What do we know about Formative Assessment?  With a partner: add ideas on sticky notes to poster Formative Assessment

Formative vs Summative Summative: The Autopsy Formative: The Checkup

Formative Assessment “Formative assessment is a planned process in which teachers or students use assessment- based evidence to adjust what they are currently doing.” -W. James Popham Transformative Assessement

Characteristics of Formative Assessments They are assessments FOR learning, not assessments OF learning Designed to assist learning, not grading Make students’ thinking visible to themselves and to others

Key Features of Formative Assessment Formative Assessment is a process not any particular test Formative Assessment takes place during instruction The function of this feedback is to help teachers and students make adjustments that will improve learning

Formative Assessment Continuum Informal Unplanned Planned Formal On-the-Fly Planned-for- Interaction Embedded-in- the-Curriculum

Formative Assessments: 1. Write-to-learn Prompts: RAFT 2. Effective Questioning: Fact First Questioning 3. Annotated Student Drawings 4. Graphic Organizers 5. Response Cards 6. Physical Response 7. Give One to Get One 8. Think, Pair, Share 9. I used to think…but now I know 10. Assessment Probes & Concept Cartoons 11. Exit Slip

1. Write-to-learn Prompts RAFT R= role A= audience F= format T= topic

1. Write-to-learn Prompts Role: a tree Audience: light Format: text message Topic: thanks for what you give me

1. Write-to-learn Prompts OTHER PROMPTS Admit Slips: Describe how sound waves travel. Crystal Ball: What will we learn about today? Exit Slips: The 3 best things you learned today…

2. Fact First Questioning 1.State the Fact 2.Why is X an example of Y? EXAMPLES Glucose is a form of food for plants. Why is glucose considered a food for plants? Sandstone is a sedimentary rock. Why is sandstone considered a sedimentary rock?

3. Annotated Student Drawings viewkey=c3f70187a007859af892

4. Graphic Organizers FRAYER MODELCONCEPT MAPS thinkingmaps.com Formative Assessment Assessment for learning Makes student thinking visible Check for understanding For feedback not grading Happens during learning A process not a particular test Probes Whiteboards Clickers Graphic organizers WASL End of unit tests SAT GRE

5. RESPONSE CARDS Response Cards: index cards, dry erase boards, magnet boards Checking For Understanding--(Fisher & Frey, ASCD 2007.) Audience Response Systems (ARS): clickers, eggs, responders, cell phones- technology based response systems

6. Physical Response GET UP & MOVE Human Scatterplots Four corners Sticky Bars HAND SIGNALS –Thumbs –Fist to Five

Four Corners Show students a Friendly Talk, Concept Cartoon, Familiar Phenomenon, or Prediction probe Students go to a “corner” of the room based on their answer choice Students discuss answer choice with their common response group

Human Scatterplot Give students a formative assessment probe with 3-4 choices Students create a scatterplot based on a answer choice (A, B, or C) and confidence in answer. A B +++ C Front of room Confidence: Low to High

Sticky Bars Give students a probe with 3-5 forced choices Students anonymously write answer choice on a sticky note Create a bar graph of choices a a a a b cb c b d c

7. Give One to Get One This technique is best done when students are using science notebooks. The entire activity should be done with students in a standing position. Each student is asked to find a partner with whom he/she compares notes. The student takes a moment to identify the information they have in common.

Give One to Get One-Continued Each student identifies something he did not record but his partner did. This new information is then recorded in each student’s notebook. In effect, each student gives one and gets one. Pairs can report to whole class regarding the transaction.

8. Think, Pair, Share Think-Pair-Share and Write-Pair-Share 1.Think or write about your answer individually. 2. Pair with a partner and discuss your answers. 3.Share your answer (or your partner’s answer) when called upon.

9. REFLECTIVE PROMPTS I USED TO THINKBUT NOW I KNOW

Formative Assessment Resources Science Formative Assessment: Keeley Checking for Understanding: Fisher + Frey

Formative Assessment Menu Take 5 minutes: pick a strategy # 1-9 you will use Share with a partner how you will use this strategy? AND What will you do with the information from students?

10. Formative Assessment Probes & Concept Cartoons A probe is a purposefully designed question that reveals more than just an answer. A probe elicits a response that helps teachers identify students’ ideas about phenomena or a concept. Probes are also used to encourage thinking and sharing of ideas.

Developing Probes Specific learning goal(s) Commonly held ideas + Assessment Probe

Three Probe Components Assessment Prompt Forced Choices Justification

Prompt Forced Choice(s) Justification

Types of Probes Justified List: – Determines how students apply scientific ideas to a variety of objects or phenomena.

Types of Probes (continued) Prediction Probe – Asks students what they think will happen in a familiar situation

Types of Probes (continued) Familiar Phenomena Probe – Elicit thinking about relevant, everyday phenomena.

Types of Probes (continued) Friendly Talk Probe – Set in a context where two or more individuals talk about their ideas of science concepts. Can also be in the form of a Concept Cartoon

Types of Probes (continued) Comparison Probe – Students are given contrasting objects or processes to compare and are asked to select and justify which one matches the given statement.

Resources  National Science Education Standards  Science Curriculum Topic Study  Science Matters  Science For All Americans  Benchmarks for Science Literacy  Making Sense of Secondary Science