Tier 1 Instructional Strategies To Improve K-4 Reading Comprehension
Category: Student Learning
Instrument Overview
Expert Notes AvailableView expert commentary on strengths and cautions for this instrument
Strengths
Integrates multiple dimensions of learning (science practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts) within coherent, phenomenon-based tasks, allowing students to demonstrate deeper, three-dimensional understanding rather than isolated knowledge.
Cautions
Requires more time to administer compared to traditional content assessments.
This assessment consists of a set of tasks designed to measure elementary students’ ability to explain energy-related phenomena using three-dimensional science learning. The tasks present real-world scenarios followed by a combination of constructed-response and multiple-choice items that require students to apply disciplinary core ideas, science practices, and crosscutting concepts. Constructed-response items are scored using a rubric based on a modified Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework. In addition to claims, evidence, and reasoning, the rubric includes a category for stating or applying relevant science ideas. Student responses are evaluated based on the presence of these elements, with scoring focused on identifying features within each category. The tasks are organized to guide students through a process of interpreting a phenomenon, making sense of it using scientific ideas, and providing explanations or arguments. Scores are used to examine how students incorporate evidence, science concepts, and reasoning when explaining energy-related situations
Organization
Topic
Collection Category(ies)
Content
Grades
3rd Grade,
4th Grade,
5th Grade
Languages
English
Respondent
Student
Administration Information
Length
13 items
Administration
Paper
Access and Use
Developer
Cari F. Herrmann-Abell (BSCS Science Learning), Joseph Hardcastle and George E. DeBoer (AAAS Project 2061)
Contact
Cari Herrmann-Abell; gdeboer@aaas.org
Open Access
No
Psychometrics (additional guidance)
Psychometric References
Herrmann-Abell, C. F., Hardcastle, J., & DeBoer, G. E. (2020). Developing NGSS-Aligned Tasks to Assess Elementary School Students' Ability to Explain Energy-Related Phenomena. Grantee Submission. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED605234.pdf
Item Type
Multiple choice
Open response
Populations of Validation
Field-tested using responses from more than 13,000 students in grades 4–12 across the United States (47% female, 45% male; 51% White, 12% Hispanic, 10% Black, 7% Asian, and other racial/ethnic groups).
