Assessment

The Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading Assessment System offers both the power and flexibility a teacher needs to monitor students’ growth. Assessment items are developed and chosen based on a rigorous validation process with attention to providing coverage of standards and creating fair and equitable assessments free of bias.

Each unit includes a Summative Assessment Booklet with a suite of pre/post assessment options in science and literacy. Summative assessments evaluate students’ overall science and literacy learning from the entire unit. The collection of summative assessments can be found in the Summative Assessment Booklet provided in the kit, along with scoring guides, answer keys, and sample student work.

Each unit also includes a formative assessment system with formal and informal assessment opportunities throughout the unit that allow teachers to monitor student progress and adjust instruction. Suggested formative assessment opportunities are flagged on right-hand pages as they occur within the sessions. Detailed scoring guides help teachers communicate clear expectations and give constructive feedback.

Flexibility is an important feature of the Seeds of Science/Roots of Reading Assessment System. The Assessment System offers multiple options to support instructional decisions, with suggestions about when and how to assess students. Many of the assessment tasks can be evaluated with more than one scoring guide. This enables the teacher to efficiently assess for multiple learning goals at the same time or to focus assessment on the particular learning goals or needs of the class.