East Fairmont High School
1. Analyze test data at your PDS site.What percent of students are achieving Mastery or above in any content area?
Science -- Above Mastery 19.50% Mastery 14.50 Distinguished 7.50
2. Provide a brief explanation of the learning need.
The proficient percentage of the comprehension of science content is 41.50, which is below half. So, the need for students to read science and understand the content is what needs to improve.
3. Find an Instructional Intervention that you might use to address the learning need.
Read in Groups -- a strategy called, Jigsaw. In this reading strategy, students are assigned to a group, sometimes called the home, base, or beginning group. Each member is assigned a chunk of the reading material. Stduents will write information in a graphic organizer. Then students meet in expert groups with other students who were assigned the same chunk. The experts decide what is most important in that segment and then return to their home groups to share the information. Finally, they present the material to the class. This activity engages the students in summarizing, and the graphic organizers they produce can serve as notes on the topic. This strategy is a good way to cover a long reading assignment.
4. Write down three pieces of evidence that the strategy works.
•Organizing students in heterogeneous cooperative learning groups at least once a week has a significant effect on learning (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001).
•Advance organizers, including graphic ones, help students learn new concepts and vocabulary (Stone, 1983). Presenting information graphically as well as symbolically in an advance organizer reinforces vocabulary learning and supports reading skills. (Brookbank Grover, Kullberg, & Strawser, 1999; Moore & Readence 1984).
•Students have to analyze information at a deep level in order to decide what information to delete, what to substitute, and what to keep when they are asked to give a summary (Anderson, V., & Hidi, 1988/1989; Hidi & Anderson, 1987).
•When students review and revise their own notes, the notes become more meaningful and useful (Anderson & Armbruster, 1986; Denner, 1986; Einstein, Morris, & Smith, 1985).
5. What is your Question?
Does an instructional intervention that draws on multiple learning styles improve students comprehension of science content.
6. What kind of assessment you will use to help you collect data.
An ongoing assessment such as concept mapping to evaluate whether the students are retaining and understanding the content.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Action Research Summary
1. What is the title of the project?
Evidence of Understanding in an 8th Grade Classroom
2. What is the problem?
What happens when students participate in the process of providing evidence
of their understanding?
3. Describe the instructional intervention.
He challenged the students to provide evidence of their understanding of and
thinking about their reading. After the class read Edgar Allen Poe as a whole,
he gave them stories to read on their own, but they had to provide evidence
that they uderstood what they were reading. The students chose their own
literary standards and then they were to focus on demonstrating literal
understanding, analysis, and interpretation of the Poe stories. Once the
students decided on the standards, they spent the next few
days reading and working on their evidence of understanding the texts.
4. What kind of strategy is the instructional intervention?
The kind of strategy that the instructional intervention is setting objectives.
5. What evidence is presented that the strategy will work?
•Instructional goals should not be too specific. When goals are too narrowly focused they can limit learning (Fraser, 1987; Walberg, 1999).
•If students are encouraged to personalize the teacher's goals, then learning increases. Student ownership enhances learning focus. Studies show the benefits of students setting sub-goals derived from the larger teacher-defined goals (Bandura & Schunk, 1981; Morgan, 1985).
•Some studies indicate that student learning "contracts" are effective in developing student ownership and completion of goals. A contract would be an agreement between student and teacher for a grade the students will receive if they meet established criteria (Kahle & Kelly, 1994; Miller & Kelley, 1994; Vollmer, 1995).
6. How will data be collected to determine if the strategy will work?
Through observations, interviews and class discussion, he documented their
efforts.
7. How was the data analyzed?
Students presented their evidence to the class and they discussed whether their work "met standards" or not. This provoked many interesting discussions about what is good evidence of understanding and the challenges of assessing students learning.
8. What were the results?
By being involved in the process, students were more focused on what they were supposed to be learning and what it meant to provide evidence of their understanding. The discussion of evidence that met standards or not, demonstrated a need to balance the freedom to assess in unique ways and the structure necessary for students to produce effective evidence. He concluded that finding this balance should be a part of the planning in our classrooms and schools.
Evidence of Understanding in an 8th Grade Classroom
2. What is the problem?
What happens when students participate in the process of providing evidence
of their understanding?
3. Describe the instructional intervention.
He challenged the students to provide evidence of their understanding of and
thinking about their reading. After the class read Edgar Allen Poe as a whole,
he gave them stories to read on their own, but they had to provide evidence
that they uderstood what they were reading. The students chose their own
literary standards and then they were to focus on demonstrating literal
understanding, analysis, and interpretation of the Poe stories. Once the
students decided on the standards, they spent the next few
days reading and working on their evidence of understanding the texts.
4. What kind of strategy is the instructional intervention?
The kind of strategy that the instructional intervention is setting objectives.
5. What evidence is presented that the strategy will work?
•Instructional goals should not be too specific. When goals are too narrowly focused they can limit learning (Fraser, 1987; Walberg, 1999).
•If students are encouraged to personalize the teacher's goals, then learning increases. Student ownership enhances learning focus. Studies show the benefits of students setting sub-goals derived from the larger teacher-defined goals (Bandura & Schunk, 1981; Morgan, 1985).
•Some studies indicate that student learning "contracts" are effective in developing student ownership and completion of goals. A contract would be an agreement between student and teacher for a grade the students will receive if they meet established criteria (Kahle & Kelly, 1994; Miller & Kelley, 1994; Vollmer, 1995).
6. How will data be collected to determine if the strategy will work?
Through observations, interviews and class discussion, he documented their
efforts.
7. How was the data analyzed?
Students presented their evidence to the class and they discussed whether their work "met standards" or not. This provoked many interesting discussions about what is good evidence of understanding and the challenges of assessing students learning.
8. What were the results?
By being involved in the process, students were more focused on what they were supposed to be learning and what it meant to provide evidence of their understanding. The discussion of evidence that met standards or not, demonstrated a need to balance the freedom to assess in unique ways and the structure necessary for students to produce effective evidence. He concluded that finding this balance should be a part of the planning in our classrooms and schools.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Lesson Plans
Here are my three lesson plans for my series of lessons on electricity.
Lesson 1
Lesson Plan 2
Lesson Plan 3
Lesson 1
Lesson Plan 2
Lesson Plan 3
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Evaluation Page for Webquest
Click here to view my evaluation page for my electric circuit lesson. : )
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Multiple Intelligence Test for Struggling Student
I gave my struggling student and the rest of his classmates in the same class a multiple intelligence survey I found online.
Click here to view the MI survey I presented to the students in my 9th grade physical science class.
The struggling student ended up with the following results for the strongest he scored in:
1. Musical strength
2. Naturalist strength
3. Interpersonal strength
He was really interested in taking the survey. He was one of the only students in the classroom that sat in his seat and concentrated on all of the questions, and wanted to really know what his results were and what they meant. Once he was finished I went over to him and we examined his results and I discussed each one with him, and he said that the main three did describe him. His response was, "That was neat!" I was pleased. : )
Click here to view the MI survey I presented to the students in my 9th grade physical science class.
The struggling student ended up with the following results for the strongest he scored in:
1. Musical strength
2. Naturalist strength
3. Interpersonal strength
He was really interested in taking the survey. He was one of the only students in the classroom that sat in his seat and concentrated on all of the questions, and wanted to really know what his results were and what they meant. Once he was finished I went over to him and we examined his results and I discussed each one with him, and he said that the main three did describe him. His response was, "That was neat!" I was pleased. : )
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Formative Assessment
I made a brainstorming web for my formative assessment. The students are to write key words that comes to mind or reminds them of electricity.
Click here to view my formative assessment.
Click here to view my formative assessment.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Driving Question for WebQuest
How does an electric circuit work in order to have electricity that we need?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Power Standard Lesson
The topic I will be teaching in my clinical is on electricity. I will begin my lessons beginning next week on Monday, March 28th. I will be teaching to ninth grade students in the class of physical science. The different things I will be teaching about is electrical charge, electric current, and electrical energy. So, I found an activity that is hands-on that the students will be able to do on one of the days I teach to help them see electricity first hand.
CSO: SC.O.9.2.20
construct electric circuits
Click here to see the activity that is related to my lessons on electricity.
I think this will fit my struggling students learning style in that it is hands-on and it is engaging rather than hearing a lecture and having to complete a worksheet, that he rarely ever does complete. He will be able to earn participation points, because I think he will enjoy actualling being able to interact with materials, therefor wanting to take part in the activity and lesson.
CSO: SC.O.9.2.20
construct electric circuits
Click here to see the activity that is related to my lessons on electricity.
I think this will fit my struggling students learning style in that it is hands-on and it is engaging rather than hearing a lecture and having to complete a worksheet, that he rarely ever does complete. He will be able to earn participation points, because I think he will enjoy actualling being able to interact with materials, therefor wanting to take part in the activity and lesson.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Multiple Intelligence's
I took the multiple intelligence test that was linked to our class homepage, and I had three major strengths, Naturalist, Social, and Self. I wasn't surprised to have the learning style, Naturalist a strengh, because my field is science and biology. Also, self wasn't a surprise, because I have taken other intelligence surveys and they have told me I am self, and I actually do prefer to work alone and think a lot of things over on my own before reacting. However, social has never really been a part of me, and the next closest style was kinaesthic, which has been a strength of mine in the past.
Activities/Strategies
Naturalist
--read plant and animal magazines/books
--Take hikes around the school, or on a field trip and take pictures then write a story about a picture or a paragraph describing a picture.
--Grow plants or house a type(s) of organism such as ants and observe their behaviors and/or watch them grow.
--Compare seeds, seedlings, and adult plants. Mix them up and ask your learners to match each seed to its corresponding seedling and adult.
--relate information to the natural world (very important for science)
Social
--Set up interview questions, and interview your family. Write the results.
--Team learning/investigating projects.
--Take part in group discussions and encourage group work.
--Problem-solving activities which involves working together to solve
Self
--Encourage journal writing for topics being discussed in class.
--Go on "guided imagery" tours.
--Use brainstorming methods before writing a report or beginning a research project.
--Allow time for students to reflect on new ideas and information.
Activities/Strategies
Naturalist
--read plant and animal magazines/books
--Take hikes around the school, or on a field trip and take pictures then write a story about a picture or a paragraph describing a picture.
--Grow plants or house a type(s) of organism such as ants and observe their behaviors and/or watch them grow.
--Compare seeds, seedlings, and adult plants. Mix them up and ask your learners to match each seed to its corresponding seedling and adult.
--relate information to the natural world (very important for science)
Social
--Set up interview questions, and interview your family. Write the results.
--Team learning/investigating projects.
--Take part in group discussions and encourage group work.
--Problem-solving activities which involves working together to solve
Self
--Encourage journal writing for topics being discussed in class.
--Go on "guided imagery" tours.
--Use brainstorming methods before writing a report or beginning a research project.
--Allow time for students to reflect on new ideas and information.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Struggling Student
A struggling student I have been observing for the past couple of weeks is in the 9the grade physical science of my host teachers class. Since I have been observing in my clinical he has completed and turned in very little school work, that includes homework and in class assignments. He doesn't listen to instructions very well, for example one day he pulled a chair by the window to sit in front of the window by himself and began playing with the blinds of the window. Such as, pulling on the string of the blinds, pulling the blinds shut, and then swinging the string of the blinds around so they would hit the blinds or the window. The teacher had to tell him several times to quit and sit at a science table away from the window before he finally listened. However, then he wanders around the room which is an every day occurrence of him wandering around the classroom. When given an assignment to complete during class time he doesn't do it, but waits until the last five minutes of class and copies what he can off of fellow classmates. Last week he received lunch detention for three days as a result of bad behavior. The host taecher said the boy doesn't care, and he is failing the majority of his classes. The teacher told me he doesn't understand how he passed the 8th grade other than the teachers gave him the lowest possible grades to pass on to the next grade level, and the problem has followed him into the 9th grade.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Where I'm From
I am from the hill overlooking an old coal mining town, from Popsicles and fresh, cut cucumbers in vinegar during summer.
I am from the home that is white, lined with cedar trim that contains a pink bedroom filled with memories I call my own.
I am from blue birds and an apple tree, from a mother's flower bed filled with hydrangeas and azaleas.
I am from the family who traveled to the OBX for two weeks every summer and who has a dominance for rolling their tongues.
I am from grandparents who watched me grow from a little girl into a young lady. Who love me more than words can say, the love a mutual way.
From going shirtless and playing in the dirt of our backyard when we were kids, my brother and I used our imagination to explore and pretend.
I am from the small, white church nestled in the old town, Downs United Methodist, where the love of the Lord grows among the greatest congregation.
I'm from five best friends who each have reached for their goals by going their separate way, but remain close at heart.
I am from the echoes the town hears from a Friday night Husky football game and nights with friends spent under the stars around a camp fire, the sound of whippoorwills in the woods.
From lazy, summer days sitting in my yard reading a book as my kitty sleeps close by, and snow days spent as a child riding my wooden Flyer down the snow covered road.
I am from a mom I could call my twin and a dad I tend to act like, however no longer together the memories will always be and love for both will never cease.
I am from Rachel, WV, the town that holds my child into young adulthood memories. A place that I will forever call my home no matter where life may take me.
I am from the home that is white, lined with cedar trim that contains a pink bedroom filled with memories I call my own.
I am from blue birds and an apple tree, from a mother's flower bed filled with hydrangeas and azaleas.
I am from the family who traveled to the OBX for two weeks every summer and who has a dominance for rolling their tongues.
I am from grandparents who watched me grow from a little girl into a young lady. Who love me more than words can say, the love a mutual way.
From going shirtless and playing in the dirt of our backyard when we were kids, my brother and I used our imagination to explore and pretend.
I am from the small, white church nestled in the old town, Downs United Methodist, where the love of the Lord grows among the greatest congregation.
I'm from five best friends who each have reached for their goals by going their separate way, but remain close at heart.
I am from the echoes the town hears from a Friday night Husky football game and nights with friends spent under the stars around a camp fire, the sound of whippoorwills in the woods.
From lazy, summer days sitting in my yard reading a book as my kitty sleeps close by, and snow days spent as a child riding my wooden Flyer down the snow covered road.
I am from a mom I could call my twin and a dad I tend to act like, however no longer together the memories will always be and love for both will never cease.
I am from Rachel, WV, the town that holds my child into young adulthood memories. A place that I will forever call my home no matter where life may take me.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Student Interest Survey
My content is general science/biology, but my grade levels will be from 5th to adult. So, I found a survey that I would be able to use in any secondary level class, including my science classroom.
Click here to view student interest survey.
Click here to view student interest survey.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
"...As Soon As She Opened Her Mouth!": Issues of Language, Literacy, and Power
"The degree to which you do not experience these extensive uses of print in your young life is the degree to which you do not know / understand the concepts that are so crucial to making sense out of beginning reading and writing instruction in school." pages 125-26
I had a strong reaction to this statement written by Victoria Purcell-Gates in her text on literacy knowledge in young children. I work at a local elementary school with an after school program, Boys and Girls Club of America, and I interact with kindergartners for "power hour". Power hour is a 45 minute time period where the students have the opportunity to complete homework and if they have no homework there are folders with worksheets they can complete based on what they have been learning in the classroom. After reading the text by Purcell-Gates, the kindergartners popped into my mind when I read about experience and prior knowledge to be successful in knowing how to read and write proficiently. The lower class being the individuals who lack the appropriate skills needed to succeed, and the middle-class individuals being the ones who do succeed. I have to agree with the author of this text in saying the problem with some children lacking the literacy knowledge does not necessarily mean they can't learn based on their socio-class or being poor. I have observed among my kindergartners that all of them appear to come from middle-class homes, but there are some that are outstanding in knowing their "popcorn words" and others who have no clue even though we review the words almost ever day during the time needed for homework. The children who do not their words have told me they practice at home and their parents read to them and work with them with writing and reading. Then the children who struggle are the ones who have told me their parents simply do not have the time to work with them in practicing the words or reviewing with them. Thus, this goes back to the idea of experience and culture of which the children live and are growing up amongst. I believe it doesn't matter whether a child is poor or rich, it all comes back to experience and how much the parents or guardians are paying attention to them and providing them with knowledge and practice outside of a classroom or school. Without experience in doing anything, no person could possibly have the knowledge to understand the concept of how to do it or learn it. Piaget even though no mention of culture had the idea that students and/or children learn best through experience.
I had a strong reaction to this statement written by Victoria Purcell-Gates in her text on literacy knowledge in young children. I work at a local elementary school with an after school program, Boys and Girls Club of America, and I interact with kindergartners for "power hour". Power hour is a 45 minute time period where the students have the opportunity to complete homework and if they have no homework there are folders with worksheets they can complete based on what they have been learning in the classroom. After reading the text by Purcell-Gates, the kindergartners popped into my mind when I read about experience and prior knowledge to be successful in knowing how to read and write proficiently. The lower class being the individuals who lack the appropriate skills needed to succeed, and the middle-class individuals being the ones who do succeed. I have to agree with the author of this text in saying the problem with some children lacking the literacy knowledge does not necessarily mean they can't learn based on their socio-class or being poor. I have observed among my kindergartners that all of them appear to come from middle-class homes, but there are some that are outstanding in knowing their "popcorn words" and others who have no clue even though we review the words almost ever day during the time needed for homework. The children who do not their words have told me they practice at home and their parents read to them and work with them with writing and reading. Then the children who struggle are the ones who have told me their parents simply do not have the time to work with them in practicing the words or reviewing with them. Thus, this goes back to the idea of experience and culture of which the children live and are growing up amongst. I believe it doesn't matter whether a child is poor or rich, it all comes back to experience and how much the parents or guardians are paying attention to them and providing them with knowledge and practice outside of a classroom or school. Without experience in doing anything, no person could possibly have the knowledge to understand the concept of how to do it or learn it. Piaget even though no mention of culture had the idea that students and/or children learn best through experience.
Monday, January 24, 2011
West Virginia Stereotypes
1. There are many traditions and ways of life within West Virginia. What, if anything, ties the many "cultures" of West Virginia together?
The state, West Virginia, is filled with various types of cultures that are held within each of the 55 counties that comprises the state. Although, there are many cultures that are spread from border to border there are several key ideas that tie us together as a whole. I believe one idea that ties the state together is the Mountaineer. Every person in the state no matter whether they moved away and came back or just moved here he or she feel the pride of being a West Virginia Mountaineer and want it means to them inside and outside. You can hear the pride coming from a WVU football game or basketball game, sense the pride by hearing and telling stories between family and friends around a campfire at night in the wild and wonderful wilderness, or see the pride from visiting scenic landscapes of the hills in the state. Another idea that ties the state together is the agriculture that is grown during the early spring and summer months. A lot of West Virginians grow a garden to produce vegetables and fruit. I have witnessed that most of these farmers tend to share their produce with friends and especially family members. A third idea that ties the state together is family relationships. Families in the state tend to live closely together, meaning there is a family member in the same community or right down the same street from what I have observed. The closeness of family and the love of family brings a sense of joy living in the same state. A fourth idea that draws West Virginians together is religion. The belief of God and going to church is strong among the state and I look to that as being a good aspect of the state. A final key idea that I feel brings the state together is the safeness of the hills that lie among the people of West Virginia. The hills not only bring us beautiful wildlife, but also a sense of security. The state tends to have few natural disasters and rates of crime are very low, so I think even though there is a diverse amount of cultures that live in the hills of West Virginia, the people feel safe and secure.
2. Clyde Case laments the loss of community feeling in West Virginia. Do you agree that his feeling has been lost? What do you miss most about West Virginia of your childhood? What threatens the West Virginian way of life?
I can relate to this question, because I have lived in the same small community since I was three years old and I do not feel the community coming together at all and never really have. My community is made up of individual families that obviously communicate with each other, but the families do not interact with each other. There is a homemakers club, which my mom and me are a part of, but even the club only does so much for the community. The major part of the community is our church, which does tremendous amounts for the community and the congregation does their best at communicating with the surrounding population. I believe the communities of the state keep to themselves and the people that make up those communities do not communicate and I agree the feeling has been lost. Remembering back to my childhood, what I miss most is traveling to southern parts of the state with my family to see the scenic landscapes. We use to make trips to Seneca Rocks, Cass Railroad, the caverns, went camping in the woods with nothing except a picnic table and fireplace made of stone rocks. It is was so much fun as a child going to all those fascinating places that can be found right in the heart of our beautiful state. I think what threatens the West Virginian way of life is the land being taken away to build various buildings for commercial use. The land and hills I believe are what make the state have the nickname, 'the Mountain State' and we need to focus on the buildings we already have and make room for jobs for the people of the state so they do not have to move to another state to seek for a way of life.
The state, West Virginia, is filled with various types of cultures that are held within each of the 55 counties that comprises the state. Although, there are many cultures that are spread from border to border there are several key ideas that tie us together as a whole. I believe one idea that ties the state together is the Mountaineer. Every person in the state no matter whether they moved away and came back or just moved here he or she feel the pride of being a West Virginia Mountaineer and want it means to them inside and outside. You can hear the pride coming from a WVU football game or basketball game, sense the pride by hearing and telling stories between family and friends around a campfire at night in the wild and wonderful wilderness, or see the pride from visiting scenic landscapes of the hills in the state. Another idea that ties the state together is the agriculture that is grown during the early spring and summer months. A lot of West Virginians grow a garden to produce vegetables and fruit. I have witnessed that most of these farmers tend to share their produce with friends and especially family members. A third idea that ties the state together is family relationships. Families in the state tend to live closely together, meaning there is a family member in the same community or right down the same street from what I have observed. The closeness of family and the love of family brings a sense of joy living in the same state. A fourth idea that draws West Virginians together is religion. The belief of God and going to church is strong among the state and I look to that as being a good aspect of the state. A final key idea that I feel brings the state together is the safeness of the hills that lie among the people of West Virginia. The hills not only bring us beautiful wildlife, but also a sense of security. The state tends to have few natural disasters and rates of crime are very low, so I think even though there is a diverse amount of cultures that live in the hills of West Virginia, the people feel safe and secure.
2. Clyde Case laments the loss of community feeling in West Virginia. Do you agree that his feeling has been lost? What do you miss most about West Virginia of your childhood? What threatens the West Virginian way of life?
I can relate to this question, because I have lived in the same small community since I was three years old and I do not feel the community coming together at all and never really have. My community is made up of individual families that obviously communicate with each other, but the families do not interact with each other. There is a homemakers club, which my mom and me are a part of, but even the club only does so much for the community. The major part of the community is our church, which does tremendous amounts for the community and the congregation does their best at communicating with the surrounding population. I believe the communities of the state keep to themselves and the people that make up those communities do not communicate and I agree the feeling has been lost. Remembering back to my childhood, what I miss most is traveling to southern parts of the state with my family to see the scenic landscapes. We use to make trips to Seneca Rocks, Cass Railroad, the caverns, went camping in the woods with nothing except a picnic table and fireplace made of stone rocks. It is was so much fun as a child going to all those fascinating places that can be found right in the heart of our beautiful state. I think what threatens the West Virginian way of life is the land being taken away to build various buildings for commercial use. The land and hills I believe are what make the state have the nickname, 'the Mountain State' and we need to focus on the buildings we already have and make room for jobs for the people of the state so they do not have to move to another state to seek for a way of life.
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