By Krista Pohl, Education Programs Assistant, and Vigdis Asmundson, Education Research Evaluation Administrator, California Department of Education (CDE)

Tools for Teachers is the formative assessment component of the Smarter Balanced assessment system (PDF). It is an online collection of resources aligned with the Common Core State Standards and the California Next Generation Science Standards that support K–12 teachers in their use of the formative assessment process to adjust teaching to improve student learning. 

Science-specific resources available on Tools for Teachers include a variety of lessons tailored for all grade levels with 59 elementary, 16 middle school, and 17 high school resources available.

Each resource is embedded with formative assessment and accessibility strategies, ensuring that teachers can meet the diverse needs of their students while adhering to learning and accessibility standards. All science resources are developed by California educators and undergo a collaborative review process to ensure high quality and relevance. 

An example of an elementary school science resource is Are We Really One of a Kind?, designed for third grade. This lesson, aligned with NGSS performance expectation 3-LS3-1, helps students learn how to collect and interpret data to observe variation in traits within a species. Students explore this concept by comparing sunflower seeds, identifying differences and similarities in traits, and engaging in the Notice/Wonder formative assessment strategy. The lesson encourages observation, comparison, and data analysis, using interactive methods like Think-Pair-Share and Exit Tickets to promote student engagement and deepen scientific thinking.

At the middle and high school levels, Tools for Teachers offers more complex, phenomenon-based lessons like Ants are Superorganisms. This high school resource helps students understand the collective behavior of ants and its impact on survival. By analyzing evidence and developing scientific arguments, students strengthen their critical thinking and data interpretation skills.

To access these and other resources, educators must create a Tools for Teachers account, which can be obtained through self-registration, described in the flyer How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers, or through their LEA CAASPP coordinator.

About the Authors

Krista Pohl is an Education Programs Assistant with the California Department of Education (CDE) in the Assessment Development and Administration Division. She is currently working in the Science Office on the California Science Test (CAST) organization, development, and outreach. Leading to her role with the CDE is eight years of elementary school teaching experience, including two years as a Professional Development Coordinator. Krista has a Master’s Degree in Instruction and Curriculum and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. 
 

Vigdis Asmundson is the lead administrator of the Science Office in the Assessment Development and Administration Division of the CDE. She is currently completing a Ph.D. in School Organization and Educational Policy at the University of California, Davis. She also served as a School Board Trustee for the Davis Joint Unified School District. Vigdis was a teacher for 19 years, primarily teaching middle school science, as well as a variety of subjects in elementary, high school, and higher education in California, as well as a variety of populations across the United States and internationally.

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