How to you handle tests?

One question I get often is whether or not my Co-op kids have tests.  I'm evaluating them all the time; occaisionally, we have a quiz, such as labeling the parts of the microscope.  Below is yesterday's Biology class description.  Please note that assessment is a continuous aspect of the class.

We started by looking at the pond samples the kids have cultured.  Whoa! We did not look very long.  What an odor!  Basically, I out a drop of stain on a sample.  For the most part, the slide had bacteria, loads of bacteria.  How were they assessed?  I checked their sketches in their notes.  When they had finished the slides, we reviewed the kids' corrections to their reports and made a few more notes.  I'm sure you're asking about the types of corrections.  Reports, unlike this blog, should be written in the third person, using the active voice, in the present tense and indicative mood.  I point out details regarding the content or minor grammar errors, such as the use of 'their' or that a colon follows a noun.

I shared a presentation about protists, checked their biological keys in their notes, and asked about their reading.  Here, we talked about the value of constructing biological keys.  In my opinion, a few examples are plenty.  I think they should key out species using a key rather than construct fifty.  The girls said the charts in the modules make this exercise easy to finish and they correct their answers after they finish.  Fine, either way.

We spent a good bit of time doing a little comparative morphology.  Basically, we looked at different phyla and created  charts comparing different aspects: nutrition, reproduction, cell wall composition, unique features, representative species, etc.  The girls polished their Malaria presentation and delivered it to the Anatomy class this afternoon.  I like this type of alternative assessment.  The kids presented the lesson and were able to field all of the questions I hit them with, such as 'Where is malaria most prevalent?' or 'How is it transmitted?'  The Malaria project was the result of an assignment, called Mrs. Jones, from the CDC I assigned as home-work last week.  They concluded with a hands-on activity about malaria.  Perfect!  The next time we meet, which won't be for two weeks, we'll tackle Fungi.

Want to see another form of alternative assessment?  Take a look at Meg's blog.