6.7 Students demonstrate their learning through performance-based assessments and express their conclusions through elaborate explanations of their thinking.
Some of the attributes for which we are most proud of our students at Michael C. Riley are their abilities to demonstrate their learning through authentic applications, and to explain their reasoning to support their ideas.
Classroom/Lab Problem-Based Activities
One example of a problem-based assessment with which fourth graders are tasked during their unit on the Solar System is to construct solar cookers. They apply their previous knowledge of light and heat energy and their new learning about the sun’s effects on Earth to create inexpensive cookers that will absorb enough heat to cook s’mores. Below is a video that outlines their progression through the Engineering Design Process to accomplish this task.
Some of the attributes for which we are most proud of our students at Michael C. Riley are their abilities to demonstrate their learning through authentic applications, and to explain their reasoning to support their ideas.
Classroom/Lab Problem-Based Activities
One example of a problem-based assessment with which fourth graders are tasked during their unit on the Solar System is to construct solar cookers. They apply their previous knowledge of light and heat energy and their new learning about the sun’s effects on Earth to create inexpensive cookers that will absorb enough heat to cook s’mores. Below is a video that outlines their progression through the Engineering Design Process to accomplish this task.
Throughout the design and building process, students are required to explain their thinking to each other in collaborative groups, and to their teacher as a requirement for being approved in the building process. Ideally, students are also able to add the “share” component to the Engineering Design Process as they present a summary of their iterations to their classmates. Time constraints make more consistency with the final sharing steps a goal across challenges, but sharing evidence and reasoning is a regular conversation and topic of written reflections among students in our classrooms.
Science and Engineering Fair
Students have another opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of engineering, presentation skills, and STEM content through our annual Science and Engineering Fair in January or February of each year. While all students are invited to participate, fourth and fifth graders are expected to demonstrate their proficiency with the engineering design process by solving a problem, then presenting their steps and iterations with classmates, their teacher, and judges. A primary compliment from many of the judges (community members who are generally retired scientists) is regularly about the confidence and depth with which students articulate their journey through the engineering design process and explain their reasoning for each of their iterations.
Science and Engineering Fair
Students have another opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of engineering, presentation skills, and STEM content through our annual Science and Engineering Fair in January or February of each year. While all students are invited to participate, fourth and fifth graders are expected to demonstrate their proficiency with the engineering design process by solving a problem, then presenting their steps and iterations with classmates, their teacher, and judges. A primary compliment from many of the judges (community members who are generally retired scientists) is regularly about the confidence and depth with which students articulate their journey through the engineering design process and explain their reasoning for each of their iterations.
Imagination Foundation Cardboard Challenge
The Global Cardboard Challenge is a worldwide event that takes places during the month of October. Over 100 students in grade levels kindergarten through fifth participated in this event at Michael C. Riley on October 4, 2014. The students were challenged to create a machine, robot, or game made from cardboard and other household materials. At the Cardboard Challenge, students were the operators of their game/ creation. They were responsible for explaining the rules of their game and making sure that the participants were engaged and received prizes while playing.
The Global Cardboard Challenge is a worldwide event that takes places during the month of October. Over 100 students in grade levels kindergarten through fifth participated in this event at Michael C. Riley on October 4, 2014. The students were challenged to create a machine, robot, or game made from cardboard and other household materials. At the Cardboard Challenge, students were the operators of their game/ creation. They were responsible for explaining the rules of their game and making sure that the participants were engaged and received prizes while playing.
Kindergarten Assessment for the Five Senses (Hearing)
As a culmination of their senses unit, kindergarteners use film canisters filled with various materials. They shake the containers and then identify the material that makes the sounds by numbering the pictures. The activity is self-correcting in that the students can then open the containers and check the contents. While not included in their written record, a key component of this task is explaining to the teacher how they matched each sound to its material.
As a culmination of their senses unit, kindergarteners use film canisters filled with various materials. They shake the containers and then identify the material that makes the sounds by numbering the pictures. The activity is self-correcting in that the students can then open the containers and check the contents. While not included in their written record, a key component of this task is explaining to the teacher how they matched each sound to its material.
Fifth Grade Biographies Wax Museum
As a culmination of their study of biographies and writing memoirs, fifth graders were challengd with creating a wax museum by physically portraying their research on a significant figure from history. Students were asked to focus on leaders that they look up to as part of the Leader in Me, and to explain their thinking about the importance of the person’s life and their major contributions to society. Students researched the life of this person, then created a biography using the Popplet app on the their iPads following the pyramid template below. The final component of their project was to dress like the person, and speak in the first person, explaining their reasoning behind the importance of the person’s contributions.
As a culmination of their study of biographies and writing memoirs, fifth graders were challengd with creating a wax museum by physically portraying their research on a significant figure from history. Students were asked to focus on leaders that they look up to as part of the Leader in Me, and to explain their thinking about the importance of the person’s life and their major contributions to society. Students researched the life of this person, then created a biography using the Popplet app on the their iPads following the pyramid template below. The final component of their project was to dress like the person, and speak in the first person, explaining their reasoning behind the importance of the person’s contributions.
Interactive Notebooks
In many subjects at most grade levels, students are able to reflect on their thinking and record their learning in an organized way through the use of Interactive Notebooks. These journals are used to track new learning, record observations and activities, and reflect on wonderings and connections to internalize and process new concepts. After students discuss and explain their thinking orally, they are able to elaborate and explain in writing in order to personalize ideas. Below are some examples of pages from students’ interactive notebooks where they are recording weather explorations and electricity activities.
In many subjects at most grade levels, students are able to reflect on their thinking and record their learning in an organized way through the use of Interactive Notebooks. These journals are used to track new learning, record observations and activities, and reflect on wonderings and connections to internalize and process new concepts. After students discuss and explain their thinking orally, they are able to elaborate and explain in writing in order to personalize ideas. Below are some examples of pages from students’ interactive notebooks where they are recording weather explorations and electricity activities.