In your own words tell..
How else might you say...?
Which picture shows...?
Describe...
Tell how...
Ø Restate
Ø Summarize
Ø Discuss
Ø Describe
Ø Recognize
Ø Explain
Ø Express
Ø Identify
Ø Locate
Ø Report
Ø Retell
Ø Review
Ø translate
Understand
Interpret: This occurs when students can convert information from one representational form to another – words to words (paraphrasing, pictures to words, words to pictures, numbers to words, words to numbers, etc.
SS: An objective could be to learn to paraphrase important speeches and documents from the Civil War era. Students could be asked to paraphrase a famous speech such as the Gettysburg Address.
Science: An objective could be to learn to draw pictorial representations of various natural phenomena. Students could be asked to draw a series of diagrams illustrating photosynthesis.
ELA:
Math: An objective could be to leanr to translate number sentences expressed in words into algebraic equations expressed in symbols. They then could be asked to write an equation using B for the number of boys and G for the number of girls) that corresponds to the statement “There are twice as many boys as girls in this class.”
Assessment: Test format includes both constructed response (supply an answer) and selected response (choose an answer). A constrcucted response is: “write an equation that corresponds to the following statement, using T for total cost and P for number of pounds. The total cost of mailing a package is $2.00 for the first pound plus $1.50 for each additional pound.” A selection version of this task is: “Which equation corresponds to the following statement, where T stands for total cost and P for number of pound? The total cost of mailing a package is $2.00 for the first pound plus $1.50 for each additional pound. a) T=$3.50 + P b) T = $2.00 + 1.50, c) T =$2.00 + $1.50 (P-1).”
Exemplify: This occurs when a student gives a specific example of a general concept. It involves identifying the defining features of that concept and using these features to select or construct a specific instance.
Sci: An objective could be to give examples of various kinds of chemical compounds. A sample test asks the student to locate an inorganic compound on a field trip and tell why it is inorganic (defining features).
ELA: An objective could be to learn to exemplify various play genres. The assessment may give the students brief sketches of four plays (only one of which is a romantic comedy) and ask the to identify the romantic comedy.
Math:
Assessment: This can involve the constructed response in which the student creates an example, or the selected response in which the student selects an example. CR – Locate an inorganic compound and tell why it is inorganic. SR – Which of these is an inorganic compound a) iron, b) protein, c) blood, d) leaf mold
Classify: This occurs when a student recognizes that something belongs to a certain category. It detects relevant features or patterns that fit. This complements exemplifying which begins with a general concept and moves to s specific instance. Classifying begins with the specific instance and moves the general concept.
SS: An objective could be to learn to classify observed or described cases of mental disorders. An assessment might sk a student to observe a video of the behavior of a person with mental illness and then indicate the disorder observed.
SCI: An objective could be to learn to categorize the species of various prehistoric animals. An assessment gives a student pictures of prehistoric animals with instructions to group them with other of the same species.
ELA:
Math: An objective could be to determine the categories to which numbers belong. An assessment task gives an example and asks students to circle all numbers in a list from the same category.
Assessment: In constructed response tasks, a student is given an instance and must produce its related concept or principle. In selected response, a student is given an instance and must select its concept or principle from a list. In a sorting task, a student is given a set of instances and must determine which ones belong in a specified category and which ones do not, or must place each instance into one of multiple categories.
Summarize: This occurs when a student suggests a single statement that represents presented information or abstracts a theme. This constructs a representation of information.
SS: An objective could be to learn to write short summaries of events portray pictorially. The assessment item asks a student to watch a videotape on the French Revolution and write a short summary.
ELA:
SCI: An objective could be to learn to summarize the major contributions of famous scientists after reading several of their writings. A corresponding assessment asks a student to read selected writings about Charles Darwin and summarize the major points.
Math:
Assessment: This can be CR or SR involving themes or summaries. Themes are more abstract than summaries. In a CR, the student may be asked to read an untitled passage on the California Gold Rush and then write an appropriate title. In a SR, a student may be asked to read a passage on the California Gold Rush and then select the most appropriate title from a list of four possible titles or rank the titles in order of their “best fit” to the point of the passage.
Infer: Here we find a pattern with a series of examples or instances. Students abstract a concept by encoding relevant features of each instance and finding relationships. For example, students see this list – 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21… - focus on the value of each digit rather than shape or odd vs even thus finding a pattern.
SS:
ELA:
Math: An objective could be to learn to infer the relationship expressed as an equation that represents several observations of values of two variables. You might ask a student to describe the relationship involving x and y if x is 1 and y is 0; or if x is 2 then y ix 3; and if x is 3 and y is 8.
Assessment: Tasks here would be completion tasks, analogy tasks, and oddity tasks. In completion tasks, students are given a series of items and must determine what ill come next as in a number series. In analogy tasks, they are given an analogy of the form A is to B as C is to D. The student is to produce or select a term that completes the analogy. In an oddity task, a student is given 3 or more items and must determine which does not belong. For example, a student may be given 3 physics problems, two involving one principle and another involving a different principle. The question could be to state the underlying concept the student uses to arrive at the correct answer.
Compare: This involves detecting similarities and differences between two or more objects, events, ides, problems or situations. It includes finding one-to-one correspondence between elements and patterns in an object, event or idea and those in another object, event or idea.
SS: An objective could be to understand historical events by comparing them to familiar situations such as “How is the American Revolution like a family fight or an argument between friends?”
SCI: An objective could be to learn to compare an electrical circuit to a more familiar system. We ask, “How is the electrical circuit like water flowing through a pipe?”
ELA:
Math: An objective could be to learn to compare structurally similar word problems. A question asks a student to tell how a certain mixture problem is like a certain work problem.
Assessment: One effective technique for assessing comparing is mapping. Here a student must show how each part of one object, idea, problem or situation maps onto each part of another. For example, a student could be asked to detail how the battery, wire, and resistor in an electrical circuit are like the pump, pipes, and pipe constructions in a water flow system.
Explain: This occurs when a student is able to construct and use a cuse/effect model. This may be derived from a formal theory or may be grounded in research. A complete explanation involves constructing a cause/effect model including each major part in a system or each major event in the chain and then using the model to determine how a change in one prt affects a change in another part.
SS: An objective could be to explain the causes of important 18th century historical event. After reading and discussing a unit on the American Revolution, students are asked to construct a cause/effect chain of events that explains why the war occurred.
SCI: An objective could be to explain how bsic physics laws work. You might ask students who have studied Ohm’s law to explain what happens to the rate of the current when a second battery is added or ask students who have viewed a video on lightning storms to explain how differences in temperature affect the formation of lightning.
ELA:
Math:
Assessment: Several tasks could be used to assess the student’s ability to explain including: reasoning, troubleshooting, redesigning, and predicting. In reasoning, a student is asked to offer a reason for a given event. For example, a student is asked “Why does air enter a bicycle tire pump when you pull up on the handle?” An answer such as “It is forced in because the air pressure is less inside the pump than outside” involves finding a principle that accounts for the event. In troubleshooting, a student is asked to diagnose what could have gone wrong in a malfunction. For example, “Suppose you pull up and press down on the handle of the bicycle tire pump several times but no air comes out. What’s wrong?” Here, the student must find an explanation such as “There is a hole in the cylinder.” Or “A valve is stuck in the open position.” In redesigning, a student is asked to change the system to accomplish some goal. You might ask “How could you improve a bicycle tire pump so it would be more efficient?” Here, a student must imagine altering one or more of the components such as “Put lubricant between the piston and cylinder.” In predicting, the student is asked how a change in one part of the system will affect a change in another part of the system. “What would happen if you increased the diameter of the cylinder in a bicycle tire pump?” This requires the student “operate” the mental model to see the amount of air moving through the pump could be increased by increasing the diameter of the cylinder.