6. Student Assessment: The teacher maintains accurate records of student completion of assignments and student progress.  The teacher also plans for performance assessment and provides students with feedback to improve progress.

APPR Planning Sheet 2008-2009

Evidence
To review for tests students are asked to construct a reflective piece regarding what they have learned.  Students may also choose the challenge level of tests.

Summary of Progresss
Various aspects of this domain were enacted throughout the year.  Below is an example reflective lesson students had to complete prior to a summative assessment.

Write a short essay (3 paragraphs) about density.  Answer these questions.

What is density?

How can you measure density?

What are some examples of comparative density?  (things floating on other things)

What lab did you enjoy the most and why?  What did you learn?


A reflective piece like the one above was done prior to every summative assessment.

Throught the middle part of the year I diversified my assessments by offerring two versions of summative assessments:  blue and black.  Both test had the same point value, but the third section of each test was different with the black version being more challenging.  For example, on the density test the blue version had an atom diagram to label; whereas, on the black version students had to draw and label an atom.

Also, about 2/3 of the way through the school year I switched assessments again.  This time I began testing all students via Castle Learning.

Reflection
I was really excited about the prospect of offering different versions of my tests this year.  Students responded with excitement at being able to pick their own test.  Essentially all I did was use my test from the previous year at the base test and then add an extra session.  In this respect either version of the tests could be considered more challenging than last year.  When I switched to Castle Learning some students were disappointed that I no longer continued offered different versions.  Unfortunately, as wonderful as Castle Learning is it didn't enable the easy production and grading of two versions of varying difficulty.  I did debate doing so at first, but wanted to give myself and students a chance to explore the assessment tool at its most basic first.  Perhaps next year I will re-examine the option of incorporating the two assessment strategies together.

The reflections the students wrote for review were successful.  Doing so I feel was much better than review games, rewriting vocabulary, or taking practice tests.  I could almost see students thinking back to previous lessons.  Some students literally did this by looking back through their folder to think back to what activities they enjoyed.  Using these reflections has encouraged me to possibly try other forms of journaling in the future.

Samples of Student Work and Assignments
Student Reflection
studentreflection


Castle Learning Item Analysis
castle

Sample Student Response in Castle Learning
studentcastle

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