Multiple Measures:Multiple Measures:Connecting Assessment toConnecting Assessment to

the Classroomthe Classroom

Nita SchmidtNita Schmidt

Whole Language UmbrellaWhole Language Umbrella

St. Louis, July, 2004St. Louis, July, 2004

Setting the ContextSetting the Context

Rural elementary school in NW IowaRural elementary school in NW Iowa

We were in our third year of using English-We were in our third year of using English-language arts portfolios for assessment language arts portfolios for assessment

We were still tweaking it to satisfy We were still tweaking it to satisfy ourselves, our parents, and our students.ourselves, our parents, and our students.

Could we create an assessment that met Could we create an assessment that met House File 2272, but also met our own House File 2272, but also met our own needs?needs?

What did we do?What did we do?

We met on Saturday mornings to brainstorm and We met on Saturday mornings to brainstorm and strategize ways to assess our students. strategize ways to assess our students.

We contacted our AEA math and language arts We contacted our AEA math and language arts consultants and gathered other professional consultants and gathered other professional resources about performance assessment. resources about performance assessment.

We embraced Leland and Harste’s (1994) work We embraced Leland and Harste’s (1994) work on multiple sign systems and believed work with on multiple sign systems and believed work with multiple sign systems could give us a plethora of multiple sign systems could give us a plethora of information in any assessment situation.information in any assessment situation.

Our GoalsOur Goals

Assess students in ways that will show meaning Assess students in ways that will show meaning making across several sign systems.making across several sign systems.

Meet the requirements of House File 2272 but Meet the requirements of House File 2272 but fulfill our own assessment needs first.fulfill our own assessment needs first.

Address the curricular areas of reading, writing, Address the curricular areas of reading, writing, math, and art.math, and art.

Pay attention to parental interests in counting Pay attention to parental interests in counting money and teacher interests in geometry.money and teacher interests in geometry.

Our PlanOur Plan

Use performance assessments to enrich Use performance assessments to enrich already established portfolios.already established portfolios.

Build scaffolds to provide structured Build scaffolds to provide structured practice before assessments.practice before assessments.

Develop a grading rubric for the tasks.Develop a grading rubric for the tasks.

We began to practice.We began to practice.

And And pprraaccttiiccee

Billy Goes ShoppingBilly Goes ShoppingScaffold-Practice Scaffold-Practice

Billy wants to buy some new school supplies. Billy wants to buy some new school supplies. He has $.90 to spend. He needs to save $.25 He has $.90 to spend. He needs to save $.25 for the bus. Look at the price list and choose for the bus. Look at the price list and choose some things for Billy to buy. Find three different some things for Billy to buy. Find three different ways for Billy to spend his money. If Billy has ways for Billy to spend his money. If Billy has change, show how much change he would have change, show how much change he would have left from $.90. left from $.90. Remember. Billy needs $.25 for the bus each Remember. Billy needs $.25 for the bus each time.time.Price List: Eraser $.10, Rulers $.29, Pencils Price List: Eraser $.10, Rulers $.29, Pencils $.25, Pens $.39, Book covers $.20$.25, Pens $.39, Book covers $.20First WayFirst Way Second WaySecond Way Third WayThird Way

And And practice.practice.

The Assessment TasksThe Assessment Tasks

Geometry Assessment ProjectGeometry Assessment Project

Fourth Grade Shopping SpreeFourth Grade Shopping Spree

Geometry Assessment ProjectGeometry Assessment Project

Design a quilt square that includes at least 4 of Design a quilt square that includes at least 4 of the following characteristics:the following characteristics: Use at least 2 but no more than 3 geometric shapesUse at least 2 but no more than 3 geometric shapes Have a line of symmetryHave a line of symmetry Show a flip, slide, or turn of the basic componentShow a flip, slide, or turn of the basic component Have a repeating patternHave a repeating pattern Show congruence or similarity of a shapeShow congruence or similarity of a shape Show ¼ of the total design with only 1 geometric Show ¼ of the total design with only 1 geometric

shapeshape

Completed squares must be accompanied by a Completed squares must be accompanied by a detailed explanation of your quilt design and the detailed explanation of your quilt design and the mathematical ideas it shows.mathematical ideas it shows.

Fourth Grade Shopping SpreeFourth Grade Shopping Spree

Create a picture that describes your feelings Create a picture that describes your feelings about math. You have $10 to buy whatever about math. You have $10 to buy whatever supplies you can afford to accomplish this task.supplies you can afford to accomplish this task.You must spend at least $8.You must spend at least $8. Pipe Cleaner 3 for $1.50Pipe Cleaner 3 for $1.50 Buttons 4 for $1.00Buttons 4 for $1.00 Pinch of Sequins $.10Pinch of Sequins $.10 Construction Paper 4 for $2.00Construction Paper 4 for $2.00 Tissue Paper 4 for $3.00Tissue Paper 4 for $3.00 Yarn $1.25Yarn $1.25 Shake of Glitter $.59 Shake of Glitter $.59

Chart your purchases and show us how Chart your purchases and show us how your money was spent.your money was spent.

Explain how much money you have left Explain how much money you have left after your purchase.after your purchase.

Create a picture about math with your Create a picture about math with your purchases.purchases.

Write about your picture. It may be a Write about your picture. It may be a description, a story, or an essay about description, a story, or an essay about math.math.

That will be $1.56. In math we That will be $1.56. In math we have been dealing with money. have been dealing with money. Yesterday we wrout some things Yesterday we wrout some things that we could buy like yarn, pipe that we could buy like yarn, pipe cleners, and sequins and that cleners, and sequins and that kind of stuff. In the middle do kind of stuff. In the middle do you see the red flower and the you see the red flower and the heart? I’ve dune this flower like heart? I’ve dune this flower like this because I’ve never seen a this because I’ve never seen a flower with a heart on top. The flower with a heart on top. The blue pipe cleaner to the bottom blue pipe cleaner to the bottom left is the entrence to a place left is the entrence to a place you’ve never seen before. The you’ve never seen before. The trail of sequins to the bottom trail of sequins to the bottom below the spikes leads you the below the spikes leads you the laze bed that has sequins on the laze bed that has sequins on the side. The gold glitter in the side. The gold glitter in the lower right is a pool of gold lower right is a pool of gold glitter that will drain all your glitter that will drain all your wores. Have you ever been to a wores. Have you ever been to a place like that!!place like that!!

Bong! Did you feel the coler hit you? Look in the top left corner see that green patch? With all those colers, shaps and glitter called sequins. The swans, flowers and shelles just makes my jow drop from beauty! I choose red for the swans because red makes me think of joy. Four buttens in the center represent my four names Jason Allan Shurely Jones. See in the top right corner the yellew constructun paper and the red snowflake? That snowflake represents winter and the colers in the patch are the colers I usely see on cristmas. Every thing on the bottom are just colerful deceratouns. That’s the coler of my math progect.

RubricRubric

CD – All parts of the task are answered CD – All parts of the task are answered accurately and completely. All directions accurately and completely. All directions are followed.are followed.D – Answer deals correctly with most D – Answer deals correctly with most aspects of the task, but something is aspects of the task, but something is missing. May deal with all aspects but missing. May deal with all aspects but have minor errors.have minor errors.ND – Does not address the task or only ND – Does not address the task or only addresses the task minimally.addresses the task minimally.

What does this show about math, What does this show about math, art, and writing?art, and writing?

Writing really does help kids think about Writing really does help kids think about ideas in other content areas like math.ideas in other content areas like math.

Even though mathematics is typically Even though mathematics is typically communicated through the manipulation of communicated through the manipulation of symbols, words can express math ideas.symbols, words can express math ideas.

Construction was a motivational and Construction was a motivational and important part of these assessment tasks.important part of these assessment tasks.

Writing is a way to work yourself into a subject and make it your own.

William Zinsser (1988)

Writing to Learn

ConclusionsConclusions

Allowing students to construct and write interpretations of mathematical concepts encourages the communication of meanings that would not be made public if writing was the sole sign system used.

We demanded risk taking, but we got sensitivity!