Describe one assessment tool you would use in the Biology classroom – examples of good practice:

Formative assessment is very important for good teaching.
There was nothing worse than setting up an experiment for my year 9 science class on sound waves, only to find out that they still thought of  waves are what you see on the beach and surf. After spending an hour and my lunchtime making sure the experiment was ready, and making an additional last minute trip to McDonalds to get different size straws, I walked into class ready to demonstrate sound waves and the effect of amplitude and frequency changes. I was quietly excited at thought of creating a small orchestra with different wavelengths. I dreamt of them playing Mary had a little lamb!!

 I lost them after two minutes. There was no bringing them back in that period.

I had spent two days before the prac speaking about waves and how sound travels, and I thought they understood. They nodded when I spoke, and they answered questions.
But did they understand? Had every student understood what I was saying? NOOOOOOOO

I quickly realised that the same three people had answered the questions, and the rest nodded approvingly. What a lesson to learn. With my co-ordinator laughing at the back at the students sticking straws into their noses and whistling the highest pitch sounds that the neighours' dogs were barking, I sat down and thought long and hard about what I should have done.
Formative assessment can take many shapes. It can be sitting for the exact test they will sit for at the end of the module right before starting the module, to get a gauge of what and how much they know.


The following book is useful for different strategies of assessment and I always have a read to get ideas to suit the task.

Each dot point of the syllabus may require a different type of an assessment tool.

For 8.5, I find it quite theoretical with so much detail. I know some students will love it, but I imagine a large number will find it dull and unchallenging.
I will choose a group assessment tool, like two plusses and a wish.

Each groups of about four will need to design a poster on the following dot point:

• gather information from secondary sources to describe some Australian fossils, where these fossils were found and use available evidence to explain how they contribute to the development of understanding about the evolution of species in Australia

The groups will then use peer assessment to indicate two aspects they liked, and one thing they would have liked to see. 

High school students can quite often dislike being critical of their friends' work, so two pluses and a wish can make criticising justified. 

I, the teacher, would also be looking at the work presented to get a clear picture of ability and knowledge.  

Thank you for reading my blog. 

Silvana Gittani. 

Please note I commented on Joanne's post.