Teacher Work Sample

Kristy Walker Water Cycle Unit Dec. 2, 2013- Dec. 19, 2013 4th Grade Science

Standard IV: Analysis of Student Learning

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

I taught a unit on the water cycle to my fourth grade class. Before beginning the unit, I administered a pre-assessment as a to see what my students already understood about the water cycle. The pre-assessment was given on Dec. 2, 2013. The post-assessment was given Dec. 19, 2013.

Student Performance Assessment Presented in Data Tables and Charts

Whole Class Pre and Post-test Scores

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Student 1 Student 2 Student 3 Student 4 Student 5 Student 6 Student 7 Student 8 Student 9 Student 10 Student 11 Student 12 Student 13 Student 14 Student 15 Student 16 Student 17 Student 18 Student 19 Student 20 Student 21 Student 22 Student 23 Student 24 Student 25 Pre-Test Posttest

Figure A1 Figure A1 shows both the students pre-assessment and post-assessment scores. The class average for the pre-assessment was 53%. At my school, 70% is considered passing. On the pre-test, twenty-one students scored below 70%, and four students scored above 70%. On the post assessment, only two students scored below 70%, twenty-three students scored above 70% and passed the assessment.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

In order to deeply analyze the effectiveness of my lessons and assessments, I examined a low, medium, and high-level learners performance on various assessments throughout this unit. Below is an explanation of each assessment.

Explanation of Formative and Summative Assessments

Pre and Post AssessmentThe pre-test and the post-test were the same test from the STD 1 Benchmark Assessment. This test included 24 multiple choice and 5 short answer response questions. The pre-test was read aloud to the whole class, and the post-test was only read to students with an IEP or ELL. Web Quest and Drawing of the Water CycleThis formative assessment was done during computer time. I gave the students a web address where they were to complete a series of quests. While completing the quests, students were instructed to take notes of their journey on an outlined paper with instructions. After students finished the Web Quest, they drew a model of the water cycle and label the different parts. Label the Water CycleThis formative assessment was given half way through teaching the water cycle unit. I used this assessment to determine what my students needed in order to further instruct them. This water cycle model had seven parts to label. This was a good assessment to help me judge how my class was doing and what needed to be emphasized to get everyone able to label the water cycle. My Life as a Water Droplet-

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

For this assessment, students were given a detailed rubric of what was expected. This was a writing assignment where students pretended to be a water molecule, and they wrote about their journey through the water cycle. Prior to this assessment, we played a bead game where students traveled through the water cycle and kept a color-coded bead for each stop they made. This writing assessment correlated directly with that activity, but students also had freedom to change their water cycle path to allow for more creativity.

Summary of Individual Student Performance on Various Assessments

Student Pre-Test Web quest and Drawing of Water Cycle Label the Water Cycle My Life as a Water Droplet Post-Test Overall Average

#16 Below Grade Level #26 On Grade Level #6 Above Grade Level Class Average Figure A2

67%

69%

43%

54%

71%

60%

40%

100%

100%

80%

100%

95%

89%

100%

86%

100%

100%

97%

53%

91%

88%

78%

87%

86%

Figure A2 illustrates the performance of a low, medium, and high-level learner throughout the water cycle unit on various assessments. The overall average percentage only includes scores after I began instruction, not the pre-test. As Figure A8 shows, my overall class average was 86%. My below grade level

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

learner averaged 60% during this unit. My on grade level learner did a fantastic job and averaged 95%. My above grade level learner averaged 97& on this unit of study. Below Grade Level: Student #16 The below grade level student I chose to analyze is an ELL student and also has an IEP in reading and writing. At the beginning of the year, he was classified as a non-reader because he just clicked his way through the computer test. He will not try unless he has a teacher right by his side. He also has cognitive disabilities and needs breaks often.

Below Grade Level Student Compared to Class Average

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Below Grade Level Student Class Average 67% 71% 53% Pre-Test Post-Test 87%

Figure A3 As figure A3 shows, student #16 scored 67% on his pre-test. He did much better than the class average on the pre-test, which was 53%. I think because this test was read aloud to him he did fairly well. However, on the rest of the assessments he did not do as well. As stated earlier, the Web Quest was completed during computer time. On his first attempt,

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

student #16 scored 13% on the web quest assignment. When I saw his work, I talked to him and told him he would have to re-do it. I know from looking at his work that he just sat there during computer time and didnt do hardly anything. The next time we went to computers, I gave him another web quest paper and this time he scored 69%. On the next assessment, labeling the water cycle, student #16 scored 43%. I got very nervous after this assessment because this student showed me that he only knew 3 parts of the water cycle. After this assessment, I did an intervention to explain the water cycle with pictures and had Student #16 place the labels in the correct place on the diagram. For the writing assignment, I modified the instructions, required vocabulary words, and writing amount to meet the needs of each student. Student #16 was given a paper where he could draw me a picture of four of the water cycle processes, and he was required to write a description of each. He scored 54% on this assignment. On the post-assessment, student #16 scored 71%. I was excited about his score, because he demonstrated that he learned about the water cycle throughout this unit, and he passed the benchmark test. On Grade Level: Student # 26 The on grade level student I chose to analyze is student #26. She is on level in reading and math. She learns quickly and is an excellent student. Ff

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

On Grade Level Student Compared to Class Average

120% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% On Grade Level Student Class Average 40% 53% Pre-Test Post-Test 100% 87%

Figure A4 Figure A4 shows student #26 scored 40% on the pre-test. She did not know the content before being taught, but once she was taught she mastered the content and earned 100% on the post-test. She scored lower than the class average on the pre-test, but she scored much higher than the class average on the post-test. On the web quest and water cycle drawing, student #26 did a fantastic job and scored 100%. She wrote in detail about each process of the water cycle and drew great diagrams to represent each process. Additionally, student #26 earned 100% on the formative assessment of labeling the water cycle. Once again, she showed an understanding of several of the different processes of the water cycle. On the writing assessment, student #26 scored 80%. She showed an understanding for the processes of the water cycle, but she did not follow directions

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

and give definitions or explanations for each of the processes in her story. She started off the story really well, but after about a page of writing, she wanted to be done and she just rushed through her work. With all of the assessments combined (except the pre-test), student #26 averaged 95% on the water cycle unit. She started the unit knowing very little, as shown in her pre-assessment, but once she was taught with meaningful, interactive lessons, she was able to show mastery of understanding the water cycle. Above Grade Level: Student #6 The above grade level student I chose to analyze is a High Ability Learner (HAL). He is an exceptional student and loves to read. He has been tested through Cognitive Abilities Testing (CogAT) and through Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). He scored 92 in reading and 97 in math.

Above Grade Level Student Compared to Class Average

120% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Above Grade Level Student Class Average 53% Pre-Test Post-Test 100% 89% 87%

Figure A5

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

As figure A5 illustrates, student #6 scored 89% on the pre-test. He scored the highest in our class, and when I graded his pre-assessment, I knew I would need to find extension activities to challenge him throughout this unit. He scored 100% on his post-test. Student #6 loves technology, so I knew he would love completing the web quest. He scored 100% on the web quest and drawing of the water cycle. On the formative assessment of labeling the water cycle, student #6 scored 86% because he missed one box. He colored over the box and forgot to label it correctly. However, I was not worried about him knowing the processes because we talked about it, and he clearly knew what run-off was and where it would go in the diagram. On the writing assignment, student #6 did an amazing job and earned 100%. His story was well thought out with great details and he showed me he understood each process of the water cycle. Student #6 had an overall average score of 97% on the water cycle unit. Because he already knew a great deal of the content, he did in-depth research on several different water cycle topics while the rest of the class worked on gaining an understanding of the water cycle.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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Explanation of Pre-Assessment and Post-Assessment Finding Individual Student Improvement

Student # 1 2 3 4 5 6- HAL 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15- Testing for IEP 16- ELL & IEP 17 18 19 20- IEP 21 22- ELL & IEP 23 24 25 Class Average Figure A6 Pre-Assessment 34% 60% 46% 77% 60% 89% 86% 37% 80% 60% 46% 48% 34% 54% 48% 67% 67% 49% 49% 34% 57% 20% 31% 40% 60% 53% Post-Assessment 94% 79% 74% 94% 100% 100% 100% 86% 94% 89% 91% 91% 91% 92% 51% 74% 100% 100% 97% 72% 92% 37% 83% 100% 84% 87% Growth 60% 19% 28% 17% 40% 11% 14% 49% 14% 29% 45% 43% 56% 38% 3% 7% 43% 51% 48% 38% 35% 17% 52% 60% 24% 35%

Figure A6 illustrates the amount of individual growth for each student in my class. As the table demonstrates, my students showed a considerable amount of improvement from the time they took the pre-assessment to the time they took the post-assessment. The class average on the pre-assessment was 53%. However, on the post-assessment the class averaged 87%. Overall the class showed an increase

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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in achievement at a rate of 35%. Eighteen out of the twenty-five students scored above 80% on the post-assessment. Overall, I was very happy with the amount of improvement my class had from the pre-test to the post-test.

Discussion of Validity of These Assessments in Measuring Learning

The pre and post-assessment I gave was a district mandated benchmark test. I did not find any validity concerns for this assessment. However, I did have a slight problem with question #20. Question #20 shows an evaporation chart. The chart shows the temperature of the water and the amount of time as water changes states from solid to a liquid to a gas. Question #20 reads, What happened to the temperature while the ice was melting? Every student missed this question on the pre-test by answering, the temperature went up. The correct answer is, the temperature stayed the same. I asked my mentor if I could show the chart on the Elmo and have a group discussion. She told me I could not do that because that would be teaching to the test. I believe we should only test students on things that have been explicitly taught, so I tried to find another chart like the one on the test. I could not find anything that was similar, so I never did get to discuss the chart with the students. Therefor, many of my students also missed question #20 on the post-test. Looking back, I now wish I would have done an experiment to measure the temperature of ice and record it as it melts, boils, and turns into a gas. We could have made our own chart. If I get the chance to teach this unit again, I will definitely incorporate an investigation to record the water temperature as ice melts.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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Informed Conclusions about each Subgroups Student Learning

Gender Average Pre and Post Test

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Boys Girls 55% 51% Pre-Test Post-Test 77% 90%

Figure A7 Figure A7 shows the average pre and post assessment scores by gender. The boys did slightly better than the girls on the pre-assessment, but the girls did much better than the boys on the post-assessment. The reason for this discrepancy is because my IEP and ELL students are all boys. Also, one boy in our class is very low and is undergoing the process of qualifying to be tested for special education.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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Ethnicity Pre and Post Test

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Caucasian Hispanic African American 56% 44% 31% 54% Pre-Test Post-Test 87% 80%

Figure A8 Figure A8 shows the difference in pre and post assessment averages based on the students ethnicity. Caucasian students averaged 56% on the pre-test and 87% on the post-test. Hispanic students averaged 44% on the pre-test and 54% on the post-test. The African American student averaged 31% on the pre-test and 80% on the post-test. Both Hispanic students have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). One of the Hispanic students has cognitive disabilities, and the other is severely below grade level because of the language barrier. Both Hispanic students read at a first grade reading level. Because of my concern for these two students, I collaborated with the special education teacher to ensure lesson alignment, so that these students would be getting multiple exposures. I also found water cycle books at their reading level to help them succeed.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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The African American student moved here this year. She came from a different state and did not get taught the water cycle in 2nd grade like the rest of my students. Because of this she scored very low on the pre-assessment, but she was able to catch up and she earned 80% on the post-assessment.

ELL Pre and Post Test

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% ELL Non ELL 44% 54% 54% Pre-Test Post-Test 87%

Figure A9 Figure A9 shows the difference in scores between ELL students and non-ELL students. ELL students averaged 44% on the pre-test and 54% on the post-test. Non-ELL students averaged 54% on the pre-test and 87% on the post-test. I found it very interesting that the ELL students in my class averaged the same amount on their post-test as the non-ELL students did on their pre-test.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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IEP Pre and Post-Test Average

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% IEP Non-IEP 40% 59% 88%

55% Pre-Test Post-Test

Figure A10 Figure A10 shows the pre and post assessment averages for students with an IEP compared to the rest of the class. Students with an IEP averaged 40% on the pre-test and 59% on the post-test. Students without an IEP averaged 55% on the pre-test and 88% on the post-test.

Kristy Walker

TWS: Analysis of Student Learning

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HAL Pre and Post Test

120% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% HAL Non-HAL 51% Pre-Test Post-Test 100% 89% 84%

Figure A11 Figure A11 shows the HAL student in my class compared to the rest of my class. The HAL student scored 89% on the pre-test and 100% on the post-test. The rest of the class averaged 51% on the pre-test and 84% on the post-test. I find it interesting and surprising that my HAL student scored higher on his pre-test than my class averaged on the post-test. He is very bright and constantly needs extra challenges to keep school interesting for him.