Knowing More than Words Can Say: Using multimodal assessment tools to excavate and construct knowledge about wolves

The purpose of this study was to investigate how multimodal assessment tools enabled Grade 2 students to show knowledge and understanding of wolves. The research design was a case study across three years employing descriptive statistics to portray student knowledge and understanding associated with the use of each tool. The findings indicate that multimodal assessment tools enable second graders to express, refine, and extend thinking and knowledge about wolves. These results illustrate the need to examine the relationship between the properties of assessment tools and younger students' expression of scientific knowledge and understanding.