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Making the Most of Scenario-Based Assessments

Scenario-Based Assessments Help Prepare Students for High-Stakes Tests

Scenario-based assessments (SBAs) provide students with the ability to demonstrate their progress in the sensemaking of science and phenomena using a variety of question formats. Over the course of Kindergarten through 5th grade 92 assessment items provide student opportunities to:

Practice responding to questions that align with digital testing formats to prepare them for high-stakes tests
Respond to varied question formats: draw, match, drag and drop, multiple choice, multiple choice with more than one correct answer, short answer, fill-in-the-blank, open-ended

Scenario-based assessments have the following interactive features:

Drag and drop
Matching
Drawing
Typing

Kindergarten through Grade 5, Using Scenario-Based Assessments with ALL Your Students

More and more students are becoming digital natives but getting them accustomed to high-stakes digital testing can be challenging. Here are some tips to get even your youngest students up to speed.

Tips for K–2

Present SBAs as a front-of-class resource on an Interactive Whiteboard–students will want to jump out of their seats to participate
Use scenarios aligned with specific lessons throughout the unit to present in smaller chunks for use as formative assessment
Guide whole-class discussions with open-ended questions using the assessment’s answer key’s anticipated response to help gauge student understanding

Tips for Grades 3–5

Use scenario questions aligned with specific lessons throughout the unit to present in smaller chunks for use as formative assessment and provide students multiple opportunities over time to engage with and get comfortable with using the technology
Use multiple-choice questions that have multiple answers to guide sense making group or whole class discussions
Assign the complete SBA at the end of a unit to provide a digital summative assessment that is three-dimensional
Assess students’ progress and assign remediation based on suggestions provided in the assessment answer key