Here's a way to move beyond traditional assessment methods in math by using open-ended questions that require students to communicate their mathematical thinking.

Developed by Thomas Cooney, Wendy Sanchez, Keith Leatham, and Denise Mewborn, Open-Ended Assessment in Math provides more than 450 questions. All involve significant mathematics, are solvable in a variety of ways, elicit a range of responses, and enable students to reveal their reasoning processes. This online resource also offers samples of student answers, a scoring rubric, and additional narrative material that addresses the nature, construction, and reasons for using open-ended items.

Choose items by grade level and/or content area, including the following:

• Number & Operation
  
• Probability & Statistics
  
• Measurement
  
• Patterns, Functions & Algebra
  
• Geometry & Spatial Sense.

All of these content areas are available for elementary, middle, and high school levels, with specific topics subdivided into content categories appropriate to the three grade levels. Teacher-friendly and time-saving, these assessment items can be mixed, matched, and arranged as desired. Copy and paste items into your document-it's that easy!

Test drive some sample assessment items by clicking on the DEMO button. If you're fully satisfied, purchase an access license to this site and be ready to assess with finesse!

The authors sincerely thank the following teachers who field tested and reviewed the items. Their feedback was invaluable in ensuring the quality of the items. It was a pleasure to work with such professional, enthusiastic, and dedicated teachers.

CLARKE COUNTY ELEMENTARY TEACHERS: Cyndi Clark, Arlyn Hawley, Kathy Lawrence, Patrick Logan, Kim Longmire, Sheila Marshall, Ellen Sabatini

GWINNETT COUNTY ELEMENTARY TEACHER: Anna Colley

CLARKE COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS: Shareef Bacchus, Tam'ra Kerns, Brian Rodgers

ATHENS ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER: Beth Farmer

GWINNETT COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER: Beverly Hollandsworth

CLARKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS: Heather Julian, Sheila Parker

GWINNETT COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS: Melodie Buturff, Gayla Canup (student teacher), Shirley DeBellis, Kelly Edenfield, Patti Ely, Amy Hammond, Melissa Hill, Carla King, Patricia Kritch, Susan Laughmiller, Laurie Lombardi, Sandra McAdams, Sue Pinion, Jill Pruitt, Kate Seger, Ed Stokes, Tiffany Taylor, David Tullis

GREENE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS: Linda Duvall, Gail Engel