1. designing assessments aligned to common core
Seat teachers in like grade level or like curriculum teams; groups of 4 are ideal.
The focus of today’s PD is on Designing Student Assessments and on ensuring that our assessments are aligned to Common Core. Today’s VSET connection is 1F: Designing Student Assessments. We will begin with a brief video. Ask teachers to focus on the way assessment is being used in the video clip.
Dec. 5th

2. High-impact Anchor Literacy Strategy:
How have you used these strategies?
What have you noticed?
Aug. 29: Make close reading and rereading of texts central to lessons.
Sept. 26/Oct. 10: Text-Dependent Questions
Oct. 24: Emphasize students supporting answers based upon evidence from the text.
Nov. 14: Cultivate students’ independence.
Have teachers find someone they have not talked to today to process the following questions. (10 min)

3. The role of assessment in planning: using Exit slips to design instruction
Oh no, not another exit slip!  There will be no exit slip at the end of today’s PD; instead, we are turning things on their head and beginning with a discussion of how to use exit slips for assessment design.
This is a 5-minute video of a 9th grade Algebra class, but the focus is on how to use exit slips to differentiate and plan for future instruction. The teacher has two different types of exit slips—on grade level and above grade level that she gives to students depending on their performance during that day’s practice. The most useful part of the video is when this teacher demonstrates how she uses the exit slips after she has graded them to form groups for future instruction that are defined by students’ needs. (5 min)

4. 1F: Assessing Assessment
On which element of assessment design do you most need to focus?
Element of 1F
Ms. Barchi
You
Congruence with Instructional Outcomes
Criteria and Standards
Design of Formative Assessments
Use for Planning
Use Handout: Component 1f Designing Student Assessments
Ask individuals to reflect on the video clip they just saw. They should rate Ms. Barchi and then rate themselves. Compare ratings of Ms. Barchi among table groups. You might choose to go through the elements and ask for a show of hands for each element. This is likely to demonstrate that you have a range of needs among your faculty with respect to 1F. (3 min)

5. Agenda Exit Slips Video 1F Overview Objectives More ideas for CFU
Tracking Progress
Student Rubrics
Anchor Literacy Strategy
Briefly review the agenda

6. Teachers will be able to:
Objectives
Teachers will be able to:
Understand the elements that contribute to success in designing student assessment.
Use methods to incorporate student contributions into the development of rubrics.
Design effective formative assessments.
Review the training objectives

7. Objectives Teachers will be able to:
Teach students how to use their own assessments for self-evaluation.
Use assessments to help define future instruction.
Design assessments aligned to Common Core standards.
Increase opportunities for students to write and research on a regular basis.
Review the training objectives

8. SCHS Teachers Share Cara Swayze Dave Swebilius Stacie Rich Megan Budde
Doug Keller

9. BuDDE

10. keller

11. Checking for understanding Video
Suggestion: Before viewing videos, allow time for table groups to discuss formative assessments they have used in the classroom. Discuss if successful or unsuccessful? Why?
These are all great examples of using different kinds of formative assessments to check for understanding. If you show them all, it adds up to 10 minutes of video. With some discussion time, this segment might take about 20 minutes. Choose from the videos below, or find your own that feature formative assessments.
Video Links:
(1 min, High School, how to use Stoplight end of lesson assessment to get student feedback to inform future instruction)
(2 min, 5th grade, how to use silent signals to give and receive feedback)
(2 min, 3rd grade, how to use student folders for self-assessment)
(5 min, Kindergarten, assessments in math for number sense, moving to learn)
Your Choice
Art: (10 min, 9-12, Chorus class, students create vocal warm-ups)

12. checking for understanding: more ideas
Question Strips/Index Cards
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Traffic Light
Whiteboards
Popcorn Questioning or Discussion
Entrance or Warm-up Slip
Exit Ticket
Use Handout: Methods of Checking for Student Understanding
Prior to training: Make a copy of the handout and cut into strips. Place strips in the center of each table.
Direct each person in the team to select one strip. Spend 60 seconds reviewing the assessment and think about how you have used or could use this assessment type. Team sharing of ideas (3 minutes). Allow for each team to share one idea with the entire group. (2 minutes)

13. Tracking student progress
It’s important to collect the information as you check for understanding.
See Handout: Tracking Student Progress
This handout includes a blank progress chart, as well as an example.
Thinking about the videos you have seen, as well as the how would this tracking document assist you to track your students’ progress toward attaining proficiency on the Common Core standards.
How do you think using this tracking document would influence your VSET evaluation? (This could be used as evidence.)

14. Using rubrics with students
Discuss with participants the uses of the checklist and template described below. (5-10 min)
See Handout: Checklist for Using Rubrics with Students and Rubric Template.
The VSET descriptors for distinguished in 1F ask teachers to involve students in the development of criteria and standards for their assessments. Having students make edits to an existing rubric, translate a rubric into student-friendly language, or create a rubric of their own are all good ways to have students contribute to developing criteria and standards for assessments. The process of working on these rubrics also helps students to have a clearer knowledge of what they are supposed to learn and how the individual assignment will show their teacher what they know. Involving students in rubric design also gives them greater buy-in and ownership to the process.
The Checklist for Using Rubrics with Students is a guide to help you understand what steps to take when first helping students through the process of understanding and using a rubric; the rubric can also guide students to know how to evaluate their own work or peers’ work.
The Rubric Template is a template to use when thinking about developing a rubric. The criteria for judgment should be written in the far left column.
1: Beginning column describes what a beginner’s work would look like;
2: Developing column describes what non-proficient but developing work would look like;
3: Proficient column describes the characteristics of proficient work;
4: Exemplary column describes what mastery, or above proficient work would look like.

15. Designing assessments for ccss: guiding principles
Hold all students accountable for demonstrating Common Core standards
Help students use assessment tasks to track their own progress toward learning goals related to the standards
These are some guiding principles for teachers and leaders to keep in mind as we design assessments to meet the rigor of the Common Core standards. Part of helping students to become more independent learners includes holding them more accountable for their own learning and helping them to use the assessments we provide them as feedback as they progress in knowledge and skill.

16. Designing assessments for ccss: guiding principles
Help students to identify specific areas of strength and weakness in their proficiency of Common Core standards
Teach students to assess themselves as appropriate to their levels
These are some guiding principles for teachers and leaders to keep in mind as we design assessments to meet the rigor of the Common Core standards. Part of helping students to become more independent learners includes holding them more accountable for their own learning and helping them to use the assessments we provide them as feedback as they progress in knowledge and skill.

17. High-impact Anchor Literacy Strategy:
In a way that relates to your content area, provide extensive research and writing opportunities.
Emphasize DEPTH and FREQUENCY over LENGTH
Use self-assessment and peer assessment when possible
Not every writing needs teacher feedback
Have participants engage in read and reflect on this idea with several different groups of peers using a strategy called “Huddle Up!”:
Huddle UP! – Participants walk around for a set amount of time (can use music to start and stop walking) Facilitator calls time then says “Huddle Up..2 or 3 or 4” Choose ONE number. Whichever number you choose, that is how many people huddle up together – size of group. Group discusses content. This activity provides good process time for adults and students. We suggest having three different Huddle Up rounds, with about 2-3 minutes each. (10 min)
This High-impact Anchor Literacy “Strategy” isn’t really a strategy, but more of a reminder of the kinds of assignments and assessments that we need to be providing students with on a regular basis. The importance is not length, but rather depth and frequency.

18. Back with your Department
How can you work with your Department to develop assessments to align with common core standards?
What are some methods that you can use to encourage students to use their assessments for e self-valuation?
Work together with common course teachers to develop an assessment that can be used to check for understanding that involves student self assessment.