Alternative assessment
The most important assessment in schools provides immediate constructive feedback to the learner to promote mastery of knowledge and skills.
Form follows function: the purpose of testing dictates the nature of instruction. If our charge is preparing enlightened citizens and a thriving workforce, assessment and instruction must be practical, sophisticated, and foster the skills needed for our technological age.
Modern teaching and assessment:
-is project and portfolio based (real world application)
-is open-ended (many possible answers and approaches)
-integrates many subject areas in a career-based way
(ex. math, history, art, hypothesis testing= architecture)
-includes self-reflection
-appreciates many intelligences (Multiple Intelligences)
-evaluates communication
-judges the process, not just the product
-focuses on higher-order thinking:
analyzing, evaluating, creating, & synthesizing
-evaluates and encourages rigor, grit, and problem-solving
-developmentally appropriate
-is inexorably linked to instruction
-employs rubrics & running records
-celebrates the ART of teaching and diversity of approaches
Form follows function: the purpose of testing dictates the nature of instruction. If our charge is preparing enlightened citizens and a thriving workforce, assessment and instruction must be practical, sophisticated, and foster the skills needed for our technological age.
Modern teaching and assessment:
-is project and portfolio based (real world application)
-is open-ended (many possible answers and approaches)
-integrates many subject areas in a career-based way
(ex. math, history, art, hypothesis testing= architecture)
-includes self-reflection
-appreciates many intelligences (Multiple Intelligences)
-evaluates communication
-judges the process, not just the product
-focuses on higher-order thinking:
analyzing, evaluating, creating, & synthesizing
-evaluates and encourages rigor, grit, and problem-solving
-developmentally appropriate
-is inexorably linked to instruction
-employs rubrics & running records
-celebrates the ART of teaching and diversity of approaches
Rubric examples Evaluating HOTS
Virginia & National Arts Standards
* In addition to history standards specific to each project...
>>Technology: C/T 3-5.2 B- Use content-specific tools, and software to complete projects.
>>National Art:
* Consider examples of visual art works within historical contexts,
* Understand that the art of a culture is influenced by aesthetic ideas as well as by social, political,
economic, and other factors
* Explore drawing and painting, sculpture, and design; architecture, film, and video; and folk arts
* Gain in their ability to apply the knowledge and skills in the visual arts to their widening personal worlds
* Learn the characteristics of the visual arts by using a wide range of subject matter, symbols,
meaningful images, and visual expressions
* Understand that making and responding to works of visual art are inextricably interwoven and that
perception, analysis, and critical judgment are inherent to both
*Learn that preferences of others may differ from their own
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>>Mathematics
Number and Number Sense
3.3 The student will
a) name and write fractions (including mixed numbers) represented by a model;
b) model fractions (including mixed numbers) and write the fractions’ names; and
c) compare fractions having like and unlike denominators, using words and symbols (>, <, or =).
Measurement
3.9 d) area and perimeter.
3.10 The student will
a) measure the distance around a polygon in order to determine perimeter; and
b) count the number of square units needed to cover a given surface in order to determine area.
Geometry
3.14 The student will identify, describe, compare, and contrast characteristics of plane and solid geometric figures (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid, sphere, cone, and cylinder) by identifying relevant characteristics, including the number of angles, vertices, and edges, and the number and shape of faces, using concrete models.
3.15 The student will identify and draw representations of points, line segments, rays, angles, and lines.
3.16 The student will identify and describe congruent and noncongruent plane figures.
Number and Number Sense
4.2 The student will;
b) represent equivalent fractions; and
c) identify the division statement that represents a fraction.
4.3 The student will
d) given a model, write the decimal and fraction equivalents.
Measurement
4.7 The student will
a) estimate and measure length, and describe the result in both metric and U.S. Customary units; and
b) identify equivalent measurements between units within the U.S. Customary system (inches and feet; feet and yards; inches and yards; yards and miles) and between units within the metric system (millimeters and centimeters; centimeters and meters; and millimeters and meters).
Geometry
4.10 The student will
a) identify and describe representations of points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles, including endpoints and vertices; and
b) identify representations of lines that illustrate intersection, parallelism, and perpendicularity.
4.11 The student will
a) investigate congruence of plane figures after geometric transformations, such as reflection, translation, and rotation, using mirrors, paper folding, and tracing; and
b) recognize the images of figures resulting from geometric transformations, such as translation, reflection, and rotation.
4.12 The student will
a) define polygon; and
b) identify polygons with 10 or fewer sides.
Number and Number Sense
5.2 The student will
a) recognize and name fractions in their equivalent decimal form and vice versa;
Measurement
5.8 The student will
a) find perimeter, area, and volume in standard units of measure;
b) differentiate among perimeter, area, and volume and identify whether the application of the concept of perimeter, area, or volume is appropriate for a given situation;
c) identify equivalent measurements within the metric system;
d) estimate and then measure to solve problems, using U.S. Customary and metric units; and
e) choose an appropriate unit of measure for a given situation involving measurement using U.S. Customary and metric units.
5.9 The student will identify and describe the diameter, radius, chord, and circumference of a circle.
5.10 The student will determine an amount of elapsed time in hours and minutes within a 24- hour period.
5.11 The student will measure right, acute, obtuse, and straight angles.
Geometry
5.12 The student will classify
a) angles as right, acute, obtuse, or straight; and
b) triangles as right, acute, obtuse, equilateral, scalene, or isosceles.
5.13 The student, using plane figures (square, rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, rhombus, and trapezoid), will
a) develop definitions of these plane figures; and
b) investigate and describe the results of combining and subdividing plane figures.
>>Technology: C/T 3-5.2 B- Use content-specific tools, and software to complete projects.
>>National Art:
* Consider examples of visual art works within historical contexts,
* Understand that the art of a culture is influenced by aesthetic ideas as well as by social, political,
economic, and other factors
* Explore drawing and painting, sculpture, and design; architecture, film, and video; and folk arts
* Gain in their ability to apply the knowledge and skills in the visual arts to their widening personal worlds
* Learn the characteristics of the visual arts by using a wide range of subject matter, symbols,
meaningful images, and visual expressions
* Understand that making and responding to works of visual art are inextricably interwoven and that
perception, analysis, and critical judgment are inherent to both
*Learn that preferences of others may differ from their own
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>>Mathematics
Number and Number Sense
3.3 The student will
a) name and write fractions (including mixed numbers) represented by a model;
b) model fractions (including mixed numbers) and write the fractions’ names; and
c) compare fractions having like and unlike denominators, using words and symbols (>, <, or =).
Measurement
3.9 d) area and perimeter.
3.10 The student will
a) measure the distance around a polygon in order to determine perimeter; and
b) count the number of square units needed to cover a given surface in order to determine area.
Geometry
3.14 The student will identify, describe, compare, and contrast characteristics of plane and solid geometric figures (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, cube, rectangular prism, square pyramid, sphere, cone, and cylinder) by identifying relevant characteristics, including the number of angles, vertices, and edges, and the number and shape of faces, using concrete models.
3.15 The student will identify and draw representations of points, line segments, rays, angles, and lines.
3.16 The student will identify and describe congruent and noncongruent plane figures.
Number and Number Sense
4.2 The student will;
b) represent equivalent fractions; and
c) identify the division statement that represents a fraction.
4.3 The student will
d) given a model, write the decimal and fraction equivalents.
Measurement
4.7 The student will
a) estimate and measure length, and describe the result in both metric and U.S. Customary units; and
b) identify equivalent measurements between units within the U.S. Customary system (inches and feet; feet and yards; inches and yards; yards and miles) and between units within the metric system (millimeters and centimeters; centimeters and meters; and millimeters and meters).
Geometry
4.10 The student will
a) identify and describe representations of points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles, including endpoints and vertices; and
b) identify representations of lines that illustrate intersection, parallelism, and perpendicularity.
4.11 The student will
a) investigate congruence of plane figures after geometric transformations, such as reflection, translation, and rotation, using mirrors, paper folding, and tracing; and
b) recognize the images of figures resulting from geometric transformations, such as translation, reflection, and rotation.
4.12 The student will
a) define polygon; and
b) identify polygons with 10 or fewer sides.
Number and Number Sense
5.2 The student will
a) recognize and name fractions in their equivalent decimal form and vice versa;
Measurement
5.8 The student will
a) find perimeter, area, and volume in standard units of measure;
b) differentiate among perimeter, area, and volume and identify whether the application of the concept of perimeter, area, or volume is appropriate for a given situation;
c) identify equivalent measurements within the metric system;
d) estimate and then measure to solve problems, using U.S. Customary and metric units; and
e) choose an appropriate unit of measure for a given situation involving measurement using U.S. Customary and metric units.
5.9 The student will identify and describe the diameter, radius, chord, and circumference of a circle.
5.10 The student will determine an amount of elapsed time in hours and minutes within a 24- hour period.
5.11 The student will measure right, acute, obtuse, and straight angles.
Geometry
5.12 The student will classify
a) angles as right, acute, obtuse, or straight; and
b) triangles as right, acute, obtuse, equilateral, scalene, or isosceles.
5.13 The student, using plane figures (square, rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, rhombus, and trapezoid), will
a) develop definitions of these plane figures; and
b) investigate and describe the results of combining and subdividing plane figures.
by David McDavitt, M.Ed.