Chapters 5 & 13 Reading Assignment

Explain how summative assessments are an assessment of learning.

Answer explanation

Summative assessments act as a snapshot of what students’ know at a given moment such as a unit test or state testing. This type of assessment evaluates overall learning and achievement of standards which is helpful for schools and teachers.

What are the benefits of formative assessments? Name the four basic approaches used in evaluating student understanding. 

Answer explanation

Formative assessments are useful for informing day-to-day instruction because the teacher can determine specific areas to focus on and provide targeted feedback to students. Four basic approaches (observations, questions, interviews, and tasks) can be used throughout the lesson to evaluate students’ understanding.

Why is procedural fluency important?

Answer explanation

Procedural fluency is important because students should understand why they are using a particular skill to solve a problem. Being able to compute an answer in isolation does not mean the student can apply that strategy to a different scenario.

Provide an example of how you could collect data on students’ ability to persevere.

Answer explanation

I could use a check-in with students at the end of a lesson to collect data on their ability to persevere. Using their self-reported measures allows the student to take control of their learning. For example, a student could hold up one finger to report that he or she feels confident with the lesson. Two fingers indicates that the student is on the fence but mostly understands. Three fingers means that the student does not understand the material and needs extra support. The teacher should note students’ frustration levels at a 3 and provide strategies for navigating times of frustration.

Why should teachers avoid converting a 4 point rubric score to a percentage or letter grade?

Answer explanation

These measures are not accurately aligned because if a student scores a 3 out of 4, they are actually performing on target but if that score is converted to a 75% it appears that the student is not meeting the standards.

Why would a teacher ask the following questions:

What do you notice across the problems?

Why is it true?

When will this pattern be true?

Answer explanation

A teacher might ask questions such as these so students start to make generalizations about a topic. This will help students make connections between related problems.

What is one misconception students may have regarding the equal sign?

Answer explanation

Students may view the equal sign as an operational symbol and not a relational symbol. Therefore, they may not understand that each side of the equal sign is equivalent.

Explain a translation task.

Answer explanation

A translation task asks students to demonstrate a concept in multiple ways. For example, if students were given the equation, ¼ + ¼ = , they might be asked to create a word problem for that equation. They may be asked to draw a picture or explain how they came up with a solution.

Discuss the difference between algebra and algebraic thinking.

Answer explanation

Algebra topics are usually accompanied by procedures for solving a problem. Algebraic thinking, however, is a way of connecting algebra to meaningful contexts. This is done when students are taught to spot patterns, make connections and be creative in their problem solving.

What is one way to demonstrate that the equal sign expresses balance in an equation?

Answer explanation

Using the teeter totter can illustrate that the equal sign shows a balance between both sides of an equation. When students are first understanding this concept, have them draw a triangle around the ' = ' so they start to see the equal sign as separate from the operational symbols.