Formative Assessment

Teacher Guide

cognia assessments
Table of Contents
About This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Guide Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Accessing Cognia’s Formative Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Introduction to Formative Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Formative Assessment Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Formative Support Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
How to Use the Formative Support Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Accommodations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Defining Accommodation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Accommodations in Cognia’s Assessment Platform. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Accommodation and Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Making Accessibility Decisions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Modification of Instruction and Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Evaluation of Accessibility at the Student Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mathematics-Specific Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mathematics Formative Item Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mathematics Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
How to Best Use the Mathematics Item Sets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Mathematics Scoring Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Next Steps for Formative Mathematics Item Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Reading-Specific Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Reading Formative Item Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
English Language Arts Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
How to Best Use the Reading Item Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Reading Scoring Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Next Steps for Formative Reading Item Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
STEM-Specific Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
STEM Formative Item Types. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Next Generation Science Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
How to Best Use the STEM Item Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Next Steps for Formative STEM Item Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Appendix A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Revised 08/20

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. ii

About This Guide
This CogniaTM Formative Assessment Teacher Guide provides information on how to access Cognia
Formative Assessment materials, item sets, and tools, and how to use them.

Purpose
Formative assessment is part of an ongoing cycle of instruction and feedback in classrooms and
is integral to effective teaching and learning. Teachers use our resources to measure student
understanding in real time, which supports them in making instructional adjustments for the benefit of
every student. We want every student to have the opportunities that knowledge brings.

Guide Terminology
The formative item sets for each grade and content area include the following:
• Blueprints. A high-level technical overview of the items in each set that shows the standard and
learning targets the items align to, item depth of knowledge (DOK), item type, item position, and
number of items that exist for that standard
• Scoring guide. Information about item alignment, including learning target, standard, cluster, and
DOK
• Distractor rationales. Information related to incorrect answer choices to selected-response
items that supports the formative process by identifying misunderstanding, misinterpretations,
and other sources of error
• Scoring rubrics. Guidance for constructed-response items that helps ensure easier and more
uniform scoring
• Student item sets. Ready-to-use, formatted, printable groups of items with response spaces
Item types in the formative sets include the following:
• Selected-Response
– Multiple-choice—Students select one answer from four possible choices.
– Multiple-select—Students select more than one answer from four to eight possible choices.
• Constructed-Response
– Short-answer—Students respond to a question using a few words or numeric response.
– Constructed-response—Students respond to a question by writing a response.

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Accessing Cognia’s Formative
Resources
To access Cognia’s formative assessment resources, go to myjourney .cognia .org, type your email
address and password into the appropriate boxes, and click Login . A

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After logging in, a page appears with the navigation bar at the left side. The Assessments widget is
located there. B

Click the Assessments widget to access a dialog box with the different assessment options.

C D

• To access PDF versions of formative item sets and resources, click Go to Content Library C .
Each PDF includes a blueprint, a scoring guide, and a student item set.
• To access formative items using Cognia’s assessment platform, click Go to Formative
Assessments D . The Formative Assessment items and item sets are delivered in an interactive,
online delivery system where students take assessments online.
The interactive online tools for assessment administration and the Formative Assessments are
accessed through myJourney.

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Introduction to Formative
Assessment
It is important to remember that formative assessment is not a test. It is a process, a practice that is
part of instruction. In effective formative instruction, teachers use a variety of methods to determine
whether students understand the current lesson and adjust instruction accordingly. Methods include
homework assignments, check-ins, exit tickets, peer-to-peer exchanges, short quizzes, etc. Formative
assessment helps to:
• Establish a teacher-student learning partnership.
• Clarify learning targets and criteria for success.
• Identify students’ misconceptions.
• Provide teachers and students with actionable feedback.
• Identify next steps for instruction.

Data
Students and teachers are the primary users of formative assessment data. These data have the
greatest effect on learning and instruction because feedback for both student and teacher occurs
over a very short or nearly instantaneous time period. This allows for adjustments in instruction,
reteaching, and additional practice with learning targets to occur.

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Formative Assessment Cycle
The formative assessment cycle occurs during formative assessment. The diagram illustrates the
step-by-step process in relation to the learning target being taught. When using the formative items,
educators should refer to the cycle diagram and consider where they are in the process and which
resources will best help them at that point.

The Formative Assessment Process

6 Scaffold
new learning 1 Engage students
in learning

5 Learning
2
Plan learning
Elicit evidence of
and instructional
modifications Targets understanding

4 3
Interpret evidence
Gather and
and identify gaps
provide feedback
in understanding

1. Engage students in learning: Student engagement directly affects student learning.

©2020 Cognia, Inc.Students
become more invested in the learning process when they are encouraged to ask questions and
actively participate in discussions about their own thinking.
2. Elicit evidence of understanding: Evidence can be defined as observable features of student
performance and can be gathered in a variety of ways. Students’ responses provide evidence
about their understanding and progress toward meeting learning targets.
3. Interpret evidence and identify gaps in understanding: Teachers and students interpret
the collected evidence to determine where the students are in relation to the learning goals.
Analysis and interpretation of evidence is ongoing and is used to monitor progress and inform
instructional next steps.
4. Gather and provide feedback: Actionable feedback keeps learning moving forward. When
students receive timely, descriptive feedback, they understand what they need to do next
and their performance improves. This kind of effective feedback also supports students’
metacognition, or awareness about their own thinking.
5. Plan learning and instructional modifications: Collected evidence and feedback can be used
to inform and modify lesson plans while teaching and learning is still occurring. Instruction can
be targeted to address specific misconceptions or learning needs.
6. Scaffold new learning: Teachers can support students’ transition to the rigor of the
standards by translating the standards to learning targets. When teachers provide
additional clarification and guidance through modeling and feedback, students gain a greater
understanding of what is expected.

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Formative Support Tools
The following optional tools are offered to help engage students in the assessment process. These
tools can also assist teachers in using the evidence collected from the Cognia Formative Assessment
resources to inform instructional next steps. See Appendix A for the tools.

How to Use the Formative Support Tools

A brief description of each formative tool is listed, defining the purpose of each tool and offering a
recommendation on how it can be used. The tools have been divided into two sections: planning tools,
which are helpful for educators, and student tools, which are helpful for students.

Planning Tools
• Response Review: A guide for reviewing student responses and recording evidence about student
response patterns regarding specific distractors and skill areas that need more instructional
attention. Once these have been documented, it will be easier to determine which areas need
reinstruction and more opportunities for practice.
• Constructed-Response Task Review Guide: A guide for reviewing student work and recording
evidence of student understanding. The evidence collected through analyzing student responses
and the accompanying rubrics can be used as formative feedback.
• Stars and Steps Formative Feedback: A template to provide feedback to students on areas of
strength and mastery within the learning target and on areas that require additional learning.
• Curriculum-Embedded Performance Assessment Model: A tool that provides a framework for
planning and embedding formative items into curriculum-embedded performance assessments to
engage students in instructional activities and provide evidence of understanding as instruction
occurs.
• Formative Assessment Review Plan: An organizer for teachers to use that provides a
walkthrough of the formative assessment process and a space to organize their thoughts on how
to use the process during a specific instructional period. Teachers will use the tool to document
the formative assessments they use during the instructional period, the evidence obtained, and the
conclusions about student learning based on that evidence.
• Evidence Review Plan: An organizer for teachers to use that provides a walkthrough of the
formative assessment process and a space to organize their thoughts on how to use the process
during a specific instructional period.

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Student Tools
• Frayer Model: A graphic organizer that helps students define a concept and sort its
characteristics, examples, and nonexamples
• 3-2-1 Feedback: A template for students to provide feedback to teachers by listing three things
they learned, two things they found interesting, and one question they still have; may be useful as
an exit slip
• Self-Assessment Tools
– Stoplight Self-Assessment: A tool for students to describe their progress toward the
learning target and select which circle of the traffic light best indicates their level of
understanding
– Student Self-Assessment Gauge: A tool for students to describe their accomplishment of
the learning target and to draw on a gauge graphic indicating their own assessment of their
current level of understanding
– Student Self-Assessment: A tool that helps students organize their learning targets,
describe their level of understanding for a specific target, and reflect about questions they still
have for a specific learning target
– Student Self-Assessment of 3-Dimensional Learning: A tool to help students reflect on a
learning target, writing what they did, what they know, and how they think about it
• Student Self-Reflection: A STEM-specific tool that allows students to connect specific
disciplinary core ideas (DCI) to different science and engineering practices (SEP) and crosscutting
concepts (CCC) and then reflect on those connections
• Cause and Effect Map: A graphic organizer that helps students define specific cause-and-effect
relationships
• Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning: A graphic organizer that helps students organize a specific
claim, evidence for that claim, and reasoning to support that claim
• Draw and Explain: A tool that gives students a chance to discuss their answers with peers
• Pass the Question Protocol: A frame that allows students to write down questions and work with
partners to synthesize a response to their questions
• Three-Fact Fold Chart: A graphic organizer that has a section for a student to write down three
pieces of information, a section for a partner to write down three pieces of information, and a
section where common information and ideas can be described

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Accommodations
Defining Accommodation
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has provided guidance on how to approach
accommodations during student assessment. They define accommodations as “changes in procedures
or materials that ensure equitable access to instructional and assessment content and generate valid
assessment results for students who need them. Embedded accommodations (e.g., text-to-speech)
are provided digitally through instructional or assessment technology, while non-embedded designated
features (e.g., scribe) are provided locally. Accommodations are generally available for students for
whom there is a documented need on an IEP or 504 accommodation plan, although some states also
offer accommodations for ELs.”

Accommodations in Cognia’s Assessment Platform

Standard test-taking tools are available to students within the testing interface on Cognia’s
assessment platform. Universal and system tools are available to all students. Item-level tools appear
in items that require their use to respond. In addition, the items include accommodation tools that can
be used by students as determined by the district or school. The platform supports accommodating
learners through the following tools:

Answer Masking: A universal tool that provides the ability to “hide” an answer by clicking on
the eye icon next to the answer choice. This can be used to eliminate answer choices. Answer
masking will persist if a student navigates away from a question, but not if the student exits
the test. Answer choices may not be selected while they are masked.

Calculator: An item-level tool that comes in two modes, Basic and Scientific. The Basic
calculator is an item-level tool for students taking Mathematics tests in grades 3–5. The
Scientific calculator is an item-level tool for students taking Mathematics tests in grades 7–8
or higher. Students can click the numbers and symbols on the calculator to use it.
 olor Contrast: An accommodation tool that allows the student to select from a menu of
C
12 different color combinations of background and text. Click the color combination choice to
change the color contrast. Click Default to return to the standard colors.
Dictionary: An item-level tool that provides the ability to look up a phrase or word. The
definition for the phrase or word is then displayed in a dialog box on the page. To close the
dialog box, click the X in the upper-right of the box.
Line Reader: A universal tool that helps the student focus on one or more lines of text when
reading test content. Use the mouse or touchscreen to raise and lower the tool for each line
of text on the page. Adjust the number of lines in the line reader tool window with the resizing
handle.
Highlighter: A universal tool that allows students to select text and highlight the selection.
Erase the highlighting of text by using the eraser—select the eraser and select the highlighting
to erase. To clear all highlighting on the page, click Clear All.
Masking: An accommodation tool that provides the ability to mask certain parts of the test
interface, passage, or item. The student can resize and drag custom masking planes.
Notepad: A system tool that allows students to retain notes on an item. Notes uniquely persist
per item and are only viewed by the student while taking the test. The notes will not be visible
once the test session is exited or when the test is submitted. Notes will not be submitted with
the student responses. The student can resize and drag the notepad within the item. The
notepad displays a timestamp for when the contents were last modified. If the notepad is used
on a passage that is shared across multiple items, the notes will persist each time the passage
is seen with all items.

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 Protractor: A vector-based, partially translucent item-level tool available for specific items
(designated by content). The student can rotate, resize, and drag the protractor within the
item.
Reverse Contrast: An accommodation tool that inverts all color values on the page. Reverse
Contrast is available when Color Contrast is selected as an accommodation for a student.
Ruler: A vector-based, partially translucent item-level tool available for specific items
(designated by content). Depending on the item, there will be a ruler available in inches by
1/4-inch or 1/8-inch increments or in centimeters. The student can rotate, resize, and drag
the ruler within the item.
Screen Zoom: An accommodation tool that allows students to magnify the entire page in four
increments: 100%, 150%, 200%, and 300%. Clicking the magnifying glass zooms in, the minus
symbol zooms out, and the circular arrow returns to the default 100% magnification. Screen
zoom is only available in the kiosk version of the student interface.
Sketch: A universal tool that allows students to draw anywhere on the item area or shared
stimulus (passage), using a choice of black, red, or blue pens or a semi-transparent yellow
highlighter.
Text-to-Speech (TTS): An accommodation tool that allows students to hear the text read out
loud. Students who have a TTS Mathematics accommodation will have TTS controls available.
TTS is only available in the kiosk version of the student interface.

Accommodation and Assessment

CCSSO also states that “in the context of new technology-based instruction and assessments, various
accessibility supports are available for students to meet their individualized needs and preferences.
These new individualized approaches to accessibility place greater responsibility on educator teams
and individuals who make decisions about which students need and should receive specific supports
among a variety of accessibility choices. Even those features that are universally available for all
students may need to be turned off for some students if they have proven to be distracting in
instruction and on assessments. Educators should also ensure that students have ample opportunity
to practice using accessibility supports or accessing assessment content without certain supports if
they are only available in instruction.”

Making Accessibility Decisions

CCSSO developed a five-step process to help with making accessibility decisions in the classroom.
Step 1: Expect students to achieve grade-level standards. Educators should expect all students,
including accommodated learners, in their classroom to be able to meet the learning standards that
are the basis for instruction.
Step 2: Learn about accessibility supports for instruction and assessment. Educators can learn about
accessibility supports from the special education department at their school.
Step 3: Identify accessibility supports for instruction and assessment. Educators should work as a
team to determine which supports best help each student obtain and process the information learned
during the instructional period.
Step 4: Apply accessibility supports during instruction and assessment. Educators should follow the
recommendations of the school’s special education department as to which accessibility supports are
appropriate to apply during instruction and assessment.
Step 5: Evaluate use of accessibility supports in instruction and assessment. Educators should review
the student evidence of learning from instruction and assessment and consider if the accessibility
supports were sufficient for the learner.

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Modification of Instruction and Assessment
There are many different types of learning exceptionalities and those exceptionalities have
specific accommodations that will help the student. Supporting learning exceptionalities using
accommodations does not lower learning expectations; they help ensure the student’s needs are met
and help teachers better measure the student’s learning.
CCSSO defines modifications as “practices or materials that change, lower, or reduce state-required
learning expectations. Modifications may change the underlying construct of an assessment.” Some
examples of modifications in instruction and assessment include the following:
• reducing the student learning load through fewer learning targets, fewer problems, less reading,
and shorter units of instruction
• reducing the number of assignments, the volume of work within the assignment, and the number of
assessments; focusing on obtaining the appropriate evidence of learning for the student
• using the appropriate accommodations and support tools that best help the learner
• reducing the difficulty of tasks and assessments through scaffolding, providing additional content,
extra labeling, or reducing the number of options a student has to work through.

Evaluation of Accessibility at the Student Level

CCSSO put together the following list of questions that can be used to help evaluate accessibility
supports for students:
1. What accessibility supports are used by the student during instruction and assessments?
2. What are the results of classroom assignments and assessments when accessibility supports
are used versus when they are not used? If a student did not meet the expected level of
performance, is it due to not having access to the necessary instruction, not receiving the
accessibility supports, or using accessibility supports that were ineffective?
3. What is the student’s perception of how well the accessibility support worked?
4. What combinations of accessibility supports seem to be effective?
5. What are the difficulties encountered in the use of accessibility supports?
6. What are the perceptions of teachers and others about how the accessibility supports appear
to be working?
7. How have the characteristics of the student changed over time to warrant a plan or
accessibility support change?
Questions that pertain to school or the school district should be used during the continuous
improvement cycle, and questions that pertain to the student should be used by their teachers,
co-teachers, and counselors.
Whether students receive accommodations for learning and assessments or not, the formative
assessment cycle should occur and students should be provided feedback on their progress toward
understanding a specific learning target.

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Mathematics-Specific Information
Educators work to ensure that their lessons are comprehensive and provide students with
opportunities to practice and apply the mathematics skills they have learned. Cognia’s formative
mathematics item sets support classroom instruction by engaging students to demonstrate what
they know on meaningful tasks. These items are evidence of student understanding and can be used by
educators as actionable data during the formative assessment cycle.
There are currently 30 sets of formative mathematics items for grades 3–8. Each grade includes an
item set from each individual cluster. Additional items will be added during the 2020–2021 school year.
Each mathematics item set aligns to a mathematics college and career readiness domain and is
focused on one specific cluster within that domain. Clusters are standards that are grouped together
to represent key concepts and skills emphasized within a domain. Mathematics item sets are designed
to help educators integrate formative assessment into instruction while learning is still occurring.
Each mathematics item set assesses a range of cognitive complexities and encourages students to
apply their understanding of key skills and concepts.
Each item set consists of two parts: Part A and Part B. Part A consists of four to eight multiple-choice,
multiple-select, and short-answer items, and Part B consists of one extended constructed-response
item.
Calculator functionality is limited to specific items and sets of items when they are used in
Cognia’s assessment platform. Not all items allow use of the calculator tool. Keep this in mind when
administering the items using PDFs from the Formative Content Library; calculator usage is then at
the teacher’s discretion.
Cognia does not recommend using any of the formative assessment item sets as a topic “test.”
Our mathematics formative items are designed to work within a larger assessment program that
includes formative, interim, and summative assessment components. The item sets are designed to
complement instruction.

Mathematics Formative Item Types

Multiple-choice (MC) 1-point items: MC items include an item stem (question) and answer options.
The incorrect answer options, or distractors, are often based on typical misunderstandings or
common errors. The Scoring Guide for each MC item includes distractor rationales that identify the
correct answer and help explain why each other option is incorrect. An analysis of students’ answer
choices provides evidence of the students’ current level of understanding of key concepts and skills.
Multiple-select (MS) 1-point items: MS items include an item stem (question) and answer options.
The item has more than one correct answer. The incorrect answer options, or distractors, are often
based on typical misunderstandings or common errors. The Scoring Guide for each MS item includes
distractor rationales that identify the correct answer and help explain why each other option is
incorrect. An analysis of students’ answer choices provides evidence of the students’ current level of
understanding of key concepts and skills.
Short-answer (SA) 1-point items: SA items include a student entering in a numeric response. These
items are looking for students to generate a specific number. The responses to this type of item
provide evidence of students’ understanding and application of specific mathematics skills.
Constructed-response (CR) 2- or 4-point items: A CR item presents an open-ended prompt that
gives students the opportunity to write answers that demonstrate application of their knowledge
and skills. These items also allow students to practice higher-order thinking skills such as analyzing,
explaining, synthesizing, elaborating, and questioning their own thinking.

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Mathematics Standards
The college and career readiness standards such as the Common Core State Standards or similar
U.S. state standards in mathematics were created in response to over a decade of research about
mathematics education in the United States with the goal of having standards that provide clear,
specific language about what students should be learning.
“These new standards build on the best of high-quality mathematics standards from states across the
country. They also draw on the most important international models for mathematical practice, as
well as research and input from numerous sources, including state departments of education, scholars,
assessment developers, professional organizations, educators, parents and students, and members of
the public.
“They endeavor to follow the design envisioned by William Schmidt and Richard Houang (2002), by not
only stressing conceptual understanding of key ideas, but also by continually returning to organizing
principles such as place value and the laws of arithmetic to structure those ideas.
“In addition, the ‘sequence of topics and performances’ that is outlined in a body of mathematics
standards must respect what is already known about how students learn. As Confrey (2007) points
out, developing ‘sequenced obstacles and challenges for students…absent the insights about
meaning that derive from careful study of learning, would be unfortunate and unwise.’ Therefore, the
development of the standards began with research-based learning progressions detailing what is
known today about how students’ mathematical knowledge, skill, and understanding develop over time.
The knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for mathematics in college, career, and life are
woven throughout the mathematics standards. They do not include separate Anchor Standards like
those used in the ELA/literacy standards.
“The Common Core concentrates on a clear set of mathematics skills and concepts. Students will
learn concepts in a more organized way both during the school year and across grades. The standards
encourage students to solve real-world problems.”
“Mathematics Standards.” Mathematics Standards | Common Core State Standards Initiative,
www.corestandards.org/Math/.

How to Best Use the Mathematics Item Sets

The content in this section explains each component of the item sets and how they can best be
incorporated into the classroom. The PDF item sets are designed to be used in conjunction with
online formative assessment. The PDF item set documentation should be used as the reference, while
the delivery of the assessment would be either on paper using the PDFs or online through Cognia’s
assessment platform.

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Mathematics Blueprint
The mathematics blueprint should be used to help select the formative item(s) that will provide the
best evidence of student learning. Each cluster of items is organized by a common performance
expectation. The learning targets differentiate between the type of evidence each item will provide.
The depth of knowledge (DOK) informs the cognitive rigor that the item requires. The item type
informs the type of interaction that the student will have to perform to respond to the item.
The following blueprint is aligned to these Common Core State Standards:
• 04.OA.01.01: Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g., interpret 35 = 5 × 7 as a
statement that 35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5. Represent verbal statements
of multiplicative comparisons as multiplication equations.
• 04.OA.01.02: Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison, e.g., by
using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem,
distinguishing multiplicative comparison from additive comparison.
• 04.OA.01.03: Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number
answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted.
Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess
the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.
To obtain evidence of understanding for each standard, teachers should:
• use items individually as the learning targets are covered in class,
• use the items in small groups to address a series of learning targets that focus on one standard, or
• use the entire six-item cluster to measure students’ understanding of learning targets before,
during, or after instruction.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 13

Mathematics Scoring Guide
The scoring guide has two tools that are useful to educators because they help provide accurate
formative feedback when addressing misconceptions about the standard.

Distractor Rationales
The distractor rationales are helpful because each rationale explains why a specific misunderstanding
or common error is incorrect. Providing students with feedback is a key component of the formative
assessment cycle. Reviewing the distractor rationales with students is beneficial for learning and could
be done through the following:
• Have students explain why a specific response is correct/incorrect and evaluate their explanation
through the use of the distractor rationale text.
• Use the distractor rationales to help target points of necessary reinstruction.
• Discuss the misunderstanding or common error addressed in each rationale with the class/student
and consider other examples of the same misunderstanding or error type.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 14

Mathematics Rubrics
The rubrics and scoring notes help delineate scoring of student responses so that common errors
are more easily identified, which helps ensure that scoring is more uniform and fairer to all learners.
Providing students with feedback is a key component of the formative assessment cycle. Reviewing
the rubric and scoring notes with students is beneficial for learning and could be done through the
following:
• Have students evaluate the rubric so that they are aware of how constructed-response tasks are
assessed.
• Have students identify/generate responses that meet the full rubric score point but are not listed
in the scoring notes.
• Have students score themselves or their peers using the rubrics and scoring notes.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 15

Next Steps for Formative Mathematics Item Data
After obtaining data that serve as evidence of student understanding, educators should evaluate and
interpret the data to identify gaps in student understanding.
Once gaps in understanding are identified, students need appropriate feedback. For these items to be
formative, students must receive feedback. The feedback provided to students should be descriptive
instead of evaluative. Descriptive feedback communicates what is working and indicates the next steps
the students need to take in their learning process. Students with no gaps in learning also should
receive descriptive feedback that provides their next steps for how to apply and extend what they
learned or for how to begin learning the next concept.
After feedback is provided to students, educators should consider documenting the instructional
modifications and supplementations provided to the students. Whether a student is undergoing
relearning or learning a new concept, plans can be made, documented, and implemented on how best to
scaffold that learning. Teachers can use the learning targets to help guide which specific modifications,
supplementations, and scaffolding will best support the student.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 16

Reading-Specific Information
English language arts (ELA) teachers are responsible for ensuring students are able to use language
effectively through reading and writing. Cognia’s formative reading item sets support classroom
instruction by engaging students to demonstrate what they know on meaningful tasks. These items
are evidence of student understanding and can be used by educators as actionable data during the
formative assessment cycle.
There are 36 sets of formative reading items in grades 3–8. More item sets will be added during the
2020-2021 school year.
Each reading item set aligns to a reading domain and is focused on a cluster within that domain.
Standards that are grouped together to represent key concepts and skills emphasized within a
domain are called clusters. The reading item sets are designed to help educators integrate formative
assessment into instruction while learning is still occurring.
Each reading item set features single or paired passages and assesses target college and career
readiness standards related to the different domains. Each domain focuses on one of the following
clusters:
• Key Ideas and Details
• Craft and Structure
• Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Reading item sets provide grade-appropriate passages that include informational or literary selections.
Reading item sets assess a range of cognitive complexities and encourage students to apply their
understanding of key skills and concepts. The item sets are designed not only to assess students’
ability to comprehend what they read, but also to prompt them to analyze and synthesize text and cite
evidence to support their thinking.
Each item set consists of two parts to provide flexibility for instructional planning. Part A consists of four
to eight multiple-choice items, and Part B consists of one extended constructed-response item.
Cognia does not recommend using any of the formative assessment item sets as a topic “test.”
Our reading formative items are designed to work within a larger assessment program that
includes formative, interim, and summative assessment components. The item sets are designed to
complement instruction.

Reading Formative Item Types

Multiple-choice (MC) 1-point items: MC items include an item stem (question) and answer options.
The incorrect answer options, or distractors, are often based on typical misunderstandings and
misinterpretations. The Scoring Guide for each MC item includes distractor rationales that identify
the correct answer and help explain why each other option is incorrect. An analysis of students’ answer
choices provides evidence of the students’ current level of understanding of key concepts and skills.
Multiple-select (MS) 1-point items: MS items include an item stem (question) and answer options.
The item has more than one correct answer. The incorrect answer options, or distractors, are often
based on typical misunderstandings and misinterpretations. The Scoring Guide for each MS item
includes distractor rationales that identify the correct answers and help explain why each other option
is incorrect. An analysis of students’ answer choices provides evidence of the students’ current level of
understanding of key concepts and skills.
Constructed-response (CR) 2-, 3-, or 4-point items: A CR item presents an open-ended prompt
that gives students the opportunity to write answers that demonstrate application of core reading
skills. These items also allow students to practice higher-order thinking skills such as analyzing,
explaining, synthesizing, elaborating, and questioning their own thinking.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 17

English Language Arts Standards
The college and career readiness standards such as the Common Core State Standards or similar U.S.
state standards in English language arts were developed to help ensure that all students are prepared
for success in life, a career, or college by graduation.
“The standards establish guidelines for English language arts (ELA) as well as for literacy in
history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Because students must learn to read, write,
speak, listen, and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, the standards promote the
literacy skills and concepts required for college and career readiness in multiple disciplines.
“The College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards form the backbone of the ELA/literacy
standards by articulating core knowledge and skills, while grade-specific standards provide additional
specificity. Beginning in grade 6, the literacy standards allow teachers of ELA, history/social studies,
science, and technical subjects to use their content area expertise to help students meet the
particular challenges of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and using language in their respective
fields.
“It is important to note that the grade 6–12 literacy standards in history/social studies, science, and
technical subjects are meant to supplement content standards in those areas, not replace them.
States determine how to incorporate these standards into their existing standards for those subjects
or adopt them as content area literacy standards.
“The skills and knowledge captured in the ELA/literacy standards are designed to prepare students for
life outside the classroom. They include critical-thinking skills and the ability to closely and attentively
read texts in a way that will help them understand and enjoy complex works of literature. Students will
learn to use cogent reasoning and evidence collection skills that are essential for success in college,
career, and life. The standards also lay out a vision of what it means to be a literate person who is
prepared for success in the 21st century.”
“English Language Arts Standards.” English Language Arts Standards | Common Core State
Standards Initiative, www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/

How to Best Use the Reading Item Sets

The content in this section explains each component of the item sets and how they can best be
incorporated into the classroom. The PDF item sets are designed to be used in conjunction with
online formative assessment. The PDF item set documentation should be used as the reference, while
the delivery of the assessment would be either on paper using the PDFs or online through Cognia’s
assessment platform.

Reading Blueprint
The reading blueprint should be used to help select the formative item(s) that will provide the best
evidence of student learning. Each cluster of items is organized by a reading domain. The learning
targets differentiate between the type of evidence each item will provide. The depth of knowledge (DOK)
informs the cognitive rigor that the item requires. The item type informs the type of interaction that
the student will have to perform to respond to the item.
The following blueprint is aligned to these Common Core State Standards:
• RL.03.01: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly
to the text as the basis for the answers.
• RL.03.02: Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures: to
determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details.
• RL.03.03: Describe characters in a story (e.g. their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how
their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 18

To obtain evidence of understanding for each standard, teachers should:
• use items individually as the learning targets are covered in class;
• use the items in small groups to address a series of learning targets that focus on one standard
(each testlet focuses on one cluster, and a cluster may have multiple standards addressed); or
• use the entire item cluster to measure students’ understanding of learning targets before, during,
or after instruction.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 19

Reading Scoring Guide
The scoring guide has two tools that are helpful to educators because they help provide accurate
formative feedback when addressing students’ misunderstandings and misinterpretations related to
the standard being assessed.

Distractor Rationales
The distractor rationales are helpful because each rationale explains why a specific common
misunderstanding or misinterpretation is incorrect. Providing students with feedback is a key
component of the formative assessment cycle. Reviewing the distractor rationales with students is
beneficial for learning and could be done through the following:
• Have students explain why a specific response is correct/incorrect and evaluate their explanation
through the use of the distractor rationale text.
• Use the distractor rationales to help target points of necessary reinstruction.
• Discuss the common misunderstanding addressed in each rationale with the class/student and
consider other examples of the same common misunderstanding.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 20

Reading Rubrics
The rubrics and scoring notes help delineate scoring of student responses so that misunderstandings
and misinterpretations are more easily identified, which helps ensure that scoring is more uniform
and fairer to all learners. Providing students with feedback is a key component of the formative
assessment cycle. Reviewing the rubric and scoring notes with students is beneficial for learning and
could be done through the following:
• Have students evaluate the rubric so that they are aware of how constructed-response tasks are
assessed.
• Have students identify/generate responses that meet the full rubric score point but are not listed
in the scoring notes.
• Have students score themselves or their peers using the rubrics and scoring notes.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 21

Next Steps for Formative Reading Item Data
After obtaining data that serve as evidence of student understanding, educators should evaluate and
interpret the data to identify gaps in student understanding.
Once gaps in understanding are identified, students need appropriate feedback. For these items to be
formative, students must receive feedback. The feedback provided to students should be descriptive
instead of evaluative. Descriptive feedback communicates what is working and indicates the next steps
the students need to take in their learning process. Students with no gaps in learning also should
receive descriptive feedback that provides their next steps for how to apply and extend what they
learned or for how to begin learning the next concept.
After feedback is provided to the students, educators should consider documenting the instructional
modifications and supplementations provided to the students. Whether a student is undergoing
relearning or learning a new concept, plans can be made, documented, and implemented on how to best
scaffold that learning. Teachers can use the learning targets to help guide which specific modifications,
supplementations, and scaffolding will best support the student.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 22

STEM-Specific Information
Overview
STEM educators that teach to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are responsible
for ensuring students learn the science content that is the basis for the standard, the science and
engineering practice (SEP) that clarifies how the student should use the content, and the underlying
crosscutting concept (CCC) that links the standard to other NGSS standards. Cognia’s STEM
formative item sets help educators obtain useful evidence of student understanding of the standard
and the three dimensions on which the standard is based.
There are 97 formative STEM item sets for grades 3–8. Each set of items focuses on one performance
expectation (PE), and the number of items per set varies from 3 to 13, with most having 6 or 7 items.
Cognia does not recommend using any of the formative assessment item sets as an NGSS topic “test.”
Our STEM formative items are designed to work within a larger NGSS assessment program that
includes both formative, interim, and summative assessment components. The STEM formative items
are one part of a broad NGSS curriculum, instruction, and formative assessment program. The item
sets are designed to complement instruction.

STEM Formative Item Types

Multiple-choice (MC) 1-point items: MC items include an item stem (question) and answer options.
The incorrect answer options, or distractors, are often based on typical misunderstandings and
misinterpretations of the learned material. The Scoring Guide for each MC item includes distractor
rationales that identify the correct answer and help explain why each other option is incorrect. An
analysis of students’ answer choices provides evidence of the students’ current level of understanding
of key concepts and skills.
Constructed-response (CR) 2-point items: A CR item presents an open-ended prompt that gives
students the opportunity to write answers that demonstrate application of scientific practices—
including scientific explanations. These items also allow students to practice higher order thinking
skills such as analyzing and synthesizing. Different CR items call for varying response lengths—from
brief sentences to explanations with drawings.
Extended-response (ER) 3-point items: ER items present open-ended prompts that require
more writing than CR items. ER items actively engage students in constructing and organizing their
knowledge by asking students to explain, elaborate, and question their own thinking.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 23

Next Generation Science Standards
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) represent an innovative approach to science
education that supports a child’s learning from kindergarten through high school. Built on a solid
foundation, the NGSS are innovative because they integrate the following:
• three-dimensional (3-D) learning
• explanations of phenomena and design solutions
• engineering design and the nature of science
• coherent learning progressions from kindergarten through high school
• connections to English language arts and mathematics
The standards are performance expectations that identify what students are expected to master by
the end of instruction. The standards blend three equally important learning dimensions:
• Disciplinary core ideas (DCI), which represent what scientists and engineers know, or the academic
core content
• Science and engineering practices (SEP), which represent what scientists and engineers do, or the
behaviors scientists and engineers use to investigate the natural world and to design solutions to
problems
• Crosscutting concepts (CCC), which represent how scientists and engineers think as they look for
common framing concepts that span all domains of science
Engaging in the SEPs is essential for students to understand the relevancy of the content and skills
they are learning. One way to start transitioning to the NGSS is to consider ways to integrate or blend
the SEPs with the CCCs and DCIs. Rather than presenting content and concepts in isolation, this
approach integrates scientific knowledge with practice, mirroring the way real scientists and engineers
work.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 24

How to Best Use the STEM Item Sets
The content in this section explains each component of the item sets and how they can best be
incorporated into the classroom. The PDF item sets are designed to be used in conjunction with
online formative assessment. The PDF item set documentation should be used as the reference, while
the delivery of the assessment would be either on paper using the PDFs or online through Cognia’s
assessment platform.

STEM Blueprint
The science blueprint should be used to help select the formative item(s) that will provide the best
evidence of student learning. Each cluster of items is organized by a common performance expectation.
The learning targets differentiate between the type of evidence each item will provide. The depth of
knowledge (DOK) informs the cognitive rigor that the item requires. The item type informs the type of
interaction that the student will have to perform to respond to the item.
The following blueprint is aligned to this NGSS performance expectation:
• PE 5-PS1-2: Measure and graph quantities to provide evidence that regardless of the type of
change that occurs when heating, cooling, or mixing substances, the total weight of matter is
conserved.
In order to obtain evidence of understanding for this performance expectation, teachers should:
• use items individually as the learning targets are covered in class,
• use the items in pairs or trios to address a series of learning targets, or
• use the entire cluster to measure students understanding of learning targets before, during, or
after instruction.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 25

STEM Scoring Guide
The scoring guide has two tools that are useful to educators because they help provide accurate
formative feedback when addressing misunderstandings about the standard.

Distractor Rationales
The distractor rationales are helpful because each rationale explains why a specific common error is
incorrect. Providing students with feedback is a key component of the formative assessment cycle.
Reviewing the distractor rationales with students is beneficial for learning and could be done through
the following:
• Have students explain why a specific response is correct/incorrect and evaluate their explanation
through the use of the distractor rationale text.
• Use the distractor rationales to help target points of necessary reinstruction.
• Discuss the common error addressed in each rationale with the class/student and consider other
examples of the same error type.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 26

STEM Rubrics
The rubrics and scoring notes help delineate scoring of student responses so that common errors
are more easily identified, which helps ensure that scoring is more uniform and fairer to all learners.
Providing students with feedback is a key component of the formative assessment cycle. Reviewing
the rubric and scoring notes with students is beneficial for learning and could be done through the
following:
• Have students evaluate the rubric so that they are aware of how constructed-response tasks are
assessed.
• Have students identify/generate responses that meet the full rubric score point but are not listed
in the scoring notes.
• Have students score themselves or their peers using the rubrics and scoring notes.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 27

Next Steps for Formative STEM Item Data
After obtaining data that serve as evidence of student understanding, educators should evaluate and
interpret the data to identify gaps in student understanding.
Once gaps in understanding are identified, students need appropriate feedback. For these items to be
formative, students must receive feedback. The feedback provided to students should be descriptive
instead of evaluative. Descriptive feedback communicates what is working and indicates the next steps
the students need to take in their learning process. Students with no gaps in learning also should
receive descriptive feedback that provides their next steps for how to apply and extend what they have
learned or for how to begin learning the next concept.
After feedback is provided to the students, educators should consider documenting the instructional
modifications and supplementations provided to students. Whether a student is undergoing relearning
or learning a new concept, plans can be made, documented, and implemented on how to best scaffold
that learning. Teachers can use the learning targets to help guide which specific modifications,
supplementations, and scaffolding will best support the students.

Cognia Formative Assessment Teacher Guide 28

Appendix A
 Mathematics

Response Review
STUDENT NAME: TEACHER NAME: DATE:

Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer Item Review

1. Use the scoring guide to analyze student responses and record correct and incorrect responses in the
table below. As you review student responses, review the distractor rationales and note the target
standards/concepts/skills being assessed with each item.

Item Analysis Distractor Rationale Review Notes

Item # Correct ✓ Incorrect ✓ Item #

1 ❏ ❏ 1

2 ❏ ❏ 2

3 ❏ ❏ 3

4 ❏ ❏ 4

5 ❏ ❏ 5

6 ❏ ❏ 6

Totals

2. Analysis: Based on this evidence of student understanding, which specific areas seem to need more
instructional attention?

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

 Mathematics

Constructed-Response Task Review Guide

Constructed-Response Task
1. Review student work: Use the rubric and scoring notes to look for evidence of the student meeting
expectations.
What do you notice about the student’s work? How has the student demonstrated understanding?
What misconceptions are evident?

2. List evidence of student understanding and/or misconceptions:

3. Using the rubric, determine the number of score points earned at this time (optional):

= # of score points earned for the constructed-response task.

4. Use results to inform teaching and learning:

• Evidence review: How can this student evidence be used to inform instructional next steps?

• Feedback for student: How can the student move forward with his or her learning?
Provide some descriptive feedback to help the student set learning goals and improve his or her
understanding and performance.

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

 Stars and Steps Formative Feedback
Directions for Stars and Steps Formative Feedback:
1. Review the performance expectation, the associated student learning target(s), and student work
sample.

2. Using the Stars and Steps Formative Feedback form, provide the student with some “star” feedback
based on the quality of their work in meeting the student learning target(s). Feedback should be
descriptive and nonevaluative.

3. Next, identify which dimension of the performance expectation has not been demonstrated in the
student work. Provide feedback on the next “steps” the student should take to meet the student
learning target(s) and improve his or her mastery of the performance expectation.

4. As a formative assessment practice, Stars and Steps formative feedback is returned to students. Then,
they can have an opportunity to see their accomplishments and apply the feedback in order to move
along their personal continuum of learning toward mastery of the performance expectation.

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. 1 of 2

Name:

Stars and Steps Formative Feedback

Things I do well:

Things I need more learning or help to do:

Other comments:

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

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 Curriculum-Embedded
Performance Assessment Model
Targeted Performance Expectations/Standards
List the standards that this specific task will target.

Design your performance assessment

Use the checklist below to help you design the activities, prompts, and assessments to be used in each part
of the performance assessment for the targeted standards.

❏ Clear alignment to the standards

❏ Clear integration of practices
❏ Use of higher-order thinking skills
❏ Engaging, real-world context for scenarios, prompts, and problems
❏ Deep exploration of a topic
❏ Formative assessment and feedback opportunities for students
❏ Activities and prompts that elicit responses to show evidence of student learning of the targeted
standards
❏ Accompanying rubrics (qualitative or quantitative) are clear

Fill in the boxes below and on the next pages to draft your complete performance assessment, using the
parts that would match the content, your classroom needs, and your intended use of the task.

Engagement

(Describe the context/scenario of the performance assessment. What is the “hook”?)

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. 1 of 3

 Curriculum-Embedded
Performance Assessment Model
Instructional notes

(Describe the student activities, questions/prompts, and student work products.)

Investigation

(Describe the student activities, questions/prompts, and student work products that you will use to
investigate student learning.)

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. 2 of 3

 Curriculum-Embedded
Performance Assessment Model
Formative feedback activities

(List some techniques that would be appropriate and when you might use them.)

Individual assessment activities

(Describe the student activities, questions/prompts, and student work products.)

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. 3 of 3

 Formative Assessment Review Plan
Engage students in learning
Identify a learning activity that you will use to engage students in learning.

List the standards that this specific lesson will target. List the learning target(s).

Elicit evidence of understanding

Identify specific ways that you will elicit evidence of student understanding using the Cognia formative
items, formative tools, and instructional strategies.

Interpret the evidence and identify gaps in understanding

Review and analyze the evidence you have collected. Identify specific gaps or misconceptions in student work.

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. 1 of 2

 Formative Assessment Review Plan
Gather and provide feedback
Identify timely, actionable, and descriptive feedback that will keep your students’ learning moving forward.
(Remember that this kind of effective feedback supports students’ metacognition, or awareness, about
their own thinking.)

Plan learning and instructional modifications

Identify ways to plan learning and to modify instruction based on the evidence you gathered from timely
formative assessments.

Scaffold new learning

Once you have evidence that students understand the learning target, identify specific ways to use this
lesson to scaffold new learning. What instructional sequence will build on the foundation of learning from
this lesson?

© 2020 Cognia, Inc. 2 of 2

 Evidence Review Plan
Date: Topic:

Area of Focus:

Students who have met the expectations: Strengths:

Students who need more instruction: Misconceptions:

Instructional Next Steps:

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

Name:

Frayer Model
Directions:
1. In the oval in the middle, write the topic you will be learning about.
2. Write what you already know about the topic in the white part of each box.
3. At the end of the lesson, review your responses, and revise them based on what you’ve learned.
Write your new responses in the shaded areas.

Definition Essential Characteristics

Examples Non-examples

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

Name:

3-2-1 Feedback
Complete each sentence with the correct number of things.

w things I learned today:

v things I found interesting or that surprised me:

u question I still have:

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

Name:

Stoplight Self-Assessment
Student Learning Target:
I can

Can you do all of what the student learning target says? Where do you think you are in
your learning? Check the circle that best shows where you are.

˜ Stop! I am just beginning this.

˜ Wait! I am still working on this.

˜ Go! I can do this! I am ready to go on.

What else are you wondering?

I’m still wondering…

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

Name:

Student Self-Assessment Gauge

Student Learning Target:
I can

Can you do everything in the student learning target?

Draw an arrow on the graph that points to where you think you are in learning this target.

Where I think I am in
learning this target

I can do
Sample some parts
Where I think I am in
learning this target

I can do
some parts
I’m just I can
starting do it!
I’m just I can
starting do it!

What else are you wondering?

I’m still wondering…

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

Name:

Student Self-Assessment
Learning Targets Gauge Your Understanding Reflect
Write in the Learning Targets Can you do what is described I’m still wondering about...
you focused on in this topic. in the Learning Target? Draw
a pointer on the gauge to show
where you think you are.
MAYBE

NO YES

MAYBE

NO YES

MAYBE

NO YES

MAYBE

NO YES

MAYBE

NO YES

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

Name:

Student Self-Assessment of 3-Dimensional Learning

(3-D Mobile)
Think about the student learning target. When you can meet this target, what is it that you
can do, what is it you know, and how do you think about it?

Tape string here

I
Write learning target here
can:

cut here

1. Write the student learning 6. Keeping the printed side up, 10. Tape the string to the gray
target inside the triangle. You place the folded part of strip dot on strip 1 so that the
may use your own words. 1 over the end of strip 2 that triangle hangs inside the three
is not folded. Tape, glue, or attached strips.
2. Answer each question inside staple the two pieces together.
strips 1, 2, and 3. The two pieces will be 11. Hang up your mobile where it
perpendicular to each other. can move!
3. Cut out the triangle and the
three strips. 7. Repeat step 6 with strips 2
and 3, and with strips 3 and 1.
4. Color the back of the strips:
Strip 1—blue, strip 2—orange, 8. Cut a piece of string about 8
strip 3—green inches long.
5. Fold each strip back along the 9. Tape one end of the string to
line. the gray dot in the triangle.

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

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Student Self-Assessment of 3-Dimensional Learning
(3-D Mobile)
Tape string here Fold each strip
back along this line.
What do you do to learn about this learning target?

1. What I do:

cut here
Color the back of the strip blue.

What do you know about this learning target?

2. What I know:

cut here
Color the back of the strip orange.

How do you think about this learning target?

3. How I think:

cut here
Color the back of the strip green.

© 2020 Cognia, Inc.

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Name:

Student Self-Reflection
Directions:
1. In each space in the center 2. Reflect on the ways that 3. Draw lines to show the
column, write in one of the the Science and Engineering connections you made across
Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) Practices and the Crosscutting the three dimensions.
that you focused on in this Concepts connect to each of
topic. the DCIs in the middle column.

Connecting the 3 Dimensions

Science and
Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts
Engineering Practices

Asking questions
(for science) and defining Patterns
problems (for engineering)

Developing and
Cause and effect
using models

Planning and carrying Scale, proportion,

out investigations and quantity

Analyzing and Systems and

interpreting data system models

Using mathematics and

Energy and matter
computational thinking

Constructing explanations
(for science) and designing Structure and function
solutions (for engineering)

Engaging in argument
Stability and change
from evidence

Obtaining, evaluating,
and communicating
information

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Cause and Effect Map

Write what changes under “Cause.” Write what happens next under “Effect.”

Cause Effect
(What changes?) (What happens when it changes?)

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Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning

Claim:

Evidence: Evidence: Evidence: Evidence:

Reasoning:

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Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning

Claim

Evidence

Reasoning

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Draw and Explain

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Pass the Question Protocol

Purpose: To share ideas about answering questions

Time Allotted: Approximately 30 minutes

Directions:
1. In the box below, write your own response to the question you have been given.

2. Share your response with a partner and then combine your responses into one response.
3. As partners, trade your response with another partner group.
4. Read and discuss your responses with each partner. What is similar to and different from your response?
5. Rejoin your first partner and share your findings.

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Three-Fact Fold Chart

In the top section, list three ideas or facts that you remember from today’s lesson. Then fold your paper
to cover your responses. Exchange your list with a partner. Without looking at each other’s ideas, record
your own three facts in the “Partner Share” section of your partner’s chart. Trade back your charts, and
together discuss the ideas or facts you had in common. Record the commonalities in the space at the
bottom of your own chart.

Student Name:

1.

2.

3.

Fold at this line.

Partner Share:

1.

2.

3.

Common Facts or Ideas:

1.

2.

3.

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