Assessment

At the beginning of every lesson, students will answer a

question or engage in a discussion about the days lesson to get them

engaged in the lesson and gauge how much they know about the days

topic. Depending on the lesson, they will either answer individually or

with a partner. I have also included a Socrative quiz in the Introduction

Lesson as a form of pre-assessment for the whole unit.

After the response to the question of the day or other warm up

activity, my lessons have some type of activity in them that introduces,

explains, or demonstrates new material. These activities serve as

formative assessments for learning. Examples of this include the

carousel brainstorming activity in the Introduction Lesson, educational

videos in the Transition Lesson, a close-reading activity in the Industrial

Revolution Lesson, an Agree/Disagree activity in the Enlightenment

Lesson, and group research in the Group Work Lesson.

Each of these activities in the lessons are followed by a synthesis

portion that serves as more formative assessment. These are guided

discussion or response activities that explain the content of the lesson

and make it more relatable for students so that they can more easily

understand what they have just learned about. These sections of the

lessons are key because they help students process what just

happened in the class. I am also able to push them in the right

direction so that they focus on the material that I view as most

important. Though this is not graded assessment, it is a way for me or

another teacher to see how well students are learning the information.

My teaching mentor, Mrs. Sisco, has emphasized that although things

like quizzes are important, a very easy and effecive way of gauging

student learning is through in-class activity and quick checks during

class, which is what I tried to build my assessments on.

I dont use much summative assessment in each lesson. Instead,

I tried to emphasize connections to other units, specifically the

Renaissance and the Reformation, in order for students to gain the

context for what they have learned. By using connections, students

will be able to see for themselves how one thing or event relates to

another. I see history as a story, so teaching it so that it is strung

together through connections allows for summative assessment, in a

way. Although I am not giving formal summative assessments in the

form of a quiz or test, the information I taught will be included in Mrs.

Siscos unit test that will be given after I am done interning. In

addition, I will be introducing a Group Project that integrates what I

have taught with information of specific European revolutions.

Students will be required to explain and summarize their groups

assigned revolution to the class in a presentation. This project will be

part of the final grade for the unit. (Rubric is below)

This plan of assessment will be effective for a variety of reasons.

Because each class begins with a pre-assessment question or

discussion, I will be able to see how much each student knows and how

that knowledge grows throughout the unit. Additionally, because

synthesis in the form of discussion questions or student response is

included after each major activity, I will be able to see how much

students are learning in each class. After I have taught four lessons,

students will have enough background information to begin looking at

one revolution in more detail. After days of group work, they will

present their revolution to the class. Students will work in groups of

three. This is intentional because smaller groups create more

accountability, so all students will be more likely to participate. As

students work on their projects and when students present, I (or Mrs.

Sisco) will be able to see how they apply class concepts to their

project, which will help me see how well they have grasped the

information I have taught in the prior lessons. In this way, the group

project will serve as summative assessment.

Mrs. Sisco will also be giving a test on this unit after the

presentations, but this is not included in my unit plan. The group

project will open up a new door for students to learn and get creative

to show their knowledge of the unit for a grade. This is important

because students learn in different ways, so giving multiple forms of

assessment will give some students a better chance to use their

specific strengths and balance out some of their weaknesses.

Group Project Rubric (50 points total)

Points 1 2 3 4 5
Spreadshe Spreadshee Spreadshee Spreadshee Every Provided
et t categories t categories t categories spreadsheet thorough
categories were were were category and
(x2) included, included, included, was filled accurate
but some but 3 or but not out, but information
(at least 5) more every box information for all
were categories was filled was vague spreadsheet
missing or were out or some or not categories
inaccurate missing or were detailed.
inaccurate inaccurate.
Reasons No One One Two At least
for the important important important important TWO
Revolution causes or cause, no cause, 1-2 causes, 1-2 important
(x2) people that important important important causes, 2-3
influenced people that people that people that or more
the influenced influenced influenced important
revolution. the the the people that
revolution. revolution. revolution. influenced
the
revolution.
Effectivene Incorrect Analysis Good Good Gave good
ss of the analysis was not reasoning, reasoning, reasoning
Revolution with little or fully but was but missed and correct
(x2) no developed incorrect in some key analysis for
reasoning to and determining points. how
back it up. reasoning its Analysis effective
behind it effectivenes was lacking. the
was not s. revolution
strong. was.
Organizati Little to no Organizatio Organizatio Organized Organized
on organization n was poor. n was good well and well.
(x2) or creativity Little but could creatively, Included a
in creativity. have been but did not creative/dra
presentatio improved include a matic/intere
n. quite a bit. creative/dra sting
Some matic section (like
creativity. section. a skit,
demonstrati
on,
interaction
with
audience,
etc.)
Presentatio Did not Did not Met the Engaged Engaged
n engage engage time limits, class but the class
class, class but did not did not and met
presentatio effectively, engage the meet the time limits
n was far presentatio class well. time limits. (6-8 min)
too short or n did not Presentatio
far too long. meet the n was
time limits. lacking.
Participatio None of the Participation One group One group All group
n group of all member member did member
members members carried noticeably participated
seemed to was lacking. most of the less work. equally.
care or load.
participate
much in the
project.