Watch the webinar from 34:20 to 36:50 and use workbook pages 6-7
Comment on the following:
How do these assessment examples compare to the Science assessments you currently develop or administer?
Comment on at least one other post and offer ideas on how to refine or expand assessments that are being used.
When developing science assessments, I try to make connections with other subjects and extend their thinking as much as possible. For example, in the spring we learn about animals all around us, and we plan a variety of activities and assessment for the students in first grade. We read about grouping animals, learn what they need and how they grow and change, and classify living and nonliving things. We also take a field trip to the Buffalo Zoo with our families and peers. One assessment I use is after going to the zoo, we write about a toy animal that they have and a real animal that they saw at the zoo, label them, and then compare the animals. Students write about how they are alike and how they are different, and when sharing their piece, bring in their animal from home to go along with their writing. Students are also able to read nonfiction books to find out more about their animal of choice, or research it on their iPad or in the computer lab. With this activity in mind, students are making connection between home and school, adding in the experience of visiting the zoo to see the animal, taking into consideration the living and nonliving topics covered in our science texts, and sharing with their peers.
ReplyDeleteI love your assessment idea about animals and connecting it with the Buffalo Zoo. This seems like a great embedded assessment. Do the students share their final project with the other students?
DeleteThe examples from the webinar are more engaging than most of the assessments I have seen at the elementary level. Not to say there aren't engagin activities taking place but the webinar examples cause students to think deeper and use a higher level of thinking and analysis. This is exactly what is needed...getting studnts to think on their own instead of memorizing facts and routines.
ReplyDeleteIt seems seems like it might be hard to spend the time creating authentic performance tasks at the elementary when so much emphasis is being put on math and ela. Maybe if districts could set aside time for high school teachers to collaborate with elementary teachers in developing authentic performance tasks to use in their classrooms.
DeleteThat would be a great idea Richard. I teach 5th grade and struggle to fit in adequate time to teach and administer quality science and social studies.
DeleteOne thing about the common core is that I really think it make teachers stop and think how can I connect this material to other subjects in school. I know that teachers have done this forever, but it really makes me stop and think daily about how I can tie this concept in to something else that has been taught throughout the day. For example our math and science curriculum are very similar. Kids are learning how to read and label charts, graphs. similar equations, etc. I am constantly reminding the kids "where did we already see this today?" , or what did we learn in math today that is similar to science?. We are also able to use SSR or student reading classes to provide them with more outside information about the topics covered in class. I will then allow the kids to use their experiences about the topic covered in class. All of these experiences and sources help the kids to further enhance their understanding of the topic.
ReplyDeleteI agree that we have to integrate the subject areas as much as possible, to make sure our students are exposed to all of the material that we are expected to cover. We combine ELA and Science together as often as possible, to ensure that they are reading the appropriate amount of nonfiction material, as well as to ensure that our science topics are covered. Likewise, since the math lessons contain so much reading material, we use our ELA groups to work on Math-centered groups when time allows.
DeleteThese examples are similar to some if the assessments I use. My final project in AP Environmental Science requires students to pick ten graphics(. Pictures, diagrams or maps). Students have to explain how they view the picture in terms of content they have learned throughout the year. For example a student who uses a picture of plowed farm field might discuss the importance of using cover crops or leaving crop residues behind to help prevent erosion and add nutrients to the soil through decomposition. The assessment allows students to apply the knowledge they have learned throughout the year. These projects are graded on a rubric given to students when the project is assigned.
ReplyDeleteI feel this course has allowed me to think differently as to how I assess my students throughout the year. I hope to incorporate more authentic assessments into the courses I teach using the information provided in our workbook.
I love giving the children choices. They can go with their strengths which allows them some comfort in expressing what they have learned.
DeleteI love giving the children choices. They can go with their strengths which allows them some comfort in expressing what they have learned.
DeleteI like this idea because not only do the students have choices but students may be able to see different things in the same picture. This also allows students to choose pictures or types of contnent that interests them.
DeleteCertain parts of these assessments are similar to what we use in class for science. The assessments get the students involved and require a lot of feedback when graded. Examples 2 and 3 are most similar to the assessments we use for in science class. In example 2, the students are reading a variety of readings about a topic and writing a response about the texts. In December, we are having students read a variety of texts about the Amazon Rainforest and then completing a paired passage response. In example 3, the students are completing a video about Homo sapiens. This makes me think of some of the projects we have students create in science. It was be fun for the students to create a video other than a poster, which we use often.
ReplyDeleteI have used a video presentation before Nicole, but it wasn't science, rather social studies. The students used Animoto and created a slide show. They really enjoyed making and presenting the video.
ReplyDeleteThe examples in the Webinar are very involved and seem to lend themselves to higher grade level application. With that being said, I do see similarities within those assessments to what I may use in 5th grade. For example, we focus on the scientific method in the first 10 weeks of science. During that time the students perform a variety of engaging assessments and use a graphic organizer to record the steps and data. They also develop a conclusion using the data and their knowledge of science. This is similar to the first part of Example 1 in the webinar. Taking a bit from example 2, we often use ELA to cover some of the science curriculum. Previous years we used a module about the Amazon Rainforest, and this year we use a module about Natural Disasters.
ReplyDelete