USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM

1. USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM Presented by Julie West Teaching and Learning Coach/Science Lead Teacher – Wayne Co. Public Schools juliewest@wcps.org 919-330-8417

2. Information obtained from: • Science Formative Assessment (75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning) by Page Keeley, SAGE Publications

3. Defining Formative Assessment … refers to any number of ways that we can uncover student ideas/knowledge about concepts important to the unit being taught in order to adjust our instruction to the needs of the students; collecting evidence of understanding in order to focus teaching and learning.

4. Let’s Assess Your Prior Knowledge … Assessment for learning … • involves teachers providing descriptive feedback rather than evaluative feedback to students • involves teachers assessing frequently and using the results to plan the next steps in instruction • involves reporting to others about students’ achievement status at certain points in time • both a and b

5. Let’s Assess Your Prior Knowledge … Which of the following is NOT considered a key strategy for improving student learning/achievement? • sharing learning targets/intentions with students • providing evaluative/quantitative feedback • engaging students in self assessment • facilitating focused discussions, questions and learning activities • utilizing peer assessment strategies

6. Let’s Assess Your Prior Knowledge … Descriptive and specific feedback should be provided to students • by the teacher • by other students • by both the teacher and other students

7. Let’s Assess Your Prior Knowledge … According to research, which of the following contributes most to student improvement? • providing assessment scores to students • providing comments/feedback to students about their work • providing both scores and comments/feedback to students about their work

8. What are FACTs? • FACTs stands for Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques

9. FACTs Have Implications for Both Teaching and Learning • Selecting specific FACTs can improve teaching by providing a “template” for a new pedagogical practice • Not every FACT is appropriate for every class/teacher • Research into [science] teaching and learning reveals that far too little time is devoted to “sense-making”; FACTs can provide a “structure” for doing that • Don’t grade FACTs; use them to provide feedback and open lines of communication for further thinking

10. Before selecting a FACT, ask yourself these questions … • What is this learning goal about? What is it not about? • What specific ideas provide meaning for the concept? • What specific skills are part of the scientific process? • What content is developmentally appropriate at the level I teach? • What level of sophistication is appropriate to expect from students at the level I teach? • What terminology should students understand and use with this idea or skill?

11. Before selecting a FACT, ask yourself these questions … • What types of phenomena can be used to help students understand the idea? • What types of representations make the content comprehensible to learners? • What precursor ideas or skills do students need first in order to develop understanding? • What other ideas or skills contribute to students’ understanding and ability to use scientific knowledge and skills? • What commonly held ideas or difficulties should I anticipate related to the content?

12. “The learning environment which a teacher creates has a profound impact on the success of the assessment strategies used” (Naylor, Keogh, & Goldsworthy, 2004, p. 15).

13. Agreement Circles - provide a kinesthetic way to activate thinking and engage students in scientific argumentation • Procedure: Students stand in a circle as the teacher reads a statement. The students who agree with the statement step to the center of the circle. They face their peers still standing in the outer circle and then match themselves up in small groups of students who agree and disagree. The small groups engage in discussion to defend their thinking.

14. Procedure (cont.) After discussion, the students are given an opportunity to reposition themselves with those who now agree standing in the center of the circle, those who now disagree standing on the circumference of the circle. The idea is to get everyone either inside the circle or on the circumference. This is repeated with several rounds of statements relating to the same topic, each time with students starting by standing along the circumference of a large circle

15. Let’s Look at an Example 1. Energy is a material that is stored in an object. 2. When energy changes from one form to another, heat is usually given off. 3. Energy can never be created or destroyed. 4. Something has to move in order to have energy. 5. Energy is a type of fuel.

16. Let’s Practice • Form a circle around the perimeter of the room. • Consider the statement, “The reason most beginning teachers give for leaving the profession is lack of support by administration.” • If you agree with this statement, step to the center of the circle. If you do not agree, remain in the outer circle. • Turn to a person(s) in the opposite circle and support your reasoning. • Now, let’s reconsider. If you have changed your opinion, move to the corresponding circle.

17. Modifications • Limit the number of statements for younger students. If all students end up in either the middle or outside of the circle, have them pair up to explain why they agree or disagree. Often there are differences in the justification of their ideas, even if both students agree or disagree with the statement. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

18. Annotated Student Drawings – “MTV” – Make your Thinking Visible • Procedure: Choose an idea that is central to the curricular topic and that can be represented through children’s drawing. Provide a clear prompt for the drawing that will elicit the information you are seeking. Provide clear directions for students. Show students an example from a familiar topic the first time you use this strategy.

19. Let’s Look at an Example In the water cycle task, students were asked to draw a picture that would help someone understand what happens to water as it goes through the water cycle. Draw, label, and briefly describe each part of the water cycle. Include the changes in form and location of the water.

20. Modifications • This FACT can also be administered as a small-group assessment, using a large sheet of paper or whiteboards. Students work collaboratively, discussing their ideas as they reach consensus on the visual components and annotations that should be included in the drawing. Give each student a different color to ensure that everyone’s thoughts are included. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, and health.

21. Cautions • It is best to avoid assigning Annotated Student Drawings as an out-of-class assignment. Using the FACT in the classroom ensures that students will represent their own thinking without accessing information from other sources. This is important since the purpose of this strategy is to find out what is in students’ own minds.

22. Fact First Questioning - a higher-order questioning technique used to draw out student knowledge beyond recall level • Procedure: State the fact first. Be sure to utilize proper wait time after stating the fact in order for students to activate their thinking about the concept. Follow up by asking students to elaborate or explain the “why” behind the fact.

23. Modifications • Consider modifying traditional textbook recall questions into Fact First Questions. • Have older students come up with their own Fact First Questions and responses. • Use Fact First Questions after students have had an opportunity to experience and learn the content. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

24. Let’s Look at Some Examples • A cell is called the basic unit of life. Why is the cell called the basic unit of life? • Density is a characteristic property of matter. Why is density considered a characteristic property? • The small intestine is an organ of the digestive system. Why is it considered part of the digestive system? • The patterns of stars in the night sky stay the same. Why do the patterns of stars in the night sky stay the same? • Sandstone is a sedimentary rock. Why is sandstone considered a sedimentary rock? • Bacteria in the soil are decomposers. Why are bacteria in the soil considered to be decomposers?

25. First Word - Last Word – a variation on acrostics • Procedure: Choose a word or short phrase associated with the unit that you will be teaching. The First Word is given to the students before instruction begins (a pre-assessment). Encourage students to write complete sentences based on the letters in the word. Collect the First Words for analysis and final reflection.

26. Procedure (cont.) After completing a series of lessons on the concept, pass back the First Word assessment and repeat the process on a new sheet of paper (the Last Word). Students should compare their ideas at the beginning of the unit to their current thinking. If their ideas have not changed, they should revise their prior statement to include more details and appropriate terminology. They can clarify misunderstandings by completely re-writing the statement to be scientifically correct. Be sure to model this FACT the first time that it is used.

27. Modifications • Use shorter words for the acrostic with younger students. • This FACT can be used in pairs for students who lack strong language skills and need the support of a peer. • It can also be used as a whole-class activity, charting the class ideas as the First Word and revisiting it to create a Last Word chart that reflects the class consensus after a sequence of instruction. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

28. Let’s Look at an Example – First Word

29. Let’s Look at an Example – Last Word

30. Let’s Take a Time Out – Think, Pair, Share • Think of one formative assessment strategy that has worked well in your classroom and how you have used it to guide instruction. • Pair with the person sitting next to you. • Share this strategy with you partner.

31. Fist to Five – indicates the level of students’ understanding of a concept or procedure • Procedure: At any point during a lesson, ask students to hold up their fingers to indicate their level of understanding A closed fist indicates “no understanding” or “I have no idea” One finger indicates “very little understanding” Two fingers indicates “I understand parts but need lots of help with others”

32. Procedure (cont.) Three fingers indicates “I understand most of it, but am not sure that I can explain it to others” Four fingers indicates “I understand it pretty well and think that I can adequately explain it to others” Five fingers indicates “I understand it completely and can easily explain it to others”

33. Modifications • This FACT can be modified as a three-finger strategy: one finger: I don’t get it, two fingers: I partially get it, and three fingers: I get it. • You can use thumbs up: I get it, thumbs sideways: I’m not sure I understand, and thumbs down: I don’t get it. • It can be used to group students for peer assistance by putting the students who hold up two to three fingers together with the students who hold up four to five fingers. The teacher can then take the closed-fist and one-finger responses aside for differentiated assistance. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

34. Human Scatter Plot – an immediate way to gain a visual of students’ thinking and level of confidence with their responses • Procedure: Label one wall (Y-axis) with the answer choices (A, B, C, D) and an adjacent wall (X-axis) with a range of low confidence to high confidence. Ask a question and have students position themselves in the room according to where they feel they fall on “the graph”. Have the students representing each answer choice explain their thinking. Clarify any misconceptions.

35. Modifications • A paper version can be used instead of a human graph. Pass the graph, with axis labeled, around the class and have students put their initials on it according to where their answer falls and their level of confidence. With this method, teachers also have a written record. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

36. Let’s Look at an Example

37. Muddiest Point – students take a few minutes to jot down what the most confusing part of a lesson was for them • Procedure: This strategy can be used at any point during a lesson. On a half sheet of paper, index card or sticky note, have students describe the “muddiest point” of a lesson. Let students know why you are asking for this information/how you plan to use this information. They will be more sincere and detailed in their responses. Use their responses to inform future instruction.

38. Modifications • This strategy can also be used with homework and in-class assignments. • It can be combined with a question asking students what could be done to help clear up the “muddy points” for them. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

39. Let’s Look at an Example • A teacher might use this FACT to determine how well students can perform a scientific procedure: You have been looking for microorganisms in a drop of pond water. What is the “muddiest point” for you thus far when it comes to using the microscope? I will use the information you give to me to think about ways to help you better use the microscopes in tomorrow’s lesson.

40. Pass the Question – provides an opportunity for students to collaborate and examine other students’ thinking • Procedure: Develop a question that will elicit a rich explanatory response based on students’ prior knowledge or experience. Questions can also be a new application of the concepts students have been learning about in their instructional unit. Arrange students in pairs. Write the question on a chart, on the board, or state orally. Give pairs two to three minutes to collaboratively begin drafting a response to the given question. Make sure students know they need to develop enough of a response so that another pair can follow their thinking, but not so much that it doesn’t leave room for the other pair to complete it.

41. Procedure (cont.) After two to three minutes have passed, pairs swap their partially completed answer with another pair. The pairs then continue to pick up from where the other pair left off. Encourage pupils to cross off parts they don’t agree with and modify or exchange the crossed off part with their own ideas. They may continue adding their own ideas to enhance, extend, and complete the response. When both pairs are finished, they share the completed responses with each other, defending their reasons for any changes they made and providing feedback on each others’ thinking. They also examine whether their ideas converged or diverged. The teacher may ask pairs to share some examples, providing feedback from the teacher and the rest of the class on the response to the question.

42. Modifications • This FACT can also be used with individuals. An individual student starts the response and then exchanges with another student for completion and sharing. • It can also be a written exchange between two different classes studying the same topic. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

43. PVF – Paired Verbal Fluency – partner discussion or reflection • PVF can be used prior to instruction, as a review of a lesson, or for reflection purposes at the end of a sequence of instruction. It also works well as a prelude to whole-class discussion. • Some ways to use PVF include having students talk about a topic to be introduced by sharing what they already know about the topic; having students discuss a recent laboratory experiment, including the significance of their findings; or having students reflect at the end of a kit-based science unit by talking about their key learnings.

44. PVF – Paired Verbal Fluency • Procedure: Ask students to find a partner (or assign one). Have partners move together and determine who will be Partner A and who will be Partner B. Provide the class with a discussion prompt or topic to discuss. Announce that when you give the signal, the designated partner will talk for exactly 1 min. while the other partner listens carefully.

45. Procedure (cont.) Announce “switch”, the partners trade roles and repeat. At the end of the activity, ask for a few volunteers to share what they learned from their partner or to comment on any learning issues they discussed that may need to be resolved.

46. Let’s Practice • Pair up and determine who will be Partner A and who will be Partner B. • Partner B, you have 30 secs. to share all you know regarding the following: The implementation of Common Core and Essential Standards. • On my signal, switch roles and repeat. • Be prepared to share with the whole group.

47. Modifications • Students can be paired by using a variety of strategies. • The time intervals can be changed to other configurations such as 1 minute–40 seconds–20 seconds, 60 seconds–30 seconds–10 seconds (for a closing statement), or other configurations the teacher or students select. • This FACT can also be used in mathematics, social studies, language arts, health, foreign languages, and performing arts.

48. Caution • This strategy may be difficult for English-language learners or students who have a hard time concentrating or hearing. • There is a high level of noise in the classroom when many students are talking at the same time.

49. RERUN – Recall, Explain, Results, Uncertainties, New learnings, write 1 or 2 sentences related to the acronym related to a laboratory or inquiry investigation • This FACT provides a structured opportunity for students to reflect on what they did, how they did it, and what they learned from it. • RERUN helps the teacher determine how well the learning goals that were targeted for the investigation matched what students gained from it.

50. RERUN • Procedure: Post a RERUN chart in the classroom. Provide time after an investigation for students to complete the RERUN while the experience is still fresh in their minds. RERUN can be assigned individually or completed collaboratively by lab groups. Teachers may choose to have students share their reflections with others using PVF.