University of Sunderland

School of Education

EDP381: Subject Studies

2020-21
Module Leader: Jemma Bell

Assignment 2: scheme of work commentary – the use of formative and summative

assessment
Trainee name Pavel Duiunov

PAT name Mark Hughes

Year group and subject of scheme of work Key Stage 2 Year 3 Science

Curriculum used for scheme of work Cambridge Pathway

Word count 1567

Feed Forward Targets

Please check the feedback you received from your first assignment that centred around the lesson
plan and learning theory. Copy the bullet points for improvement over to the table below. Then
reflect on the extent to which you have addressed them in this assignment.

How you have addressed them in this

Bullet points for improvement from proposal
assignment
Included concrete and clear bullet points using
1 Be clearer when writing success criteria.
Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Link success criteria to learning rather than to a Used action verbs when constructing success
2
memory point. criteria.
3 More application in the main part (section 3). Gave examples from the actual scheme of work.

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 Science Year 3 Scheme of Work
Week 1

Subject: Science Number of Year group: 3 Prior Learning: Bigger picture:

Weeks:4 Class: 1 Students learned human Students will further study
senses in Year 4 where they
Topic: Our Senses Number of body parts in Year 1
examine how each of the
Sessions: 12 English but have not yet
sensory organs functions.
considered their uses.

Year 1 Science where students explored sound sources.

Summative Assessment: Unit test at the end Curriculum References and references to Year 3 Science (healthy/unhealthy diet) when studying
of 4 weeks where students are required to assessment guidance: taste.
name all the senses, their functions (action Music where students study various sounds.
verbs), organs linked to them and use sense- Maths as some activities involve handling data.
related vocabulary.
Learning Planned Learning Assessment Differentiation Key Questions
Objectives Experiences: Opportunities Resources: Bloom’s Taxonomy
and
Success
Criteria
Explore touch, What is it? Game – Self- Blindfolds. LA learners get more Which body part do we usually
material identifying things by touch assessment, scaffolded instructions use when we touch things?
textures, only and asking relevant learners talk and are supported in
Can we use a different body
study fingers closed questions. about things Selection of reading and writing,
part? Which one? Why?
and skin. Fingerprinting – visit from that went well natural/man-made more visual cues needed
All: name the local police? Or making in their practical materials. to make learning more What makes our finger unique?
organs. fingerprint patterns by activities and available. What kinds of fingerprints are
Most: state dipping in ink/paint – those they want Feely bag/s. HA learners need to use there?
what observe with a magnifying to change. Re- a wider range of
materials feel glass; loops, whorls etc. model if Microscope to look at examples and be more How do fingerprints help us feel
like. How does this help us to forgotten. fingers (if available). accurate. Extension things?
Some: explain feel things with our hands? materials can be given.
why human What does…feel like?
need touch.

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 Key Concepts and Terminology: Independent Learning:
Workbook and Skills
Senses, touch, fingers, skin, feel, natural, man-made, smooth, rough, fluffy, hard, soft. Builder Book resource
sheets, internet and ICT.

Week 2

Learning Objectives and Success Planned Learning Experiences: Assessment Resources Differentiation Key Questions
Criteria: Opportunities: : Bloom’s Taxonomy

Explore the human sense of Take the class on a listening walk This lesson is an Recording By grouping: alter their seating to form What is the name of
hearing and the ways we use around your school or an area within opportunity to find sheets. groups of 4: 1HA, 2MA, 1LA. the sense we are
it to learn about our world. the school grounds. At different points, out what learners studying today?
ask them to stop, close their eyes and know about the Large By resource: HA and LA learners are given
Examine soft and loud sounds.
listen. Ask them what they hear. They human senses. The space e.g. worksheets of slightly different level Which organ do we use
Collect evidence in a variety of
could record and talk about the sounds lesson focuses school hall although this is not openly advertised. to hear sounds? How
contexts to answer questions they hear, their volume, nature and particularly on Recording many of them do we
or test ideas. purpose (if any) of the sounds. hearing. Do of various By instruction: have a labelled image of an have?
Worksheet 4.1a asks learners to learners remember familiar ear, sound waves and sources of soft and
All: name key senses of the identify the sounds they may hear in the sense of touch? sounds. pound sounds for LA. How does this sound
week and state which organ it different places. get into our ear? Why
is connected to. Misconceptions Blindfolds. By instruction: HA learners are given fewer are some sounds loud
Pointing out the source of sound when check with an HA instructions on practical tasks. or quiet (soft)?
Most: explain why we hear blindfolded. learner. Something
to make a Are two ears better
sounds differently depending
Ask learners to put sounds such as Debriefing. sound e.g. than one? Why?
on distance. leaves falling, a child talking, a jet plane a bell.
landing, a clock ticking, and a phone Oral questioning. If a person cannot
Some: reinterpret an ringing in order ClassDojo to hear, can the use other
explanation of why two ears of volume. randomly choose senses as to substitute
are better than one so that it students. it? How?
sounds different from the Investigation: Are 2 ears better than 1?
teacher’s.

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 Key Concepts and Terminology: Independent Learning:

Hearing, hear, ear, sound, sound waves, soft Read the materials on the interactive website and share their findings
(quiet), loud, far, near. with the peers.

http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.u
/interactives/science/brainandsenses/ear/

Week 3

Learning Objectives and Success Planned Learning Experiences: Assessment Resources: Differentiation Key Questions
Criteria: Opportunities: Bloom’s Taxonomy

Explore the human senses of Try reading with 1 eye closed. Thumbs up, Eye test By grouping: assigning group roles. Can you name two
sight and taste and the ways midway or down chart from senses we are studying
we use them to learn about Optical illusions – how do they after practical opticians. By resource: HA and LA learners are given this week? What are
activities. worksheets of slightly different level they?
our world. trick us?
Collection although this is not openly advertised.
Observe and compare living
Peer assessment of of real What organs are they
things and events. Eye testing. their eye tests and and/or By task: HA and LA learners are given task connected to?
food groupings. plastic of different difficulties.
All: recognise the senses of Share children’s experiences of Effective peer- foods for What day you say
sight and taste, name organs wearing glasses (be conscious of assessment is discussion, By pace: during individual activities, about (practical
linked to them. insecurities) regularly modeled, comparison identify those who might benefit from activity name)? How is
re-model if and increased/decreased pace. it connected to the
Most: describe one of the Why do we need 2 eyes? forgotten. grouping. sense of…?
learning experiences and say Think- Pair- Share.
Re-model if Why are the senses of
why it is linked to the topic of Visit a local food outlet or invite a
forgotten. sight and taste
senses. food distributor (alternatively important? If we did
canteen worker) in to talk to the Oral questioning not have them, what
Some: explain why having the class. (no hands policy). would happen?
senses of sight and taste is
important. Categorise broad food groups, Decisions, decisions
(class choose a side
foods for energy, growth etc.
of the classroom

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 Tasting activities with new or depending on their
unusual foods. opinion on the
question).
Key Concepts and Terminology: Independent Learning:

Senses, sight, eye, taste, colour, tongue, flavour, Apart from their Skills Builder and Activity Book Exercises, some learners
food, energy, growth, sweet, salty, bitter, sour, may find this website interesting, ask them to analyse what they have
umami. seen.

http://www.kscience.co.uk/ animations/eye.htm

Week 4

Learning Objectives and Success Planned Learning Experiences: Assessment Resources: Differentiation Key Questions
Criteria: Opportunities: Bloom’s Taxonomy

Explore the human sense of Discuss pleasant aromas and the End of Unit tests. Everyday By instruction: HA learners are given less What is the name of
taste and smell and the ways memories they prompt e.g. bread objects scaffolding and vice versa for LA. this sense? Which
we use them to learn about baking, perfume. Misconceptions with organ(s) is it connected
check. distinct By pace: during individual activities, to?
our world.
Read a story evocative of pleasant smells that identify those who might benefit from
Consolidate the knowledge
aromas – or write one as a class. Oral questioning. are increased/decreased pace (especially Why are they
gathered throughout this unit ClassDojo to known/new during the test). important?
by sitting a summative test. Think about unpleasant aromas – choose students to learners.
Measure using simple mouldy bread, sour milk. These randomly. By question: HA learners might try to Can you name any
equipment and record prevent us from eating food that Test address some common misconceptions other sense? What is
observations in a variety of would be bad for us. Take and pass papers. about the senses(e.g. that different areas it?
ways. (students collect all of the tongue taste different flavours etc.).
Make smelly potions. they know about a Swatters. What is the difference
All: name all five senses, sense by passing a By grouping: alter their seating to form between… and…?
Drawing sense posters. ball). Sheets of groups of 4: 1HA, 2MA, 1LA.
connected organs, part of
A3 paper. Which one is more
related vocabulary and pass Try eating e.g. an orange whilst Slap the correct important to you?
the test. holding your nose. What’s the answer. Why?
difference?
Most: explain in simple terms Graffiti (where
how nose functions. How does smell help us? students draw what
they know about

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 Some: examine and conclude the topic in
which sense they find the groups).
most important.

Key Concepts and Terminology: Independent Learning:

Senses, sight, smell, touch, hearing, taste, eyes, Read George’s Marvellous Medicine – Roald Dahl and think of its
nose, ears, fingers, skin, tongue + flavour, connection to the topic.
texture, colour etc. vocabulary.

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Commentary on this scheme of work

1. Describe the context and outline of the scheme of work – what are the aims, purposes, objectives
and outcomes of this sequence of lessons and how does it fit into the long-term plan? You may want
to reference relevant literature such as Bruner’s spiral curriculum or other documents relating to your
curriculum.
The above scheme of work is linked to the unit called “Our Senses” studied as part of the Year 3 Science
programme with Cambridge Pathway Curriculum. Upon completion of the unit, students will have
explored five human senses, organs that they are linked to as well as other related vocabulary. At this
stage, Cambridge Science lessons are primarily aimed at supporting learners’ interest towards scientific
enquiry and sparking their natural curiosity to allow them to answer questions through observation,
data collection and experimentation (e.g. eye chart with further discussion, food tasting and description
etc.) This scheme of work is constructed with taking learners’ prior knowledge into account and is
linked to topics they have studied previously (textures, colours, materials etc.). It involves building basic
knowledge around the topic of senses for it to be revisited and looked at in greater detail in Year 4
Science. Curricula built this way are supported by the concept of “Spiral Curriculum” developed by
Bruner that unifies subjects from the earliest grades upward, expanding and depending as students
revisit each topic multiple times (Bankhurst and Shanker, 2001, p. 134). (184 words)
2. List, highlight or mind map the formative and summative assessment opportunities used in your
scheme of work. Green – formative, blue – summative.
The scheme integrates several summative and formative assessment strategies to support learners’
progress and evaluate what they have already achieved. The list includes:
Self-assessment where learners evaluate their progress through different techniques, such as thumb
up, midway or down or traffic light (students show green, yellow or red paper circles to reflect on their
understanding).
Oral questioning to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and for their
classmates to listen, at times “no hands” policy is applied to allow for equal opportunity.
Misconceptions check – students are presented with a common misconception on the topic to
challenge their views, sometimes HA (higher-achieving) learners are picked to think of a misconception.
Debriefing – students reflect on an activity immoderately after completing it.
Oral questioning – students are asked questions of different order thinking in line with Bloom’s
Taxonomy.
Peer-assessment – students comment on each other’s works to help their peers improve (unfounded
criticism e.g. “I just don’t like it” is not encouraged).
Think-Pair-Share – learners are given time to think of an answer which they later share with a partner,
several random pairs are later selected to present their answer to the class.
Decisions, decisions – the classroom is split in halves with each half representing an answer, students
are asked to move to a side of the room the corresponds with their answer (alternatively, point at it.)
Graffiti – students draw what they know about a topic in groups on a poster.
Slap the correct answer – use swatters to slap the right answer on the board/wall etc.
Take and pass – students pass a ball and are required to say a topic-related fact or vocabulary item with
each pass.
End of unit test – summative assessment session to gauge progress. (283 words)

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 3. The formative and summative assessment opportunities that you have identified above can be
underpinned by appropriate theoretical models and pedagogical strategies as discussed in the
learning materials for this module. Examples of this are questioning and the use of Assessment for
Learning (AfL). Discuss and analyse the strategies identified in your scheme of work and support your
writing with references from relevant literature.

Before a detailed analysis of the above scheme of work assessment strategies could be given, it is
important to examine success criteria as they are often regarded as the “essence” of AfL (Assessment
for Learning) (DfE, 2007). It is suggested that pupils’ progress is accelerated when the success criteria
are clear to them the moment learning begins enabling them to judge the quality of their work and see
ways to enhance it (Gadsby, 2012, p. 34). All the criteria present in this scheme of work were co-
constructed by the author and their coworkers (students were not involved) to act as clear guidance for
the learners who are shown them at the beginning of each week. It is proposed that success criteria are
more effective when divided into stages to involve all students (Beere, 2012, p. 6); this is achieved by an
“all – most – some” division in this scheme.
Feedback (as part of assessment) is of high importance when learning is concerned as consistently
constructive feedback from educators ensures that students make considerable gains (Ofsted, 2018, p.
36). Assessment and feedback, however, may at times hinder learners’ progress and become
demotivating if given retrospectively and through the use of vague statements (e.g. “work harder”) and
unexplained marks, feedback should thus be specific, focused and clear while staying exciting,
motivating and engaging to students (Hattie and Timperley, 2007, p. 85). Although the above scheme
contains a summative feedback session that implies giving retrospective marks, criteria for getting high
grades are regularly pre-explained and comments given to students encourage instant action (e.g. “Find
three senses and write “nose, ears, tongue” next to them”.) (supported by Gadsby, 2012, p. 60).
The presented scheme of work addresses feedback differently in an attempt to make it an active
process which is collaborative and interactive, it engages teacher and pupil in a dialogue where the
term “marking” is rarely used. Assessment in it is given rather “for” learning rather than “of” it hence
making it mostly “formative” (Hattie, 2008, p. 173).
Effective formative feedback may be provided in a variety of forms with one of the most impactful ones
suggested to be oral feedback that is given to learners in real time during the lesson. Giving students a
statement that elicits an instinctive reply or asks them to ponder a problem is considered to be
especially useful (Gadsby, 2012). This scheme incorporates various real-time teacher-student formative
feedback techniques like “oral questioning”, “slap the correct answer” , “decisions, decisions”,
“misconceptions check” and “debriefing”.
Apart from direct teacher-student feedback, there are also ways to engage learners in providing
feedback for their peers in a way that they are able to respond to and act on (Gadsby, 2012, p. 60).
Although planning for interactions of that sort may appear challenging, peer feedback is essential for
effective assessment for learning (Clarke, 2010, p. 114). In addition, peer- assessment is strongly
advocated for in one of the Ofsted inspection handbooks (Ofsted, 2012b). Gadsby warns, however, that
this form of interaction might turn out to be of little use if implemented incorrectly with pupils merely
complimenting each other with phrases such as “Well done” when giving peer feedback (Gadsby, 2012,
p. 78). The skill of effective student-student and feedback hence needs to be repeatedly modelled by
educators across the curriculum, the above scheme contains comments regarding this aspect (Think-
Pair-Share and peer-assessment). Nevertheless, Broughton and Beere argue that effective peer
feedback encompasses more than just assessment, they claim that the key factor in students’ being
effective assessors for one another predominantly centres around classroom culture where the teacher
is eager to share responsibilities and swap roles with learners thus stimulating discussion and group
work, the above scheme contains one technique where a student is offered the role of an educator to

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 provoke discussion with peers (misconceptions check in week 2 ) and multiple group work opportunities
discussed later.
As mentioned previously, cooperative learning and group work play a crucial role in modern day
classrooms. Dr Spencer Kagan suggests that teachers embrace pedagogical tools designed to promote
the development of students’ interpersonal skills with approaches such as cooperative (collaborative)
learning. He proposes that while designing grouping plans it is important to pay attention to students’
level, according to him, an ideal group should consist of 1 HA (higher achieving), 2 MA (medium
achieving) and 1 LA (lower achieving) student to enable effective content and knowledge circulation,
this approach to grouping is utilised in this scheme and is present in the “graffiti” assessment activity. In
addition, Kagan states that when giving feedback, choosing students randomly is a reliable way to avoid
repetition (Kagan, 2009, pp. 86-105); This scheme allows for that by utilising the “no hands policy”
(week 3) and ClassDojo software (weeks 2 and 4) during oral questioning.
After a group discussion, activity or lesson as a whole has taken place, students can decide what they
are most satisfied with or highlight a potential area of improvement for themselves by engaging in a
short-self-reflection task, this is perceived to be a very powerful tool that allows students to take more
control of their own learning, access it more efficiently and address potential areas of misconceptions
(Clarke, 2014, p. 158). Aberson and Light also recommend implementing self-assessment as a quality
control instrument to guarantee the understanding of content or mark areas for development ( Aberson
and Light, 2015, p. 124). As with peer feedback, Gadsby argues that self-assessment may also be
affected by lack of modelling thus resulting into students always showing “thumbs up” or “green light”
and putting little thought in the process, the scheme hence reminds educators of the importance of
modelling for self-assessment as well ( see comments ) and utilises techniques such as “Thumbs up,
midway or down” and “traffic light” as means of self-assessment. (963 words)

4. Evaluate the scheme of work and reflect on some areas that you would improve or limitations that
you have found.
Although the schemes similar to the one above generally satisfy educators, heads of departments,
supervisors and other stakeholders of H. International School, there clearly is room for improvement.
The most evident area that could be addressed is constructing success criteria. Seeing that the scheme
relies fully on educators when developing success criteria and does not enable learners themselves to
take part in the process, this may act as a limiting factor for learners’ progress. It it suggested that
imposing a metaphorical “ceiling” by pre-constructing success criteria may severely affect both
engagement and overall lesson satisfaction; It thus more prudent to allow students to take part in
establishing success criteria by leaving blank boxes to be filled in (still scaffolded by the teacher) or
providing them with several criteria options to collectively choose from (Gadsby, 2012, p. 40). (137
words)
5. Reference list (not included in word limit)
Aberson, M. and Light, D. (2015) Lesson Planning Tweaks for Teachers. London, UK: Bloomsbury.

Bankhurst, D and Shanker, S. (ed.) (2001) Jerome Bruner: Language, Culture, Self. London: SAGE.
Beere, J. (2012) The Perfect (Ofsted) Lesson. Carmarthen: Independent Thinking Press.

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 Broughton, T. and Beere, J. (2013) The Perfect Teacher Coach. Carmarthen: Crown House Publishing.
Clarke, S. (2014) Outstanding Formative Assessment; Culture and Practice. London: Hodder.

Department for Education (2007) Assessment for Learning: 8 Schools Project Report. Secondary
National Strategy for School Improvement. Available at
http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7600/1/1f1ab286369a7ee24df53c863a72da97-1.pdf (accessed 15 February 2021).

Gadsby, H. (2012) Perfect Assessment for Learning. Carmarthen: Independent Thinking Press.

Hattie, J. (2008) Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement.
Abingdon: Routledge.

Hattie, J. and Timperley, H. (2007). The Power of Feedback, Review of Educational Research. Abingdon:
Routledge.

Kagan, S. and Kagan, M. (2009). Kagan Cooperative Learning, 2nd edn. San Clemente, CA: Kagan
Publishing.

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