K-12 (science links) formative assessment

1. SCIENCE LINKS Handouts
(Curriculum, Instruction, &
Assessment)

2. Focus: Curriculum

3. K-12 BasicEducationStages
5 years
old
Grades 1 to 6
(6 - 11 years old)
Grades 7 to 10
(12 - 15 years old)
Grades 11 to 12
(16 - 17 years old)
Higher Education

6. Produce holisticallydeveloped
learnerswho have 21st century skills
and are prepared for higher education,
middle level skillsdevelopment,
employment, andentrepreneurship.
With K to 12, we will…

8. Focus: Instruction

9. Key Principles of a Differentiated Classroom
• The teacher is clear about what matters in subject matter.
• The teacher understands, appreciates, and builds upon student differences.
• Assessment and instruction are inseparable.
• The teacher adjusts content, process, and product in response to student
readiness, interests, and learning profile.
• All students participate in respectful work.
• Students and teachers are collaborators in learning.
• Goals of a differentiated classroom are maximum growth and individual
success.
• Flexibility is the hallmark of a differentiated classroom.

10. DIFFERENTIATION
is a teacher’s response to a student’s needs
guided by the key principles of…
Continuous
Assessment
Respectful
Tasks
High Quality
Curriculum
Supportive
Learning
Environment
Flexible
Grouping
teachers can differentiate…
CONTENT PROCESS PRODUCT
by using a variety of instructional strategies.
Tomlinson, Hockett, and Kiernan 2005
Through continuous assessment of students’
Readiness Interests Learning Profile

11. Adjusting Instruction
• For interest: incorporate examples based on
current and emerging student interests
• For learning profile: provide multiple ways for
students to gain access to content and make
sense of that content
• For readiness: work to provide instruction
that is just a little too hard for a student’s
current readiness levels, along with
appropriate scaffolding

12. What’s the point of differentiating in
these different ways?
Readiness Growth
Interest Motivation
Learning
Profile
Efficiency

13. Focus: Assessment

14. Considerations for
Assessing Interest

15. Considerations for Assessing Learning
Profile
LEARNING STYLES
Modality
• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinesthetic
INTELLIGENCE
PREFERENCES:
Sternberg
• Creative
• Analytical
• Practical
INTELLIGENCE
PREFERENCES:
Gardner
• Verbal-linguistic
• Logical-mathematical
• Spatial
• Bodily-kinesthetic
• Musical-rhythmic
• Interpersonal
• Intrapersonal
• Naturalist
• Existentialist

16. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:
How are you smart?
Number/
Reasoning
Smart
Word Smart Picture Smart
Music Smart Body Smart Nature Smart
People Smart Self Smart

17. Sternberg’s Intelligences Preferences
ANALYTICAL
• Thinking about
things logically
• Sorting and
classifying
• Making inferences,
finding patterns
• Analyzing
characters and
events in a story
• Analyzing patterns
CREATIVE
• Thinking in
pictures and
images
• Using your
imagination,
playing “what if”
• Acting and role
playing
• Inventing things,
making new
designs
PRACTICAL
• Taking things apart
and fixing them
• Learning through
hands on activities
• Applying what he
has learned
• Making and
maintaining friends
• Adapting to new
situations

18. What is your
IDEAL VACATION?
Do you feel the rough surface of a
seashell and the gritty sand on your
feet?

19. Other Considerations for Assessing
Learning Profile
ENVIRONMENTAL
PREFERENCES
• Temperature
• Light
• Availability of food
and drink
• Presence or
absence of
background noise or
music
• Etc.
GENDER- OR CULTURE-
RELATED
PREFERENCES
• Competition versus
collaboration
• Individual versus
group emphasis
GROUP
ORIENTATION
• Work alone or with
others
• Focus on peers or
focus on adults

20. Learning Profile can be influence by a student's
learning style, intelligence preference, gender, and
culture.

21. Assessment in a Differentiated
Classroom
• Assessment drives instruction. (Assessment
information helps the teacher map next steps for
varied learners and the class as a whole.)
• Assessment occurs consistently as the unit begins,
throughout the unit and as the unit ends.
• Teachers assess student readiness, interest and
learning profile.

22. Assessment in a
Differentiated Classroom
• Assessment is part of “teaching for success.”
• Assessment information helps students chart and
contribute to their own growth.
• Assessment is more focused on personal growth
than on peer competition.
• Assessment information is more useful to the
teacher than grades.

23. for
Interest – Readiness – Learning Profile
by
Self – Peers - Teachers

24. WHAT CAN BE ASSESSED?
Skills
Concepts
READINESS INTEREST LEARNING
PROFILE
Content
Knowledge
• Interest Surveys
• Interest Centers
• Self-Selection
• Areas of Strength
and Weakness
• Work Preferences
• Self Awareness

25. Most teachers assess students at the
end of an instructional unit or sequence.
When assessment and instruction are
interwoven, both the students and the
teacher benefit. The next slide suggests
a diagnostic continuum for
ongoing assessment.

26. On-going Assessment:
A Diagnostic Continuum
Preassessment
(Finding Out)
Formative Assessment
(Keeping Track & Checking -up)
Summative Assessment
(Making sure)

27. On-going Assessment:
A Diagnostic Continuum
Preassessment
(Finding Out)
Formative Assessment
(Keeping Track & Checking -up)
Summative Assessment
(Making sure)
Feedback and Goal Setting
Pre-test
KWL
Checklist
Observation/Evaluation
Questioning
Conference Exit Card
Peer evaluation Portfolio Check
3-minute pause Quiz
Observation Journal Entry
Talk around Self-evaluation
Questioning
Unit Test
Performance Task
Product/Exhibit
Demonstration
Portfolio Review

28. Elements of Effective Assessment
• Clearly identified goals (KUD)
• Clearly identified prerequisite skills
• Pre-assessment of students’
• existing knowledge, understanding, and skills
• interests
• learning profiles
• Ongoing assessment

29. Some Techniques for
Ongoing Assessment
• Homework/ assignments
• Quizzes/ pre-tests
• Weekly letters
• Checklists
• Clipboard notes
• Small-group discussions or student interviews

30. Types of Assessment
• Formative assessments
– Pre-assessments
– Ongoing assessments
• Summative assessments

31. Sample DI Strategies

32. RAFT
RAFT is an acronym that stands for
Role of the student. What is the student’s role: reporter,
observer, eyewitness, object?
Audience. Who will be addressed by this raft: the teacher,
other students, a parent, people in the community, an
editor, another object?
Format. What is the best way to present this information: in
a letter, an article, a report, a poem, a monologue, a
picture, a song?
Topic. Who or what is the subject of this writing: a famous
mathematician, a prehistoric cave dweller, a reaction to a
specific event?

33. RAFT Activities
Role Audience Format Topic
Semicolon Middle Schoolers Diary entry I Wish You Really
Knew Where I Belong
Huck Finn Tom Sawyer Note hidden in a tree
knot
A Few Things You Should
Know
Rain Drop Future Droplets Advice Column The Beauty of Cycles
Lung Cigarettes Public Service
Announcement
What you do to me!
Reporter Public Obituary Hitler is Dead
Water The Sun A love letter I think you are hot
Thomas
Jefferson
Current Residents of
Virginia
Full page Newspaper
Ad
If I Could Talk to You Now
Fractions Whole Numbers Petition To Be Considered A Part of
the Family
A word problem Students in your
class
Set of Directions How to Get to Know Me

34. Entrée (Select One)
•Draw a picture that shows what happens during photosynthesis.
•Write two paragraphs about what happens during photosynthesis.
•Create a rap that explains what happens during photosynthesis.
Diner Menu – Photosynthesis
Appetizer (Everyone Shares)
•Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis.
Side Dishes (Select at Least Two)
•Define respiration, in writing.
•Compare photosynthesis to respiration using a Venn Diagram.
•Write a journal entry from the point of view of a green plant.
•With a partner, create and perform a skit that shows the differences
between photosynthesis and respiration.
Dessert (Optional)
•Create a test to assess the teacher’s knowledge of photosynthesis.

35. TIC-TAC-TOE Choice Board
For a Book Report
Draw a picture
of the main
character.
Perform a play
that shows the
conclusion of a
story.
Write a song
about one of
the main
events.
Write a poem
about two main
events in the
story.
Make a poster
that shows the
order of events
in the story.
Dress up as
your favorite
character and
perform a
speech telling
who you are.
Create a Venn
diagram
comparing and
contrasting the
introduction to
the closing.
Write two
paragraphs
about the main
character.
Write two
paragraphs
about the
setting.

36. I will read: I will look at and listen to: I will write:
I will draw: I will need:
Here’s how I will share what I know:
My question or topic is:
I will finish by this date:
To find out about my question or topic…
Learning Contract #1
Name _______________________

37. Learning Contract #2
To demonstrate what I have learned about ____________________, I want to
_ Write a report
_ Put on a demonstration
_ Set up an experiment
_ Develop a computer presentation
_ Build a model
_ Design a mural
_ Write a song
_ Make a movie
_ Create a graphic organizer or diagram
_ Other
This will be a good way to demonstrate understanding of this concept because
______________________________________________________________
To do this project, I will need help with
______________________________________________________________
My Action Plan is________________________________________________
The criteria/rubric which will be used to assess my final product is _________
______________________________________________________________
My project will be completed by this date _____________________________
Student signature: ________________________________ Date __/__/__
Teacher signature: ________________________________ Date __/__/__

38. Squaring Off
Whole Group Assessment
1. Place a card in each corner of the room with one of the
following words or phrases that are effective ways to group
according to learner knowledge.
Rarely ever Sometimes Often I have it!
Dirt road Paved road Highway Yellow brick road
2. Tell the students to go to the corner of the room that matches
their place in the learning journey.
3. Participants go to the corner that most closely matches their
own learning status and discuss what they know about the
topic and why they chose to go there.
Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All.
Thousand Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

39. Yes/No Cards
• Using a 4x6 index card the student writes YES on one side
and NO on the other.
• When a question is asked the students hold up YES or
NO.
1. Ask the students if they know the following vocabulary
words and what they mean.
2. Call out a word. If a student is holding a YES they may be
called on to give the correct answer.
3. Remind them that if they don’t know the words it is OK
because they will be learning them.
4. You can do the same thing with conceptual ideas, etc.
YES
NO
Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand
Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

40. Thumb It!
• Have students respond with the position of their
thumb to get an assessment of what their current
understanding of a topic being studied.
• Where I am now in my understanding of ______?
Up Sideways Down
I know a lot I know some I know very little
Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand
Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

41. Fist of Five
Show the number of fingers on a scale, with 1 being lowest
and 5 the highest.
Ask, How well do you feel you know this information?
5. I know it so well I could explain it to anyone.
4. I can do it alone.
3. I need some help.
2. I could use more practice.
1. I am only beginning.
Gregory, G.H. & Chapman, C. (2001). Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. Thousand
Oaks CA: Corwin Press.

42. Teacher prepared pretests
KWL charts and other graphic organizers
Writing prompts/samples
Questioning
Guess Box
Picture Interpretation
Prediction
Teacher observation/checklists
Student demonstrations and discussions
Initiating activities
Informational surveys/Questionnaires/Inventories
Student interviews
Student products and work samples
Self-evaluations
Portfolio analysis
Game activities
Show of hands to determine understanding
Drawing related to topic or content
Standardized test information
Anticipation journals

43. What Zone Am I In?
Too Easy
• I get it right away…
• I already know how…
• This is a cinch…
• I’m sure to make an A…
• I’m coasting…
• I feel relaxed…
• I’m bored…
• No big effort
necessary…
On Target
• I know some things…
• I have to think…
• I have to work…
• I have to persist…
• I hit some walls…
• I’m on my toes…
• I have to re-group…
• I feel challenged…
• Effort leads to
success…
Too Hard
• I don’t know where to
start…
• I can’t figure it out…
• I’m spinning my wheels…
• I’m missing key skills…
• I feel frustrated…
• I feel angry
• This makes no sense…
• Effort doesn’t pay off…
THIS is the place to be… THIS is the achievement zone…

44. Cubing
1. Describe It
Look at the subject closely (perhaps with your senses in mind).
2. Compare It
What is it similar to? What is it different from?
3. Associate It
What does it make you think of? What comes to your mind
when you think of it? Perhaps people? Places? Things?
Feelings? Let your mind go and see what feelings you have for
the subject.
4. Analyze It
Tell how it is made. If you can’t really know, use your
imagination.
5. Apply It
Tell what you can do with it. How can it be used?
6. Argue for It or Against It
Take a stand. Use any kind of reasoning you want—logical, silly,
anywhere in between.

45. Ideas for Kinesthetic Cube
• Arrange _________into a 3-D collage to show_________
• Make a body sculpture to show__________________
• Create a dance to show_______________________
• Do a mime to help us understand_________________
• Present an interior monologue with dramatic movement
that________________________
• Build/construct a representation of________________
• Make a living mobile that shows and balances the
elements of __________________
• Create authentic sound effects to accompany a reading of
________________
• Show the principle of _____________with a rhythm
pattern you create. Explain to us how that works.

46. Ideas for Cubing in Math…
• Describe: how you would solve_____________
• Analyze: how this problem helps us use
mathematical thinking and problem solving.
• Compare or Contrast: this problem to one on p._____
• Demonstrate: how a professional (or just a regular
person) could apply this kind of problem
to their work or life.
• Change: one or more numbers (elements, signs) in
the problem. Give a rule for what that
change does.
• Create: an interesting and challenging word
problem from the number problem. (Show us how to
solve it too)
• Diagram or Illustrate: the solution to the problem. Interpret
the visual so we understand.