Assessment Opportunities:
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ongoing (i.e., exit slips, reading/reflection response online)
through conferencing (one-on-one, small group)
observations throughout (anecdotal)
opportunities for self-assessment, peer-assessment (focus on assessment as learning)
effects of descriptive feedback (Are students applying feedback?)
culminating task (assessment during process)
questioning skills (Are students demonstrating an inquiry stance? Are they critical thinkers
throughout their learning?)
Assessment As Learning:
-triangulation of data (observation, conversation, and documentation - Watt & Colyer)
http://www.oupcanada.com/school/order_form/upload/forms/iq_sampler_3.2_2014.pdf
-outcomes from ongoing descriptive feedback (are students demonstrating and applying new learning in
new contexts?)
-pedagogical documentation through professional discourse…invite other educators into the learning
space (guiding questions: What do we see? What do we think? What does this tell us about this
particular student’s thinking and learning? What assumptions are we making? What are our next
steps?)
-conversation through Knowledge Building Circle (learning through listening)
-daily exit slips (i.e., post-its, reflection on class blog, specifically refers to the conversation through
knowledge building, etc.)
Examples:
This site provides an excellent overview of ‘exit slips’ and assessment, including some useful prompts:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct12/vol70/num02/The-Many-Uses-of-ExitSlips.aspx
This document provides some examples of ‘exit slip’ templates that can be adapted cross-curricular:
(Dickson & Nickelson: http://s448641488.initial-website.com/freebies/
Example…Triangulation of data and/or assessment (Ministry of Education):
How will you get them there? How did you scaffold the instruction of required skill sets and knowledgebuilding? Use sub-headings to describe the sequence of teaching/learning strategies and discussion
outlines with suggested timelines.
The following lists some suggestions regarding ‘minds on’ activities, strategies, and learning experiences.
In honouring an authentic inquiry learning stance, it is important to note that these are suggested
timelines and actionable plans. How the learning unfolds must be responsive to the connection
between curriculum expectations and individual students.
Week 1
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Provocations, critical questions, learning goals
(i.e., Investigation of where we live…What existed before our homes were built? How did
construction affect the natural landscape of the area? What will the impact be of new homes in
the area? What will happen on any remaining land and/or other land as we look outside our
immediate neighbourhood? Any connections to First Nations’ experiences with Early Explorers?)
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Success Criteria – ongoing, making adjustments as needed…how will we choose to demonstrate
our understanding?
Content knowledge via texts (online, textbooks, articles, websites, etc.)
Investigation into historical art periods (Why were some artists, during certain art periods,
focused on capturing the natural world through their paintings, drawings, etc.?)
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K-W-L-Q Chart in preparation for first Knowledge Building Circle (‘Questions’ guide further
inquiry into subsequent weeks.)
Daily exit slips, responding to reflection questions, a protocol, etc. (i.e., ‘I.C.Q’ Protocol –
Adolescent Literacy Guide)
http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesLIT/ProfessionalLearningFacilitator/ALG_FacilitatorsGuide.pd
f
See Appendix 1 for some guidelines
Week 2
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Revisit/reflect on initial learning experiences
Neighbourhood walk with a ‘critical lens’ (guiding questions: How has the natural environment
in our local community changed in the last 100 years and why? How has this impacted the way
of life for all living things? What are the effects of these decisions? What do you notice is
happening now to our local community? What predictions can you make about our local
community twenty years from now?)
Dependent on the local community, students are encouraged to discuss, research, and ask
questions about how to preserve biodiversity and why it is necessary (much of this is based on
prior knowledge of the second overall expectation)
Invite an ‘expert’ to speak with the class, or take a field trip (i.e., Toronto Zoo) to explore some
of these questions
Knowledge Building Circles should focus on responses to guiding questions as this is an
opportunity to assess and evaluate students’ extension of understanding
Oral Communication expectations can be assessed and evaluated during this time (i.e., active
listening)
Ongoing written responses/reflections based on new knowledge
Small group and/or individual conferencing during this time is an opportunity to discuss options
for differentiated assessment and evaluation (guiding questions: What has resonated most so
far in your new learning? Why does it matter to you? How do you want to demonstrate your
learning and share with others?)
Teacher Tip: “After a second walk in the neighborhood, with a ‘critical lens’, a few students were deeply
concerned about the industrial area in which our school was located. They shared their concerns about
location, how the amount of pollution was affecting what little plants and animals were left in the area,
and especially how the pollution was affecting all the people living in the community. Their main
question was who decides what gets built and where? The investigations into this question, the
historical and present day connections to FMNI, and the effects of all of this on biodiversity are
boundless.”
Week 3
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Daily Knowledge Building Circle as an opportunity to share, question, listen, inquire, and discuss
actionable learning opportunities in order to address the overall curriculum expectations
Assessment and Evaluation through observation and anecdotal notes (focus on subject-specific
vocabulary, in context of biodiversity)
Students work on culminating tasks based on their learning (range: oral presentations, digital
presentations, writing a letter to appropriate organizations voicing their concerns, presenting to
other classes in the school, etc.) Student agency included a proposal for becoming an ‘EcoSchool’, request for planting more trees in the school yard, visit to the new development sales
centre inquiring about ‘green initiatives’ for the new housing project in the neighbourhood, and
a proposal to principal/school board in redesigning the school yard to better reflect a ‘natural’
environment (this prompted discussion on ‘Financial Literacy’….who decides how educational
funds are spent?)
Assessment and Evaluation during this week based on observation, conversation, and
documentation
Guiding questions for culminating task: What are the positive and negative human effects on
biodiversity and what can we do to make a difference? What defines an animal activist?
What actions can we take in order to preserve biodiversity? What innovative ways can we use
to voice our opinions to reach a broader audience? The focus of the learning experience is in
the following:
 Gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of biodiversity
 Reflect on possible action plans to preserve biodiversity
 Generate further wonderings…
What were the Inquiry experiential and hands-on opportunities? Use sub-headings to describe these
teaching/learning opportunities with suggested timelines.
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exploration of school yard (documentation of observations)
community walk (investigate wonderings; seeing the environment, living and non-living, through
a ‘critical lens’)
Toronto Zoo (experiential learning through workshop format…review of content knowledge,
observations of plants and animals in natural habitats, question issues of biodiversity to extend
understanding)