Assessment Plan for Arizona Centennial History Unit

Purpose: This assessment plan is for a unit on Arizona Centennial History.  The unit provides current relevance for students by celebrating the 100th anniversary of Arizona becoming a state while learning about the important events in the first 100 years of Arizona statehood.  The unit provides a topic that the students of Arizona can relate to, which can make them more interested in learning the social studies standards, such as creating timelines.

Learning Outcome for Grade 2:  Students will be able to create a timeline with 5 important events from the first 100 years of Arizona statehood in chronological order.  This learning outcome is designed to meet the following Arizona Department of Education Grade 2 Social Studies standard: "Place historical events from content studied in chronological order on a timeline" (The Social Studies Standard Articulated by Grade Level).

Assessment Context: Students will work in groups of 3 or 4 to create a poster featuring a timeline beginning in 1912 with Arizona becoming a state and ending in 2012 with Arizona's statehood centennial.  Students are to choose at least 3 additional events previously covered in class to place within chronological order on the timeline.  Each event should have an illustration along with the year and text marking the event on the timeline.

Holistic Rubric

• Distinguished (A) - Timeline contains at least 5 important events in Arizona history that were covered in class and fall between 1912 and 2012 including Arizona becoming a state in 1912 and celebrating its centennial in 2012.  All events are listed in correct chronological order with dates and at least five have very relevant illustrations near the text designating the event on the timeline.
• Proficient (B) - Timeline contains at least 5 important events in Arizona history that were covered in class and fall between 1912 and 2012 including Arizona becoming a state in 1912 and celebrating its centennial in 2012.  All events are listed in correct chronological order and at least five have illustrations near the text designating the event on the timeline.
• Basic (C) - Timeline contains at least 5 important events in Arizona history that were covered in class and fall between 1912 and 2012 including Arizona becoming a state in 1912 and celebrating its centennial in 2012.  At least 4 events are listed in correct chronological order and at least four have illustrations near the text designating the event on the timeline or illustrations are not clearly near the event they are meant to represent.
• Below Expectations (D) - Timeline contains fewer than 5 important events in Arizona history that were covered in class and fall between 1912 and 2012 or the timeline fail does not include Arizona becoming a state in 1912 and/or celebrating its centennial in 2012 or 2+ events are not in correct chronological order or there is only one event with an illustration.
• Non-Performance (F) - Timeline is nonexistent or fewer than five events are represented on the timeline and/or there are no illustrations.

Testing Constraints: Students will have 1 hour each school day during a full week of school (i.e. five total hours across five day) to work in their groups to make and complete the timeline.  Students will have access to notes and books used in the class for the Arizona Centennial History unit.

3 Test Items and 1 Essay Item for Elementary School Unit on Penguins

Below are 3 Test Items and 1 Essay Item for assessing my learning outcomes for an elementary school unit on penguins.

Test Items
 
1.  Penguin Photo and Species Name Matching - Column A has photos of an adult penguin from each species students are expected to be able to identify for Learning Outcome #1 (i.e. Adelie, Chinstrap, Emperor, Gentoo, and King).  Column B has the names of 8 penguin species.  The three extra penguin species options are given to reduce the chance of students just guessing correctly (Kubiszyn, 2009, p. 136).  The species names are also listed alphabetically to make it easier for students to locate the answers (Kubiszyn, 2009, p. 137).

2.  Penguin Identification - Students are presented with images of penguins and asked to circle or otherwise identify one of each of the following species: Adelie, Chinstrap, Emperor, Gentoo, and King.  This is an additional test for assessing Learning Outcome #1.

3. Label Continents with Native Penguin Species Names - Students are given a map showing all continents identified by name.  By using a map with the continent names, the test remains focused on testing the students knowledge of what continent each penguin is native to.  Thus the test remains more valid, as the students are not getting the questions wrong just because they do not know where the continents are on the map.  Using a list of penguin species with letters beside the names, the students are to label the continent each species is considered to be native to.  This test helps assess whether Learning Outcome #3: Students will point out on a map the native continent for each modern penguin species with 80% accuracy has been achieved.

Essay Item 

• In half a page, explain three reasons why different penguins species are endangered?  Be sure to mention at least one specific penguin species affected by each reason you include. - This essay question was developed to help assess Learning Outcome #2: Students will explain three reasons some penguin species are endangered.  This outcome could perhaps be somewhat assessed with a multiple choice test, but an essay item seems more appropriate because the outcome "require supplying information rather than simply recognizing information" (Kubiszyn, 2009, p. 161).

References: 

• Kubiszyn, T. (2009). Educational Testing and Measurement: Classroom Application and Practice (9 ed.). [VitalSource Bookshelf] Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9780470571880

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• 3 Learning Outcomes for Elementary School Unit on Penguins