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The ultimate goal for an inquiry/discovery classroom teacher of science is for his/her students to assess their
own learning, totally outgrowing the need for instructors. Thus, the teacher supports students in learning to
teach themselves. To initiate this process, students are invited by the teacher to construct the tools they will need
to use in this self-assessment process, suggesting the characteristics a teacher looks for. This occurs as the
teacher circulates from student group self select and begin to consider graphics organizers and why particular
organizers best suit their needs. This introduction is followed by students constructing the rubric they will use
to evaluate a written assignment or oral report. They can use an earlier prepared rubric as a model to follow as
the basis for their new assessment. Once learning objectives for the unit of study have been clearly identified,the
students select the scientific knowledge to be assessed and they design questions or activities to use in testing
their understanding.
Sentence stems, based on bloom or referred to in the inference skills diagram (figure 6.3), generate a
bank of questions. As these questions are constructed, student recognize test items that are similae to those
included on previous test. As they organize these items by difficulty level according to blooms blooming
verbs (exhibit 6.1), they identify the importance of each item to understanding the unit concepts. After they
decide on the points assigned to understanding the unit concepts. After they decide on the points assigned to
each level of test items, they pre-take the test in groups, compiling suggestions for appropriate answers.
Throughout,