Performance-Based Assessment, Science Festival Exhibit Presentations, and Elementary Science Achievement

The purpose of this research study was to describe the effective use of performancebased assessment for evaluating fifth-and sixth-grade student science achievement as demonstrated by student exhibit presentations at a science festival. A performancebased assessment was employed by preservice teachers from a local university to evaluate student presentations individually and through group negotiation. Individual evaluation scores (M=17.67) and group negotiated evaluations (M=7.42) were consistent, with both having a range from 12 to 20. Percentages of the evaluators' ranked responses for each criterion on the performance-based assessment were analyzed to determine overall student achievement.