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Free Reproducibles

The Handbook for Design in Five

Assessment Tools and Protocols for Teachers and Teams

Make assessment meaningful, doable, and intentional. This practical companion handbook to the Design in Five, Second Edition, gives teachers simple assessment protocols, editable templates, and artificial intelligence support to drive the Design in Five process. Revolutionize assessment from standards to grading reform and student reflection.

Benefits

  • Examine, identify, and select relevant educational standards to guide learning goals
  • Analyze standards to create a clear learning progression across curriculum design
  • Develop an assessment plan to measure student growth along learning progressions
  • Create assessments according to criteria that align with target learning goals
  • Engage students in continued learning through reflection, feedback, and clear test scoring

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The Handbook for Design in Five

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Phase One: Choosing Standards and Planning Engagement
Phase Two: Analyzing Standards and Constructing Learning Progressions
Phase Three: Crafting an Assessment Plan
Phase Four: Creating the Assessment and Gathering the Materials
Phase Five
Part 1: Designing a Scoring Scheme
Part 2: Building a Student-Reflection Tool
Part 3: Collaborating on Data and Student Work Analysis
Part 4: Using Assessment to Build Student Partnership

REPRODUCIBLES

Phase One: Choosing Standards and Planning Engagement

Phase Two: Analyzing Standards and Constructing Learning Progressions

Phase Three: Crafting an Assessment Plan

Phase Four: Creating the Assessment and Gathering the Materials

Phase Five: Part 1

Phase Five: Part 2

Phase Five: Part 3

Phase Five: Part 4

Appendix A: Implementation Guides

Appendix B

SUGGESTED RESOURCES

BOOKS

  • Chapman, C., & Dimich, N. (2011). Motivating students: 25 strategies to light the fire of engagement. Solution Tree Press.
  • Dimich, N. (2024). Design in Five: Essential phases to create engaging assessment practice (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
  • Francis, E. M. (2022). Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge: A method and model for deeper teaching and learning. Solution Tree Press.
  • Marzano, R. J., Parsley, D., Gagnon, D. J., & Norford, J. S. (2020). Teacher as researcher. Marzano Resources.
  • Mattos, M., Buffum, A., Malone, J., Cruz, L. F., Dimich, N., & Schuhl, S. (2025). Taking action: A handbook for RTI at work (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press.
  • Schimmer, T. (2016). Grading from the inside out: Bringing accuracy to student assessment through a standards-based mindset. Solution Tree Press.

WEBSITE

Phase Three

Phase Five: Part 2

Phase Five: Part 4

Appendix A

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