Formative Assessment for Secondary Science Teachers

"This book places students center stage in the discussion of how we know what students know. Using formative assessment to understand student learning is a theme grounded in good teaching and good assessment!" —Jo Topps, Regional Directorth K–12 Alliance/WestEd "This book incorporates current research and not only provides an explanation of the necessity of formative assessment, but offers a system for planning lessons and a variety of tools to implement formative assessment in the classroom." —Susan Leeds, Science Department Chair and Gifted Studies Teacher Howard Middle School, Winter Park, FL Use this powerful tool to enhance science teaching and learning! Research has shown that when teachers use formative assessments effectively, they have a clearer understanding of what students know and are better able to design instruction that meets learners′ needs. This practical guide shows teachers how to create and implement formative assessments in their middle and high school science classrooms. Grounded in extensive and solid research, this guide covers all science content areas—physics/physical science, life science/biology, earth and space science, and chemistry—as well as five types of formative assessments: big idea questions, concept maps, evidence-to-explanation, predict-observe-explain, and multiple choice. Teachers will find additional support in: Richly detailed, concrete examples of the five types of assessments In-depth guidelines for implementing the assessments Brief case studies with transcript excerpts that demonstrate how teachers have used formative assessments Easy-to-use templates to help analyze lessons in current units and identify places for inserting formative assessments With this easy-to-use, hands-on guide, any teacher can learn how to use formative assessment strategies to improve student achievement in science!

Table of Contents:
List of Figures and Tables Preface Acknowledgments About the Author 1. What Is Formative Assessment? Where Are You Going, and How Are You Going to Get There? What Is Formative Assessment? Effectiveness of Formative Assessment Overview of the Book Part I. Defining the Feedback Loop 2. Step One: Setting Learning Goals The Importance of Setting Learning Goals What Is a Learning Goal? Multiple Types of Learning Goals Identifying Science Content Bringing Goals Together: Planning for Formative Assessment 3. Step Two: What Do the Students Know Now? Where Are the Students Now? Strategies for Making Students? Thinking Explicit Determining What Counts as Evidence Planning for Formative Assessment: Finding Out What Students Know 4. Step Three: Anticipating Feedback Feedback: Plotting a Learning Course for Students Anticipating Students? Alternative Conceptions Providing Feedback Anticipating Feedback Putting It All Together: Planning the Steps in the Feedback Loop Part II. Formats for Formative Assessment 5. Big Idea Questions What Is a Big Idea Question? When Should I Use Big Idea Questions in My Unit? How Can I Develop My Own Big Idea Asssessment? How Can I Enact Big Idea Questions in My Classroom? Big Idea Question Example 5.1: Scientific Questions Big Idea Question Example 5.2: Work and Energy 6. Concept Maps What Is a Concept Map? When Should I Use Concept Maps in My Unit? How Can I Develop My Own Concept Maps? How Can I Enact Concept Maps in My Classroom? Concept Map Example 6.1: Pollutants in the Atmosphere Concept Map Example 6.2: Electricity 7. Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) Assessments What Is a POE? When Should I Use POEs in My Unit? How Can I Develop My Own POEs? How Can I Enact POEs in My Classroom? POE Example 7.1: Sinking and Floating POE Example 7.2: Air Pressure 8. Evidence-to-Explanation Assessments What Is an Evidence-to-Explanation Formative Assessment? When Should I Use Evidence-to-Explanation Assessments in My Unit? How Can I Develop My Own Evidence-to-Explanation Assessments? How Can I Enact Evidence-to-Explanation Assessments in My Classroom? Evidence-to-Explanation Example 8.1: Natural Selection Evidence-to-Explanation Example 8.2: Phase Changes in Water 9. Multiple-Choice Questions What Is a Multiple-Choice Formative Assessment? When Should I Use Multiple-Choice Questions in my Unit? How Can I Develop My Own Multiple-Choice Questions? How Can I Enact Multiple-Choice Questions in My Classroom? Mulitple-Choice Question Example 9.1: Uniform and Nonuniform Motion Multple-Choice Question Example 9.2: Diffusion Resources Glossary References Index

About the Author :
Erin Marie Furtak, had a brief career as a high school science teacher before completing her PhD in curriculum and teacher education at Stanford University in 2006 as an advisee of Richard J. Shavelson. Then, with the support of a Chancellor Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, she moved to Germany to complete a postdoc at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and the Leibniz Institute for Science Education in Kiel. She studies professional learning environments that support science teachers in formative assessment design and practice. Her research has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2011). She is now Associate Professor of Curriculum and Instruction: Science Education at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she has worked since January 2008.

Review :
"This book places students center stage in the discussion of how we know what students know. The vignettes and examples of student work illustrate the text and make the author’s points resonate with real teachers. Using formative assessment to understand student learning is a theme grounded in good teaching and good assessment!" "Timely, relevant, easy to read and follow, with real examples from the classroom about different approaches to assessment in science classes." "This book incorporates current research and not only provides an explanation of the necessity of formative assessment, but offers a system for planning lessons and a variety of tools to implement formative assessment in the classroom. It will help educators rethink the methods and the type of content they deliver in the classroom."