Strategies, Quick Checks, and Assessments in Inquiry

Strategies, Quick Checks, and Assessments in Inquiry Based Lessons:
Chapters 5 & 6

Over the course of the semester I was able to not only learn from our text about useful strategies, quick checks with students, and sufficient assessments to use in inquiry based lessons, but I have also had the opportunity to implement and practice these strategies and assessments. 

"How can I effectively create an inviting science discover space, encourage science talk, and foster cooperative learning in my science classroom?" (p. 72)
  • Adding life to the classroom: such as setting up an aquarium or adding plants!
  • Consider other senses: fill the room with sounds such as jungles, woodlands, animal noises, etc., this inspires curiosity and questions.  
  • Distributing materials: Make appropriate techniques to distribute materials such as asking 2 to 3 students to help
  • Provide work areas: extra space students can work at
  • Providing clear directions 
  • Create routines in the class: Transitions, Do Nows, Exit Tickets
  • Incorporate questioning strategies: ask purposeful questions to receive good questions in return
  • Wait time/ think time: allowing more time, think pair share
  • Fostering Active Listening Strategies: preparing questions ahead of time, listen for key science words
  • Science talk/ Science circle: recap, redirect, re-voice, restate
  • Encourage collaboration: working in groups

"A good teacher ask 'How am I doing?' a great teacher asks "How are my students doing?'" (p. 88)

There are two types of assessments used when formally assessing students during the inquiry process: formative and summative. 

Formative is used to assist learning. Formative assessments checks for execution of the plan. Did students do what you intended them to do?

Summative answers the questions. Summative assessments are typically used for purpose of placement, grading, accountability, and informing parents and future teachers about student performance. 

Developing Assessment Strategies:
Prompts and rubric
Performance Assessments: based on observations of students as they demonstrate specific tasks or problem solving skills (5Es - and the inquiry phase of process can be assessed). 
Portfolios
Anecdotal Records
Affective Development Checklists
Science conferences with students
Science notebooks
Science probes
Student's self assessment
Concept Mapping
Creative Assessments 

Evaluating Traditional Assessment Strategies:
Quizzes 
End-of-chapter assignment
End-of-unit tests
Research Reports
Activity write ups
Standardized tests
* These assessment strategies all have pros and cons when assessing student work. It is important teachers find what will be more effective to assessing the student. 


Comments

  1. Jamie DiMattiaDecember 13, 2018 at 5:38 PM

    Jenn,

    I have to admit that I had struggled to identify, diagnostic, formative, and summative evaluations when previously writing lesson plans because I wasn't clear on what these terms meant. I finally figured these three terms out this semester because we were forced to not just write them in a lesson plan but actively use them.

    ReplyDelete

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