Lesson #4:

Assessing Student Ideas

Criterion VIB

Purpose: This lesson introduces the criterion and indicators for assessing student ideas.

Overview: During this lesson, pre-service teachers learn about the importance of assessing student knowledge and apply the indicators for Criterion VIB to curriculum materials.

When and How to Use This Lesson:

This lesson follows the unit purpose lesson because it establishes the importance of assessing student knowledge. In developing lesson sequences, teachers need to assess student understanding before, during, and after instruction. Because assessing students prior knowledge usually falls towards the beginning of a unit, this lesson addresses the criteria for assessing student understanding as a part of exploring how to introduce units to students.

Instructors may consider using this lesson later in conjunction with a broader lesson on assessment.

Goals:

  1. To emphasize the importance of assessing student understanding frequently.
  2. To introduce the indicators for Criterion VIB - Assessing Student Ideas.
  3. To apply the indicators for Criterion VIB to curriculum materials.

Activity Time Needed Function of Activity:

Activity #14 20 Minutes Model Criterion VIB

Introduction to Criterion VIB

Assessing Student Ideas

Activity #15 20 Minutes Apply Criterion VIB with

Application of Criterion VIB to Coaching

Food for Plants Preassessment

Activity #16 20 Minutes Apply Criterion VIB with

Application of Criterion VIB to (or Homework) Fading / Assessment

Field Units

Materials:

Activity #14

Evaluating Curriculum Materials Form VIB - Food for Plants - Blank (1 per pre-service teacher)

 

Activity #15

  1. Food for Plants
    2.      Pre-Assessment
  2. Evaluating Curriculum Materials
    3. Form VIB - Food for Plants - Blank (1 per pre-service teacher) (Pre-service teacher use the same form as in Activity #14).
  3. Evaluating Curriculum Materials
    4. Form VIB - Food for Plants - Completed (1 per class)
  4. Overhead projector or other projection equipment
    5.

Activity #16

  1. Blank Evaluating Curriculum Materials Form VIB - (1 per pre-service teacher)
  2. Field Units - Pre-Service Teachers need access to units they will be teaching in their field placements.

 

Possible Pre-Service Teacher Preconceptions:

Pre-service teachers sometimes think that assessment is always a formal event happening at the end of a unit and sometimes at the beginning of a unit. They also tend to think of assessments as just tests. Pre-service teachers need to develop a broader understanding of the form and function of assessments.

Pre-service teachers may need to be reminded that all assessment tasks need to target specific learning goals.

Procedures:

Activity #14 Introduction to Criterion VIB: Assessing Student Ideas

  1. In a group discussion format, discuss why teachers need to consider students' preconceptions.
  2. Elicit student ideas about types of assessments and what pre-assessments should accomplish.
  3. Distribute the
    4. Evaluating Curriculum Materials Form VIB - Food for Plants - Blank.
  4. Briefly discuss the indicators for Criterion VIB.
    5.

Activity #15 Application of Criterion VIB to Food for Plants Pre-assessment

  1. Distribute Food for Plants Pre-assessment.
  2. Have pre-service teachers work in small groups to apply the indicators for Criterion VIB to the Food for Plants Pre-assessment. Pre-service teachers should complete the Evaluation Curriculum Materials form.
  3. In a large group format, debrief the class on how well they thought the Food for Plants pre-assessment met the indicators for Criterion VIB. Possible techniques include
    1. Using an overhead or computer projector, complete the Examining Curriculum Materials Form VIB for Food for Plants based on class feedback.
    2. Project a completed version of Materials Form VIB for Food for Plants for comparison with class findings.
    3. Post a completed version of Materials Form VIB for Food for Plants for pre-service teachers to access later.

Activity #16 Application of Criterion VIB to Field Units

This activity can either be an in-class or homework assignment. Pre-service teachers need access to the units or lessons they will be teaching in the classroom. Pre-service teachers should evaluate those units based on the indicators for Criterion VIB, completing the appropriate form. Instructors may wish to have pre-service teachers focus on a specific aspect of assessment (ex: pre-assessment) or all of the assessments together. Remind pre-service teachers that they must identify the learning goal of the lesson or unit and apply the indicators to the parts of the lesson or unit that address that learning goal. Pre-service teachers may work individually or in field placement groups. However, each pre-service teacher should hand in the completed forms.

Assessment:

Activity #16 serves as the assessment for this lesson. Each pre-service teacher should turn in for evaluation Examining Curriculum Materials Form VIB. Use the following response features for evaluation. After evaluation, provide pre-service teachers with appropriate feedback and revisit key points, if necessary.

Feature No.

Label

Description

1

Learning Goal

A learning goal is identified for the analysis. Analysis using the criteria reflects consideration of the learning goal.

2

Complete Documentation

All forms are complete with specific examples.

3

Consistent with Unit

Documentation is consistent with the sequence and activities in the unit evaluated.

4

Consistent with the Intent of the Criteria

Documentation demonstrates the understanding of the intent of each criterion.

Resources:

Food for Plants Pre-Assessment

Examining Curriculum Materials Forms

VIB for Food for Plants - Blank

VIB for Food for Plants - Completed

VIB Blank