[tchrk26]

I am a new teacher implementing reader's workshop into my classroom. I am going to have students write response letters to me in their reader's notebooks weekly which will count as a homework grade each time. At my school, homework is 25%, quizzes are 25% and tests are 50% of the students' grades. I'm trying to figure out what the students can do to fulfill the test and quiz grades. I thought of them writing book reviews, but this is something they will have to be taught and have modeled so I won't be able to do this right at the beginning. Does anyone have any other ideas or things that you use as test and quiz grades? I'm really struggling here. TIA!

[imalith]

I think that tests should be to verify that students learned something that makes growth towards a standard. You could continue with Reader's Workshop, but you can give tests on the skills using smaller passages to verify their learning.

You could also include major projects in the test sections. Project based assessment is a motivating way to test students. My students create biography posters that are research based and include inferencing skills and summary. Later in the year a powerpoint demonstrates learning of literary elements.

To design my assessments, I look at the standards. I think about what students need to learn. Next, I design the assessment. I think about what students will need to know to be successful in the project/assessment. Finally, I create the lessons to fit their needs. Backwards design!

[LindaU]

I wimped out on tests. I do Reading Workshop, but one day a week I do the story from my sixth grade anthology as a read aloud and give the students the selection test as an open book test immediately afterwards. Every four stories, I will give them a unit test that practices what they will have to do on state testing. So far, this is working.