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The quote, "asking students to illustrate how fractions are used in sports, music, cooking, shopping, building something, or another area they are interested in is more likely to be revealing than asking them simply to explain uses of fractions” stuck out to me because I have seen it work in action. Students almost always share what they know most effectively when they can connect their knowledge to their own experiences. This will also help students remember information for a longer period of time.  In my interdisciplinary unit, I can apply this method by helping students connect the immigration stories that we read to their own lives. I can also use this method by having students use new vocabulary from our lessons in sentences that relate to their personal experiences. In the podcast, I particularly liked the haiku review. I thought it was great because it requires students to summarize what they learned in a way that is creative and challenging. In my own lessons, like in my interdisciplinary unit, I often have students write an answer to a question on a board. While this type of formative assessment is very standard, I still find it incredibly helpful when it comes to getting a sense of what students understand. It also requires students to practice writing publicly. I think that this can often encourage students to put more thought into their responses.

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"They trust that teachers will use the assessments to help them achieve, and they know that there will soon be follow-up opportunities for them to use the feedback in improving their performance."
I think this quote really shows the power of good feedback can have for our students. By giving clear feedback we allow students to get a better picture of what is expected from them and shows them where they can improve upon. Give students a chance to grow.

The activity that I liked from the podcast is the vocab story. It really makes the students use some creativity in showcasing their mastery on vocabulary that was taught in the class. It gives them an opportunity to use that vocabulary another time to help solidify understanding.

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In the podcast I enjoyed the vocab. story assessment. I think it helps students engage in some creativity, which can be cathartic after an intense lesson/class. Also it gives them freedom within some structure. It is also a great way to easily assess students levels of understanding vocabulary.  A lot of the time vocabulary is extensive, it is not just words with simple meanings, but rather how it can be applied in multiple content area's and contexts. In a story formate you can start to see if more complex associations and understanding is happening.
I found a nice link for multiple different assessment techniques that I have used in creating my IU lesson plans.
https://nau.edu/uploadedFiles/Academic/CAL/History/History-Social_Studies_Education/Formative%20Assessment%20in%20Social%20Studies.pdf

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"When we're mastering new things, it's important to feel safe making mistakes. Mistakes are how we figure out how to get better at what we are doing."
It is important to let students know that making mistakes is a part of the learning process. Not only is it a part of the learning process but kids need to know it is just a part of being human. Also I think it is important for students to feel safe not understanding and telling their teacher that they don't understand. I think students can feel pressured to get the right answer because of a fear of being told they are wrong. It goes along with creating a safe environment for students.
For the podcast, I liked the hashtag assessment. It links to the current culture kids are growing up into and use themselves outside the classroom while helping them understand key concepts.

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"It isn't really so much that these teachers use formative assessments often. It's that they do so continually—formally and informally, with individuals and with the group, to understand academic progress and to understand the human beings that they teach." This really appeals to me as a way to take the pressure off the idea of formative assessments, as an end all be all.  Rather remaking the idea into one that is consistently done to give you a better picture of each students needs and also a better picture of your instruction. Since everyday provides new instruction,
new assessments need to be attached within that. I think in the IU for me, it is a way of making sure each lesson is a foundation I can build from,  but I can only build if my instruction is meeting the needs of my students. Otherwise moving forward without that awareness, much of learning/teaching goals could be forfeit.

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“Students often feel that assessment equals test equals grade equals judgment.”
Providing ample low risk assessment helps student practice the principles of self-led learning. Providing relevant tasks keeps kids busy and engaged in the content. Increasing students' engagement in content has the added benefit of alleviating behavioral issues and decreases the focus on classroom management. In the reading by Tomlinson writes, "We'll analyze the assessments so we can make improvements in our work, but they won't go into the grade book.” I think this works well for motivated self-led learners. But I do think that most middle school and high school students need the pressure to produce. So I'm a big fan of grading it anyway, as a form of feedback, but also so they think they're being graded so they will simply comply and engage with the content. So when I see a bunch of students not performing the task I'll remind them that this is a grade, and if I see a highly motivated student stressing about the minutia, I'll very quietly and directly remind them that, A they're doing what I want them to be doing, and B that my class is like who's line is it anyway, "the points are made up, and they don't matter anyway." and by that I mean I'll remind them of how little of a percentage this assignment is. But, I fine most students that are sweating the assignment are just being hyper-self-critical. Now, if my highly motivated students are struggling with an assignment and not just being overly critical, then i know I need to re-address my instructions or my goals.

I am constantly attempting to inform my lessons with the the KUD framework, and at the very least apply principles of backwards by design to my formative assessment techniques. I also like to use the Rumsfeld paradox the known-knowns, the known-unknowns, and the unknown-unknowns, "what do you know you know, what do you know you do not know, and what do you not know you do not know?"
Tomlinson also emphasizes making room for differences. Not only does this allow students to engage in unfamiliar territory but it creates personal connection to the content and sets a foundation of content relevancy.
I like the twitter hashtag formative assessment. Or even perhaps the 6 word story. The haiku assessment gives students a nice balance between the 140 character/6 word story.

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My favorite assessment from the podcast was the one-minute assessment in which students high-fives the hand (red, yellow, or green) that best represents their understanding of content as they leave class for the day. I particularly like the idea of using this method as a pre-assessment; if I plan to teach a lesson on Impressionist self portraits during the next class period, I'd ask, "do you know Van Gogh?" or "what is impressionism?" Observing student responses would help me know where to begin my lesson and what information to delve deeper into.

For my interdisciplinary unit lessons,  I may use this method of formative assessment after we have spent several days studying masks and planning to sculpt our own. I may ask, "who is ready to get started on their mask next class period?" This way, I'll know who feels like they have planned well and is ready to move forward, and who may need extra support developing their ideas and designs.

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"The prompt, "Use an example from your experience to illustrate the idea that a person's culture shapes his or her perspective," is more likely to draw a meaningful response from a broader range of students than the prompt, "Explain the relationship between culture and perspective."

It is critical that teachers keep this in mind when expecting detailed responses and deep engagement from their students. For the majority of students they are only interested in things that pertain to them or things they can relate to. I tried to keep this in mind when I taught my three day lesson at Madison High School about the Civil War. I included a day about Zebulon Vance, knowing that the students were familiar with him having taken a field trip to his house, and knowing their interest in local history.  The assessment that I really enjoyed from the podcast was the haiku assessment. Not only does it ensure that students are learning and are familiar with the student learning outcomes for the day, but it would also serve as a good exit slip, while giving students the opportunity to show their creative side.

A formative assessment that I used was a Cake Walk activity. I used this activity as a warm up to get the students hooked to the material and also determine their knowledge of the material, to see what things I need to either spend more or less time on. I put numbers around the room and had students walk around the room while I played music. Once the music stoped I called a number and which ever student was closest to the number I called I would ask them a question about the Civil War. If the student then not know it, I would let the other students help them. We kept going until I read all of the questions. It refreshed what they had previously learned about the Civil War and it was activity that got them up and moving and that they enjoyed.

I could use both the peer review formative assessment and the show your cards assessment. Peer review challenges students to learn and build off each other's ideas and suggestions. Student learning can easily be monitored with the show your cards assessment

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"Things go much better, however, when students are fully engaged in the assessment process."
I liked this quote because it allows the students to be involved in the assessment. Students do much better when they know what they are being assessed on and how they are being assessed. That's why I love rubrics. It allows me to follow a template and I know exactly what the teacher is looking for.
In English,  I still want to be able to use rubrics. Its important for me to make sure my students are always involved and know exactly what I am looking for. When writing a paper or doing a project, I want students to have a rubric to help guide them through the process. I will be clear and precise on what I want and I will make sure to highlight on that for them.

I loved the High-5 assessment! It is a quick and easy assessment to do without the students even realizing it is an assessment. It helps the teacher realize what students are understanding and whether or not they need to move on or go over the lesson again.

http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/exit_slips
I have found that Exit slips are a quick and easy way to assess your students. They do it right before they leave and most of the time they don't even know they are being assessed!

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" The most useful formative assessments make it possible for students to show what they know, understand, and can do; therefore, it's useful for teachers to build some flexibility into formative assessments"
I really like this approach to formative assessment because it takes into account differentiation and student learning styles. Teachers should try to include different forms of assessments like drawings, projects, presentations,  worksheets, essays and many more for students. Some students might be able to explain a topic during a presentation while others might be able to write about that topic in an essay. It's important to try and include different forms of assessments for students.

I could use this in my ID unit by doing different forms of exit/entry slips after each lesson to understand if students are grasping the material.

I like from the podcast the first example of the students to assess themselves each day after the lesson. Students could use post it notes to write comments under a happy, sad, or indifferent face about whether they felt like they understood the lesson and achieved the learning target each day.  Students could do this as they walk out the door as an exit slip.

I have tried the exit slip strategy with my AVID teaching lesson and it was so cool to see what the students wrote about the lesson and questions they had about that topic. I could really see if a student understood the concept or needed to work more on it.

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“A keen observer, the teacher is constantly watching what students do, looking for clues about their learning progress, and asking for input from students about their status.”

This article gives great tips on formal ways to conduct formative assessments, but sometimes the most appropriate formative assessment can be something done quickly and informally without too much time taken out of class. However, the article did make it clear that giving students clear and helpful feedback designed to help them improve, rather than simply praising them or putting them down. I will try to incorporate opportunities in my lesson plans to give students feedback on their work so far so they know what they are doing well and what they can improve on.

I liked the Walk and Talk strategy the most, since it gives students the chance to move around and discuss the topic at hand. I do think it would take good classroom management skills to pull off but if done right I can see students really enjoying it.

I have used exit slips before, and I think this is a good way to assess how comfortable students are with the material and find out what they’re interested in to tailor future lessons. http://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/3-2-1

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"There is little point in spending time on formative assessment unless it leads to modification of teaching and learning plans."

In Social Studies assessments can be hard, because some students aren't great a explaining what they have learned  so being able to find out what your students learned in a different way that doesn't involve taking a test.

I really like the Twitter Assessment. They have 260 characters to summarize what they learned and make them use a hashtag to see who really gets it and who doesn't. I like this assessment, because it gives my students a chance to be engaged academically while letting them use social media that they use on a daily basis anyways.

In my experience 4 corners is a great form of formative assessment because it gives the kids a chance to get out of their seat while also competing to see who understands what and even provide a reward for the last kid standing.

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Finding new and unique ideas for formative assessments is always a struggle. However, the team over at the Global Digital Citizen Foundation has some ideas in the following blog, originally posted on their site last April 1) Postcards From the Past.

Formative assessment tools used in the classroom provide critical feedback to teachers, helping them to monitor and modify their instruction methods and lesson plans. Teachers are better able to meet the unique needs of individual students, empowering them through personalized and timely feedback.
2) Collage or Poster

3) Journal

It's important to use a variety of teaching and learning formative assessments, changing them frequently to stimulate both students and teachers. Assessment techniques are only as limited as the teacher's imagination!

4) Doodle
Here are 12 awesome formative assessment examples that we like. These ideas are very creative, low tech, fun and engaging for students, and easy for a teacher to implement right away.

5) Caption Photos
Have students adopt the personality of a historical figure and write a postcard to another historical figure from the same era, discussing a significant event that has just occurred.
6) Metacognition Table
Ask students to make a collage or poster from magazine photos to demonstrate understanding of a concept.

Students periodically record their thoughts and feelings about how they are progressing in the class. They can also share feelings about particular assignments or indicate areas in which they may be experiencing difficulties in the classroom, either with the material, the teacher, or their classmates.

7) Four Corners
Challenge students to use a drawing rather than words to show understanding of a concept.

8) Vote with Thumbs
Choose three photos that represent a process. Ask students to caption each photo.

9) Stop & Go Cards
At the end of class, each student answers the following questions presented to them on index cards:

What did we do in class?

Why did we do it?

What did I learn today?

How can I apply it?

What questions do I have about it?

10) Twitter Board
This is a great way to encourage dynamic movement while learning multiple-choice questions. Designate each corner of the classroom to represent A, B, C, and D. Students go to the corner that they believe corresponds with the correct answer.

11) Roll the Die
Ask the class if they understand a concept. A thumbs up is "yes", thumbs down is "no," and "not sure," is thumbs middle.

Students create index cards with a large green marker circle on one side and red on the other. If they are following along and understanding the lesson, the green side of their card is upright and visible to you. When they do not understand something and need clarification, they flip the card to show you the red side.

12) Enthusiasm and Learning Formative Assessment Example Chart
Here is an alternative method that can be downloaded for free and printed on colored card stock for quick use.

Students summarize what was learned in a lesson using 140 characters. Pin small strips of paper to a poster or corkboard to resemble a Twitter feed.

Put a die at each desk. At the end of class, each student rolls and briefly answers aloud a question based on the number rolled:

1. I want to remember ...

2. Something I learned today

3. One word to sum up what I learned

4. Something I already knew

5. I'm still confused about ...

6. An "aha" moment that I had today

This chart is great for not only collecting feedback, but also introducing scatter plots to students. Students rank what they learned that day and how much they enjoyed the lessons. They then elaborate on a Post-It, offering details about what they found helpful to them in having a successful learning day. They can also share what prevented them from having a fulfilling day. Compile the data and discuss it in class the next day.

Hopefully these creative formative assessment examples have inspired you to devise your own engaging assessment tools! Let us know which methods you find to be the most fun and valuable.

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12 Awesome Formative Assessment Examples

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The Association of American Educators (AAE) is the largest national nonunion professional teachers association, advancing the profession through teacher advocacy and professional development, as well as promoting excellence in education, so that our members receive the respect, recognition and reward they deserve.

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"It isn't really so much that these teachers use formative assessments often. It's that they do so continually—formally and informally, with individuals and with the group, to understand academic progress and to understand the human beings that they teach."

Assessing students effectively is vital for successful teaching. That's

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Answer question here. Use the three dots to search the web and link a formative assessment strategy you have successfully tried. Take a look at the other strategies linked from your classmates and like (heart) the ones you have had success with.

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Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

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"When we're mastering new things, it's important to feel safe making mistakes."

Students in Spanish classrooms are terrified of speaking incorrectly, so they avoid it, and in doing so, are not able to improve their skills. As a Spanish teacher it is important to create an environment in which my students are able to learn from their mistakes through formative assessments because they are comfortable enough to make them (also ties in to Maslow's hierarchy). Formative that happen in low stress environments and have feedback that looks to fix problems, not criticize them is probably the best way for me to move forward.

I loved the idea of the Walk and Talk!
Student's often get so little time to move around, and I've noticed that it makes a huge difference in their attitude and focus during the class period, even if it is just a quick activity

http://www.ride.ri.gov/Portals/0/Uploads/Documents/Instruction-and-Assessment-World-Class-Standards/Transition/EIA-CCSS/ScarpelliD-Toolbox_3-2-1_Strategy.pdf
So this was a formative that I used with a 6th grade Spanish class after we had learned action vocabulary and students had made flash cards and played Simon Says, I had replaced the last question with "one thing you would change about today's lesson" and the answer was the same across the board. We had done multiple rounds of non-competitive Simon Says and one round of competitive. The students had hated the competitive round. The assessment gave me a lot of valuable information I could have used if I was planning to teach them another lesson.

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"Feedback needs to help the student know what to do to improve the next time around."

For a subject like math, giving specific feedback is very useful as mathematics is all about logical processes and steps towards finding an answer.  Feedback that critiques flawed thinking about a problem can be clear, concise, and simple enough so students can understand how to do better next time.

I really like the Walk and Talk assessment although this would take some time to prepare.  It might not be as effective for a class that struggles with instructions, but anything that involves learning plus burning off excess energy always nets more student engagement.  I could actually see this as a warm up or some activity that happens post-warm up to really get kids moving.

https://www.desmos.com/calculator

So one formative assessment I used that I think is really effective is checking answers on the DESMOS graphing calculator.  For my three day unit, I did an activity on triangulation where students found three lines on a graph, formed a triangle, and shaded in the area to show where a rescue team should for say a lost hiker in the mountains.  We could check answers in real time on the graphing calculator, and even if the student gets it wrong it provides a prop from which they can reference to while working out how to get to the right answer.  It also provides opportunities for students to show their procedural and mathematical reasoning skills in finding the correct slope or the y-intercept or where two lines will intersect.

Show me Your Cards: I really like this assessment, and I've written this kind of assessment into some of my mock lesson plans in previous semesters.  It's like an evolved form of the "thumbs up/down" approach: the extra dimension of "sort of" represented by the yellow card adds another dimension of communicating one's understanding.  Also any activity with distinct color coding is an organizer's dream!  I could easily add this to my IU: heck, I could add it to 90% of my classes without any adjustment!

Student-to-Student Assessment: I've been advised time and time again to let the students do as much of the heavy lifting (i.e. deeper/critical thinking) as you can while supporting them when needed.  This peer-to-peer style of assessment does allow for more group work, building of student relations, and the students are the ones learning through teaching or pointing out mistakes rather than I showing them their mistakes.  That self-discovery is incredibly powerful, and this is a great assessment for facilitating that.  This could easily fit into the IU because it provides students opportunities to self-assess in a low-risk environment.

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"It's important, then, for teachers to help students understand that assessments help them learn and that immediate perfection should not be their goal."

In my art classroom, I want students to fell safe learning new skills and exploring possibilities with new mediums they encounter. I do not want perfection to be their main goal; I want engagement and progress. Being flexible when formally assessing my students will help me best identify how I can push them and encourage them as artists.and make art relevant to their lives in a meaningful, authentic way.

I love what the article suggested teachers say to students as they explain their formative assessments: "When we're mastering new things, it's important to feel safe making mistakes. Mistakes are how we figure out how to get better at what we are doing. They help us understand our thinking. Therefore, many assessments in this class will not be graded. We'll analyze the assessments so we can make improvements in our work, but they won't go into the grade book. When you've had time to practice, then we'll talk about tests and grades."

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I love the Podcast's sentiment that assessment isn't a one size fits all model.  Educators have to be innovative in the way that they are having students assess themselves and their understanding.  While self-reporting seems valuable, educators must make sure that students are taking an active role in their assessment.  Using assessment and movement to help with classroom management is such a great idea.

"It's essential for teachers to help learners both understand and experience the reality that sustained effort and mindful attention to progress feed success. That belief needs to be a cornerstone ethic in the classroom. "

We have to keep in mind that there is a vast difference between assessment and judgement.  I know a lot of students hate receiving feedback and that is most likely because they are feeling judged by their teacher rather than being guided to better understanding.  I want to make a strong move toward doing a lot of assessments in my classroom that aren't meant to end up in the grade book, but rather will serve for me to better understand the needs of my students.  In fact, that's the way I hope to look at assessment in general; what do my students need rather than where are they on a scale.

I think that during my lesson I will be able to check in and assess my students using discussion and their own writing.  If they are able to write a story that forces their character to make a hard decision to propel action, I will know that they are getting the lesson.

In ELA classes, I think that authentic peer assessment and conferencing can be a great tool.  I know that in my experience students don't typically like peer conferencing when they don't know how to do it.  The teacher in the video teaches his students how to conference.  That is so important and is often overlooked.