using formative assessment rubrics in science · web viewthis formative assessment task was...

Using formative assessment rubrics in Science


Planning a fair test

Levels 3 to 6


Authorised and published by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment AuthorityLevel 7, 2 Lonsdale StreetMelbourne VIC 3000

© Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority 2019.

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Contents

The formative assessment rubric6

Links to the Victorian Curriculum F–106

The formative assessment task8

Description of the task (administration guidelines)8

Evidence collected from this task8

Interpreting evidence of student learning10

Setting the scene10

Sample 111

Sample 1: Evidence of student learning13

Any feedback given13

Sample 215



Sample 318



Using evidence to plan for future teaching and learning21

Teacher reflections21

Appendix 1: Template22

What is formative assessment?

Formative assessment is any assessment that is used to improve teaching and learning. Best-practice formative assessment uses a rigorous approach in which each step of the assessment process is carefully thought through.

Assessment is a three-step process by which evidence is collected, interpreted and used. By definition, the final step of formative assessment requires a use that improves teaching and learning.

For the best results, teachers can work together to interrogate the curriculum and use their professional expertise and knowledge of their students to outline a learning continuum including a rubric of measurable, user-friendly descriptions of skills and knowledge. Teachers can draw on this learning continuum and rubric to decide how to collect evidence of each student’s current learning in order to provide formative feedback and understand what they are ready to learn next.

The VCAA’s Guide to Formative Assessment Rubrics outlines how to develop a formative assessment rubric to collect, interpret and use evidence of student learning to plan teaching and learning. For more information about formative assessment and to access a copy of the guide, please go to the Formative Assessment section of the VCAA website.

Using formative assessment rubrics in schools

This document is based on the material developed by one group of teachers in the 2019 Formative Assessment Rubrics project. The VCAA acknowledges the valuable contribution to this resource of the following teachers: Rebecca Bird (Orchard Grove Primary School) and Dimple Bhardwaj (Hillsmeade Primary School). The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority partnered with the Assessment Research Centre, University of Melbourne, to provide professional learning for teachers interested in strengthening their understanding and use of formative assessment rubrics.

This resource includes a sample formative assessment rubric, a description of a task/activity undertaken to gather evidence of learning, and annotated student work samples.

Schools have flexibility in how they choose to use this resource, including as:

· a model that they adapt to suit their own teaching and learning plans

· a resource to support them as they develop their own formative assessment rubrics and tasks.

This resource is not an exemplar.

Additional support and advice on high-quality curriculum planning is available from the Curriculum Planning Resource.

The formative assessment rubric

The rubric in this document was developed to help inform teaching and learning in Science. This rubric supports the explicit teaching of planning a fair test.

This formative assessment rubric is designed to provide teachers with information about what students are currently demonstrating in relation to planning a fair test. It is designed to enable students to show that they can:

design a fair test

decide which variables should be changed, measured and controlled.

Please note that this rubric does not include the assessment of planning appropriate investigations to answer questions and solve problems. Whilst you are likely to teach conducting a test in conjunction with planning a test, the purpose of this rubric is to focus on the ability of the students to decide variables to plan a fair test.

Links to the Victorian Curriculum F–10

Curriculum area:Science

Strand: Science Inquiry Skills

Sub-strand: Planning and conducting

Levels/Bands:Levels 3 to 6

Achievement standard/s extract: Levels 3 and 4:

They discuss ways to conduct investigations and suggest why a test was fair or not.

Levels 5 and 6:

When planning experimental methods, they identify and justify the variables they choose to change and measure in fair tests.

Content Description/s:Levels 3 and 4:

Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions including consideration of the elements of fair tests (VCSIS066).

Levels 5 and 6:

Decide which variables should be changed, measured and controlled in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data (VCSIS084).



© VCAA Page 8

© VCAA Page 20

Learning continuum

Science

Level 3 to 6

The learning continuum is based on:



Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Students can identify the components of a fair investigation.

Students can identify ways to conduct investigations and suggest why a test has a control (was fair or not).

When planning experimental methods, students can justify the variable they change and measure in a fair test with guidance.

When planning experimental methods, students can identify and justify the variable they choose to investigate.

Organising element

Action

Insufficient evidence

Quality Criteria

Planning

1. Formulate an investigation.

1.0 Insufficient evidence

1.1 Plan an investigation using a template.

1.2 Lists the steps of an investigation.

1.3 Design an investigation to answer an identified aim/prediction.

2. Design a fair test.


2.1 Define a fair test.

2.2 Explain why a test is fair.

2.3 Create a fair test that includes variables that are changed, measured and controlled.

3. Plan which variable to change.


3.1 Identify the variable to change.

3.2. Describe how this variable will be changed.

3.3 Explain why this variable will be changed.

4. Plan which variable to measure.


4.1 Identify the variable to measure.

4.2. Describe how this variable will be measured.

4.3 Explain why this variable will be measured.

5. Plan which variable to control.


5.1 Identify one variable to control.

5.2. Describe how this variable will be controlled.

5.3 Explain why this variable will be controlled.

6. Reflect on the fairness of the planned investigation.


6.1 Identify whether or not the test is fair.

6.2 Explain what makes the planned investigation a fair test.

6.3 Identify modifications to improve the fairness of the planned investigation.

The formative assessment task

The following formative assessment task was developed to elicit evidence of each student’s current learning and what they are ready to learn next.

Description of the task (administration guidelines)

As a class, discuss the following questions:

do all materials melt at the same temperature?

what happens to the shape of a material as it melts?

how can we tell a material has melted?

Introduce the task: Students will be planning an investigation to measure how long it takes to melt a piece of chocolate.

Before they start, ask students to brainstorm the things that might affect the time it takes for a piece of chocolate to melt.

As a class, discuss how students will know when the chocolate piece has completely melted. (You could agree that it is when there are no solid lumps).

Introduce the investigation template (Appendix 1) the students could use. Advise students they are welcome to use the template or not. If using the template, students will need to fill out the:

aim

prediction

variables

materials

method.

When planning their method, advise students to choose the equipment and tools that are accessible to them. Explain or write the list of heat sources you can provide, such as a microwave or hot water.

Allow students 30 minutes to fill out their template independently.

For students who need assistance, they will be given the following scaffolding in order:

1. Sentence starter: What happens to the melting time when I _________ the piece of chocolate?

2. Change options: Suggest to the student that the amount of chocolate (mass), the shape of the chocolate and how you choose to heat it could affect the time it takes to melt the chocolate.

3. Aim: What happens to the melting time when I hold the piece of chocolate in my hands?

If time, allow students to conduct the investigation.

Evidence collected from this task

Student work samples using the template

Interpreting evidence of student learning

Evidence collected from each student was mapped against the rubric:

· The quality criteria that were achieved was shaded in blue.

· The phase that the student is ready to learn next was shaded in green.

Please note, the following annotated student work samples are representative examples only.

Setting the scene

This formative assessment task was undertaken by a Year 5 class at the start of a new science unit. Students completed the formative assessment task within a 50–60 minute session. Students had no prior experience in planning a fair test.

As the beginning of the task, I explained the task and I read the following statement aloud:

‘Today I would like you to independently plan an investigation to measure how long it takes to melt a block of chocolate. You will be using the template provided to plan your investigation. I am asking you to do this so I can look at how you write your aim, prediction, method and how you chose your variables to plan a fair test.

I am going to use this information to develop my understanding about planning a fair test in our coming science unit. It is important that you complete this task independently. Do your very best and if you have any questions or need help, please put your hand up. I can give you some sentence starters but only if you need them.’

Sample 1

Sample 1: Evidence of student learning

Annotations

1.2 The student has demonstrated that they can list the steps of the investigation as demonstrated in the method section. However, the method didn’t describe how the variable would be changed.

3.1 The student could identify the size, length and stamina as variables that could be changed. Although they are mentioned separately, it was evident from student’s explanation that they were considered to be the same quality. They did not link the size to the cause, rather the student understood it as an effect.

4.1 Although the student identified two things to measure, it was clear that the temperature of the chocolate was not the measured variable but instead it was the time the student wanted to measure. The student linked the temperature to the time and not to the size of the chocolate.

5.1 The student identified that temperature will be controlled; however, does not link it to the concept of a fair test.

Insufficient evidence

2.0 Although the student mentioned that something would change and some other things would not change, the student could not identify that only one thing is needed to plan a fair test.

6.0 The student does not show an understanding of a fair test.

What is the student ready to learn next?

The student has demonstrated evidence for many aspects of Phase 1; however, has not demonstrated an understanding of what a fair test is and so needs to be given further opportunities to practice and consolidate understanding of the components of a fair investigation.

Any feedback given

You have demonstrated an understanding of the different types of variables involved in an investigation and how to write a step-by-step procedure to conduct an investigation.

The next step in your learning is to understand what a fair investigation is and how and why variables can be changed, measured and controlled to ensure a fair investigation.

Sample 2


Annotations

1.3 The student has designed an investigation allowing them to respond to their aim/prediction.

2.2 Although the student can explain why a test is fair, the student cannot create a fair test that includes variables that are changed, measured and controlled.

3.2 The student has identified a change variable and has defined three different temperatures; however, the student has not explained why the student would change this variable.

4.3 The student has identified which variable the student would measure and why the student has connected it to the aim of the experiment.

5.2. The student can describe how this variable will be controlled; however, there is not an explicit explanation of why this variable should be controlled.

6.1 The student has identified that the test is fair; however, the student cannot explain what makes the planned investigation a fair test.


The student has demonstrated that they are able to identify ways to conduct an investigation and explain why particular variables are measured. They are now ready to learn how to explain why they change and control particular variables.

Any feedback given

You have been able to explain what a fair test means; however, you have not been able to plan the experiment to justify the variable changed and measured in a fair test.

Sample 3


Annotations

1.2 The student has designed a fair test but it does not respond to their prediction. It answers how long it would take to melt the chocolate at three different temperatures, but not at what temperature the chocolate melts.

2.3 The student has designed a fair test with variable that could be changed, measured and several controlled variables.

3.2 The student has identified a changed variable and has defined three different temperature; however, the student has not explained why the student would change this variable.

4.3 The student has identified which variable the student would measure and why.

5.3 The student has identified four controlled variables and has explained why they need to be controlled.

6.1 The student has explained what a fair test is but has not been able to link it to their own experiment.


The student has demonstrated evidence for many aspects of Phase 3; however, the student has not achieved all aspects of that part of the learning continuum. The student requires more guidance to be able to link the elements of a fair test to the variables in their own experiment.

Any feedback given

You have been able to explain what a fair test means; however, you have not linked your method to your prediction.

Using evidence to plan for future teaching and learning

This task has helped me collate data that identified student preconceptions and misconceptions in regards to planning a fair test.

Most of the students were still working towards the learning described at Phase 2, and only few students were working at Phase 3. This is useful for me to know that the rubric will support me to stretch my students towards the learning described in Phase 4.

Teacher reflections

This has been a fantastic formative assessment for me. I have not included planning fair investigations in my planning yet.

I used the data to create a Guttmann chart which I am eager to show the other Grade 3-6 teachers so we are consistent in teaching science inquiry skills on the learning continuum.

I had to make minor adjustments to my rubric. I added explicit actions, to generate variables to change, measure and control so I had a better understanding of my students’ needs.

All students in this class were able to demonstrate quality criteria 1.1 and 1.2, so I will consider revising these for the next time I use the rubric.

Appendix 1: Template

Melting a Block of Chocolate

Aim of the investigation – What are you trying to find out?

Prediction – What do you think will happen?

I think…

Variables - What variables would you choose?

Change:

Measure:

Control:

Why?

Why?

Why?

Explain how this is a fair investigation?

Checked with a teacher: ⃞

Modifications (if needed):

Materials – What do you need to carry out the experiment?

·

·

·

Method – How are you going to carry out the experiment?

Step 1:

Learning continuum

Science

Level 3 to 6

The learning continuum is based on :



Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4

Students can identify the components

of a fair investigation.

Students can identify ways to conduct

investigations and suggest why a test

has a control (was fair or not).

When planning experimental methods,

students can justify the variable they

change and measure in a fair test w ith

guidance.


students can identify and justify the

variable they choose to investigate.

Organising

element

Action Insufficient evidence Quality Criteria

Planning 1. Formulate an investigation. 1.0 Insufficient evidence

1.1 Plan an investigation using a

template.


1.3 Design an investigation to answer

an identified aim/prediction.

2. Design a fair test. 2.0 Insufficient evidence 2.1 Define a fair test. 2.2 Explain why a test is fair.

2.3 Create a fair test that includes

variables that are changed, measured

and controlled.

3. Plan which variables to

change.


3.1 Identify the variable you want to

change.

3.2. Describe how this variable will be

changed.

3.3 Explain why this variable will be

changed.


measure.



measure.


measured.


measured.


control.

5.0 Insufficient evidence 5.1 Identify one variable to control .


controlled.


controlled.

6. Reflect on the fairness of

the planned investigation.


6.1 Identify whether or not the test is

fair.

6.2 Explain what makes the planned

investigation a fair test.

6.3 Identify modifications to improve the

fairness of the planned investigation.

Learning continuum

Science

Level 3 to 6













guidance.




Organising

element




template.







and controlled.


change.



change.


changed.


changed.


measure.



measure.


measured.


measured.


control.



controlled.


controlled.





fair.





Learning continuum

Science

Level 3 to 6













guidance.




Organising

element




template.







and controlled.


change.



change.


changed.


changed.


measure.



measure.


measured.


measured.


control.



controlled.


controlled.





fair.





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