END OF FIRST YEAR ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
The Survey 2 numeracy assessment tasks were designed to link to subsequent surveys, and included five sets of activities. The assessment was conducted in Term 4, 1999, towards the end of the students’ first year at school.
The activities were based around familiar classroom and everyday materials. Table 4.5 shows the strands of numeracy that were assessed in the second survey and the tasks related to each strand. The strands of number, space, chance and data, assessed in Survey 1, were again assessed, and items in the measurement strand were introduced in this survey.
Table 4.5: Numeracy assessment tasks, Survey 2
Number • count to 20 and count from 36 to 47
• give numbers after 7, 16 and 32 and before 5, 12 and 26 • count backwards from 10 and from 24
• count objects (6, 5, 18, 27)
• say how many more to make a group of 4 into 7
• say how many left when 2 removed from hidden collection of 6 • read numerals 8, 15, 29, 74, 50, 100
• add 5 to 8 mentally
• make four groups of two and share 10 counters between two ‘people’ • calculate cost of two items at 20c each
• read $2.85 and 60c
• identify first, third and last object in a line
• place an object between second and third position and identify fourth position
Space • name a rectangle/oblong
Measurement • identify the longest and shortest of four ribbons and estimate which ribbon matches a given length
• combine two ribbons to match a given length and measure a ribbon with paper clips
• compare the mass of three objects and select the heaviest Chance & Data • identify the highest price
• sort objects according to a given criterion (shape) and generate a criterion to sort objects
• create a bar graph by placing objects on a grid • identify the largest and smallest group on a bar graph • count the quantity in a group on a bar graph
COUNTING
Students were asked to demonstrate their knowledge of number sequences by counting forwards from one and from 36 and backwards from ten and from 24. The teacher said a number and then asked students to say the number before and the number after. The students were invited to count the number of counters in a collection. One task used counters to assess the students’ ability to count out and count on.
SUBTRACTION
To assess subtraction, the teacher showed the student six counters, covered the collection and removed two counters and asked the student how many were left.
NUMBER RECOGNITION
The teacher gave the student a box of paper clips and asked the student to read numbers printed on the box.
ORDINAL POSITION
To assess students’ understanding of ordinal position, the teacher gave students a grey strip of paper, which was ‘the road’, with a printed line of cars. The teacher asked the student to identify positions such as third in line, and also invited the student to add cars printed on small cards to different places in the line such as last in line.
NUMBERS AND PRICES
To assess numeral recognition, students were asked to read a range of numbers from a sheet. Understanding of groups was assessed by asking students to make two groups of four, and to share ten counters between two ‘people’ drawn on a sheet. Students were shown pictures of some common stationery items with prices and asked to identify some prices, compare prices and calculate costs.
SHAPE RECOGNITION
MEASURING LENGTH
Students’ understanding about measurement of length was assessed using four ribbons. Each ribbon was a different colour and had been cut to a particular length. The student was handed the ribbons as a bundle and invited to compare lengths and combine ribbons to match a given length. The student was given paper clips and asked to show the teacher how to measure a ribbon with paper clips.
MASS
Children compared the paper clip box with a bag of ribbons and a bag of counters to say which one was the heaviest.
INTERPRETING A GRAPH
Students’ ability to interpret a simple graph was assessed with tasks based on a graph of star stickers. The graph showed a distribution of 26 stars by favourite colour. There were five colours.
The teacher asked the student to identify the size of groups, compare groups and calculate the difference between two groups. The student was invited to build or to extend the graph by adding their favourite star in the appropriate position. The teacher gave the student a sheet of star stickers that were the same size and in the same range of colours as those printed on the graph. The student was also asked to count all the stars on the graph.
SORTING AND GRAPHING
To assess students’ ability to sort objects and represent this graphically the student was given a collection of plastic shapes of apples, fish and butterflies in three different colours. The student was first asked to sort the pieces by shape. The teacher then gave the student a grid with a picture of each shape below the grid. The student was asked to make a graph starting by adding a fish to the grid. If necessary, the teacher showed the student where to put the fish, and then asked the student to complete the graph by putting all the pieces in the right boxes.
The student was then asked to compare the groups. Finally all the pieces were taken off the grid and the student was asked to sort the pieces in a different way.