Think like an assessor

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Assessments will help me guide student’s learning. In this post I will explore two kinds of assessments.
  1. Formative assessments: informal checks to ensure students understand what is being covered in this unit.
  2. Performance Based assessments: summative in nature and demonstrate the learning that has occured at the end of the unit.  Performance based assessments ensure that students don’t just know the information passively but actively use the information in a meaningful way (The School Redesign Network at Stanford University, 2008).

Standard in Reading Informational Texts: Key Ideas and Details
Within the concept Reading for Informational Texts (targeted at Kindergarten age students) I explored the standard relating to “key ideas and details”. I wrote three objectives using SMART guidelines and then explored an assessment that will measure that objective.
SMART Objectives are: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant/results oriented and time bound. I will highlight each objective with the corresponding color or marker so it is easy to see these ideas in my objectives.


SMART Objective
Type of Assessment
By the end of the unit, all the students will be able to ask and answer 5 questions (who, what, why, when, where) about 1-2 key details in a text, 90% of the time.

*All students will use Bloom’s Remember as they recall facts from the text.
To assess asking and answering questions about key details.
I will use a formative assessment. Each day at the end of the lesson we will play the “Beach Ball” game below to monitor student’s ongoing understanding about asking and answering questions (use class text). This will be a good way to track growth in students.
After reading the text organize students in partners.  Give each group a beach ball that has been divided into five sections with the words: what, who, when, where, and how written on it. Students will toss it back and forth answering the question word that their right hand touches. Repeat until each student has answered all 5 question words. Teacher will walk around with a check-list and ensure that all students can answer the question (either by asking directly or by watching partners interact).  
By the end of the unit, all of the of students will be able to identify the main topic, 90% of the time and recall 1-2 key details 80% of the time.
*Lower level students will use Bloom’s Remember as they select a main idea and key details from a list.
*My high fliers will use Bloom’s Understand  when they rephrase or give descriptions of the main idea and key details, instead of just recalling them.


To assess identify main idea and recall key details
Formative (end of 1st week): Graphic organizer worksheet done individually (use class text).
Lower level: Students will select the correct main idea (written) and key details (pictures) from their worksheet and put them in the correct box (main idea or details).
High Fliers: Students will complete a similar worksheet but then they must rephrase or give descriptions of the main idea and key details, instead of just recalling them verbally to the teacher. Detail words that can be used will be on the sheet.
By the end of the unit,all of the students will be able to describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text , 70% of time.
*Lower level students may only use Bloom’s  Understand as they compare and contrast.
*My high fliers will use Bloom’s Analyze as they find evidence and examine relationships and themes.
To assess describe the connection between two main characters or events.
Formative (end of 2nd week): Venn Diagram (use class text).
Lower level : Students will be comparing and contrasting two main characters or events using a Venn diagram. A word bank will be provided.
High fliers: Students  will create the Venn diagram also and answer the question:  “What is the relationship between x and y? Please use describing words.”  (x and y are two characters or events in the class text).


Performance based Book Project (for main idea/key details and connections objectives).
Project introduction: Each student will select a book of choice at their reading level (half-way through the unit) from a list of preselected options. Students will interact with their book for a couple weeks asking and answering questions about their book with partners (see formative assessment “Beach Ball Game”). Then they will work on their “My Book Project”. Teacher will use rubric to assess the project.

Part 1: Book overview worksheet
Students will fill in  worksheet “Book overview worksheet”. They will answer independently a). What five questions can we ask about a book? b) Please answer the questions you asked about your book.  Lower level students may need a word bank.

Part 2: Teacher will video record the submission of main topic/key details.
** Lower level students: At the end of the unit the students will recall the main topic and 1-2 details orally to the teacher from their book of choice.
***High fliers: At the end of the unit the students will restate the main idea in their own words and describe 2 details using describing words from their book of choice.

Part 3: Students create a Venn diagram for the book they selected in project introduction.
** Lower level will be comparing and contrasting two main characters or events.
***High fliers will create the Venn diagram also and answer the question: “Describe the relationship between two characters in your book. ”  
Rubric for this unit


Beginning *
Approaching **
Achieving ***
Ask & Answer questions
Can ask and answer 1-2 questions about key details
Can ask and answer 3-4  questions about key details
Can ask and answer 5 questions about key details
Main idea & details
Can identify the main topic
OR
Can retell 1 or more key details
Can identify the main topic
OR
Can retell 2 or more key details
Can restate the main topic in own words AND
Can describe 2 key details with describing words.  
Describe connections
Cannot describe the connection  between two individuals, events, ideas or information in text.

Attempted to describe the connection.

Can compare and contrast two individuals
Can describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas or information in text.
AND
Can describe the relationship between two individuals, events, ideas of info in text.


References
Elberly Center for Teaching Excellence & Educational Innovation. (2015). Whys and Hows of
Assessment. Retrieved January 10, 208 from https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/assessment/basics/formative-summative.html
Lambert, K. (2012, April).  60 Formative Assessment Strategies. Retrieved January 10, 2018
from https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzYfzjQoASL_bXVxYUg4SE1lSk0/view
The School Redesign Network at Stanford University. (2008). What is Performance Based
Assessments. Retrieved January 10, 2018 from

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzYfzjQoASL_dnhuemt5LThzcVE/view

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