing DBQ Assignment.................................................................5-99
Assigning an Assignment to One or More Students ........................................5-104
Monitoring Students.........................................................................................5-110
Deleting an Assignment...................................................................................5-111
Moving Assignments into Another Folder ........................................................5-112
Sharing Assignments with Other Teachers......................................................5-112
Duplicating Assignments .................................................................................5-113
Creating PDF Files All Activities ...........................................................................5-114
Next Step..............................................................................................................5-114
Chapter 6 - Using the Reports Page .....................................................6-1
Objective...................................................................................................................6-1
Accessing the Reports Page ....................................................................................6-1
Creating Assessment Reports ..................................................................................6-2
Creating Course Usage Reports...............................................................................6-7
Next Step..................................................................................................................6-7
Chapter 7 - Using Personal Content Sets ............................................7-1
Objective...................................................................................................................7-1
Accessing the Personal Content Sets Page .............................................................7-1
Creating a New Personal Content Set ......................................................................7-3
Renaming a Personal Content Set ...........................................................................7-4
Adding Content to a New Personal Content Set.......................................................7-5
Overview ..............................................................................................................7-5
Using Question Editor..........................................................................................7-7
Adding Questions ................................................................................................7-7
Spell Checking Questions....................................................................................7-9
Including Personal Content Set into an Assignment ...............................................7-10
Viewing / Editing an Existing Personal Content Set for Short Answer Questions ...7-11
Overview ............................................................................................................7-11
Using Question Editor........................................................................................7-11
Viewing an Existing Personal Content Set for Short Answer Questions ............7-12
Viewing Questions .............................................................................................7-13
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Castle Learning Online Handbook for Teachers
Renaming an Existing Question Set ..................................................................7-13
Adding More Short Answer Questions to an Existing Personal Content Set .....7-13
Editing an Existing Question..............................................................................7-15
Spell Checking Questions..................................................................................7-15
Removing an Existing Question.........................................................................7-15
Viewing / Editing an Existing Personal Content Set for Flash Card Vocabulary .....7-16
Overview ............................................................................................................7-16
Using Question Editor........................................................................................7-16
Viewing Vocabulary Items .................................................................................7-17
Renaming Vocabulary .......................................................................................7-17
Adding Vocabulary.............................................................................................7-17
Editing Vocabulary.............................................................................................7-18
Removing Vocabulary........................................................................................7-18
Deleting an Existing Personal Content Set .............................................................7-18
Next Step................................................................................................................7-18
Chapter 8 - Using Other Castle Learning Features .............................8-1
Objective...................................................................................................................8-1
Accessing State Learning Correlation.......................................................................8-1
Reviewing / Updating the Teacher Profile.................................................................8-2
Viewing Your Profile ............................................................................................8-2
Changing Your Password ....................................................................................8-3
Changing Your Name ..........................................................................................8-3
Changing Your Salutation....................................................................................8-3
Changing Your E-Mail Address ...........................................................................8-3
Submitting Profile Changes .................................................................................8-4
Viewing Castle Learning as a Student ......................................................................8-4
Designating an Assistant Administrator ....................................................................8-4
Next Step..................................................................................................................8-5
Chapter 9 - Obtaining Support ..............................................................9-1
Objective...................................................................................................................9-1
Using Online Help.....................................................................................................9-1
Accessing Castle Learning Documents ....................................................................9-1
Subscribing to the Castle Learning Newsletter .........................................................9-1
Reviewing Terms of Service .....................................................................................9-2
Contacting Technical Support...................................................................................9-2
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Chapter 1 – Welcome!
Chapter 1 - Welcome!
Scope/Purpose
TM
Castle Learning Online is a web-based content review and skill assessment application,
which allows students to review, assess, and learn Math, Science, Social Studies, and
Language Arts (including English, Spanish, French) in a friendly question and answer
format from any computer with an Internet connection. Students receive immediate
feedback and printable progress reports.
This handbook provides teachers with step-by-step instructions for using Castle Learning
Online to monitor student work, create specialized assignments, as well as tailor lesson
plans to individual and class strengths and weaknesses. Using actual field-tested
questions, with hints, reasons, defined vocabulary terms, and printable assessment
reports, teachers may use Castle Learning Online for individual students or for a whole
class.
Getting Started
Schools may purchase Castle Learning Online subscriptions for all their students and
teachers. In addition, Home Edition subscriptions are available - perfect for home school
students and teacher-parents; tutors and their pupils; and any student without a school-
sponsored subscription.
Activating School-Purchased Accounts
• If you are a first-time visitor to Castle Learning Online and do not have a Castle
Learning Online ID, be sure to enroll prior to participating in any Castle Learning
Online activities.
• If you are pre-enrolled, you are given a Castle Learning Online ID and possibly a
password.
• If you purchased a personal subscription (not through your school), you were
assigned a Castle Learning Online ID at the time of purchase.
• If you did not receive a password, leave the password field blank. Castle Learning
Online prompts you to create a password for subsequent visits.
To sign in, follow the directions provided in Chapter 2.
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Castle Learning Online Handbook for Teachers
Activating Home-Purchased Accounts
After purchasing a Castle Learning Online Home Edition subscription, the purchaser
receives an e-mail confirming their order. This e-mail also specifies the website to go to
for activating the purchased subscription. Order activation is a three-step process and is
as follows:
1. Follow the instructions provided in an e-mail; specifically, enter the Order Number
and E-mail Address in the provided fields on the Account Activation - Step 1 page
then click Continue:

2. Enter the names of the student and/or teachers for whom the purchased accounts will
be used into the provided field(s) on the Account Activation - Step 2 page then press
Continue:

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Chapter 1 – Welcome!
The Account Activation - Step 3 page displays the Castle Learning Online ID and
password for each user.

3. Print the Account Activation - Step 3 page and/or write down the Castle Learning
Online ID and Password for each user.
4. Distribute this page to the appropriate students and teachers. At this point, the
individuals for whom you purchased Castle Learning Online subscriptions may go to
the Castle Learning Online website (castlelearning.com); sign in with their Castle
Learning Online ID and password; and begin using Castle Learning.
Using This Handbook
This handbook is organized into nine chapters:
• Chapter 1 - Welcome, which describes the scope, audience, and content of this
handbook.
• Chapter 2 - Signing In and Out, which describes how to sign in and sign out of
Castle Learning.
• Chapter 3 - Using the Teacher Home Page, which describes how to access the
Teacher Home page and use Castle Learning Online features that have been tailored
specifically for teachers.
• Chapter 4 - Using the Class Page, which describes how to use the Classes page
for creating and managing your classes.
• Chapter 5 - Using the Assignments Page, which describes how to use the
Assignment pages for creating and managing class assignments.
• Chapter 6 - Using the Reports Page, which describes how to use the Reports
page for monitoring student activities.
• Chapter 7 – Using Personal Content Sets, which describes how to the
Personal Content Sets page to develop personal content sets.
• Chapter 8 - Using Other Castle Learning Online Features, which describes
how to work with Castle Learning Online profiles and other features.
• Chapter 9 - Obtaining Support, which describes how to obtain support while
using Castle Learning.
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Castle Learning Online Handbook for Teachers
Getting Help
Help (online help that is) is just a click away. From the upper right corner of any Castle
Learning Online page, click HELP. Information directly related to the current page
displays.
Next Step
Proceed to Chapter 2 to learn how to sign in and out of Castle Learning.

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