We work a lot in our class on formative assessment and thinking about where we are in our learning journey. I went to a professional development years ago that really challenged me to make the process of learning more concrete to my kids, and formative assessment came out on top when it came to daily application in the classroom. I love helping my students realize that just because they don't understand something now, it doesn't mean they won't ever understand it-- it just may take some time and some practice. We talk a lot about how our brain is a muscle and how we all learn in different ways. If you're interested in some fun brain info (and gestures) to teach your kids, check out this post HERE. As many of you know, I live in Colorado and am lucky enough to wake up to an amazing Rocky Mountain view each day :) So I thought it was perfect to combine our beautiful mountains with the process of learning and came up with Mountain Climbers: Formative Assessment Posters & Forms: Click the picture above to find them in my TpT Store :) There are four levels- from beginner to advanced- and each has a fun title and kid-friendly description that help students place themselves in the right spot of their journey: I post these in my class right next to our main white board and also made bookmarks (using the tutorial HERE) for easy personal reference: The two pages I like the most from this packet are the forms that students use when it comes time to track their learning. Here's an example of one I filled out as a model to my kids when we were studying multiplication: I had kids map where they were when we first began this unit (shown here in light blue). As we learned a concept, I would check in with them at the end of the week and have them map their current position of their learning (shown in orange). The day before we took the test, I had them map out any changes to their learning (in green) and then I sent them home with this sheet to use as an overarching study guide. This form is available both with the fun graphics (like the one shown above) and one that is much more simple with just the level titles across the top. I have made both forms an *EDITABLE PDF* (woo hoo!), so you can type your objectives straight onto the PDF, make copies, and be all ready to go at the start of your next unit :) I have even used this just for pre- and post-assessment, just having kids check the box that fits their learning spot best. There are, as always, lots and lots of options for these types of forms :) I have also used this form for more than just math. We used it in science when we studied matter, we will be using it for landforms shortly, and I will often refer to the different levels on our posters and bookmarks when it comes to various activities throughout our day. If you're interested in this Mountain Climbers Formative Assessment Packet, it's available in my TpT Store HERE. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week! Stay warm :)

What is below is copy of a thought-provoking assessment of Keyline by a wise and knowledgeable and practical and extremely well respected academic. It’s a little book written by a man, originally a Scotsman, who my father – P. A Yeomans – always said – “should have been Knighted for the incredible work he did … Continue reading 4. Professor Holmes on Keyline

Here is the next set of Assessment Awards. This set includes assessment awards for recognition of Shapes, Numerals, and Colors. Of course, Colors is not

What in the world is a dodecahedron? I have to admit, these twelve-sided shapes have become one of the highlights of my curriculum! A dodecahedron is a twelve-sided, 3-D shape that displays all of the the learning we have done with our huge research project in third grade: Colorado Animals. We have done all sorts of other things in the past (see a few ideas HERE), but this has become the project that continues to make such a huge impact year after year. Not only does this display a wide variety of learning, the assembly and construction are so much fun! I have had siblings of former students so excited to make them since they have seen their older brother's or sister's hanging in their room for years. Filling Out A Dodecahedron The idea is simple, but does require some planning and a lot of cardstock! You will need twelve different pages to make your final project. We use my Animal Research Dodecahedron (found on TpT HERE), and I make a mix of lined and blank pages, along with a title page, an About the Author page, and some graphic organizers. We are pretty explicit as we go through each page. I will pass them out one at a time as we go through our research. The lined pages are reserved for nonfiction paragraphs that students write from their bullet pointed notes gathered from research. The blank pages are filled with illustrations to highlight key information or additional information not found in the paragraphs. We always begin with the title page and About the Author since those don't require much research and can ease the students into the concept of these pages. Every dodecahedron side has tabs that will need to be colored to really make the project pop. At the end, these tabs will be folded outward, glued and stapled, to create the 3-D shape for display. As the students create these pages, they cut out the circles and keep all twelve in their folders until it's time to assemble. Assembling The Dodecahedron Assembly Day is always so much fun! I have students make two piles of six pages each. They will be making "flower" shapes with these pages, so they will need to fold all of the tabs towards them before they start. They will decide on a "center" page and glue the rest of the five pages to each of the center's tabs. They will then go back and staple each tab together. The extra reinforcement will pay off, trust me! With the other stack of six circles, they will repeat the same process so that they have two "flowers" ready to go. Once they have these flowers, they can typically see how the dodecahedrons will come together. We next make "hats" or "bowls"-- up to you-- by gluing the nearby tabs together, making a half sphere with each flower. After gluing and stapling these sides, you will attach the spheres together and voila! Hole punch a tab and tie some string to it so you can hang these in your classroom. They always get rave reviews from other students, teachers, and parents! . . . I currently have several Dodecahedron Research Projects, including Animal Research, U.S. Presidents, and 50 States, in my TpT Store. I am working on adding more throughout the next few weeks, so be sure to follow my store for the latest updates. Happy researching!

If you teach Sophocles' Antigone, you know how important this Greek tragedy is. But sometimes it can be challenging to engage learners with a text that's thousands of years old. This product bundle will not only get your readers excited about the play but you'll save a bucks by bundling! The purchase of this bundle includes: Antigone TQE Worksheet: Put your students in the driver's seat and get them thinking critically so they can collaborate and converse meaningfully Antigone Talking Heads Activity: Characterize Antigone and Creon with this creative and artistic activity that calls on students to think about the characters in unique, rigorous ways Antigone Socratic Seminar Prep: To go along with the rich discussions fostered by the TQE worksheet, you can prepare your students for the original intention of Socratic seminars -- for it to be truly student-led. Antigone Reading Quizzes: Assess your students' understanding of the play with these two reading quizzes, complete with answer key Antigone Final Assessment: You've never seen a quiz like this. Don't let its five questions fool you: this is the most intensely your students will ever think about a text on a quiz. This unique method of quiz requires students not only to find the right answer but to rank the remaining choices from most to least correct. They'll then defend each of their choices. These five resources are unique, rigorous, and sure to invigorate your Antigone lesson plans. Don't miss out on this opportunity to bundle and save!

Designed for educators, the "Teaching Series" on gender and cultural diversity provides a comprehensive framework for teaching some of today’s most important social issues. This series includes detailed lesson plans, engaging discussion prompts, and assessment tools, all structured around eight key themes such as cultu

DISC assessments are one of the most popular personality tests in the world. This blog post will cover the best DISC assessments that you can take.

My 1st and 2nd graders just finished up a unit on 2D and 3D shapes. I plan on a sharing another freebie soon from it, but I thought I’d share our free 2D and 3D Shapes Assessment Pages today with you. Looking for more shape ideas? You might our Roll & Race Shape Pages and our ... Read More about 2D and 3D Shapes Assessment Pages

Today’s digital world is giving teachers and parents easy access to their child’s school work. I want to share my…

One of the most common questions that I get asked about is how to diagnose autism. And this is why I am extra excited to invite the fabulous Andi Putt from Mrs Speechie P onto the podcast today. Andi is a speech pathologist who specializes in autism assessments. And this episode is going to blow

The Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI) is a self-report measure to monitor how often individuals engage in cognitive behavioral thought-challenging interventions. Cognitive flexibility enables people to think adaptively when encountering stressful life events, and it is a core skill that helps them avoid becoming stuck in maladaptive thinking patterns. (0423, assessment, cognitive flexibility, executive functioning) 3 Pages.

Our critical thinking worksheets help improve your ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information and ideas in a thoughtful and systematic manner.

“3. For Dementia (or Major Neurocognitive Disorder), we can do cognitive testing. Some options (that unfortunately come with a price tag): - Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE) - Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) If your patient tests normally, consider those other 'D's!!”

Organize your shift the easy way with this PCU nursing report sheet. It has all the detailed assessments from head to toe in order to help your shift run more smoothly. Colors include: -Black -Red -Pink -Blue -Purple Areas of focus include: -Neuro assessments -Detailed respiratory information -Specific cardiac assessments -Areas to document common electrolyte imbalances -Large area to document medications that are scheduled throughout your shift As a bedside nurse with over seven years of experience, I have *personally* learned throughout the years how a great report can really guide what your next 12 hours can hold. I created this report sheet to hopefully help organize your thoughts while obtaining report to assist in time management and patient needs in order to give the best care you can possibly provide! Size: 8.5in x 11in How to Print: -When printing item, please assure that report sheet is set to 'PRINT TO PAGE' upon printing. Sometimes, downloads can be set to different sizes depending on what is defaulted from device you are printing on. This is an item made by EllaRoseEnchantments. One may not sell/distribute this item. Personal Use Only! This is a **DIGITAL DOWNLOAD** Once purchased through Etsy the file will be available for you to download. Go to your 'Purchases and Reviews' tab - here you will find the 'Downloaded Files' and will be able to download report sheet. Download will include both zip PNG and PDF files of multiple colored report sheets. If you have any questions, concerns, or issues - please contact me directly!

How do you call on students in your classroom? I think our natural default as teachers is to call on the student with his/her hand up. It's quick, easy, and keeps the lesson going. What it eliminates, though, are the students who may need the lesson the most. Among others, they could be the students who are still working through their understanding, the ones who may be checking out since they know others will handle the answers, and those who may need a bit more wait time before they are able to answer. When we limit the responses to just the same few voices, it also brings down the energy and engagement in the room. When students know they will be randomly called on, they will need to be ready to answer at any time. As a teacher, this increases my own energy, too. Hearing from new voices with different views cultivates some amazing classroom discussions we would have otherwise missed out on! I am compiling my top five resources for randomly calling on students. If you have a favorite I missed, please leave it in the comments! Star Sticks These Star Sticks are the most popular in our classroom. At the beginning of the year, I pass out one star stick to each student with their name on the stick. They decorate their star with colored pencil any way they would like and we add it to our class jar. I use colored pencils because marker can sometimes smear or come off on hands. I also prefer the stars to the boy/girl cutouts since it makes it more uniform across the class. If I want to ensure I don't call on that student again, I will either put the stick aside, or put it back into the jar upside-down. That way I can make sure I get through the whole class before the rotation begins again. Pick up a set of 25 of these Star Sticks on Amazon HERE. Numbered Popsicle Sticks I love using student numbers in the classroom. Read more about this system HERE. The nice part about using student numbers in any of your classroom decor and routines is that you can reuse those materials year after year. I love these multicolored jumbo popsicle sticks and using metallic Sharpie paint pen to number them. After I call on a student, I can put their stick back in number-side down so I won't call on them again. I can also use these for all sorts of additional classroom organization needs, like calling up students one at a time for conferring. If they need a conference, they can place their numbered stick on my table and I can see who is ready and in what order. Tiny Decisions App The Tiny Decisions app is a great tool that is on my phone and preloaded with all of my students' names. I can hit the middle button and the wheel spins and lands on a random student's name. You can load several lists for different groups of students and there is an option to allow for repeats or not. The interface is so clear and colorful, you could display this on a projector if you'd like. There are so many different apps like this, some for free and some paid. I like this since it is free, although that does mean ads. I have an iPhone, so I am not sure if this exact app is available for Android, but it should be easy finding something comparable. Flippity.net Flippity is a web-based program that will turn your Google Sheets into anything you can imagine! Their Random Name Generator is fantastic. Not only can you randomly choose one student, you can make random groups of 2, 3, 4, or 5. You can also make teams, a seating chart, or a lineup! Their template comes with very specific instructions, so you will want to follow them to the letter and also bookmark the site for quick access. While you're there, take a peek at some of their other features. It's a very fun site to explore! Playing Cards We all have decks of playing cards that are missing some, so this is a great way to find a new use for that stack! Write a student's name on each card, then shuffle the deck and draw. You can also include the Jokers for "bonus points" to the next person drawn, or another fun incentive like that. This is a great system since a deck of cards is so easy to transport around the classroom or school. Some Additional Considerations An important thing to remember about randomly calling on your students is that it all comes down to the community you have established and knowing the individuals in your class. If students know they will be supported, if they have been exposed to the Growth Mindset, and if you have worked to create an encouraging classroom environment, randomly calling on any of them during a lesson will increase engagement and promote classwide discussions and inquiry. You can easily combine the ideas above to mix it up and keep it fresh. Having at least one that is easy to use and accessible will help substitutes or any guest teachers that want to use the system. No matter how supportive your classroom is, you may have some students who feel increased anxiety with this process. There are several strategies you may want to use with them, such as: Increased wait time Letting them pass, then be responsible for answering the next question Not being as "random" with these students-- you can let them know before a lesson that you will be calling on them so they can be ready Non-verbal cues, such as a hand signal or walking closer when you are getting ready to call on them Previewing some of the questions beforehand and allowing them prep time, or choosing the one they would like to answer You can work together to create a strategy that works best. Ensuring that these more reluctant students have buy-in to this process will help your whole class enjoy this time so much more. . . . Do you have any additional suggestions for randomly calling on students in your classroom? Happy teaching,

There are 9 templates included in this set directed towards Pre-K, K, and 1st Grade! Use this during teacher-led comprehension lessons to assess students ability to retell! Students will be directed to draw and depict their thoughts. Included are - -Beginning Middle and End Retell- Favorite Part Ret...

A good question makes all the difference when it comes to deepening understanding and assessing mastery, and even the best teachers can add to their toolkit with this set of question stems, leveled according to Blooms Taxonomy. Teach Thought (link) describes Bloom's Taxonomy as "a hierarchical ordering of cognitive skills that can, among countless other uses, help teachers teach and students learn." Who is this resource for? This resource can be used by math teachers, tutors, and parents of students in any grade. Uses for this product: This resource includes question stems for all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (knowing, organizing, applying, analyzing, generating, integrating, evaluating) and can be used for:  creating assessments creating science resources planning lessons evaluating the complexity of questions or assignments  self assessment  unit planning for any set of standards  What's Included? Purchase includes a printable PDF file. More questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions or email me at [email protected]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the question stems for your other core subjects as well: Science Social Studies Reading/Language Arts or, buy the bundle! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To stay updated on sales and new products, please follow my store: My TpT Store Connect and chat with me! My Blog Newsletter My Facebook Page On Pinterest Instagram

Looking for an easy and valuable way to introduce or review mindfulness with your students? Introduction to Mindfulness is a resource designed to instill essential values in students while fostering critical thinking about mindfulness. Tailored for classroom use or character education, this resource offers a seamless blend of engagement and reflection. Begin the lesson with a Google Form Pre-assessment, allowing students to gauge their understanding of mindfulness while expressing their thoughts and feelings on the topic. This pre-assessment serves as a foundation, highlighting areas for growth and sparking curiosity. Next, dive into the Mindfulness Slideshow, where you will review the fundamental facets of mindfulness and its relevance in students' lives. What is included: Mindfulness Google Form Pre-Assessment (15 questions) Mindfulness Slideshow (12 Slides) Please note: Due to font copyright, the slideshow is not editable. The Google Form is fully editable! Let's be Friends! Join the Oh So Simple ELA Monthly Newsletter! Oh So Simple ELA Blog Oh So Simple ELA Pinterest Oh So Simple ELA Facebook Oh So Simple ELA Instagram Follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers- You will receive notifications about new resources, sales, and freebies!

Unlock the Power of Art Exit Slips! Explore 9 creative ways to use these formative assessments in your elementary art room. Engage young artists and enhance learning with practical ideas!

I started sharing assessment pieces that can be used for any literature piece with my friends on a secondary ELA board in our area. I thought it would be better to write about my experience with each one here, then link it to that page. This gives me an opportunity to include examples and such… Continue reading Mandala Assessment Fun- Use with Any Novel

It's really hard to stop the worry spiral once those worry thoughts creep in. Help kids breath the cycle with these thought-stopping strategies for kids!

Today’s Wednesday, and that means it’s one day closer to being break for me. And for the rest of you, only three more days ’til the weekend! Today’s post offers you another …

This post is aimed at students in 1st to 3rd year- 1st years you may not have done it but for people who have we thought it could be a good revision tool! The ABCDE (airway, breathing, circulation,…

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Imagine the joy that fills students when they can effortlessly read large texts fluently managing other crucial elements like pace, tone, pauses, expression, etc. Reading is an essential skill that not only helps students to absorb information but also comprehend it thoroughly. This proficiency in reading shapes their language

A self-confidence inventory is a tool that can allow you to assess and evaluate your level of self-confidence. It helps offer insight into thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about oneself.

A good question makes all the difference when it comes to deepening understanding and assessing mastery, and even the best teachers can add to their toolkit with this set of question stems, leveled according to Blooms Taxonomy. Teach Thought (link) describes Bloom's Taxonomy as "a hierarchical ordering of cognitive skills that can, among countless other uses, help teachers teach and students learn." Who is this resource for? This resource can be used by english, reading, and language arts teachers, tutors, and parents of students in any grade. Uses for this product: This resource includes question stems for all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (knowing, organizing, applying, analyzing, generating, integrating, evaluating) and can be used for:  creating assessments creating science resources planning lessons evaluating the complexity of questions or assignments  self assessment  unit planning for any set of standards  What's Included? Purchase includes a printable PDF file. More questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions or email me at [email protected]. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out the question stems for your other core subjects as well: Science Social Studies Math or, buy the bundle! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To stay updated on sales and new products, please follow my store: My TpT Store Connect and chat with me! My Blog Newsletter My Facebook Page On Pinterest Instagram

Today I thought I’d share a strategy I use to help my students communicate their thinking during the inquiry process. See, Think, Wonder is a thinking routine I use with my students to help t…