Landforms Assessment Options
Assessment Option
Type of Assessment
Formative/
Summative
Content/Skills/
Attitudes
Pretest
Posttest
Lesson
Number
Notes


Inv. 1,
beginning,
middle,
end

Inv. 1,
Part 2 or
3
Inv. 2,
Parts 1
and 2
2
Useful to use at the beginning
of Investigation 1 and then
revisited using lines of learning
throughout the entire
investigation.
Is used in the manual in Part
2.
Quickwrite-“What are the
differences between maps and
models?”
Written
F
C
Response Sheet- “Schoolyard
Models”
Written
F
C/S
Quickwrite, “How do you think
the Grand Canyon formed?”
Written
F
C


“Beach Sand” probe from
Uncovering Student Ideas in
Science, Vol. 1, p. 163
Written
F
C
✓
✓
“Is It a Rock?” (Version 1) probe Written
from Uncovering Student Ideas
in Science, Vol. 2., p. 151
F
C
✓
Reflection writing –
“Erosion is…”
Written
F
C

Inv. 2,
Part 1
Response Sheet –
“Stream Tables”
Written
F
C

Inv. 2,
Part 2
Quickwrite, “How could a river
Written
F/S
C


Inv. 2 or 3
Written
F
A


3
2
create very deep canyons?
How would this affect
deposition in that area?
“Mountain Age” probe from
Uncovering Student Ideas in
Science, Vol. 1, p. 169
Useful in determining student
preconceptions and
understanding.
Probe is useful to determine
student preconceptions about
erosion and deposition, or at
the end of the lessons in
Investigation 2.
Probe is useful in assessing
student preconceptions about
the sizes and shapes of rocks.
The same vocabulary used in
this probe is used throughout
Investigations 2 and 3.
Helps determine student
understanding of the process
of erosion.
Helps determine student
understanding of how the
weight of particles plays a part
in where they are deposited in
moving water.
Revisiting this reflection as a
line of learning will help gauge
student understanding of
erosion and deposition.
Probe Is useful in determining
student understanding of how
weathering, erosion, and
deposition change the shape
Response Sheet – “Go With the
Flow”
Written
F
C

3
Student presentations of
analysis of data from stream
table investigations.
Written, oral, or
other
F
C

3
Quickwrite “How are
topographic maps useful?”
Written
F
C

4
Response Sheet – “Build a
Mountain”
Quickwrite, “Airplane Scenario”
Written
F
C

4
Written
F
C

5
Part 2
Response Sheet – “Bird’s-Eye
View”
Written
F
C

5
Part 2
Design Your Own Investigation
Written, oral, or
other
F/S
C

5
Part 4
Optional: Topographic Map
Test
Performance
S
C/S

4 or 5
of the earth’s surface
depending upon the location
and composition of the
landform.
Is helpful in determining
student understanding of how
flooding affects erosion and
deposition, and how to set up
a fair experiment.
Teachers could use the
student’s
claim/evidence/reasoning
pages from their notebook, or
the group presentation on the
investigation in Part 3.
Useful in assessing student
understanding of how
topographic maps are different
from other maps and models
Students use and interpret a
topographic map.
Students use their knowledge
of models, topographic maps,
and aerial photos to complete
this scenario.
Students evaluate and
interpret aerial photos and
topographic maps.
Students design and complete
an investigation involving
topics relating to landforms or
topographic maps.
Students will demontrate their
understanding of topographic
maps by drawing a
topographic map to your
specification correctly.