Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography

Geographical concepts and skills Foundation – Level 6

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

ContentsWhat is formative assessment?.........................................................................................................4

Using formative assessment rubrics in schools.................................................................................4

The formative assessment rubric.......................................................................................................5

Links to the Victorian Curriculum F–10...........................................................................................5

The formative assessment task.........................................................................................................7

Description of the task (administration guidelines).........................................................................7

Interpreting evidence of student learning...........................................................................................8

Setting the scene............................................................................................................................8

Sample 1.....................................................................................................................................9

Sample 2...................................................................................................................................12

Sample 3...................................................................................................................................15

Using evidence to plan for future teaching and learning..................................................................18

Teacher reflections...........................................................................................................................18

Appendix 1.......................................................................................................................................19

Create a park................................................................................................................................19

Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

What is formative assessment?Formative assessment is any assessment that is used to improve teaching and learning. Best-practice formative assessment uses a rigorous approach in which each step of the assessment process is carefully thought through.

Assessment is a three-step process by which evidence is collected, interpreted and used. By definition, the final step of formative assessment requires a use that improves teaching and learning.

For the best results, teachers can work together to interrogate the curriculum and use their professional expertise and knowledge of their students to outline a learning continuum including a rubric of measurable, user-friendly descriptions of skills and knowledge. Teachers can draw on this learning continuum and rubric to collect evidence of each student’s current learning in order to provide formative feedback and understand what they are ready to learn next.

The VCAA’s Guide to Formative Assessment Rubrics outlines how to develop a formative assessment rubric to collect, interpret and use evidence of student learning to plan teaching and learning. For more information about formative assessment and to access a copy of the guide, please go to the Formative Assessment section of the VCAA website.

Using formative assessment rubrics in schoolsThis document is based on the material developed by one group of teachers in the 2019 Formative Assessment Rubrics project. The VCAA acknowledges the valuable contribution to this resource of the following teachers: Sally Dyett and Alistair Straughan (Vermont Primary School) and Melissa Voce (Presbyterian Ladies' College). The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority partnered with the Assessment Research Centre, University of Melbourne, to provide professional learning for teachers interested in strengthening their understanding and use or formative assessment rubrics.

This resource includes a sample formative assessment rubric and task and describes how the teachers implemented the task in their schools and also includes representative student work samples.

Schools have flexibility in how they choose to use this resource, including as:

a model that they adapt to suit their own teaching and learning plansa resource to support them as they develop their own formative assessment rubrics and tasks.

This resource is not an exemplar. Schools are advised to consider whether the sample formative assessment rubric and task meet the needs of their student cohort and is appropriate in the context of their whole-school teaching and learning plan. Additional support and advice on high-quality curriculum planning is available from the Curriculum Planning Resource.

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

The formative assessment rubricThe rubric in this document was developed by three Victorian teachers to help inform teaching and learning in Geography. This rubric supports the explicit teaching of:

map construction, including cartographic conventions geographical data representation methods.

Note, this rubric does not cover the collection, annotation and analysis of data.

This formative assessment rubric is designed to be used in conjunction with the formative assessment task.

Links to the Victorian Curriculum F–10

Curriculum area: Humanities, Geography

Strand: Geographical Concepts and Skills

Sub-strand: Data and information

Levels: Foundation to Level 6

Achievement standard extracts:

Foundation to Level 2 – They … record geographical data and information. They represent data and information in tables, plans and labelled maps …

Levels 3 and 4 – They … record relevant geographical data and information and represent data and information in tables, simple graphs and maps of appropriate scale that conform to cartographic conventions. Levels 5 and 6 – They … record relevant geographical data and information and represent data and information in forms including diagrams, field sketches and large scale and small scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions.

Levels 5 and 6 – They … record relevant geographical data and information and represent data and information in forms including diagrams, field sketches and large scale and small scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions.

Content descriptions:

Foundation to Level 2 – Represent data and the location of places and their features by constructing tables, plans and labelled maps (VCGGC061)

Levels 3 and 4 – Represent data and the location of places and their characteristics by constructing tables and simple graphs and maps of appropriate scale that conform to cartographic conventions of border, scale, legend, title and north point (VCGGC075)

Levels 5 and 6 – Represent the location of places and other types of geographical data and information in different forms including diagrams, field sketches and large-scale and small-scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions of border, scale, legend, title, north point and source; using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate (VCGGC089)

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Learning continuumGeography, Foundation to Level 6Strand: Geographical Concepts and SkillsSub-strand: Data and information

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6

Students construct a map that represents the location of places and label features orally or in written form.

Students use a table or draw a simple map representing the location of places and their features.

Students construct a table or a labelled map, including title, representing the location of places and their features.

Students represent data and information in tables, simple graphs and maps that include a legend, border and simple scale.

Students construct maps that use all cartographic conventions, including appropriate scale, and use diagrams to represent geographical data.

Students construct field sketches and use large- and small-scale maps to represent the location of places and other geographical data. Students explore using digital technologies to represent data.

Organising element Action Insufficient evidence

Quality criteria

Representing data and information

1 Construction of map 1.0 Insufficient evidence

1.1 Uses simple shapes and colour to represent features on a map

1.2 Uses symbols and appropriate colour choice on a map to represent data gathered (e.g. water is blue)

1.3 Constructs a map that contain some simple labels, such as name of river

1.4 Constructs a map that contains labels, colour and standard symbols used consistently

2 Cartographic conventions on map

2.0 Insufficient evidence

2.1 Labels features verbally or in written form

2.2 Includes some cartographic conventions (e.g. legend and border)

2.3 Uses all cartographic conventions

3 Scale of map 3.0 Insufficient evidence

3.1 Uses simple scale (line scale or written scale)

3.2 Uses an appropriate scale, with map features in proportion to the scale

4 Other visual representations

4.0 Insufficient evidence

4.1 Places data in a table 4.2 Constructs a simple graph correctly to represent data

4.3 Uses diagrams to represent geographical data

4.4 Selects and constructs visual representations of data that best match the range and type of data gathered

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The formative assessment taskThe following formative assessment task was developed to elicit evidence of each student’s current learning and what they are ready to learn next.

Description of the task (administration guidelines)

Familiarise yourself with the rubric. Show students a map and conduct a brief discussion of its features. Ask students to complete an independent mapping task over a 90–120-minute period.

Give each student a copy of the ‘Create a park’ task sheet (Appendix 1) . Give each student one A3 sheet of blank paper (or graph paper or a large grid for

younger students or those who require extra scaffolding) Give each student one A4 sheet of graph paper for their table or graph. Conduct the task and then collect maps and tables or graphs.

Use the rubric to assess what students have achieved and what they are ready to learn.

Considerations:

The maps should be constructed to reflect standard cartographic conventions: border, orientation, legend, title, scale, source (BOLTSS).

If conducting the task with students who have low levels of literacy, read out the task sheet instead of handing out copies. Rephrase or simplify the instructions as needed. This task would need to be adapted for most students in lower primary.

Evidence collected from this task

Map Table or graph

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Interpreting evidence of student learning Evidence collected from each student was mapped against the rubric:

The quality criteria that were achieved was shaded in blue. The phase that the student is ready to learn next was shaded in green.

Please note, the following annotated student work samples are representative examples only.

Setting the sceneThe formative assessment task was carried out in two Victorian metropolitan primary schools, one government and one independent. In the government school the task was administered to all Years 3, 4 and 5 students; in the independent school the task was implemented with the Year 4 cohort.

No prior knowledge was required and no teaching was done prior to the task.

Students were not shown the rubric.

The students were given no more than 90 minutes to complete the task.

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Sample 1

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Sample 1: Evidence of student learning

Annotations1.2 – Student shows appropriate colour choices. Symbols match the legend. There are no labels or names outside of the legend.2.2 – Student includes some cartographic conventions. Map shows a legend, title and non-standard orientation. The border is incorrect as the legend is within the perimeter of the park and the map is missing a scale. 4.2 – Student has attempted to construct a column graph but there is no labelling of the x-axis and y-axis.

Insufficient evidence:

3.0 – There is no scale provided.

What is the student ready to learn next?The student was assessed as ready to learn Phase 4 next because they have not yet shown evidence that they can construct a map that contains some simple labels. Once the student has provided evidence of quality criterion 1.3 they will be ready to learn Phase 4 next.

Any feedback givenThe student was told: You have used appropriate colours and chosen appropriate features for the given demographic. The next step is to look at some maps to see where the legend goes and how scale is used to represent distance.

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Sample 2

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Sample 2: Evidence of student learning

Annotations1.4 – Student shows appropriate colour choice. Labels (e.g. road names) and symbols are easy to identify.2.2 – Students includes most cartographic features but the map is missing a title.3.1 – Student uses a scale but it doesn’t match the task requirements (300m × 200m) therefore the map is out of proportion.4.2 – The column graph is constructed accurately.

What is the student ready to learn next?The student was assessed as ready to learn Phase 5 next. The student has shown she can construct a map using most of the required elements. She would next move towards including an appropriate scale accurately and investigating other visual representations for the data.

Any feedback given

The student was told: Your bird’s-eye view pictures are excellent and add to the accuracy of your map. Maps need a title and if we follow your scale, your park doesn’t meet the size criteria. We will work with some published maps and investigate their scale.

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Sample 3

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Sample 3: Evidence of student learning

Annotations1.4 – Student shows appropriate colour choice. Labels (e.g. road names) and symbols are easy to identify.2.2 – Student uses all cartographic conventions except for orientation.3.2 – The scale chosen fits the requirements of the task and is accurate.4.3 – Used a diagram to represent geographic data.

What is the student ready to learn next?On balance the student was assessed as ready to learn Phase 6 next. The students meets almost all the quality criteria in Phases 1 to 5, with the exception of including orientation (relating to quality criterion 2.3), which we believe was an oversight. She is moving towards using digital technologies and the collection and application of data in real-life settings.

Any feedback givenThe student was told: Your map contains all the required elements, although next time remember to include an orientation. Your bird’s-eye view pictures enhance your presentation and you have included many features for the park.

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Using evidence to plan for future teaching and learningIt was clearly evident from the evidence collected that the task was appropriate for many levels of learning.

It is clear that many students at primary level are not aware of cartographic conventions, knowledge of which is required to move smoothly into future learning. Students across all three year levels showed that they need to learn about cartographic conventions and scale.

Teacher reflectionsThe students were given no more than 90 minutes to complete the task; however, the teachers implementing the task with Years 3, 4 and 5 commented that 90 minutes was not always sufficient. Other than changing the time restraints, no adjustments to the task would be made if we administered it in the future.

The formative assessment rubric was written for Foundation to Level 6 so it could be could be used by lower year levels. A new task would need to be designed that would be more suitable for younger students.

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Using formative assessment rubrics in Geography – Geographical concepts and skills, Foundation – Level 6

Appendix 1

Create a park The local council has allocated funds to create a new park for its residents. The block of land is 300m × 200m and you have been given the task of designing this new parkland.

Here is some information to keep in mind:

The land is bordered by three roads – Spencer St, Lockhardt Avenue and Lacie Street.To the west the land is bordered by a creek, with a bike track running alongside it.The council would like a constructed lake added to the land, to attract wildlife.

The local council have provided some information about the local residents who have expressed interest in using the park.

In the area there are:

30 retired, elderly people who enjoy the outdoors50 teenagers 80 primary-school-aged children25 preschool-aged children.

Your presentation to the council will include:

a map of this park, with design features that would appeal to all the local residentsa table or graph showing the types of people who live in the area.

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