Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 1: 25 Formative Assessment Probes

by Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, Lynn Farrin

This book is loaded with classroom-friendly tools to pinpoint what your students know (or think they know) so you can adjust your teaching accordingly. At the book's heart are 25 "probes." These brief, easily administered activities will reveal your students' thinking on 44 core science topics, grouped by light, sound, matter, gravity, heat and temperature, life science, and Earth and space science.

Genres: Science, Education, Teaching, Professional Development, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published October 31, 2005

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book begins with an explanation and justification for formative assessments as well as three vignettes about specific uses of a particular probe. The probes themselves include a page that could be photocopied (the probe itself), the purpose of the probe, the correct answers to the probe, the instructional considerations for different levels, connections to the national science standards, related research, and suggestions for use.

The probes are grouped into two sections of the book. The first are formative assessments relating to physical science with subtopics of light, sound, matter, gravity, heat and temperature. There are quite a few that deal with the conservation of mass. Page 24 features a matrix that indicates which probe deals with which specific science concepts.

The second grouping is Life, Earth and Space Science with subtopics of organisms, structure and function, earth processes, phases of the moon. Page 116 features the matrix that indicates which probe deals with which specific science concepts.

The topics covered by the book are not that varied, but there are other volumes in the series that likely cover more in a similar manner.

[Stacy Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful tool for the science classroom. It allows the teacher to quickly see what students are currently thinking about a given science topic quickly. The probes also provide a platform for easy class discussion.

[Stacy Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful tool for the science classroom. It allows the teacher to quickly see what students are currently thinking about a given science topic. The probes also provide a platform for easy class discussion.

[Lark Petty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome! This book will help teachers discover what students really think. The book is full of easy to use probes that will help teachers plan instruction.