Formative Assessments & Summative Assessments
Formative: a method of evaluation the in-process of student comprehension, learning needs, and academic progress during a lesson or unit
Summative: a method of evaluation performance at the end of a unit that gives the teacher a way to measure student understanding
Examples of Formative Assessments:
1. Observations/Anecdotal Notes: Observe students during work as well as communication time, take anecdotal notes while observing
Resources: Using Anecdotal Notes In the Classroom Article and Quick and Easy Notes
2. Exit Ticket/Slip: Students respond to the question posed by the teacher at the end of a lesson. Can be done on worksheet or sticky note, or even journal.
Resources: Exit Ticket Article and Make Your Own Generic Exit Ticket
3. Discussion: Use open ended questions to facilitate rich, reflective discussions
Resources: Classroom Discussion as Formative Assessments and Effective Class Discussions
4. Hand Signals: Students respond to questions at the end of the lesson using hand signals, thumgs up/down, 5 fingers, or a scale of 1-3.
Resources: Hand Signals
5. Brain Dump: Students have a 3 minute pause & reflect to share ideas with a partner, ideas about what was introudced, learned, questions, connections to learning.
Resources: Brain Dump: A Small Strategy with A Big Impact and Brain Dump Resources
6. Four Corners: The teacher asks a question with four answer choices also being found in four corners. Students respond by going to the corner of their answer.
Resources: 4 Corners Video & Article and Classroom Techniques: Formative Assessment
7. Journal: At the end of each lesson, students write or draw something they learned, something they found interesting, or something they did not understand.
Resources: Journals as Formative Assessments and Journals
8. Graphic Organizers: Used to demonstrate understanding after a concept is taught. Students organize thoughts into a form that shows understanding of topic.
Resources: Graphic Organizers and Graphic Organizers for Formative Assessments
9. Think Pair Share: Cooperative learning tool that allows students to think, pair up with a partner, and share their learns or questions from a lesson.
Resources: Think Pair Share and Using Think Pair Share to Check for Understanding
10. Questioning: The teacher uses a variety of questions to test the knowledge or skill that was taught and learned.
Resources: Strategic Questioning and Asking Powerful Questions for Student Engagement and Knowledge
Examples of Summative Assessments:
1. End of Unit/Chapter Tests: Evaluates students knowledge gained
Resources: Summative Assessment and Benefits to Testing
2: Final Project: One task that sums up all the learning done within the learning time frame.
Resources: FlipGrid and Benefits to Project-Based Learning
3. Achievement/Gifted Tests: A test of developed skill or knowledge (within a given grade level) to measure skills and knowledge learned through planned isntruction.
Resources: Missouri Gifted Assessments
4. State Standardized Tests: Tests given to all students in the same grade level within a state. Shows State leaders/schools where students fall within the state.
Resources: Missouri Assessments and Missouri Grade Level Assessments
5. District Benchmark Testing: An assessment given at the beginning, middle, and end of school year that shows overall growth for students in Reading and Math.
Resources: AimsWeb Plus
6. Skill Based Assessment: An assessment that measures skill and knowledge that leads educators in finding areas of growth for students and concepts that are lacking.
Resources: First Grade Baseline Evaluation and Common Core Assessment
7. Presentation: Students present in a group or independently to share information learned during unit/chapter.
Resources: Presenting Projects and Activities
8. Book Report: Requires depth and higher order thinking for answering questions that ask to retell and use knowledge on standards.
Resources: Assessing Independent Reading and Effective Summative Assessments
9. Interview: This type of assessment is used for students who struggle with taking a test, but allows the teacher to hear the student walk through concepts/skills
Resources: Learning Through Interviewing
10. Final Portfolio: a combination of gathered work, great for students who struggle with test taking and a fun way to combine unit/chapter knowledge
Resources: Portfolios: Ending the Year with Meaning and Digtal Portfolios