NARRATIVE
Bear Lake Middle School (BLMS) meets Idaho STEM Standard 5 through systematic and consistent implementation of performance-based assessments and scaffolded reflective practices, as outlined in program-wide structures and supported by rigorous curricular alignment. These practices ensure students develop deeper learning through real-world applications and self-assessment opportunities, exemplifying the traits of structure, monitoring, ubiquity, and sustainability.
Systematic and Ubiquitous Performance-Based Assessments
BLMS integrates performance-based assessments as a primary method of summative evaluation across nearly all content areas, emphasizing practical application and real-world relevance:
● Mathematics: The Math Pathways initiative challenges students with tasks tied directly to Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP), such as collaborative problem-solving during Math Talks. Teachers use questioning techniques from Danielson’s Domain 3 to guide students in analyzing their thought processes. For example, during percentage-based real-world assessments, students are prompted with higher-order questions like, “How does this model represent proportional relationships?” These tasks foster critical thinking and align with program goals for academic rigor.
● English Language Arts (ELA): Socratic seminars, rooted in Domain 3 questioning strategies, are used to explore literary and argumentative texts. Students prepare evidence-based responses and evaluate peer perspectives, creating authentic, dialogical learning experiences. These practices directly reflect the rubric’s emphasis on performance-based assessments linked to program-wide goals.
● STEM Integration: The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is central to cross-curricular projects like the "STEM Bridge-Building Challenge" and "Travel Brochure for South America," where students apply theoretical knowledge to design solutions, collect data, and present findings to authentic audiences. Such projects ensure frequent opportunities for students to demonstrate learning through practical application.
These examples demonstrate BLMS’s alignment with the rubric descriptor that “learners in nearly all areas frequently demonstrate their understanding via performance-based assessments directly linked to PBL opportunities.”
Reflective Self-Assessment Practices
Reflective self-assessment is embedded in BLMS’s instructional framework, ensuring that students develop metacognitive skills critical for iterative improvement:
● Mathematics: During Math Talks, students self-evaluate their reasoning using structured rubrics aligned with SMP. Teachers scaffold reflection by asking questions such as, “What strategy did you use to solve this problem, and how could you improve it?” This approach builds a growth mindset and reinforces alignment with the whole-student focus articulated in the School Improvement Plan.
● ELA: Following Socratic seminars, students complete self-assessment forms, rating their participation, depth of analysis, and use of evidence. These reflective practices are aligned with program-wide structures ensuring explicit instruction on effective self-assessment.
● STEM Projects: Students engage in reflective journaling during projects like "Water Filtration Systems," documenting design iterations and analyzing feedback from peers and teachers. This practice fosters a culture of learning from mistakes, as highlighted in the rubric.
Monitored and Sustainable Practices
BLMS leadership continuously monitors and supports teachers in implementing research-based assessment practices:
● Professional Development: Teachers participate in regular PLCs, where they collaboratively reflect on assessment practices, ensuring alignment with academic standards and program goals. For instance, during cross-departmental PLCs, teachers analyze student work from projects like the "Mesopotamia Museum Artifact" to refine rubrics and scaffold student critique.
● Data-Driven Support: Administrators conduct walkthroughs and provide targeted feedback on assessment strategies. This ongoing monitoring ensures consistent implementation and program-wide improvement.
● Curriculum Maps: The 2024-2025 Curriculum Map explicitly outlines performance-based assessments and reflective practices, providing a sustainable framework for alignment with STEM standards. For example, real-world math applications and EDP-integrated science projects are mapped across grade levels to ensure systematic implementation.
Evidence for On-Site Review
During the on-site review, the following evidence can be presented to substantiate the Level 4 rating:
- Student Work Samples: Examples of completed Math Talks and Socratic seminar reflections demonstrate performance-based and reflective practices (Artifact #5).
- Teacher Reflection Artifacts: PLC agendas and meeting notes showcasing collaborative analysis of assessment practices.
Conclusion
BLMS systematically and consistently meets Standard 5 by embedding performance-based assessments and reflective self-assessment into program-wide practices. These efforts are supported by structured curricular frameworks, rigorous teacher development, and intentional alignment with STEM goals.
