While I give many opportunities for standards-based / project based assessment, there are occasions in which formal assessments are necessary. These assessments typically contain a combination of definition or memorization based questions in the form of matching, multiple choice, or true/false. These questions are especially good as they provide practice for state and national standardized tests which are of the same format. I also tend to include short answer responses which require students to show true memory rather than ability to answer by process of elimination. Finally, I usually include questions requiring students to apply knowledge, analyze material, and/or provide a more lengthy written response (such as that of an essay question). These questions prepare students for the amount of written responses required in post-secondary academics.
Here is an example of an assessment of Southern Literature/Georgia Authors.
There are occasions where the need arises to modify instruction and assessment for students who are struggling or who have IEPs, 504s, or are moving through the POI tiers. Below is an example of a test modified to assist these learners. Some material has been chunked to allow better time management while testing and in some cases answer choices have been decreased, providing less distractors.
My 9 weeks exams typically were in standardized test format (as I had assessed higher level thinking skills within each unit test) and required students to apply knowledge of standards covered during the nine week period rather than answer specific questions about characters or texts read. My goal for nine weeks exams was to assess if students could carry over knowledge to questions, texts, and situations not previously seen or discussed. This is important as it is what they will be asked to do on national and statewide assessments.
The following exam was given at the end of the third nine weeks, and was in essence a practice CRCT, as that testing would soon follow. This exam allowed me as a teacher to assess particular skills from the year that should be reviewed before testing. By looking at most missed questions and concepts I could create a more meaningful review. I could also make one on one review and instruction more individualized by using the student's results on this exam.
