running head: assessing student learning · it helps teachers work towards bridging gaps that may...

Running Head: ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING

Assessing Student Learning

High Point University

ASSESSING STUDENT LEARNING 2

Part One: Formative Assessment

Introduction of Formative Assessment

The use of formative assessment in any elementary classroom is the cornerstone for

modifying instruction to most benefit students. As oppose to summative assessment, formative

assessment allows seeing within the students learning as a process instead of an end product.

According to Kathryn Ecclestone’s research article entitled Making Formative Assessment Work,

“formative assessment is not just about techniques and activities; it takes different forms

depending on the dynamics of a learning culture” (2006). By actively building upon the

knowledge acquired from formative assessments, teachers can add supportive methods to

instruction, which better supports each learner in the classroom. There is an array of tools to

utilize in a classroom to formatively assess students based on personalized learning needs such

as: observation, journaling, growth portfolios, conferencing, detailed rubrics, or think, pair, and

share activities. Each of these tools allows students to showcase the knowledge acquired in order

for the teacher to continuously gain better insight into what needs a student may have. The data

collected from formative assessment is an accurate portrayal of what concepts are clicking with

the students and which ones are not. Therefore, it is essential that this data is analyzed and

applied to future instructional measures in order to meet all level of students in the most

supportive way.

The differing roles between the teacher and student are also important to understand

throughout the entire process of gathering and understanding assessment data. Teachers should

be mindful to integrate both simplistic and intensive modes of formative assessment and respond

to the data collected. Teachers should also share structured advice and comments with the


students in order to challenge them to continuously refine their learning. Students need to take

ownership for the work produced and accept suggestions as well as offer comments about

expectations for a particular assignment. Goals that are clear and specific towards each student

should be in place in order to eliminate any confusion for how to improve upon future

performance. Teachers need to invest time and energy in giving assistance to students that need

to set and work towards these goals in order to gain a true understanding (Crumrine & Demers,

2007).

Formative assessment tools should be incorporated and utilized by all classroom teachers.

They serve as ongoing evaluations of our students in order to guide them in their future

endeavors as being owners of their learning. It is solely an assessment for learning, not just of

learning, by both the teacher and student. It helps teachers work towards bridging gaps that may

exist between what a student understands about a concept and what a student is having more

difficulty with. By gathering this valuable data, teachers are more capable to change

instructional practices they are doing based on the responses from their students (Crumrine &

Demers, 2007).

Formative Assessment Data

Data was collected from a second grade class at Friendship Elementary School by

method of performing a running record. Each student was asked to read a selected text to the

teacher in order to be assessed on his or her reading capabilities. The chart below represents the

scores, which highlights each individual’s percentage out of 100 on a specified letter reading

level as they begin second grade.


Table 1: Whole Class Performance

Table 1 listed above organizes students into different distinct reading levels based off of

their percentage of accuracy rate while reading. The two columns in purple list each student’s

percentage out of 100 correlating with a reading level between G and N. The portion of the chart

above in green, sorts through the students’ performance in order to gain an overall understanding

for the number of students at each reading level.

Seco

nd G

rade

Stu

dent

s

Runn

ing

Reco

rd L

evel

Read

ing

Leve

lHector 100.0 N Number of Level G Readers 1

Sally 100.0 I Number of Level H Readers 2

Lucy 93.0 I Number of Level I Readers 8

Julie 100.0 I Number of Level J Readers 0

Rachel 99.6 L Number of Level K Readers 7

Lester 98.0 K Number of Level L Readers 2

Amelia 100.0 K Number of Level M Readers 0

Luke 99.6 H Number of Level N Readers 1

Grady 98.0 L

Virginia 100.0 I

Chad 96.0 K

Dustin 99.0 K

Emma 95.0 G

Jack 97.0 I

Samuel 98.0 I

Steve 97.0 I

Susie 98.0 K

Anthony 97.0 H

Jeorge 97.0 I

Kristin 99.0 K

Jessica 99.0 K


Data Analysis

Table 2: Running Record Reading Levels

Table 2 shows a visual representation for the six main reading levels that students

are at in this particular second grade class. These six distinct levels include, G, H, I, K, L, and N,

are organized by using a variety of colors. Level G, the lowest level, is represented in light pink

and level N, the highest level, is represented in forest green. The levels falling in between these

levels include level H, which is in red, level I, in purple, level K, in orange, and level L, in blue.

Whole Class Performance

According to the data in Table 2, the majority of the second grade class falls into reading

levels between level G and level N. Students are expected to be reading on a level I when they

enter second grade and a level M at the conclusion of second grade with at least a 95% accuracy

rate out of 100%. Out of the 22 students analyzed, there is one level G reader, two level H

88.0

90.0

92.0

94.0

96.0

98.0

100.0

102.0

Pe

rce

nta

ge

ou

t o

f 1

00

Second Grade Students

Running Record Reading Levels

Level G Level H Level I Level K Level L Level N


readers, eight level I readers, eight level K readers, two level L readers, and one level N reader.

The one level G reader scored a 95% out of 100% on the particular running record used

depending on their success at the level. The two students on reading level H average together

with a 96.5% out of 100% on the specific running record used. The average scores for the eight

students on reading level I is 97.6% out of 100%. The next level represented by students is level

K, which is true for eight readers in the class. The average of their running record scores is 99%

out of 100%. The two students on reading level I average together with a 99.8% out of 100% on

the specific running record used. The last level represented by this class is a reading level N,

which is true for 1 student. This student scored a 100% out of 100% on the specific running

record used. As a whole, the students in this class fall within the range of level G to level N with

several students considered to be in need due to their reading level. In referring to the targeting

instruction for Davidson County Schools, students are expected to have reached reading level I

by the end of May in first grade. The expected reading level for a student coming into second

grade in September is also a reading level I. By the month of October of students’ second grade

year, it is hoped that they progress to reading level J. As a whole, 19 of the 22 students, or about

86%, in this second grade class are reading on grade level based off current running records

taken.

Individuals Not at a Proficient Level

Students that fall into levels below level I are considered to not be at a proficient level.

The three students reading below level I are Emma, Luke, and Anthony. Emma is reading on a

level G which means she is performing at a level most first graders in the month of March are

reading at. She scored a 95% out of 100% on this level meaning she barely met the minimum

range of 95-100% accuracy rate done independently. Both Luke and Anthony are reading on a


level H, which means they are performing at a level categorized as where first grade students at

the end of April should be. Luke performed at an accuracy rate of 99.6% out of 100% on level H

meaning he was able to complete the running record successfully and independently. Anthony

performed at an accuracy rate of 97%, which still places him in the range of being able to

complete the running record mostly on his own.

Discussion of Methods and Modifications

Due to the wide range of reading levels represented by this second grade class, it is

essential that varied modes of instructional modifications be in place to best support this group of

learners. In order to successfully meet curriculum objectives associated with teaching a social

studies unit, students need to be met where they are academically and then supported into

moving ahead further. An instructional modification consideration would be to ensure that

collaborative learning groups are mixed and varied. According to Marlow Ediger’s research

article entitled Mentoring In the Social Studies, the importance of small group learning with

engaging lesson activities are essential for student performance. With active involvement of all

students, there will also be fewer distractions, which may inhibit learning progress (2011). In

response to this researched practice, many opportunities for hands on learning will be present for

teaching the social studies unit on understanding and reading maps. Therefore, both proficient

and struggling students need to be mixed in groups working on an assignment or learning project

together. This serves the purpose of allowing proficient readers to thrive in an environment in

which non-proficient readers can also be supported.

An additional method of accommodating the needs of these students would be to offer

more clear guidance to the non-proficient readers with writing assignments. Due to their

difficulties in reading, these students will also struggle with feeling successful in writing


activities. Therefore, opportunities to guide students in styles and the art of writing should be

taken advantage of. This goal could be met by giving individualized attention to the three non-

proficient readers or by integrating mini writing craft lessons into whole group lesson plans that

have a writing component to follow the instructional phase. It may also be beneficial to offer

sample work for an assignment providing students the ability to correlate the expectations with

an end product.

In order to monitor the progress and struggles students on a variety of reading levels may

be experiencing, a working portfolio would be a supportive tool to incorporate into the

developed curriculum unit. In addition to formatively assessing students throughout the entirety

of each lesson, a working portfolio would serve as offering a timeline of student growth over the

duration of the curriculum unit taught. The development of the working portfolio should be

tracked as the unit evolves to target what specific concepts or application ideas students need

more instruction on.

Students who have understood concepts presented early on can act as great facilitators of

learning in a small group or one on one tutoring setting. This type of setting can be achieved by

providing students opportunities to read texts utilized in the unit with other students having

difficulties. During a reading session, students can monitor each other’s progress and take time

to discuss concepts mentioned in the text. Peers can serve as each other’s tutors when trying to

handle fresh concepts introduced in a variety of ways throughout the progression of the unit.

Offering students interaction with a variety of materials to work with will also be

supportive for students in all reading levels. Given that students on a wide range of reading

levels cannot all be met by only using textbooks or workbooks, other modes should be infused.

For the developed curriculum unit on maps, offering many ways to interact with maps will be


essential. There will be opportunities for hands on activities, examining digital maps, creating

their own maps, and reading maps to get to an end product. Depending on a students learning

style, their needs can be met by utilizing different formats to help with reading or creating maps.

Conclusion

Integrating multiple modes of gathering formative assessment data on students is key to

benefiting students and meeting their diverse learning needs. Formatively assessing students

allows teachers to see within students, as they are a part of the learning process instead of only

assessing an end product. The degree to which teachers and students utilize the knowledge

gained from formative assessment is what really matters. By gathering and analyzing data to

represent who students are as learners, teachers can better modify instructional choices to bridge

gaps that may exist. As Ecclestone highlights in the article, this type of assessment “…takes

different forms depending on the dynamics of a learning culture” (2006). Formative assessment

is intentional to assess for learning, not just of learning, by both the teacher and student.

Part Two: Classroom Assessment and Reflection

Introduction of Unit

The literacy infused unit topic is the reading and understanding of different types

of maps. This unit is intended for a second grade classroom and meets two main Common Core

standards. The Social Studies essential standard is 2.G.1, which states, “Use geographic

representations, terms, and technology to process information from a spatial perspective.” One

clarifying objective used throughout this unit is 2.G.1.1, which states, “Interpret the maps of the

school and community that contain symbols, legends, and cardinal directions.” The other

clarifying objective used is 2.G.1.2, which states, “Interpret the meaning of symbols and the


location of physical and human features on a map.” These two main clarifying objectives were

used to address maps such as bedroom, classroom, school, community, state, and world maps.

The two-week unit begins by introducing students to different map terms through the use of

stations. This foundation of knowledge introduced from the beginning is used and built upon for

the remainder nine lesson plans. Students explore and create their own bedroom maps, fantasy

maps, classroom maps, and the community maps in other parts of the world. Students are also

exposed to the United States map and later taught how to understand the building up of where

they are located on the map, to the complexity of a world map.

Assessment Plan

The fairy tale map lesson plan was taught in the second grade classroom and was

centered on the fairy tale The Little Red Riding Hood. Students were assessed on their ability to

utilize the ActivInspire fairy tale presentation to create and sketch a map of the forest Little Red

Riding Hood traveled through. Students were also assessed on their understanding of cardinal

directional names and parts of a map legend by them creating creative and clear written

directions for how Little Red Riding Hood went to grandma’s house. The rubric used evaluated

students on their level of meeting the objectives addressed through the use of the following

symbols: +, , -, or 0. The + is translated into a score of a three which is given if the student

is able to show a detailed understanding of the content presented. The is translated into score

of a two which is given if the student shows sufficient understanding of the content presented.

The - is translated into a score of a one which is given if the student shows inadequate

understanding of the content presented. The 0 is given if the student shows no understanding of

the content presented. Each specific Common Core standard that is covered in the lesson plan is

addressed through the means of the rubric.


Lesson Plan 3

Title: Fairy Tale Maps

Essential Standard(s):

Social Studies 2.G.1 Use geographic representations, terms, and technology to process

information from a spatial perspective.

o Clarifying Objective 2.G.1.2: Interpret the meaning of symbols and the location

of physical and human features on a map (cities, railroads, highways, countries,

continents, oceans, etc.).

English Language Arts and Reading – Speaking and Listening Standard

o Comprehension and Collaboration Standard 2: Recount or describe key ideas

or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other

media.

English Language Arts and Reading – Reading Standards for Literature

o Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Standard 7: Use information gained from

the illustrations and words in print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of

its characters, setting, or plot.

NC Professional Teaching Standard IV

o Teachers integrate and utilize technology in their instruction

Grade: 2nd

Essential Question: How can the story details in a fairy tale be used to create a map?

Vocabulary: cardinal directions, (north, south, east, west), symbols, fairy tale

Materials: The Little Red Riding Hood text using ActivInspire resource (Back-up plan: Red

Riding Hood by James Marshall), Smart Board, small Little Red Riding Hood cut-outs for each

student, larger sized piece of construction paper, notebook paper, larger white piece of paper for

each student

Engagement: Students will be shown an opening slide of a picture from The Little Red Riding

Hood text and asked if they have ever read it before. The teacher will ask if they ever knew that

there is a map hidden inside of the story. Students will be told about exploring this hidden map

by listening to the story and working with manipulative pieces. The Little Red Riding Hood will

be read by the teacher using the ActivInspire flip chart to walk through the words of the story

and the pictures.

Exploration: As the teacher reads through the story, students will be asked to manipulate the

paper cut-outs of the characters and houses from the story depending on what they hear.

Students will be told that they can move their pieces around on the piece of construction paper as

they hear more of the story read aloud and the location of things may seem to change. Minimal

guidance will be given at this stage since students will be encouraged to use the information they

hear and apply it to their interactive map.


Explanation: The teacher will explain to students that a map is an aerial or above view of

something. The teacher will ask students if the map that they just created using the paper cut-

outs is an above view of the path little red riding hood took or not. Students will be shown the

map that the teacher created of the story and how it was imagined under the document camera.

The teacher will also model to students how to draw this map from above on a new sheet of

paper. The teacher will review the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west) with students

by giving examples of where things are located on the map from the fairy tale. The teacher will

ask students to look at their own map and describe the location of something by raising their

hand and sharing. A brief discussion about a map legend will take place here and the teacher

will model how to create a symbol for the legend using the map.

Elaboration: Students will also be asked to use a different sheet of paper to draw the more

detailed map using the paper cut-outs as a guide. This map should be what it would look like

from an aerial view. They will be asked to draw the symbol for things they put on their map in

the map legend. Once they have created this map, students will reflect in writing. They will

write a few sentences using directional names and drawing the symbols from the legend to

explain what they think would be the best path for Little Red Riding Hood to take to get to

grandma’s house.

Evaluation: The teacher will evaluate students’ understanding of how to create maps from

information learned by observing their interaction with the manipulatives while the story is read.

Students will also be assessed by looking at the second map and the map legend they created to

see if it matches appropriately with what they included. The writing assignment will be

evaluated by seeing how well students used their story knowledge and map to offer a clear path

to grandma’s house using map terms and symbols.

Modifications: The unique learner tends to become easily distracted by things inside his desk

during times of instruction so the teacher will make sure he has all things put away except for the

paper cut-outs and the construction paper for the first component. The unique learner also

thrives off being able to challenge himself so the teacher will ask him to explain two different

routes Little Red Riding Hood could take to grandma’s house instead of just one for the writing

assignment.


+ Shows detailed understanding of the content presented (Student can see and express in

words how the objective relates to their understanding)

Shows sufficient understanding of the content presented (Student can express little

connection for how the objective relates to their understanding)

- Shows inadequate understanding of the content presented (Student is not able to

express a connection for how the objective relates to their understanding)

0 Shows no understanding of the content presented

Student

Interprets the

meaning of

the map

symbols and

location of

story elements

(SS 2.G.1.2)

Uses pictures

and content of

the story to

create a

meaningful

map

(ELA Sta. 2)

Provides written

directions

including map

terms/symbols to

follow the path

(ELA Sta. 7)

Written

directions are

creative and

provide

sufficient detail.

(ELA Sta. 7)

Teacher

Comments

Hector

Sally

Lucy

Julie

Rachel

Lester

Amelia

Luke

Grady

Virginia

Chad

Dustin

Emma

Jack

Samuel

Steve

Susie

Anthony

Jeorge

Kristin

Jessica


Data and Analysis of Assessment

Lesson Plan Assessment Data

Student

Interprets the

meaning of the

map symbols and

location of story

elements

(SS 2.G.1.2)

Uses pictures and

content of the

story to create a

meaningful map

(ELA Sta. 2)

Provides written

directions

including map

terms/symbols to

follow the path

(ELA Sta. 7)

Hector 3 3 3

Sally 2 2 1

Lucy 3 3 0

Julie Absent

Rachel 3 3 1

Lester 3 3 3

Amelia Absent

Luke Absent

Grady 3 3 3

Virginia 3 3 1

Chad 3 3 2

Dustin 3 3 3

Emma 3 3 2

Jack 3 3 2

Samuel 3 3 3

Steve 3 3 1

Susie 3 3 3

Anthony Absent

Jeorge 2 2 2

Kristin 3 3 2

Jessica 3 2 2

Table 3: Lesson Plan Assessment Data

Table 3 shows the scoring for each student based on their performance level on the

assignment given. Different components of the lesson and activity are connected with a

particular Common Core standard covered in the lesson. Students range in receiving a score

between zero and three with three demonstrating a detailed understanding of the content

presented. Students were assessed on one Social Studies objective and two English Language


Art objectives to cover the map content presented. There is no data to assess for four students

because they were absent on the day this lesson was taught. These students include Julie,

Amelia, Luke, and Anthony.

Table 4: Fairy Tale Map Lesson Assessment Data

Table 4 shows the results of students’ performance for the three main objectives covered

in this lesson. The level at which these bars meet varies from a score of three, down to a score of

zero. Each student’s performance of each objective is grouped together above each student’s

name. The Social Studies objective 2.G.1.2 is pictured as blue, English Language Arts standard

2 as red, and English Language Arts standard 7 as green.

Using the information listed in table 4, 15 of the 17 students assessed, exemplify an

appropriate level of understanding for how to interpret the context from a fairy tale, into a map

drawing. Furthermore, two students, Sally and Jeorge, did not show a detailed understanding for

being able to interpret the meaning of maps to help create their own forest map appropriately,

which addresses the Social Studies objective. These maps were lacking in picture detail and the

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Hec

tor

Sally

Lucy

Julie

Rac

he

l

Lest

er

Am

elia

Luke

Gra

dy

Vir

gin

ia

Ch

ad

Du

stin

Emm

a

Jack

Sam

uel

Ste

ve

Susi

e

An

tho

ny

Jeo

rge

Kri

stin

Jess

ica

Fairy Tale Map Lesson Assessment Data

Social Studies 2.G.1.2

ELA Standard 2

ELA Standard 7


clarity of the map legend. The same two students demonstrated difficulty in successfully using

the information presented from the ActivInspire presentation to draw a meaningful map of the

forest. The forest maps they created did not align with the content presented through the fairy

tale. The largest discrepancy noticed using the information presented in table 4 is from students’

performance for the English Language Arts standard seven. Eleven of the students showed only

a sufficient understanding or an inadequate understanding for creating written directions to Little

Red Riding Hood’s house. These directions were expected to include cardinal direction names

as well as other map terms. For the students who struggled with fully grasping the map concept

based on the fairy tale, more intense assistance will be provided. These students may be better

supported by having a tangible copy of the story with pictures to guide the development of their

map. In addition, students need to continually be assessed in order to understand the progress or

difficulties during instruction time. Based off the data results, these students had a level of

knowledge about maps but were unable to fully apply it to a new situation. These students may

also be better guided along by being placed next to a peer that did better on the assignment. This

would enable students to remain more attentive to the task at hand as well as check on their

understanding by sharing with a neighbor. The participation in a tutoring program would also be

a reasonable and ongoing resource for these students in order to further enrich their learning

improvements.

Grasping the basic concepts from the beginning of any unit of study is absolutely

essential given that the knowledge is built up on one lesson after another. The struggling

students will only continue to have problems in future lessons if the issue is not addressed early

on. Many actions can be taken by the teacher with the student’s active involvement in order to

support their growth. For the students that were unable to demonstrate proficiency in all areas


assessed, additional remediation would be needed. Once data is collected and analyzed,

modifications must be made in order to meet your student’s needs. The continuous need for

diagnosis needs to be noticed in order for learner achievement to be evident among students.

Reflection of Assessment Data

According to the results of the data collected from the fairy tale map lesson taught, the

majority of students demonstrated a good grasp on the content presented. In regards to those

students who met the Social Studies standard needs, 15 of the 17 students recorded scored a

three. These students were able to use the knowledge presented about map terminology from the

story to prepare for the other assignments to follow. The performance from the other two

students, who did not fully meet the needs for understanding the Social Studies standard, could

be because of a variety of reasons. One of these reasons may be that auditory learning is more

difficult for them, which would be evident because of their inability to appropriately use the

story read aloud and transfer it into a map. Due to their inability to gain a detailed understanding

of the map content, challenges were also encountered with trying to complete written directions

for the map. It is important as a teacher to ensure that students receive sufficient background

knowledge in order to complete relatable tasks successfully. According to research, bridges to

connect what is learned directly with practice activities must be built carefully and monitored to

better assess your students (Crumrine & Demers, 2007). Given that an English Language Arts

standard addressed student’s ability to use the content from the story to create a map, sufficient

background knowledge must be given in order for them to be successful. Fourteen of the 17

students assessed scored a three in this area. The maps of these students offered a lot of detailed

drawings of things in the forest with appropriate colors and the map legend corresponded directly

with how the map was drawn. The remaining three students scored a two for this standard. The


maps of these students lacked detail to clearly understand how they interpreted the map of the

forest. Colors were used to support the content of their map but the map legend was missing key

symbols in order for the map to be meaningful. This data shows that these learners have more

difficulty with representing a visual display of information such as with a map, in a varied way.

Once map terms or cardinal direction names are incorporated into what is expected, these

students have a harder time applying it to the map they just drew.

The majority of students were able to understand how to interpret symbols and other map

features fairly well but a more significant amount of struggle was experienced when it came to

students creating their own directions. Upon reflection, the clarity for instructions given for

writing directions including map terms was somewhat missing which prevented many students

from scoring a three on the English Language Arts standard seven. In addition, more monitoring

throughout the time spent on writing directions should have taken place to ensure students were

on track with what they would be assessed on. As stated by Robert Rothman in a research

article, holding students accountable for the material presented can see improvements with

student learning (2009). The activity of providing written directions, showed the level at which

students were able to take the knowledge acquired from the text about maps to apply it in an

explanatory way. Given that this was a key objective met, students that are much in need of this

being addressed again would include Sally, Steve, Lucy, Rachel, and Virginia. These five

students received a score of one or below and clearly demonstrate their need for a different

teaching approach. The directions provided from these students did not fulfill the purpose of the

assignment and provided more of a summary of the fairy tale than what was asked for by the

teacher. The written directions needed to explain the path students thought Little Red Riding

Hood should have taken to travel to grandma’s house. The problem that is hindering these


students from demonstrating their knowledge effectively must be pinpointed in order to alter the

lesson so these students can acquire what is needed (Ediger, 2011). An idea for additional help

given to these students may include taking the time to act out the path that Little Red Riding

Hood took while the teacher guided students in paying attention to using map terms in their

verbal explanation. This activity could then be translated into written format by the teacher

creating a model example with students explaining the path taken from one classroom in the

school building to another. Students who exhibited difficulty with writing directions would then

have an example to work from as well as associating movements with these ideas. An additional

idea for these students would be to pair them with a student who demonstrated a detailed

understanding of the topic in order to guide them in writing directions. This peer helper would

be able to offer the example of their own directions and then encourage this student to explain

the path taken in their own words. If both of these ideas still do not meet the needs of these

students, the teacher may use small group time one day to re-address what cardinal direction

names tell us and provide help to each student for writing his or her own directions.

Final Reflection

The success for this lesson taught would be considered sufficient and balanced

across the board when comparing struggling students with more accomplished students. For

those students who did not show a detailed understanding, an appropriate number of those

showing sufficient understanding was evident. However, with any type of data collected from

students, it is absolutely essential to identify any areas where students are falling behind. The

teacher must investigate and pose questions to students in order to better meet his or her needs in

future instructional experiences (Means et al., 2011). The data gathered from the fairy tale map

lesson taught will guide future instruction by making sure students are given clear instructions


for an application assignment depending on the content presented. Overall, students were able to

successfully use the information presented in the fairy tale The Little Red Riding Hood and

create their own understanding for what the map would look like. This observation confirms the

beneficial lesson strategy of utilizing text in unique formats and ways to present content that

could otherwise be forgetful. A significant number of students were able to attain a score of

three by interpreting what story elements related to maps and map symbols.

Students are more successful with challenging concepts when given the opportunity to

participate in hands-on learning experiences and illustrate the level of their understanding.

Quality instruction includes the ability to implement different approaches to new content

depending on the needs of students. For this type of Social Studies content, the use of

manipulatives is essential for students to grasp an understanding for how maps represent an

aerial view of tangible objects. The use of hands-on materials also allows students to take part in

a discovery process working towards an end goal of a particular lesson. In response to the data

results of student’s performance in regards to being able to draw a map and write directions,

students had more difficulty utilizing this discovery knowledge. In order for more students to be

able to transfer this information, the teacher could utilize an array of formative assessment tools

before moving on to further assignments. Some suggestions offered from Crumrine and Demers

in a research article include gaining immediate feedback by using index cards with questions and

getting students to answer them on a personal white board. Another suggestion for future

instruction practices includes the use of Popsicle sticks with student names on each to ensure all

students remain attentive to be randomly called upon (2007). These ideas provide the teacher

with a better idea as to whether students are prepared to move on to an activity that requires them

to apply their newly acquired knowledge. The students who were unable to receive a proficient


score in creating a meaningful map or creating clear directions need this continuous assessment.

An additional observation made after reflecting includes the importance of pacing a lesson

taught. A lesson, which presents fresh information, should be done in a manner that allows

sufficient time for all students to develop a firm grasp (Ediger, 2011). The application step for

writing directions in relation to the map may have been approached too quickly for students who

still needed more processing time.

Another additional instructional idea for future instruction includes the teacher’s ability

to know when small group time is appropriate to meet certain learning goals. According to

research, students often are better supported in their learning progress in a small group setting

rather than an individual endeavor (Ediger, 2011). The component of this lesson which asked

students to write directions using cardinal names and map terms, may have been better met

through the use of cooperative learning groups. Students would be able to compare the personal

maps drawn and then have discussion with what map terms and cardinal direction names would

be appropriate to use in writing directions. For the students who demonstrated a detailed

understanding for the objective addressing this assignment, it would offer an opportunity to

facilitate the learning growth for the struggling students. It is important to still be mindful of

maintaining a smart balance for the amount of individual and small group time in order for

students to take ownership for their learning performances.

Teachers must be mindful and consciousness of the data results produced form

students’ performance on a given assignment in order to teach for understanding. The data

collected from the fairy tale map lesson taught, has the capability to offer instructional approach

options if identified in the proper manner. Students must be taught in a way that tends to their

specific needs as learners in order for them to be able to apply what they know in their own


encounters without direct assistance. Certain students need to be given specialized attention in

order to move forward in their learning process. Classroom teachers must be mindful to make

purposeful instructional modifications grown out of past data analysis. Ongoing assessment

must be present during the teachable moments as well as the student application time. The only

way to teach your students how to understand a new concept is to continuously check for their

level of understanding.


References

Crumrine, T. & Demers, C. (2007). Formative assessment: Redirecting the plan. The

Science Teacher, 74(6), 64-68.

Ecclestone, K. (2006). Making formative assessment work. Adults Learning, 18(4),

12-13.

Ediger, M. (2011). Mentoring in the social studies. College Student Journal, 45(2), 233-237.

Means, B., Chen, E., DeBarger, A., Padilla, C., & SRI, I. (2001). Teachers’ ability to use data to

inform instruction: Challenges and supports. Office Of Planning, Evaluation and Policy

Developmentm, US Department of Education. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.

com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=ED516494&site=ehost-live.

Rothman, R. Improving student learning requires district learning. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(1),

44-50.

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