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Form: "*Assessing Learning Task*" Created with: Taskstream Author: Lauren Coleman Date submitted: 04/01/2016 11:32 pm (PDT)

Before beginning this task, read the complete directions provided in the CalTPA Candidate Handbook. Step 1: Assessment Selection and Planning for the Whole Class Directions To plan classroom assessment, a teacher determines his or her current point within the instructional sequence of a unit of study and identifies the student academic learning goals to measure. "Ideally, assessment and instruction are linked inextricably within any curriculum. The key to using assessment effectively and efficiently in a program of instruction is to recognize above all that different types of assessment tools must be used for different purposes. " (Reading/Language Arts Framework for California Public Schools, 1999, page 215) Select one class, a content area, and a unit of study to work with as you complete this performance task. Respond to the prompts below about the unit of study and its assessment.

A. Academic Content Selection (REQUIRED) Grade Level 5th

(REQUIRED) Content area Mathematics

(REQUIRED) Subject matter Adding and Subtracting Fractions

(REQUIRED) 1. List the state-adopted academic content standards or stateadopted framework you will cover in this unit. • •

5.OA.A.2.1 - Express a whole number in the range 2-50 as a product of its prime factors. 5.NF.A.1 - Add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators (including mixed numbers) by replacing given fractions with equivalent fractions in such a way as to produce an equivalent sum or difference of fractions with like denominators.

•

5.NF.A.2 - Solve word problems involving addition and subtractions of fractions referring to the same whole, including cases of unlike denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem. Use benchmark fractions and number sense of fractions to estimate mentally and assess the reasonableness of answers.

(REQUIRED) 2. Describe the unit of study that addresses those standards. The unit of study consists of eight lessons. These lessons include: prime factorization, finding prime factors, writing to explain (word problems), estimating sums and differences of fractions, adding fraction with unlike denominators, subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, more adding and subtracting fractions, and draw a picture and write an equation (problem solving).

(REQUIRED) 3. What is (are) the academic learning goal(s) for this unit of study? • • • • • •

Students demonstrate that composite numbers can be written as the product of their prime factors. Students understand that the prime factorization of a composite number will always be the same and can be represented using a factor tree. Students estimate sums and differences of fractions using a variety of techniques. Students solve the sum of fractions with unlike denominators. Students solve the difference of fractions with unlike denominators. Students understand the relationship between quantities in the some realworld problems are represented using a bar diagram and that the diagram can be analyzed to write a numerical equation that can be used to find the answer to the problem.

(REQUIRED) 4. At what point in the sequence of the unit are you teaching? Check one: •

At the end of the unit of study

B. Assessment Planning If you are at the beginning of your unit, you will give your students an entry-level assessment. If you are moving through the unit of study, you will use progressmonitoring assessments. If you are at the end of the unit of study, you will use a summative assessment. (For more information about these three kinds of assessment, see Frameworks for California Public Schools, published by the California Department of Education.)

(REQUIRED) 5. For what purpose will your assessment be used within this unit of study? Chose one: •

Summative

(REQUIRED) 6. Identify and describe the type of assessment. (verbal response, multiple choice, short essay, oral presentation, performance task, and the like) At the conclusion of the unit, I will be using a summative assessment in order to evaluate student's mastery of the unit's objectives. The assessment is a written test consisting of multiple choice and constructed response questions.

(REQUIRED) 7. What will your students need to know and/or be able to do to complete the assessment? Students will need to be able to determine whether a number is prime or composite and find the prime factorization of a number. They will also need to know how to write an explanation of how to estimate fractional parts. Students need to use a number line to estimate sums and differences of fractions. Students also need to use models and computational procedures to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. Students need to know how to solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions and how to draw a picture and write an equation to solve a problem.

(REQUIRED) 8. What evidence of student learning will you collect? Students are responsible for turning in homework that corresponds to each of the eight lessons in the unit. The homework is student-corrected, but I will take additional time to review student's work in order to target topics that may need re teaching. I will also collect the student's math notes to check for understanding and review for completeness and participation during in-class examples. A quiz will be given as a progress monitoring assessment at the midpoint of the unit, and the unit test will be collected at the conclusion of the eight lessons and review. For this assessment, the only evidence is the unit test itself.

(REQUIRED) 9. In what ways will the evidence document student achievement of the academic learning goal(s)? The homework review provides evidence of participation and understanding. Each homework assignment also corresponds directly with the academic learning goals and objectives of each lesson throughout the unit. Most of the assignments are given in class and students have time to work on the problems and ask for help during independent work. The homework also highlights areas in which students are struggling and provides opportunities to re teach content prior to the summative assessment. The quiz, serving as a progress monitoring assessment, demonstrates student understanding of the concepts taught during lessons one through five. It also foreshadows the areas students might struggle with (multiple choice or short answer) on the summative assessment. Since I've chosen a summative assessment, each of the unit's academic learning goals and objectives is measured by way of a correct or incorrect answer on a combination of multiple choice or short answer questions.

(REQUIRED) 10. How will the student assessment evidence be measured or scored? The ability to answer correctly on the unit assessment will be scored by giving each question a point value. The value will correspond to the difficulty of the question. Multiple choice questions are given a value of X and short answer questions are given a value of x. After calculating the number of total questions answered correctly, the student will receive a fractional score noting points achieved

by answering correctly out of the total points possible and a percentage grade that corresponds to the fractional scoring. Although not written on the tests, the student is able to infer based on the percentage the letter grade (A,B,C,D or F) they've earned on the unit test.

11. Think about how you will sequence your implementation of the assessment. Describe your plan for implementing the assessment in the order in which it will occur. Address each of the following and provide a rationale for each of your decisions: • • • •

Teaching strategies including communicating the purpose of the assessment, the scoring criteria, and the procedures for completing the assessment Student activities Student grouping Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room

(REQUIRED) Assessment Implementation Plan Please note the sequence of your Assessment Plan, by indicating a letter (a., b., c, and so on) before each part. This assessment takes place at the conclusion of an 8 lesson unit. Since this is taking place at the beginning of the third trimester, most students are familiar with note taking, the math book, homework responsibilities, and the test format. Each lesson's written notes included the learning goal so the students were able to understand the expectation from that day's instruction. The teacher and I also verbally read each expectation at the beginning and end of each lesson. Each lesson of the unit followed a similar model: direct instruction while I read the notes and provided examples for the students to see that were carried over from the teacher's edition of the math book, guided practice allowing the students to work in groups and partners to solve additional problems similar to the previously teacher-demonstrated examples, and individual assignments that provided me an opportunity to check for understanding for each student in the classroom and provide additional assistance when needed. However, great emphasis was placed on the progress monitoring quiz at the halfway point of the unit, and the final homework assignment, which mimicked many of the actual assessment questions. The implementation of the assessment is very thorough. a. Students are told the assessment is based on their last two weeks of lessons on unit 9, adding and subtracting fractions with like and unlike denominators. They are also made aware that there are a total of 32 points they can earn and it will count towards their third trimester math grade. b. The students are directed to put up test dividers and get out their highlighter.

c. Under a projector, I read each question out loud to the class and highlight key and numbers the students will need to solve the problem. I also probe the students with question like, "Do you think you need to add or subtract? Can you the first step to adding with unlike denominators?" d. Upon checking for clarification, students are tasked with individually completing the assessment. e. Students are able to use pencils and their assessment worksheets only. Additional scratch paper is provided through the teacher if/when needed. f. I monitor the student's progress while walking around the classroom, observe student's answers on the assessment and answer any questions they may have individually while completing the assessment. g. Students turn in their completed assessment in the turn in tray for scoring.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Please use the identical letter from the plan you wrote to match the rationale for that portion of the plan. a. It is important to communicate to the students the purpose of completing the assessment in order to manage their expectations. Emphasis is placed on the scoring impact the assessment could have on their third trimester grade in order to convey the importance of them putting forth their best effort to complete each problem correctly, show their work and when applicable, use the adaptations made available to them to achieve a high score. b. Test dividers are utilized in the classroom because cheating has been an issue during the istering of previous assessments. While students are waiting for dividers to be placed on their desks, they can save time by simultaneously finding a highlighter to complete the next step. c. The projector is used to provide students a visual of their test and a reference to the words being highlighted. I read each question out loud to assist students who struggle with reading comprehension and benefit from highlighting the key in the word problem that are needed in order to solve the question. Probing the students with questions helps other students clarify the highlighting and opens the door for student questions. d. Students complete the assessment individually so that I can monitor their progress toward achieving the learning goals of the unit. I also analyze the work they've shown on their assessment to find the strengths and weaknesses of their math skills and what might have hindered or assisted their scores.

e. Unless modifications are specified, the students must rely on their knowledge gained during the unit's lessons and review in order to solve the problems correctly. f. I am able to monitor the student's progress on their assessment while walking throughout the classroom and observing not only their physical assessment, but their physical reactions as well. This provides additional insight into which students might be struggling with the assessment. I am able to target these students and ask them if they have any questions or need assistance in order to complete a problem on their assessment. g. Students turn in their completed assessments so that I may review their answers, obtain a numerical score for the grade book, and determine the level of mastery the student has achieved with each of the learning goals and objectives of the unit.

(REQUIRED) 12. In what ways will you use the assessment results? I will use the assessment results to evaluate how well the students met the learning goals of the unit. The assessment results will also determine whether students are ready to move forward to the next unit, or if re teaching is needed in order to solidify understanding of addition and subtraction of fractions. The results may also highlight areas that students need to improve on, such as reading each question thoroughly and answering all parts. Scores from the summative assessment will provide a significant percentage of the math grade for this trimester as well. The results may also bring about intervention for low achieving students such as tutoring or modification of future assessments.

(REQUIRED) 13. In what ways will you share the assessment results with students, families, and other colleagues and personnel, when appropriate? Assessment results will be shared with the students individually, results will be posted to the parent portal online, and tests will be sent home for parentreview the following day.

(REQUIRED) 14. Is your assessment one that you developed, you adopted, or you adapted from another source such as a district, publisher, Internet, or another teacher? o

Adopted or adapted from another source. Identify the source:: enVisionMATH

15. Submit a copy of the assessment and, if available, submit the assessment directions, answer key, rubric, scoring guide, and the like.

Step 2: Learning about Students: Whole Class and Two Focus Students Class Information An important step in planning assessment is to learn about your students. Provide information about the whole class in the boxes below.

(REQUIRED) Age range of students 10-11

(REQUIRED) Number of male students 15

(REQUIRED) Number of female students 16

(REQUIRED) Total number of students 31

Directions: Select two students from the class you described above. Select one student who is an English learner and one student who has an identified special need. Consider your selected content area when describing what you learned about the two focus students. In each of the boxed areas below, provide: o o

a description of what you learned for each of the students an explanation of how the information will influence your academic instructional planning, including assessment

Note: Single subject candidates for a credential in Languages Other Than English who are delivering instruction entirely in the target language may choose another student with a different instructional challenge rather than an English learner.

A. Student 1: An English Learner (REQUIRED) Gender o

Male

(REQUIRED) Age 11

(REQUIRED) 1. Why did you select this student? This student is not only new to the school this year, but also has a 504 for ADHD in addition to qualifying as an English Language learner. He faces many challenges academically. His grades are impacted by his inability to comprehend the content based on a lack of academic vocabulary, number sense, and focus. However, he stands out socially. He was quickly accepted by his peers, is not afraid to ask questions or volunteer answers (although generally not in math), and has a jovial disposition. I plan to utilize pair share and small groups during instructional planning in order to harness this student's social skills and help him gain confidence in his academic abilities. Many of the assessments during the first few days of the unit will be teacher observation during class note taking and book work practice. It is evident during note taking that this student often writes illegibly and does not complete the notes. He will receive copies of the teachers notes. Additional time will be taken with this student each day to review the homework problems he missed. As the summative assessment approaches, additional review will be given to this student and his test will be chunked into problems with similar operations and the option to redo missed questions upon review will be given.

(REQUIRED) 2. What did you learn about this student's linguistic background? This student's primary language is Spanish. He lives at home with his mother and two siblings, an older sister and younger brother. The older sister is in high school and was not identified as an English language learner in elementary or junior high school. The younger brother, who also attends the same school as this student, is also identified as an English language learner. The parents are divorced and he lives with his mother. The mother's first language is Spanish. However, she indicated that she is fluent in English too and they speak both languages at home. There is little data provided from this student's previous schools in relation to his testing and adaptations for learning as an English language learner. Directions for assignments and test schedules will be sent home in both English and Spanish. The older sister is able to assist this student with homework, as the mother indicated she didn't understand the math he was doing. The mother is open to additional ways this student can improve his academic scores. The school provides after school tutoring in both math and language arts and I plan to recommend he utilize the tutoring opportunities as well.

(REQUIRED) 3. What did you learn about this student's academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area? This student struggles with academic vocabulary. His CELDT (California English Language Development Test) score is a 3 overall. This classifies him as Early Advanced. His SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory) is a 570,

classifying him as a below basic student in relation to reading comprehension. The average student at the end of 5th grade should be between 756 and 905. He does not comprehend words like numerator, denominator, least common factor, divisor, dividend, or quotient. Although these are posted visually throughout the classroom, he does not seem to be aware and/or utilize them as a resource. Therefore, when reading through problems, he does not know what function the book or teacher is asking him to perform unless it is written out numerically. Even terminology like more than, less than, the sum of and product are academic content words that this student has difficulty applying in order to achieve the correct answer of the numerical equation. This student will benefit from a color coordinated word box on his desk with academic content vocabulary expressed in mathematical . Additional time will be spent with the student reading assignment, quiz, and test questions together in order to determine what function this student is being asked to perform. He will also highlight the questions with the appropriate color that matches the word box.

(REQUIRED) 4. What did you learn about this student's content knowledge and skills in this subject matter? This student scores below average or grade level in every content area of 5th grade math he's been tested in thus far. His SMI (Scholastic Mathematics Inventory) score was 340, classifying him as far below basic. The average student at the end of 5th grade should be between 820 and 1120. His largest hurdle to overcome is his lack of number sense. The content taught in 5th grade math requires students to increasingly rely on their previously taught knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This student struggles in each of these four basic areas. As a result, content such as long division, division with decimals, fractions, order of operation, etc. are increasingly difficult for this student to solve and comprehend. Since he has only been at the school a short time, he just recently began RTI (response to intervention) with the RSP teacher in order to practice basic math facts. His mother has ed several apps on his home IPad to encourage additional practice as well. When evaluating his assessments, consideration will be taken when the numerical math is being done correctly, but perhaps the lesson's objective is not achieved. Additional time to review and re teach the content will reinforce lesson's and unit's objectives and provide additional opportunities to practice solving the questions correctly.

(REQUIRED) 5. What did you learn about this student's physical, social, and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? This student is physically, socially, and emotionally on par with the rest of his 5th grade class. He's average height and weight, well groomed, and capable of performing the tasks in relation to the content area of mathematics. He does have accommodations for his ADHD that includes taking breaks and walking outside the classroom when needed, but most students are unaware and he seems to respond well and refocus on the task at hand after his breaks. He makes friends easily, communicates well with both students and the teacher, and isn't afraid to volunteer in class. He has appropriate emotional responses to situations and others at school. My instructional

planning and assessment are not influenced by his social or emotional development. However, some physical accommodations such as breaks and nearness to the teacher are needed to assist this student with content comprehension in all academic areas.

(REQUIRED) 6. What did you learn about this student's cultural background, including family and home, relevant to this academic content area? This student is Hispanic. He has an older sister and younger brother. His parents are divorced and his lives with his mother full time. She expresses that as a single mother, she does not have as much time as she would like to help her son with his homework. He and his younger brother are picked up from school by their Grandfather. After a conference with the mother, it became evident that little to no homework was being completed while the student was with his Grandfather, but he was telling his mother that he completed all the work. She was not checking the work, and the student was returning the following day empty handed. Once the mother became aware, some improvement of returned work occurred, but it seems that resources for this student to receive help on homework are limited. Although his older sister does help occasionally, the work is often done incorrectly. This student would benefit greatly from after school tutoring and homework club.

(REQUIRED) 7. What did you learn about this student's special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic content area? This student does not have any visible health issues. Although he presents with ADHD, he does not require any medication and functions well in class with his peers. Many of the common concerns like an inability to socialize, do not apply to this student. However, the main area of concern is the low level of academic performance. ADHD combined with the ELL classification make for two very large hurdles this student must leap over in order to learn for understanding. Modifications for both ADHD and the lack of academic vocabulary in the area of adding and subtracting fractions are made to improve this student's learning.

(REQUIRED) 8. What did you learn about this student's interests and aspirations relevant to this academic content area? When posed with questions about the future, this student said he didn't know really what he wanted to be when he got older. Then with a pause he said he wanted to be a professional basketball player, then "maybe a secretary," then a business man. When asked about college he didn't seem to care one way or another about continuing his academic education beyond high school. His future aspirations revolving around sports provide an opportunity to bridge the mathematical content to he can relate to as an individual student. I plan to incorporate basketball and other sports analogies and activities to demonstrate adding and subtracting fractions. As possible example could be: if 4 of your team mates were not on the court, what fraction could you use to represent yourself (1/5). If 3 other players then

ed you on the court, what equation, using fractions could you write to represent yourself and your teams? (1/5 + 3/5 = 4/5).

(REQUIRED) 9. Describe other information relevant to the academic content area that you learned about the student (e.g., attendance, extracurricular activities, and the like.). This student attends school on a consistent basis. He has very few absences, and most are cold/flu related. Since his younger brother also attends the same school, any missed in-class work and homework are sent home the day of the absence. He does not participate in any after school activities either related or not d with the school. I believe he would benefit greatly from extracurricular activities that centered on both academic content (mathaletes, book club, legos) and physical education (soccer, tennis, basketball, etc.).

B. Student 2: A Student with an Identified Special Need (REQUIRED) Gender o

Female

(REQUIRED) Age 11

(REQUIRED) 1. Why did you select this student? This student is quite unique. She is a triplet. Her brother and sister are in another 5th grade general education class together. Her brother does not struggle with any academic content areas and performs average or above average with testing and assignments. Her sister does not score as high as her brother, but puts forth effort to maintain average grades and comprehends 5th grade content. The student I selected struggles with an auditory processing disability. She has to work very hard to comprehend the content and learns differently than both her siblings. She has an IEP and goes to RTI (response to intervention) for both language arts and mathematics. She was also going bi-weekly to the speech teacher, but was recently released from program since her speech has seen great improvement. Her frustrations to comprehend the content are often visible during instruction and she wants so badly succeed.

(REQUIRED) 2. How is the instructional challenge that he or she presents different from that of the other student? Auditory processing can simply be defined as "what we do with what we hear." This student's challenges are different from that of another student because she has difficulty paying attention to and ing information that is presented orally. Auditory processing disorder is often misdiagnosed as ADHD. Quite often with mathematical instruction, there are mutli-step

processes needed in order to solve an equation or word problem. This student struggles with mutli-step processes as she cannot process each step sequentially when listening to classroom instruction. She also has difficulty with reading, comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary. This becomes especially challenging when working with words problems. This student is able to overcome some of her processing difficulties by using visual aids. I also plan to provide highlighted copies of in-class math notes for her review. Her assessments are chunked in order to help her attack each problem sequentially (meaning each problem in a sequence is utilizing the same rule or steps to achieve the answer). She is also able to take her assessments in a quite testing environment to reduce background noise that may distract her from performing at her best.

(REQUIRED) 3. What did you learn about this student's linguistic background? This student speaks English as her primary and only language. Her parents, older brother, and two twin siblings also speak English. She was attending biweekly speech sessions, but has improved greatly since starting the program and no longer needs to utilize those sessions with the speech teacher. As a result of the auditory processing disorder, she does have language difficulties. Her language difficulties include confusion of syllable sequences, difficulty developing vocabulary, and problems understanding language. She benefits greatly from vocabulary word boxes, lessons being both read to her, and her reading them on her own in order to clarify questions and solidify understanding of the concepts.

(REQUIRED) 4. What did you learn about this student's academic language abilities in relation to this academic content area? This student scores below average or grade level in every content area of 5th grade math she's been tested in thus far. Her SMI (Scholastic Mathematics Inventory) score was 390, classifying her as below basic. The average student at the end of 5th grade should be between 820 and 1120. She has two significant challenges when working with math; sequencing and word problems. Her SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory) is 127, classing her as far below basic. The average student at the end of the 5th grade year is supposed to score between 756-905. When taking the DAZE (reading comprehension) test, she scored a 6, with the average being 24. There is significant evidence that she struggles to comprehend the text she's reading. This effects her ability to complete word problems in the academic content area of mathematics. She has been going to RTI (response to intervention) since 2nd grade for both language and mathematics assistance. She continues to go for mathematics three times a week and often goes to a homework club during recess as well. Her parents are both involved in the classroom and after school activities, but it's a daily struggle for this student to keep on pace with her fellow classmates, and especially her two siblings.

(REQUIRED) 5. What did you learn about this student's content knowledge and skills in this subject matter?

This student performs better in the area of mathematics than most of the other academic content areas. However, she does lack foundational math skills and a strong number sense. In fact, the teacher had to write down even numbers for her so she could visualize the numbers in a fraction that needed to be simplified. I've noted through observation and progress monitoring that she has grasped some of the concepts well. There are several steps that need to occur when adding and subtracting fractions. First, you need to find the LCD (lowest common denominator). Then you need to multiply each fraction in order to use the LCD. Then you have to add or subtract the numerator. Finally, you have to simplify the fraction (reduce to it's lowest form). This student often skips a step and gets frustrated when correcting work or trying to understand problems modeled by the teacher. Her biggest hurdle is simplifying the answer because she lacks number sense to complete the division. She is able to use a multiplication chart that aids her in finding the LCD. She also utilizes a "cheat board" to write out the problems in a space large enough for each step to be emphasized. She is instructed to write the sequential steps to perform addition or subtraction of the fraction on both her in-class work and homework. This aids her parents in assisting with completing assignments and studying for the unit test.

(REQUIRED) 6. What did you learn about this student's physical, social, and emotional development relevant to this academic content area? This student is socially and emotionally on par with the rest of his 5th grade class. She is physically above average compared to the rest of the 5th grade class. She is always one of the first to complete her timed laps, sit ups, and push ups each morning. Most of her recess and lunch activities involve some type of running game and she does not like to loose. She's average height and weight, always put together from head to toe, and capable of performing the tasks in relation to the content area of mathematics based on her physical, social, and emotional development. She isn't afraid to volunteer to answer a math question or ask questions if she's having difficulty. She has appropriate emotional responses to situations and others at school. My instructional planning and assessment are not influenced by her social or emotional development. However, I've tried to incorporate more kinesthetic activities in order to appeal a learning style I think will help solidify her understanding of the steps and concepts introduced when adding and subtracting fractions.

(REQUIRED) 7. What did you learn about this student's cultural background, including family and home, relevant to this academic content area? This student is caucasion. She is one of four siblings. She is a triplet, with a brother and sister, and also has an older brother. She lives at home with both her mother and her father. The two other triplet siblings are in another general education 5th grade classroom. Her older brother is in high school. Her mother is very involved in the parent-teacher organization at school and isn't afraid to approach the general education or RSP teacher to

ask for assistance in helping her daughter study or grasp a mathematical concept. It is evident that she completes all of her homework and her mother is aware of the areas she is struggling to complete successfully. She has a strong system at home, but can often be frustrated when compared to her two twin siblings. Her brother excels in mathematics and although her sister is not as strong as her brother, does not have nearly as much difficulty as this student.

(REQUIRED) 8. What did you learn about this student's special considerations, including health issues relevant to this academic content area? This student has no visible health issues. She is active, physically fit, and socially age appropriate. She does leave the general education room two to three times a day to go to RTI (response to intervention) for language, social studies, and mathematics with several other students, but there is little attention paid to their routine by the rest of the class. She performs better in a quiet testing environment and is able to use testing aids like word boxes, classroom notes and multiplication charts in order to bolster her success during mathematics testing.

(REQUIRED) 9. What did you learn about this student's interests and aspirations relevant to this academic content area? This student wants to be a cheerleader. Her academic aspirations are intertwined with her ability to continue cheerleading in the future. Similar to my first focus student, this student would benefit from incorporating mathematical content into cheerleading exercises. The RTI teacher has encourage her to chant her multiplication facts. I think incorporating a physical activity with the sport she loves would help her improve her lacking number sense and concrete some of the sequential steps to mathematical problem solving.

(REQUIRED) 10. Describe other information relevant to the academic content area that you learned about the student (e.g., attendance, extracurricular activities, and the like). This student is rarely absent, on time to school daily, and very active in extracurricular activities. However, I think there is a lack of balance between academic and physical extracurricular activities. Her mother has mentioned that she is often up late as a result of needing more time than her siblings to complete homework assignments after cheerleading practice or competitions. I think this student would benefit from mathematics centered extracurricular activity after school. This would help her form relationships with higher level students (other than her siblings) that could assist her with math homework and help her study for the tests.

Step 3: Assessment Adaptations for Two Focus Students

Directions: Consider your plan for assessment in Step 1 and what you learned about the two focus students, and the implications for instruction and assessment that you identified in Step 2. Respond to the questions below about the two students.

(REQUIRED) 1. What will Student 1 need to know and be able to do to complete this assessment? Student 1, the English language learner, will need to know how to add, subtract, and multiply to solve equations using fractions. He will also need to know academic mathematical content vocabulary in order to read the word problems and understand what function should be performed in order to solve the question correctly. He will also need to understand the instructions prior to starting the assessment. I anticipate he will have difficulty deciphering what function each problem is asking him to solve due to his lack of academic vocabulary and number sense. So, I will verbally instruct him one-on-one and chunk his assessment in order to increase his potential to succeed.

(REQUIRED) 2. What will Student 2 need to know and be able to do to complete this assessment? Student 2, who has an auditory processing disorder, will need to know how to add, subtract, and multiply to solve equations using fractions. She will also need to know academic mathematical content vocabulary in order to read the word problems and understand what function should be performed in order to solve the question correctly. She will also need to understand the instructions prior to starting the assessment, something she struggles with since the instructions are delivered verbally during whole class instruction. I anticipate she will have difficulty deciphering what function each problem is asking her to solve since she struggles with reading comprehension. So, I will verbally instruct her one-on-one and chunk her assessment in order to increase her potential to succeed.

For the two students, determine what adaptations you will make to this assessment that you have planned for the whole class. Describe those adaptations for each of the two focus students. If you determine that no adaptations are needed for a part of the plan for assessment, explain that decision. Respond to the prompts below. For each include: o o

Your decisions about assessment adaptations A rationale for those decisions

A. Adaptations for Student 1: An English Learner 1. Evidence of student learning you will collect

(REQUIRED) Decision There are no adaptations needed for the evidence I'm collecting. Although I've collected some samples of the student's notes and progress-monitoring quiz, for the purpose of this assessment the evidence I'm collecting is the unit test itself. The tests are taken individually and I feel this student often hides behind others in a group when he doesn't understand a problem. This measure of assessment highlights his areas of weakness and enables the teacher to re teach and focus on ways he can improve his understanding of the concepts in order to move forward to the next unit and be prepared for standardized state testing.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Collecting the individual tests allows me to assess each student's ability to meet the learning goals and objectives of the lesson. For this student, assessing his learning challenges are often difficult with multiple choice tests because he doesn't show his work. Although it is a requirement, and the students are all instructed to show their work for numerical credit towards their final score, Student 1 often omits any "work" evidence. When work is shown, it provides me the opportunity to analyze what steps he may be missing or math errors being performed in order to better instruct him for future math lessons. He is given the opportunity after receiving the test and his grade to review the questions he missed and get explanation for how to find the correct answer. The assessment also provides me a final grade to apply to his mathematical progress for this unit.

2. How the student assessment evidence will be measured or scored? (REQUIRED) Decision Student 1's assessment will be measured and scored by the numerical value associated with each question as noted on the answer key. Several problems require an illustration or more than one answer to solve the problem. These problems are given a higher numerical value. In addition, points are also awarded for showing the "work," also referred to as steps needed, to solve the problem and select or write in the correct answer. There are no adaptations needed for measuring and scoring his test.

(REQUIRED) Rationale The numerical value assigned to each question corresponds with the level of difficulty and parts to the problem. 1/2 point is awarded for showing work, so even if students are getting the incorrect answer, I am able to see where they might have taken a misstep and students cannot the test just by showing incorrect work. This student is required to meet the same state standards as the rest of the 5th grade class, thus is results are scored the same as the

other students. I fear that even with the adaptations made to his unit assessment, he will still do poorly because he doesn't have the academic vocabulary knowledge or number sense to analyze the questions and then execute the mathematical steps.

3. The implementation of the assessment, including: !

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Teaching strategies for communicating the purpose of the assessment, the scoring criteria, and the procedures for completing the assessment Student activities Student grouping Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room

(REQUIRED) Decision !

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Teacher Strategies - Prior to handing out the test, students are instructed to get out a highlighter and not start the test taking until I have reviewed it with them. I then proceed to read through each question with the class and highlight important details the students need in order to solve the problem. While highlighting key words such as estimate, how much more, prime factorization, etc. I probe the students to confirm the function (addition, subtraction, rounding) they need to perform. Some students write it down but they are not required to do so. In order to adapt the test for this student, his test is chunked into similar functions. Each question that asks him to perform a similar task, such as prime factorization, is highlighted or circled in the same color. He is instructed to complete only the highlighted problems first, given verbal instruction about what function is needed to answer the questions, and instructed to come back for further highlighting and explanation when he completes each group of questions. He is also able to use his math book, math notes, and a multiplication chart to refer back to in order to help him answer the test questions correctly. Student Activities - The student will highlight and listen to explanation along with the rest of the class. However, he will complete the test individually in chucked group order and only after I verbally instruct him and highlight each question of the group. I anticipate it will take him a little longer to complete the test since there are four groups of problems and he will have to break each time to receive the next round of questions and instructions. Student Grouping - As this is a summative assessment and used as a grade to monitor mathematical progress during the trimester, the students individually complete

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the test. There are no adaptations for student grouping for Student 1. Materials, Technology, and/or Resources - Student 1 will have a pencil, his math test, a multiplication chart, math book, math notes, and completed and corrected homework assignments.

(REQUIRED) Rationale !

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Teacher Strategies - The additional steps taken for this student are an attempt to help him over his academic language hurdle. In addition to his language difficulty, his ADHD makes focusing on the instructions and highlighting a challenge. The chunking allows him to focus on one particular mathematical "job" to perform instead of reading each question in order on the test and trying to understand the meaning and mathematical function. The one-to-one instruction helps him focus on highlighting the vocabulary and directs him to what sections of his math book and math notes he should be referencing in order to solve the test questions. The multiplication chart aids with his lack of number sense. The breaks in between each section of teacherhighlighted questions also gives him the time to refocus on the task at hand. Student Activities - The student does not typically ask questions or volunteer answering questions during whole group math instruction. The one-on-one instruction with me allows him to ask questions in an environment that he feels safe and comfortable with and I can check his understanding as well. Each time he comes back for a round of questions, I can also look at his completed work and point questions he might want to review. Student Grouping - Student 1 has a tendency to hide in his group while completing pair or group work during mathematical instruction. This assessment provides an accurate measure of his individual progress towards achieving the learning goals and objectives of the unit. Materials, Technology, and/or Resources - The student is able to utilize a multiplication chart as he relies heavily on it during in-class and homework assignments. This tool confirms his lack of number sense, however it aids his ability to complete each stepby-step process to solve prime factorization and addition and subtraction of fractions. His math book and homework also correspond to the test. The test indicates (9-1, 9-5, etc.) what section corresponds to the text book, math notes, and homework assignments. This allows him to review previously completed work and look at text book examples. However, his homework completion is

inconsistent and potentially won't provide much additional .

4. Ways you will use the assessment results. (REQUIRED) Decision The assessment results will be used to measure his ability to perform the tasks needed to meet the learning goals and objectives of the unit. They will also provide a unit grade for the third trimester. Student 1 has the opportunity to review each of his incorrectly answered questions at the conclusion of the unit to clarify missteps and review with myself, the teacher, or an instructional aid. There are no adaptations for the use of assessment results.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Understanding the learning goals and objectives of the unit and using mathematical language and processes are a constant throughout each unit. The concepts are used in all standardized testing. He will need to have the vocabulary and number sense in order to move forward with future units. All students who answer questions incorrectly have the opportunity to review and receive explanation in order to re teach and provide one-on-one or small group instruction.

5. Ways you will share the assessment results with students, families, and other colleagues and personnel, when appropriate. (REQUIRED) Decision Assessment results will be shared with the students individually, results will be posted to the parent portal online, and tests will be sent home for parent-review the following day. If this student fails to receive a score of 65% or above on the assessment, his mother will also be emailed to notify her of his results.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Test scores are given individually as to avoid comparison with other students and unnecessary conversation in the class room about test results. On several past occasions, the student has failed to show his mother a failing test grade and the mother indicated she doesn't have time to check the parent portal. Each failing test goes home with a slip of paper attached to the test indicating the parent must sign and return

it. The student is also able to earn two points, which are allotted to their failing test score, if they write why they think they did poorly and how they plan to improve on their next test. So in order to stay on top of both student and mother's request, she is notified via e-mail the day the test is sent home.

B. Adaptations for Student 2: A Student with an Identified Special Need 1. Evidence of student learning you will collect. (REQUIRED) Decision There are no adaptations needed for the evidence I'm collecting. Although I've collected some samples of the student's notes and progress-monitoring quiz, for the purpose of this assessment the evidence I'm collecting is the unit test itself. The tests are taken individually and I feel this student does well in a quiet testing environment. This measure of assessment highlights her areas of weakness and enables the teacher to re teach and focus on ways she can improve her understanding of the concepts in order to move forward to the next unit and be prepared for standardized state testing.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Collecting the individual tests allows me to assess each student's ability to meet the learning goals and objectives of the lesson. Due to her auditory processing deficiency, great emphasis is placed on making sure steps are followed in the correct order and that she understands what the questions are asking her perform. She is fairly detailed at showing her work, which provides me an opportunity to analyze her missteps. When she doesn't understand the question or process, work shown is often omitted. She is given the opportunity after receiving the test and her grade to review the questions she missed and get explanation for how to find the correct answer. The assessment also provides me a final grade to apply to her mathematical progress for this unit.

2. How the student assessment evidence will be measured or scored. (REQUIRED) Decision Student 2's assessment will be measured and scored by the numerical value associated with each question as noted on the answer key. Several problems require an illustration or more

than one answer to solve the problem. These problems are given a higher numerical value. In addition, points are also awarded for showing the "work," also referred to as steps needed, to solve the problem and select or write in the correct answer. There are no adaptations needed for measuring and scoring his test.

(REQUIRED) Rationale The numerical value assigned to each question corresponds with the level of difficulty and parts to the problem. 1/2 point is awarded for showing work, so even if students are getting the incorrect answer, I am able to see where they might have taken a misstep and students cannot the test just by showing incorrect work. This student is required to meet the same state standards as the rest of the 5th grade class, thus is results are scored the same as the other students. I am hopeful with the adaptations made to her assessment that she will be successful on the test.

3. The implementation of the assessment including: !

! ! !

Teaching strategies for communicating the purpose of the assessment, the scoring criteria, and the procedures for completing the assessment Student activities Student grouping Materials, technology, and/or resources, including the use of instructional aides, parents, or other adults in the room

(REQUIRED) Decisions !

Teacher Strategies - Prior to handing out the test, students are instructed to get out a highlighter and not start the test taking until I have reviewed it with them. I then proceed to read through each question with the class and highlight important details the students need in order to solve the problem. While highlighting key words such as estimate, how much more, prime factorization, etc. I probe the students to confirm the function (addition, subtraction, rounding) they need to perform. Some students write it down but they are not required to do so. In order to adapt the test for this student, her test is chunked into similar functions. Each question that asks her to perform a similar task, such as prime factorization, is highlighted or circled in the same color. She is instructed to

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complete only the highlighted problems first, given verbal instruction about what function is needed to answer the questions, and instructed to come back for further highlighting and explanation when she completes each group of questions. She is also able to use her math book, math notes, and a multiplication chart to refer back to in order to help her answer the test questions correctly. Student Activities - The student will highlight and listen to explanation along with the rest of the class. However, she will complete the test individually in chucked group order and only after I verbally instruct her and highlight each question of the group. I anticipate it will take her a little longer to complete the test since there are four groups of problems and she will have to break each time to receive the next round of questions and instructions. Student Grouping - As this is a summative assessment and used as a grade to monitor mathematical progress during the trimester, the students individually complete the test. There are no adaptations for student grouping for Student 2. Materials, Technology, and/or Resources Student 2 will have a pencil, her math test, a multiplication chart, math book, math notes, and completed and corrected homework assignments.

(REQUIRED) Rationale !

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Teacher Strategies - The additional steps taken for this student are an attempt to help her over her academic language, reading comprehension, and number sense hurdles. The chunking allows her to focus on one particular mathematical "job" to perform instead of reading each question in order on the test and trying to understand the meaning and mathematical function. The one-toone instruction helps her focus on highlighting the vocabulary and directs her to what sections of her math book and math notes she should be referencing in order to solve the test questions. It also provides another opportunity for her to hear the instructions. The multiplication chart aids with her lack of number sense. Student Activities - The student is not afraid to ask questions or approach the teacher for additional clarification. The one-on-one instruction with me allows her additional time to

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ask questions and I can check for understanding as well. Each time she comes back for a round of questions, I can also look at her completed work and point questions she might want to review. Student Grouping - This assessment provides an accurate measure of her individual progress towards achieving the learning goals and objectives of the unit. Materials, Technology, and/or Resources The student is able to utilize a multiplication chart as she relies heavily on it during in-class and homework assignments. This tool confirms her lack of number sense, however it aids her ability to complete each step-by-step process to solve prime factorization and addition and subtraction of fractions. Her math book and homework also correspond to the test. The test indicates (9-1, 9-5, etc.) what section corresponds to the text book, math notes, and homework assignments. This allows her to review previously completed work and look at text book examples. Her homework is always completed and corrected during class with a peer so she should have another great reference for the test.

4. Ways you will use the assessment results. (REQUIRED) Decisions The assessment results will be used to measure her ability to perform the tasks needed to meet the learning goals and objectives of the unit. They will also provide a unit grade for the third trimester. Student 2 has the opportunity to review each of her incorrectly answered questions at the conclusion of the unit to clarify missteps and review with myself, the teacher, or an instructional aid. There are no adaptations for the use of assessment results.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Understanding the learning goals and objectives of the unit and using mathematical language and processes are a constant throughout each unit. The concepts are used in all standardized testing. She will need to have the vocabulary and number sense in order to move forward with future units. All students who answer questions incorrectly have the opportunity to review and receive explanation in order to re teach and provide one-on-one or small group instruction.

5. Ways you will share the assessment results with students, families, and other colleagues and personnel, when appropriate. (REQUIRED) Decisions Assessment results will be shared with the students individually, results will be posted to the parent portal online, and tests will be sent home for parent-review the following day. There are no adaptations needed to the way the assessment results are shared for Student 2.

(REQUIRED) Rationale Test scores are given individually as to avoid comparison with other students and unnecessary conversation in the class room about test results. Student 2 also has two siblings in another 5th grade class. I am aware that tests need to be sent home the same day as her siblings so I do communicate with her sibling's teacher to make sure we are on the same "send home" schedule. However, she has always proven herself responsible to communicate her test scores to her parents so no additional notification is needed.

Step 4: Giving the Assessment to the Whole Class, Including Two Focus Students Directions: Give the assessment to your class. Collect and score all the evidence of student learning from the assessment. Consider all the assessment responses and select three responses of students other than your two focus students that represent the range of achievement within the class. Label these responses as Student 3, Student 4, and Student 5. Label the two focus students’ assessment responses as Student 1 and Student 2. Submit all five assessment responses. Review carefully the evidence of student learning you are submitting. Briefly, explain why you selected each of the following responses to represent the range of responses in the class: Note: If the assessment is oral or represents a student

performance, provide your description of the students’ responses and your written assessment of those responses, including the class as a whole, the three responses that represent the range of achievement in the class, and the two focus student responses.

(REQUIRED) Student 1 (EL focus student) This student is not only new to the school this year, but also has a 504 for ADHD in addition to qualifying as an English Language learner. He faces many challenges academically. His grades are impacted by his inability to comprehend the content based on a lack of academic vocabulary, number sense, and focus. However, he stands out socially. He was quickly accepted by his peers, is not afraid to ask questions or volunteer answers (although generally not in math), and has a jovial disposition.

(REQUIRED) Student 2 (SN focus student) This student is quite unique. She is a triplet. Her brother and sister are in another 5th grade general education class together. Her brother does not struggle with any academic content areas and performs average or above average with testing and assignments. Her sister does not score as high as her brother, but puts forth effort to maintain average grades and comprehends 5th grade content. The student I selected struggles with an auditory processing disability. Interestingly, my master teacher's son also has the same learning disability. Student 2's frustrations to comprehend the content are often visible during instruction and she wants so badly succeed.

(REQUIRED) Student 3 High Achieving Student: This female student is one of my personal favorites. She excels in all academic content areas. She is engaged during math instruction and asks great probing questions. It is evident through her homework, progress-monitoring quizzes and previous tests that she learns from her errors and uses models from in-class lessons to recreate problems and solutions.

(REQUIRED) Student 4 Average Achieving Student: This student also goes for extra math help in the afternoons with Student 1. She generally performs on the low achieving level, but has

also started attending an after school homework club and practicing her basic math facts. Previously, she was in detention daily for incomplete or non-existent homework assignments. The improvement in her score on this test was quite noticeable and I was very proud of her hard work and effort. Like Student 1 and Student 2, she really needs to try and put forth the effort in order to achieve learning for understanding.

(REQUIRED) Student 5 Low Achieving Student: It wasn't hard to predict this student's assessment outcome. She is also new to the school this year, and although not classified as ELL, I believe her language abilities are far below grade level and she also struggles with basic math facts. She has managed to "blend in" during class instruction and will volunteer to answer questions occasionally, but is often off task and does not always complete her homework assignments. She is also a twin. Her sister, who is academically higher, is in the same 5th grade class as Student 2's siblings.

Step 5: Analyzing Evidence of Student Academic Learning and the Assessment Directions: Consider your responses in Steps 1 through 4. Think about the evidence of student academic learning from the assessment. Answer the questions below for the whole class and for the two focus students. to cite specific evidence from the five responses that you have submitted. (This includes responses from the two focus students and from the three students you selected to represent the range of achievement with the class).

A. For the Class as a Whole (REQUIRED) 1. What did you learn overall about the students' progress toward achievement of the academic learning goal(s) for this part of the unit? I learned that approximately 2/3 of the class were successful based on the scoring measure of 70% or higher on the test. However, 11 out of the 31 students' scores reflected their lack of progress toward achievement of the learning goals. It was fairly easy to predict the students who would struggle with the

assessment, however there were several who generally receive higher scores. Several of these students lost points for failure to show their work. The sample of 5 students included in this assessment mimics the class as a whole. Those who showed work and put forth the effort to demonstrate understanding like Students 2, 3 and 4 all received ing scores. Those who did not show work and guessed on the multiple choice and short answer questions did not receive ing scores like Students 1 and 5.

(REQUIRED) 2. Describe the extent to which the assessment that you planned allowed students to demonstrate achievement of the academic learning goal(s) for this part of the unit. The assessment allowed students to demonstrate the academic learning goals of the unit because they not only had to select the correct answer, but also demonstrate how they solved the problem. The assessment questions also corresponded directly to the learning goals of the unit and included review from each of the 8 lessons. !

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Students demonstrate that composite numbers can be written as the product of their prime factors (Questions; 1, 4, 8, 9, 13 and 14). Students understand that the prime factorization of a composite number will always be the same and can be represented using a factor tree (Questions; 1, 4, 8, 9, 13 and 14).

These questions are highlighted in yellow on Student 1, 2, and 4's assessment as they were all chunked in order help the student focus on each function individually instead of having to switch functions in between questions. !

Students estimate sums and differences of fractions using a variety of techniques (Questions; 2, 5, and 11).

These questions are highlighted in pink on Student 1, 2, and 4's assessment as they were all chunked in order to help the student focus on each function individually instead of having to switch functions in between questions. !

Students solve the sum of fractions with unlike denominators (Questions; 3, 10, and 16).

These questions are highlighted in blue on Student 1, 2, and 4's assessment as they were all chunked in order to help the student focus on each function individually instead of having to switch functions in between questions. !

Students solve the difference of fractions with unlike denominators. (Questions; 6, 7, 12, 15 and 16).

These questions are highlighted in a pink circle on Student 1, 2, and 4's assessment as they were all chunked in order to help the student focus on each function individually instead of having to switch functions in between questions. !

Students understand the relationship between quantities in the some real-world problems are represented using a bar diagram and that the diagram can be analyzed to write a numerical equation that can be used to find the answer to the problem. (Question 15).

(REQUIRED) 3. Would you make any changes to the directions or to the format of the assessment? Why? I would allow for additional time and explanation of the directions of the assessment. We were rushed to get through the highlighting of the details and generally more information is written down (like add, subtract, etc.) next to each question. They are also encouraged to label their answers (like the answers on the scoring key) but we forgot to tell them during the directions so the assessment's scoring does not reflect labeling. The labeling demonstrates a student's understanding of what they are being asked to solve and also their reading comprehension abilities. I would not make any changes to the format of the test. During discussions with my master teacher, I've come to realize the tests mimic state standardized test questions and also relate more to real-world situations. Rather than testing a student's ability to simply perform a math equation, they must be able to interpret questions and solve them correctly. I believe this is Student 1's greatest difficulty since he cannot decipher what function the question is asking him to perform. The format is also exactly like their homework review prior to the unit test. If they put the effort into doing the homework, and paying attention while the questions are being reviewed the day prior to the test, they should be able to interpret the questions

on the unit assessment easily and solve the mathematical equations.

(REQUIRED) 4. Would you collect different or more evidence if you were to do this assessment again? Why? If I were to do this assessment again, I would like to collect the student-corrected review homework. The students are responsible for checking their work, and I believe this review assignment was a fantastic test preparation opportunity. Each of the questions was reviewed in class the day prior to the assessment. In fact, Student 2 was absent, and although she ed the test, I believe she would have scored even higher had she been present for the review. I think many of the students missed the opportunity because they either didn't complete the review homework or didn't pay attention during the in-class review. For the future, I would place a higher point value and emphasis on this assignment and make sure I collected evidence of students correcting their mistakes prior to istering the unit assessment. Based on the homework findings, I might also add in an additional day of review and focus on the problems I noticed students struggling with on the review homework. Many of the students lost interest during the review if they were already getting the correct answers on their homework assignment. Collecting and reviewing the homework might enable me to skip problems everyone seemed to grasp based on their work and correct answers.

(REQUIRED) 5. Was the implementation and timing of this assessment appropriate for this class? Why? The implementation and timing of this assessment was appropriate for this class. Students were taught the content of this unit over a two week period and each lesson enabled the students to achieve the learning goals and objectives of the unit in chunked portions. The class had also taken a progress monitoring quiz half way through the lesson and an additional day of review was added based on approximately 1/3 of the class scoring 3 or less out of 5 on the quiz. They were given ample time to complete in-class and homework assignments and also ask questions during correction and review. Students 1, 3, 4 and 5 were all present for the review session the day prior to the assessment, however Student 2 was absent. I believe she would have benefitted from

reviewing her assessment preparation homework and could have scored higher should she had taken the test either immediately after the review or on the following day.

(REQUIRED) 6. In what ways would a different type of assessment (e.g., verbal response, multiple choice, short essay, oral presentation, performance task) than what you used allow students to demonstrate their achievement of the academic learning goal(s) for this unit? The assessment given included multiple choice and short answer questions and required students to show their work on each of the sixteen problems. It would be difficult to assess the learning goals of this unit without the student putting pen to paper. The students could demonstrate a mastery of the unit's content through a performance task. The task could require students to write and solve their own open-ended math problems based on each of the unit's eight lessons. Verbal responses could also be assessed if a student were asked to tell about each step they used to solve a problem and how they achieved their answer. Although Student 3 would likely face no difficulty verbalizing her answers, Students 1, 2, 4, and 5 would struggle during explanation not only with using academic vocabulary, but also public speaking in general. With the time constraints of an every-day classroom, written mathematical assessments seem like the best option for students to demonstrate their achievement of the academic learning goals for this unit. The format of the assessment is also similar to the in-class and homework assignments.

B. For Student 1: An English Learner (REQUIRED) 1. To what extent were the assessment directions and format clear and easy to follow for the student? How do you know? The assessment directions and format were clear and easy to follow for Student 1. I know because the adaptations to his assessment required one-on-one delivery of instructions with additional aid given with highlighted colors. Once I gave him the instructions for each portion of the highlighted areas, I asked him to repeat the function he was supposed to perform and which numbers were involved in solving the problem. I noted that his highlighting during whole class instruction

was minimal and often incorrect, but with the additional time spent directing him, he was aware of the tasks, focused, and knew what he was supposed to do.

(REQUIRED) 2. To what extent did the student achieve the academic learning goals for this part of the unit? Sadly, Student 1 did not achieve the academic learning goals for this mathematical unit. He received a mere 10.5 points out of a possible 32. I believe his lack of number sense and inability to perform simple math (adding and subtracting) hinder his ability to follow the steps necessary to solve a problem without making a mathematical error. I also think that even with additional explanation, his lack of academic vocabulary knowledge combined with his ADHD cause of lack of focus and an inability to read the questions carefully enough to decipher what functions he being asked to perform. Even with the highlighting and reminders, his effort toward achieving a ing score is virtually nonexistent. He doesn't show his work and races to finish without reviewing any of his answers.

(REQUIRED) 3. How well did the student's assessment response correspond to the work the student does on a daily basis? (Was the response that you expected from the student?) Unfortunately Student 1's assessment response corresponds with his daily work and was expected. His in-class math notes are often illegible and incomplete. He is given a copy of the teacher's notes at the conclusion of each lesson for his math journal. His completion of homework is inconsistent and even though he receives additional math instruction in the afternoon with an instructional aid, I do not think the time is beneficial because she has the teacher's edition of the math book and simply gives him the answers without explanation after he's tried to solve the problem. When I worked with him during in-class small group instruction, he wasn't able to solve a mathematical equation without step by step assistance. I noticed that he never reviewed his notes or used the multiplication chart during in-class work or even on the test. He's always in a hurry to finish, even if he knows the answer is incorrect.

(REQUIRED) 4. What different or additional type of evidence might you need to collect for the student? As mentioned during whole class analyzation, I would collect and review the homework assignment that mimics the unit assessment. I believe the evidence collected (homework and progress-monitoring quiz) and teacher observation throughout the unit provided a clear picture of this student's needs. I do not believe he is working to his full potential and plan to add additional basic math fact assignments to his homework in order to help him strengthen his number sense. These basic math fact assignments will also be what he takes during his time with the instructional aid.

(REQUIRED) 5. What does the student's response tell you about his or her academic strengths and/or needs? Student 1 is far below grade level in math and reading. His responses on the assessment indicate his lack of attention to detail and inability to solve the problems. Even though he was given additional verbal instructions and his test was highlighted to indicate the function he needed to perform, he didn't show work on any of the multiple choice questions and minimal work on the short answer questions. I attribute his responses to his lack of academic vocabulary and number sense. Although identified as ELL, he does not need directions translated into Spanish. Rather, I think he has a lack of foundational knowledge in math and struggles with reading comprehension. When asked to orally read the questions, one would most likely not identify him as an ELL. However, when he was asked to interpret the problem and identify the key words to solve (even though they are underlined on his test), he struggled. This student needs a stronger academic system outside the classroom and more time in class, or in RTI, to build up his foundational knowledge. Since he has only been at the school for 2.5 months, he has not been tested for any additional RTI needs. I believe he will qualify based on his SRI scores and grades during the second half of the trimester.

(REQUIRED) 6. Based on the student's response, describe next steps you would take with the student to further his or her academic achievement in the content area?

To further Student 1's academic achievement in mathematics, I would try to incorporate basic math facts. He needs to spend additional time practicing addition, subtraction, learning his multiplication table, and simple division. I also think he would benefit from a vocabulary list at the beginning of each unit highlighting the key and giving him a "head start" on to practice. I would encourage him to make flash cards with the and possible steps to solve and study those for the assessment's as well. After observing his practice of speeding through the test questions and not using any additional resources, I might also encourage him to have a timer that requires he spend a minimum amount of time trying to solve each question. Additionally, I will offer him the opportunity to take his test in a quiet, private testing environment where he would hopefully feel more comfortable using his additional resources (math notes, vocabulary list or note cards, homework, and quizzes).

(REQUIRED) 7. Describe the ways in which specific adaptations you made to your assessment plan did or did not work. I am disappointed the adaptations made to his test were not more successful. We have been working on ways to adapt his assessments and believed chunking would have been beneficial to his scoring outcome. He was able to use his math book, math notes and a multiplication chart, yet chose not to refer to any of them during the assessment. I think this did not work because he was worried about how his adaptations might look in front of other students who did not have the ability to use the same resources. I think the chunking did help him understand some of the word problems and the functions he needed to perform. Based on the work he did show on the test, he knew what prime factorization looked like and where to subtract and add, but he simply couldn't perform the mathematical functions or follow the steps necessary to solve the problem.

(REQUIRED) 8. In what ways did the assessment this student's language abilities? This assessment ed the student's development of academic vocabulary. Throughout the unit he learned mathematical like prime factorization, least common denominator, more than, less than, composite, sum and difference. These were highlighted on the assessment in order to assist his ability to reference materials and be able to filter through the word

problems in order to decipher the information needed to solve them. The one-on-one instruction of the highlighted areas also assisted his language abilities because it allowed me to clarify his objectives for each question and enabled him to ask questions in a safe environment.

(REQUIRED) 9. If you were to give the assessment to the student again, what changes, if any, would you make? Why? Student 1 rushes through his assessment in order to "get it out of the way." He does not seem invested in trying to succeed, rather just wants to get the inevitable out of the way. After observing his practice of speeding through the test questions and not using any additional resources, I would encourage him slow down, take more frequent breaks (even more than between highlighted sessions), and offer him the opportunity to take his test in a quiet, private testing environment where he would hopefully feel more comfortable using his additional resources (math notes, vocabulary list or note cards, homework, and quizzes). There is a lot of trial and error with this student right now as we learn more about him and try to find methods that will help him catch up to grade level standards despite his language and ADHD difficulties.

(REQUIRED) 10. What would be your next steps in planning to facilitate this student's English Language Development? My next steps to facilitate Student 1's English Language Development would be to encourage more reading and practicing academic vocabulary with all content areas. In regards to mathematical content, I think he would benefit from a vocabulary list at the beginning of each unit highlighting the key and giving him a "head start" on to practice. I would encourage him to make flash cards with the and possible steps to solve and study those for the assessment's as well. The key to this student's success is also getting . He continues to be seated close to the teacher and we've tried several bilingual students next to him. I think we've found a good partner now, and they will continue to assist each other's learning. His mother also plays an integral part in his success and communication with her will be sent on a daily basis in order to help her assist him at home with homework and practicing vocabulary.

C. Student 2: A Student with an Identified Special Need (REQUIRED) 1. To what extent were the assessment directions and format clear and easy to follow for the student? How do you know? The assessment directions and format were clear and easy to follow for Student 2. I know because the adaptations to her assessment required one-on-one delivery of instructions with additional aid given with highlighted colors. Once I gave her the instructions for each portion of the highlighted areas, I asked her to repeat the function she was supposed to perform and which numbers were involved in solving the problem. Her highlighting was almost identical to the whole class instructions and she didn't ask any questions once she began working on her assessment. This is typically not the case, as she usually has several questions during math assessments. When I reviewed her assessment after each highlighted section, she was showing her work and using a multiplication chart. I did notice that she struggled with estimating, but do not believe this was associated with directions or format of the test.

(REQUIRED) 2. To what extent did the student achieve the academic learning goals for this part of the unit? Student 2 did an average job of achieving the academic learning goals for this mathematical unit. She received 24 points out of a possible 32, which is equivalent to a 75%. She fell almost exactly in the middle of the class, with 16 scoring higher than 24 points and 14 scoring lower than 24 points. I think she worked hard to process each questions, decipher what function it was requiring her to perform, and show how she solved the problem. I believe her greatest struggle was not with the math itself, rather making sure she read and understood each question and didn't miss multiple steps she was asked to perform in order to solve the problem.

(REQUIRED) 3. How well did the student's assessment response correspond to the work the student does on a daily basis?

(Was the response that you expected from the student?) The assessment results correspond with her daily work quite well. She tries very hard during in-class instruction to understand the content and participate in the example problems. She often comes to small group instruction to clarify the necessary math steps needed to solve the in-class work and asks questions when we review homework the following day. She struggles most with the word problems during daily work as well. This difficulty is also reflected on her assessment. Although she does complete all the in-class work and homework, I noticed that she did not utilize her work, math notes, or math book as references during the assessment.

(REQUIRED) 4. What different or additional type of evidence might you need to collect for the student? As mentioned during whole class analyzation, I would collect and review the homework assignment the mimics the assessment. I believe the evidence collected (homework and progress-monitoring quiz) and teacher observation throughout the unit provided a clear picture of this student's needs. I think she is working hard, but needs to further utilize her adaptations. I predict she would score even higher on the assessment had she reviewed her notes and visually seen the steps for each of the highlighted sections. I also think she would have benefited from being at school during the review of the homework assignment that mimicked the assessment.

(REQUIRED) 5. What does the student's response tell you about his or her academic strengths and/or needs? Student 2 is working very hard to improve on her academic weaknesses. She still lacks a strong number sense compared to other 5th graders, but continues to improve and maintain average grades. Her responses on the assessment are indicative of her struggles with reading comprehension and following multi-step processes. Most of the problems she answered incorrectly on the assessment involved problems that required her to analyze more than one problem in order to solve. I think her basic math facts are strong, but she needs to practice her multiplication facts and continue to focus on the important details of the each question rather than get caught up in the extra words. Her continual attendance at RTI and

from home will aid in her continued academic improvement and success.

(REQUIRED) 6. Based on the student's response, describe next steps you would take with the student to further his or her academic achievement in the content area? To further Student 2's academic achievement in mathematics, I would continue to encourage her to utilize her resources and practice her multiplication. She is able to grasp the mathematical steps when she writes down the order and highlights key . She also does well using mnemonic devices. I've even had her start cheering her sentences to help her memorize the steps of mixed numbers and improper fractions. During future assessments, I also plan to offer her the opportunity to test in a private testing environment. This may make her feel more comfortable using her additional adaptations of a math book, notes, and unit assignments.

(REQUIRED) 7. Describe the ways in which specific adaptations you made to your assessment plan did or did not work. I am pleased to note that I think the adaptations made to Student 2's assessment were successful. I think chunking the problems together to help her perform the same functions helped her focus on a single (addition, subtraction, prime factorization, estimating) function rather than get confused reading from question to question. During a previous test we also attempted to chunk the test by highlighting, but gave her the test in its entirety. It was evident she did not do the problems that were highlighted together and continued to answer the questions in numerical order. Based on this knowledge, for this assessment we only highlighted the problems she was supposed to work on. Once she completed a section, she had to come back and ask for the additional problems in the next group and it also gave me an opportunity to review the problems she'd solved and point out problems she might want to review.

(REQUIRED) 8. In what ways did the assessment this student's language abilities? This assessment ed the student's development of academic vocabulary. Throughout the unit she learned mathematical like prime factorization, least common denominator, more than, less than, composite,

sum and difference. These were highlighted on the assessment in order to assist her ability to reference materials and be able to filter through the word problems in order to decipher the information needed to solve them. The one-on-one instruction of the highlighted areas also assisted her language abilities because it allowed me to clarify her objectives for each question and enabled her to ask questions in a safe environment.

(REQUIRED) 9. If you were to give the assessment to the student again, what changes, if any, would you make? Why? Student 2 did a very thorough job answering the questions on the assessment and making sure she reviewed her answers prior to turning it in for scoring. I did note that she did not take advantage of the ability to use her math notes, math book, or corrected homework assignments. If I were to give the assessment to the student again, I would have a conversation with her about the adaptations available to her and gauge whether or not she was uncomfortable using with her peers in the classroom or simply felt like she didn't need them. If she were uncomfortable, I would offer a private testing environment to make her feel at ease about having the additional resources during the assessment. If she felt she didn't need them, I would explore the possibilities of scoring improvement with her should she choose to use the additional adaptations. I think the chunking worked well and plan to continue using this technique with her mathematical assessments in the future. As mentioned previously, I did feel like we rushed through the directions and highlighting, so I would take additional time for explanation and to have he student label their answers (as shown on the answer key).

Step 6: Reflection on Assessment Implementation and Student Learning Directions: Read your response for Steps 1 to 5. Consider what you have learned through the Assessing Learning task about

your students, what you wanted them to learn, their responses to the assessment, and your analysis of the evidence of student learning. Respond to the prompts below.

(REQUIRED) 1. If you were given an opportunity to use the assessment again, what part(s) would you keep and what part(s) might you change? Why? If I were given the opportunity to use this assessment again, I think I would keep the assessment the same. I've had several discussions with my master teacher about why the testing revolves around word problems and not numerical equations. I do think that many of the students are able to perform the functions of addition and subtractions of fractions with numerical data, but cannot interpret the word problems in order to solve them correctly. Since the implementation of Common Core, using real-world scenarios and testing for applicable knowledge has a much greater emphasis. This math program (Pearson) strives to adapt to the Common Core State Standards and also make the content relatable to students. Although I think it presents an academic challenge, they are the skills students must possess in order to continue to be successful during their tenure in education. The unit assessment covers each topic of the unit and also mimics many of the problems students have solved on homework assignments. If the student practices (even with a poor number sense) and does the work, they are set up to succeed using this assessment.

(REQUIRED) 2. If you were given an opportunity to implement the assessment again, what would you do the same and what would you do differently? Why? If given the opportunity to implement the assessment again, I would continue to review each question with the students and highlight the important details they need to know in order to solve the problem. This helps the students focus on the important details of each question and gives them an opportunity to ask questions prior to taking the assessment. It also allows their fellow classmates the opportunity to hear questions and clarify any misinterpretations they might have had as well. However, I would allow for additional time and explanation of the directions for the assessment. We were rushed to get through the highlighting of the details and generally more information is written down (like add, subtract, etc.) next to each question. This is

step I would not skip if giving the assessment again. They are also encouraged to label their answers (like the answers on the scoring key) but we forgot to tell them during the directions so the assessment's scoring does not reflect labeling. The labeling demonstrates a student's understanding of what they are being asked to solve and also their reading comprehension abilities.

(REQUIRED) 3. What additional information about your students did you learn as a result of this assessment experience? I learned a tremendous amount about all my students, but especially the two focus students. I was able to sit in on a triennial IEP for Student 2 and hear of her academic progress. I was also able to sit in on an annual 504 review for Student 1. In addition, I was able to look through their cumulative folders and gain insight into their academic journey thus far. I learned a great deal about auditory processing deficiencies and also the important of academic vocabulary across all content areas. It was also interesting observing the varying degrees of motivation while watching the students take the assessment. Many had highlighted the directions incorrectly and not taken any notes while I gave the instructions for the assessment. Based on in-class and homework assignments that I reviewed, it was fairly easy to predict the outcome of most student's scores. Those who put in the time practicing the math by completing homework and participating during inclass instruction faired much better than the other students who did not do the assignments and had incomplete in-class math notes.

(REQUIRED) 4. How will you use what you have learned from this assessment experience when you plan instruction and assessment in the future? This experience taught me a great deal about deriving instruction based on assessment. Although my initial impression of the unit assessment was confused as to why the entire test should be word problems, I realize now that the curriculum is heavily driven by Common Core Standards and the ability for each student to state testing. I think the greatest value in completing this assessment experience has been getting to know the students. I believe knowing my future students well and learning about their academic, social and physical strengths will help me modify assessments to set up all

students for success. I also realize after evaluating my efforts during this process that I will have to continually be looking for new ways to assess learning. Just because an assessment is written down in a teacher's edition, doesn't mean I have to use it. I plan to challenge myself in the future to adapt assessments to make them more relatable to the students. I also think students should set their own personal goal as to what they want to achieve on the assessment. I noticed that many don't feel responsible for their own learning outcomes and I think having them set up their own expectation for assessment performance will challenge them to score higher and learn more academic content.

(REQUIRED) 5. What are your goals for increasing your knowledge and skill in assessment? How will achieving these goals help you become a more effective teacher? I love Carol Tomlinson's quote, "Assessment is today's means of understanding how to modify tomorrow's instruction." My goals for increasing my knowledge and skill in assessment are: to learn more about how to incorporate students into the goal setting and assessment preparation process, how to modify instruction in order increase potential success on an assessment based on student's progress and teacher observations, and how to match the appropriate assessment to the task. There are many tools like rubrics, tests, quizzes, worksheets, etc. to use when assessing student learning. Often I become overwhelmed by the myriad of options available and hope to become more comfortable matching the right assessment to a lesson or unit to best serve my students' learning. In order to achieve these goals I plan to continue utilizing the best resource I know, other teachers. Veteran and even rookie teachers provide great insight into what has worked and hasn't worked for them based on experience. Although sometimes it's difficult to find time to ask the questions, I think learning from those who have come before me is paramount to me becoming an effective teacher. I've also learned that assessment is a continual process, drives instruction and should be differentiated for learners who might need modifications. In order to be effective, I have to know my students. Throughout the completion of this task, I've realized "need to know my students" spans much wider than a preassessment. In order to be more effective, I need to take the time to research through cumulative files, ask previous teachers about a student's strengths and weaknesses, and

directly ask the students about their learning styles, preferences, etc. I want them to feel as invested in the success of their education as I do.