s

Assessment, Grading and

Data Profile
EDU 429

Tyler Reed
05/02/2018
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Table of Contents
Research of Assessment
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2
Assessment
Beliefs………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………3
Research on Effective
Grading…………………………………………………………………………………………….
4
Grading
Beliefs………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………...5
Research on Effective Data
Usage…………………………………………………………………………………...6-7
Data Usage
Beliefs………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………..8
Communication
Plan…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………..9-22
Unit Plan, Standards, and
Objectives………………..………………………………………………………….23-34
Interim
Assessment…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………....34-44
Formative
Assessment…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………..45-47
References…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………….48
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Research of Assessment
What is Assessment?
Assessment is the process of gathering data in order to make a decision

The Purpose of Assessment

Assessment has two different purposes, Assessment OF Learning and Assessment FOR
learning.

Assessment OF Learning
Assessment of learning typically occurs at the end of a unit or after learning has taken
place. Assessment of learning typically takes the form of unit tests, report cards, district reports,
and teacher evaluations by school districts. The most common assessments of learning are
macro-level state exams such as the M-Step or other standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT.

Assessment FOR Learning

According to Stiggins, “assessment for learning turns day-to-day assessment into a
teaching and learning process that enhances (instead of merely monitoring) student
learning”(Stiggins, p.44). The process of assessing for learning occurs as learning is taking place
in the classroom. The reason to assess for learning is to first, figure out what the needs of the
students are and second, differentiate instruction to fit the needs of the student so that optimal
learning can occur before the “graded event”.

Balanced Assessment System

A balanced assessment system is vital to the efficiency and effectiveness of
a classroom. A balanced assessment system gives frequent opportunities for
formative assessment to guide instruction; many opportunities for interim
assessments which measure student progress according to standards and few
opportunities for summative assessments which gauge student learning over a wide
range of content and time.

Assessment Beliefs
Assessment in My Classroom Will...
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● Be assessment FOR learning

● Give descriptive feedback

● Give frequent feedback

● Have a clear purpose and direction

● Create opportunity to measure student growth and learning

● Be given in a variety of different mediums and forms in order to give all

learning types and styles the same opportunity to succeed.

● Allow students to prove their learning in a way that is unique to them.

● Be a Balanced Assessment System (Huebner, 2009)

○ Formative, Interim, and Summative

● Be tied to standards-based learning objectives

● Be high quality with accurate and informative results

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Research of Effective Grading

Historical Context
At the end of the 1800’s and in the early 1900’s school enrollment was vastly increasing
and students began to be categorized and placed based on age and academic ability. To assess
students, teachers were required to give a narrative report in which they would describe the skills
students had mastered and the skills they needed to work on further. The purpose of these reports
was to inform students when they mastered an academic level and were ready to move to the
next level (Guskey, 1994). As school enrollment continued to increase due to attendance laws
and population increases teachers began using percentage grades in which the grades for students
typically are developed out of a 0%-100% scale with 90%-100% being thought of as “mastery”
of a skill.
Over the past few decades researchers have conducted studies to research the
effectiveness of the percentage grading practices. These studies have continually found that
percentage grading and the traditional grading system is highly subjective with teachers having
differing opinions on what is and isn’t important in the grading process. This subjectivity gave
life to newer grading practices such as the 3-point scale, the 4-point scale, and other standardized
grading systems that work off of a point system rather than a percentage system.
Grading practices such as the 4-point scale have been more widely accepted because they
create less subjectivity and more accurate, uniform, and clear results. These practices allow
multiple teachers to interpret the same results the same way because they provide clear
requirements for each point/grade on the scale. Therefore, if 100 teachers all graded the same
piece of work the majority if not all would give the same grade for the assignment because of the
clarity of the rubric for grading.

Current Grading Practices

There are many different grading practices being implemented around the world and in
the United States. These grading practices include standards-based grading, letter grades, 4-
point scale, 9-point scale, leveled grading scale (typically used internationally), and PLC grading
policy. These grading practices help because they provide a uniform system of grading that is
easily understood. These processes also hinder because they require a multitude of materials for
accurate grading and can be subjective based on the teacher grading and the school district.
(Guskey, 1994)

Grading Beliefs
The grading practice that works best with my belief system is Standards-Based Grading.
The purpose behind choosing Standards-Based Grading is to provide information for students to
self-evaluation and for the teacher to evaluate and adjust teaching practices. Since Standards-
Based Grading provides a grade that is directly tied to a learning objective or standard my grades
will be more specific and easier to communicate with stakeholders.
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When grading in my classroom, I will…

● Use grades to track and monitor student progress and learning
○ Communicate progress with students and stakeholders
● Provide clear, specific, and intentional feedback
● Have a different system for academic and non-academic work
● Use and develop quality assessments
● Allow redos and retakes
○ If student shows proof of relearning such as an outline, flashcards, powerpoints
(Wormeli, 2011)
● Base assessment off of objectives and standards
● Create an environment that promotes improvement (Stiggins, 2007)
I will not…
● Not allow zeroes (Wormeli, 2011)
● Use averages as final grades
● Grade on a curve
● Allow attendance to negatively affect a grade
○ Will be reported separately
● Use participation grades
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Research of Effective Data Use

Types of Data
In education, there are four primary types of data used 1) Demographics 2) Perceptions 3)
School Process and 4) Student Learning. These four types can be measured separately or with
overlap which is known as Multiple Measures of Data Model.
1) Demographics: includes data such as enrollment, attendance, dropout rate, ethnicity,
gender, and grade level.
2) Perceptions: indicates the perception of environmental changes both positive and
negative over a period of time. The data gathered for perception is the perception of the
learning environment, values and beliefs, attitudes, and observations.
3) School Process: Shows hows how classrooms changes affect student learning and growth.
School process provides specific feedback of the impact both positive and negative of
changes in school processes.
4) Student Learning: Provides student learning data and information about student
performance on different measures.

Additional Types of Data

There are two additional types of data that are commonly use in education, Qualitative
and Quantitative data. Qualitative data provides information about the quality of something and
is information that cannot be quantifiably measured. An example of qualitative data are gender,
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socioeconomic status, and religious affiliation. Quantitative data is data that is quantifiable and
can be written and recorded as numbers such as specific scores on an assessment.

Users of Different Data Measures

Teachers and administrators use data in order to guide the direction of their classrooms
and the school. Teachers specifically will use data to guide instruction for specific students in
order to track progress and direct the structure of their units. Administrators use data in order to
track the progress of different school processes and to compare the progress of their schools with
state standards and other districts. (Data Quality Campaign, 2016)

Why Use One Type of Data Over Another?

Different types of data provide different information and the person collecting data must
use the specific data type that will provide them with optimal feedback. For example, an
administrator would collect data such as school process and student learning in order to
determine how well a new schoolwide program is affecting student scores on standardized tests.
Whereas a teacher would use student learning to guide instruction for an upcoming unit.

Why Do Teachers Need To Effectively Use Data?

A teacher needs to be able to use data effectively in order to manage and structure the
learning environment properly. Teachers need to use data to see if students are meeting specific
learning objectives and standards set by both the school and the state. They then need to be able
to communicate this data with administrators in order to guide future learning in the school. For
example, a teacher will collect data about how well his/her class scored on a test that covers a
specific state standard. They will review the data collected and use it to determine how well their
students understand the given standard. (Data Quality Campaign, 2016)
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Data Beliefs
What will be done…
● Data Collection
○ The data collected in my classroom will be used to guide instruction, provide
evidence of student learning, will track student progress, will provide the school
with information on the efficiency of school processes.
● Data Analysis Task Sequence
○ Gather Data
○ Present Data
■ Create a data table in order to begin to organize data
○ Represent Data
■ Graphically represent data in an organized and purposeful way such as
circle, bar, line, or picture graphs.
○ Fact Find
■ Use observations, patterns, or indisputable documentation such as
numbers or statements to develop facts about a set of data.
○ Hypothesize
■ Use contributable and controllable reasons to answer the question, “what
might we/I have done, that contributed to the results?”
○ Action Plan
■ Create a realistic, specific, collaborative plan to solve or change a
problem.
■ Make results communicable and documentable.
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Communication Plan
Teachers Responsibility
● Provide a clear reasoning of purpose
● Provide accurate and understandable feedback of student learning
● Communicate student grades and progress often
● Use grading to enhance student learning and maximize growth
● Use and develop quality assessments
● Use a balanced system
● Keep students involved and informed

Return of Student Work

● Student work will be returned within a week of it being turned in

Student Involvement In Grading

● In accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 1974) students
will not be allowed to grade one another's work.
● Students will help create rubrics for assignments
● Students will be able to redo their work if unhappy with the given grade

What Will Be Done With Completed Work?

● Specific work will be kept in order to obtain data and track progress
● Specific work will be given back to the student for feedback and communication of
progress

Teacher Involvement in Gathering and Using Data?

● Use the Data Analysis Task Sequence to collect, interpret, and develop an action plan
○ Gather data
○ Create a data table
○ Represent data
○ Fact find
○ Develop a hypothesis
○ Create an action plan
● Work with PLC’s to collect and interpret data

Communication of Data
● To Students:
○ Scores on assessments, tests, and projects
○ Grades in PowerSchool or BlackBoard
○ One-on One conversation
○ Bi-Weekly Progress Report
○ End of Semester Progress Report
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○ Surveys
● To Parents:
○ Letters to home
○ Bi-Weekly Progress Report
○ End of Semester Progress Report
○ Parent-Teacher Conference
○ Surveys
● To Administrators:
○ PLC Meetings
■ Any and all data that the PLC gathers and the administration wants to
know
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Sample Parent Letter

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Hello Everyone! My name is Tyler Reed and I will be your child’s teacher for the

upcoming school year. I am writing this letter in order for you to gain a better understanding of

how your child’s school year will look.

I would first like to address how your child will be graded this upcoming school year. I

will separate grades between academic and non-academic grades; academic grades will be on a

1-4 scale which aligns with the standards-based grading system that the school has implemented.

The scale looks like this:

● 4= Exceeds Grade Level

● 3= Meets Grade Level
● 2= Nearing Grade Level
● 1= Not Near Grade Level
I want all students to strive for a score of 3 on all assignments and assessments which
indicates to me that they are meeting the requirements set for them by the State of Michigan. If a
student scores a 4 he or she is exceeding all expectations, keep in mind that if your child does not
receive the maximum score of a 4 on an assignment that they still can be on track and are most
likely on track. A score of 3 is right where all students should be and if you are receiving a 4 you
are exceeding expectations.
Your child’s assignments will be graded and given specific written feedback on them
within a week of the date they are turned in. The objectives of each assignment will appear at the
top of the assignment and all grading will have a clear justification and reason for the grade
given.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact me by email
at tyler.reed@arbor.edu or by phone at (517)-123-4567 ext. 891

Sample Assessment Survey

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Student Assessment Survey

1) How much did you study for this assessment?

1. 😀

2. 😀

3. 😀

2) How did you do on the assessment?

1. 😀

2. 😀

3. 😀

Sample Parent Survey

Parent Midterm Survey

1) How do you feel about you child’s learning in class?

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a) Very Pleased- He or she is learning more than expected

b) Satisfied- He or she is learning what was expected
c) Dissatisfied- He or she is not learning what was expected
d) Unsure- I am not sure what he or she has learned in class
Comments:

2) How informed do you feel about your child’s learning and behavior?
a) Very informed- I am always up to date and informed
b) Somewhat informed- I sometimes know what is going on in class
c) Not informed- I never know what is going on in class
Comments:

3) Please use this sections to make any further comments, or make suggestions you feel
would help me assist your child’s success.

Sample Bi-Weekly Progress Report (high-achieving student)

Student name:__________________________ Date:__________________

To be signed by Parent or Guardian and returned by_______________

Subject Grade(0-4) Needs to be Addressed Teacher Comments Parent Comment

Math 3/4 Always willing to discuss and Most mistakes I see on HW is

volunteer to perform due to missing steps in his
examples in class. Very arithmetic. It would be a
receptive to new ideas. good idea to remind him to
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slow down and review his

work after each problem.

English 3/4 Handwriting His handwriting has

improved since the beginning
of the year. But I would love
to see it continue!

Social 4/4 Very engaged and loves to

Studies discuss history

Science 4/4 Loves to explore during

experiment time

Subject Grade Teacher Comment Parent Comment

(0-3)

Effort 3 Goes above and beyond expected effort

level

Attitude 3 Always has a positive attitude towards

learning

Participation 3 Very engaged at all times

Organization 2 Struggles to keep work in order at times. A

little more organization will help with
turning assignments in on time
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Accompanying Email (High-achieving Student)

Dear _________,

I hope you are having a wonderful day, I want to communicate with you the results of
your child’s Bi-Weekly Progress Report for the dates between (xx/xx/xxxx - xx/xx/xxxx). Your
child has continued to flourish and see positive results in both academics and behavior in the
class. All scores received on the report are at or exceed grade level expectations.
Something that would help your child improve and continue their success in class would
be to work on their organization of classroom binders in order to keep track of homework and in
class assignments. Another thing that would help would be to review answers when completing
homework in order to ensure that he does all required steps in answering a problem. Thank you
for your time, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact me by
email at tyler.reed@arbor.edu or by phone at (517)-123-4567 ext. 891.
Sincerely,
Tyler Reed
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Sample End of Term Progress Report (high-achieving student)

Student name:__________________________ Date:__________________

To be signed by Parent or Guardian and returned by_______________

Subject Grade(0-4) Needs to be Addressed Teacher Comments Improvement

Math 3/4 Always willing to discuss and Most mistakes I see on HW is

volunteer to perform
examples in class. Very
receptive to new ideas.
due to missing steps in his
arithmetic. It would be a good
idea to remind him to slow
down and review his work
after each problem.

English 3/4 Handwriting His handwriting has

improved since the beginning
of the year. But I would love
to see it continue!

Social 4/4 Very engaged and loves to

Studies discuss history

Science 4/4 Loves to explore during

experiment time

Subject Grade Teacher Comment Parent Comment

(0-3)

Effort 3/3 Goes above and beyond expected effort

level

Attitude 3/3 Always has a positive attitude towards

learning

Participation 3/3 Very engaged at all times

Organization 2/3 Struggles to keep work in order at times. A

little more organization will help with
turning assignments in on time
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Sample End of Term Progress Report (Low-achieving student)

Student name:__________________________ Date:__________________
To be signed by Parent or Guardian and returned by_______________

Subject Grade (0-4) Needs to be addressed Teacher Comment Parent Comment

Math 1 Concept Development Your child is determined to learn and

master the concepts presented in class. I
am available before and after school for
extra support, I feel this would be very
beneficial for his success in math.

English 3 Your child is very articulate and loves to

explore literature and writing.

Social 2 Assignments and Your child has not been participating or

Studies Participation turning in assignments on time or at all in
SS. This is the only subject he struggles
to do this with. We have discussed a plan
for him to turn in his work on time, if this
does not work I would love to speak with
you about a new plan of action.

Science 1 Concept Development and Your child could use additional help with
Assignments assignments and studying for
assessments. Again, I am available
before and after school for additional
help. If that does not work, I suggest a
tutor would be very beneficial to his
success.

Subject Grade (0- Teacher Comments Parent Comments

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3)

Effort 3 Shows great effort daily! Keep it up and we will see

results in due time.

Attitude 1 Gets discouraged very easily after a struggle.

Participation 1 Does not participate in small or large group activities.

Organization 1 Has a hard time keeping track of work and this leads to
late or missing assignments. We have met and organized
his subject binder multiple times. I would like to meet
with you to discuss a new plan of action.
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Accompanying Email (Low-achieving Student)

Dear _________,

I hope you are having a wonderful day, I want to communicate with you the results of
your child’s Bi-Weekly Progress Report for the dates between (xx/xx/xxxx - xx/xx/xxxx). Your
child has struggled for the past two weeks both academically and behaviorally. Both academic
and non-academic work have seen steady decline over the past two weeks. Your child and I have
met three times to discuss different strategies for improvement in all struggling areas. I would
like to meet or talk with you on the phone to discuss different strategies we can use to ensure we
see more positive results over the next two weeks.
Something that I think would help your child is organization of his classroom binder.
Another suggestion I have is for him to meet with me before or after school for additional help
with the subjects he is struggling in. Thank you for your time, if you have any questions,
comments, or concerns please feel free to contact me by email at tyler.reed@arbor.edu or by
phone at (517)-123-4567 ext. 891.
Sincerely,
Tyler Reed
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Sample Bi-Weekly Progress Report (Low-achieving student)

Student name:__________________________ Date:__________________
To be signed by Parent or Guardian and returned by_______________

Subject Grade (0-4) Needs to be addressed Teacher Comment Parent Comment

Math 1 Concept Development Your child is determined to learn and

master the concepts presented in class. I
am available before and after school for
extra support, I feel this would be very
beneficial for his success in math.

English 3 Your child is very articulate and loves

to explore literature and writing.

Social 2 Assignments and Your child has not been participating or

Studies Participation turning in assignments on time or at all
in SS. This is the only subject he
struggles to do this with. We have
discussed a plan for him to turn in his
work on time, if this does not work I
would love to speak with you about a
new plan of action.

Science 1 Concept Development and Your child could use additional help
Assignments with assignments and studying for
assessments. Again, I am available
before and after school for additional
help. If that does not work, I suggest a
tutor would be very beneficial to his
success.

Subject Grade (0- Teacher Comments Parent Comments

3)

Effort 3 Shows great effort daily! Keep it up and we will see

results in due time.
 22

Attitude 1 Gets discouraged very easily after a struggle.

Participation 1 Does not participate in small or large group activities.

Organization 1 Has a hard time keeping track of work and this leads to
late or missing assignments. We have met and organized
his subject binder multiple times. I would like to meet
with you to discuss a new plan of action.
 23

Unit Plan, Standards, and Objectives

Unit Summary
This is a week long Kindergarten Unit based on the theme of “Relationships”. This theme will
guide learning for the week and will begin with newsletter to parents indicating the upcoming
unit. Each lesson will begin with a reading of a book with the theme of relationship.

Standards and Objectives

K-LS1-1- Use Observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans)
need to survive.
Objectives:
The student will… Observe the growth of a plant and animal over time in class and record and
list their observations in a picture journal.
K-2-ETS1-2- Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of
an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
Objectives:
The student will… demonstrate understanding of the different parts of a flower by constructing a
model
K-ESS3-1- Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and
animals and the places they live.
Objectives
The student will… demonstrate an understanding of different habitats and the animals within
them by placing cutouts of animals on the correct habitat they belong in.
K-ESS3-3- Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water,
and air and other living things in the environment
The student will… understand what recycling is and how we can recycle in our lives

Assessments Titles
- Informal Formative- “Parts of a Plant”
- Informal Formative- Plants and Animals Venn Diagram
- Summative- Poster Project
- Interim- Picture Journal with questions
- Informal Formative- “Think, Pair, Share’ over the question “Why are relationships
 24

important?”
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Assessment Blueprint
How are the Assessment items related to the standards?
Part 1- (“Identify” and “list” - Bloom’s Taxonomy) Measures standard K-LS1-1 by having
students identify characteristics and make a list using observations of a plant and an animal.
Part 2- (“develop” - Bloom’s Taxonomy) Measures standard K-2-ETS1-2 by having students
develop a model of the parts of a plant.
Part 3- (“represent” - Bloom’s Taxonomy) Measures standard K-ESS3-1 by having the student
use a model to represent the different habitats that animals live in.
Part 4- (“communicate” - Bloom’s Taxonomy) Measures standard K-ESS3-3 by having students
communicate ways in which they affect their environments
How are items organized?
● Assessments and assessment questions are organized in increasing order of Bloom’s
Taxonomy.
● The entire unit will be graded using Standards-Based Grading and the 1-4 scale will still
apply to the sections that do not have a rubric.
Plan for gathering data, usage, and communication
The data will answer the following questions:
1. Did the students meet the standard?
2. What is the correlation between answers on the survey and poor performance?
3. Which students need one-on-one or small group intervention?
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Rubric for Project

Subject 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point

Content - The student choose - The student choose - Student choose 1 - Student chose 1 or
2 animals that are 2 animals animal appropriate less animals
appropriate for the appropriate for the for the habitat appropriate for the
habitat habitat - The student habitat
- The student - The student provided 1 fact for - Facts are
provided 1 fact for provided 1 fact for both animal and inaccurate or not
the plant, animal, for 2 of 3 habitat included
and habitat characteristics or - Facts are either
- Facts are accurate facts may be slightly missing or
inaccurate inaccurate for the
characteristics

Presentation/Creativ -Student created the - Student created the - Student created -Students created
ity poster using a poster using some poster using half of poster using little
variety of colors and color and utilizing ¾ the space provided space and minimal
utilized all space on of the space and with little color color
the poster board provided -The student used -Student did not use
-Student used facts -Student used facts facts to speak about facts to speak about
from their poster to to speak about 2 of 1 element in their elements in the
speak about the the 3 elements in poster poster
habitat, and the two their poster
animals.

Objective Met -Student met and -Student met the -Student was close -Student needs
exceed the target target objective to meeting the target improvement in
objective stated at stated at the objective stated at order to meet the
the beginning of the beginning of the the beginning of the target objective
lesson. They lesson lesson stated at the
understand why beginning of the
each animal goes lesson.
with the habitat

Comments:
 27

Rubric (High-Achieving Student)

Subject 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point

Content - The student choose - The student choose - Student choose 1 - Student chose 1 or
2 animals that are 2 animals animal appropriate less animals
appropriate for the appropriate for the for the habitat appropriate for the
habitat habitat - The student habitat
- The student - The student provided 1 fact for - Facts are
provided 1 fact for provided 1 fact for both animal and inaccurate or not
the plant, animal, for 2 of 3 habitat included
and habitat characteristics or - Facts are either
- Facts are accurate facts may be slightly missing or
inaccurate inaccurate for the
characteristics

Presentation/Creativ -Student created the - Student created the - Student created -Students created
ity poster using a poster using some poster using half of poster using little
variety of colors and color and utilizing ¾ the space provided space and minimal
utilized all space on of the space and with little color color
the poster board provided -The student used -Student did not use
-Student used facts -Student used facts facts to speak about facts to speak about
from their poster to to speak about 2 of 1 element in their elements in the
speak about the the 3 elements in poster poster
habitat, and the two their poster
animals.

Objective Met -Sudent met and -Student met the -Student was close -Student needs
exceed the target target objective to meeting the target improvement in
objective stated at stated at the objective stated at order to meet the
the beginning of the beginning of the the beginning of the target objective
lesson. They lesson lesson stated at the
understand why beginning of the
each animal goes lesson.
with the habitat

Comments:

The student received a total of 12/12 points.

Feedback: “I am very pleased with how well you found and read your facts to me, I am happy you used all of the
space on your poster and used a variety of colors for your poster”
 28

Rubric (Medium-Achieving Student)

Subject 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point

Content - The student choose - The student choose - Student choose 1 - Student chose 1 or
2 animals that are 2 animals animal appropriate less animals
appropriate for the appropriate for the for the habitat appropriate for the
habitat habitat - The student habitat
- The student - The student provided 1 fact for - Facts are
provided 1 fact for provided 1 fact for both animal and inaccurate or not
the plant, animal, for 2 of 3 habitat included
and habitat characteristics or - Facts are either
- Facts are accurate facts may be slightly missing or
inaccurate inaccurate for the
characteristics

Presentation/Creativ -Student created the - Student created the - Student created -Students created
ity poster using a poster using some poster using half of poster using little
variety of colors and color and utilizing ¾ the space provided space and minimal
utilized all space on of the space and with little color color
the poster board provided -The student used -Student did not use
-Student used facts -Student used facts facts to speak about facts to speak about
from their poster to to speak about 2 of 1 element in their elements in the
speak about the the 3 elements in poster poster
habitat, and the two their poster
animals.

Objective Met -Student met and -Student met the -Student was close -Student needs
exceed the target target objective to meeting the target improvement in
objective stated at stated at the objective stated at order to meet the
the beginning of the beginning of the the beginning of the target objective
lesson. They lesson lesson stated at the
understand why beginning of the
each animal goes lesson.
with the habitat

Comments:

Feedback: Student received 9/12 points. “I am very pleased with how your poster turned out, you found useful facts
and used most of the space on your poster. I would like to see more facts on your poster so you can show me how
much you know about the animals and the habitat you picked”
 29

Rubric (Low-Achieving Student)

Subject 4 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Point

Content - The student choose - The student choose - Student choose 1 - Student chose 1 or
2 animals that are 2 animals animal appropriate less animals
appropriate for the appropriate for the for the habitat appropriate for the
habitat habitat - The student habitat
- The student - The student provided 1 fact for - Facts are
provided 1 fact for provided 1 fact for both animal and inaccurate or not
the plant, animal, for 2 of 3 habitat included
and habitat characteristics or - Facts are either
- Facts are accurate facts may be slightly missing or
inaccurate inaccurate for the
characteristics

Presentation/Creativ -Student created the - Student created the - Student created -Students created
ity poster using a poster using some poster using half of poster using little
variety of colors and color and utilizing ¾ the space provided space and minimal
utilized all space on of the space and with little color color
the poster board provided -The student used -Student did not use
-Student used facts -Student used facts facts to speak about facts to speak about
from their poster to to speak about 2 of 1 element in their elements in the
speak about the the 3 elements in poster poster
habitat, and the two their poster
animals.

Objective Met -Student met and -Student met the -Student was close -Student needs
exceed the target target objective to meeting the target improvement in
objective stated at stated at the objective stated at order to meet the
the beginning of the beginning of the the beginning of the target objective
lesson. They lesson lesson stated at the
understand why beginning of the
each animal goes lesson.
with the habitat

Comments:

Feedback: Student scored 4/12 points. “I am happy to see that you tried hard on this assignment and were able to
come up with a fact and show creativity in your work. We will need to talk more about what you know about your
habitat and the animals in your poster.”
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Name Score (Maximum of 12)

Student 1 10

Student 2 8

Student 3 3

Student 4 12

Student 5 12

Student 6 9

Student 7 10

Student 8 12

Student 9 6

Student 10 8

Student 11 9

Student 12 9

Student 13 3

Student 14 9

Student 15 6

Student 16 10

Student 17 12

Student 18 9

Student 19 7
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Data Analysis Task Sequence

Facts from the data:
1. The class average was 8.6 points

2. 4 students earned perfect scores

3. 2 students scored a 3/12

4. The mode of the data is 9

5. The range of the data is 9

6. 14 of the 19 students understood the state standard

7. 3 of of 19 students are approaching an understanding of the state standard

8. 2 of the 19 students need more help understanding the state standard

9. Students scored best on content portion of the rubric

10. Students scored the worst on the creativity portion of the rubric

Hypotheses from the data:

1. The students learned the information well because they practiced in groups before

moving to the poster individually.

2. The students performed well on content because they were given multiple resources and

teacher led research in small groups.

3. Students were successful because they approached the poster with creativity.

4. Students did not succeed because they are not proficient in word recognition and

comprehension

5. Students did not succeed because I did not accommodate enough time for struggling

students

6. I could have presented another medium for students to prove their depth of knowledge

7. I could have given more attention to students who were struggling with the content

8. I could have given more examples of quality work before and during the students worked
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on their projects

9. Students achieved a score in the middle because more time was spent with struggling

students in small groups

10. I could have allowed struggling students to choose only 1 animal for their habit instead of

2 in order to simplify their research.

Action Plan:
1. I will allow students to choose from a variety of different mediums to prove knowledge

of the state standard

2. I will emphasis key words and phrases throughout the lesson while also providing visuals

for those key words and phrases.

3. I will allow students to work with partners

4. I will check student work and provide feedback at least 2 times before they turn in their

work

5. I will differentiate and allow struggling students to choose only 1 fact for 1 animal
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Interim Assessments
Objectives Measured:
● Picture Journal

○ The learner will… observe the growth of a plant and animal (sea monkey) and

record the steps in their journal.

○ The learner will… Record what they think is helping the plant and animal grow

based off prior knowledge and what they’ve learned in class.

○ The learner will… Have a class discussion about their observations of the class

plant and animal (sea monkey) and if they need food and water to survive and

grow.

○ The teacher will… Use these drawings and the student observations to guide

instruction for the unit. If 15 or more students understand the similarities and

differences between animals and plants survival and growth the teacher can

introduce newer vocabulary into the lesson. If 9 or less students understand the

concept than the teacher must cover the concept more in depth.

● Habitat drawing activity

○ The learner will… draw two animals that belong in a Tundra, Desert, Forest, and

the Ocean

○ The learner will... have a class discussion about which animals they drew in each

of the habitats and why they drew them.

○ The teacher will… Collect the drawings and review them. If 15 or more students

correctly placed 6/8 animals in the correct habitat and colored the habitats with a

variety of color the teacher can introduce newer concepts. If 9 or more students

incorrectly place more than 2 animals the teacher will go over the concepts

previously taught in small group instruction during Cafe time.

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Actual Assessment: Picture Journal

Draw a picture of the plant

What does the plant need to survive and grow?

Draw a picture of the sea monkey

What does the Sea Monkey need to survive and grow?

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Draw a picture of the plant

What does the plant need to survive and grow?

Draw a picture of the sea monkey

What does the Sea Monkey need to survive and grow?

Students will begin the lesson by observing the teacher watering a plant feeding a sea monkey.
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39
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The students will draw pictures of both the plant and the animal and answer the question

“what does the plant/sea monkey need to survive and grow?”. They will then draw two more
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pictures of what they think the plant will look like in one week and what the sea monkey will

look like in one week’s time. Students will then plant their own seeds in small cups, water them

throughout the week, and take picture journals of the plant and sea monkeys progress. Students

will write one new thing they learned about the plant and sea monkey each day until the end of

the week. This will tell me what the students were learning from the daily lesson and if they met

the objectives of the lesson.

The habitat chart will not be collected but will be used to facilitate small group

discussions and for small group work throughout the lesson. This will provide me with feedback

on whether groups of students understand the material we are covering based on where they

place the animals collectively in their drawings.

At the end of the lesson the students will take one last picture journal and draw a picture

of the plant and sea monkey at the end the lesson. The students will then write what they think is

important to the survival and growth of the plant and sea monkey (primarily food and water) and

what the difference is in the needs of the two species. (plants need sunlight to survive, animals

don’t, etc…)
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Interim Assessment Sample Data

Picture Journal Data:

● 10 out of 19 students understand the similarities and differences between the needs of

plants and animals in the beginning of the lesson

● 9 students do not know

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● 17 out of 19 students understand the concept the similarities and differences between the

needs of plants and animals in the end of the lesson

● 2 students need additional support

Data Retreat Model:

Facts:
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1. 17 out of 19 students fully understand the similarities and differences between the needs
of plants and animals at the end of the lesson.
2. 2 students do not understand the similarities and differences between the needs of plants
and animals at the end of the lesson
3. Students met State Standard
4. Students who indicated they felt poorly about the content performed poorly
Hypotheses:
1. The teacher effectively taught students the similarities and differences between plants and
animals
2. The teacher was able to help 5 students gain a better understanding of plants and animals
3. The teacher allowed students to explore the subject using different mediums

Action Plan:

1. The teacher will incorporate teacher led small group work

2. The teacher will ask “big questions” at the beginning of the lesson in order to guide
student learning
3. The teacher will incorporate more options for students to choose from for the lesson
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Formative Assessments

Description of Formative Assessments:

Informal: Parts of a Plant

The students will be given this worksheet at the beginning of the lesson and asked to cut

out the words and correctly place them in the place they go on the plant. I chose this worksheet

because this will dictate how much time I will need to spend on the naming of the parts of the

plant before moving onto the actual functions of the different parts of the plant. I would be

looking to see if the majority of the class can independently label the parts of the plant on their

own. If students struggle to label the parts of the plant I would spend extra time giving visual and

descriptive examples first with the class as a whole and then have the students perform the same

worksheet with a partner and I would check for understanding by visiting and talking with the

small groups. This worksheet will help me set up the theme of relationships within plants before

moving onto the relationships between plants and animals and plants, animals, and habitats.

Informal: Venn Diagram

The students will work with a partner to create a Venn Diagram that will have them tell

the differences and similarities between plants and animals using either words or pictures. I

really like this assessment because the students can represent their knowledge using multiple

mediums and collaborate in order to come to a consensus about what information they will put

into the graphic organizer. The students will hang the Venn Diagrams on our board in the room. I

will examine the organizers and see if the students included important information in their work.

If they did I will feel comfortable moving on in the unit after implementing a summative

assessment. The graphic organizers will also influence the type of questions I ask on the
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summative assessment.

Parts of a Plant

Venn Diagram:
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References

Data Quality Campaign. (2016) Data can help every student excel. Youtube [Video]. Retrieved

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErE1QQvX8w8

Data Quality Campaign. (2014). How data help teachers. Youtube [Video].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgrfiPvwDBw

Guskey & Bailey. (2001). Making The Grade: What Benefits Students.

Guskey, T. R. (2017). Grading and Reporting Student Learning.

Marzano, R. J. (2009). Formative assessment & standards-based grading. Centennial, Colorado:

Marzano Research.

Stiggins, R., Arter, J., Chappuis, J., & Chappuis, S. (2007). Classroom Assessment for Student

Learning (22 Edition., Vol. 2). Princeton, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Stiggins, R., & DuFour, R. (2009). Maximizing the power of formative assessments. Phi Delta

Kappan, 90(9),640-644.

Wormeli, R. (2011). Redos and Retakes Done Right. Educational Leadership, Nov, 22-26