The first way to assess students about the French and Indian War is to find out how much they know about the Seven Years War. In some cases, students may have already taken a European history class, in which case they should know some details already. An assessment should find out if students know the causes of the Seven Years War (primarily trade disputes between the British and the French), as well as other locations besides North America where the fighting took place (such as Prussia and India).
Even if students do not know about the Seven Years' War or the French and Indian War, they should be at the point in the curriculum where they should be able to make educated guesses about why a conflict broke out in North America. To assess them on this knowledge, present them with an outline of how North American territories were divided before the war and have them label British and French colonies; if students recognize the proximity between the two powers, they may already have a strong understanding of why the war occurred.
Giving students a quiz on the French and Indian War before they learn about it is a good way for an instructor to determine what path their lessons should take. Questions can include how long the French and Indian War lasted (about four years), what regions of North America were involved (primarily the Northeast, especially Canada) and what were major battles in the war. Students should not have this grade count, but it instead should be an assessment tool for the teacher for guiding lesson plans.
The French and Indian War is pivotal in understanding why the American Revolution happened because the war directly led to higher taxes because the British felt the American colonists had to pay for their own protection; it also ended the French threat, which meant colonists felt they may not need British protection. While students may not realize this, have them write a short essay about why they think the American Revolution happened. If they identify taxes as a reason, than it is clear they at least understand one of the effects of the French and Indian War.