CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT IN
ELEMENTARY SCIENCE
DAY 1
JENNIFER GOTTLIEB & MIKE KLEIN
WELCOME!
WHICH QUOTE RESONATES
WITH YOU? WHY?
The purpose of this session is to support teachers
as they design, implement, and interpret
classroom level formative assessments that
incorporate the three dimensions of science
learning (Science and Engineering Practices,
Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting
Concepts).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU2dZz18P0c&list=PL772556F1EFC4D01C&index
=11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KZb2_vcNTg&index=3&list=PL772556F1EFC4D01C
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
What do I want
them to know,
understand, or
do?
What are they
thinking?
Formative
Assessment
HOW CAN FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IMPROVE
TEACHING AND LEARNING?
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT CLASSROOM
TECHNIQUES (FACTS)
What are some reasons
for using formative
assessment?
(page 6)
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
What do I
want them to
know,
understand, or
do?
What are
they thinking?
Formative
Assessment
Read pages 26-29.
5E LEARNING CYCLE
Engage
Explore
Explain
Elaborate
Evaluate
http://www.bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model
5E LEARNING CYCLE
Explore
Explain
Evaluate
Engage
Elaborate
http://www.bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model
“If students answer all the teacher’s
questions correctly, the teacher is surely
wasting the students’ time. Worthwhile
questions cause students to struggle and
think.”
~Dylan William
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AND THE NEXT
GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
ARCHITECTURE OF THE NGSS
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Where do
each of the
three
dimensions
show up in the
performance
expectations?
Crosscutting
Concepts
NGSS CLASSROOM SAMPLE
ASSESSMENT TASKS
NGSS/CCSS-M SAMPLE CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
TASKS
Read the Purpose and Overview
How might these be useful to us?
NGSS/CCSS-M SAMPLE CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT
TASKS
Read the Middle School Task
What do you think?
“Too often, educational tests, grades,
and report cards are treated by
teachers as autopsies when they
should be viewed as physicals.”
~Reeves
DEVELOPING A FORMATIVE
ASSESSMENT TOOL BOX
“Surfacing student misconceptions
is at the very heart of the learning
process.”
~Brent Duckor
QUICK START TOOLS
With a partner, choose 23 tools and highlight
them on a whiteboard.
PROCESS TOOLS
Formative assessment is
not the goal; it is a means
to achieving a teaching or
learning goal.
Page Keeley
SELECTING THE RIGHT FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
TOOL
What do I
want them to
know,
understand, or
do?
What are
they thinking?
Formative
Assessment
Read pages 32-33
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Engaging in argument from
evidence
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
PS1.A Different kinds of
matter exist and many of
them can be either solid
or liquid, depending on
temperature…
Patterns
Card Sorts
Structure and Function
CARD SORT
Is it a solid?
rock
ice
How might you use Card Sorts in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
Analyzing and interpreting
data
Engaging in argument from
evidence
ESS1.A Patterns of the
motion of the sun, moon,
and stars in the sky can be
observed, described, and
predicted.
Patterns
Sequencing/Ranking
SEQUENCING/RANKING
Think about how the sun seems
to move across the sky. Cut out
the pictures your teacher gives
you and put them in order.
How might you use Sequencing/Ranking in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Developing and Using
Models
Obtaining, Evaluating, and
Communicating Information
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
ESS1.B The orbits of Earth
around the sun and of the
moon around the Earth,
together with the rotation
of Earth about an axis…
Scale, Proportion, and
Quantity
Systems and System Models
Representation Analysis
REPRESENTATION ANALYSIS
What aspects of this
representation of the Earth
and sun may lead to
misunderstandings or are
incorrect? Explain your
thinking.
How might you improve the
representation?
How might you use Representation Analysis in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Engaging in argument from
evidence
Constructing explanations
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
LS1.C Plants acquire their
material for growth chiefly
from air and water.
Energy and Matter
Concept Cartoons
Cause and Effect
How might you use Concept Cartoons in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Engaging in Argument from
Evidence
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
LS1.C Plants need water
and light to live and grow.
Cause and Effect
Friendly Talk
FRIENDLY TALK
Carl:
I think the plants in the dark closet will be the
tallest.
Monique: I think the plants by the sunny window will be
the tallest.
Jasmine: I think the plants will be about the same height.
Drew:
I think the plants in the closet will stop growing
and die.
Which friend do you agree with and why? Explain your
thinking.
How might you use Friendly Talk in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Engaging in Argument from
Evidence
Constructing Explanations
Developing and Using
Models
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
PS1.A The amount
(weight) of matter is
conserved when it changes
form, even in transitions in
which it seems to vanish.
Cause and Effect
Familiar Phenomenon Probe
FAMILIAR PHENOMENON PROBE
A.
The mass of the warm balloon is less
than the mass of the cold balloon.
B.
The mass of the warm balloon is
greater than the mass of the cold
balloon.
C.
The mass of the warm balloon is the
same as the mass of the cold balloon.
How might you use a Familiar Phenomenon Probe in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Phenomenon:
Disciplinary Core Ideas
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Analyzing and Interpreting
Data
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
PS2.A The patterns of an
object’s motion in various
situations can be observed
and measured; when the
past motion exhibits…
Patterns
Data Match
DATA MATCH
Length = 20 cm
Time to swing
Mass (grams) back and forth 5
times (seconds)
10
20
30
40
50
4.5
4.3
4.6
4.5
4.4
Mass = 50 grams
Time to swing
back and forth
Length (cm)
5 times
(seconds)
20
4.5
40
6.5
60
8.0
80
8.8
100
9.9
How might you use Data Match in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Constructing Explanations
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
PS4.B Objects can be seen
if light is available to
illuminate them or If they
give off their own light.
Cause and Effect
Missed Conception
MISSED CONCEPTION
I can see objects in a completely
dark room as long as my eyes have time to get used to
it.
 Missed Conception:
1. Why do you think some people have this idea about light?
2. What things could you do to help someone understand the
scientific explanation? How would this help someone give
up his or her original idea in favor of a scientific one?
3. Did you ever have a similar Missed Conception at the
beginning of this unit or sometime during your life? Do you
think you might still hold on to your previous ideas or parts
of them? How and/or why has your thinking changed or not
changed?
How might you use a Missed Conception in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Constructing Explanations
Planning and Carrying Out
Investigations
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
PS2.A …Forces that do
not sum to zero can cause
changes in the object’s speed
or direction of motion.
Cause and Effect
P-E-O Probes (Predict-Explain-Observe)
PREDICT-EXPLAIN-OBSERVE
How might you use a P-E-O Probe in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Engaging in Argument from
Evidence
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
PS1.A Measurement of a
variety of properties can be
used to identify materials…
Structure and Function
A & D Statements
A & D STATEMENTS
How might you use A & D Statements in your content area?
What do I want them to know, understand, or do?
Science & Engineering
Practices
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting Concepts
“It is through our assessment that we
communicate most clearly to
students which activities and learning
outcomes we value.”
~NCTM Assessment Standards
TWO MINUTE PAPER (PAGE 204)
What was the most important thing you
learned today?
How do you plan to apply what you learned
today?
THANK YOU!
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: WHAT’S
COMING?
DEVELOPING ASSESSMENTS FOR THE NGSS
National Research Council
Board on Testing and Assessment
Board on Science Education
Division of Behavioral and Social
Sciences and Education
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18409
SOME OF THE MAIN MESSAGES
 New types of assessments are needed
 NGSS assessment should start with the needs of classroom teaching and
learning
 States must create coherent systems of assessment to support both
classroom learning and policy/ monitoring functions
 Implementation should be gradual, systematic, carefully prioritized, and
attend to equity
 Professional development and adequate support for teachers will be
critical
SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment to support classroom teaching
and learning
 Assessment for monitoring student learning
 Indicators of opportunity-to-learn (OTL)
WHAT MIGHT THESE ASSESSMENTS LOOK LIKE?
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Tasks should ask students to
apply practices in the
context of disciplinary core
ideas and crosscutting
concepts.
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
WHAT MIGHT THESE ASSESSMENTS LOOK LIKE?
Need multi-component tasks that use a
variety of response formats:
 Selected response questions
 Short and extended constructed response
questions
 Performance tasks
 Classroom discourse
SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment to support classroom teaching and
learning
 Assessment for monitoring student learning
 Indicators of opportunity-to-learn (OTL)
5TH GRADE EXAMPLE
BIODIVERSITY IN THE SCHOOLYARD
5TH GRADE EXAMPLE: BIODIVERSITY IN THE
SCHOOLYARD
Where are the three dimensions
assessed in this series of classroom
assessment tasks?
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TASKS
Task 1
• Collect data on the number of animals
(abundance) and the number of different
species (richness) in schoolyard zones
Task 2
• Create bar graphs that illustrate patterns in
abundance and richness data from each of
the schoolyard zones
Task 3
• Construct an explanation to support your
answer to the question: Which zone of the
schoolyard has the greatest biodiversity?
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Task 1
• Collect data on the number of
animals (abundance) and the
number of different species
(richness) in schoolyard zones
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Task 2
• Create bar graphs that illustrate
patterns in abundance and
richness data from each of the
schoolyard zones
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Task 3
• Construct an explanation to support
your answer to the question: Which
zone of the schoolyard has the
greatest biodiversity?
scaffold
scaffold
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Construct an explanation to support an
answer to the question:
Which zone of the schoolyard has
the greatest biodiversity?
5TH GRADE EXAMPLE: BIODIVERSITY IN THE
SCHOOLYARD
• Disciplinary Core Idea
• Biodiversity
• Crosscutting Concept
• Patterns
• Practices
• Planning and carrying
out investigations
• Analyzing and
interpreting data
• Constructing
explanations
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment to support classroom teaching and
learning
 Assessment for monitoring student learning
 Indicators of opportunity-to-learn (OTL)
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLE
PLATE TECTONICS
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLE: PLATE TECTONICS
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Where are the three dimensions
assessed in this performance task?
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
PERFORMANCE TASK
 Draw a model of a volcano formation at a hot spot using arrows
to show movement in the model. Be sure to label all parts of the
model.
 Use your model to explain what happens with the plate and what
happens at the hot spot when a volcano forms.
 Draw a model to show the side view (cross-section) of volcano
formation near a plate boundary (at a subduction zone or
divergent boundary). Be sure to label all parts of your model.
 Use your model to explain what happens when a volcano forms
near a plate boundary.
PERFORMANCE TASK
The hot spot allows the magma to
move up into the crust where it
forms a volcano.
The magma pushes up through the
crust and goes up and erupts.
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLE: PLATE TECTONICS
• Disciplinary Core Idea
• Plate tectonics
• Crosscutting Concept
• Patterns
• Scale
• Practices
• Developing and using
models
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
DEVELOPING ASSESSMENTS FOR THE NGSS
Remember:
This is a report about what kind of
assessments need to be developed
for NGSS.
No one has developed these
assessments yet.
The examples included in the
report (and today’s presentation)
are things the committee saw and
said…”Oh yes…something like that
might work…”
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18409
WELCOME BACK!
CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCIENCE – DAY 2
WELCOME BACK!
WELCOME BACK!
CONGA LINE!
In my classroom, I can tell
students are learning when
they….
One new thing I’ve tried
since our last meeting is…..
The purpose of this session is to support teachers
as they design, implement, and interpret
classroom level formative assessments that
incorporate the three dimensions of science
learning (Science and Engineering Practices,
Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting
Concepts).
SCIENCE NOTEBOOKS
For your “reason”:
• What’s the big idea?
• What’s the connection
to formative
assessment?
• What might this look
like in your classroom?
5E LEARNING CYCLE
Explore
Explain
Evaluate
Engage
Elaborate
http://www.bscs.org/bscs-5e-instructional-model
Which notebook
prompts and/or
templates resonate
with you?
How might these allow
you to know what they
are thinking?
FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS
Brainstorm:
What types of feedback
do we give our
students?
“Recurring, nonthreatening
feedback encourages students
to persist. As some teachers
say, ‘You don’t know it yet.’”
~Cathy Vatterott
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
WHAT’S THE TAKE-AWAY?
So what kind of
feedback will help
students grow?
http://vimeo.com/105519785
AUSTIN’S BUTTERFLY
How might we
foster a culture
of excellence in
our
classrooms?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yetHqWODp0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45mMioJ5szc
LIFE = RISK
What are some things
we might do to create
learning environments
where students are
comfortable taking
risks?
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
Read the first two pages.
What do you think?
At your table, divide up the 7 keys to
essential feedback. Read about your
“key” and teach the rest of your
table about it.
Use the bookmark to take notes and
to consider how each key applies to
your class.
PROVIDING FEEDBACK
Mr. Miller has three different
balls. Each is about the same
size with a different mass.
Ball 1 is a wooden ball. Its mass is 28 g.
Ball 2 is a golf ball. Its mass is 46 g.
Ball 3 is a metal ball. Its mass is 110 g.
He holds his arms out and drops the
three balls at the same time from the
same height. In what order will the balls
hit the floor?
28 g
46 g
110 g
Prediction A: Ball 1, then ball 2, then ball 3.
Prediction B: Ball 3, then ball 2, then ball 1.
Prediction C: Ball 2, then ball 3, then ball 1.
Prediction D: All three balls will hit the floor at about the same time.
Prediction E: Ball 3 will hit first, followed by ball 1 and ball 2 hitting
the floor at the same time.
Choose a prediction and explain your thinking.
What “rule” or reasoning did you use to make
your prediction?
Focus Question: In what order will the balls hit the floor?
Teacher-created exemplar:
(Claim) All three balls will hit the floor at the same time.
(Evidence) The reason is that they are all the same shape and size.
(Science Reasoning) Gravity causes objects to fall at the same rate, but
air resistance can cause some things to fall slower. The shape and size of an
object determines how much air pushes up on it and slows down its fall (air
resistance). When objects are the same size and shape, they have the same
amount of air pushing up on them, so they will fall at the same rate. Since
the balls are all the same size and shape, they will fall at the same rate and
hit the ground at the same time.
(Counter Argument) Some people might think that mass will matter and
that the metal ball will hit the ground first because it is heavier. We observed
in class that only shape and size matter.
112
ANALYZING FEEDBACK
USE THE KEYS TO ANALYZE THE FEEDBACK
Great job!!

I chose prediction D because we did this in
class with a metal ball and wooden ball and
they both were about equal when they fell.
USE THE KEYS TO ANALYZE THE FEEDBACK
What was it
about the
metal ball and
the wooden
ball that made
them fall at the
same rate?
I chose prediction D because we did this in
class with a metal ball and wooden ball and
they both were about equal when they fell.
USE THE KEYS TO ANALYZE THE FEEDBACK
What about
the golf ball?
I chose prediction D because we did this in
class with a metal ball and wooden ball and
they both were about equal when they fell.
USE THE KEYS TO ANALYZE THE FEEDBACK
Too vague!
I chose prediction D because we did this in
class with a metal ball and wooden ball and
they both were about equal when they fell.
WHAT FEEDBACK MIGHT YOU GIVE?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
STUDENT 1
I chose prediction D because we did this in
class with a metal ball and wooden ball and
they both were about equal when they fell.
What written feedback might be helpful for this student?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
STUDENT 2
I think all 3 balls will hit the floor about the
same time because they all have the same
mass and same size.
What written feedback might be helpful for this student?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
STUDENT 3
I think it is D because everything has the
same amount of gravity fource.
What written feedback might be helpful for this student?
SCIENCE NOTEBOOKS:
DO HEAVY THINGS FALL FASTER THAN
LIGHT THINGS?
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN A WRITTEN
RESPONSE?
CLAIM:
Answers the question
correctly
EVIDENCE:
Provides several
pieces of evidence to
support answer
PROVIDING FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS
 What did you actually observe?
 What are the important details that
another scientist would need to know?
 What evidence do you have to support
your thinking?
 Does what you have written agree with
the data you recorded?
 What questions do you have now?
 What did you actually
observe?
What would you say to
this student to move
their scientific thinking
forward?
 What are the
important details
that another scientist
would need to know?
 What evidence do you
have to support your
thinking?
 Does what you have
written agree with the
data you recorded?
 What questions do
you have now?
I found out that heavy
things and light things
fall the same, it is
always too close to tell.
 What did you actually
What would you say to
this student to move
their scientific thinking
forward?
observe?
 What are the
important details
that another scientist
would need to know?
 What evidence do you
have to support your
thinking?
 Does what you have
written agree with the
data you recorded?
 What questions do
you have now?
Heavy things fall faster than light
things. I know this because when a
leaf falls, it takes a long time to fall to
the ground. A heavier object, like a
rock, goes straight down and falls
faster than a leaf.
 What did you actually
observe?
What would you say to
this student to move
their scientific thinking
forward?
 What are the
important details
that another scientist
would need to know?
 What evidence do you
have to support your
thinking?
 Does what you have
written agree with the
data you recorded?
 What questions do
you have now?
I found out that heavy things do not
fall faster than light things. I think
this because every dropping race
ended in a tie. For example, the
marble and tennis ball both hit the
ground at the same time. Also, the
book and the penny hit the ground
at the same time.
“The more time that elapses
between a student response and
teacher feedback, the less
metacognitive reflection takes
place.”
~Sonny Mangana and Robert Marzano
HOW TO PROVIDE
TIMELY, ONGOING
FEEDBACK IN THE
REAL WORLD?
ANALYZE EXAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK
Are fat and soap the
same substance?
For each of the following
explanations, underline
and label the claim,
evidence, reasoning, and
counter-argument.
Which explanation is the
strongest?
Why?
ANALYZE EXAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK
Consider an idea
regarding student
feedback that you’d like
to try in the near
future.
Make yourself a sticky
note to remind yourself
to do it.
FEEDBACK FOR TEACHERS
USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATA TO INFORM INSTRUCTION
“Great teachers are habitual
students of their students. They
assess continually to understand the
human beings that they teach.”
~Carol Ann Tomlinson
COLLABORATIVE ANALYSIS OF STUDENT WORK
What kind of feedback does
this provide for teachers?
What can you learn from the
experience even if your
student’s work isn’t being
analyzed?
USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATA TO
INFORM INSTRUCTION
Short term
Long term
USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATA TO
INFORM INSTRUCTION
Short term
Choose 3 “NEXT STEP”
strategies that might work
in your classroom.
USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATA TO
INFORM INSTRUCTION
Short term
How might some of the
ideas in our book be used
as “NEXT STEP”
strategies? Choose 3
ideas from the book that
might work in your
classroom.
USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT DATA TO
INFORM INSTRUCTION
Long term
Use formative assessment
data to demonstrate
student growth over time
and thoughtfully plan
instructional strategies to
maximize that growth.
IDENTIFY A GOAL
MEASURE STUDENT PROGRESS TOWARD GOAL
REFLECT ON STUDENT PROGRESS AND PLAN
NEXT STEPS
Consider an idea
regarding teacher
feedback that you’d like
to try in the near
future.
Make yourself a sticky
note to remind yourself
to do it.
“We must constantly remind
ourselves that the ultimate purpose of
education is to have students become
self-evaluating. If students graduate
from our school still dependent on
others to tell them when they are
adequate, good, or excellent, then we
have missed the whole point of what
education is all about.”
~Costa & Kallick
“It is through our assessment that we
communicate most clearly to
students which activities and learning
outcomes we value.”
~NCTM Assessment Standards
REFLECTION
With respect to formative assessment, I
used to think….
…but now I think…
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS: WHAT’S
COMING?
DEVELOPING ASSESSMENTS FOR THE NGSS
National Research Council
Board on Testing and Assessment
Board on Science Education
Division of Behavioral and Social
Sciences and Education
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18409
SOME OF THE MAIN MESSAGES
 New types of assessments are needed
 NGSS assessment should start with the needs of classroom teaching and
learning
 States must create coherent systems of assessment to support both
classroom learning and policy/ monitoring functions
 Implementation should be gradual, systematic, carefully prioritized, and
attend to equity
 Professional development and adequate support for teachers will be
critical
SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment to support classroom teaching
and learning
 Assessment for monitoring student learning
 Indicators of opportunity-to-learn (OTL)
WHAT MIGHT THESE ASSESSMENTS LOOK LIKE?
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Tasks should ask students to
apply practices in the
context of disciplinary core
ideas and crosscutting
concepts.
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
WHAT MIGHT THESE ASSESSMENTS LOOK LIKE?
Need multi-component tasks that use a
variety of response formats:
 Selected response questions
 Short and extended constructed response
questions
 Performance tasks
 Classroom discourse
SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment to support classroom teaching and
learning
 Assessment for monitoring student learning
 Indicators of opportunity-to-learn (OTL)
5TH GRADE EXAMPLE
BIODIVERSITY IN THE SCHOOLYARD
5TH GRADE EXAMPLE: BIODIVERSITY IN THE
SCHOOLYARD
Where are the three dimensions
assessed in this series of classroom
assessment tasks?
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TASKS
Task 1
• Collect data on the number of animals
(abundance) and the number of different
species (richness) in schoolyard zones
Task 2
• Create bar graphs that illustrate patterns in
abundance and richness data from each of
the schoolyard zones
Task 3
• Construct an explanation to support your
answer to the question: Which zone of the
schoolyard has the greatest biodiversity?
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Task 1
• Collect data on the number of
animals (abundance) and the
number of different species
(richness) in schoolyard zones
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Task 2
• Create bar graphs that illustrate
patterns in abundance and
richness data from each of the
schoolyard zones
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Task 3
• Construct an explanation to support
your answer to the question: Which
zone of the schoolyard has the
greatest biodiversity?
scaffold
scaffold
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Construct an explanation to support an
answer to the question:
Which zone of the schoolyard has
the greatest biodiversity?
5TH GRADE EXAMPLE: BIODIVERSITY IN THE
SCHOOLYARD
• Disciplinary Core Idea
• Biodiversity
• Crosscutting Concept
• Patterns
• Practices
• Planning and carrying
out investigations
• Analyzing and
interpreting data
• Constructing
explanations
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT
 Assessment to support classroom teaching and
learning
 Assessment for monitoring student learning
 Indicators of opportunity-to-learn (OTL)
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLE
PLATE TECTONICS
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLE: PLATE TECTONICS
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Where are the three dimensions
assessed in this performance task?
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
PERFORMANCE TASK
 Draw a model of a volcano formation at a hot spot using arrows
to show movement in the model. Be sure to label all parts of the
model.
 Use your model to explain what happens with the plate and what
happens at the hot spot when a volcano forms.
 Draw a model to show the side view (cross-section) of volcano
formation near a plate boundary (at a subduction zone or
divergent boundary). Be sure to label all parts of your model.
 Use your model to explain what happens when a volcano forms
near a plate boundary.
PERFORMANCE TASK
The hot spot allows the magma to
move up into the crust where it
forms a volcano.
The magma pushes up through the
crust and goes up and erupts.
MIDDLE SCHOOL EXAMPLE: PLATE TECTONICS
• Disciplinary Core Idea
• Plate tectonics
• Crosscutting Concept
• Patterns
• Scale
• Practices
• Developing and using
models
Disciplinary
Core Ideas
Science and
Engineering
Practices
Crosscutting
Concepts
DEVELOPING ASSESSMENTS FOR THE NGSS
Remember:
This is a report about what kind of
assessments need to be developed
for NGSS.
No one has developed these
assessments yet.
The examples included in the
report (and today’s presentation)
are things the committee saw and
said…”Oh yes…something like that
might work…”
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18409