Education ∪ Math ∪ Technology

Five minute formative assessment strategy

First, give an exit slip to your students based on a critical math concept for which you want to check for understanding.

After class, sort the exit slips into piles based on the method students chose to use (whether they used it perfectly or not). Choose two examples from the student work that highlight one or two probable misconceptions students still have on the chosen critical math concept.

Remove identifying information from the student work, photograph it (or use a document camera) and show it the next day in your class. Ask students a question about the work that requires them to think about the work. “Which one of these two examples is correct?” is not a very good question because it can be answered by guessing. “Why do I really want these two students to talk to each other about their solution?” is a better question because if students answer it, they will have to think about the concept a bit differently.

Ask students to think about their own answer, write it down (if necessary), then turn and talk and share their work with a partner while you circulate and listen in on student discussions. Select 1 – 3 students to share their thinking with the whole class.

Repeat this every day.