Running

head: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Diagnostic Assessment
To pre-assess the students previous knowledge I give the students a KWL
chart. Students will be introduced to the unit by reading and discussing the target.
The discussion will be the first formative pre-assessment. By listening to the
questions and comments the students have about the vocabulary words, and overall
target I will be able to assess the level of knowledge the students bring to the unit. A
discussion is effective to start students thinking about the unit and topics, as well as,
making any personal connections they already have. Lastly discussions pique
questions and help students make predictions about the unit to increase
engagement with the material and subsequent learning. Assessing the students
orally allows students who do not normally test or who struggle to express
themselves in writing an opportunity to show their knowledge and connections they
have with the material.

Once the discussion has completed I will explain and model how to use a

KWL chart. The first box is the K or know box, here the students write down
anything they already know about the unit based on the target and introduction.
This is the place for students to show their ability to make crosscutting
connections to with their learning The next section is the W or want to know box,
here the students can write what they want to learn from this unit. This box allows
the students to show what they know by showing the questions they come up with.
While a student might think they do not know anything about the topic, being able
to ask a question shows a certain level of understanding. The want to know box
also gives the students a say in what is taught allowing the unit to be customized to

Running head: ASSESSMENT PLAN

the specific students interests, tying these questions into the following lessons will
capture the students interest and involvement as they hear their question asked,
talked about and or answered. These students specifically become exponentially
more engaged when they feel ownership over their learning. The last question or
box the students will fill out is the L or learned; here the students will write any
previous lessons where they have learned about these same topics. For example, in
second grade I learned that bees survive by living in a hive.

The students will be reminding that this is a time to show anything you

know, there is no wrong answers the only requirement is that they try their best.
Once the students have filled out the pre-assessment or if students are getting stuck
then I will ask students to pause and turn in what they have so that we can move on
to the next activity.

The third formative pre-assessment will be a guided whole group

brainstorm. Here we will write Survival on a clean page of our science notebook and
the class will come up with all the different ways we survive. Here students can
draw on their personal experience and have an opportunity to connect with the unit.
All people are trying to survive and all students have personal experience with what
they need to survive. By making the unit personal and accessible students will
hopefully feel invested and confident that they have something to bring to this class
and unit. This third assessment combines students writing and speaking skills as
well as interpersonal and intrapersonal skills as they listen to their peers and reflect
on their own lives.

Running head: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Running head: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Formative Assessment

At the end of each lesson students will be asked to turn in their science

notebooks. By collecting the notebooks each night, I can analyze the students
progress and understanding of the topic, along with the effectiveness of my teaching
while providing specific feedback to each student. Most of the specific ongoing
feedback will be given on the science notebooks that are returned to each student at
the beginning of each lesson. This allows the students to see how they are doing,
have a chance to ask clarifying questions and be held accountable and challenged to
do their best work.

The science notebooks keep all the written formative assessments together

so that students can quickly see how they are doing. It also keeps the feedback with
the work they are currently working on so that they can reflect and use the feedback
to better their work and learning. I find that extension questions are effective when
giving feedback, by having the feedback in the science notebooks students can
answer the question or come have a conversation with me about it. This helps the
feedback be relevant and positively affect the learning.

Students will also be given time to discuss the topics throughout the lessons

with their peers and in whole group settings. Discussions give the student another
and different way to interact with the material and it encourages them to actively
participate with their learning. Walking around and hearing the student lead table
discussions are informative and insightful, it gives you a quick snap shot into any
misconceptions or insights the students are having. This allows the students needs
to drive instruction throughout the lesson.

Running head: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Discussions can be time consuming and it is difficult to monitor all students

and provide every student with feedback or the accountability they may need. Using
a variation of fist to five is another way to take a quick snap shot of how the students
are feeling they understand the learning. First students are instructed what every
hand signal represents; I will be using three- two- one zero simplify the procedure
and still get insight from my students. Three fingers raised means that the student
understands the concepts well enough to teach someone who wasnt hear, two
fingers raised means they understand, one finger raised indicates that the student
has questions and needs to hear the material again, zero shows the student would
not be able to recall anything we talked about during the lesson. The variation of fist
to five will be used to gauge pacing and student readiness to continue on to the next
topic.
Summative Assessment

The summative assessment for this unit will be facilitated through Nearpod

an interactive online classroom tool. Nearpod allows you to create a slide show with
the ability to embed videos and images and design questions for students to
individually answer at their own computer. The first part of the assessment will be
asking students multiple choice and short answer questions about key terms and
ideas. The next part will walk the students step by step through designing their own
animal and require them to provide specific evidence to support their design. The
technology allows students work to be shown to the rest of the class throughout the
lesson to give students instant feedback.

Running head: ASSESSMENT PLAN

Having the students design their own animal enables students to take their

understanding of the concepts and apply them in new and creative ways. Rather
than only asking the students to remember what was taught, this assessment will
require students to create something by applying what they have learned in new
ways. Create is the highest level of Blooms taxonomy as it requires student to have
a deep understanding and be able to design and produce connection their
knowledge and personal experience along with who they are. I believe it is nearly
impossible to create something that does not reflect you in some way. By asking the
student to create I am asking the student to engage with their learning and use their
strengths. Students will show their understanding in multiple ways and as most of
the questions are short answer every student can be successful by showing
something they have learned. The summative assessment is differentiated by
assigning short answer questions students can give one-word answers or write a
paragraph. As this standard is not on their report card student will be graded on
effort, active participation, and mastery of the concepts and ideas.

This summative assessment is in alignment with the overarching essential

questions of, How do animals adapt to survive? and the enduring understandings
that animals have unique characteristics necessary for survival in their habitat. As
the whole unit is only four to five lessons my focus is a general understanding that
animal have unique characteristic that allow and are necessary for survival. I want
students to be apple to apply new specific example to this overarching
understanding as they continue to learn and explore the world around them.

Running head: ASSESSMENT PLAN