Assessment Strategies

Here are a number of strategies and activities you might use to help uncover student misconceptions, the level of student learning and areas students might need further instruction.

Pre-Assessment

Pre-Assessment and Embedded Assessment Activity

Teachers can provide the students with a KWL chart for this lesson on “Cosmic Collisions”. A sample KWL chart is provided below; however, it is recommend that teachers develop a chart which addresses the instructional and learning needs of their students.

Students fill in the first two columns prior to viewing the video and doing the activities and complete the last column after completing the unit of study.

Often students don’t know what to write in the W column of KWL charts so there are some inquiries already inserted in the sample KWL chart.

Students may also need some assistance to identify what they already know about impact craters and energy transfer. Teachers can lead the class in a discussion and have the class make a list of what they already know. Concepts that should appear in the K column should include key ideas found in ‘prior knowledge’ section above. From this list some students may form their own questions as to what they want to learn.

The last column can be filled in by the students as the work through the lesson as an embedded assessment strategy. Used in this way, students are able to keep track of their learning. What they learn may contradict some of their prior knowledge. When this occurs you should ask the students to explain why they have changed their opinion. Having students explain what they have learned will help to correct their prior misconceptions.

Possible ‘What I want to know questions’:

1. 1. How much space debris (space dust, asteroids) hits the earth each year?
2. 2. How big must an asteroid be to make a three-mile wide crater?
3. 3. Why does the moon seem to have many more craters than the earth?
4. 4. Why are impact craters so well preserved on the Moon?
5. 5. Has a large asteroid ever hit near where I live?

KWL Chart

Possible Pre- and Post-Assessment Strategies:

• Use an Origami Student Response System (See paper folding student response instructions and sample.)
• Here are three multiple choice questions you can ask your students prior to viewing and discussing the video. We suggest you adjust and/or add more questions to best address the needs of your students.

Students are each given the Origami Student Response System and fold the paper to show their answer to each question. After the teacher asks each multiple-choice question, each student holds up his or her response by folding the paper so that the answer is facing the teacher. After you have completed this unit of study you can revisit these questions to authenticate student learning.

QUESTION SET

1. 1. Many geologic processes can drastically change Earth’s landscape. Which of the following is a process that does NOT significantly change Earth’s surface?
   1. Erosion caused by running water
   2. Impact craters from meteorites
   3. Mountains leveled by glaciers
   4. Formation of caves
2. 2. Impact collisions can cause significant changes to Earth. Which of the following is a change that may have been caused by the impact of a large space object?
   1. the movement of the tectonic plates
   2. extinction of species
   3. global warming
   4. volcanic eruptions
3. 3. The amount of energy given off in an impact collision depends on two main factors. What are those factors?
1. the mass and velocity of the objects
2. the impact angle and the mass of the objects
3. the distance traveled by each object and the impact angle
4. the composition of the soil and the mass of the objects

ANSWERS: 1D, 2B, 3A

Origami Answer Sheet for Students

Post-Assessment

In the teacher video Dr. Keith Milam, Ohio University, suggests four student activities you can do with your class. Each of these activities can serve as an authentic assessment strategy. Have your students work through the activities and report out their findings.

1. Craters on the Earth and Moon – Have students answer the three questions in this activity and discuss their conclusions with their classmates.
Exercise1_Craters on the Earth and Moon.pdf

2. The Effects of Impact – This is a rather lengthy activity with multiple steps, questions and conclusions to be drawn by the student. We suggest you have the students work in groups and post their conclusions on poster paper. Students should enter into a discussion as to why they have come to their conclusions and explain. While each group worked independently, it is anticipated that every group will eventually drawn the same general statement, conclusion, based on their work.
Exercise2_The Effects of Impact.pdf

3. A Virtual Visit to Two Impact Craters – Have students work through the multiple steps and questions. Before any group moves from Step 1 to Step 2, teachers should carry on a class discussion on their answers for question 1. Before moving on to any further steps students should discuss their conclusions with their classmates and come to a group consensus on a mutual response.
Exercise3_ Virtual Visit to Two Impact Craters.pdf

4. Unit of Study Developed by Ohio Department of Education
Lesson Title: Meteors and Earths’ Changing Force – page 3 of this document offers an extended response post-assessment strategy as well as a scoring rubric.