Uncovering Student Thinking in the Classroom: Using Formative Assessment to Promote Conceptual Understanding in Science

Day 1: Oct 28, K-5 science teachers

Day 2: Oct 29, 6-12 science teachers

Audience: K-12 science teachers, Instructional coaches, and faculty who support science teachers can attend either or both days.

Join nationally recognized author and science education leader Page Keeley for an engaging, workshop designed to help science teachers uncover and respond to student thinking in meaningful ways when using high quality instructional materials, such as the Open Sci Ed. Grounded in research and classroom experience, this workshop will focus on the power of formative assessment to make students’ ideas visible—and usable—for instruction.

Objectives

Participants will explore how to use formative assessment probes and techniques to *elicit student thinking, identify common preconceptions, and promote deeper conceptual understanding in science. Through modeling and small group work teachers will build a repertoire of effective, practical formative strategies they can use with their existing instructional materials to support all learners. Special emphasis will be placed on how to use student responses to inform instructional decisions and foster a classroom culture where curiosity, reasoning, and opportunities to reconstruct ideas are valued as part of learning. Teachers will leave with tools, strategies, and confidence to make thinking visible—and instruction more responsive while using instructional materials, such as Open Sci Ed.