Self and Peer Assessment Made Easy & A Freebie

Hi Everyone! It's Emily from Emmy Mac's Class! 

Over the last few years I have experimented with a variety of ways to use Self and Peer Assessment in my classroom. 

I've used the Two Stars and a Wish! Which is effective when it's done right. But tricky for Firsties to do independently.

I have used the dreaded  CHECKLIST! Why did I bold and capitalize this word? Because majority of the time my little kiddos lie. They don't mean to, BUT they do. They don't check their work or their peers work, they just circle every happy face or give each box a checkmark. Don't get me wrong I love checklists...I just can't always get them to work with my students.

What I have found is really effective is the use of arrows.

This is what I do....

First I take the success criteria or the elements that I want them to be working on and put them on the arrows. For example, right now we are working on letter writing. I want them to have the following in their letter: Date, Dear, 3 Facts about them, 3 Questions, Punctuation, and a Sign off. Those items go on the arrow. You could also use sticky but I like how the arrow can point to where the student has used the success criteria.

These arrows are from my letter writing unit.

Students than place them on their work in the correct spot. i.e. If they have the question arrow they find a question. I have partners work together to assess each others work. We talk about the fact that it's not a big deal if someone is missing something but, that we do need to fix it. 

I also use larger arrows to model with the students how to assess my own work during modeled and shared writing.

Interested in trying it out? Click HERE or on the picture. Download these free arrows, write your success criteria on them, cut them and out and you are ready to go.

If you are looking for ready made arrows for self and peer assessment check out my writing units.