JennaM+Journal+5

In my placement, the students have been learning about the Arctic Tundra. They are familiar with the different types of animals (like penguins), how some of these animals survive in the Arctic, and the environment. My cooperating teacher assessed her students by giving the students a worksheet that had different environmental pictures, animals and how certain animals get their food, for example. The teacher would first ask a question like, “What do the mother and father penguin do to get their food for their family?” The students must then look at the different pictures that depict a scene or an action and choose the correct picture that goes with the teacher’s question. I think this is a great assessment for first grade students because they work on their oral skills, as well as making connections by listening to what the teacher is asking for and figuring out what picture relates to what the teacher is asking. I wouldn’t change the assessment at all, but the only thing I would change is I would repeat the question maybe twice. I felt like some students didn’t quite grasp what the teacher was saying at first. I would give the students a second chance to hear the sentence over again so they can understand the question better. The student’s results of the test showed that a majority of the students did very well and therefore were able to make those connections properly. I had even asked a few students what they thought of the test, and they had said, “I don’t like tests, but I knew the answers,” and “We’ve been working on this, so I can do it!” This makes me believe that the test was fair, but challenged the student’s knowledge about the Arctic Tundra.