How FOSS Works: Assessment
Assessment is an integral part of instruction. Assessment urges students to think and communicate clearly about their understanding of the science content. It also provides students with opportunities to make corrections and additions to their understanding. Formative assessments are used diagnostically throughout the FOSS modules to monitor learning. They let you and your students look deeper into their understanding of science. A summative review of the content reveals students’ comprehension of the content and standards. Answer keys and scoring guides are included to help teachers effectively interpret student responses.
Formative Assessment
The FOSS formative assessments allow you and your students to monitor learning continuously as you progress through the module. The primary formative assessment strategies are:
- Teacher Observation - Teacher observation can take the form of anecdotal notes or 30-second interviews with the students.
- Student Notebooks - Making good observations and using them to develop explanations for how the natural world works is the essence of science. Science notebook sheets are designed specifically to help you to find out what sense students are making of the activities.
Benchmark Assessments
Benchmark assessments occur before instruction begins, after each investigation, and after instruction is completed. Benchmark assessments serve two purposes. They provide teachers with information about student achievement and diagnostic information. They also give students the opportunity to reflect on their own learning. The NYC Benchmark Assessment Package for grades 3-6 includes:
- Duplication masters for the Pretest/Posttest
- Duplication masters for the I-Check tests for each investigation
- A Benchmark folio with detailed instructions for using the assessments.