CCRS Implementation Team

1. CCRS Implementation Team Science Quarterly Meeting #4 2014-2015 http://alex.state.al.us/ccrs/

2. Teaching without formative assessment might be similar to flying an airplane like… 5 hours later, the pilot comes down out of the clouds, looks for the nearest airport, lands the plane in Sacramento and says... You get on a plane in Boston headed to San Francisco. “Everybody off the plane! You’ll have to find your own way to San Francisco.” “Can’t wait for you. We have to get on to the next job.” Wiliam

3. Outcomes • Preview the 5 Key Strategies for assessing science learning. • Explore various Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques (FACTs).

4. Chapter 1 Improving Learning in Science with Formative Assessment Dylan Wiliam “Supporting teachers in developing the use of assessment for learning has been shown to roughly double the speed of learning.”

5. “…professional development needs to focus on changing what teachers do in the classroom… …in particular, needs to be aimed at changing teachers’ minute-by-minute and day-by-dayuse of assessment to modify instruction.”

6. 5 Key Strategies 5 Key Strategies that allow assessment to help, rather than hinder, learning. • Engineer effective classroom discussions • Provide feedback that moves learning forward • Clarify learning intentions and success criteria • Activate students as owners of their own learning • Activate students as learning resources for one another

7. That’s a FACT… Formative Assessment Classroom Technique 2015 2008 Teachers need a varied repertoire of purposeful techniques that weave assessment throughout instruction and learning. (Keeley, 2008)

8. FACT # Name of FACT FACT # 24 - Human Scatterplots ⊙→ Book ⊙Vol. 1 |Vol. 2 →Math Description: Students are asked a question. They position themselves within the room where the teacher has assigned this answer. Then they position themselves in a line to show how confident they are in their answer. When to use: Human Scatterplots can be used at the beginning of a unit or lesson. Why: It is a quick way to see what the students are thinking and their confidence level as well. Students are able to get up and move. How it works EXAMPLE When it best fits Why/How it is useful (Keeley, 2008)

9. 5 Key Strategies • Engineer effective classroom discussions …the learning is in the context of a discourse in a learning community rather than being a one-way transmission. Paul Black

10. FACT # 24 - Human Scatterplots ⊙→ Description: Students are asked a question. They position themselves within the room where the teacher has assigned this answer. Then they position themselves in a line to show how confident they are in their answer. When to use: Human Scatterplots can be used at the beginning of a unit or lesson. Why: It is a quick way to see what the students are thinking and their confidence level as well. Students are able to get up and move. (Keeley, 2008)

11. FACT # 24 - Human Scatterplots ⊙→ Mirror Problem… Does the distance matter?

12. FACT # 19 - Four Corners ⊙→ Description: Teacher poses a multiple choice question. Students go to one corner of the room with students that have the same answer. Students share their justification for their answer with their group. They may move to another group if they change their minds. When to use: Best used after a lesson or series of lessons. Why: Gives students an opportunity to compare their thinking with that of their classmates. Teacher can get a quick visual of where the entire class stands. (Keeley, 2008)

13. FACT # 19 - Four Corners ⊙→ Example: What do seeds need to germinate? Water and light Heat and water Water, light and food Food and light

14. FACT # 9 - Concept Cartoons ⊙→ Description: Students are given a cartoon with contrasting opinions. They choose a stance and have to defend it. When to use: Can be used at any time but when used at the beginning teachers can use it to see how deep the students’ understanding is of the concept. Why: Gives students an opportunity to activate their schema. Can inform instruction and uncover misconceptions. Students can defend their thinking. (Keeley, 2008)

15. FACT # 9 - Concept Cartoons ⊙→

16. FACT # 9 - Concept Cartoons ⊙→

17. FACT # 2 - Agreement Circles ⊙→ Description: Students form a large circle. A True/False statement is read to the group. Students consider the statement for a few seconds then move into the center of the circle if they agree with the statement. If they disagree, they remain outside. Students defend their thinking between groups. After a few minutes, students are allowed to change their position or remain where they are. Teacher notes any changes. The process may be repeated with another statement. When to use: Can be used at the beginning of a unit or in the middle to reinforce concepts. Why: Students must defend their thinking. (Keeley, 2008)

18. FACT # 2 - Agreement Circles ⊙→ Statements: 1. Insects have 3 body parts. 2. All insects go through metamorphosis.

19. 5 Key Strategies • Engineer effective classroom discussions • Provide feedback that moves learning forward For feedback to be effective, it must focus on what needs to happen next; in other words, it must be a guide to action, not a demand for it. Wiliam

20. FACT # 70 - Two Stars and A Wish ⊙→ Description: Students give feedback to their peers on their work. The two stars would describe what the student did well on their work. The wish provides the student with an idea for revision. When to use: Can be used any time students are peer conferencing. Why: Gives positive feedback and gives the student a focus for revision (Keeley, 2008)

21. FACT # 70 - Two Stars and A Wish ⊙→ Two Stars and a Wish I really liked how you________________________________! I really liked how you________________________________! I think you could improve your work by ________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

22. FACT # 70 - Two Stars and A Wish ⊙→

23. FACT # 22- Gallery Walk | Description: Students communicate and share their work as wall displays around the classroom. Teacher poses a question to focus students’ thinking. Students move from poster to poster discussing their peers’ work and providing feedback. Groups use this feedback to reflect on their work and discuss what can be done to improve it. Students may revise their work. When to use: Can be used throughout unit. Why: Gives students opportunities to see classmates’ thinking and expand their own thinking. Connection: Developing & Using Models, Analyzing & Interpreting Data, and [Obtaining,] Evaluating, & Communicating Information (Keeley, 2015)

24. FACT # 5 - Comments Only | Description: Students are provided feedback to guide them in improving their work, reconsider, or expand their thinking. Marks and/or grades are NOT given at this point, comments only. Why: Gives students focus for revision. (Keeley, 2015)

25. FACT # 5 - Comments Only | Create a bank of comments for written feedback. Create a poster of codes for common comments and prompts. Alternatively, codes may be used by students when allowed to comment on other students’ work. UP - unclear procedure ME - measurement error IE – insufficient evidence IW – incorrect word GV – go visual DD – data display CC – confused concept SI – scientifically inaccurate ER – explain reasoning RQ – reword your question

26. 5 Key Strategies • Engineer effective classroom discussions • Provide feedback that moves learning forward • Clarify learning intentions and success criteria

27. FACT # 30 - Justified List ⊙→ Description: Students are given a statement about a concept. Examples are given that fit and do not fit the statement. Students check the examples that fit the statement and provide justification for their thinking. When to use: Can be used at the beginning as a pre-assessment. Why: Teacher may use the information to plan lessons. Can show the level of student understanding. (Keeley, 2008)

28. FACT # 30 - Justified List ⊙→

29. FACT # 54 – Sequencing ⊙→ Description: Students are given a card or a series of statements and asked to put them in a logical sequence. When to use: Can be used at the beginning as a pre-assessment. It can be used during a unit or after a lesson to determine the level of understanding by the teacher. Why: Teachers can see preconceived ideas before beginning a unit. Sequences should be saved so the students can see their growth. (Keeley, 2008)

30. FACT # 54 – Sequencing ⊙→ Ecological Succession of a Forest C B A D

31. FACT # 74 – What Are You Doing and Why? ⊙→ Description: Students are asked what are they doing and why are they doing it as they are involved in an activity. It encourages teachers to be clear about the purpose of the lesson and/or unit. When to use: Can be used at any point in a unit to check to students are clear on goals for lesson and/or unit. Why: This strategy informs the teacher’s instruction. Teacher is able to check to see if the goals are being met. (Keeley, 2008)

32. FACT # 74 – What Are You Doing and Why? ⊙→ Kindergarten student

33. 5 Key Strategies • Engineer effective classroom discussions • Provide feedback that moves learning forward • Clarify learning intentions and success criteria • Activate students as owners of their own learning

34. Apple in the Dark

35. FACT # 7 – Commit and Toss ⊙→ Description: Students are given a question to answer on a piece of paper. They are told not to put their name on it. When the teacher sees that all students have completed the sheet, they are asked to crumple their sheet and toss it into the middle of the room. Students are asked to pick up one crumpled ball from the floor and share the ideas on that paper with a partner. Engage all students in class discussion. Why: Helps teacher get a snapshot of the whole class’ thinking. Helps students to see there are other ideas besides their own. It is nonthreatening. All ideas can be shared.  (Keeley, 2008)

36. FACT # 19 – Feed Up, Feedback and Feed Forward →| Description: Feed up establishes the purpose of the lesson and makes the learning target explicit. Feedback happens throughout the learning process so students can monitor their own learning. Feed forward helps students decide how they will use feedback in future work. Why: Gives students opportunity to learn how to interpret the feedback they receive to improve their work or refine their thinking. (Keeley, 2015)

37. FACT # 19 – Feed Up, Feedback and Feed Forward →| (Keeley, 2015)

38. FACT # 17 - Fist to Five ⊙→ Description: Students hold up their fist and/or fingers to show their level of understanding of a question or concepts. Fist represents no understanding. Five fingers represent full understanding. When to use: Can be used at any time. Can be used to check for understanding after teacher gives directions. Students can initiate at any time this when they are confused. Why: Quick dipstick assessment of entire classes level of understanding. (Keeley, 2008)

39. FACT # 36 – Plus-Delta| Description: Students are given two sticky notes labeled + and △. On the + note, students should write what helped them learn in today’s lesson. On the △ note, students should write what needs to be changed so they can learn. Why: Gives students opportunity to reflect on what they are doing to improve their own learning and what changes they need to make. (Keeley, 2015)

40. 5 Key Strategies • Engineer effective classroom discussions • Provide feedback that moves learning forward • Clarify learning intentions and success criteria • Activate students as owners of their own learning • Activate students as learning resources for one another

41. Students as learning resources for one another • The largest gains have been seen when students are activating each other as learning resource • Must have group goals • Must have individual accountability • The feedback students give each other is more effective than teacher feedback • Both the student giving the feedback and the student receiving the feedback benefit (Slavin, Hurley, and Chamberlain, 2003)

42. FACT # 1 - A & D Statements ⊙→ (agree or disagree) Description: Students are given a set of statements to which they say whether they agree or disagree with them. When to use: Best used at the beginning of a unit. Why: Gives students an opportunity to activate their schema. Can inform instruction and uncover misconceptions. (Keeley, 2008)

43. FACT # 1 - A & D Statements ⊙→ (agree or disagree)

44. FACT # 1 - A & D Statements ⊙→ (agree or disagree)

45. FACT # 27 - I Think ~ We Think ⊙ Description: Students use a two columned paper to record their individual ideas prior to group discussion. When to use: Can be used at the beginning as a pre-assessment. It can be used during a unit to determine the level of understanding. Why: Students plan their thinking before engaging in group instruction. They may add, clarify or change their thinking based on their group’s discussion. (Keeley, 2008)

46. FACT # 27 - I Think ~ We Think ⊙

47. FACT # 30 – Lines of Agreement | Description: Students are asked a question with two different answer choices. Students are given time to think and commit to a claim. Student then form two facing lines corresponding to their choice of answer. Students represent their opposing claims by presenting arguments, rebuttals, and questions. After an allotted time, students are given opportunity to change sides. Why: Students are given opportunities to present their arguments and make their thinking public. (Keeley, 2015)

48. FACT # 30 – Lines of Agreement | Are viruses living or nonliving?

49. In summary,Formative Assessment … • focuses on the learning intention of the task • occurs as the students are doing the learning • provides information on how and why the student understands and misunderstands • provides strategies to help the student to improve • assists the student to understand the goals of the learning

50. Next Steps • Select one or two Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques (FACTs) • To infuse into your instruction before the end of school • Reflection: • Which did you choose? • How did you use? • What went well? • What will you try differently next time?