Formative assessment is an ongoing process that involves gathering and analyzing evidence of students’ thinking, then using what is learned to inform instruction.
See how students are thinking about the characteristics of matter, how matter changes, modeling matter, and more with this set of formative assessment tasks designed for students in grades 5–8.
There are many ways to use these tasks to augment existing instructional activities, however, the tasks are not intended for use as end-of-unit tests or final assessments, nor are they a complete curriculum.
These tasks are an ideal complement to WestEd’s Making Sense of Student Work PLC protocol — a guide that supports groups of teachers collaboratively analyzing and interpreting student work to inform their instruction.
Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.
Marie Curie
- Type: PDF
- Audience: For teachers & coaches
Companion Resources & Services
Matter Course Materials
This comprehensive set of materials supports the professional learning in our 5-day Matter course.
Making Sense of Student Work PLC Protocol
This protocol supports professional learning communities in collaboratively analyzing student work and uncovering the value in high-quality formative assessment.
Leading a Making Sense of Student Work PLC
Prepare teacher leaders to support and lead PLC meetings using the Making Sense of Student Work protocol. Support for how to use the protocol in-person or remotely are provided.