Reflective Log Assessment Nina Halverson Please read the chapter, Assessing Place-Based Science Teaching and Learning,

excerpted from the book, Introduction to Place-Based Science Teaching and Learning. Although this article has a place-based perspective, it is also a good summary of approaches to assessment for a science classes that emphasize a hands-on and inquiry-based approach. Please answer the following questions: What is new information for you related to assessment?
I have never thought of assessment as a three-legged stool before. I liked how the article said that curriculum, instruction, and assessment all have to be balanced. Assessment should be seen a form of sharing knowledge not as something that is done to students.

What are three key points from this article that you especially want to remember about assessment in science? (Each point should be a separate paragraph or bulleted item. Please discuss each point and relate it to your field experiences, work in other courses, work in this course, etc.)
It is so important to use multiple forms of assessment so that they can all work together and demonstrate student learning. Teachers need to do diagnostic testing so they can get a sense of what students know about science, or their misconceptions. Without this piece of assessment, the teacher will be lost on what to teach. A responsive teacher will realize if students do not know the information and perform a review. When teaching science, I will use concept maps, journal entries, small-group, and whole-class discussion. I realize with learning that each student learns differently and has their own style. This should also shine through assessment. Each child should be able to show what they learn in a way that makes sense to them.

A main point that I am taking away from the article, is to consider the culture and abilities that students bring from their home and community lives. Place-based teaching can give support to students culture. Students are more likely to learn if they have authentic tasks from their home-life and use real-life situations. This will motivate students and accurately reflect their learning.

What type of assessment or assessments might you use for the inquiry activity that you facilitated in this class? Consider what you will ask the students to do AND how you will assess what they did? For example, your assessment activity with the students might be the work that they do in their science notebook. That is what the students do. Then, you need to decide how you will assess the notebook. (You wrote an assessment piece in your inquiry lesson plan. I want you to reconsider this and/or elaborate on this based on what you have read.)

I would use their science notebooks to assess the students. I will assess the students based off of how they designed their experiment. They would get points based on their criteria, materials used, their chart to record data, and their conclusion. I would stress and teach the students how to design their experiment so they get data to back up their conclusion. I would also add an exit slip to this discover box. I would ask them what their conclusion was, and what their data was. How did they design their experiment? I would also ask them what further questions they had. I think this would be a way for students to reflect upon their learning.