Samples of Evaluating Student Performance

Sample 1..........Grades K to 1

Curriculum Organizer: Space and Shape (3-D Objects and 2-D Shapes)

Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

identify and describe specific two-dimensional shapes as circles, squares, triangles, or rectangles
compare, sort, classify, and pattern two-dimensional shapes
construct and rearrange a design using a set of two-dimensional shapes

In addition to these outcomes the teacher will assess students':

attitudes towards mathematics
mathematical reasoning skills
problem-solving skills
group skills
communication of mathematical ideas and thinking

Planning for Assessment

The teacher organized many learning experiences to help students recognize and describe two- dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects in their environment. Students sorted and classified geometric shapes (pattern blocks, tangrams, attribute blocks, geometric blocks) and used them to make patterns. The teacher regularly gave students feedback on their attitudes towards mathematics, their reasoning, and their problem-solving and communication skills. Students were encouraged to reflect on their learning and describe how they worked on problems, how they shared their ideas, and the specific things they learned about two-dimensional shapes.

Defining Criteria

The teacher explained the criteria for assessment and expectations for learning in ways students could understand.

Attitudes

To what extent does the student:

approach problems systematically
take risks (unafraid to be wrong or unsuccessful)

Mathematical Thinking

To what extent does the student:

identify and describe specific characteristics of two-dimensional shapesăcircles, squares, triangles, or rectangles
compare, sort, classify, and pattern two-dimensional shapes according to attributes
construct and rearrange at least two designs using a set of two-dimensional shapes

Communication

To what extent does the student:

talk in ways that make sense about the shapes that were used to make the picture
listen to his/her partner's description and display listening behaviours

Assessing and Evaluating Student Performance

The students worked in groups of four. The teacher gave each child the same number, but different combinations, of attribute blocks. The students used as many of the blocks as they could to create a picture in a given amount of time. The teacher offered support by prompting students with questions (e.g., What animal could you make with these blocks?) and challenged their thinking by asking questions. (e.g., Can you be more specific? In what other ways could you create that picture?) The students shared their pictures and explained them to their partners. They used a combination of pictures, words, and mathematical symbols to record the shapes they constructed.

The teacher observed students as they worked, recording assessment information and the significant learning that students demonstrated in relation to the criteria. The teacher observed students during whole-class learning activities and small-group tasks, and also examined students' products. The teacher collected ongoing written descriptions of student performance, which was used in the planning of further instructional experiences. The Evaluating Mathematical Development Across Curriculum reference set was used as an assessment tool. Students' partial understanding indicated when intervention might be necessary. The teacher provided ongoing feedback and helped students set learning goals. Student growth over time was revealed by the assessment data collected throughout the Space and Shape unit.

Examples of Teacher Notes

Student A attempted to write the two-dimensional shape names on her list. She used number symbols to record how many of each shape were used. She could read the recorded number correctly, although she did not yet have one-to-one correspondence when counting.

Student B decomposed his picture and sorted his shapes into triangles, squares, and circles. He then made a more refined classification for each of the shape categories: big, thin, thick, and so on.

Student C invited her partner to tell about his picture before she told about hers. (This was noted as significant growth for that student.)

Student D placed the circles in one category and the triangles and squares in a second category. When asked to explain this classification, she labelled all the "non-circle" shapes as triangles, "because they have sides."

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Revised: October 20, 1997

BC Ministry of Education