Science Formative Assessment: 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning

Use assessment to inform instruction and learning in the science classroom!

Formative assessment allows educators to discover the varied ideas that students bring to the classroom, determine students’ understanding of key concepts, and design learning opportunities that will deepen students’ mastery of content and standards. A nationally known expert in science education, Page Keeley provides a rich repertoire of purposeful methods that weave assessment into the process of instruction and learning.

The author shares 75 specific assessment techniques to help science teachers in Grades K–12 provide effective instruction. These flexible assessments can be used with any science curriculum, and the author includes:

• A description of how each technique promotes student learning
• Considerations for design and implementation, such as required materials, timing, modeling the technique, and grouping students
• Modifications for different types of students or purposes
• Caveats for using each technique
• Ways the techniques can be used in other content areas

Science Formative Assessment promotes best practices in the science classroom and helps teachers expand their tool kit of proven assessment techniques.