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So you’ve started using inquiry in math lessons. Your students are more engaged, they’re exploring, problem-solving, and discussing math in ways you’ve never seen before.
But now you’re wondering—how do I assess their learning?
When you’re used to marking worksheets with right or wrong answers, shifting to inquiry-based assessment can feel overwhelming. Inquiry math doesn’t always result in a neatly written answer, and traditional tests don’t always capture the depth of student thinking.
Don’t worry—I’ve been there! The key to assessing inquiry-based learning is focusing on the process, not just the product. You want to capture student understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving strategies—not just whether they got the correct answer.
Get familiar with the four achievement chart categories in the Ontario Curriculum and consider these as you observe your students.
- Knowledge and Understanding
- Application
- Communication
- Thinking
Let’s look at 6 effective strategies for assessing inquiry-based learning in math.
Table of Contents
Assessing Inquiry-Based Learning Through Observation
One of the biggest mindset shifts in inquiry-based learning is realizing that assessment doesn’t just happen after the lesson—it happens during the lesson.
You can learn so much about student understanding just by listening and observing as they work through their math inquiry.
What to Look For During Observations:
- How are students approaching the problem? Are they making connections to prior knowledge?
- Are they testing different strategies? Or are they stuck using one method, even if it’s not working?
- Are they explaining their reasoning to their peers? Can they justify their thinking?
- Are they asking meaningful questions? Or are they just waiting for you to tell them what to do?
How to Record Your Observations:
- Keep anecdotal notes in a simple notebook or digital doc.
- Use checklists for key skills and behaviours.
- Try using a quick recording system (e.g., sticky notes, a clipboard with class lists, or a notes app on a tablet).
You don’t need to write everything down—just capture key insights!
I got tired of scribbling notes that I couldn’t understand later and developed a flipbook with codes. This made taking anecdotal notes during class so much easier! Check them out here for just $2.
Whole Class Lesson Consolidation
The consolidation phase of a lesson is a goldmine for assessment. This is where students explain their thinking, compare strategies, and reflect on their learning.
What to do during consolidation:
- Have students explain their thinking to the class—this reveals so much about their understanding.
- Encourage peer discussions—students often clarify their own ideas when explaining them to a partner.
- Ask guiding questions like:
- How did you approach this problem?
- Why did you choose this strategy?
- What would you do differently next time?
- Do you see any connections to other math concepts?
If a student struggles to explain their reasoning, that’s a sign they may not fully understand the concept yet.
Tip: Use Exit Tickets for Quick Assessment
At the end of a lesson, give students a quick reflection question:
✅ What strategy worked best for you today?
✅ What was the most challenging part of today’s math lesson?
✅ Explain one thing you learned today in your own words.
Exit tickets are fast, effective, and insightful!
Every one of my 3-part math lessons ends with a ‘Show What You Know’ – a quick assessment question. Students have to apply what they learned in the lesson to answer a question and demonstrate their understanding. I check it before the next class so I know if we’re ready to move on.
Using Math Journals for Deeper Assessment
Math journals are an invaluable tool in inquiry-based learning. They provide a window into student thinking that you might not see during class discussions.
What to Include in a Math Journal?
- Reflections on problem-solving strategies
- Which strategy worked best for you? Why?
- What mistakes did you make, and what did you learn from them?
- Connections to previous learning
- How does today’s lesson relate to something we’ve learned before?
- Personal math goals and progress tracking
- What math goal are you working on right now? How will you know when you’ve achieved it?
- Creative math prompts
- Create your own word problem that uses today’s concept.
- Write a letter to a younger student explaining today’s lesson in your own words.
How to Use Math Journals for Assessment
- Read student responses to identify misconceptions and guide future instruction.
- Provide written feedback—a quick comment or question can encourage deeper thinking.
- Have students revisit past journal entries to track their growth over time.
Math journals help students develop metacognition—they start thinking about their thinking, which is exactly what we want for inquiry in mathematics!
Assessing Learning Through Math Conferences
One-on-one math conferences are an amazing way to dig deeper into student thinking. These don’t need to be long—a 2-3 minute check-in with a student can give you more insight than a whole worksheet!
How to Conduct a Math Conference:
- Sit with a student or small group as they work.
- Ask open-ended questions to get them talking about their strategies.
- Listen for understanding, misconceptions, and problem-solving approaches.
- Record quick notes—this can be as simple as jotting down what strategy they used and whether they were successful.
Math conferences let you personalize your assessment and give students targeted feedback in the moment.
Self and Peer Assessment: Giving Students Ownership
Inquiry-based learning isn’t just about students solving problems—it’s about them reflecting on their own learning.
Self-Assessment Strategies:
- Use rubrics and success criteria where students rate their understanding of a concept.
- Have students write math reflections on what they learned and what they’re still struggling with.
- Use a traffic light system:
🟢 I feel confident in this concept!
🟡 I understand some parts but need more practice.
🔴 I’m still struggling and need help.
I have my students add one of these coloured circles in the corner of every Show What You Know with my math lessons. I can pull those students who want help during guided math groups the next day.
Peer Assessment Strategies:
- Math Talks—students discuss each other’s solutions and provide feedback.
- Gallery Walks—students walk around viewing and commenting on each other’s work.
- Two Stars and a Wish—students give two positive comments and one suggestion for improvement on a peer’s work.
Summative Assessment: Tests and beyond
Unit tests or quizzes can be a quick check of student understanding and, done well, still have their place. Think back to those 4 achievement chart categories again. You need to make sure you are covering more than just Knowledge and Understanding on a test.
Every math test I write includes all 4 categories for a well-rounded snapshot of student learning.
However, traditional math tests don’t always capture the depth of learning that happens in an inquiry-based classroom. Consider mixing in more authentic summative assessments.
Project-Based Assessments
Instead of testing isolated skills, let students apply their learning to real-world scenarios.
Some ideas:
✅ Design a Math Board Game—students create a game that involves problem-solving and strategy.
✅ Create a Math Storybook—students write a story incorporating a math problem that the reader must solve.
✅ Plan a Budget for a Dream Vacation—students use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and decimals to plan costs.
✅ Solve a real-world problem based on the current math strand.
These projects assess conceptual understanding, problem-solving, and communication all at once!
how to assess inquiry in Math
Assessing inquiry-based learning means rethinking assessment—it’s not just about correct answers, but about deep understanding, reflection, and growth.
By using a mix of observations, math journals, lesson consolidation, conferences, projects, and self-reflection, you’ll get a true picture of student learning—and your students will become more confident, engaged math learners in the process.
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