Name: _______________

Period: __________

Formative Assessment Tool – Self- Defense Quiz

True or False (1 point each). Write TRUE if the statement is true, or FALSE if the
statement is false. “T” and “F” are not acceptable answers!

__________ 1. When you are home alone and a stranger knocks on the door, you should
tell them to come back later because your parents are not home.

__________ 2. When walking alone, you should stay away from cars, bushes, and dark
areas.

__________ 3. When running away from danger, you should run into a crowded or well-
lit area.

__________ 4. After being attacked or abused, you should talk to someone you trust.

__________ 5. If an attacker wants to steal your purse or wallet, you should fight to get it
back.

Multiple Choice (1 point each). Circle the letter that corresponds to the most appropriate
response.

6. In order to avoid becoming a potential victim, you should:

A. Walk tall, act confident, and look directly at the attacker.
B. Look at the ground to avoid being noticed.
C. Run away and hide in a dark place so that the attacker cannot find you.
D. Smile and act friendly toward the attacker as you pass him or her.

7. Which of the following is NOT a vulnerable area on the human body?

A. Shin bone
B. Throat
C. Thigh
D. Solar Plexus

8. Which of the following is a way to avoid becoming a victim?

A. Leaving the windows in your home open in the summer to let the breeze in.
B. Talking on your cell phone alone in a car while a friend runs into the store.
C. Locking all doors when you are away and when you are home alone.
D. Walking home alone in the dark while listening to an iPod or Walkman.
9. A proper defensive stance includes which of the following?
A. Standing tall with knees locked.
B. Arms in ready position down at sides.
C. Body turned at a 45 degree angle toward the attacker.
D. Body weight on back foot only.

10. A knee strike is most appropriately used on which body target?

A. Ear
B. Throat
C. Groin
D. Instep

Open Response. Completely answer the following questions using the space provided.

11. In 4-6 sentences, describe two back-away strategies for trying to prevent an attack.
(4 points)
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12. In 8-10 sentences, identify the four areas of self-defense, and describe the importance
of each one. (8 points)

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 Formative Assessment Tool Rationale

A quiz is a terrific tool for gauging student understanding of the cognitive parts of a

comprehensive self-defense unit. This quiz is aligned with my objectives for student learning,

and meets the specified seventh grade California Content Standards. This quiz assesses student

learning from the first week of the unit, and will help to guide my instruction in the weeks to

come. The quiz is a combination of true-false, multiple- choice, and open response items. Each

of the items takes into consideration the factors we discussed in class about proper test and quiz

design.

On the true-false section, the students are required to write out the words “true” and

“false.” As stated in the instructions, credit will not be given for simply writing down a “t” or an

“f.” The items are definitely either true or false, and should not need any additional clarification.

The statements are short and concise. Statements using double negatives are absent, and terms

such as “never,” “always,” and “sometimes,” have also been avoided. The point value for each

question is stated, and ample space to write in the correct answer is provided.

On the multiple-choice section of the quiz, four possible answers are provided for each

question. Each of the possible answers provided is plausible, and grammatical errors have been

avoided. Although one question uses the word “not,” this word has been capitalized, bolded, and

underlined to make sure that students will not misinterpret the question. Questions using “none

of the above,” and “all of the above,” have also been avoided. The point value for each question

has been stated, and students are informed in the instructions to simply circle the letter that

corresponds to the most appropriate response.

In the open response section of the quiz, the instructions clearly state what content should

be included in the answer, what format should be used to properly answer the question, and how

long the answer should be. Ample space provided for the students to write their answers to the
questions. The point values for this section are much higher than in the true-false and multiple-

choice sections on the quiz, with the exact point values listed in the instructions. The open

response section of the quiz is worth more points because the students must show their

understanding of the content through a written response. Rather than simply selecting an answer,

the students are required to generate their own correct responses.

As shown in the Table of Specification below, the quiz addresses the following California

Content Standards:

2.3 Use information, feedback, and practice to set goals for skill improvement.

5.1 Identify appropriate risks involved in adventure, individual, and dual physical

activities.
Table of Specifications
Item
Types w/ Item
Outcomes to Assess Numbers
Content Objectives True-False Multiple Choice Open Response
Standard (1 point each) (1 point each) (4 points, 8 points)
2.3 Use information, TSWBAT compare and
practice, and feedback to contrast the 5 different 11
set goals for skill back-away strategies
improvement
TSWBAT justify the need
for learning self-defense 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 11, 12
skills and strategies
TSWBAT identify ways to
stay safe at home, in a 1,2,3,4,5
car, on the street, at
school, and in a relation-
ship
TSWBAT correctly
demonstrate the 9
defensive stance
TSWBAT describe the 4 12
areas of self defense
5.1 Identify appropriate TSWBAT list the most
risks involved in adven- vulnerable parts of the 7
ture, individual, and dual human body and discuss
physical activities the critical distance zone

The objectives addressed by this quiz include the following:

 TSWBAT list the most vulnerable parts of the human body and discuss the critical

distance zone.

 TSWBAT compare and contrast the 5 different back-away strategies.

 TSWBAT justify the need for learning self-defense skills and strategies.

 TSWBAT identify ways to stay safe at home, in a car, on the street, at school, and in a

relationship.

 TSWBAT correctly demonstrate the defensive stance.

 Reliability, standardization, validity, and practicality were all considered during the

creation of this quiz. This quiz is reliable and trustworthy because it uses many different types of

questions. Because this quiz is not comprehensive, the twelve questions serve to show how well

the students have grasped the material so far. Scoring can be done consistently on all three

question types, and the points possible are listed for each question. This quiz is standardized

because it can be administered in the same conditions for all students. On this assessment,

students are required to use the same response format, are all allowed the same amount of time,

and will be scored the same way. This quiz is valid because it measures what it intends to

measure: understanding of the cognitive information necessary in self-defense. A paper/pencil

type assessment is appropriate for this section of the self-defense unit, and will complement the

performance assessment later in the unit. Following grading of this quiz, it will be clear whether

the students have the knowledge that this quiz is assessing. Finally, this quiz is also very

practical. The quiz can be administered in a fairly time period, and grading is not time intensive.

Only one sheet of paper per student is required, making reproduction reasonable in price.

Showing an understanding of the cognitive skills needed in self-defense is necessary

before the class can move on to the physical skills. It must be engrained in the student’s minds

that preventative measures such as never giving away personal information, and locking all

doors, should be put into place and practiced on a daily basis. Secondly, the students must

understand that our minds are a powerful tool, and should be used long before our legs and arms

are used to perform the physical skills. This quiz will serve as an indicator of how well the

students have grasped the necessary information and cognitive skills.

If scores are low, additional time will be spent reviewing the areas that caused problems

on the quiz. For example, if students performed poorly on questions 1-5, I will know that more

time must be spent reviewing awareness and prevention. The students might need more practice

recognizing dangerous situations, and can participate in role-plays, reading various situations and
deciding on a proper response, or simply reviewing the key terms such as “preventative

measures” and “psychological defenses.” If the students performed poorly on questions 11, it

will be clear that additional time must be spent on back-away strategies. Reviewing the various

back-away strategies, such as the Run Away/Rabbit Model, or the Talk/Salesperson Model would

be necessary, and discussing the pros and cons of each would be helpful to the students.

Discussing fictional situations, and deciding which back-away strategy is most appropriate,

would help to clarify any misunderstandings the students might have had.

If the vast majority of the students score well on the quiz, it will be clear that they are

ready to move on to the physical skills and escapes. The physical skills will be introduced using

a progression model. The skills will be introduced one at a time, from the easiest to the most

difficult. Each day, several minutes will be spent reviewing the previously covered skills, with

the majority of the class period spent learning new skills, and applying these new skills to the

cognitive content. At the conclusion of the self-defense unit, the students will be able to discuss

and demonstrate many cognitive and physical skills that are important for both keeping oneself

out of harm’s way, and defending oneself in the presence of an attacker.