BRENDAN C. A. MENG
Assessment Evidence
Formative Assessment and Essential Skills Reteaching
There are several skills which span all fields of scientific study, one of which being graphing. The ability to convert data, whether qualitative or quantitative, into a visual representation that conveys conclusions drawn from such data is a skill which is spiraled throughout the curriculum and lessons of the science classes I teach. This section of evidence will display how I have selected appropriate assessments to address specific learning goals surrounding this skill within the Virginia DOE earth science standard "ES.1 The student will plan and conduct investigations in which ... c) scales, diagrams, charts, graphs, tables, imagery, models, and profiles are constructed and interpreted" (2010).
The assessment evidence presented in this section shows how a range of formative assessments surrounding the essential skill of graphing in the sciences are applied throughout the year to support, verify, and document learning. This section also serves as evidence of how I use a formative assessment data analysis to serve as a guide for planning and instruction as gaps in learning are identified.
Graphing is one of the primary skills focused upon throughout the year in both earth science and biology classes. This skill is spiraled throughout lesson plans and is a focus of lesson objectives rooted in the state science standards. For these reasons, assignments with graphing as their focus have been intentionally and strategically designed and adapted for both classes in order to assess learning goals.
Above: The Universe is a Balloon Investigation. This learning activity, demonstrating the expanding universe, allows for formative assessment of multiple skills and content knowledge including gathering data from evidence, analyzing data, differences between qualitative and quantitative data, and content on the generally accepted theory of the Big Bang, in addition to graphing. Additionally, I am able to formally assess students' fine motor skills as well as general abilities to follow experimental procedures with this assignment. With all of these skills and standards being assessed by one learning activity, this demonstrates that I understand the range and types and multiple purposes of assessment and how to design, adapt, or select appropriate assessments to address specific learning goals and individual differences, and to minimize sources of bias.
Above: Lab: Reaction Time, Reflexes, and Muscle Memory. The biology learning activity above demonstrates the connection within the nervous system between the brain and reflexes and allows formal assessment of multiple skills and general science knowledge including constituents of the scientific method such as creating and testing a hypothesis, identifying variables, and gathering and analyzing data. Similarly, this assignment allows for formative assessment of students' fine motor skills as well as general abilities to follow experimental procedures in addition to students' graphing skills through this assignment. This is another example of a learning activity which captures my understanding and abilities to design and adapt appropriate assessments to address specific learning goals.
Throughout the first three earth science units of this year, students were performing at average to above average levels on graphing skills assessments. However, once we reached unit 4 (ES.11 - Origin and Evolution of the Atmosphere) students encountered a graphing assignment where learning gaps were quickly identified through formative assessment. The learning objective of the assignment involved graphing multiple data points comparing altitude with atmospheric temperature on a graph and assigning certain items and characteristics of the various layers to the graph once data points were plotted. This was the first assignment of the year where students were instructed to plot a large number of data points (22). Through formative assessment of graphing skills, students in all three of my earth science classes struggled with the assignment to the point that I chose to table the assignment until the following class period after essential graphing skills were retaught. Foreseeing this as a possibility, we began immediately on the assignment 'Graphing 101'.
Above: Graphing 101, a reteaching of graphing skills learning activity. Various direct instructional strategies including close reading strategies (annotations and highlighting), chunking, scaffolding, and axis-intersection techniques were used to reteach the essential skill of graphing. Formative monitoring at this stage was essential in order to make a positive impact on student learning by provide meaningful, tailored feedback to individual students during the lesson. In addition to the strategies and instructional techniques utilized, I believe were successful on this assignment because the variables used (age v. height) to create their graphs were more relatable and familiar for my students.
Identification of these learning gaps and the employment of this reteaching activity within one class period shows that I know how to analyse assessment data to understand patterns and gaps in learning, to guide planning and instruction, and to provide meaningful feedback to all learners. Following the reteaching activity of the critical skill of graphing and incorporated formative assessment and monitoring of student responses, students were then able to complete the original assignment to a satisfactory level of achievement. Student morale regarding the assignment and confidence in themselves had also boosted which, I believe, is one of the most important reasons for reteaching when learning gaps are identified through formative assessment. The reteaching of this skill is not only critical to student achievement and success in the sciences but also across all content areas, such as mathematics, where data is to be analyzed and displayed visually.