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2 What Does This Kind of Assessment Look Like?
Pages 33-50

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From page 33...
... Each of the examples in this book uses an approach developed by researchers and educators for this purpose. For each example includ ed in this book we identify which practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas are assessed, along with the grade level or levels targeted.1 In this chapter we begin with some examples that introduce how three dimensional assessments work.
From page 34...
... This example introduces key features of assessments that are grounded in classroom instruction and measure three-dimensional learning that develops gradually: it engages students in activities as part of an instructional unit in which they use science to demonstrate their mastery of performance objectives. aPS1 and LS1 are codes used in the Next Generation Science Standards to refer to specific disciplinary core ideas.
From page 35...
... M This writing task gives students the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned and how it fits P together to answer a broad question about respiration and its function, using scientific reasoning. This task L might seem like a fairly straightforward exercise, similar to familiar writing prompts, but it illustrates two criti- E cal new assessment goals: measuring three-dimensional science learning and measuring the development of understanding over time.
From page 36...
... As the students progress through the lessons, they begin, with the teacher's guidance, to focus on track ing where the oxygen goes and how it is used. Using the science practice of data analysis, the students notice that increased activity in the body is associated with increased oxygen intake.
From page 37...
... It demonstrates that the student could apply science ideas (about energy and matter) to explain the oxygen question (National Research Council, 2014, p.
From page 38...
... COMPARING A TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT WITH THE NEW APPROACH The next two assessment activities were chosen to highlight some of the differ ences between familiar assessment approaches and strategies that match the new vision of science learning. Both are assessments of similar material for upper elementary school students.
From page 39...
... FIGURE 2-1 What Does This Kind of Assessment Look Like?
From page 40...
... E X A M P L E 2 Biodiversity in the Schoolyard Level Grade 5 Assesses  PRACTICES -- Planning and carrying out investigations; Analyzing and interpreting data; Constructing explanations CROSSCUTTING CONCEPTS -- Patterns DISCIPLINARY CORE IDEAS -- Biological evolution: Unity and diversity [LS4] This example highlights key differences between a traditional assessment and one that can measure three dimensional learning that develops over time.
From page 41...
... X Task 2: Students create bar graphs that illustrate patterns in the data showing abundance A and richness of species for each of the schoolyard zones. M P In the second task, students construct graphs of the data they have collected and then develop interpre L tations of what the data show.
From page 42...
... . R02484 FIG4-4 Delete images.eps SOURCE: National Research Council (2014, p.
From page 43...
... . What Does This Kind of Assessment Look Like?
From page 44...
... The task and coding rubric used for Task 4 are shown in Box 2-3. TABLE 2-1 School Yard Animal Data Animal Name Zone A Zone B Zone C Total Pillbugs 1 3 4 8 Ants 4 6 10 20 Robins 0 2 0 2 Squirrels 0 2 2 4 Pigeons 1 1 0 2 Animal Abundance 6 14 16 36 Animal Richness 3 5 3 5 SOURCE: National Research Council (2014, p.
From page 45...
... See text for discussion. SOURCE: National Research Council (2014, p.
From page 46...
... SOURCE: National Research Council (2014, p.
From page 47...
... As the students investigate the species in their schoolyard, they link what they are finding to the disciplinary core ideas their teacher has been introducing, about the richness and abundance of different species. The Internet interface offers suggestions that help the students succeed.
From page 48...
... Students engaged in active science learning do a lot of different things in the context of learning about crosscutting concepts and core ideas. New sci ence assessments must provide information about performance expectations that describe three-dimensional learning.
From page 49...
... Often it will make sense to have multiple tasks associated with one basic challenge, like figuring out what's going on when a body digests food. You can use multiple assessment opportunities to collect evidence about your students' learning of complex ideas.
From page 50...
... • Assessments like these are not necessarily identified for the students as tests, and they occur at a point in instruction when the teacher needs information. 50 Seeing Students Learn Science


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