Assessment can be difficult for both teachers and students, depending on how it’s done.
Here’s a super simple little trick for assessment that I call Hop Across the Pond. It can be used for a lot of different things, but I use it mostly for assessment of students’ sight word knowledge.
I used to ask my students to read through a list of sight words and tick off the ones they knew; I’d use this for reporting and to know which words to focus on for each child.
Many of the squiggly students would suffer through this assessment like it was the worst torture in the world, and often they’d give up trying just to finish more quickly.
So, I tried a new strategy:
A NEW STRATEGY
1. Make a trail of sight word cards across the floor in a winding path; this path represents the rocks in a pond.
2. Students simply jump from word to word reading each one aloud for me. Because they love to jump quickly, they tend to read the words more quickly than they normally would.
3. If they miss a word, no problem – they just pick up the word card and keep going. By the time they reach the end of the path, they are holding a pile of words they need to practice!
4. Students keep these words in their practice folder after I record them. I also have them copy the words out to take home for practice.
This “game” can be used for many grade levels.
OTHER WAYS TO USE THIS STRATEGY
I’ve used spelling words: jump on top of the word and then try to spell the word aloud without looking under their foot…then check to see if they were right!
Vocabulary words work too: read the word and explain the meaning. I’ve even played it as a math game: solve the equations before jumping on the card, or add on each new number to a running total!
What about naming letters and sounds?
The possibilities are endless, and it really helps those fidgety little students who love to move around!
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Love it! Easy and quick! Thanks for sharing!
Megan
Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade
Mrs. Wheeler's TPT
I LOVE this idea! I'll be using it this year for sure!
Rowdy in First Grade
I love how interactive this activity is for your students. What a great way to practice!
Julie
The Techie Teacher
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This is a great idea, especially for those kinesthetic learners in our classroom!
Love love love it! It's "right" on SO many levels!
What a fun and awesome idea! Thank you so much for sharing it. Now I can't wait to use it! XOX
Carolyn
Kindergarten: Holding Hands and Sticking Together
Great idea Susanna! Helps keep them active and moving! I am sure they would have so much fun and not even realize they are being assessed. 🙂
Lori
Conversations in Literacy
I love an activity that gets them up and moving!
This is awesome! Up and moving around while learning and working–nothing wrong with that at all. I reminds me of hop-scotch, which my kids were just playing in the driveway yesterday.
Matt
Fabulous idea! My kids would love it and I like thqt they have a list of words to be worked when they finish!
Anytime you can make an assessment fun, you have to go for it!
Patty
Second In Line
Great idea for practice as well as assessment! Kids are motivated by the opportunity to move!
Sally from Elementary Matters
Such a simple, yet great idea! It's perfect for those wiggly kids and younger students. Thanks for sharing.
Tessa
Tales from Outside the Classroom
Brilliant! I do the same assessment but I call it My Pile Your Pile but yours is WAY MORE FUN!! Definitely going to try that this year. It's a like a learning brain break!
🙂 Shelley
The Write Stuff Teaching
When do you do this, small group or whole class? It seems like it would be distracting to others as they work.