1. ASSESSMENT
A Dr Production...

2. Pre-assessment assessment
What is assessment?
When should assessment occur?

3. Assessment Objectives & Outcomes
What essential questions do you have about assessment?
What enduring understandings do you want to have about assessment?

4. “Assessment for Learning” Objectives
Students will understand...
The reason why assessment is Stage 2 in the Standards-Based Education process.
The purpose of assessment in the classroom.
The differences between assessment types and assessment formats.
How to determine which assessment methods would be most appropriate at various times to increase student learning, given specific standard
How to determine guidelines for constructing performance assessments and rubrics.
The differences between assessment and grading.
How to create a balanced assessment plan for a unit, including examples of performance tasks, rubrics, and constructed response items.

5. Essential Questions
What does assessment look like in a performance-based science classroom?
How do I determine appropriate and acceptable evidence of learning?
How will I know whether my students have acquired the requisite
knowledge, skills, and
understandings?

6. Standards Based Education Model
Stage 1:
Identify Desired Results
What do I want my students
to know and be able to do?
Big Ideas  Enduring Understandings 
Essential Questions
Skills and Knowledge
GPS
Stage 2:
Determine Acceptable Evidence
(Design Balanced Assessments)
How will I know whether my students have acquired the requisite knowledge, skills, and understandings?
(to assess student progress toward desired results)
Stage 3:
Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction
What will need to be done to provide my students with multiple opportunities to acquire the knowledge, skills, and understandings?
(to support student success on assessments,
leading to desired results)

7. The Process of Instructional Planning
Select standards from among those students need to know
Design an assessment through which students will have an opportunity to demonstrate those things
Decide what learning opportunities students will need to learn those things and plan appropriate instruction to assure that each student has adequate opportunities to learn
Use data from assessment to give feedback, reteach or move to next level
Select a topic from the curriculum
Design instructional activities
Design and give an assessment
Give grade or feedback
Move onto new topic
Standards-based Practice
Traditional Practice
The Process of Instructional Planning

8. Stephen Covey Quote
“To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.”

9. What is assessment?
Assessment is the systematic observation and evaluation of student performance.
The process of gathering information about students--what they know and what they can do

10. Assessment asks these questions...
Do students know? Are they able to complete processes and demonstrate skills? Do they understand?
How well do students know? How well are they able to complete processes and demonstrate skills? How well do they understand?
What do students not know? What are they not yet able to do? What don’t they understand?

11. How is this performed at the state and national level?

12. The Montillation of Traxoline
It is very important that you learn about traxoline. Traxoline is a new form of zionter. It is montilled in Ceristanna. The Ceristannians gristerlate large amounts of fevon and then brachter it to quasel traxoline. Traxoline may well be one of our most lukized snezlaus in the future because of our zionter lescelidge.
1. What is traxoline?
2. Where is traxoline montilled?
3. How is traxoline quaselled?
4. Why is it important to know about traxoline?

13. Now, how would/could you group those into “types” of assessments?
Brainstorm all the types of assessments that can be used in a science classroom
Now, how would/could you group those into “types” of assessments?

14. Are We Speaking the same language?
Create your own definition for each of the following terms related to assessment. (See next slide.)
Find a partner to check on agreement or disagreement of the meaning(s) of each term.
Share findings with your group and be ready to prepare findings and implications.

15. Defining Terms Benchmarks Assessment
Formative vs. Summative assessment
Performance Assessment
Authentic Assessment
Rubric
Checklist
Feedback-adjustment process
Progress Monitoring
Assessment
Evaluation
Content Standards
Performance Standards
Characteristics of Science Standards
Assessment for learning
Assessment of learning

16. Assessment vs. Grading
a means of assigning numerical or alphabetical grade to a student’s work
usually summative
often represented as an average
may not represent an adequate pictures of a student’s growth or progress towards the learning goals
continuous process
provides feedback to improve student achievement
may be formative or summative
provides a means of collecting evidence of student mastery of the content standards
provides a photo album of student progress through which we can observe a student’s growth

17. Formative Assessment
Summative Assessment

18. Please tell me...
…how do I get to your house?

20. In order to give directions “to” a place, you must know “from” where one is coming

21. How do you know?

22. Assessment Formats Selected Response Constructed Response
Performance Assessment
Informal and Self-Assessment
Adapted from Marzano, Stiggins, UbD

23. Classroom Assessment Strategies
Selected Response
Constructed
Response
Performance Assessment
Informal Assessment
Multiple Choice
True-False
Matching
Fill-in-the-blank (words, phrases)
Essay
Short answer (sentences, paragraphs)
Diagram
Web
Concept Map
Flowchart
Graph
Table
Matrix
Illustration
Presentation
Movement
Science lab
Athletic skill
Dramatization
Enactment
Project
Debate
Model
Exhibition
Recital
Song
Oral questioning
Observation
Interview
Conference
Process description
Checklist
Rating scale
Journal sharing
Thinking aloud a process
Student self-assessment
Peer review

24. Group Assessment Formats
You will make a group presentation on one of the four assessment formats on a piece of chart paper. It will be graded as follows:
/2pts At the top, label the chart with the kind of assessment your group is presenting.
/4pts Divide the remaining paper into four sections, and label them: Key points, Examples, Advantages (when is it best used), Disadvantages (when is it not the best to use).
/8pts For each of the 4 sections, give at least 2 supporting items for that section.
/3pts Make sure writing is large*, legible and grammatically correct
/2pts Poster is interesting, alluring with pertinent artwork

25. Chart for Assessment Formats
Assessment Type
Key Points
Examples
Advantages
Disadvantages

26. Achievement Target Types
Knowledge/Information
Skills/Processes
Thinking and Reasoning
Communication
Adapted from Marzano

27. Knowledge and Skills KNOWLEDGE (declarative) SKILLS (procedural) Facts
Concepts
Generalizations
Rules, laws, procedures
Skills
Procedures
Processes
KNOWLEDGE
(declarative)
SKILLS
(procedural)

28. Thinking and Reasoning
Comparison and contrast
Analysis of relationships
Classification
Argumentation
Induction
Deduction
Experimental inquiry
Investigation
Problem solving
Decision making
-Marzano

30. Communication

31. Critical Filters
What type of evidence is required to assess the standard? (e.g., recall of knowledge, understanding of content, ability to demonstrate process, thinking, reasoning, or communication skills)
What assessment method will provide the type of evidence needed?
Will the task (assessment method) provide enough evidence to determine whether students have met the standard?
Is the task developmentally appropriate?
Will the assessment provide students with various options for showing what they know?

32. Matching Assessments with Standards
ASSESSMENT FORMAT
ACHIEVEMENT TARGET
Selected Response
Constructed Response
Performance Tasks
Informal & Self-Assessment
Knowledge/
Informational
Skills/Processes
Thinking and Reasoning
Communication
Other:
Can assess mastery of specific elements of content knowledge
Not a good choice for this target; other options preferred
Teacher can ask questions, evaluate answers, and infer mastery; but this may not be time-efficient
Short answers allow students to apply content knowledge

33. Matching Assessments with Standards
ASSESSMENT FORMAT
ACHIEVEMENT TARGET
Selected Response
Constructed Response
Performance Tasks
Informal & Self-Assessment
Knowledge/
Informational
Skills/Process
Thinking and Reasoning
Communication
Other:
Can assess mastery of specific elements of content knowledge
Short answers allow students to apply content knowledge
Not a good choice for this target; other options preferred
Teacher can ask questions, evaluate answers, and infer mastery; but this may not be time-efficient
Can assess application of some patterns of reasoning
Can observe and evaluate skills as they are being performed
Can be a strong match
Written descriptions of complex problem solutions can provide insight into reasoning proficiency.
Can watch students solve some problems or examine some products and infer reasoning proficiency
Can ask students to “think aloud” or can ask follow-up questions to probe reasoning
Can observe and evaluate oral & written communication portions of performance tasks.
Strong match with some communication skills, especially oral communication
Can assess under-standing of the steps of a process, but not a good choice for evaluating most skills
Not a good choice for this target; other options preferred.
-Adapted from Marzano and Stiggins

34. How to Make Great Assessments

35. Multiple (Guess) Choice

36. Essay/Free Response

37. Portfolio

38. Learning Logs & Journals

39. Performance Tasks

40. Small group discussion: What has to happen?
If you know what a student must understand, how do you check to see if that student understands?
What evidence will you use to evaluate the level of understanding?
What will you do in your classroom based on the evidence you collect?

41. Alternative vs Authentic Assessment
What have you heard? What do you want to know?

42. Authentic Assessment: GRASPS
G Real-world GOAL
R Real-world ROLE
A Real-world Audience
S Real-world Situation
P Real-world Products or Performances
S Standards

43. A Sample G.R.A.S.P.S Culminating Project
You are a member of a team of scientists investigation deforestation of the Amazon rain forest.
You are responsible for gathering scientific data (including such visual evidence as photographs) and producing a scientific report in which you summarize current conditions, possible future trends, and their implications for both the Amazon itself and its broader influence on our planet.
Your report, which you will present to a United Nations subcommittee, should include detailed and fully-supported recommendations for an action plan which are clear and complete.

44. What are they? Why use them? When use them?
RUBRICS
What are they?
Why use them?
When use them?

46. A rubric is a set of rules that
Shows levels of quality
Communicates standards
Tells students expectations for assessment task
Is NOT a checklist (yes or no answers)
Includes dimensions (criteria), indicators and a rating scale.

47. Advantages of Using a Rubric
Lowers students’ anxiety about what is expected of them
Provides specific feedback about the quality of their work
Provides a way to communicate expectations and progress
Ensures all student work is judged by the same standard
Disengages the “halo” effect and its reverse
Leads students toward quality work.

48. Basic Rubric Template Scale Criteria Indicator Indicator Indicator

49. Ugly Rubrics
Too wordy so that no one can understand the dimensions or indicators, let alone use them for a fair grade
Checklists – Have it, don’t have it
Judge each work against other items of work
Judge the wrong thing so student can just jump through hoops to get a good grade.

50. Good Rubrics Are tools Show level of quality of a performance or task
Communicate standards clearly and specifically (students can calculate grade)
Are given to students to set expectations
Show what to avoid and addresses misconceptions
Are consistent and reliable
Use content that matches standards and instructional emphasis

51. Characteristics of Exemplary Assessment
Emphasizes learning process as well as product
Requires active construction of meaning
Assesses interdisciplinary and cross disciplinary skills
Helps students self monitor
Gives specific expectations for students
Emphasizes the application and use of knowledge
Has meaning and relevance to students
Emphasizes complex skills
Makes standards public and known in advance

52. How did I do?
Column 1
Write down the different types of assessments that we discussed during this strand.
Column 2
Write down when I modeled this type of assessment.

53. Backwards Design and Unpacking the standards
Put it into Practice
Backwards Design and Unpacking the standards

54. Standards Based Education Model
GPS
Stage 1
Identify Desired Results
(Big Ideas) Enduring Understandings 
Essential Questions 
Skills and Knowledge
(one or more)
Standards
Above, plus
Elements

55. Big Ideas
What are the big ideas and core processes at the heart of this standard?
What do I want to concentrate on and emphasize in this unit?

56. Looking for Big Ideas
Big Ideas are key concepts. Look for ideas in key terms found in the standards.

57. You Know It’s a Big Idea If…
· It is important for students to remember 10 years from now
· It is a phrase or few words
· It can be underlined from part of the standard
· It is addressed in more than one standard or unit
· Students can continue to uncover it’s relevance in the real world

58. Enduring Understandings: Overarching and Topical—Need Both!
Overarching: More abstract and general; relate to many units of study
Topical: More specific; related to a single unit

59. Enduring Understandings: Format
NO: “Students will understand rocks.
NO: “Students will know how to classify rocks
NO: “Explain how to classify rocks.”
YES: “Students will understand that rocks are classified according to properties that you can observe and/or test.

60. You know it’s an Enduring Understanding If…
· It begins “The student will understand that…”
· It is overarching (relating to multiple themes)

61. Enduring Understandings: Bad to Best
“Students will understand the cell.”
Bad: what should they understand?
“Students will understand the organelles of the cell.”
Better: narrows the focus but still does not state what insights we want students to leave with.
“Students will understand that organelles are structures in the cell and have specific functions.
Best: Summarizes intended insight, helps students and teachers realize what types of learning activities are needed to support the understanding.

62. Resources for Enduring Understandings
Remember that the Georgia Performance Standards in Science were based on Benchmarks for Science Literacy and National Science Education Standards. Both of these books provide the guidelines of what a student should understand. If you are unsure of the depth of understanding or want further clarification, you can refer to either of these for help.
Benchmarks for Science Literacy On-line:
National Science Education Standards On-line:

63. Developing Essential Questions
Are open-ended and/or topic-related
Examine how (process) and/or why (cause and effect)
Consider various levels in Bloom’s taxonomy
Use language appropriate to students
Can be used as organizers for the unit
Should be shared with other teachers

64. From Understandings to Questions
S7L3. Students will recognize how biological traits are passed on to successive generations.
Students will understand that genes are the basic unit of heredity. There is a process of inheriting traits or characteristics from parents to offspring through genes.
-- Essential Question: How are characteristics of living things passed on through generations?

65. From Understandings to Questions
SB2. Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to successive generations.
Explain the role of DNA in storing and transmitting cellular information.
Students understand that…
DNA is responsible for storing the information needed for cell reproduction and survival.
Essential Question: Why is DNA a critical component to modern biology?

66. What Students Should Know and Be Able to Do
Work in small groups not more than 3.
Choose a standard and element(s) to unpack.
Determine the big ideas, enduring understandings and essential questions key for understanding that standard.
Pick an understanding and write various assessments that a teacher could use to find evidence of the student’s understanding.

67. “Unpacking is an ongoing and continual dialogue.” John Brown, ASCD

68. Testing Resources Georgia Department of Education—Testing
Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT)
End of Course Test (EOCT)
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT)

69. Web Resources
Alternative Strategies for Science Teaching and Assessment:
Forms of Alternative Assessment:
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Relationship Between Formative & Summative Assessment:
Assessment Matters: