This workshop will engage teachers in the practice of developing three-dimensional science assessments with support. Assessments look different in the science classroom and need to be supported by high quality instruction that asks students to demonstrate progress toward three-dimensional standards. As all students develop proficiency in science, teachers need feedback from different kinds of assessments (formative, interim, diagnostic, and summative) to indicate how individual students, whole classrooms, schools, and districts are progressing.
Participants examine sample science assessment tasks that are designed to elicit evidence of student understanding of the three dimensions. This professional development will support teachers to identify, revise, and create assessment tasks, use standards-aligned scoring guides, and develop instructional response plans to use in their classroom. The Arkansas Science Assessment Pre-screener will be utilized to conduct a quick review of assessments to determine whether they might be designed for standards based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education, like the Arkansas K-12 Science Standards. Additionally, this Prescreen will also determine whether these assessments are equitably designed to elicit student thinking from diverse learners. The Prescreen is intended to reveal whether assessments include “red flags”—i.e., challenges commonly found in science assessments.