What is a Curriculum Assessment?
These are the traditional assessments that we would think about in a classroom; quizzes, tests and projects. These types of assessments are given after instruction has been taught on a given topic as directed by the curriculum. There are two types of curriculum assessments that are used for standards based grading: Formative and Summative.
What are Formative Assessments?
Formative assessments are assessments that are used to inform my teaching and help me know where a student is performing. Formative assessments are given throughout a unit and while students are still learning. Some show mastery on a formative- they are given opportunities to deepen their understanding or work on enrichment. Others show a need for additional support- they are given more small group work and extra time to work. Examples of formatives are exit slips, classwork and check ins.
What are Summative Assessments?
Summative Assessments are end of unit tests that allow students to show their level of mastery on a given topic. Summatives are used to inform report card grades. The expectation is that all students perform at an M or E. As time permits, students are given opportunities to be retaught and retested on a topic that is not yet mastered. Final grades are not averaged, the highest grade is given. Examples of summatives are end of unit tests, final projects or paper submission.
These are the traditional assessments that we would think about in a classroom; quizzes, tests and projects. These types of assessments are given after instruction has been taught on a given topic as directed by the curriculum. There are two types of curriculum assessments that are used for standards based grading: Formative and Summative.
What are Formative Assessments?
Formative assessments are assessments that are used to inform my teaching and help me know where a student is performing. Formative assessments are given throughout a unit and while students are still learning. Some show mastery on a formative- they are given opportunities to deepen their understanding or work on enrichment. Others show a need for additional support- they are given more small group work and extra time to work. Examples of formatives are exit slips, classwork and check ins.
What are Summative Assessments?
Summative Assessments are end of unit tests that allow students to show their level of mastery on a given topic. Summatives are used to inform report card grades. The expectation is that all students perform at an M or E. As time permits, students are given opportunities to be retaught and retested on a topic that is not yet mastered. Final grades are not averaged, the highest grade is given. Examples of summatives are end of unit tests, final projects or paper submission.
FAQ about Report Cards
What do the performance indicators mean again?
E-Excels (Wow! Really knows what they are doing and can show it)
M-Meet (Gets its, yeah)
P-Progressing (Is almost there or they get it but still need support)
N-Not Yet (struggling, can't do it even with support)
What's the deal with all the P's?
Many students will be at a P at the beginning of the year on standards that will be revisited through out the year. Standards that are revisited are core standards that are taught more than once, for these standards mastery is not expected to be achieved until the end of fourth grade. Below is a snap shot of which standards are revisited.
Math
All math units are not revisited, however the concepts of solving word problems and fluently computing are addressed in every unit. Fluency is practiced daily and assessed at the end of each trimester. Word problems are taught with each unit and assessed in each unit; word problems involving measurement, word problems involving addition, word problems involving multiplication etc.
Reading
There are 4 reading units, two fiction units and two nonfiction units. The core concepts like fluency, range of reading, key ideas and details, in both literature and informational text are revisited in each unit and the other standards are specific to one of the four units and not revisited.
Writing
In writing we focus on one type of writing per trimester: narrative, informational and opinion. They are assessed on one large writing piece that we work on for most of the trimester. The writing process (planning, drafting, editing), grammar and spelling are revisited every trimester.
Social Studies and Science
Units in both of these subject areas are typically not revisited.
E-Excels (Wow! Really knows what they are doing and can show it)
M-Meet (Gets its, yeah)
P-Progressing (Is almost there or they get it but still need support)
N-Not Yet (struggling, can't do it even with support)
What's the deal with all the P's?
Many students will be at a P at the beginning of the year on standards that will be revisited through out the year. Standards that are revisited are core standards that are taught more than once, for these standards mastery is not expected to be achieved until the end of fourth grade. Below is a snap shot of which standards are revisited.
Math
All math units are not revisited, however the concepts of solving word problems and fluently computing are addressed in every unit. Fluency is practiced daily and assessed at the end of each trimester. Word problems are taught with each unit and assessed in each unit; word problems involving measurement, word problems involving addition, word problems involving multiplication etc.
Reading
There are 4 reading units, two fiction units and two nonfiction units. The core concepts like fluency, range of reading, key ideas and details, in both literature and informational text are revisited in each unit and the other standards are specific to one of the four units and not revisited.
Writing
In writing we focus on one type of writing per trimester: narrative, informational and opinion. They are assessed on one large writing piece that we work on for most of the trimester. The writing process (planning, drafting, editing), grammar and spelling are revisited every trimester.
Social Studies and Science
Units in both of these subject areas are typically not revisited.