Form2

ComprehensiveUnitFormat,PartBDesignofAssessment:
DiagnosticandSummativeAssessment

Context&Overview:
Thefollowingunitplanincludes10lessonplans.Alllessonswere60minuteslongandtaughtinafirstgrade
classroomatMarvinB.SmithElementarySchoolinBurlington,NCovera3weekperiod.ThisunitisaMathunitthat
focusesonsubtractionandintegratesSocialStudiesandScienceandanemphasisofLanguageArts.Thediagnostic
assessmentwasgiventothestudentstheweekbeforetheunitbeganandadifferentsummativeassessmentwas
giventhedayafterthetenthandfinallessonwastaught.
Thediagnosticandsummativeassessmentaresametaskmodel.Bothassessmentswereoutof18points.No
partialcreditwasgiventhroughouttheassessments.Thestudentshadtocompletebriefshortanswerquestions
throughoutinordertoshowcasetheirunderstanding.Cleargradingguidelineswerecreatedbeforethetestwas
administeredandgraded.

EssentialUnderstanding:
Whenplanningtheunit,afterusingbackwardsdesigntogaugewhatmystudentsneedtoaccomplish,I
knewbytheendoftheunitmystudentsneededtobeabletounderstandthepartsthatmakeupasubtraction
problem,howtosubtractmathequationsandstoryproblemsandbeabletousevariousstrategiestodoso.When
planning,IknewIneededbreakdownthegoalsevenfurther.Ibeganbyreviewingpartsofanadditionproblem.We
practicedlabelingthepartnersandtotalwithinadditionproblemsandslowlymovedontosubtractionproblems.
Fromthere,weworkedonsolvingsubtractionproblemsandthemanywaysthattheycanusestrategiestosolve
them.Thisparticularportionwastopromptstudentstounderstandproblemsolvingskills.Thisideaoffindingmany
waystosolveonecertainequationalsolaysoutthefoundationforcriticalthinking.Continuingonintheunit,wethen
tookthesestrategiesandstartedtoworkonstoryproblemsinordertobuildontopofwhatwewerelearning
previously.Wefinallyendedtheunitbuthavingmystudentscreatetheirownsubtractionmathequationswherethey
hadtolabelthenumbers,thenturnitintoastoryproblemandthensolveitinatleasttwodifferentways.Overall,I
designedmyunittoflownicelyandallowedmystudentstobuildontopofpreviousskills.Boththediagnosticand
summativeassessmentswereplannedtoalignwiththisbigidea.Bothassessmentsmeasuredstandardsof
subtraction,butalsothebigideaofproblemsolvingandcriticalthinking.
AssessmentSystem:
Ichosetousethesametaskmodelformydiagnosticandmysummativeassessment.Boththediagnostic
assessmentandthesummativeassessmentwerethesame.Theassessmentconsistedofquestionsthatgaugedmy
studentsknowledgeonsubtraction.TheassessmentbeganwithlowlevelBloomsTaxonomycognitiveprocessesand
thencontinuedontothehighestleveltoflownicelyformystudents.Theassessmentwasoutof18pointsandnot
partialcreditwasgiventhroughouttheassessment.

StudentMastery:
Asaresultofusingthesametaskmodel,itwillbeextremelyeasytocomparemystudentsgrowththrough
thedataIcollect.Iwillknowifmystudentsaremasteringthecontentifmyscoresbetweenthediagnosticandthe
summativeincrease.Theitemsontheassessmentswerealignedwiththecontentandstandardstaughtthroughout
theunit.Includedbelowisatableofspecifications.Thistabledemonstratesthatmyassessmentitemsalignedwith
thestandardswithintheunit.

Alignment/TableofSpecifications:
Standards

LearningOutcomes

QuestiononDiagnostic

CognitiveProcess

andSummative
CC.1.OA.1
Useadditionand
subtractionwithin20to
solvewordproblems.

Studentswillbeableto
create
theirown
subtractionstory
problem.

Createasubtractionstory
problemusingthe
followingequation.

Creating

CC.1.OA.6
Addandsubtractwithin
20.Usestrategiessuch
ascountingon,making
ten,decomposinga
number,etc.

Studentswillbeableto
determine
whichstrategy
theyshouldusetosolve
thesubtractionstory
problem.

Solvethisproblematleast
twodifferentways.

Evaluating

CC.1.OA.5
Relatecountingto
additionandsubtraction.

Studentswillbeableto
explain
theirthinking.

Solvethisproblematleast
twodifferentways.

Understanding

CC.1.OA.8
Determinetheunknown
wholenumberinan
additionorsubtraction
equationrelatingthree
wholenumbers.

Studentswillbeableto
relate
subtractionto
addition.

Areyoulookingforan
unknownpartneroran
unknowntotal.

Applying

CC.1.OA.4
Understandsubtractionas
anunknownaddend
problem

Studentswillbeableto
identify
partnersandtotal
inanadditionand
subtractionequation.

Labelthepartnersand
total.

Remembering

JustificationofItemType:
Allofmyitemtypesonmyassessmentwerebrief,shortanswers.Ichosethistypeofitemtypeinorderto
maximizemyabilitytoviewstudentwork.Ichosethesetypesofquestionsbecausethesearethetypesofquestions
mystudentsareaccustomedtoanswerwithinMath.Theyhadtheopportunitytofullyshowalloftheirworkand
explaintheirthinkingwiththesetypesofquestionsandthroughouttheunitIwasconsistentlypromptingthemand
encouragingthemtoexplaintheirthinkingandshowtheirwork.
Ialsofeltthatitwasimportantthatallofmyitemtypesbethesamethroughouttheentireassessment.It
addedalayerofconsistencytomyassessmentsbykeepingallthequestionsthesamewhereasifmyitemtypes
differedthroughouttheassessmentitcouldcauseconfusion.Theseitemtypesgavemystudentstheopportunityto
showtheirlearningbecauseitwasnotjustaselectedresponseoratrueorfalseformat.

InstructionalEffectiveness:
Iwillbeabletomakeconclusionsfrommyassessmentswhichwillshowcasemyinstructionaleffectiveness.
BychoosingthesametaskmodelIwilleasilybeabletofindgrowthwithinmyassessments.Iwillseegrowthwithin
mystudentsifthescoresfromthediagnosticassessmenttothesummativeassessmentincrease.
Mydiagnosticassessmentsevidentlydemonstratedthatmystudentsdidnothavepriorknowledge.My
assessmentswerealignedwiththestandardsandmyinstructionthatItaughtthroughouttheunit.Afterscoringthe
summativeassessments,thescoresincreaseanditwasclearthatmyinstructionwaseffect.

 AnalyzingtheResults:
IscoredmyassessmentswiththesamescoringguidelinessinceIusedthesametaskmodel.Icreatedthese
guidelinesaheadoftimeinordertoensuremyscoringwasreliable.Itwashelpfulthatmyassessmentusedbrief
shortanswerresponsesbecauseIwasabletoseemystudentsworkwhichwouldhelpmeunderstandwhythey
markedthequestionthewaythattheydid.Questionswillonlybescoredforafullpointandnopartialcreditwillbe
given.

Reliability:
ForbothmypreandpostassessmentsIconsciouslydesignedittobeextremelyconsistentinorderto
supportthereliabilityofmyassessment.Forbothassessments,thequestionsthroughoutfollowedthehierarchyof
BloomsTaxonomy.IopenedtheassessmentswithlowerlevelBloomsquestionswherethecognitiveprocesswas
rememberinginordertogetmystudentsthinking.Theassessmentscontinuedontoapplying,thenunderstanding,
evaluatingandfinallyendedwithcreating.Justlikemyunit,wherewestartedinlessononewithlowerlevelcognitive
processesandthencontinuedbuildingonpreviousknowledgeandendedwiththehighestlevelofBlooms.
Cleargradingcriteriaandguidelinesweresetbeforetheassessmentswerecompletedinordertosupport
thereliabilityofmyassessments.Ididnotgivepartialcreditoneitherassessment.Forquestionsonthelowerlevelof
BloomsTaxonomy(RememberingandApplying),fullcreditwasonlygiveniftheactualanswerwascorrectwhereas
formyhigherlevelofBloomsquestions(Understanding,Evaluating,Analyzing,andCreating)fullcreditwasgivenif
theskillwascorrect,buttheactualanswercouldbeincorrect.
Forexample,mystudentshadtofillinthemissingaddendinanequationandthenlabelthepartnersand
thetotal.Astudentwouldonlygetfullcreditifthenumericalvalueofthemissingaddendwascorrectasopposedto
iftheyhadjustplacedanumberforthemissingaddend.Astudentwouldalsoonlygetfullcreditifthepartnersand
totalwerecorrectlylabeled.Additionally,whenmystudentshadtosolveanequationusingdifferentstrategiesthat
wehadlearnedthroughouttheunit,iftheywereabletousethestrategycorrectly,butthenumericalvalueofthe
equationwasincorrect,thestudentstillgotfullcreditbecausetheywereabletoshowtheskillofusingthestrategy
ratherthantheaccuracy.

Validity:
Ialsoensuredthatmyassessmentshadvalidityandwereconclusive.Therefore,Itookstepstosupportthis.
WhencreatingtheassessmentsIensuredthatmyassessmentsalignedwiththestandards.Itisimportantthatmy
assessmentmeasuredthespecificskillsandknowledgethatItaughtthroughoutthetenlessons.
Inaddition,Ireadthedirectionsaloudtomystudentsandwalkedthroughtheassessmentquestionby
question.Thisensuredthatmystudentswerecompletelysureofwhattheyweresupposedtodoontheassessment
andthatitwasnotanissuewhencompletingit.

Bias:
Itriedtoavoidbiaswhengradingtheassessments.OneofthebestwaysthatIavoidedbiaswashavingclear
gradingguidelinescreatedbeforeIscoredtheassessments.BeforescoringtheassessmentsIwasabletocomeup
withtheseguidelines.Itwasextremelyhelpfultocreatethesebeforescoringinordertonotlettheworkofmy
studentsaffecthowIwantedtoscoretheassessments.Inaddition,anotherwayItriedtoavoidbiaswasnotlooking
atthenamesonmytests,Thisallowedmetoscoretheassessmentswithouthavingpreviousknowledgeorthoughts
inmyheadaboutthestudentwhotookthetest.

Accommodations:
IaraandEmmettaretwoofmystudentswhohavethemosttroublestayingontaskwhileworking
independentlyonassignmentsandonassessments.Whilesittingattheirdeskstheywillplaywiththeirnametagor
theirpencilboxandnottheactivityathand.Asaresult,theytendtodistractthemselvesaswellasothers.Therefore,
duringthepreandpostassessmentIgavethemtheoptiontositataseparatetableawayfromothersinorderto

minimizethesedistractionsfromthemselvesandforthosearoundthem.Whiletakingbothassessmentstheysatat
separatetables.
Genesis,Alanis,Katie,andWilliamareallELLstudentsinmyclass.Therehavebeentimesinthepastwhen
thelanguagebarrierhasbeenanissueforthesestudentsandtheywereunabletounderstanddirectionsor
instructionduringclass.InordertoavoidthisbeinganissueduringthepreandpostassessmentIreadaloudthe
directionstomywholeclassandwouldspecificallyensurethattherewasnotalanguagebarrierfortheseselect
students.Ifoneofthesestudentsaskedmetorepeatmyselfortoreadthedirectionsanothertime,afterIreadthe
directionsIwouldaskthemtorespondtomewithwhattheyunderstoodasthedirections.Thiswouldminimizea
languagebarrierasanissue.

AnalysisofStudentLearningData:

StudentName

Diagnostic
Score

Diagnostic
Percent

Summative
Score

Summative
Percent

Will

10/18

55%

18/18

100%

Iara

4/18

22%

18/18

100%

Greg

4/18

22%

17/18

94%

Jocelyn

6/18

33%

17/18

94%

Jayvyn

6/18

33%

17/18

94%

Daniel

2/18

11%

16/18

88%

Alanis

4/18

22%

16/18

88%

Genesis

2/18

11%

15/18

83%

Eve

6/18

33%

15/18

83%

Katie

2/18

11%

15/18

83%

Mikayla

4/18

22%

15/18

83%

Leila

10/18

55%

15/18

83%

Christian

4/18

22%

14/18

77%

William

8/18

44%

14/18

77%

Zahara

4/18

22%

14/18

77%

Mia

6/18

33%

14/18

77%

Emmett

4/18

22%

14/18

77%

Diagnostic

Summative

Mean=5/18=27%

Mean:16/18=88%

Median=4/18=22%

Median:15/18=83%

Mode=4/18=22%

Mode:14/15=81%

Afteranalyzingthedata,itisclearthatbeforeinstructionmystudentsdidnothavepriorknowledgeofthe
specificsubtractionstandardsthattheunitwasaddressing.Theaveragescoreforthediagnosticassessmentwasa
5/18ora27%.Alotofthequestionsthatweremarkedwrongwereleftblankwhichshowedmemystudentsdidnot
knowhowapproachthequestionatallbecauseItookstepstoavoidotherreasonswhystudentswouldnotbe
answeringquestions.Iwasproctoringtheassessmentandreadingaloudthequestion.Asaresultofmystudents
performance,IknewthatIneededtostartfromthebasicsandbeginbyreviewwhattheyhadlearnedinthegrade
levelbeforeandintheunitbeforeinordertomakeasmoothtransitionincontent.
Afterlookingatthedatafromthesummativeassessment,mystudentsgrowatremendousamount.Forthe
mostpart,thedatashowsthatmystudentswereunderstandingthecontentthroughouttheunitandretainedthe
instruction.Theaveragescoreforthesummativeassessmentwasa16/18oran88%.Allofmystudentsshowed
growthfromthediagnostictothesummativeassessment.Mystudentsgrewatleast33%andothersimprovedmuch
morelikeIara,shewentfroma4/18ora22%onthediagnostictoan18/18ora100%onthesummative.These
improvementsinscoresshowthatmyinstructionwaseffectiveandthatmystudentswereabletolearnfromit
becausetheywereabletomasterthecontent.
OverallIfeltverysatisfiedwiththeresultsofmyassessments.Iwasabletoconcludefromitthatmy
teachingwaseffective.Iwaspleasedtoseetheimproveinmystudentsandthattheyputintheeffortallthroughout
theunittolearnandretainthecontent.IfIweretocontinueteachingafterthisunitIwouldcontinuebyworking
moreindepthwiththehigherlevelofBloomsportionofmyunitwhichinvolvedcreatingasubtractionstory
problemontheirown.IfeltthatasaclasswemasteredmostthelowerlevelBloomsportionoftheunit,butstill
neededtoworkonthecreating.Ialsostartedworkinginsmallgroupstowardtheendoftheunitwhenthispartof
theunitwasintroducedandwouldcontinueusingthattypeofinstruction.Intheend,mystudentsgreatlyimproved
andmyinstructionwaseffective.