Tyler Anderson
Aug 19, 2009
EDU 6613: Standards Based Assessment
Module #4: Envisioning Portfolios and Revisiting and Improving your Unit Pre-test
Portfolio:
The best kind of portfolio to demonstrate assessment for student learning and that works
best with my learning targets is a competence portfolio. I believe that this is the best
type of portfolio because chemistry is a classic example of a subject where concepts
continually build upon each other. In other words, one concept must be mastered in order
to possess the intellectual capacity to understand subsequent concepts. A competence
portfolio would clearly monitor the process of concept mastery for the unit. It would
provide sequential evidence of understanding and achievement for both the teacher and
student.
Artifacts:
The artifacts that I would chose to support an assertion of competence for the learning
targets are as follows:
1. Scientific Models Activity - leads into the idea that the model of the atom has
been around for over 2000 years and continues to change even to this day. This
activity will allow students to reflect on how we use models to describe things
that we cannot see with the naked eye. It will give students the opportunity to
practice making models of objects that are difficult to investigate directly. It will
help them understand that there are many ways to observe and test the “unseen”.
2. Atomic Art Project - draw a generic model of the atom and the definitions of
protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic number, mass number, isotope, and ion. This
will give students the chance to illustrate a sample model of an atom with all of its
basic components. This activity will help students visualize and better understand
what atoms “look” like. It will be especially beneficial to those who are visualspatially inclined.
3. Counting Electrons & The Periodic Table - students learn how many electrons go
on each energy level and then make diagrams for several elements. Next, they
will try to come up with their own patterns for the diagrams. This leads to a
discussion about the Periodic Table and it’s trends, with an exercise in which
students fill in a blank Periodic Table and examine the patterns of protons and
electrons. This assignment will allow students to discover for themselves how the
Periodic Table is organized and give them a clearer understanding of it’s trends.
4. Ionic Bonding - the final trend of the Periodic Table is the number of electrons
each element needs to lose or gain in order to have a full outer energy level.
Students will complete a worksheet in which they will explore various elements
and examine how many electrons need to be lost or gained to complete that outer
energy level. They will also list common ions for said elements.
5. Student Bonding – an activity in which students become a fictional “student”
atom. They get to choose the name, atomic number, and number of electrons that
they need to gain or lose to reach a completed outer energy level. Students will
interact with each other in an attempt to form stable compounds, and will track
their fictional compounds on a worksheet. This will help students understand the
concepts of bonding and how there are a multitude of different compounds that
can be formed.
These five artifacts could be used for student refection in a few different ways. First off,
they are not assignments and worksheets that simply require students to read the text and
then answer questions. They necessitate critical thinking and will allow students to
discover new ways to conceptualize chemistry concepts. When new concepts are
explicitly taught throughout the unit, students will recognize that they have already
discovered and explored these concepts on their own via the artifacts. Towards the end
of the unit, these artifacts can be used as a study tool for the final exam. More
importantly, however, the artifacts can be used to encourage students and show them that
they have mastered the content before the exam. They will recognize that chemistry is
more than just rote memorization, but that it involves the scientific method of discovery,
the use of models, and logical reasoning. Hopefully, upon reflecting on these artifacts,
students will be more confident and capable learners.
Unit Pre-Test:
Matching: Place the letter on the blank beside the appropriate definition.
(knowledge mastery) (0.5 point each)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Family on the periodic table that has full outer
energy levels.
An atom with different numbers of neutrons.
An electron transfer.
Family of elements that needs to gain 1 electron
in order to have a full outer energy level.
Family of elements that needs to lose 1 electron
in order to have a full outer energy level.
An atom with a positive or negative charge.
A link between atoms to make compounds
_________ The sharing of electrons
_________ The number of protons in the nucleus
_________ The number of protons plus neutrons
A. Isotope
B. Ion
C. Atomic Number
D. Atom
E. Ionic Bond
F. Covalent Bond
G. Halogen
H. Alkali Metal
I. Noble Gas
J. Bond
K. Mass Number
Place the correct letter on the line beside the definition (each can be used more than
once): (knowledge mastery) (0.5 point each)
a. Proton
b. Neutron
d. Proton and neutron
c. Electron
e. None of the above
1.) located in the nucleus
2.) has a negative charge
3.) has a mass of 1 amu
4.) particle with a positive charge
5.) accounts for 50% of the mass of the atom
6.) the last subatomic particle found
7.) particle with a mass of 1/1837 amu
8.) the charge of the nucleus is determined by
9.) particle found outside the nucleus
10.) particle with a neutral charge
Draw each of the following atoms. Label the nucleus with the correct number of
protons it contains and place the electrons in the correct energy levels. (knowledge
mastery)
1.) Beryllium (Be) (2 points)
points)
2.) Phosphorous (P) (2
a.) How many electrons does Beryllium need to gain or lose in order to
become stable? What is its ionic symbol? What are two examples of
compounds it could form? (Use the periodic table for help) (reasoning
proficiency) (4 points)
b.) How many electrons does Phosphorous need to gain or lose in order to
become stable? What is its ionic symbol? What are two examples of
compounds it could form? (Use the periodic table for help) (reasoning
proficiency) (4 points)
Complete the following table with the correct information. (knowledge mastery) (1
point each)
Symbol
Si
Hg
Ca
Atomic #
Mass #
Protons
14
Electrons
Neutrons
14
200
80
20
20
Extended Response: Write your answers in complete sentences and include as
many details as you can remember.
1.) Describe the process of bonding. Draw and label an example of both a covalent
and ionic bond. (5 points)
2.) Why do models continue to change and what is an example of that change? (4
points)
3.) The periodic table is organized based on the elements’ atomic numbers. The
result is a table that provides information about the structures of the various
elements. What are two horizontal structural trends? What are two vertical
structural trends? (Remember to explain WHY these trends exist) (4 points)
4.) Based on what you have learned about periodic trends, tell me everything (at least
6 facts) you know about Radon (Rn) (6 points)
Test Plan:
Learning Target
Type of
Target
Knowledge,
Reasoning
Assessment Method
Knowledge
Selected Response
44%
I understand the periodic
properties of the elements.
Knowledge,
Reasoning
24%
I understand ionic and covalent
bonding.
Knowledge,
Reasoning
Selected Response,
Extended Written
Response
Selected Response,
Extended Written
Response
I know about scientific models
and the history of the atomic
model
I know about atomic structure.
Extended Written
Response
Percent
Importance
8%
24%
In terms of the number of questions, the clear majority of my unit pre-test is selected
response. However, when looking at the scored weight of the questions, it is
approximately 60% selected response and 40% extended response. This seems like a
good balance to me for two reasons. First, having a higher quantity of selected response
items makes for a quicker test of basic content knowledge and is also easier to grade.
Secondly, the extended response focuses more on quality and necessitates critical
thinking and a deeper understanding of the concepts.