Running head: ASSESSMENTS 1

Differentiated Assessments

Nicole Rodamer

National University

TED 531

Professor Meinyer Rocha

 Assessment 2

Abstract

This paper is based on a mid-unit 3 math quiz in a fourth grade class. Included is a description of

the lessons leading up to the quiz and the California content standards. Also attached is sample

work from a GATE identified student, and English Language Learner, and a student with special

needs. The assessment adaptation for each of these students is included.

 Assessment 3

The lesson and assessment took place in a 4th grade classroom in Fremont, Ca. The idea

of differentiating assessment is too allow all students an equal opportunity of being successful at

demonstrating their knowledge. Just as every student learns differently or needs special

adaptations for instruction, there are students who do not test well in a tradition setting.

Assessment adaptations are not to give the student an unfair advantage over the rest of the class,

rather to give them the support they need to have a fair assessment.

In the Everday Math text used in the classroom, unit 3 has 12 chapters; and so it was

decided that after the first week of instruction, it was important to assess how the students were

coming along. “School often casts assessment as something that happens at the end of a unit to

see who “got it” and who didn’t. In fact, assessment is most useful when it comes at the outset of

a unit or along the way in a unit. At those points, assessment invites us to adjust our teaching

based on current information” (Tomlinson, 2001, p.20). There were 5 lessons leading up to the

quiz. The class has a math routine in which helps focus and organize the information for the

students to easily access. Students start with “Math Boxes” a worksheet in their books; the math

boxes help students warm up their math brains and are a bit of a refresher of the previous day’s

lesson. White boards are used after the students have had a chance to warm up; during white

boards, teacher states a problem and students write their answers on the white board and shows

their answer. White boards are not only a great warm up, but a great quick and informal daily

assessment. During this week, students practiced multiplication facts, multiples, and factors on

their white boards. After warms up and white boards, there is a daily lesson, independent practice

in the student’s math journals, and a quick closing recap of the day’s lesson.
 Assessment 4

In the first lesson students learned “What’s My Rule?” and we created a

function machine chart to help see how it works. The second lesson was

focused on multiplication facts, and how to use a multiplication chart.

Factors, products, and factor pairs were the vocabulary words used in

the daily chart. On day 2 and 3, students practiced doing multiplication

times tests, and learned how to use and study fact triangles. Day 4 and 5 were continued lessons

of the fact triangles, multiplication charts and how division is just the opposite

of multiplication and the same tools can be used to learn and memorize their

division facts. After a week of practice, students were ready to have a short

mid-unit quiz. This assessment was helpful to the teacher to know if students

could move forwards in the chapter, or if we needed to spend more time practicing simple

multiplication and division.

The corresponding California content standards to this lesson and assessment are: 3.0

Students solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole

numbers and understand the relationships among the operations.

The assessment given was a short 4 question quiz, students were asked to list factor pairs,

multiples, and fill in a function machine chart. There were a couple of adaptations provided in

order to allow all students in the classroom equal access to the information. For both the ELL

and special needs students, I allowed them to take the quiz at the back table with me. This

allowed me to be able to quickly answer their questions and provide assistance when I saw them

need it. By having the special needs student at the table with me, I was also able to keep him

focused on the quiz, one question at a time, and not allowing him to get off task. I first allowed

the students to try the problems on their own; but once I saw they were not doing the problem
 Assessment 5

correctly, I stopped them and discussed the vocabulary and what the problem was asking them to

do. “If a student misses a question, help the student take corrective action” (Wong, 2009, p 255).

The student knew how to do the problem correctly, it was just a matter of a little bit of prompting

and rephrasing the questions. Secondly, I allowed the students (who needed it) more time to

finish the quiz, while the rest of the class moved onto the next assignment. The third adaption

was that the students were allowed to use their multiplication charts as a reference tool.

I thought it was unnecessary to make a different quiz for the gifted students, but rather

allow them to do a bonus question if they wanted. I wrote a “super challenge” question on the

board and allowed students to try the extra question if they had completed their quiz early. My

GATE student actually is a very slow and thorough worker, and he took his time during the quiz.

He was unable to complete the bonus questions, but that was due to a lack of time, and not skill;

with more time he would have easily completed it.

The assessments went well, and most students did well. There were some other “high

performing” students who rushed through the quiz and didn’t do as well as they should have, but

they learned a lesson of slowing down and checking their work. The ELL and special needs

students would not have done as well on the quiz if they did not have help, but the purpose of the

quiz was not to give the students grades, but rather to assess their current understanding of the

math unit. Scaffolding the quiz, without giving the students the answers allowed them to

demonstrate their knowledge. “Assessments are used as the basis for flexible grouping patterns

to focus on reteaching critical skills and concepts students need for standards mastery. Students

who have mastered the standards proceed to the next level of skills” (Ventriglia, 2012, p 13).
 Assessment 6

GATE / Gifted Student

 Assessment 7

English Language Learner Student

 Assessment 8

Student with special needs

 Assessment 9

References

Tomlinson, C. A. (20052001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms (2nd

ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.

Ventriglia, L. (2010). Differentiated Instruction The Rule of Foot (8th ed.). Mexico:

YounglightEducate.

Wong, H. K., & Wong, R. T. (2009). The first days of school: how to be an effective teacher.

Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.