As educators, we have experienced how stressful students feel when we talk about assessments. 

However, a remark such as “I loved the summative assessment “ sounds like music to the ears. This was a remark by many grade 4 students when they reflected at the end of our unit on prehistory.

The purpose of assessments is to check the learning (knowledge, concepts, and skills) of the students. However, the very mention of assessment brings a sense of anxiety in them. There is a need to develop strategies that can make assessments fun. 

I tried a strategy with my Grade 4 students. As a summative assessment, we organized an exhibition that allowed the students to display all the artifacts they had designed and created during the inquiries and share their learning throughout the unit with the student community. It made it more fun when they enacted as a child from the prehistoric Era. They all thoroughly enjoyed it.

It Worked!