For both the pre and post-assessment of our students we utilized the Poudre School District (PSD) Growth Assessment Rubric; making the pre and post assessments identical. The PSD rubric is broken down into three categories: planning and ideation, creation and exploration and reflection and connection. Each section of the rubric is weighted equally and aligns to the state standards and grade level expectations (GLEs). Below is the alignment of the rubric to the standards and GLEs.
Observe and Learn to Comprehend: Characteristics and expressive features of art and design are used to identify and discuss works of art. This aligns to the rubric section “reflection and connection”. In this section of the rubric we are evaluating the student’s ability to evaluate and analyze so that they can make personal connections between what they know and works of art. In this section we are also evaluating their use of artistic language including the characteristics and expressive features of art and design.
Envision and Critique to Reflect: Artists, viewers and patrons make connections among the characteristics, expressive features and purposes of art and design. This also aligns to the rubric section “reflection and connection”. As stated above, in this section we are evaluating the student’s ability to make connections and use artistic language including the characteristics and expressive features of art and design.
Invent and Discover to Create: Demonstrate basic studio skills. This aligns to the rubric section “creation and exploration”. In this section we are evaluating the students ability to engage in the creative process through demonstration of basic studio skills like sophisticated use of materials and techniques as well as perseverance and engagement.
Relate and Connect to Transfer Works of art connect individual ideas to make meaning, This aligns to the rubric section “planning and ideation”. In this section we are evaluating the students ability to formulate individual ideas and communicate them intentionally through their artwork to create meaning.
Assessment Tools
Throughout the unit we assessed student learning in a number of ways. In addition to the pre and post assessment rubric (attached below), we also created and utilized two rubrics during specific lessons, which are attached below. When creating the rubrics for specific lessons we considered what the goals of the assignment were as well as what skills and concepts students were learning and demonstrating. Students also kept a sketchbook, which we utilized throughout the unit. Each new assignment began with students creating sketches in their sketchbooks to demonstrate planning, ideation and an understanding of new concepts.
Another way we assessed student learning was through the discovery board. And the end of most class periods we would facilitate reflection time where students would share something they learned or discovered with the class. We varied reflection time in two ways. First, we provided variation by changing the focus of reflection to what students were primarily working on, such as materials, techniques, perspective, new concepts, etc. Secondly we varied reflection by allowing students to say, write or draw their discovery on different days, which we would note and add to the discovery board. The discovery board helped to facilitate student reflection on their own learning as well as help us as teachers gauge student progress.
We also assessed student learning through Individual Process Critiques (IPCs). During IPCs, we would talk to students one-on-one about where they were at with their project. Usually these conversations began with a simple first question, "tell me about what you're doing?". IPCs serve as a useful way to assess student learning because the student is the one directing the conversation and focusing the attention on areas where they are struggling or succeeding. Finally, we also maintained a class blog throughout the semester. On the class blog we documented student learning for each class period. The daily documentation served to show, in-depth, student learning and growth with individual student examples. Through keeping a daily record of student learning in the classroom it is easy to see how students are forming ideas, transferring knowledge, reflecting on their experiences and creating meaningful, intentional artwork. A link to the class blog is accessible below which contains daily documentation as well as videos of IPCs.
At the end of the semester all of the students' artwork as well as their sketchbooks, were put on display as part of the elementary school art exhibit. For the art show we created a newsletter, that showed examples of student work and provided a description of the unit, each lesson and the state standards that were addressed. During our last art class period we took the students to the exhibit where they completed a worksheet, that we created. Students worked in pairs and were tasked with finding an artwork that addressed each question or statement. By working in pairs, we required students to discuss and agree upon a single artwork for each item on the worksheet. Students were only allowed to chose one artwork from their class as one of the worksheet items and they could not select work from their own class to be 'best in show'. When we returned to the classroom each student drew what their project would look like if they had to do the assignment they selected for 'best in show'. The exhibition, newsletter and worksheet functioned as a form of programmatic assessment, which looks at the entire program rather than an individual assignment.
Art Show Newsletter below.
Art Show Worksheet below.
Below is a photo showing part of the student exhibit.