1. University of South Carolina Formative Assessment “Spray and Pray” versus “Systematic and Intentional” or Why knowing what your students’ understand can make your teaching more efficient and effective……..

2. University of South Carolina Fish and Tadpole

3. University of South Carolina Tadpole becomes a frog

4. University of South Carolina Returns after many moons….. And tells his friend all about his adventures

5. University of South Carolina Birds!

6. University of South Carolina People!

7. University of South Carolina What happened? What does this story highlight/reveal about learning (in people, not frogs)? What implications does this have for your teaching (of people, not frogs)?

8. University of South Carolina Mirror on the Wall Complete prompt: –How much of her face will Adrienne see?

9. University of South Carolina Impact of Probe As a learner, how did this formative assessment impact your thinking? As a teacher, how could the use of this assessment impact your thinking? How could you use this data to help you teach?

10. University of South Carolina “Assessment for Learning is any assessment for which the first priority in its design and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting pupils’ learning. It thus differs from assessment designed primarily to serve the purposes of accountability, or of ranking, or of certifying competence” (Black & Harris)

11. University of South Carolina Linking Assessment, Teaching and Learning seamlessly embedded (used before, during and after) often difficult to differentiate between assessment and instruction promotes students’ thinking and improves opportunities to learn by providing valuable feedback to the teacher Allows for interaction with assessments in a variety of ways (writing, drawing, speaking, listening)

12. University of South Carolina “Steve’s Guidelines” Generally brief, enactment of targeted science concepts Central driving question that is returned to throughout a unit of study Driving question is typically devoid of scientific vocabulary –“What is transpiration?” becomes “What happens to the water that enters a plant?” –“What is photosynthesis?” becomes “Where does the wood, leaves and stems of a plant come from?”

13. University of South Carolina “Steve’s Guidelines” II All initial student ideas are accepted without judgment Important that individual student thinking is captured In answering the driving question, targeted science concepts are –discovered, named, and used to make sense/generate an answer