Formative assessments based on phenomena can provide teachers valuable data to inform instruction and monitor student progress. NGSS-aligned formative assessments are often one of the most effective ways to assess student understanding of grade-level standards since they help to bridge the gap between content knowledge and application. Students should be building up their knowledge through your instructional phenomena, but how well are they transferring that knowledge to a novel phenomena?

When designing common formative assessments, it is important to use assessment tasks that leverage authentic NGSS phenomena. Ideally, these should be novel for your students! This allows students to engage in inquiry and investigation rather than simply demonstrate the ability to memorize facts. Deciding on when to formatively assess during a unit is an important step in planning these assessments: 

• Are you looking to formatively assess students background knowledge?
• Should students understand enough about their instructional phenomena to apply it to something novel OR should you give them rigorous questions about what was taught in class?
• Are you looking for informal opportunities to measure progress or are you aiming to give students a formal practice test for high-stakes testing?

By incorporating NGSS-aligned formative assessments into instruction, teachers can gain valuable insights into student understanding and identify areas of growth. This can help inform instruction moving forward, as well as provide guidance on interventions for individual students or groups of students. Do your students need the most help with applying their understanding of the Disciplinary Core Idea, the Crosscutting Concept, or the Science and Engineering Practice? A well designed formative assessment should provide you with these insights!

Overall, formative assessments based on NGSS phenomena are an effective way to capture data on student progress throughout the school year. If your school has the capacity, we strongly recommend giving common formative assessments across a grade level or subject. Identifying student performance across different teachers and class periods can give enlightening data about which students are making progress and which need more support. Common Assessments provide teachers, schools, and districts with a uniform system for monitoring student progress and making informed instructional decisions.