Pre and Post Assessment Grading Criteria & Scoring The following chart explains the grading criteria

for both the pre and post assessments. The left column corresponds to the level of achievement according to standards-based grading. The right column lists the requirements of each section of the test in order to attain the level of achievement indicated. Following this chart, I have included the actual assessment for a reference example. Poetry Test rading
A (advanced/4) 1) 2) ) 4) 1) 2) ) 4) 1) 2) ) 4) 1) 2) ) 4) Includes all thorough and correct definitions and examples Answers all questions thoroughly and correctly Answers all questions thoroughly and correctly !aragraph has correct structure" includes all (textual evidence" theme" 2 sym#ols" !$%" tone)" applies each to the meaning of the poem Includes 1& correct definitions and examples Answers 1& questions correctly Answers ' questions correctly !aragraph has correct structure" includes all #ut 1 (textual evidence" theme" 2 sym#ols" !$%" tone)" applies all #ut 1 to the meaning of the poem Includes ()* correct definitions and examples Answers ()* questions correctly Answers )4 questions correctly !aragraph has incorrect structure" includes all #ut 2) (textual evidence" theme" 2 sym#ols" !$%" tone)" applies all #ut 2) to the meaning of the poem Includes ' or fewer correct definitions and examples Answers ' or fewer questions correctly Answers 2 or fewer questions correctly !aragraph has incorrect structure" includes all #ut 4 or more (textual evidence" theme" 2 sym#ols" !$%" tone)" applies all #ut 4 or more to the meaning of the poem

! (proficient/ )

!! (partially !roficient/2)

+ (unsatisfactory/ 1)

Name: _________________ Date: __________________ Period: _________________

1) Define: Write the definitions of the following terms in the spaces provided below and give an e ample of each! !. "tan#a$ %. Imagery$ &. "imile$ '. (etaphor$ ). *nomatopoeia$ +. Personification$ ,. -lliteration$ .. /yperbole$ 0. "ymbolism$ !1. 2hyme "cheme$ !!. Tone$

2) Identify: "ead the following poems and #se them to answer $#estions %&'&&!

Langston Hughes

DREAMS

Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow. !%. 3ist one metaphor from this poem. !&. 4reate an onomatopoeia that would fit in this poem. !'. 3ist one example of personification. !). 3ist one example of hyperbole. !+. 3ist one example of symbolism. 56666666666666666666666666666 symboli#es 6666666666666666666666666666666666666666667 !,. 3abel the rhyme scheme in the poem.

8-T92 PI4T:29 (a) Swenson In the pond in the par; -ll things are doubled$ 3ong buildings hang and 8riggle gently. 4himneys -re bent legs bouncing *n clouds below. - flag 8ags li;e a fishhoo; <own there in the s;y The arches stone bridge Is an eye, with underlid In the water. In its lens <ip crin;led heads with hats That don=t fall off. <ogs go by, >ar;ing on their bac;s - baby, ta;en to feed the <uc;s, dangles upside-down, - pin; balloon for a buoy. !.. ?umber the stan#as of the poem. !0. 3ist one example of imagery from the poem. %1. 3ist one simile from this poem. %!. 3ist one example of alliteration. %%. 4hoose one word from the poem that explains the poem=s tone.

3) Interpret: *nterpret the poem +Dreams, b) -angston .#ghes: %&. 8hy do you thin; 3angston /ughes brea;s the stan#as where he does@

%'. In the poem, what does the bird symboli#e@ %). In the poem, what does the field symboli#e@ %+. 8hat point of view is the poem written in@ %,. 8hat is the tone of stan#a one@ -lso include one phrase from the poem that reveals the tone. %.. 8hat is the tone of stan#a two@ -lso include one phrase from the poem that reveals the tone. 4) Apply: /sing te t#al evidence from +Dreams, b) -angston .#ghes0 write a paragraph that addresses the following prompt: *dentif) the theme of the poem! 1hen0 e plain how the s)mbol of the bird0 the s)mbol of the field0 the point of view0 and the tone add meaning to the theme of the poem! _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ________________ *ndivid#al St#dent Pre and Post Assessment Scores

Col#mn %: 2irst *nitial Col#mn &: Pre Score Col#mn 3: Post Score This data shows that '' out of +) students increased their scores from the pre to the post assessment. *nly %! out of +) students did not increase their scores. In other words &%.%A of students did not ma;e a score gain of a full point. /owever, +,..A did increase their scores by at least one point. -dditionally, %% students B&&..AC went from unsatisfactory scores to proficient scores.
, . A . / 0 . 1 . 2 3 4 5 2 5 6 3 A 6 6 . 5 7 3 5 3 . 3 4 8 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 $ 6 . 2 / / A . 1 4 / / 9 0 , 0 . : 2 1 , 8 I 6 A ; / / 8 6 / / 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 2 1 2 2 1

2 1 1 1 1 1

4 2 1 2

2 2 2 2 2

2 1 2

Pre assessment scores show that all students except for one scored a ! BunsatisfactoryC on the pre assessment.

Post assessment scores show that only %! students scored a ! BunsatisfactoryC, while %! scored a % Bpartially proficientC, %% scored a & BproficientC, and ! scored a ' BadvancedC.

ain scores show that the average score on the pre assessment was a !.1%, while the average score on the post assessment was a %.1). This indicates an average gain of !.1' points. *ndivid#al & Gain Scores Chart S#mmar)
Average !re Assessment 2core Average !ost Assessment 2core Average 9ain 1<&1 2<&' 1<&4

S#b'Gro#p Anal)sis

-ll students except for one male Bwho scored a %C scored a ! on the pre assessment.

Fourteen females scored a one, seven females scored a two, nine females scored a three, and one female scored a four.

"even males scored a one, fourteen males scored a two, and thirteen males scored a three.

This graph combines the post assessment scores for males BgreenC and females BredC.

The male average is slightly B1.& pointsC higher than the female average. S#b'Gro#p S#mmar)
2core 1 2 4 .ale = 14 1 & 1<& 1 2<2 1<* -emale 14 = * 1

Average .ale !re Assessment 2core Average -emale !re Assessment 2core Average .ale !ost Assessment 2core Average -emale !ost Assessment 2core

"es#lts These results show that in +,..A of students, growth occurred during this unit. 8hile this is a substantial amount of growth, it leaves &%.%A of students without demonstrated growth. This is unsatisfactory as a teacher. I studied the sub-group of males versus females to see if this held any clues to increase learning. I found that while ,0.'A of males demonstrated learning, only )'..A of females demonstrated learning. This data shows that somehow, males were better advantaged to learn in this unit than females were. It is true that this particular assessment was strictly written and did not provide outlets for oral expression. This assessment functionally tested students= ability to define and apply their understanding of figurative language to poetry through writing. Perhaps further study comparing the scores of males to females on different types of assessment would prove helpful. *verall, this data shows me that learning was achieved by the maDority in the area of written expression regarding poetry comprehension, but that over a quarter of my students did not demonstrate growth. Enowing this information, I aim to be more alert to what the 5missing lin;7 in my instruction could be, especially as it pertains to males and females. *nstr#ctional Assessment 4vidence For instructional time, I sometimes group students by ability level. It is true that more of the most 5needy7 students are female. The grades from various assignments over time validate this observation. 8hile the male students often cause more obvious disruptions, I now observe that the female students often misunderstand instruction in silence. -s a result, I have observed is that I give male students more one-on-one attention Bsince they are disrupting the classC, while female students struggle alone. This evidence from formativeFinstructional evidence could bac; up what the data shows about the discrepancy between male and female learning in my classroom. Strengths and Wea5nesses *ne strength of this assessment plan is that it demonstrated growth in a large maDority of students. This assessment also provided clear and reproducible evidence of students= writing s;ills, since paper tests may be saved, copied, and re-evaluated by multiple readers at different times. -dditionally, because the pre and post assessments maintained the exact same form, credibility of the data is increased. *ne wea;ness of this assessment plan is that it only accesses writing ability, while ignoring oral or artistic expression. This may cause unfair evaluation of students who possess different learning styles. -lso, because the pre and post assessments maintained the exact same form, the test may measure memori#ation and not comprehension. Finally, this assessment revealed a wea;ness in my instructional practices, showing that males may benefit more from my class than females do. Possible modifications may include providing additional assessments that access oral and artistic expression Bpresentations or creationsC. Further, a different version of the test

may be created to test comprehension of the same s;ills without relying on memori#ation. Finally, I can re-focus my teaching to equally reach males and females by personally chec;ing in with low-performing females.