Formative assessment allows educators to discover the varied ideas that students bring to the classroom, determine students' understanding of key concepts, and design learning opportunities that will deepen students' mastery of content and standards. A nationally known expert in science education, Page Keeley provides a rich repertoire of purposeful methods that weave assessment into the process of instruction and learning.
The author shares 75 specific assessment techniques to help teachers in Grades K-12 provide effective science instruction. These flexible assessments can be used with any science curriculum, and the author includes A description of how each technique promotes student learning, Considerations for design and implementation, such as required materials, timing, modeling the technique, and grouping students, Modifications for various instructional needs, Caveats for using each technique, Ways the techniques can be used in other content areas.
Science Formative Assessment promotes best practices in the science classroom and helps teachers expand their tool kit of proven assessment techniques.
Synopsis
These 75 specific techniques help K-12 science teachers determine students' understanding of key concepts.
About the Author, Page Keeley
Page Keeley, 2008-2009 president of the National Science Teachers Association, is the senior program director for science at the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA). Her work at the MMSA involves leadership and professional development for teachers and leaders in Maine and nationally, as well as the development of materials and tools to support science teaching and learning. She is the principal investigator and project director of three NSF-funded projects, including Curriculum Topic Study, The Northern New England Co-Mentoring Network, and PRISMS: Phenomena and Representations for the Instruction of Science in Middle Schools. She serves on several national advisory boards for science education and consults with schools and organizations throughout New England and nationally. She was a fellow in the first cohort of the National Academy for Science Education Leadership and serves as a mentor and learning colleague for new fellows. She has taught inquiry science as an adjunct instructor for the University of Maine. Prior to working at the MMSA, Keeley taught as a middle school and high school science teacher for 15 years. During that time, she served as president of her state science teachers association and served two terms on the executive board of the National Science Teachers Association. She received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Secondary Science Teaching in 1992, the Milken National Educator Award in 1993, and was the AT&T Maine Governor's Fellow for Technology in 1994. Prior to teaching, she worked as a research assistant in immunodeficiency diseases at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. She received her undergraduate degree in lifesciences from the University of New Hampshire and her master's in science education from the University of Maine.
"Page Keeley does it again! This book should be on the desk of all classroom teachers. Teachers will reach for it time and again as they use best practices that include appropriate formative assessment strategies."
Susan German
"After years ofstruggling with 'Do they get it?' I can now teach and check for student comprehension in an engaging manner.This book allows me tomonitor their understanding without waiting for quiz or test results."
