Formative Assessment Strategies Definitions Examples (Page 4 of 6) in pdf

Oral Questioning

How is ___________ similar to/different from _________________________?

What are the characteristics/parts of _________________________________?

In what other ways might we show show/illustrate______________________?

What is the big idea, key concept, moral in ____________________________?

How does ________________ relate to _______________________________?

What ideas/details can you add to ___________________________________?

Give an example of _______________________________________________?

What is wrong with _______________________________________________?

What might you infer from _________________________________________?

What conclusions might be drawn from _______________________________?

What question are we trying to answer? What problem are we trying to solve?

What are you assuming about ______________________________________?

What might happen if _____________________________________________?

What criteria would you use to judge/evaluate _________________________?

What evidence supports ___________________________________________?

How might we prove/confirm _______________________________________?

How might this be viewed from the perspective of _______________________?

What alternatives should be considered _______________________________?

What approach/strategy could you use to ______________________________?

Pass Card

Students receive a 3x5 index card with the word “Pass” written on it. This card may be used when a student

wants a “Pass.” This might be used in a situation when a student is asked a question and doesn’t know the

answer and asks to “Pass.” Teacher may identify other situations when students may use the “Pass” card.

Peer Interviews

Students interview one another about what they have learned about a particular topic or subject that is

being studied.

Popsicle Sticks

Teacher has a wooden popsicle stick or tongue depressor for each student. The sticks may have a student’s

name on each one of them or they may have a number on them that represents each student. The sticks are

kept in a pencil container or can of some sort. When the teacher asks a question, one stick is selected that

has a student’s name on it or a number that has been assigned to the student. After the stick is selected, it

may be placed back in the container or set aside. This ensures that all students have an opportunity to

respond to the teacher’s questions. Sticks may be color-coded to represent a group of students or a number

may represent a group or an individual within a group.

Portfolio Check

Check the progress of a student’s portfolio. A portfolio is a purposeful collection of significant work,

carefully selected, dated and presented to tell the story of a student’s achievement or growth in well-defined

areas of performance, such as reading, writing, math, etc. A portfolio usually includes personal reflections

where the student explains why each piece was chosen and what it shows about his/her growing skills and

abilities.

Problem Solving

Give the class a complex problem to solve. Ask them to work in pairs. Good problems will have more than

Observation

one part and will require students to explain their thinking to each other. It may be helpful to use problems

that require students to show their thinking in more than one way. Examples of showing their thinking in

more than one way might include graphing, diagramming, explaining how someone with a different

perspective might answer the question, and generating examples. Join one of the groups while they work.

Have in mind that you are observing and focus in a way that you can write down later what you observed.

You may find it helpful to jot down 2 or 3 words during this observation to prompt your recall later.

Prompt students to explain their thinking to each other. Ask them to say aloud what they are thinking while

they are solving the problem. Prompt them with questions such as “Why” “how are you deciding to” or

“What were you thinking about when you did that.” As soon as practical jot down notes about what you

observed-especially including notes about a student’s problem solving process and what they understand

about the process.

Question and

Students write a question on one side of an index card and then select a partner who writes the answer to

Answer

the question on the other side of the card. This can be done several times with students exchanging cards

and adding more indepth responses to the original answers that were written by other students.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES, DEFINITIONS, EXAMPLES

Page 4 of 6

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