The ABC’s of Informative
(Possible Pre-assessments
and Formative Assessments)
For a Unit on Owls
www.whooooknew.com
Most of the ideas here can be
used for ANY topic of study.
Some have specific examples
about owls, others are just
general ideas that could be
adapted to a unit on owls/owl
pellets.
Alphabet Graffiti
A
(pre- and formative)
•In groups of 3, have students brainstorm ANYTHING they
know about owls and owl pellets.
•Have students write the ABC list (on the left) on Chart
Paper, with OWLS in the box on the top.
• Assign the roles of RECORDER, REPORTER, AND SPY.
• Give the students 2 minutes to brainstorm as many words
or very short phrases about owls/owl pellets (RECORDER
records the words on the chart).
(Example: S = Silent Flight, P = Pellets, B = Barn Owls).
•After 2 minutes, the SPIES can look at other groups’ chart
paper to get ideas for the letters they are missing.
•They have 1 minute to get ideas from other groups.
•Next, the group discusses what they would like the
REPORTER to tell the class the most important things they
know about owls.
•Conduct a class discussion. This can be done as a preassessment, then later as a formative assessment.
A
Statement
Owls have an excellent sense of
smell, which helps them locate prey
in darkness.
Owl pellets are owl poop.
Owls are strictly carnivorous.
All species of owls are nocturnal.
Adult owls have few natural
predators.
It is a federal crime to intentionally
injure or kill an owl.
Anticipation Guides
(pre- and formative)
Prediction
Agree
Disagree
Findings
True
False
Focused on key learning targets, Anticipation Guides list 1-6 (less for primary
grades, more for upper elementary) true and false statements. Teachers lead
students through a discussion surrounding the statements, with students
sharing their rationale, prior knowledge, or current thinking about each
statement before marking their predictions.
B
Bump in the Road
or
Fogginess
(formative)
• Write down something from the lesson that
they find confusing or difficult.
• Collect responses and review, OR
• Form small groups and ask students to share
their “bumps” and seek clarification.
• This could be used as an “Exit Card.”
Crumpled Question Toss
C
•
Each student writes a question about something discussed during the unit (or questions
are pre-written). Here are some good pre-written questions on owls:
–
–
–
–
–
–
•
•
•
•
•
•
(formative)
What do we know about the digestive system of the owl?
What important job does the owl have related to the rodent population?
What could happen if there were no owls to eat the rodents?
What could happen if there were no rodents for the owls to eat?
What happens to owl pellets after they are expelled?
What happens to the owl when it dies?
Crumple paper and gently toss to another.
Open crumpled paper and answer the question.
Re-crumple and toss.
Add any needed additional information.
Re-crumple and toss a third time.
Final student makes changes/additions, the presents the question/answers with class.
Card Trick
C
(formative)
This is just a way to have students report out
after a Think/Pair/Share.
• Each student picks a playing card.
• When the teacher asks a question or gives a
problem, discuss it with your partner.
• The teacher will say something like, “all red
cards stand” or “all Kings stand.”
• The teacher will pick someone who is standing
to respond.
D
Dry-Erase
Back to Back Boards
(formative)
• Pairs of students each get a mini-white board and
stand back-to-back.
• The teacher asks a question and students each
answer on their individual board.
• When the teacher says “turn around” they show
each other their answers and discuss.
Entrance or Exit Cards
E
(pre- or formative)
• Students write a response to a teacher generated
question on a slip of paper.
• After reviewing results, teacher can review and
re-teach if necessary.
• Entrance cards – questions related to upcoming
learning.
• Exit cards – questions related to completed
instruction.
• Variation – use same question for both Entrance
and Exit.
(formative)
Exit Card
• Name:
• Question: What kind of animals are found in the owl pellet?
Rate yourself:
1 = high confidence
2 = medium confidence
3 = I’m not sure on this
YES
Would you
help
someone
else learn
this?
Not at
this time
Four Corners
F
(formative)
• Teacher posts questions, concepts, or vocabulary
words in each of the corners of the room (Example:
Consumer – Producer – Predator – Prey).
• Each student is assigned a corner. Once in the
corner, the students discuss the focus of the lesson
in relation to the question, concept, or words.
• Students may report out or move to another corner
and repeat.
• After students have moved, as a writing assignment
they should be encouraged to reflect on changes in
opinion or what they have learned.
G
Graphic Organizers or
Learning Logs
(pre- or formative)
What I knew
already…
New
Vocabulary
Important to
remember
Chart/Picture it
This reminded
me of…
Not so sure
about this…
Human Graph
H
•
•
•
•
•
(pre-assessment or formative)
This can be done using the Anticipation Guide questions.
Students record their results on paper (they do not put their names on the
paper)
The teachers asks students to form a circle with their papers in-hand.
The papers are crumpled up and thrown in the middle of the circle.
Students pick up someone else’s paper and then the teacher has students form
a “human graph” with the results. This works well, because the results are
anonymous and the teacher can then discuss the results in a more general way
without pointing the finger at students who do not yet know or understand the
concepts being taught/learned.
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Agree
Disagree
I
Idea Spinner
(formative)
•
Predict
Explain
Evaluate
Free
Summarize
The teacher creates a spinner marked
into 4 or 5 quadrants and labeled “Predict,
Explain, Summarize, Evaluate” and “Free.”
• After new material is presented, the
teacher spins the spinner and asks
students to answer a question based on
the location of the spinner. For example,
if the spinner lands in the “Summarize”
quadrant, the teacher might say, “List the
key concepts just presented.”
Journal Entry
J
(formative)
• Writing done to encourage reflection or
exploration of ideas or interest.
• Questions for reflection are often given by the
teacher. Sample questions for the unit on
owls/owl pellets are shown below.
• How does the formation of owl pellets increase
an owl’s chances of survival in an ecosystem?
• How many different trophic levels are
represented in an owl’s food web?
• Why is the quantity of prey important to the
owl’s diet?
Key Concepts
K
(formative)
– Explain the key concept “_interdependence__.”
– Give a definition (in your own words), draw a
symbol/picture to represent it, give an example of the
concept, and a big idea to go with it.
Interdependence
Definition
Big Idea
The way in which living organisms depend
on each other to remain alive, grow and
reproduce.
Species depend on one
another and on the
environment for
survival.
Picture/symbol
Examples
Predator/Prey relationship
Commensalism
Parasitism
Mutualism
L
Letter to Principal/Parent
(formative)
• Write a short letter to the principal/parent
telling him or her all of the ideas you have
learned about this week about owls and
owl pellets.
M
Magnets
(formative)
Instead of Magnets, Use Post-its
No clue
I’ve heard
of this.
I know a
lot about
this.
I’m an
expert on
this.
Note-Taking Specialist
N
(formative)
• Switch notes with your partner.
• Look at your partner’s notes and enhance
his/her notes by underlining key
terms/ideas, drawing symbols for key
ideas, adding in any important notes that
are missing, asking questions about key
ideas.
O
ONION Circle or
Outside/Inside Circle
(formative)
• Inside and outside (concentric) circles of
students face each other.
• Within each pair of facing students,
students quiz each other with questions
they have written or problems they have
created.
• Outside circle moves to create new pairs.
• Repeat.
O-W-L
(Pre and formative)
O
O
What do you
OBSERVE about
the Owl Pellet.
W
What do you
WONDER about
the Owl Pellet.
L
What did you
LEARN about the
Owl Pellet.
Adapted from:
Ansberry, K. & Morgan, E. (2010). Picture-perfect science lessons: Using children’s
books to guide inquiry, 3-6. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
P-M-I
P
(formative)
P-M-I
P (Plus/Positives about the topic – Owl Pellets)
M (Minus/Negatives about the – Owl Pellets)
I (Intriguing/Interesting about the topic – Owl
Pellets)
S (Suggestions for further study on the topic –
Owl Pellets)
Quick Write/Quick Draw
Q
(pre-assessment or formative)
Draw the food
chain or food web
of the owl and
explain the flow of
energy in the food
chain or food web.
Draw
Explain
Rock, Paper, Scissors
R
(formative)
• Another way to do report out a Think/Pair/Share
as you discuss some aspect about owls and/or owl
pellets.
• Listen to the question or the problem the teacher
asks and discuss it with your partner.
• Do “Rock, Paper, Scissors” with your partner.
• The winner stands and the teacher will choose one
or more of the winners to answer the question.
Repeat several times.
Spinner – Used with Think/Pair/Share
(formative)
S
• Students number off from 1 - 8.
• In response to a teacher prompt or
question, students THINK,
• Then PAIR (discuss with a partner),
• And then SHARE ideas with the whole
class – only those whose number is
called (using the spinner) share.
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
1
SPIN
2
8
3
7
4
6
5
Tear and Share Activity
(formative)
T
1
2
What are the
most
important
prey items for
the barn owl?
Most of these owl
pellets came from
owls from the Rocky
Mountain area.
Would you expect
to find the same
results from barn
owls in New York?
Why or why not?
3
4
List and explain
3 adaptations
that owls have
for hunting
silently at night.
Do you think an
eagle pellet
would be as
useful for
dissecting as an
owl's? Why or
why not?
•Students are given a piece of paper with 4
questions written on it. They answer all 4
questions.
•Then, students are assigned to a cooperative
group of 4 students. Students in the group number
off from 1-4.
•Each student tears his/her paper into 4 pieces and
gives the #1 question to person #1, #2 question to
person #2, etc.
•Each student reads the 4 responses silently, then
summarizes all 4 responses orally for the group –
starting with person #1 who summarizes the #1
responses. Continue to #2, etc.
U
Understanding Check with
Signaling
(pre-assessment or formative)
4 Fingers – Very Well
3 Fingers – Well
2 Fingers – Somewhat Well
1 Fingers – Not Very Well
Fist – Not At All
Informal Formative Assessment:
Red, Yellow, Green - Cups
RED: Show red if you…
• feel I have not explained this clearly;
• still have many questions;
• can’t work without assistance; or
• do not understand what you are supposed to do.
YELLOW: Show yellow if you…
• have a question;
• need more information; or
• need more time to think.
GREEN: Show green if you…
• really understand;
• can explain what you know to the class; or
• are okay if I call on you.
V
Venn
or H-Diagram
(formative)
Compare the owl pellet and an eagle pellet.
Whiteboard or Chart Paper Champs
(formative)
W
• The class is divided into 5-6 teams.
• The whiteboard/chart paper is divided into a large space
for each team.
• Each person needs a writing utensil.
• When the teacher says “Go,” all team members rush to
their area and write or draw (symbols/pictures) to
represent key ideas in the current topic of study. (It will
be crowded!)
• At the end of 3 minutes, each team must present 2-3
ideas from their whiteboard or chart paper creation.
Websites – Wallwisher
(pre-assessment or formative)
• http://www.wallwisher.com/
X Marks the Spot
X
(pre-assessment and formative)
• Have students track their progress on the
targets.
X
X
Yes/No Cards
Y
(pre-assessment or formative)
• Students make a large index card with Yes (or "Got It")
on one side, No ("No clue") on the other side.
• Teachers ask an introductory or review question.
• Students who know the answer hold up the Yes card, if
they might have the answer they hold the No card.
• Then do a quick Think/Pair/Share.
• This short assessment can give a quick look at what the
group is ready for/understands/'gets'.
• Example: Use when introducing vocabulary words that
students need as a knowledge base for a specific unit
of study.
ZAP Game (Like Password)
(formative for a vocabulary check)
Z • One student looks at the screen – one does
•
•
•
•
not look at the screen.
The student looking at the screen gives clues
to the student not looking at the screen.
As soon as someone “gets” the word, the
team raises their hands.
Other teams quietly say “ZAP.”
Do 6 words, then switch partners.
ZAP
(Like Password)
A Vocabulary Review Activity
The
Predator
is…
The
Adaptation
is…
The
Prey
is…
The
Interdependence
is…
The
Ecosystem
is…
The
Trophic
is…
The
Pellet
is…
The
Herbivorous
is…
The
Omnivores
is…
The
Producers
is…
The
Consumers
is…