Lesson 3: Sample Assessments- Earth & Space Science Clusters
Objectives:
Learners will...
- Explore examples of formative and summative assessment techniques aligned with inquiry-based learning approaches.
- Use assessment data to inform instruction and support student learning outcomes.
Purpose
The purpose of this lesson is to dive into sample assessments aligned with NYSSLS, inquiry strategies, and Earth & Space Science. Exploring these item clusters is important to determine the structure of assessment, structure of questions, & explore what "Item Clusters" are.
A common question many Earth Science teachers ask as we transition to NYSSLS is...
What are assessments going to look like?
Though we do not have an abundant amount of examples at this time, we can explore the links below.
Assignment
Access the Earth & Space Science Item Clusters and Rating Guide
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xVDx2lfSi4fyNupjaB92FOiEgBCGRUxD/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oQ-_ovbJ-5kj5TeW0QxgLlj8UYPSGU1q/view?usp=sharing
Similar to the last assignment,
On a Google Doc, title the doc "YOURLASTNAME_ESS", and answer the following questions:
1. How does this exam differ from the current Regents Exams?
2. Explain some of the similarities to current Regents Exams?
3. How would we prepare our student's for these item clusters throughout the school year? Can we teach curriculum the same way?
Place your reflections in this Google Folder.
Access 2 peers' documents and comment to facilitate conversation regarding this assessment. Share your thoughts, similar or different, and discuss the advantageous and challenges that you may see with this assessment structure.
Lesson Summary
Item clusters, in the context of assessment, refer to groups of test items or questions that are thematically related or designed to measure a similar skill or concept. Rather than assessing isolated pieces of knowledge, item clusters aim to evaluate students' understanding across multiple dimensions or facets of a particular topic or skill area. This is a big change as we transition into NYSSLS aligned assessments. By presenting related questions together within a cluster, assessments can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced view of students' proficiency levels, capturing their ability to apply knowledge, analyze information, and solve problems within a coherent context.
Reflection Question
Please add to your reflective journal.
How does teaching through inquiry based strategies prepare students to answer high level questions in the form of item clusters? Explain.