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Classroom Science Assessment Examples

Three-Dimensional Science Assessments

Three Dimensions of Standards and Assessment
(image courtesy Achieve and
Georgia Science Teachers Association)

As Wisconsin implements new three-dimensional standards and assessments, educators will need to work together to understand what "three-dimensional" means for science instruction. Sharing initial resources and processes will be a critical piece of moving forward as a state. Generally, the three dimensions of the standards are: disciplinary core ideas - what students know; crosscutting concepts - how students think; and science and engineering practices - what students do. Just like in instruction, these three dimensions should be apparent in assessment, blurring the lines between general student work and assessment. Below are links to some initial work from Wisconsin and from across the country on 3D assessment, some ideas for creating these types of tasks, and tools for working with students' misconceptions in assessment

Classroom Assessment Examples - Wisconsin workgroup and groups from across the country

National Level Work on 3D Tasks

How might we go about writing or revising assessments?

What about students' "misconceptions" in science?

  • Paige Keeley has a series of books on formative assessment probes out through NSTA Press - Uncovering Student Ideas in Science. You can review sample chapters and introductory materials in life and physical sciences to see how these are set up. Here's a recent blog from Paige Keeley on how to use these probes to connect to student sensemaking. 
  • Common Misconceptions - a list of common misconceptions across science topics (though not with much of detail). 
  • Understanding Science - Another core area for misconceptions is on the process of science itself - e.g., what does a theory really mean? 

 

For questions about this information, contact Kevin Anderson (608) 266-3319