This week for TEACH- NOW Module 5 Unit 2 Activity 2, the class has been asked to incorporate 3 formative assessments while teaching one learning objective. The learning objective in question is that students should be able to:
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text summarize complex concepts processes or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
This objective will be taught to 11th and 12th grade social studies students, who are learning about World War 2
The 3 types of formative assessments covered will include The Popsicle Stick, The whiteboard, and a formal test. All of these assessments were created with what I’ve learned from the required reading and reference material.
- Good assessments are frequent assessment.
- Any assessment is designed to provide a snapshot of student understanding
- Summative assessments can be formative assessments
- Assessments are simple to grade
- Learning is social
Assessment 1: Combination Popsicle stick and New Clothes. The teacher will use Popsicle sticks to randomly team up 2-3 students and have them explain a few things about themselves by paraphrasing. Students will be taught and practice the mnemonic PARAphrase in which a second student needs to relay back this information in the form of a paraphrase.
P.A.R.A.phrase stands for:
- Put the information in your own words.
- Avoid copying the information
- Rearrange similar words
- Ask yourself if you’ve included all the points.
Each group will be awarded a certain number of points depending on how well the students relate the information to the teacher or a third person in the group. There are a number of “rounds” that will take place before finally declaring one team the winner. Utilizing this activity for social studies can be done by changing the paraphrasing subject. For example each student needs to talk about a specific situation in WW2 that they found interesting. Each student explains their specific event to another and he/she should be able to relate this to the teacher.
Rationale 1: At the beginning of class there are few things that can get students motivated to learn if it’s a subject they have little or no interest in. The Popsicle stick assessment puts students on the spot in a fun-ish way and builds a bit of suspense, everyone has to be ready at the same time due to the uncertainty of order. New clothes is utilized here as the subject will change each round. This assessment provides the teacher with concept check responses where the teacher will be accurately able to ascertain each students understanding and how accurately they are learning the standard. Here the assessments are simple top grade as the teacher can give students a pass or fail for their explanation. It provides a snapshot of what students have learned through their explanation. and a social activity which can enhance learning.
Assessment 2: Group whiteboard. Here students will break up into groups of 3 + and take turns reading brief passages that recount various events throughout WW2. Those not reading will have a whiteboard in which they will write down the central points of what was read. The reader will be in charge of declaring the winner with disputes being settled by the teacher.
Rationale 2: I consider the whiteboard on par with a “soft” quiz, the students will be more focused on the game aspect of it while the teacher can attain a comprehensive understanding of the student’s ability to summarize the main ideas of a piece. During this activity the teacher will be free to view some of the answers being written on the whiteboards, this provides the teacher with snapshots of student understanding. This is a frequent assessment as each group will do this activity multiple times. It is a group activity and therefore social, and it is simple to grade as the teacher will have a list of events and be able to see the students’ answers.
Assessment 3: Final test
Here the students will take a final “test” to guess the correct conclusions. Similar to the previous group activities there will be 3 + per group. Each student will receive a paragraph which they will have to read and then choose between 4 different conclusions presented. The students will be given ample time to work together in effort to determine the correct conclusion, afterward each individual will give their answer and a rationale as to why they think this conclusion is correct.
Rationale 3: While not normally utilized as a formative assessments, summative assessments like tests can be utilized as formative assessments. The word test is used here loosely, as they will be “tested” in front of their peers yet not given a test grade. Some students require a little pressure to perform up to their potential, knowing that they will have to give an answer in front of class may push them as much as necessary. This assessment includes a social aspect as students will collaborate to find the correct answer. It provides a snapshot of student understanding as he or she will give their answer and rationale. It is a formative assessment used as a summative assessment would be used. This assessment is also simple to grade as it requires no written component.
References:
- (2010). Rick Wormeli: Formative and Summative Assessment. Retrieved January 03, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJxFXjfB_B4
Dyer, K. (multiple dates). Classroom Techniques: Formative Assessment Ideas. Retrieved December, 2016, from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2012/
TeachThought Staff. (2014, March 14). 10 assessments you can do in 90 seconds. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/assessment/10-assessments-you-can-perform-in-90-seconds/
Neff, L. S. (unknown). Lev Vygotsky and Social Learning Theories. Retrieved December, 2016, from Lev Vygotsky and Social Learning Theories
Lynette, R. (2014, February 27). Teaching Kids to Paraphrase. Retrieved December, 2016, from http://minds-in-bloom.com/teaching-kids-to-paraphrase-step-by-step/
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