Pre-Assessment

Today, I administered a pre-assessment to a group of 6 students to test their understanding of food chains and food webs. They paired up and were given ten minutes to draw and label a food chain and food web that represents the food they eat on a daily basis. During this process, students were encouraged to think about the “big picture”, keeping in mind the various trophic levels involved in producing the many forms of food we eat. I started the activity by modeling a food chain and food web of my own, drawing it on the board and labeling the parts to assist students who needed additional support to understand the directions.

The students discussed their ideas with their partners, quickly brainstorming before sketching their diagrams. Overall, the process was quite fluid, as students were able to incorporate many elements into their diagrams while pausing at times to reflect on their thoughts and ideas. I walked around the room to monitor students’ progress, providing feedback when necessary.

I was quite impressed by the diagrams that were submitted. Their accuracy revealed an adequate understanding of food chains and food webs, and varied in complexity among the groups. What I found the most interesting about this pre-assessment activity is that it allowed students to explore their knowledge to create new knowledge, and generated a compelling discussion after the groups shared their diagrams with the class. 

The pre-assessments were evaluated based on the following rubric, which effectively addresses the elements that were required in students’ work for proper assessment:

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Drawing - details	All assigned details have been added. The details are clear and easy to identify.	Almost all assigned details (at least 85%) have been added. The details are clear and easy to identify.	Almost all assigned details (at least 85%) have been added. A few details are difficult to identify.	Fewer than 85% of the assigned details are present OR most details are difficult to identify.
Accuracy	95% or more of the assigned structures are drawn accurately and are recognizable. All assigned structures are labeled accurately.	94-85% of the assigned structures are drawn accurately and are recognizable. All assigned structures are labeled accurately.	94-85% of the assigned structures are drawn accurately and are recognizable. 94-85% of the assigned structures are labeled accurately.	Less than 85% of the assigned structures are drawn AND/OR labeled accurately.
Labels	Every item that needs to be identified has a label. It is clear which label goes with which structure.	Almost all items (90%) that need to be identified have labels. It is clear which label goes with which structure.	Most items (75-89%) that need to be identified have labels. It is clear which label goes with which structure.	Less than 75% of the items that need to be identified have labels OR it is not clear which label goes with with item.

The students seemed to enjoy using their creative skills to draw their diagrams, and had sufficient prior knowledge to complete the project. In fact, some students were able to create complex diagrams that incorporated elements not found in nature that interact within our food chains and food webs, such as factories and laboratories where many processed foods are created. Therefore, the pre-assessment activity was quite successful, and was not in need of immediate improvement. If I were to make any changes, however, I would integrate the use of multiple senses and technologies to create a more dynamic, interactive activity.