Week 6 Assessment Plan EDU645

Purpose:

Grade level and subject:  Third Grade Language Arts

Students will listen attentively and participate in numerous oral language experiences.  Students will be able to analyze poems, rhymes, and songs in order to understand their meaning.  They will also be able to create their own poems, rhymes, and songs.

Learning Outcome:

Students will read and break down a poem so that they can better understand its rhyme, rhythm and imagery so that they can write their own poem using these characteristics. 

Assessment Context:

After having recited “Caterpillar, Caterpillar,” students will analyze and take notes about the poem by breaking it down in order to understand what each line is talking about.  The students will then create their own poem about an insect of their choice.  They will go to the library and check out a book about insects.  In their research, the students will take notes and then generate a poem about its life.  The poem will need to contain five lines of a set length just like in the caterpillar poem.  They will be able to use the caterpillar poem as a basis for their design.

“Caterpillar, Caterpillar”

Caterpillar, caterpillar, long and slow.
Caterpillar, caterpillar eat and grow.
Caterpillar, caterpillar close your eyes.
Caterpillar, caterpillar change your size.
Caterpillar, caterpillar where'd you go?

Holistic Rubric:  

Proficient 25 points	The student was proficient in thoroughly analyzing the caterpillar poem and wrote a new poem by creating five lines of a set length using rhyme, rhythm, and imagery.
Adequate 15 points	The student was adequate in analyzing the caterpillar poem and wrote a new poem by creating three lines of a set length using some rhyme, rhythm, and imagery.
Limited      5 points	The student was limited in analyzing the caterpillar poem and wrote a new poem by creating two lines of a set length using no rhyme, rhythm, or imagery

Testing Constraints:

1.     Students will not be able to use their library book during the performance assessment but they will be able to use their research notes in composing their insect poem.  They will also be able to use the notes for the caterpillar poem along with the poem.   

2.     Before the assessment, the teacher will go over the grading criteria.    

3.     Before the assessment, the teacher will ask if there are any questions, because once the assessment begins, no questions will be allowed.

4.     The students will have 40 minutes to complete their work.

5.     Testing modifications will be made for students with special learning disabilities based on their IEPs and RTI.

References:

CanTeach.  (2012).  Songs and Poems:  “Caterpillar, Caterpillar.”  Retrieved from 

http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems26.html

Georgia State University.  (2012).  Rubrics.  Retrieved from

 http://www2.gsu.edu/~mstnrhx/457/rubric.htm

Internet4Classrooms.  (2010).  Grade level knowledge and skills help pages.  Retrieved from

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/skills_3rd_lang_tx.htm

Thought Process & Rational for Test Items EDU645

The process and rationale I used for composing test items and one essay item is as follows.  First, I have to remember the purpose for testing students.  Kubiszyn and Borich (2010) explain that, “The purpose of testing is to collect objective information that may be used in conjunction with subjective information to make better educational decisions” (p. 87).  Second, I had to decide what assessment items I would use in order to test students in the fairest way possible.  The test items I chose were multiple choice, completion, and matching, and I also included one essay item.

When creating these items, I had to consider my unit of study and the learning outcomes for this study.  I had to keep in mind that test items have their advantages and disadvantages which affect the way questions are written.  I must also remember to avoid “gender and/or racial biases” while constructing the items (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p. 156).  Because I wanted to see what my students learned about rainforests, I made sure to include questions about rainforest locations, animals living in the rainforest, and the stratum of the rainforest.  

One other point to recall when creating test items is what our textbook says about higher-level thinking and Bloom’s Taxonomy, “We also need to spend some time discussing a technique to help you remember to write objectives and test items at different levels to ensure our tests include items that measure higher-level thinking” (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010, p. 123-124).  While I was developing my essay item, the authors’ statement came to mind.  In putting together these measurements, I will be able to ascertain what students have learned about the rainforest.

Reference:

Bing Images.  (2011).  Free tropical rainforest clipart.  Retrieved from

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=free+tropical+rainforest+clipart&id=9B646009D    

Kubiszyn, T. & Borich, G.  (2010).  Educational testing and measurement:  Classroom application   and practice.  (9^th ed.).  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  Hoboken, NJ. 

The Rainforest EDU645

Unit of Study:  The Rainforest

Grade:  Fourth

Three Measurable Learning Outcomes:

1.     Students will locate three areas where rainforests are found using a map and worksheet.

2.     Students will list five animals that live in the rainforest.

3.     Students will draw a tropical rainforest stratum.

Three Test Items

Part 1. Complete the Blanks: Locating Tropical Rainforests

Using an atlas map, complete the blanks by naming three countries where rainforests grow.

1. ________________________ 2. _________________________

3. _________________________

Part 2. Multiple Choice: Animals that Live in the Rainforest

_____ 1. It is a long thin fish that can generate electricity:

a. a tuna

b. an eel

c. a bluefish

d. an angelfish

_____ 2. It catches ants with its long tongue:

a. an elephant

b. a howler monkey

c. an anaconda

d. a giant anteater

Part 3.A. Matching: Tropical Rainforest Stratum

Directions: Column A describes the rainforest stratum. Indicate which strata zone in Column B goes with each description by placing the correct letter to the left of the number of Column A.

Column A                                                                                             Column B

____1.  Giant trees that are much higher than the average canopy height    a.  Canopy

____2.  The upper parts of the trees                                                       b.  Forest floor

____3. A dark, cool environment under the leaves but over the ground       c.  Emergents

____4.  Teeming with animal life, especially with insects                          d.  Understory

Part 3.B. Draw and label a tropical rainforest stratum using the strata zones in Column B.

One Essay Item:

Make up a story about what you would see if you were to visit a tropical rainforest.  Explain in seven sentences or more what rainforest you visited and where it is located, what animals live there, and what the vegetation and trees look like. 

Reference(s):

Enchanted Learning.com.  (2010).  All about rainforests.  Retrieved from

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest/index.shtml

Fotosearch.com.  (2011).  Tropical rainforest stock photos.  Retrieved from

http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/tropical-rainforest_2.html

Worldatlas.com.  (2011).  World.  Retrieved from http://www.worldatlas.com