A rigorous task that I have used to observe student performance in the subject of Chemistry is a molecular project that I designed for them while I was taking my Methods of Assessment Course at Miami-Dade College. The task consisted of two parts. One part was the design of a molecular model of an organic molecule and the second part was a report that required the students to determine the functional groups found in the molecule that they had chosen to model. The molecular model introduced rigor into the classroom because the students no longer were expected to recall models, they were now being asked to build their own models. In addition, they had top use strategic thinking to distinguish and determine the behavior that each functional group caused in the molecule. They also analyzed the structure, looking for different inter-molecular and intra-molecular forces. They had to analyze how these interactions affected the molecule as one unit and the molecules as a group.

This project questioned student reasoning and understanding of molecular physics as well as their perception of what other authorities in the subject had to say. Rigor, revolutionizes the student's views and leads them to inquire more about our current understanding of any subject. These inquiries usually lead to better understanding and many approaches to learning a subject.

One thing that I regularly do is give my students two different primary or secondary sources, usually with contrasting opinions, I will then hand out one document to one half of the class and the other document to the other half of the class, then ask the students to defend their positions.

Character biography tables (includes history of time period and relationship analysis)

Vocal and Physical Warm ups - after instructing them in how to do vocal and physical warm ups we have them lead the class in a warm up to see how much was retained.

Have students create a Commedia dell 'Arte using the stock characters discussed in Italian Renaissance

Edcite and Kahoot have been good for text prep/review.

strict Writing rules students must follow on a daily basis in their writing journals. The students learn to be rigorous and structured. The repetitiveness of the task enables exactitude.

Rigor as complexity:

We worked on a series of books sharing the same theme, (the wolf) comparing and contrasting the characters, the story lines and the different endings. We then picked our favorite book, our favorite characters and created our own story as a class. Each student was responsible for illustrating a page and we assembled our work.

For an imaginative poem that had very little reality and described a dreamlike world

One of my activities in differentiated instruction is to skew my students thinking process by having others complete part of the work and having another finish it. This promotes a different style of reaching an answer using clues and strategies and it solidifies which thinking pattern or process they feel most comfortable with.

Ex. Cause and effect  

Whole Group:

Students write down a "cause" and then tell me the "effect" or vice versa.

During differentiated instruction one student completes the "effect" portion and the other student tries to figure out the possible causes or vice versa. This shows me whether or not student has mastered the L.A.F.S.