1. Meaningful Assessment to Drive Learning
Danielle Kawcak
Walden University
Assessment for Student Learning
Dr. Paul Trautman
May 11, 2014
Meaningful Assessment to Drive Learning
Within the integrated “Cause and Effect” unit I have created, students will be given various
opportunities to explore, collaborate, question and create. The over-arching goal of the unit is for
students to investigate and produce through trial and the forces of motion in order to create an efficient
model slide. There are a number of collective learning opportunities that if presented effectively, with
quality assessment and modification, may lead to an understanding of the cause and effect relationship
found throughout various force and motion concepts.
Knowledge-
1. The characteristics of wants/needs, how people prioritize based on wants/needs.
Assessment Method: Selected Response- Have students sort a number of objects into wanted/needed
items for life. Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation and oral questioning regarding
student’s rationale behind choosing necessary items for slide creation.
2. Name 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional shapes.
Assessment Method: Constructed Response: Student will label and/or name attributes of shapes.
Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation of play and awareness of shapes.
3. The positional words like above, below, in front of, behind, and next to.
Assessment Method: Products & Performances- Students will use an action figure and a plastic cup to
show position of action figure when prompted. Process Focused/Personal Communication-
Observation and oral questioning through play and collaborative slide creation process.
4. The names of identifying attributes like size, color, number, length and weight.
Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation as students think aloud to
collaborate and create most efficient product possible.
5. The facts, opinions, significance and relevance of topic.
Assessment Method: Product/Performance- Students will lightly research the relationship of cause and
effect on force and motion to develop a draft plan for slide. Observation and Oral Questioning-
Students will communicate important factors needed for slide to function properly.
Reasoning-
1. Investigation incorporating trial and error leads to discoveries about relationships that can be used to
modify designs when exploring cause and effect.

2. Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation during presentation of
drafted plans to investors and throughout process of making modifications to slide design.
2. Different types of forces can cause an object to move/How changing the force affects the speed and
direction of an object.
Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation and oral questioning
throughout trial and error process. Constructed response- Students are given a variety of items to send
down a slide. Students explore these manipulatives with the slide, teacher asks developed questions
about what they have learned about the movement of the objects through exploration.
Skills-
1. Sort common objects into categories (e.g., shapes, foods) to gain a sense of the concepts the
categories represent.
Assessment Method: Selected response- Students sort items by attributes. Process Focused/Personal
Communication- Observation of child’s sorting capabilities throughout slide production.
2. Identify and describe characteristics and positions of two and three dimensional shapes.
Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Specific oral questioning and
description of characteristics of shapes, recognition in real world.
3. Describe the motion of an object.
Assessment Method: Products/Performances- Students describe movement of object, child. Process
Focused/Personal Communication- Vocabulary use throughout production and modification stages of
slide production.
4. Describe, compare and order measurable attributes.
Assessment Method: Product/Performances- Students compare and order by length, weight, thickness,
etc. Process Focused/Personal Communication- Check for targeted vocabulary use throughout
production/modification process.
5. Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide
additional detail.
6. Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
7. Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
Assessment Method: Products/Performances- Students will conduct a collaborative study and develop a
draft for a slide that will be presented to investors (community leaders) in their projects. Students will
need to describe factors of product that play into its effectiveness. When product has been created,
students will collaborate again with investor with a plan to improve product.
8. Observe, investigate and describe how different objects move
Assessment Method: Students are given a variety of items to send down a slide. Students explore these
manipulatives with the slide, teacher asks developed questions about what they have learned about the
movement of the objects through exploration. Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation
and oral questioning related to rationale behind choosing specific items for slide creation.
9. Differentiate between wants and needs, identify differences, make decisions based upon
needed/wanted resource.
Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation of use of items, oral
questioning related to use of non-decorative as well as decorative items.
10. Identify the problem, ask questions that reflect quality thinking and express new learning.
Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation of problem-solving
strategies when dealing with trial and error. Oral questioning regarding established problem, access to
appropriate information and modifications to be made.
11. Relate new vocabulary to prior knowledge
Assessment Method: Process Focused/Personal Communication- Observation of discussion amongst
collaborative groups, students and investors as well as whole class discussion. Product/Presentation-
Student explains drafted slide proposal and benefits of design.

3. In Ahead of the Curve, Dr. Thomas Guskey demonstrates three key characteristics of useful
assessment procedures. One these elements relates to the necessity of students being given the
opportunity to demonstrate success in learning (Guskey, 2007, pg. 16). Each of my learning goals is
open-ended enough that students will have various opportunities to express, evaluate and activate their
learning. I have also ensured that each learning goal has two set opportunities for assessment. Each of
these learning opportunities will lead and differentiate my instruction for students to develop learning
and thus develop understanding of the concept. With this in mind, I will be using the data to encourage
growth rather than recognizing and labeling students with failure as the The Bell Curve found on page
3 of Ahead of the Curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching and learning demonstrates
(Reeves, D. 2007).
References
Guskey, T. R. (2007). Ahead of the curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching and learning.
Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Reeves, D. (2007). Ahead of the curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching and learning.
Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.