Aligning Assessments

							                                            Aligning Assessments

Overview:


A critical component of an aligned standards-based educational system is ongoing classroom assessment.
In addition, school districts have begun the development of short-cycle assessments. Both examples of
formative assessment provide periodic checkpoints on student progress toward meeting the skills and
knowledge goals identified within the state’s academic content standards. It is very important that these
assessments be aligned to both the grade-level indicator and benchmark being taught. Properly aligned
formative assessments can be used to determine student readiness for new content and skills, monitor
student progress in achieving new expectations and summarize student accomplishments. Teachers can
determine where to begin the instructional activities, decide how to pace the instruction and evaluate the
level of success brought about by the instructional strategies.

This Aligning Assessments Activity is designed to help teachers think more carefully about the alignment
of classroom assessments with the skills and knowledge in the benchmarks. Lessons learned from this
activity are relevant as well to the development of short-cycle assessments.


Procedures:

        1.      Have participants work in teams/groups. First, read aloud the benchmark and grade-level
                indicator presented. Discuss the skills and knowledge required by the benchmark. Then,
                discuss the skills and knowledge required by the grade-level indicator.

                    How does the grade-level indicator support understanding of the concept in the
                     benchmark?
                    Does the grade-level indicator support understanding of the complete benchmark or
                     just a portion of it?
                    How does this grade-level indicator relate to content and skills students learned in the
                     previous grade? How does it relate to the subsequent grade?

        2.      Have participants read the suggested assessments and comment on their alignment with the
                grade-level indicator and benchmark. Ask participants to discuss the questions that follow
                each suggested assessment.

        3.      Guide group discussion regarding the alignment of the assessments. For assessments not
                aligned with the grade-level indicator or benchmark, discuss possible modifications that
                would lead to alignment.




Ohio Department of Education
OAT Toolkit for Social Studies 2007
                                             Aligning Assessments

                                                  Grade Four

Directions: Carefully review the benchmark and grade-level indicator in the box. Then, read the post-
assessment suggestions and check their alignment by answering the questions following each assessment.

Grade Band 3-5
Government, Benchmark B
   Give examples of documents that specify the structure of state and national governments in the United
   States and explain how these documents foster self-government in a democracy.

Grade 4, Grade-Level Indicator 4
   4. Explain that the Ohio Constitution tells how the state government should be organized and guarantees
   the rights of individuals.




Assessment #1
After students view the PBS documentary The Ohio Statehouse, have them prepare a two-page essay in
which they describe the three most interesting things they learned.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?


Assessment #2
Have students read a pre-assigned section of the Ohio Constitution as a small group. Then, have each
group write a one-paragraph summary of what they read and present this information to the class.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?




Ohio Department of Education
OAT Toolkit for Social Studies 2007
                                           Aligning Assessments


Assessment #3
Have students make a poster drawing of the Ohio Statehouse and identify the importance of each room.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?

Assessment #4
Have students write a letter to invite a local legislator into the classroom for an interview. Work with
students to compose their questions for the visitor.
            Some suggestions are:
            1. What are the responsibilities of the General Assembly?
            2. What does the Ohio Constitution have to do with your job?
            3. How does what you do affect the citizens of Ohio?
            4. What are the responsibilities of the other branches of Ohio’s state government?
            5. Why does Ohio need lawmakers, judges and governors?
            6. What jobs in the local or national government are similar to yours?
Then, have students write a newspaper article that summarizes their interview with the legislator and
explains how his job relates to the Ohio Constitution.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?




Ohio Department of Education
OAT Toolkit for Social Studies 2007
                                              Aligning Assessments

                                                    Grade Six

Directions: Carefully review the benchmark and grade-level indicator in the box. Then, read the post-
assessment suggestions and check their alignment by answering the questions following each assessment.


Grade Band 6-8
People in Societies, Benchmark A
   Compare cultural practices, products and perspectives of past civilizations in order to understand
   commonality and diversity of cultures.

    Grade 6, Grade-Level Indicator 2
       2. Compare world religions and belief systems focusing on geographic origins, founding leaders and
       teachings including:
       a. Buddhism;
       b. Christianity;
       c. Judaism;
       d. Hinduism;
       e. Islam.

Assessment #1
    f. the class
Divide Islam. into 5 equal groups and assign each group one of the 5 world religions/belief systems
listed in the indicator. Have each group prepare a presentation to teach the class about the geographic
origins, founding leaders and teachings of their assigned religion/belief system. Each presentation should
include a visual aid.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?


Assessment #2
Have each student select a religion that they think is best and prepare a short presentation for the class.
Each presentation should include information on the origin, founding leader and teachings of that religion.
Encourage students to share their opinions and reasons for selecting that religion to report on.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?

Ohio Department of Education
OAT Toolkit for Social Studies 2007
                                           Aligning Assessments

Assessment #3
Using the jigsaw grouping technique, divide the class into 5 groups and assign each group one of the 5
world religions/belief systems to research. Instruct the students that they will be the experts on their
assigned topic and should prepare to share information with another group later. Re-organize the groups
so that one expert from each original group is part of a new group of 5 students. Working together, have
students complete a graphic organizer comparing the origins, founding leaders and teachings of all 5
religions/belief systems. Have each student write a reflection about the similarities and differences they
see.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?


Assessment #4
Have students create a thematic map showing the origins of each religion/belief system listed in the
indicator. Then, have them color the map showing where the religion is most prevalent today. Ask
students to reflect in their journals on the patterns they see on their completed maps. Students may use
their textbook or other resource to support their learning.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge required by the grade-level indicator?

       Is this assessment aligned with the skills required by the grade-level indicator?

       If you said “no” for either question, explain why.

       Is this assessment aligned with the knowledge and skills required by the benchmark? If not, how
        could this assessment be modified to align to the benchmark?




Ohio Department of Education
OAT Toolkit for Social Studies 2007