STEM Formative & Summative Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A STEM teacher uses exit tickets at the end of each class period. This strategy is best classified as which type of assessment?
- Summative assessment
- Formative assessment (Correct answer)
- Diagnostic assessment
- Norm-referenced assessment
Correct answer: Formative assessment
Exit tickets are a classic formative assessment tool used to monitor student understanding during the learning process.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of summative assessment in a STEM course?
- To adjust daily instruction in real time
- To identify prerequisite skill gaps before a unit
- To evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period (Correct answer)
- To provide peer feedback during a project
Correct answer: To evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional period
Summative assessments are designed to evaluate overall student learning after instruction has been completed.
Question 3: A science teacher asks students to predict the outcome of an experiment before conducting it. What assessment function does this serve?
- Summative evaluation of lab skills
- Formative check of prior knowledge and hypothetical reasoning (Correct answer)
- Norm-referenced ranking of student ability
- Criterion-referenced grading of content mastery
Correct answer: Formative check of prior knowledge and hypothetical reasoning
Pre-activity predictions function as formative checks that reveal prior knowledge and activate scientific reasoning.
Question 4: Which assessment data source would be MOST useful for a math teacher deciding whether to re-teach a concept before moving to the next unit?
- End-of-year standardized test scores
- Daily warm-up problem results reviewed by the teacher (Correct answer)
- State accountability exam percentile ranks
- Final exam grades from the previous semester
Correct answer: Daily warm-up problem results reviewed by the teacher
Daily warm-up results provide immediate, actionable formative data that can inform re-teaching decisions before the next unit.
Question 5: Rubrics used for summative assessment of a STEM project should primarily be shared with students:
- Only after the project is submitted to maintain objectivity
- At the beginning of the project so students understand expectations (Correct answer)
- After grading so students can compare their work to the rubric
- Only with parents during conference time
Correct answer: At the beginning of the project so students understand expectations
Sharing rubrics at the start of a project gives students clear criteria and supports self-directed learning.
Question 6: A technology teacher observes students during a coding activity and takes notes on common errors. This practice most closely reflects which assessment approach?
- High-stakes summative testing
- Anecdotal formative assessment (Correct answer)
- Benchmark summative assessment
- Portfolio-based summative assessment
Correct answer: Anecdotal formative assessment
Anecdotal formative assessment involves teachers systematically observing and recording student progress during learning activities.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a performance-based summative assessment in an engineering class?
- A multiple-choice quiz on safety procedures
- A warm-up problem reviewing previous content
- A design-build-test challenge graded against engineering criteria (Correct answer)
- A think-pair-share activity during instruction
Correct answer: A design-build-test challenge graded against engineering criteria
A design-build-test challenge evaluated against engineering criteria is a performance-based summative assessment measuring applied learning.
STEM Formative & Summative Assessment 2
A STEM teacher uses exit tickets at the end of each class period.
This strategy is best classified as which type of assessment?