School of Education at Johns Hopkins University-One Easy Tool, Many Informal Assessments:

New Horizons
for Learning

Professional Development > New Horizons > Journals > Spring 2010 > One Easy Tool

One Easy Tool, Many Informal Assessments:

Marisa Carrillo
Master's Degree in Special Education student at Johns Hopkins University
Intermediate Functional Academic Learning Supports teacher for Baltimore County Public Schools

The internet is a perfect tool that could provide teachers, parents, and students with a vast amount of educational resources. With a push towards the use of technology in schools and the use of standards based goals, the following are resources that can be used to informally assess a student daily, weekly, quarterly, or annually. This article consists of Mathematics objectives which are aligned with the Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 3 Maryland State Curriculum. Along with the objectives, are games found on the internet which can be used to assess a student that may benefit from that objective on their IEP or may already have that objective on their IEP. In addition to using these resources, parents and teachers may also use them to reinforce skills that have already been taught. You will notice that the websites noted contain many educational games in addition to the ones that are identified. Following the examples of math resources, is a list of both reading and math websites and games.

Patterns and Functions
1.A.1.a (Grades 2 & 3)- Represent and analyze numeric patterns using skip counting by 2, 5, and 10 starting with any whole number and using whole numbers to 100.

The Counting Game (Planet Interactive, Inc., 2009) provides several different options for the child to pick by which number they want to count. This includes options such as 1,2,5,and 10. Once the number is chosen, an array of 12 numbers is posted and the child has to choose which comes next in the sequence. Each answer is posted as it is chosen. The game is timed. http://members.learningplanet.com/act/count/free.asp

Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities
1.B.1.a (Grade K)- Represent numeric quantities using concrete and pictorial presentations to model addition expressions with a value of no more than 10

Much like the game Memory, The Ant Parade (Clever Island, n.d.) has some cards with ants on them and some cards with numbers on them. The child has to match the number to the picture representation. Once this game is complete, the arrow takes the students to the following game where the number on the flag represents the number of ants that should be placed on the leaf. http://www.cleverisland.com/teachers/counting/story/6.asp

Geometry
2.A.1.c (Pre-K)- Match triangle, circles, and squares
2.A.1.c (K)- Identify triangles, circles, squares, and rectangles
2.A.1.a (Grade 1)-Identify, name, and compare triangles, circles, squares, rectangles, and rhombi by their attributes

I Love Shapes (Nooney et al., 2010), will engage the child with its well-known character, Curious George. The object of the game is to get Curious George to only eat the shape that is shown in the upper right corner. This allows the child to use their matching skills. Curious George can be moved from top to bottom to go to the correct conveyor belt that has the matching shape. As the levels advance, the belt starts to move quicker and the shapes appear closer to one another.
http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/i_love_shapes/i_love_shapes.htm

Measurement
3.B.1.a (Grade 1)- Measure length of objects and pictures of objects to the nearest inch using a ruler
3.B.1.a (Grade 2)- Measure length of objects and pictures of objects using a ruler or tape measure to the nearest inch, centimeter, and foot
3.B.1.a (Grade 3)- Measure length of objects and pictures of objects using a ruler, a tape measure, a yardstick, or a meter stick

Carrillo E

The game above, called Measure It (Pearson Education, Inc. 2009), displays a ruler and a red line. Below the ruler are 4 possible options for the measurement. This game is beneficial to children studying measurement because it can be played in easy, medium, or hard centimeters and easy, medium, or hard inches. The student’s total number correct and incorrect is displayed for them. This game also helps them to identify the measurements in word form as opposed to number form. http://www.funbrain.com/measure/

Number and Place Value
6.A.1.d (Grade 1)- Use the numbers of 5 and 10 as anchors in relationship to other numbers
6.A.1.d (Grade 2)- Use the numbers of 10, 50, and 100 as anchors in relationship to other numbers

Shark Numbers V2 (Barrett, 2008) displays cubes in sets of 10 and ones. Below the cubes are three choices of possible numbers that could match the cubes. If the student chooses the correct answer, a dolphin swims across the boat. If they choose the incorrect answer, a shark comes and bites off a piece of the boat. The link below the Shark Numbers V2 link, is a link to Shark Numbers (Barrett, 2008), which utilizes larger numbers.
http://www.ictgames.com/sharkNumbers_v2.html
http://www.ictgames.com/sharknumbers.html

Computation
6.C.1.a (Kindergarten) - Model addition by combining sets of concrete objects and describe the results using words and pictures
6.C.1.b (Grade 1) - Solve a given word problem based on addition or subtraction situation

This ABCya! Addition Game (ABCya.com, 2010) is extremely beneficial to those children who may need manipulatives. They have the opportunity to continue to practice addition facts on the computer but still use manipulatives. The stars shown above can be moved to different parts of the work area in order to model the concept of addition. Also, the simple sentence above the addition problems models a math word problem. http://www.abcya.com/addition.htm

References

SOURCES USED IN THIS ARTICLE
Maryland State Curriculum Math Standards
http://www.mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/mathematics/index.html

Internet Games
ABCya.com, L.L.C., (2010) ABCya! Addition Game. Retrieved from http://www.abcya.com/addition.htm.
Barrett, J. (2008). Shark Numbers V2. Retrieved from http://www.ictgames.com/sharkNumbers_v2.html.
Clever Island. (n.d.) The Ant Parade. Retrieved from http://www.cleverisland.com/teachers/counting/story/6.asp.
Nooney, L., Pinchera, R., Rosenheck, L., Lesniewicz, K., Wise, C., Smith, M., Hayward, J., . . . Shribman, B., (2010). I Love Shapes. Retrieved from
http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/i_love_shapes/i_love_shapes.html.
Pearson Education, Inc. (2009). Measure It. Retrieved from
http://www.funbrain.com/measure/.
Planet Interactive, Inc. (2009). The Counting Game. Retrieved from
http://members.learningplanet.com/act/count/free.asp.

MATH RESOURCES
Patterns and Functions
http://www.ictgames.com/fishy2s.html
http://funschool.kaboose.com/preschool/learn-abcs/games/game_crazy_pattern_machine_the.html
http://members.learningplanet.com/act/count/free.asp

Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities
http://www.cleverisland.com/teachers/counting/story/6.asp

Geometry
http://pbskids.org/curiousgeorge/games/i_love_shapes/i_love_shapes.html
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/buzz/buzz.html

Measurement
http://www.kidport.com/GradeK/Math/MeasureGeo/MathK_Tall.htm
http://www.funbrain.com/measure/

Number and Place Value
http://www.ictgames.com/sharknumbers.html
http://www.ictgames.com/dinoplacevalue.html
http://www.ictgames.com/sharkNumbers_v2.html

Computation
www.softschools.com/math/games/fishing_sub.jsp
www.softschools.com/math/games/fishing_add.jsp

READING RESOURCES

Phonemic Awareness
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/ears.html
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/monkeymatch.html
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/blending.html

Phonics
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/stacker.html
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/skyriding.html
http://www.primarygames.com/contractions/question4.htm

Vocabulary
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/synsam.html
http://pbskids.org/lions/games/wordplay.html
http://www.freerice.com/index.php?&t=306489360774&s=English Vocabulary

Spelling
http://www.primarygames.com/see-n-spell/see-n-spell.htm
http://www.primarygames.com/langarts/letterRip/index.htm

Grammar
http://www.freerice.com/index.php?&t=207180180090&s=English Grammar

Fluency
http://www.storylineonline.net/

©May 2010 The Johns Hopkins University New Horizons for Learning

http://education.jhu.edu

For permission to redistribute, please go to:
Johns Hopkins University New Horizons for Learning Copyright and Permission Information