Formative+Assessments

= Formative Assessments 2012 =

-- Member names and contributions have been color coded. If you want to change your color, feel free! -- Please write your name after the TITLE of your contribution instead of at the end. Thanks!

__Professional Development Group Members__
Lee Wignall (group facilitator) Jamie Crannell John Broberg Maritza Roberto-Torres Liz Houtz

__Bank of Activities__
= **__ Stand-up, Sit-down (Lee Wignall) __** =

== At the beginning of class, have all students stand next to their desk. Their ticket to sitting down is to answer a question about the previous day’s material (or the current topic). You can either present the questions out loud and have students raise their hand if they know the answer, or ask students to raise their hand to mention something //they// remember. Make it fast-paced. With a class of 35 this activity should only take a few minutes. ==

== **Cons:** Some students will just repeat what others have said (no back-to-back similar answers) or claim they don’t know //anything.// If that’s the case, press them a bit but ultimately let them “phone a friend” to get something they can repeat back to the class. ==

==== Each student gets a set of ABCD flashcards at the beginning of class. The teacher shows a powerpoint presentation that reviews vocabulary, basic concepts, etc. that have multiple choice answers. Students “vote” with their flashcards and the teacher acknowledges the cards students hold up: “I see a B, a D, another B, a C!” Make sure every student holds up a card. Then click the powerpoint so the correct answer is circled, highlighted, or the rest drop off the screen. Briefly discuss each answer if there were varying student votes. ====

==== **Pros:** Gets all students involved and allows for brief feedback on incorrect answers. Some students will compete with others. Instead of ABCD, use colors or other symbols (possibly related to the course) ====

__** Red, Blue,Yellow, Green cards (Liz Houtz) **__
==== Very similar to Lee's above, except the cards are colored. While giving notes with a powerpoint, students vote for what they think the correct response is. Every student needs to vote. One way to minimize students' copying thier friends' cards is to have the backs of the cards be white. If less than ~80% of the clas has the correct answer, then i have students confer with their table-mates or neighbors and try to come to some agreement. Then we vote again. One aditional thing I sometimes do is have them hold thier card up in accordance with thier level of confidence. In other words, if they are just guessing, they should hold their card low, by the floor. If they are positive, hold it high in the air. ====

==== At the beginning of class, each student (or pair of students) receives a small whiteboard, eraser, and marker. The teacher then shows a powerpoint with open-ended questions such as “how many atoms wide is the human hair?” or a definition for a vocabulary word—whatever fits with the current unit. Students have to write the correct answer on their dry erase board. If it’s a vocabulary exercise, then they would need the right word. However, depending on the question, students could be guessing a number or even drawing a diagram. Students show their answers all at the same time and the teacher asks each group to say their word, number, or show the class their picture. ====

==== **Cons:** Can run a little long depending on how long students take to “share” their answers. Some students may give up early on if they don’t know the material. Students may use the markers to draw instead of answer. ====

__Whiteboard Modification (Liz Houtz)__:
==== I have been using the larger whiteboards a lot lately. With the 9th grade physics students, I have been providing "fill-in" notes, with blank areas for problem-solving. I put the notes on the screen. Students (3-4 /group) work the problem on the large whiteboards. I walk around looking and helping. Then students hold up their boards and we compare answers. Then, I solve it on the screen with my tablet pen so I can save it and put in on my Moodle. ====

Sometimes, 1 kids per group does all the work and the others don't get a chance (or are happy not to try.)
==== I have been using the large boards that Jamie C bought. When we are done, I walk around and give each board a squirt of 70% ethanol. I brought in a bag of rags from home so every group has a rag. Students can then clean their boards and put them back. I figure ethanol is cheaper than new boards. ====

__**Thumbs Up (John Broberg)**__
 * Materials: ** none

This is done durring or after instruction. After information is given to students, I want to know if what was presented was understandable for everyone or if I need to clarify, do more repetition, or repeat. I ask the students to put their thumbs up (means you understand the material), thumbs down (means you do not understand), or thumbs in the middle (means you get some of the material). If I see that all students' thumbs are up, I know what was delivered made sense; I can move on. If I see some student's thumbs are in the middle, I may need to clarify. If student's thumbs are down, I may need to clarify, repeat or identify those students as ones I should give individual attention to within a short amount of time.

Pros: Quick way of checking if the students understand what you are delivering is understandable. Students can communicate without speaking out or standing out.

Cons: Does not check that the students retain information or use the information.


 * __ Does Everyone Agree? (John Broberg) __**
 * Materials: ** none

This is done during a part of class where the instructor is asking for correct student responses to a question. A question is asked, directed toward the whole class. One student is called on to answer (either they raised their hand or cold-called). When the student give their answer to the class, the teacher then asks the class, as a whole, "Does everyone agree?" The instructor can make note of students that agree or disagree with the answer.

If students agree, the class procedes. If the class does not agree, the original answer is rectified by either asking another student or asking another question to the class.

Other adaptations to this could be: to ask one or two other students if they agree with the answer rather than the whole class; ask other questions, such as "how many of you got this answer?"

Pros: Quick way of checking if a majority of students would have the same or different response as the answer given. Most of the time, if students don't agree, they tend to be hesitant or look like they are second guessing themselves. A great way of keeping students engaged or attentive (especially if you call on one or two other students rather than the whole class). Does not put just one student on the spot.

Cons: Does not check for all individual students' personal answers or understanding or if they retain information.


 * __ Check Student Work (John Broberg) __**
 * Materials: ** none

When students are asked to answer a question or solve a problem in class and write it in their notes, the instructor walks around the classroom, inspecting student responses.

Pros: Checks for individual student understanding. Can give breif, individual interventions to students if needed.

Cons: Individual interventions are short.

__Encourage Random Participation (Liz Houtz)__

I have set up each class roster in "The Hat". This is a free download and one can enter each class roster into a file. Then, I use it in class to get the class going if they all seem to have no interest or energy. It makes some great noise and then picks a name out of the hat. I usually do it twice, and then ask for volunteers.

Pros: It does work pretty well to get class participation going. Also it ensures "randomness." Cons: You need to have it open and ready to go. Sometimes the kids get tired of it (don't overuse.)

Link to The Hat

**__ (1) Only one student is responsible for the grade of the group (Maritza Roberto-Torres) __**


 * Materials: **

- A cup of marbles or small papers with four numbers labeled 1-4 - Set of problems

Have students group themselves in groups of four. Students start solving the set of problems.

- Each group has the responsibility of completing their set of problems - Every student in the group has to make sure that he/she knows how to solve the problem because at the end only one of the team members will be responsible for the grade of the group. - Have students in each group number their members from 1 through 4 - When the group is ready, the teacher comes over to check on the group. One member of the group takes a marble from the cup. The person with the number selected will be the one responsible for reporting how to solve a problem. The problem for each group can be chosen randomly by using the cup too. - Every student feels the pressure of being responsible for their learning and for everyone’s grade on that assignment. - It allows for collaboration. It is of the best interest of each student to make sure that everyone knows how to solve each problem because anyone could be the one chosen to report to the teacher. - It makes grading easier
 * Expectations: **
 * Pros: **

**Cons**: - Some students may complain if the person selected answered the question wrong when the other three members of the group knew how to do it. To avoid this, it’s good to be clear from the begining that they have to make sure they are teaching each other. - Don’t overuse it **__(2) K-W-L (Maritza Roberto)__**

This type of formative assessment is a good tool that allows students to share their prior knowledge, commit to a prediction and move on to clarifying their misconceptions.

The table below shows an example of the type of questions I have asked the students prior to introducing a unit on the behavior of light.

K-W-L works well before demos that introduce a topic. It should be completed before students are exposed to the concept. The questions asked in the K-W-L come from the main ideas we want to teach or our learning objectives.

The K and W are completed by the students before the demo, activity, video or lab. Encourage student participation to share their pre-conceptions with the class. Listen to several ideas before moving on.

Students can complete the W section after the demo or activity. Holding a class discussion before they put down what they learned will help them articulate a better idea in their own words.

If you could see light, what would you see? ||  ||   ||   ||
 * **Question** ||  **K**   **What do I already know?**  ||  **W**   **What do I want to learn?**  ||  **L**   **What have I already learned?**  ||
 * How does light travel in space?
 * If you were in a completely dark room for a while, would your eyes be able to adjust and eventually you will see something? Yes or No. Explain your answer. ||  ||   ||   ||


 * Pros: **

- Students quickly realize whether they were wrong or right. It takes more than one exposure to overcome misconceptions.


 * Cons: **


 * - ** Some students will want to not make a prediction or may find themselves not knowing what to write. Listening to some students answers will help those students get started.

- It takes time to complete this table. To make the time more efficiently used, it's a good idea to show on the screen the countdown of an online stopwatch. This will help the students be more productive with their time.

__ ** (3) The Majority Rule (Maritza Roberto) ** __

**Materials**

- A question that could have three different answers, but only one right answer.

- A microphone

- Whiteboards. Some students will find it useful to show their work.

**Expectations**

Let the class know that the answer to that question is worth some extra credit points or test points if it is a very challenging question.

-The whole class will get the points only if the majority of the class agrees with the right answer.

-It’s either full points or zero. It is still a zero for the group that was arguing for the right answer but did not convince the rest of the class to move to their side.

**Description:**

Students are prompted with a question. Let them discuss it with the neighbor before sharing with the class. After a minute or so, ask the students to share their answers. You will end up with three different possibilities and the students will have to choose one.

List the three answers on the board. Ask the students to move to the back of the room if they agree with answer #1, to the left side of the room if they agree with answer # 2, and to the right side of the room if they agree with answer # 3.

Ask each group of students to come up with an argument that will convince the rest of the class they should move to their side because their answer is the right one. Each group is given time to share their argument. Pass out the microphone to the students that are talking, only the person with the microphone talks. After listening to their classmates’ arguments, some students will change their mind. Ask those students what caused them to change their minds and explain what convinced them. Ask if some else is moving.

**Pros:**

- Students move around the classroom and commit to an answer

- Students have to come up with a convincing argument if they think they have the right answer.

- This activity shows the students that they have to be confident and persuasive to convince people that they are right. And that is also part of what science is about.

**Cons:**

Use it no more than once a week