Formative Assessments at work...

Don't forget to assess as you go....
Yesterday, we did a ramp experiment where we learned that speed is determined by time and distance of movement.  Our investigation today, was very similar with a few changes.

I started off by reviewing what we had learned so far.  I wanted to know if they had gotten the concepts I had taught yet...
  • Force - push/pull, gravity
  • Motion - movement, measured by speed (distance and time) and described by changes in position (directions: up, down, forward, back)
  • Friction - caused by two objects rubbing against each other, some surfaces slow objects down (rough, bumpy) others speed it up (smooth or oiled)
So I asked the kids to do a 3, 2, 1

3 things you know about Motion
2 things you know about Force
1 thing you know about Friction





The next step is to take the samples and sort them.  I mark who got it according to the criteria I had already set, and then am able to find mistakes and misunderstanding.  For example, one of my students wrote that force was the same as speed.  Hmmmm...not so much!  Another thing I noticed, when I took a sampling as a pre-assessment not many kids had mentioned a pull as a force.  This time they all did.  Phew!

Tomorrow - pictures from the friction activity...and a lesson plan as well.



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