View previous posts here: Part 1
Key questions teachers ask at the launch of a unit of instruction are: What do my students already know? Do they have the prerequisite skills and understandings or do I need to reteach prior material before diving into my grade-level expectations? At the beginning of a unit on fractions, you can use one of the Focus on Fractions grade-level assessments as a pre-test to determine instructional starting points. Reflecting on what you learn from the pre-test helps you to identify appropriate evidence-based practices. Each online assessment question features targeted resources to help build student understanding – if a student marks a question incorrectly, they are automatically directed to a resource (game, applet, demonstration) to clarify the concept.
Your Assignment: Use the grade-level-appropriate Focus on Fractions online assessment to get a sense for what your students know about fractions before you begin instruction.
Check back tomorrow for our next post on interpreting student results and targeting your instruction!
We're offering teachers a $25 Amazon gift card for participating in our ongoing efforts to improve the materials on PowerUp WHAT WORKS. If you teach grades 4, 5 or 6, are planning to use our online assessments, and are willing to complete a short survey, please contact us at powerup@air.org to find out more.
AIR Informs Episode #6: Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities During COVID-19
Remote learning requires adjustment for all students, but students with disabilities face additional challenges during the COVID-19 quarantine. In the latest episode of AIR Informs, Allison Gandhi, managing researcher and director of AIR’s special education practice area, describes some of these obstacles and shares strategies to help students make the most of this time.
