Josh Rankin

Dr. Varano

Mr. Ryan Anderson

Spring 2016

4th Grade

Pre-Test

Number of
Students
% of students

Target (100-85)

Acceptable (84-75)

Total

6/28

Unacceptable
(74 and
below)
17/28

5/28
18%

21%

61%

100%

28

Post Test
Target (100-90)
Number of
Students
% of students

Unacceptable
(79 and below)
2/28

Total

20/28

Acceptable (8980)
6/28

71%

21%

8%

100%

28

Description of Assessment
The paper pencil test contained 17 questions worth 3 points each. The test contained ten
matching questions, seven multiple choice questions, and one diagram question. The matching
questions contained all of the vocabulary words, the multiple choice questions involved
components of circuits and the workings of circuits, and the diagram required students to draw a
circuit using the correct diagram symbols. The students had 40 minutes to complete the test and
the teacher had different types of accommodation and differentiation. For student 16 who has,
difficulty writing the teacher allowed for dictation of answers to the aid. Students 6 and 18,
EBDs, were allowed to go to the Emotional Support classroom to take the test in a more
comfortable environment.
A majority of the students were in the Target to Acceptable range, with only two students
reaching the unacceptable score. A target score was between ninety and one hundred percent, an
acceptable score was eighty-nine to eighty percent, and unacceptable was seventy-nine and
below. Twenty out of twenty-eight students were able to reach the target score, which is
equivalent to seventy-one percent. Six out of twenty-eight were in the acceptable range, which is
approximately twenty-one percent. Finally, two out of twenty-eight, or eight percent, were in the
unacceptable range.

The students showed strong knowledge of the components of the circuit and lightbulb
with very few students getting the component questions wrong. They were also able to determine
how each of those components worked within the circuit and made the circuit light a bulb. Most
of the students were also able to translate that knowledge of the components to the diagram
question. The students were able to draw a complete closed circuit. The knowledge of the
workings and by-products of circuits and lightbulbs was generally good, with very few mistakes.
The simple laws of electricity such as necessary components to make a lightbulb light was
acceptable, with slightly more students getting incorrect answers at this part than others.
The major weakness of the students was on the matching vocabulary portion. Most did
well with the top five questions, only some struggling with the difference between open and
closed circuits, but the bottom set was much more difficult. Some students also confused
filament with either a conductor or an insulator. The majority of students who were incorrect
were not able to determine the correct definitions for insulator and conductor. Almost all of the
students who were incorrect on these problems had conductor and insulator flipped, and some
would have a group of three which included filament. A few students also were unable to
respond with the correct use, or role, for the filament in a lightbulb. Many confused the filament
with the wires that support the filament in the bulb.
The strengths were due to large amounts of time exposure to the different components
and getting to use them in a variety of ways, so the students were able to make their own
meaning from it. It also came from repeated use and practice with the words or components in
the same meaningful context over a wide amount of time. Since students were able to do more
hands on activities with a lot of the components and processes of the circuit, they were able to
have a more meaningful experience with the vocabulary words. The words that they struggled
with were used less frequently and were often replaced with the exact material rather than giving
it the general title of a conductor or insulator. The few students who did not have complete
comprehension of the filament and its uses were likely to be confusing it for a conductor or
insulator because it was similar to other materials used when testing conductors and insulators.

Remediation Plan
Both students who were at unacceptable struggled the most with the matching vocabulary
portion. The students will create a three-fold vocabulary page, one section being the word,
second being the definition, and third being a picture. The teacher will have each component and
will have students fill out the three-fold sheet. The students will then make a circuit and explain
the circuit using their vocabulary words. They will draw the circuit, label each portion, draw the
lightbulb, label each component, and underline each vocabulary word on an exit slip.