Summative Assessment Expansion
Actual Assessment
The included lesson for a seventh grade social studies class teaches about the human characteristics of Iraq (GLCE 7–G2.2.1). Therefore, only the portions of the final unit test on the Middle East dealing with the objectives taught in this lesson (about Iraq) are included here. To view the portion of the final unit test relating to these objectives, as well as the answer key, click here.
Assessment Blueprint
To view the blank assessment blueprint for this portion of the formal summative assessment, click here.
Classroom Assessment Data
To view the assessment blueprint including data from a hypothetical classroom of students, click here.
To view a spreadsheet of additional measures of data including the same set of students, click here.
Hypothesis and Action Plan from Class Data
We can draw several conclusions from this set of data. We also have all four measures of data represented in this spreadsheet. Gender is an example of demographic data, whether students have or have not received afterschool tutoring is an example of school processes, test scores are examples of student learning data, and clearly the question about how students felt about the test represents perception data. According to this data, one more female student than male students received a grade of 3 or higher. However, the data also shows there are two more female students in the class than male students, so this could account for the difference. Overall, the mean, median, and mode of both objectives and the final grades were all at the “met” or “exceeded” objectives level, with the exception of the mean score, which would still round up to a 3. Interestingly, all but one student who received a grade of 3 or higher found the test to be either “easy” or at an “appropriate” level. Perhaps the most interesting piece of data involves the afterschool tutoring program. Although some students who attended this program received a grade of 2, all students who attended tutoring felt that the test was either “easy” or “appropriate.” None of these students felt that the test was hard, and even the students who received grades of 2 were only one correct question away from meeting both objectives.
Action Plan Based on Class Data
Based on the class data from this assessment, my hypothesis is that the afterschool tutoring program is very beneficial for students who attend. All students who attended this program either exceeded, met, or were one question away from meeting the objectives. Just as importantly, all students involved in the afterschool tutoring program were confident in the test material, as displayed by the perception data gathering their opinions of the test. It would be even more useful to compare this data with previous test data to see if the test grades of these students have improved since attending the afterschool program. Using this hypothesis, a course of action I would take for struggling students (especially students 4, 7, and 20) would be to get them involved in this tutoring program. I would begin this process by conferencing with each of these students to go over their test results. During this conference I would let the students know that I feel the afternoon program would be beneficial for them. These students will be required to either attend the afterschool program or conference with me during lunchtime (if the afterschool program conflicts with theirs or their parents’ schedules) once a week until they show improvement on a summative assessment. After they have improved, they can continue attending the sessions if they feel they are valuable, but will not be required to unless their assessment grades drop again.
Plan for Scoring and Grading
As the teacher of the classroom, I will score and grade this assessment within two days of when the students have taken the assessment. As indicated by the assessment blueprint, when scoring this assessment I will take into account student performance on each of the two objectives measured by these questions. According to the objectives, students will have met the standard if they correctly answer at least four out of five questions about the first objective and at least two out of three about the second objective. According to the four-point grading scale used in my classroom, grades will be administered as followed:
4: Students met both objectives and exceeded at least one objective.
3: Students met both objectives but did not exceed either.
2: Students met or exceeded one objective but did not meet the other.
1: Student did not meet either standard.
Incomplete: Student failed to correctly answer any questions about at least one objective.
Outcomes of this test will initially be shared with students. Each individual student will have the chance to look at his/her own test, and because this is the summative test at the end of the unit, I will conference with students about their tests during center time the day students receive their tests back. After I have conferenced with each student and we have come to an understanding about the grade of the assessment, students will be able to take the tests home to show parents. These grades will also appear on the students’ report cards, which will be sent home to parents. In addition, general data from the assessment (not specific data about each individual student) will be shared with other teachers in my Professional Learning Community. Together, we will look at the different tests results in the different classes and evaluate effective practices. After this summative assessment, the class will move on to learning about the next major standard.
Samples of Completed Assessments
Action Plan for Student 14: High Performing (See actual assessment here.)
Student 14 clearly was clearly high-performing because he received 100% on this portion of the unit test. In addition to this perfect score, he also provided additional comments on his paper which showed correct thinking about the topics discussed in class, and according to the sample data spreadsheet he felt that the test was “easy.” On his test, I provided this feedback: “Awesome work, Student 14! I appreciate how you kept your historical timeline in mind… it helped you figure out some tougher questions! Keep it up!” Since he exceeded both objectives, this student received a grade of 4 on the 4-point scale. It is clear from this data that Student 14 has mastered these objectives and is prepared to move on.
Action Plan for Student 2: Medium Performing (See actual assessment here.)
Student 2 performed at an acceptable level. He answered four out of five questions correctly about the second objective and two out of three questions correctly about the third objective. According to the objectives, this is exactly what he needed to do in order to show mastery. In addition, Question 8 was missed by many students, so this may be a topic I as a teacher simply did not address as well as I could have. On his paper I wrote: “Great work, Student 2! You met the objectives. J We’ll look more at question 8 in class, a lot of students struggled with that.” Because he met the objectives but did not exceed them, this student received a grade of 3 on the 4-point scale. Because so many students missed the final question, I will spend some extra time with the whole class reiterating the idea.
Action Plan for Student 20: Low Performing (See actual assessment here).
Student 20 did not perform well at all on this assessment. She answered only three out of eight questions correctly, and did not meet either one of the objectives. In some cases, however, it almost seems as if she simply did not finish the conversation. For example, in question 4 she demonstrates the understanding that the embargo had a negative effect on Iraq, but in question 3 she seems to think the embargo was a good thing. I believe her test shows potential, so I wrote: “Student 20, I know you struggled with some of this, but I think we can figure out more of this out together! We’ll talk about this during conferences.” Since this student struggled so much, I did not indicate the correct answers to the questions but communicated that I would conference with her later and we would take a more in-depth study of what she is struggling with.
The included lesson for a seventh grade social studies class teaches about the human characteristics of Iraq (GLCE 7–G2.2.1). Therefore, only the portions of the final unit test on the Middle East dealing with the objectives taught in this lesson (about Iraq) are included here. To view the portion of the final unit test relating to these objectives, as well as the answer key, click here.
Assessment Blueprint
To view the blank assessment blueprint for this portion of the formal summative assessment, click here.
Classroom Assessment Data
To view the assessment blueprint including data from a hypothetical classroom of students, click here.
To view a spreadsheet of additional measures of data including the same set of students, click here.
Hypothesis and Action Plan from Class Data
We can draw several conclusions from this set of data. We also have all four measures of data represented in this spreadsheet. Gender is an example of demographic data, whether students have or have not received afterschool tutoring is an example of school processes, test scores are examples of student learning data, and clearly the question about how students felt about the test represents perception data. According to this data, one more female student than male students received a grade of 3 or higher. However, the data also shows there are two more female students in the class than male students, so this could account for the difference. Overall, the mean, median, and mode of both objectives and the final grades were all at the “met” or “exceeded” objectives level, with the exception of the mean score, which would still round up to a 3. Interestingly, all but one student who received a grade of 3 or higher found the test to be either “easy” or at an “appropriate” level. Perhaps the most interesting piece of data involves the afterschool tutoring program. Although some students who attended this program received a grade of 2, all students who attended tutoring felt that the test was either “easy” or “appropriate.” None of these students felt that the test was hard, and even the students who received grades of 2 were only one correct question away from meeting both objectives.
Action Plan Based on Class Data
Based on the class data from this assessment, my hypothesis is that the afterschool tutoring program is very beneficial for students who attend. All students who attended this program either exceeded, met, or were one question away from meeting the objectives. Just as importantly, all students involved in the afterschool tutoring program were confident in the test material, as displayed by the perception data gathering their opinions of the test. It would be even more useful to compare this data with previous test data to see if the test grades of these students have improved since attending the afterschool program. Using this hypothesis, a course of action I would take for struggling students (especially students 4, 7, and 20) would be to get them involved in this tutoring program. I would begin this process by conferencing with each of these students to go over their test results. During this conference I would let the students know that I feel the afternoon program would be beneficial for them. These students will be required to either attend the afterschool program or conference with me during lunchtime (if the afterschool program conflicts with theirs or their parents’ schedules) once a week until they show improvement on a summative assessment. After they have improved, they can continue attending the sessions if they feel they are valuable, but will not be required to unless their assessment grades drop again.
Plan for Scoring and Grading
As the teacher of the classroom, I will score and grade this assessment within two days of when the students have taken the assessment. As indicated by the assessment blueprint, when scoring this assessment I will take into account student performance on each of the two objectives measured by these questions. According to the objectives, students will have met the standard if they correctly answer at least four out of five questions about the first objective and at least two out of three about the second objective. According to the four-point grading scale used in my classroom, grades will be administered as followed:
4: Students met both objectives and exceeded at least one objective.
3: Students met both objectives but did not exceed either.
2: Students met or exceeded one objective but did not meet the other.
1: Student did not meet either standard.
Incomplete: Student failed to correctly answer any questions about at least one objective.
Outcomes of this test will initially be shared with students. Each individual student will have the chance to look at his/her own test, and because this is the summative test at the end of the unit, I will conference with students about their tests during center time the day students receive their tests back. After I have conferenced with each student and we have come to an understanding about the grade of the assessment, students will be able to take the tests home to show parents. These grades will also appear on the students’ report cards, which will be sent home to parents. In addition, general data from the assessment (not specific data about each individual student) will be shared with other teachers in my Professional Learning Community. Together, we will look at the different tests results in the different classes and evaluate effective practices. After this summative assessment, the class will move on to learning about the next major standard.
Samples of Completed Assessments
Action Plan for Student 14: High Performing (See actual assessment here.)
Student 14 clearly was clearly high-performing because he received 100% on this portion of the unit test. In addition to this perfect score, he also provided additional comments on his paper which showed correct thinking about the topics discussed in class, and according to the sample data spreadsheet he felt that the test was “easy.” On his test, I provided this feedback: “Awesome work, Student 14! I appreciate how you kept your historical timeline in mind… it helped you figure out some tougher questions! Keep it up!” Since he exceeded both objectives, this student received a grade of 4 on the 4-point scale. It is clear from this data that Student 14 has mastered these objectives and is prepared to move on.
Action Plan for Student 2: Medium Performing (See actual assessment here.)
Student 2 performed at an acceptable level. He answered four out of five questions correctly about the second objective and two out of three questions correctly about the third objective. According to the objectives, this is exactly what he needed to do in order to show mastery. In addition, Question 8 was missed by many students, so this may be a topic I as a teacher simply did not address as well as I could have. On his paper I wrote: “Great work, Student 2! You met the objectives. J We’ll look more at question 8 in class, a lot of students struggled with that.” Because he met the objectives but did not exceed them, this student received a grade of 3 on the 4-point scale. Because so many students missed the final question, I will spend some extra time with the whole class reiterating the idea.
Action Plan for Student 20: Low Performing (See actual assessment here).
Student 20 did not perform well at all on this assessment. She answered only three out of eight questions correctly, and did not meet either one of the objectives. In some cases, however, it almost seems as if she simply did not finish the conversation. For example, in question 4 she demonstrates the understanding that the embargo had a negative effect on Iraq, but in question 3 she seems to think the embargo was a good thing. I believe her test shows potential, so I wrote: “Student 20, I know you struggled with some of this, but I think we can figure out more of this out together! We’ll talk about this during conferences.” Since this student struggled so much, I did not indicate the correct answers to the questions but communicated that I would conference with her later and we would take a more in-depth study of what she is struggling with.