Written assessments include a broad range of assessments in which students show their understanding with paper and pencil. These assessments fall into two general categories: (1) selected-response, in which students choose the best answer from several possible options (in a multiple-choice, true/false, or matching format), and (2) constructed-response (or open-ended), in which students generate their own answers.
Exemplary high school instructional materials offer a diverse array of written assessments, which are used throughout a unit of study, not just at the end. For example, students might record their “pre-instruction” ideas on an introductory questionnaire or a concept map. They might also record what they think they know in a quick-write in their science journals. In the midst of a lab activity, students might respond to open-ended questions in their journals to record their emerging hypotheses. At the end of a unit, students might communicate their understanding by writing a letter, creating an advertisement or a briefing document, or developing a final report (these types of written assessments are often called “products/ projects”). Finally, students might answer selected-response or constructed-response questions on a post-unit test or a mid-unit quiz.
The written assessments in exemplary materials reflect the range of knowledge and skills that these programs target. Putting pencil to paper in diverse ways provides teachers with rich evidence of student learning, and enables a wide range of students, with myriad talents and abilities, to demonstrate their understanding.
Learn more about the types of written assessments used on standardized tests.
Quick-Write
Active Physics has a section built into each unit called “What Do You Think?” This section is intended to help ascertain a student’s prior understanding, giving students a chance to write down in their logs what they think, for example, about friction, energy, or light before they begin an investigation. It is not intended to produce the “correct” answer; rather, it is meant as a lead-in to a physics investigation. When students write responses to questions in their logs, it helps ensure that they have addressed their prior conceptions. Students are then encouraged to discuss their written responses in small groups.
In the “Predictions” unit, for example, students are introduced to an activity for measuring motion. The unit begins with two questions posed to the students about how light travels and the speed limit of the universe. Students are asked to record their ideas in their “log” and to be prepared to discuss them in a small group.
Learn more about this example of a Quick-Write.
Introductory Questionnaire
Insights in Biology provides an introductory questionnaire to be administered at the beginning of each module. The questionnaire is designed to help the teacher understand which of the module’s basic concepts the students understand, which they understand partially, and which they are not familiar with at all. It is intended as a written, baseline assessment, but the teacher is encouraged to use supplemental interviews as well. The questionnaire contains rubrics for scoring the student responses.
In “Blueprints of Infection,” for example, students are asked five questions as a lead-in to the unit regarding the spreading of a disease, DNA, infectious organisms, bacterial and viral infections, and what happens when a virus enters the body.
Learn more about this example of an Introductory Questionnaire.
Open-Ended Questions
Minds-On Physics emphasizes formative assessment approaches that help to identify students’ problems and misunderstandings while they occur. This helps to shape subsequent instruction by the teacher. The in-text questions are designed to probe for student understanding. The answers to the in-text questions are provided in Answers and Instruction Aides for teachers.
In the “Interactions” unit, for example, in “Exploring Situations Having Two Interactions,” students are asked a number of questions about how a feather, rock, and skydiver fall. These open-ended questions are designed to help students think about the different scenarios and the different outcomes that could occur.
Learn more about example #1 of Open-Ended Questions.
Open-Ended Questions
Chemistry in the Community (ChemCom), throughout each section, contains in-text questions and problems for students to solve. The teachers guide provides the background and answers to all text questions and problems.
In the “Modeling Matter/Nitrogen Cycle” unit, for example, students are asked questions that emphasize the importance of calormetric techniques and quantitative data for farmers.
Learn more about example #2 of Open-Ended Questions.
Post-Unit Test
Insights in Biology provides a final questionnaire at the end of each module designed to provide a measure for determining how closely students have come to mastering the material. The final questionnaire has the same questions as the introductory questionnaire. The repetition is meant to help the teacher evaluate the degree of change in the students’ skills and understanding over the course of the module. It focuses on measuring change and growth, as opposed to simply producing a score. Rubrics are provided for the teacher.
In the “What On Earth” module, for example, students are asked post-unit questions about population growth of different species, biodiversity, and the ecosystem. A full scoring rubric is provided for the teacher to assess students’ post-unit knowledge.
Learn more about this example of a Post-Unit Test.
Written Journal
BSCS Biology: A Human Approach provides different assessment opportunities throughout the program, one of which is a journal where students record both short-term and long-term work. The recording of long-term work allows the teacher to track student development with regard to understanding concepts over the course of a unit—or even over the course of a year.
In the “Gene Action” unit, for example, students are asked to record answers to questions in their journal at different points throughout the unit. The teacher is then able to see the development and understanding of concepts of genetics and DNA over the course of several weeks.
Learn more about this example of a Written Journal.
