Objects
that Sink or Float
Elizabeth
Grabotin
EDU645
Learning & Assessment for the 21st Century
Ashford
University
December 3, 2012
Purpose:
Grade one classroom.
It is important for teachers to develop
learning outcomes as it helps the teacher and their assistants to achieve
better clarity about want they want the students to achieve in their
classes. For students having specific
learning outcomes also help students achieve their learning objectives of the
topic they are studying at the time. The
students know from the beginning the goals of the course and the class and what
is expected of them.
I chose grade one
classroom in the subject of science in the area of objects that sink and float.
The purpose of my
assessment plan is students will predict which objects will float or sink in
water. Students will be able to group objects together according to headings.
Students will prepare two graphs using the data they collected from their predications.
Students will the group objects into either sink or float categories.
Students will observe, describe and keep
records of what objects sink or float.
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will be able to predict about objects that float and sink in water.
- Students will be able group objects under categories either sink or float.
Assessment Context:
Students will be
able to predict which objects float or sink.
Students will record
their predictions on two graphs which the students will design for assessment.
Students can work
in groups or individually.
The teacher will
supply students with a tub of water and various objects that will sink and
float. Examples of objects provided are rock, leaf, marble, feather, lid, wood,
crayon, elastic band, fruit etc. The teacher will go round and supervise the
students and ask them what the predictions might be of the objects to place in
the water. Then the teacher can ask a student to help put the object into the
water to see if their prediction is correct. The teacher should try and pick
different students to help place the object into the water.
This activity will take place after the
students have determined which objects sink or float. In a group discussion
with teacher asking open-ended questions for example how would you group these
objects? Then the teacher will ask
students which objects they remember and which group the objects should go in the
sink group or the float group.
After the students have identified which
objects sink or float the students will then draw two graphs one that shows which
objects were more and which objects were less. Then another graph to show “which
objects sink” and “which objects float”.
Holistic Rubic:
Title of
Assessment:_____________________________________________________
Student’s Name:________________________________________________________
Teacher’s
Name:________________________________________________________
Date:________________
Points 5
Students make accurate predictions
Students have followed the
directions successfully.
Students have an understanding why
objects float and sink are clear.
Graphs clearly presented.
Points 4
Students make accurate predictions
with only one error
Students have not followed
directions completely.
Students have an understanding of
an explanation why objects float or sink are sensible.
Graphs presented well but have a
few minor errors.
Points 2
Students make inaccurate
predictions with two errors.
Students did not follow directions
on certain parts of the assessment
Students have an explanation why
the objects float or sink not supported.
Students try and attempt to make
the graphs
Points 1
Predictions need improvement
Students make graph one graph but
did not attempt to make the second graph.
Students have little content
knowledge of the topic
Point 0
Student’s predictions are
non-existence
Students did not follow directions
Students have no understanding of
float or sink activity.
Students did not make any graph
Total points students can earn is
twelve points.
Testing Constraints:
The teacher will
administer the lesson and explain to the students the directions on the
assessment. The teacher will explain the assessment which is the two graphs and
the predictions they make on which objects sink or float. In addition, students
will group objects into their appropriate grouping. The time limit will depend
on how long the students take to do the assessment and restriction is over two
lessons in science. Students will have time to ask the teacher questions about
the assessment and the teacher will include time to answer the students
questions so the students know what they have to do in the assessment to earn
their score from the rubric.
Students will
raise their hand when they think they know the prediction of the object.
Regarding testing constraints do
students actually know how to predict something before they started this topic
of sink and float? Did students have experience in the classroom on how to
predict objects that sink and float? There are different factors that affect
whether objects can float and sink like a feather is light so it will not sink
will float on top of the water. Other examples are the fruit to see if sank or
floated we did not specify which type of fruit and lid we did not specify what
type of lid whether plastic or paper lid.
Regarding graphing
constraints do students have experience in graphing in the classroom? Will
student or teachers make the graph this needs the decision from the teacher
before the start of the lesson? Another constraint is will teacher do it alone
or as a group or individually? The teacher needs to decide before he or she
starts the lesson.
As a teacher does
he or she know whether the students know how to problem solve from previous
classes the students have been in.
Regarding more or
less portion of the lesson do the students know how to compare more or less?
The teacher here
as asked his or herself these questions about students knowledge that relate to
sink and float topic and the teacher needs to investigate whether students know
how to problem solve for example. The Teacher could meet with other teachers
that teach these students before this lesson. The teacher can also test
student’s knowledge on the questions the teacher has asked herself before she
starts the lesson.
Report:
I decided to do
the assessment plan in a first grade classroom, the topic is covered in the
science subject, and the topic is about predictions.
The assessment
plan I have developed is on a topic regarding which object sinks or floats and
students will make predictions on which objects sinks and which float. I chose
two learning outcomes relating to this topic where students predict and then
group the objects. To support my assessment plan I developed two learning
outcomes for the students on this topic and what the students will be assessed
on and what type of assessment the students will be doing.
I thought it would
be a good idea to give a definition of what a learning outcome is and why
teachers develop learning outcomes.
After looking on
the World Wide Web I found an article that described well what a learning
outcome is and states that a “learning
outcome is the particular knowledge, skill or behavior that a student is
expected to exhibit after a period of study.”(The World Bank, 2011). Learning
outcomes measured usually by administering some type of assessment. In the plan
I have developed two learning outcomes which relate to the assessment. The
assessment that supports the learning outcomes is providing a number of tubs of
water and different objects for students to predict whether the object floats
or sinks. After the students have predicted the objects that float or sink they
will then design two graphs one with objects that sink and objects that float.
The other graph is how many objects sink and how many float, and drawing a graph with which one has
more and which one has less. Regarding the graphs students should have
knowledge on how to draw graphs and the type of graphs students can use on
graphing predictions.
Teachers develop
learning outcomes to give students guidance and give them direction in the
topic they are going to be studying. Give the teacher clear guidelines on what
the students need to cover in the lessons.
Justifying the
selection of assessment context is the assessment plan aligns with the learning
outcomes and students have the chance to see how they know how to predict
something and how to group objects together after making their predictions. The
teacher has guided the students in the assessment by providing one activity to
show which objects sink and which float.
The second activity is grouping the
objects in there appropriate groups and seeing if the students have remembered
and listened to which objects sink and which float. After these activities the
students then have to design two graphs to show the results of their
predictions.
There are many
ways that teachers can evaluate rubrics and an article I found on World Wide
Web states, “Evaluating rubrics is a necessary step in determining whether the
rubric will assess the desired skills and outcomes and whether students will be
able to perform the specified tasks.”(Barrus, J. 2012). Teachers have to decide
whether the rubric is fair to all students and that each student can understand
the rubric. The teacher needs to make allowances for students an example if the
student has a disability that they either need assistance in doing the activity
so the students can get a score on the activity. From the same article states “the purpose of a
rubric is to communicate clear expectations about student performance.”
(Barrus, J. 2012).
After looking at
evaluation of the holistic rubric I developed the learning outcomes do align with the rubric. The rubric needs to
address all the learning outcomes measured in the topic. Rubrics are very
important tool for teachers to communicate how the assessment is graded and
what the teacher expects of the students.
The rubric I developed I think covers all the learning outcomes and I
did think about the number of students scoring at each level of the rubric.
Students can identify each category as well as seeing how many points assigned
to each category. The points are clear
and students can easily follow the rubric and understand what each category
covers. I did a simple rubric as regarding objects that sink or float did not
need a complicated rubric as students were predicting, observing and designing
graphs. The activities are for a first grade classroom and I think the rubric
needs to be simple for the students to follow and the teacher can read out the
rubric and students can ask questions if they do not understand one of the
areas that are being assessed.
I chose the selected testing constraints to
align with the learning outcomes of my assessment plan. Teachers need to give
clear directions to students on the assessment so they know what to do. I also
mentioned in the testing constraints that students need to raise their hands
when they know what the answer to the prediction is. Students need to be guided
in the assessment and before they start the assessment the students have time
to ask questions and the teacher has time to respond to the questions students
have asked about the assessment. Having testing constraints is very important
for the students so they know how much time they will have to do the assessment
as well as having clear directions for students. The time frame on this
assessment will probably vary due to the fact that the students will discuss
the predictions, group objects and record the results by doing two graphs.
The assessment plan I have developed
does align with learning outcomes and teacher made tests, as Kubiszyn states
are “well adapted to the specific and unique outcomes and content of a local
curriculum.”( Kubiszyn & Borich, 2010). In the United States of America each state as
there own set of standards that teachers need to follow and teachers then
prepare their learning outcomes to specific needs of their lessons. Rubrics are
very important part of lesson planning as well as help the teacher align her
learning outcomes to the rubric and students have clear understanding of the
assessment and grading.
References:
Barrus, J. (2012). How to Evaluate a Rubric. Retrieved
from http://www.ehow.com/how_8651309_evaluate-rubric.html
The World bank. (2011). Learning Outcomes. Retrieved from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTEDUCATION/0,,contentMDK:21911176~menuPK:5495844~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:282386,
