This book presents an approach to developing performance assessments. It begins with four steps for "Info In" and moves to four "Info Out" modes through which students can make their content understanding explicit for evaluation purposes. The first chapter is an overview of performance assessment in the classroom. Chapter 2 discusses the "Info In" model and the key processes of reading, listening, manipulating, and viewing. Chapter 3 explores the first "Info Out" mode, visual representations. Chapters 4, 5, and 6 examine the three additional "Info Out" modes: writing; oral presentations; and large-scale substantive projects and performances. The final chapter summarizes strengths and weaknesses of classroom-based performance assessments. An appendix contains the "Oregon Writing Scoring Guide" for middle school. (Contains 64 figures and 23 references.) (SLD)