Back to School Assessments

The beginning of the year is such a whirlwind!  Setting up a classroom, meeting students and families, staff meetings, getting back into a "school routine...."  The list goes on and on.  I'm always on the lookout for ways to streamline processes in my school life.  Student assessment is one of them.

We use Acadience as our district approved assessment.  Students are tested three times a year, with progress monitoring sprinkled in throughout, for those who need it.  In addition, I like to do some quick assessments on my own, particularly at the start of the year, and then quarterly as needed.  

I keep everything I need/use organized in a large binder, separated by academic area...Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Trick Words (Hello, Fundations!), Math, etc...This makes finding what I need easy.  When I want to assess a child, I grab my binder, pull out the papers needed, and run copies.  

Some of the assessments I use are one-on-one, while others are whole-group.  Either way, they are quick and to the point.

I'll typically make copies of the assessments; one copy goes home and one copy goes in student files.  Parents like seeing the copies because they stay informed on how their children are progressing, and can work with them at home.

If you're interested in this fantastic, top-selling resource, grab it by clicking the cover below!  

*NOTE: The "Trick Words Assessment" shown in this post is not included in this pack.  It's a separate purchase, due to the fact that it's specific to the Fundations curriculum.   You can grab it HERE.  My assessment pack does include a sight word assessment, with the Fry's words.

*Check out all of my assessment resources HERE.

xo
Megan 

Back to School Assessments

It's the beginning of the year and there is a fresh batch of first graders sitting in your room.  While I believe that building relationships/setting up procedures and expectations should be #1, I also feel it is important to get a sense of where your students are academically (sooner rather than later).  I begin some whole-group and individual assessments about one week into the school year.  Our school district does not provide any assessments for us to give at the start of the year other than our state-wide assessment (MAP).  We just began using it last year as a trial year, so I am not certain on how to use it/look at the data just yet.  I also feel that computer assessments are not very accurate because they don't take into account a child's computer use/typing abilities.  

Because of this lack of data, I created my own beginning of the year assessments.  I included skills that I feel first graders should have upon beginning the year.  Some of those skills are: rhyming, segmenting, blending, letter sounds, letter names, color words, sight words, cvc words, numbers, rote counting, skip counting, and MORE.  

This assessment pack has been an invaluable resource for me and my first grade teammates.  It has helped us identify gaps that kids have when they arrive in our classrooms each fall.  I think this is going to be especially helpful next month, as I head back to school after COVID.  If you're interested in checking out this resource, you can click the cover below.

xo
Megan 

Math Exit Slips

In my district, we use a Math program called "Go Math."  Have you heard of it?  It's not my favorite, but I make it work.  I have found that the program is lacking assessments.  Each chapter has a mid-chapter check assessment as well as an end-of-chapter test.  Those are great, but I like to check how kids are doing in between.  I will often walk around with my clipboard and checklists, however, that information isn't always communicated to parents.  I like to have some sort of pencil/paper assessment each week to send home to let parents know how their kids are doing.  I created Math exit slips for first grade.  It's a pack of  1/2 sheet assessments (2 to a page) that you can give to your kids as an exit slip after a lesson or particular skill has been taught.  The pack covers a myriad of skills (126 pages worth) and can be used with ANY Math curriculum.  I included four exit slips for each skill along with an editable checklist.  This will allow you to do periodic checks on how your kids are doing with a specific skill.  You can check my exit slips out below.  You are going to be so happy you did.  Assessment has never been so easy and QUICK!

xo
Megan 

What Stuck With You?

In the summer, I spend a huge chunk of my time on school stuff.  I read educational books that interest me, work a LOT on Teachers Pay Teachers products for my classroom and store, and do a few Pinterest projects.  This past summer, I made a "What Stuck With You" board, inspired by Education to the Core.  It was super easy {my kind of Pinterest project!} and didn't require many supplies at all.  To make a board, you need:  1 sheet poster board, 30 or so Post-it notes, a glue stick, a Sharpie, a large laminator, and the "What Stuck With You" headers.  Print your headers and glue them down.   Loosely lay out as many Post-it notes as students in your class.  I went with 24 in hopes that I never have more kids than that!  Once your Post-its are centered, press them down and number them with a Sharpie.  Let board dry and laminate/cut.

I use my board a lot for quick checks.  I love using my Math/Reading quick check assessments, but sometimes I use my board as a simple way to check for student understanding.  To get the header pieces for this board, click HERE.  Enjoy!

THERE'S MORE!  Click the photo below to get another assessment freebie from my store!

xo
Megan 

Breezing Through BTS

Holy crap.  Back to school.  Summer is over.  Well not really for me.  I still have 3 days remaining, but it's basically "over," because my days and nights have been consumed by classroom stuff for the past two weeks.  My room is ready and I'll be revealing it either Monday or Tuesday!  To celebrate back to school, some of my blogging friends and I have put together a back to school blog hop for ya'!

Photo courtesy of "A Day in First Grade" 

I'm keeping my post short and sweet so that you have time to enjoy your morning coffee and visit all of the blogs in the hop!   My tip today is all about assessment at the beginning of the year.  I like to spend the first month or so collecting data on each of my students.  I do running records, sight words and lots of phonics skills, counting, number ID and more.  I always have some kindergarten end of the year data but as we know, if the children' don't practice during the summer, the data is pretty much invalid.  I don't usually start my assessments until the second or third week of school; I like to give my kids time to re-acclimate themselves with school and get comfortable with me and the classroom.  I keep my students' assessments organized in a binder like the one shown below:

Each child has a tab and behind it is all of their assessments.  This system makes parent meetings, RTI meetings, and conferences very simple.  Today I am offering you a freebie from my "Back to School Snapshot: First Grade Assessment" pack.  This is a coloring assessment.  The kids color the picture and write their names during the first week of school.  You can have them repeat this activity during the last week of school.  They always love going back and looking at their coloring jobs!

Enjoy!  Next up: Teaching with Style has some Daily 5 tips for you!

xo
Megan 

Checking for Understanding

Hi everyone!  Just popping in today with a little freebie for you to show how much I appreciate you all!  This freebie is a great way to check for student understanding after you've introduced a new concept.  It's also a great reflective tool to go back and re-check at the end of your unit!  Just attach some binder rings to the large or small posters and add some clothespins with student names.  Students will self-assess after a lesson and again at the end of your unit.  Optional small posters and pinch-cards included!  Click the cover picture to snag your set for free!  Enjoy!  For more assessment ideas, click here.

xo
Megan 

Staying Sane and Organized

Thursday was our end of the quarter.  Shocking to believe we've been in school for 9 weeks!  EEEKKK!! The end of the first quarter is always the most overwhelming because once report cards get finished it's time for conferences and then the holidays hit and we are in auto-pilot!  Crazy times.

I view myself as an organized person.  Some say I am over the top but I think I've calmed down somewhat lately.  For example, I've been leaving at a reasonable time most nights this year.  I also do not feel the need to have everything finished before leaving school.  There is always tomorrow.  I am trying to cut back on the amount of work I do at home, which is a struggle for me, but I am taking baby steps!  I have been planning ahead as far as Math Tubs and Literacy Centers go.  I like to have stuff copied and prepped and at my fingertips so I can quickly change out the centers.

Here's what I've been doing to get ready for the end of the quarter, grade cards, and conferences:

1.  Re-assessing my students:  I use all the pages from my Beginning of the Year Assessment Pack for this.  I just re-copied the pages I need and go to town assessing.  Basically, every free second I have, I am assessing.  I do not run my guided reading groups during this 2-week window, as it's just not feasible to do groups, assessments and running records at once.

I keep a tab for each student inside of my teacher data binder.  

Behind each tab are assessments that I do throughout the year.

Sight word assessment from my assessment pack shown below

I re-assess these quarterly.

Rote counting and skip counting also from my assessment pack.

2.  Updating data binders: I have students update their data binders with information that I've gathered from all my re-assessing. This includes reading levels, spelling test scores, Math chapter test scores, and district and vendor assessment scores.  My students and their parents are able to see how they are progressing at all times.  To see how I use these take-home data binders, click here to read an old post.

3. Planning for conferences: I am thinking ahead to conferences, which are approaching quickly {Nov. 7}.  I have been scheduling conferences and getting my confirmation slips ready to send home.  I'll also be copying all the pages from my #1 product in my store, Parent Teacher Conference Resource Pack.

4.  Making time for myself and my family/friends: With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season quickly approaching, I make sure I fit in time for myself, family and friends.  I always schedule a massage this time of year, and make sure I continue on with working out, despite how busy I am getting.  I have several dinners/gatherings planned with friends, as well as concerts and weekend trips planned with my husband.  I'll be getting together with my family many days in the near future.  I've found that if my friends and I don't schedule things, too much time passes in between meet-ups.  This is especially true for my teacher friends and I.

So, how are you staying sane and organized this time of year?  I'd love to hear!

xo
Megan