Authentic Performance

Tasks: Strategies to
Improve Learning and
Literacy
Model Schools Conference 2016
Lissa Pijanowski, Ed.D.
Senior Fellow
[email protected]
@lpijanowski
Lissa Pijanowski, Ed.D.
Senior Fellow, ICLE
[email protected]
Twitter: @lpijanowski
Facebook: facebook.com/lpijanowski

Dr. Lissa Pijanowski is passionate about supporting teachers and leaders in creating
compelling learning environments that reflect high expectations, promote student
engagement, and produce results. Lissa’s work with the International Center for
Leadership in Education, a division of HMH Professional Services, integrates her years
of school improvement experience and curriculum leadership in standards-based
education.

Lissa has served as a public school educator for over 25 years and prior to joining ICLE
served as the Associate Superintendent of Academics and Accountability for Forsyth
County Schools. Her team was responsible for curriculum, instruction, assessment,
academic support programs, professional learning, and workforce development. The
district leveraged Rigorous Curriculum Design and Data Teams as essential
components for implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

Prior to working in Forsyth County Schools, Lissa served as the Director of School
Improvement at the Georgia Department of Education. At the GDOE, Lissa led regional
school improvement teams to reduce the number of Needs Improvement Schools in
Georgia through intense training on data analysis, performance standards, and focused
improvement planning.

Through a commitment to her own professional development as well as her extensive

professional learning work with adults, Lissa is committed to delivering engaging,
practical, professional development experiences which result in immediate application
to student learning. Lissa has presented at numerous national and state educational
conferences and is a published author. Publications include articles in Educational
Leadership and the Journal of Staff Development. Additionally, she has contributed to
Center publications Prioritizing the Common Core State Standards and Engaged
Instruction: Thriving Classrooms in the Age of the Common Core. She holds a
Doctorate of Education with a concentration in Organizational Leadership and Change,
a Masters in Educational Leadership, and a Bachelor of Science in Education.

Although her work keeps her busy, Lissa’s family is her priority. She is married and has
three children. She enjoys supporting her kids with their sports and musical interests
while making time to volunteer in schools, garden, and spend time outdoors with her
husband.

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 1

Performance Assessments
Performance Assessments:
A ____________ of several related performance tasks, _______
______________________ that progressively develop and reveal
student________________ of the “unwrapped” concepts, skills, and Big

one
Ideas.
The Big Picture

The Big Picture

Priority “Unwrapped”
Standards Concepts and Skills

Performance Assessment

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4

Recognize* Interpret Implement Design
List Summarize Compare Estimate
Describe Infer Deconstruct Judge

Engaging
Scenario

Whole and Small Group Instruction throughout Tasks 1– 4

Increase in Rigor/Difficulty
Advance in Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy
Incorporate Nonfiction Writing
*Note: The verbs listed above represent examples of verbs within Bloom’s six levels of cognitive processes.
Adapted from Diana Greene, Deputy Superintendent, Marion County, FL.

Engaging Classroom Assessments

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© 2009 The Leadership and Learning Center. All rights reserved. Copy only with permission.
 2

Engaging Learning Experiences

Authentic performance tasks require students to use skills, strategies, and knowledge
learned while completing a real world task that an adult would need to perform in his
personal or professional life. It requires the student to explain, apply, or synthesize their
knowledge to show true understanding through a multiple step process/project. The
project is a quality piece that presents justifiable information or answers that can be used
for further learning, investigation or research. It is outlined with clear task objectives, and
has a rubric or other document that guides the completion of work and is used for the
final evaluation of the project. Some authentic assessment projects could be:

– Data Collection and Analysis to solve a real world problem

– Using historical events to present solutions in order to solve a present world
problem.
– Pretending to be another person (maybe historical) in order to explain how one
feels, thinks or perceives life.
– Investigating a hypothesis by running a number of scientific experiments.
– Architectural building or diorama reproductions

The best assessments always teach students and teachers alike the kind of work that
most matters; they are enabling and forward-looking, not just reflective of prior teaching.
When students know before hand what will be expected they can perform their best.

In real life we do often know what is expected and we prepare accordingly. In authentic
performance assessments, when we give students a rubric and defined expectations,
they can rise to the occasion. If the assessment is properly designed, it will allow
students time to think through and study the issues and not just regurgitate classroom
information. It will allow the struggling student time to learn and the quick to remember to
apply.

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 3

The Big Picture and Performance

Tasks
Suppose you have an opportunity to combine the very best
research with respect to effect size-what would that look like for
students?

According to Visible Learning (Hattie, 2009), schools that doubled

their performance followed a similar set of strategies:
•Set incremental goals (.56)
•Analyzed student data (
•Used formative assessments and performance tasks (.90)
•Collaboratively reviewed evidence on instruction (.60)
•Used instructional time more productively (.44)

What works What works best

<.4 >.4

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 4

Authentic Performance Task Design Sequence

Authentic Performance Tasks Design Sequence
1. Select Unit of Study Topic
• Identify a three-to four-week unit of study that is topical (focused on a specific portion of a
larger subject or discipline), skills-based (emphasizes application), or thematic (makes
connections to other topics within the same discipline or to completely different disciplines).
• Topical examples: solids and liquids (science); story elements (reading); estimation(math)
• Skills-based examples: converting fractions to decimals; editing and revising; making text
connections
• Thematic examples: (life cycles, impact of war, art and multimedia)

2. Identifying Matching Priority and Supporting Standards

• Find the grade- or course-specific standards that match that unit of study.
• Selections should be a combination of Priority and Supporting Standards.

3. “Unwrap” the Priority Standards and Create a Graphic Organizer

• Underline the key concepts (important nouns and noun phrases) that students are to know
in the Priority Standards only.
• Circle or CAPITALIZE the skills (verbs) that students are to do.
• Organize the concepts students on a graphic organizer (outline, bulleted list, chart).
• List each of the skills with parenthetical or side-by-side concepts, i.e. IDENTIFY (main
idea).
• Identify the approximate level of Bloom’s Taxonomy or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge that
reflects the level of thinking skill rigor of each “unwrapped” skill and its related concept.

4. Decide the Big Ideas

• Big Ideas often contain a student benefit for learning the standards in focus (i.e. “Knowing
the difference between facts and opinions helps me decide whether something I read is true
or not”).
• Examine the concepts listed on the graphic organizer.
• Ask: “What connections or main understandings would I want students to gain as a result
of learning these ‘unwrapped’ concepts? What would I want them to remember long after
this unit of study ends?”
• Brainstorm three to four Big Ideas or enduring understandings, and write them as complete
sentences.
• Consider how students might say these Big Ideas in their own words.

5. Write the Essential Questions

• What questions could the teacher ask students at the beginning of the unit of study that
would lead students to discover the Big Ideas on their own by the end of the unit? (i.e.,
Essential Question: When do I need to find an actual answer as compared to an estimated
answer? Big Idea: Whether you find the actual answer or only an estimate depends on the
situation – what you’re trying to figure out.)
• Create three or four Essential Questions, possibly including a “one-two punch” question
that combines a recall question with a higher-level question, such as: What are literary
devices? Why do authors use them?
• Check: Are your Big Ideas the desired answers or responses to your Essential Questions?

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 5

Authentic Performance Tasks Design Sequence

6. Plan the Performance Tasks

• Look again at your “unwrapped” Priority Standards skills and corresponding Bloom/Webb
levels.
• Look also at the identified supporting standards for the unit of study.
• Brainstorm what students could DO in three or four performance tasks that match those
levels.
• Write a very short description (synopsis) of each task.
• Order the tasks to reflect the increasing complexity of skills. These tasks will be distributed
throughout the unit of study in this order.
• See published examples of performance task synopses at various grade levels (Making
Standards Work by Douglas Reeves, Rigorous Curriculum Design by Larry Ainsworth).

7. Detail the Performance Tasks • Write out the full details – the complete task directions
– of what students are to do for the first task synopsis.
• Make certain that the tasks are not merely “fun learning activities” but are true standards-
based tasks that mainly emphasize the “unwrapped” concepts and skills of the unit’s Priority
Standards but also represent the concepts and skills of the unit’s Supporting Standards.

S Which standard(s) (priority/supporting) will this task address?

Q What Essential Question(s) and corresponding Big Idea(s) will this task target?
U Which “unwrapped” specific concepts and skills will this task target?
A How will the students apply the concepts and skills? What will they do and/or produce?
R What resources, instruction, and information will students need in order to complete the
task?
E What evidence of learning will I look for to show that I know all of my students have
conceptually learned the concepts and skills—the standard(s)?
1. Students meet proficiency or higher on Task 1 rubric.
2. Students respond to Essential Question(s) with Big Idea(s) in written or oral
format.
3. Other evidence:
D How can I differentiate the application and/or evidence to meet the varying needs of my
students?

Evaluating Task Design and Development

• Is the task planned for students an authentic application of knowledge and skills in the
standards and related indicators?
• Is the student required to utilize higher-order thinking processes? How?
• Will proficient performance of tasks demonstrate student attainment of the standards and
indicators?
• Will your sequence of tasks develop student understanding of Essential Questions?

• Repeat process for remaining tasks

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 6

Authentic Performance Tasks Design Sequence

8. Identify Interdisciplinary Connections

• Review the planned performance tasks.
• Identify standards in other content areas that connect to each of those tasks. This will help
students see how these are authentic tasks, reflective of real-life situations that are not
usually limited to one content area only.

9. Plan an Engaging Scenario

• Brainstorm an authentic scenario (real-life situation) that will “hook” student interest and
motivate them to active involvement in the planned performance tasks.
• Include the “SCRAP” elements to make the scenario complete.

S What is the situation?

C What is the challenge?
R What role(s) does the student assume?
A Who is the audience (preferably an external audience)?
P What is the product or performance the student will demonstrate and/or create?

• See published examples of effective engaging scenarios (Making Standards Work by

Douglas Reeves, Rigorous Curriculum Design by Larry Ainsworth).

10. Create the Scoring Guides

• Highlight in the task directions of the first performance task exactly what students are to do
(i.e., “Provide three examples from the text”). Use those same phrases in the scoring guide
criteria so students see the intentional match between the task directions and how their
finished product will be assessed.
• Write the criteria in specific, measurable, observable wording for the level of “Goal” or
“Proficiency”.
• Next write the criteria for “Advanced” or “Exemplary” beginning with the phrase: “All
Goal/Proficient criteria met PLUS:”
• Then write the “Progressing” level criterion: “Meets ____ of the Goal criteria”. This keeps
the student’s focus on the Goal criteria and provides feedback of what the student must yet
do to meet those criteria.
• Lastly, write the “Beginning” level criteria: “Meets ____ of the Goal criteria” and “Task to
be repeated after re-teaching/additional help from teacher.” This again keeps the student’s
focus on the Goal criteria and provides feedback as to what the student must yet do to meet
those criteria. The second of the two criteria communicates to the student the heightened
expectation that s/he is not yet finished with the task.
• Repeat the process for the remaining performance tasks.

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 7

Creating the Tasks

SQUARED
Process for creating performance tasks
• Standards: Which standard(s) will this performance task address?
• Questions: What are the essential questions the task will target?
• Unwrapped: Which “unwrapped skills and concepts will students demonstrate
through this task?
• Application: How will students apply the concepts and skills? What will they produce
or perform?
• Resources: What resources will students need?
• Evidence: What evidence will I need to see to verify mastery?
• Differentiate: How can I differentiate the application to meet the learning needs of
all?

Standards

Questions

SKILLS CONCEPTS DOK

Unwrapped
Concepts and
Skills
Application

Resources

Evidence

Differentiate

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 8

Creating the Engaging Scenario

S.C.R.A.P.
Process for creating an engaging scenario
• Situation: The context of the engaging scenario
• Challenge: The challenge or problem that the student encounters
• Roles: The careers and authentic jobs that the student assumes
• Audience: The person or group to whom the students present the results of the
challenge
• Product or Performance: What is produced by the students upon completion of the
assessment

Situation

Challenge

Roles

Audience

Product

Full Description

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 9

Creating Specific Tasks: Staircase to

Complexity

Elementary Example
Task Product or Performance: What will students to do DOK
demonstrate their understanding of the “unwrapped” priority
standards?

1 Sequence story strips 1

2 Create a flow chart that retells key details 3

3 Create a story map 3

4 Create a puppet show from a different point of view 4

Secondary Example

Task Product or Performance: What will students to do DOK

demonstrate their understanding of the “unwrapped” priority
standards?

1 Create a Cornell Notes research booklet 1

2 Write a research article for a journal 3

3 Create a multi-media presentation with speaker’s 3-4

notes
4 Give an oral presentation with multi-media visuals 4

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 Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix & Curricular Examples: Applying Webb’s Depth-of-Knowledge Levels to Bloom’s Cognitive Process Dimensions – M-Sci
Revised Bloom’s Webb’s DOK Level 1 Webb’s DOK Level 2 Webb’s DOK Level 3 Webb’s DOK Level 4
Taxonomy Recall & Reproduction Skills & Concepts Strategic Thinking/ Reasoning Extended Thinking
Remember o Recall, observe, & recognize
Retrieve knowledge from facts, principles, properties
long-term memory, o Recall/ identify conversions
recognize, recall, locate, among representations or
identify numbers (e.g., customary and
metric measures)
Understand o Evaluate an expression o Specify and explain relationships o Use concepts to solve non-routine o Relate mathematical or scientific
Construct meaning, clarify, o Locate points on a grid or (e.g., non-examples/examples; problems concepts to other content areas,
paraphrase, represent, number on number line cause-effect) o Explain, generalize, or connect ideas other domains, or other
translate, illustrate, give o Solve a one-step problem o Make and record observations using supporting evidence concepts
examples, classify, o Represent math relationships in o Explain steps followed o Make and justify conjectures o Develop generalizations of the
categorize, summarize, words, pictures, or symbols o Summarize results or concepts o Explain thinking when more than one results obtained and the
generalize, infer a logical o Read, write, compare decimals o Make basic inferences or logical response is possible strategies used (from
conclusion (such as from in scientific notation predictions from data/observations o Explain phenomena in terms of investigation or readings) and
examples given), predict, o Use models /diagrams to represent concepts apply them to new problem
compare/contrast, match like or explain mathematical concepts situations
ideas, explain, construct o Make and explain estimates
models
Apply o Follow simple procedures o Select a procedure according to o Design investigation for a specific o Select or devise approach
Carry out or use a procedure (recipe-type directions) criteria and perform it purpose or research question among many alternatives to
in a given situation; carry out o Calculate, measure, apply a rule o Solve routine problem applying o Conduct a designed investigation solve a problem
(apply to a familiar task), or (e.g., rounding) multiple concepts or decision points o Use concepts to solve non-routine o Conduct a project that specifies
use (apply) to an unfamiliar o Apply algorithm or formula (e.g., o Retrieve information from a table, problems a problem, identifies solution
task area, perimeter) graph, or figure and use it solve a o Use & show reasoning, planning, paths, solves the problem, and
o Solve linear equations problem requiring multiple steps and evidence reports results
o Make conversions among o Translate between tables, graphs, o Translate between problem &
representations or numbers, or words, and symbolic notations (e.g., symbolic notation when not a direct
within and between customary graph data from a table) translation
and metric measures o Construct models given criteria
Analyze o Retrieve information from a table o Categorize, classify materials, data, o Compare information within or o Analyze multiple sources of
Break into constituent parts, or graph to answer a question figures based on characteristics across data sets or texts evidence
determine how parts relate, o Identify whether specific o Organize or order data o Analyze and draw conclusions from o analyze complex/abstract
differentiate between information is contained in o Compare/ contrast figures or data data, citing evidence themes
relevant-irrelevant, graphic representations (e.g., o Select appropriate graph and o Generalize a pattern o Gather, analyze, and evaluate
distinguish, focus, select, table, graph, T-chart, diagram) organize & display data o Interpret data from complex graph information
organize, outline, find o Identify a pattern/trend o Interpret data from a simple graph o Analyze similarities/differences
coherence, deconstruct o Extend a pattern between procedures or solutions
Evaluate o Cite evidence and develop a logical o Gather, analyze, & evaluate
Make judgments based on argument for concepts or solutions information to draw conclusions
criteria, check, detect o Describe, compare, and contrast o Apply understanding in a novel
inconsistencies or fallacies, solution methods way, provide argument or
judge, critique o Verify reasonableness of results justification for the application
Create o Brainstorm ideas, concepts, or o Generate conjectures or hypotheses o Synthesize information within one o Synthesize information across
Reorganize elements into perspectives related to a topic based on observations or prior data set, source, or text multiple sources or texts
new patterns/structures, knowledge and experience o Formulate an original problem given o Design a mathematical model
generate, hypothesize, a situation to inform and solve a practical
design, plan, construct, o Develop a scientific/mathematical or abstract situation
produce model for a complex situation
10

© 2009 Karin Hess permission to reproduce is given when authorship is fully cited [email protected]
 11

Designing Tasks Checklist

Use the following checklist to ensure your performance tasks
include all essential components.

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 12

Notes, Ideas, Resources, etc.

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