Do you need an engaging, creative way to measure your middle school ELA students' understanding of their reading? A one page response is the perfect alternative to a traditional short answer or summative assessment. Making a one pager digital is even easier--no arts and crafts supplies needed!
To create a digital one pager, middle school students display all of their knowledge about a specific topic on one single Google Slide or PowerPoint.
Here are three tips for creating digital one pagers in your middle school ELA classroom:
1. Provide Models.
Like any piece of writing, providing exemplars helps students know exactly what the expectations are. I found when I displayed an exemplar on my Smartboard, students mimic the style and were more likely to include all the required elements. I recommend creating your own one pager to share with students (this will help you to fully understand the requirements as well!), or you can use the examples here:
2. Give students specific guidelines.
One pagers should measure a specific skill or standard, just like a more traditional test would. The one pagers in each example above measure students’ understanding of standard RL3: understanding how elements of a story interact. My students created these one pagers in response to their literature circle novels (you can check out our Digital Literature Circles here). Choose a specific standard to target, then give your students the following guidelines for creating their one pagers:
Create your own text based question that relates to how the setting (or plot or another character) impacts one of the main characters in your novel. Work with your group to brainstorm four text-based questions, and then individually choose one question to answer. Questions must be text-based, require analysis of the text, and allow you to show off your understanding of how the setting impacts the character. Use RACCE (restate, answer, cite evidence, cite evidence, explain) to answer your question.
Display related powerful words and quotes from the novel. You must display at least four powerful words and four powerful quotes that highlight the impact of setting on your character.
Add images that accurately reflect the setting, plot, or impact of setting and plot on characters.
Finding related pictures sounds all fun, but there's a huge learning element for historical fiction novels because students can find actual photographs of the settings and events they're reading about. I've found that the process of researching and finding accurate pictures has really helped my students' understanding of their novels to grow!
3. Provide students with a rubric.
To use one pagers as a summative assessment of students' learning, it is essential to make the grading transparent and specific. Similar to writing, rubrics are the perfect tool. Pictured is the rubric I use with students. In addition to using the rubric for grading, students use the rubric to self assess and make any revisions before turning in their final one pagers.
Questions about digital one pagers? Feel free to ask in the comments. I hope you're able to try one pagers in your classroom. Beyond the engagement from students, one pagers are much more interesting to grade than a traditional test! Enjoy!
Product Spotlight:
Digital Literature Circles for Any Novel: This modern twist on the traditional literature circle makes it easy to share materials in Google Classroom and go! Students assign group roles, complete group analysis of their novels, and complete individual one page assessments all in one, neat digital file! Check it out here.
Print or Digital One pagers: One page reading responses provide students with an engaging, creative, meaningful, and standards-based way to respond to any novel. One page responses give students ownership of their learning, allowing students to create their own text based question that they answer using evidence from the text. Students can get creative by adding powerful quotes, vocabulary, and illustrations to their one page response. Examples, brainstorming pages, and graphic organizers help students to craft compelling, well-planned responses to their reading. You can check out these premade graphic organizers and templates here.
