PLE Post 4: Chapter 14 Assessment

Think of a lesson plan from your licensure area.  Know that assessment is an integral part of teaching, explain at least four formal and informal assessments that you will use in your lesson plan to provide you with feedback and involve the students in assessing their own learning.   

This past Monday, for the math portion of my Elementary Education 422 class, we all (students) completed a lesson planning activity.  Our class broke up into small groups, and each group member conducted his or her lesson for the group, as if group members were elementary students.  I absolutely loved one of my group member's lessons.  This math lesson involves the greater than/less than concept and symbols and is intended for first graders.  I found an example of this particular lesson on a teaching blog, Pre-K and K Sharing Blog.  Hopefully, exploring that link will better convey the components of the lesson.  Keep in mind that the example lesson shown here is intended for Pre-K-K.  To adapt this lesson for first grade, simply use two-digit numbers.  

Standard addressed in this activity...

CCSS.Math.Content.1.1.NBT.3  Compare two two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, and <.  

Brief outline of this lesson...

1. Review greater than/less than concept and signs (<, =, >).  
2. Introduce the alligator jaws made out of popsicle sticks.  Explain that the "alligator" is very hungry and that its mouth should always be open to larger number because he wants to "eat" as much as possible.  
3. Explain that the alligator mouth represents the greater than and less than signs.  Explain to students that two numbers will be presented to them, and they are to place the alligator's mouth open to the larger number (because alligator is hungry and he wants the greater/larger portion). 
4. Have students work in pairs on the activity.  Monitor the task and question students about their reasoning as you work your way around the room.  Have students record their answers on a worksheet containing each question.  For example the worksheet would read "9     7."  Students would write in the correct sign, "9 > 7." 
5. At the end of the lesson, teacher should pose questions to students and have them offer up their thoughts on the activity and their reasoning behind their choices. 

Now that I have provided a rough outline of this lesson, I will now include 4 informal and 4 formal forms of assessment that I could use to provide me with feedback on students' learning/understanding and to involve my students in assessing their own learning.  

4 possible informal assessments I could use in relation to this lesson...

1. Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down/Thumbs in the Middle:  During this lesson, I could periodically ask students how they are feeling about the activity.  If students are feeling confident in working with the greater than/less than alligator sign, then they should signal "thumbs up."  If students are feeling okay about their ability to correctly place the greater than/less than sign, then they should signal "thumbs in the middle."  If students are really confused about what they are supposed to be doing or the concept of greater than/less than, then they should signal "thumbs down."  This form of assessment would provide me with immediate information on students' level of understanding on this task.  
2. Post Its:  After conducting this lesson, I would place a sticky note (Post It) on each child's desk.  I would ask students to write how they are feeling about the greater than/less than concept on the sticky notes.  These sticky notes would provide me with valuable information that would help me determine future lessons/instruction.
3. Explain to your neighbor/Observation:  In this assessment form, I would instruct students to explain the game of "Alligator Greater than/Less Than" to the person sitting next to them.  I would walk around the room and listen to check for understanding.  While I would not be able to assess each child's understanding through this assessment form, I could get a general idea of how the class as a whole is comprehending the concept.
4. Mini-Quiz:  At the end of the lesson, I could pose 2 to 3 greater than/less than (inequality) problems on the board.  I would ask each student to work the problems on a sheet of notebook paper.  I would then collect these "mini-quizzes."  This brief assessment would help me gauge understanding and plan appropriate future lessons/instruction. 

4 possible formal assessments I could use in relation to this lesson (Note:  First Graders may not be subject to formal assessments very often)...

1. Unit Test:  At the end of a math unit, I would likely administer a formal, summative unit test.  The greater than/less than concept would be one of multiple concepts assessed through this unit tests.  
2. Math Journal:  While this may be best categorized under "informal assessment," I chose to include "Math Journal" under "formal assessment" because it requires pre-planning.  I might have each of my students keep a "Math Journal."  I will provide prompts for each journal entry.  For this particular journal entry, I may ask them work a greater than/less than problem.  I hope that this journal will help students keep track of their own progress in math throughout the year.
3. State/District Assessment:  While many first graders are exempt from state/district tests, some first graders have to participate in these assessments.  I would predict that knowledge of the greater than/less than concept would be assessed through these exams.  
4. Data collection through observation:  I might keep a record of each child's understanding of different math concepts.  I could record a check plus, a check, or a check minus to indicate and track each child's current understanding and progress.  I could determine whether to record a check plus, a check, or a check minus based on my informal assessments.