Science Formative Assessment- 75 Practical Strategies for Linking Assessment, Instruction, and Learning by Page Keeley, is published by Corwin Press and co-published by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA). This book (volume 1) has been a best seller for more than a decade. The first edition (2005) was #1 on the top 25 NSTA bestsellers for 25 consecutive weeks and the updated second edition (2016) continues to be a best-seller. Volume 1 includes a description of 75 FACTs (Formative Assessment Classroom Techniques) that can be used for the purposes of eliciting and identifying preconceptions, engaging and motivating students, activating thinking and promoting metacognition, providing stimuli for science argument and discussion, initiating scientific investigation, supporting concept development and transfer of knowledge, improving questioning and responses, providing feedback, supporting peer and self-assessment, and reflecting on learning. Many of the FACTs can be used along with the Uncovering Student Ideas in Science probes. In addition to being a “go to” resource for classroom teachers, this book has been used extensively in professional development, teacher education courses, and book studies. Below is a list of the 75 FACTs included in this book (* indicates the same strategy is included in the mathematics version of the book). Some of the FACTs include a link to a downloadable template that can be used to customize the FACT.

A&D Statements*     Download the template

Agreement Circles*    

Annotated Student Drawings    

Card Sorts*     Download the template

CCC-Collaborative Clued Corrections*    

Chain Notes

Commit and Toss*    

Concept Card Mapping*    

Concept Cartoons*    

Data Match    

Directed Paraphrasing    

Explanation Analysis

Fact First Questioning*    

Familiar Phenomenon Probes    

First Word-Last Word    

Fishbowl Think Aloud    

Fist to Five*    

Focused Listing

Four Corners*    

Frayer Model*     Download the template

Friendly Talk Probes*    

Give Me Five*    

Guided Reciprocal Peer Questioning*    

Human Scattergraphs*

Informal Student Interviews    

Interest Scale    

I Think-We Think    

I Used to Think...But Now I Know*     Download the template

Juicy Questions    

Justified List*    

Justified True or False Statements*     Download the template

K-W-L Variations*     Download the template

Learning Goals Inventory (LGI)*     Download the template

Look Back*     Download the template

Missed Conception    

Muddiest Point*

No-Hands Questioning*    

Odd One Out*     Download the template

Paint the Picture    

Partner Speaks*    

Pass the Question*    

A Picture Tells a Thousand Words*

P-E-O (Predict, Explain, Observe)*    

POMS-Point of Most Significance*    

Popsicle Stick Questioning*    

Prefacing Explanations

PVF-Paired Verbal Fluency*    

Question Generating*    

Recognizing Exceptions    

Refutations    

Representation Analysis    

RERUN Download the template

Scientists' Ideas Comparison*     Download the template

Sequencing*    

Sticky Bars*    

STIP- Scientific Terminology Inventory Probe     Download the template

Synectics     Download the template

Ten-Two*

Student Evaluation of Learning Gains*    Download the template

Thinking Log*    

Think-Pair-Share*    

Thought Experiments*    

Three Minute Pause*    

Three-Two-One* Download the template

Traffic Light Cards*    

Traffic Light Cups*    

Traffic Light Dots*    

Two-Minute Paper*    

Two or Three Before Me*    

Two Stars and a Wish*

Two-Thirds Testing*    

Volleyball-Not Ping-Pong*    

Wait Time Variations*    

What Are You Doing and Why?*    

Whiteboarding*