Hello colleagues, Since we have been discussing activating and assessing prior knowledge, I wanted to share an idea I learned from a colleague recently. This adaptation of the traditional KWL, is called “Ponder and Pass,” and she did this with students prior to a lesson on the topic of using animals as subjects in research.
She explains, “Ponder and Pass is a quick pre-assessment activity that gathers valuable information. Tell students the topic of the coming unit. Then pass a notepad around the class. Challenge students to write notes about information they know related to the topic, skills they need to learn, facts they want to learn, and questions they may have about the topic.
Examples: My background or experience on this topic is ________________
I want to learn __________________
My feelings about the topic of ______________________ are ________________ and _________
Select probing questions and statements that meet your assessment needs. Encourage students to submit prompts for the Ponder and Pass activity.”
I was able to track down the origin of this activity. It comes from the book Differentiated Assessment Strategies: One Tool Doesn’t Fit All by Chapman and King and published by Corwin in 2012.
What do you think of this activity as a way of gathering useful information prior to a lesson to differentiate instruction? What other strategies have you found useful?
Cheers, Susan
Moderator Assessment COP