What is Authentic Assessment?

What exactly is "authentic assessment"?

Below I have provided some links to help with the clarification.

http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/litass/auth.html

http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=2&n=2

Authentic Assessment Blog

This blog was created as a springboard for teachers who are looking for something different, something more authentic to share with students. I have created assignments and assessments for these authentic tasks. In addition I have provided websites and suggestions as a resource for the teacher. On the assignment worksheet pages I have inlcuded links to pictures, background information, and even employment information for both the teacher and the student to see.
Each assignment is aligned with the New York State Living Environment curriculum and I have provided the standards they address.

For years I have tried to share with students the connection between the curriculum they learn in science and the real world applications. This is one of the things that make teaching "worth it" for me and one of the things I enjoyed hearing about when I was in high school. I can still hear my high school Chemistry teacher (Mr. Rotundi) sharing with the class the chemical formula and actual recipe for windshield wiper fluid. He let us know (in 10th grade) that we should make our own and not buy it. It still makes me laugh today and I remember it like it was yesterday. (It was 1980-something.)

Unit 1 Assignment 3

Simply - it would be great to do a role reversal and have students be the teachers and teachers be the students. This assignment asks students to create a lab of their own to be used in class.


http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125752


http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639573&

Unit 1 Assignmnet 2

Each year on Back-to-School night I show some type of presentation to parents. Powerpoint presentations, video clips, or mini lab presentations are what you will see.

I think a nice change would be to see materials prepared by the students. Parents would get a sampling of student work, learn something, and students would be able to showcase their learning and talent!

This assignment asks the student to prepare a 10 minute documentary on the "characteristics of life" that can be shown at Back-to-School night.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125755

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639591&

Unit 1 Assignment 1

I teach Living Environment, not Art. Last year I had a student in science class who was always drawing and sketching (he was quiet about it). He was an A student....so I let him sketch. I used to tell him he should consider a career in science illustration. (I meant this sincerely.) This is literally the inspiration for this assignment.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125756


http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639595&

Unit 2 Assignmnet 3

Our school guidence counselor and 7th grade students publish a newsletter/newspaper four times during each school year. Students are always looking forward to it! I think part of the excitement it that it is created by students for students.

This assignmnet asks students to create a newsletter/newspaper about a science topic! I am hoping it will bring some similar excitement!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125750

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639565&

Unit 2 Assignment 2

The inspiration for this assignment is quite simple...it is from a TV commercial. I have seen the commercials for laundry detergent that show grass stains on white clothes and then hear an announcer mention something about "enzyme action" of the detergent.

I thought why not try this out?! For this assignment students will design and run experiments to test the claims of detergents.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125747

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639551&

Unit 2 Assignment 1

At the college health center there were always informational pamphlets and handouts available for students. It did not matter if you were looking for information about a common cold or a disease you would not discuss over dinner...the information was there. One of the things I remember most was a poster on the wall about Dick and Jane and their previous relationships. It was an eye opener and it spoke to the population it needed to.

This assignment is reminiscent of the Dick and Jane poster. Students will create an age appropriate informational pamphlet about AIDS.


http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125748

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639555&

Unit 3 Assignment 3

For this assignment I wanted to focus on current society. Students today are living in a time of amazing technologies! Therefore for this assignment I focused on computer applications and the Biotech field.

Students today are very technology savy. They have classes in which they learn the newest software and use it for projects in their other classes.

Pick up a newspaper and there is a story about a new advancement in Biotechnology. Students can make the connection between the curriculum they learn in class and the stories in the paper.
This is what excites me about the Living Environment curriculum.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125744

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639546&

Unit 3 Assignment 2

This assignment asks students to examine cloning (both in animals and plants) and devise a plan to clone living organisms themselves. My hope is that they examine all of the possibilities and then create a feasible plan for the classroom.


http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125742


http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639541&

Unit 3 Assignmnet 1

I have a blog for the science class that I teach and it has been a great way to communicate information! Students are more likely to read or check a blog than to read over a worksheet or other hard copy informational piece.

Creating a blog is an expectation of this assignment. A blog can be a way for a student to demonstrate their knowledge as well as create a product! Technology appeals to students today and incorporating any technology into a lesson will make it more enticing!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125738

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639535&

Unit 4 Assignment 3

Healthcare professionals are people too! This assignment requires students to sit down with a healthcare professional and ask some insightful questions. The inspiration comes from the Oprah Winfrey Show (I am embarresed to admit). Oprah Winfrey interviews Dr. Mehmet Oz on her television show and asks a lot of questions people would not normally ask.

A fresh perspective from an expert can breathe new life into a topic!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125736


http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639477&

Unit 4 Assignment 2

The unit on reproduction can be a touchy one for middle school students and high school students as well. My students make calendars, posters, and complete labs during this unit. Involving students in hands on work makes this topic more comfortable for some students. This assignment asks students to create a game that can be played by one or more students. (*Must be appropriate for school!)

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125270


http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639471&

Unit 4 Assignment 1

Advances in science have had a great impact on reproductive science. There are prenatal screening tests, gender selection clinics, and genetic counseling. It can be a little overwhelming to new parents! This assignment engages students in counseling one another about their genetic traits.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125266

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639466&

Unit 5 Assignment 3

Before I was a teacher I worked as an animal handler and trainer. Part of my repsonsibilities included observations of sea lion behaviors. In order to distinguish between the sea lions it was important to recognize the subtle differences between them. (Examples: whisker length, eyes, coloring around the face..) This work was the inspiration for this assignment which asks students to observe animal populations and the subtle differences between individuals.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125265

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639452&

Unit 5 Assignment 2

This assignment involves students swabbing different areas of the school building to observe the growth of "germs". I have tried this type of assignment before with success and will be using it again this year in my classroom. I think it always gets a great reaction from students! The new twist to it is to tie in the idea of antibiotic resistance.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125261&page=1

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639445&

Unit 5 Assignment 1

This Christmas I will be visiting the American Museum of Natural History to see the "Horse" exhibit. While I was looking for tickets on-line I discovered the incredible amount of information the museum has about the exhibit as well as the development of the exhibit. This was the inspiration for this assignment. I have students who are always being creative (and original) with science projects, in their work for art class, and in clubs such as photo club. I thought this would be a great outlet for that creativity!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125259

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639441&

Unit 6 Assignment 3

Incorporated into my classroom is peer instruction. Peer instruction can look different ways; a jigsaw, peer tutoring, or simply students teaching a lesson. This assignment asks students to select a method and then deliver peer instruction.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125255

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639408&

Unit 6 Assignment 2

Most nature centers and parks have some type of literature on hand to educate visitors about the local flora a fauna. The information comes in many forms; a pamphlet, signs along paths, kiosks at the head of a trail, etcetera. This assignmnet involves creating an informational piece about a local environment. The recognition that there is an abundance of life in your own backyard is what I hope students will learn from this assignment. (Global citizens make better choices for the future.)

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125258

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639396&

Unit 6 Assignment 1

After I received my teaching certificate I worked as a substitute teacher. One of the assignments I received was for a science elective that included landscape design. Students in the class had completed their own designs, they were very impressive! The idea of incorporating this type of work in my own class has never left me.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125254

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639420

Unit 7 Assignment 3

Life is simply the inspiration for this assignmnet. Gardening is theraputic and economical!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125251

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639372

Unit 7 Assignment 2

During high school I was involved in a club called “Model Congress”, a club loosely based on Model UN. Different area high schools would host the events (debates) which were held Friday after school and through the weekend. Part of the responsibility of being in this club was selecting a committee to participate in and researching bills supported by that committee. I can remember going to my high school library and looking in the stacks for Congressional Quarterly. I remember reading bills written by a not so known Al Gore, it was 1988! Even then Mr. Gore was working to expose the "Inconvenient Truths" of our planet. This work and these experiences provided me with the idea for this assignment.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125249

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639349

Unit 7 Assignment 1

My first teaching position was at a small private school in an upscale Manhattan suburb. One of the school trips was to Frost Valley YMCA in the Catskill Region of NY and I volunteered to be a chaperone. At the Frost Valley site the focus is on team building and eco-friendly choices. In the dining hall all people must weigh their food waste and separate it at the end of each meal. There is a competition to see which group can reduce their waste by the greatest percentage by the end of the stay. Inspirational!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125250

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639356&

Unit 8 & 9 Assignment 3

The sleep-away camp experience for Long Island boys and girls seems to be mandatory. The sleep-away camp I went to each summer is a smaller camp in Northern New Jersey which had a lot of enriching programs (in addition to the standard swimming and arts and crafts). One program our counselors could schedule was simply called “Nature” and the person who ran the program was simply called “Nature George”. We learned a lot from George over the summers. Two of my favorite activities, that I can remember, were sumac tea making and nature observing. (Whenever I see Sumac I think of these days.) “Nature George” showed campers that just a small square of the planet overflows with life. He is my inspiration.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=125212

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&module=Rubistar&rubric_id=1639339&

Unit 8 & 9 Assignment 2

Early mornings are the best times to go the beach! You beat the crowds and the blistering mid-day heat. A tradition in my family is to get up early, head to the deli, get a fresh egg sandwich on the best Long Island bagel, and head to the beach. If you get there early enough you can catch the DEC collecting water samples and driving their pick up along the beach. This is just a fun site to see and it is reassuring as well! That is my inspiration for this piece.

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=123308

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1612632&

Unit 8 & 9 Assignment 1

This is the first attempt at a real assignment on my blog.

I am so excited that I was able to create the blog and now even more excited to make postings!

The inspiraiton for this piece is our annual trip to Downeast, Maine. This year we took a ferry to the Cranberry Islands and spent some time exploring Isleford, also known as Little Cranberry. We met the park ranger who was at the historical museum on the island and were surprised to find out he is a native of Western New York. You never know! We had some time to kill before the ferry came to take us back to Seal Cove so we stepped off the pier and went hunting for some sea glass. We had never done this before and we have been visitng this rocky coast for 10 years! It was great fun and we came home with some beautiful pieces of blue, lavendar, green, white, and a lot of brown (amber) sea glass!

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php?id=122489

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=1604544&

Test of Technology

I am hoping to create sites that will contain worksheets and rubrics.

This is a test to see how well it does or does not work.

http://www.barharborinfo.com

First attempt

This website is hopefully going to be a resource for authentic assessment in science.