A-Z and Assessment

Pre-Assessment:  In order to make the lessons we teach appropriate, we must measure the prior knowledge each student has of the topic being studied.  (We must help each student identify his/her personal schema.)

This may be accomplished with the initial A-Z taxonomy created at the start of a unit or project.  Prior knowledge may be collected at a class level, small group level, or individual level.  Key to any use of the A-Z taxonomy is the essential / focus question included at the top of the list.  Vocabulary may be expressed as illustrations, words, or words illustrated with rebuses.  

Formative assessment:  As new material is introduced, it is important to measure and monitor each student’s comprehension and retention of the material on a daily basis.  

Harvesting and sharing vocabulary continues throughout the unit of study, with new vocabulary added to the original A-Z list in a second color.  The added vocabulary may come from new resources or vocabulary used in experiments, hands-on-activities, or field trips.  Some students may “piggy-back” on another’s vocabulary contributions, adding related terms and/or synonyms at the appropriate letter.

 
Teachers have the opportunity for formative assessment by observing as students clarify their contributions to the A-Z list in response to the BIG IDEA (ESSENTIAL QUESTION) and/or as they offer responses to Touch & Name (described in step 4. of the Step-by-Step Directions) as it is repeated whenever additions to the unit A-Z list are made.  

Summative assessment is a chosen means of measuring students’ comprehension of new material.   Using the A-Z Taxonomy as a learning tool generates a continually growing list of vocabulary in response to an BIG IDEA (ESSENTIAL QUESTION).  To assess student comprehension to the material studied, teachers will need to see evidence that the student(s) are able to use this vocabulary in a meaningful way.  Therefore teachers will need to choose a written product which will utilize or implement the A-Z Taxonomy as a final project for student evaluation.  

Note:  An A-Z Topic Book may be one choice for summative assessment.  See A-Z Variations for how to create one of these books.

Any variations of this activity as listed [page 1] allow students of any ability level to work with other classmates or other ability level peers in a collaborative manner, without singling out individual abilities.