Assessment Prompts and the KUD Organizer
Toni Enloe
Jan 03, 2011
How do you develop Assessment Prompts that assess student learning using the K-U-D Organizer?
Developing meaningful assessment prompts can sometimes be a struggle, particularly if you did not participate in the Transforming Standards workshop where K-U-D Organizers were created from state standards. There are three easy steps that may help clarify the process and ensure that the Assessment Prompts you develop actually assess what you want students to learn.
The planning of Assessment Prompts can be broken down into understandable steps.
Step # 1
Write your Essential Question on the Acquisition Lesson plan. At the very bottom of the plan write the answer to the question. Ask yourself, "What answer do I want from my students at the end of the lesson?"
Example:
Essential Question: How do I use primary and secondary sources to collect historical information?
Answer: Primary sources are descriptions of an historical event or period created by an actual participant in the event including documents, artifacts, historic sites, and songs. Secondary sources are descriptions of an historical event and are generally based on an historian's reading of primary sources.
Step # 2
Move to the Assessment Prompt section just below the Essential Question and ask yourself, "What will my students need to know or be able to do in order to answer the Lesson Essential Question?" The Assessment Prompts are the "whats." When in doubt, refer to the K-U-D Organizer for guidance and revisit your "Know" and "Do" columns. Not all of your Assessment Prompts will be from the K-U-D Organizer, though.
Example:
AP# 1: Examples of primary sources (from the "Know" on the K-U-D Organizer)
AP# 2: Advantages and disadvantages of primary sources (from the "Know" on the K-U-D Organizer)
AP# 3: Differentiate between primary and secondary sources (from the "Do" on the K-U-D Organizer)
Now, examine the order. Ask: "Is this the order in which I want to teach this lesson?" "Are these where the natural chunks occur in my lesson?" If not, just change the AP# so as you plan the Teaching Strategies part of the lesson you will remember the order.
Step # 3
Decide "how" students will demonstrate their understanding of each Assessment Prompt within the Teaching Strategies part of the lesson.
Example:
What? (from the list under the Essential Question)
AP# 1: Examples of primary sources
How? (embedded within the Teaching Strategies)
AP# 1 Have pairs identify the primary source documents from a collection and give reasons for
their choices.
You should ask yourself five key questions as you think about the "Hows."
"Have I provided an opportunity for collaborative pairs work?"
"Is there an opportunity for students to write?"
"How will students extend their thinking? (use of an Extending Thinking Strategy)"
"How will I ensure that students are using vocabulary in context?"
"Once students have completed the lesson, will they be able to answer the Essential Question?"
Once you have designed your Assessment Prompts, you are ready to identify how students will learn the information before each Assessment Prompt. This is your instruction!
