Formative Assessment Models: How do animals move?

In order to be an effective educator, a teacher must frequently check for student understanding. These formative assessments may take many forms, and are applicable in both in-person and online learning environments. Understanding different forms of assessment will enable teachers to easily incorporate formative assessment into their planning and practice. Here are some models I made that can used to ensure all learners in the classroom are reached.

Assessment Title: How do animals move?

​Grade Level: 1-5

Subject Area: English as a foreign language: animals and locomotion

Skills or Content Knowledge: What information or ideas will be evaluated with this formative assessment? In other words, what data are you aiming to gather?

This activity takes place after a unit on methods of locomotion (walking, running, swimming, climbing) and before a unit on animals. It will also teach the methods of locomotion <<flying>> and <<slithering>> The activity also reinforces taking turns and differences in pronunciation of the English and French alphabets

Step one is to setup a game of a hangman on the board. A picture of an animal is shown on the tv and students take turns guessing the letters. If a student goes out of turn, a body part is added to the hangman. More body parts than the basics are used to give students more guesses and to at novelty since there is a difference compared to hangman in their regular school. Each hangman’s head is done differently to add novelty. If students have previous knowledge of vocabulary of the face, a face may be done instead of a body.

When the students guess the name of the animal, they are then asked to write the animal’s modes of locomotion on their personal whiteboards and hold it up. Then the teacher calls out one form of correct locomotion and has the class act it out.

​Assessment Description/Link: What activity or technology (app, tool, etc.) will students use to demonstrate their knowledge or skills? In other words, how will students provide data?

The tv, classroom whiteboard, personal whiteboards, and student bodies are used to demonstrate student knowledge and skills.

Modifications & Adjustments: How will you administer this formative assessment in an online, hybrid, and physical learning environment? How will you make this accessible to students with language barriers and those with special needs?

Depending upon the mobility limitation of a student, the student may be given the choice of acting out the method of locomotion as best they can (they always choose this and have a lot of fun with it) or not do anything. Alternatively, a video can be played demonstrating the animal moving. This is an activity in a class for students to overcome language barriers.

Data Collection: How will you gather and record data from this formative assessment? How will you use the data to inform instruction?

Student understanding of locomotion will determine if additional activities specifically involving locomotion will be included in the upcoming lessons.

Student knowledge of animals will determine which animals are used in upcoming activities, projects, and exams.

Student-Centered Learning: How will this formative assessment promote a student-centered learning environment in your classroom?

• Students get practice in self-regulation and polite regulation others for following rules and taking turns.

• Students get to show off their knowledge of animals which they all enjoy at that age.

• This is a multi-aspect activity involving speaking, writing, and physical movement which

• Humour is used in corrections (light teasing or over the top acting when mistakes are made and adjusted dependent upon student non-verbal cues) to reduce embarrassment and increase engagement

• Being able to move around gets students excited and focused on the activity.

• Information is elicited