Encourage tinkering with ideas, relationships, connections. Set up situations where students have to find information not readily available in school texts. Provide opportunity for students to design open-ended explorations of the concept. Provide multiple options so students can plan a unique "proof" of learning.

Write a sentence about favorite color.

Objective: To write a sentence about favorite color.

Activity: Have the students write a sentence or two on a crayon shaped sentence strip. They could describe their favorite color and give their reasons for choosing that color. They can then decorate their sentence strip with a border design in their favorite color.

Assessment: Did they write (or for younger ones dictate) a sentence and decorate their sentence strip?