Using Graphic Organizers to Assess Student

Understanding

Formative AssessmentPart of the instructional process. Informs teachers and students about student understanding.Provides information needed to adjust teaching and learning to ensure students achieve standards-based learning goals.

Graphic OrganizersPictorial or graphical ways to organize information and thoughts for understanding, remembering, or writing about. Classify ideas and help communicate effectively. Can be used to:

help in problem solving and decision makingstudyingplanning research brainstorming

Why GOs for Assessment?Show the order and completeness of a student's thought process. Easy to readUse short words or phrases - good for many types of learnersDemonstrate authentic student knowledge

Show student understandingMore than copy or rewrite

Concept MapsBubbles that contain a concept, item or question and links. Links are labeled to explain the relationship between the concepts. An arrow describes the direction of the relationship and reads like a sentence.

Vee Maps for your Classroom

Roehrig, Luft, Edwards. (2001, Jan.). Versatile vee maps. The Science Teacher. 28-31

Vee MapsThe Vee diagram has 1. A conceptual (thinking) side2. A methodological (doing) side 3. These sides interact through the use

of the focus question that relates to the events and/or objects.

4. At the point of the V are the events and/or objects that are to be observed.

Venn DiagramsUseful for comparing two things. For younger students: Colored yarn for circles and pictures.For older students: More than two circles, ideas as well as objects

Students provide a definition, list characteristics, and provide examples and non-examples of the concept

Frayer Models

Definition (in own words) A change in size, shape, or state of matter

  Characteristics New materials are NOT

formed Same matter present before

and after change

(PHYSICAL CHANGE)

Examples (from own life) Ice melting Breaking a glass Cutting hair

  Non-Examples Burning wood

Mixing baking soda with vinegar

For older students:Students analyze a word's essential and nonessential characteristicsChoose examples and non-examples of the concept.

 Essential Characteristics FeathersHollow bonesWarm bloodedBreathe air with lungsWingsBeaks

  Non-essential Characteristics

Ability to fly

(BIRDS)

ExamplesRobinsMeadowlarksParrotsEaglesOstrichesPenguins

  Non-Examples Bats

Flying reptilesInsects

Flying squirrels 

Summative AssessmentA means to gauge, at a particular point in time, student learning relative to content standardsHow could using GOs lead to summative assessment?What sort of summative activities could you think of that would relate to GOs?

Referenceshttp://www.cybercorp.net/rhiggins/thesis/higlita1.htmlhttp://explorers.tsuniv.edu/vee.asphttp://www.graphic.org/http://www.math.uow.edu.au/people/ap_chap2.pdfhttp://www.nmsa.org/Publications/WebExclusive/Assessment/tabid/1120/Default.aspxhttp://www.writedesignonline.com/organizers/Novak, J.D. & Gowin, D.B. (1984). Learning how to learn. New York: Cambridge University Press.