This was based on a strategy Steve Leinwand discussed at NCTM. He starts every class with a 6 question oral spiral review/pre-assessment. His quizzes always follow the same format. 

1. What is 6 x 7?  This question is always the same fact that the class struggles with. He'll ask the question a million different ways: As a straight fact, as a word problem, having them represent it pictorally, etc. He keeps the same fact until 100% of the class gets the problem right for a few days straight. Then he starts with the next challenging fact, like 8x9. 

2. What is 1000 less than 18,294? This question always has to do with place value. Children are expected to do the problem mentally.

3. This question dealt with whatever was covered in the previous unit.

4. What is 1/10 of 450. This question is a pre-assessment for the topic to be covered that day. He had already planned different activities based on level, so he chose a question that allowed him to easily sort the children. Because the pre-assessment question was always the 4th question, he said it was easy to do a quick sort looking at that one problem, leaving the rest of the evaluation for later. 

5. Draw a picture of one and two thirds. This question always required a representation (not always a fraction, but always a picture). 

6. About how much do I weigh in kilograms? This question always dealt with estimation and measurement. He accepted a broad range of answers for estimation. For this answer anything from 60 - 100 kg. was appropriate, with 80 kg. being close to his actual weight. 

He spent exactly 5 minutes on the quiz, including reviewing answers. He pointed out that 5 minutes a day x 180 days = 900 minutes of instruction.