Assesment of the Science Test

Even though Listening and Speaking is more difficult for me to evaluate,

I would like to asses a Science exam, the main reason is: my students get
lower grades in this subject. I would like to know if the way I am evaluating
them is affecting their performance.
According to Coombe, Folse & Hubley (2007) items can be classified in
two big groups: selection and supply items. The author highlights the
importance of being aware of the impact items have on students proficiency.
In this exam, there are 12 points to be evaluated through selection items, and
28 points for supply items. I have noticed that students do better in selection
items, this is good if we think as teachers (those items are easier to check and
they are very objectiv e), but students are not producing the way I expect. My
students with curricular accommodations or special needs find supply items
really difficult, and they are getting very low grades, because they cannot
answer them.
Another important point to analyze is how objective or subjective items
are, in this case since the test mostly has short answer, I would definitely say
that most of the items lack of objectivity. I have to be honest, even though
selection items are very practical, I prefer supply items. Unfortunately I have
realized that an exam with too many items for production or short answer are
tough and tiring for kids. The reason why I like them better is because
students are actually saying something, thinking, organizing ideas, etc. Though
these items can become very subjective.
The exam does not have multiple choice items, because I remember how
much I guess when I was in high school. It might be selfishness, but I do not
want to give them that chance. I have not included them so far. Even though
matchings might allow guessing as well, I do include them in exams. This
exam has a matching which values 4 points, it is about the Earth layers, and it

is tricky. Some bad things about this matching are: It does not have more
options than promises as suggested by the author. I did not make clear if
students could repeat numbers. Good things about it are: there were lines
provided for students to write on the lines the numbers. Options and premises
were short. All the statements were related to one central topic which was the
Earths Layers. There were no widows, in the matching.
Matching:

Picture 1

The identification has two parts, one is for students to label the layers of
Earth, from a list of words in a chart. That might be a gap-fill questio n, but I
am not sure how to asses it.
Identification:

Picture 2

However the second part I do know! Part B of the identification has four
sentences, they are Gap-fill questions.

According to the author they are

categorized as semantic gaps because the words that are missing are: verbs,
adjectives, adverbs, or nouns. After reading the recommendations about
writing this type of item I noticed that the sentences provided in the exam
might lack of context for students to complete them. But the statements have
also strengths, the firs one relates to the blanks length, because they have to
be similar, to avoid guessing.
Picture 3

The longest part of the exam is short answer, it values 22 points of the exam.
One of the tips suggested by the author is that the questions must have one
concise answer, I consider my questions are pretty straight forward and short.
I have noticed that in some cases students answer based on prior knowledge
or experience and not only based on that has been studied in class. This type
of item allows them to think and synthesize. I did not specified hoy many
words I was expecting, I will definitely include it eventually. Like I mentioned
before this type of item usually is time consuming and a little bit more difficult
to solve. Similar to short answer, I have a part called production. Production at
this level is not as complex as in higher levels. In third grade, at least in the
school I work at, cannot value more than 6 points. In this case production is
based on questions that are not as short as in the short answer item. But they

are not as long as essay questions. In this exam, students have to explain the
migration process of the Monarch Butterfly, I specified hoy many ideas or
points they were supposed to develop. Then they were asked about a specific
concept, to provide examples and to give their point of view about the topic. In
that sense production in this exam is similar to essay questions, because
language use as well as content is evaluated. Besides it requires thinking and
effort from the students. Since I included too many questions in this two parts,
I realized how tired my students were.

Corporacin Educativa de Occidente

Colegio Bilinge San Ramn
English Department
2nd Partial, First Trimester 2015
Science
Third Grade

Time: 80 min
Total points: 40
Percentage: 15%
Obtained points: ______
Obtained %: _________

Teacher: Libia Retana Araya

Grade:

Students name _______________________________.

Parents Signature: ____________________________.
General instructions:
Read the instructions carefully before answering the test.
Use pencil only.
Work individually, neat and clear.
Cellphones are not allowed.
I PART. Identification. (8 points)
A. Look at the picture and label the layers of the Earth correctly. Use the words
from the chart. (4 points.1 p/e/c/a)

Outer core- Mantle- Inner core- Crust

B. Read the following sentences about the starfish. Choose the word that best
complete each sentence and write it on the line. (4 points.1 p/e/c/a)

rocks- regenerate- feet- seashore

1. Starfish live near the ______________________.

2. They often attach themselves to ________________.
3. The tubes under a starfishs arms function as __________________.
4. Starfish can ________________ parts of their body.

II PART. Matching. (4 points)

A. Under Column A, you will find the name of the Earth layers and under
Column B, you will find the characteristics of those layers. Write the number of
the layer from Column A in the parenthesis on Column B. (4 points.1 p/e/c/a)
Column A

Column B

1. Crust

) The rocks and metals are in liquid form.

2. Outer core

) It is solid, but the hottest layer.

3. Mantle

4. Inner core

) Its made up of melted rock that bursts out.

) It is the outside layer, it is very thin.

III PART. Short Answer. (22 points)

Read the items below. Answer them with a complete sentence according to the
topics and information studied in class in a correct way.
1. Write four parts of the starfish. (4 points.1 p/e/c/a)
___________________________
________________________
___________________________
________________________
2. Write two examples of natural resources. (2 points.1 p/e/c/a)
___________________________
________________________
3. Write two examples of renewable resources. (2 points.1 p/e/c/a)
___________________________
________________________
4. Write two examples of nonrenewable resources. (2 points.1 p/e/c/a)
___________________________

________________________
5. Write the name of 4 endangered species. (4 points.1 p/e/c/a)
___________________________
________________________
___________________________
________________________
6. Write the name of two animals that are hunted for their fur, skin or other
body parts. (2 points.1 p/e/c/a)
___________________________
________________________
7. What is overfishing? (1 point)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
8. What is overhunting? (1 point)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
9. What are nonrenewable resources? (1 point)
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
10. What are renewable resources? (1 point)

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
11. Write two consequences of deforestation. (2 points.1 p/e/c/a)
_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
IV PART. Production. (6 points)
Answer the following questions based on the information studied in class,
correctly.
1. Explain in four steps the migration process of the Monarch Butterfly. (4
points, 1 p/e/c/a)
_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

2. What is deforestation? (1 point)

_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

3. What do you think about deforestation? Is it good/bad? Why? (1 point)

_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Letter to Teacher Libia

Even though you like this exam a lot, there are some details you might want to
consider next time. I would like to start by pointing out the weaknesses of the
test. After analyzing every part of it, I have to say that it is a pretty tiring
exam, because most of the items are supply items. This refers to one of the
cornerstones of evaluation, practicability, it is not practical neither for you nor
for your students. You might want to consider the idea of having multiple
choice items once in a while, however you have to be very careful, because
this type of item seems to be the hardest to prepare. I see you do include
matchings in your exams, please remember to state in the instructions if there
are missing numbers or if students can repeat numbers, for students might be
confusing. Please always remember to include enough context for your
students to write an answers, especially when it comes to gap-fill questions.
Do not forget to keep a balance in the type of items, I refer to subjective and
objective items. Some of the good points or strengths of the test are: the
instructions, because they are very specific and clear. The variety of items
throughout the exam and also the order of it. You are doing a good job, it is
cool that your exams are always assessed by the English Coordinator of your
school that ensures improvement and growth. After reading more about this
type of assessment, I think you are going to keep details in mind and
continuing walking.

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Work Cited:
Coombe, C. A., Folse, K. S., & Hubley, N. J. (2007). A Practical Guide to Assessing
English Language Learners. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan.

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