1

WASL Science: 2004-2008WASL Science: 2004-2008

Grade 8Grade 8

North Middle

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WASL Science: WASL Science: Where are we now?Where are we now?

Questions to answer:Questions to answer: • How are we doing?How are we doing?

- Properties, Structures, and Changes Properties, Structures, and Changes in Systemsin Systems

- Inquiry in ScienceInquiry in Science- Application of ScienceApplication of Science

• Compared to district & state?Compared to district & state?• Compared to previous years?Compared to previous years?

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Levels of Analyzing the DataLevels of Analyzing the Data

Broad findingsBroad findings

Specific findingsSpecific findings

Percent Meeting the Standard

• Performance Levels

• Strand Scores

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Grade 8 WASL Grade 8 WASL Science PerformanceScience Performance

Percent Meeting Science StandardSchool

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Perc

ent M

eetin

g St

anda

rd

North Middle 31 24 32 30 31

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

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Grade 8 WASL Grade 8 WASL Science PerformanceScience Performance

Percent Meeting Science StandardSchool, District, & State

0

20

40

60

80

100

Perc

ent M

eetin

g St

anda

rd

2003-04 31 41 39

2004-05 24 42 36

2005-06 32 52 43

2006-07 30 57 44

2007-08 31 57 48

North Middle District State

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Questions about Our Science PerformanceQuestions about Our Science Performance

• What do these comparisons seem to tell us?What do these comparisons seem to tell us?– Celebrations:Celebrations:

– Challenges:Challenges:

• What do these comparisons What do these comparisons notnot tell us? tell us?

• What What elseelse do we need to know? do we need to know?

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Levels of Analyzing Our DataLevels of Analyzing Our Data

Broad findingsBroad findings

Specific findingsSpecific findings

• Percent Meeting the Standard

Performance Levels

• Strand Scores

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Results by Performance LevelsResults by Performance Levels

Four Levels in ScienceFour Levels in Science

““Meets the Standard”Meets the Standard”4. Well above the standard4. Well above the standard3. Above the standard3. Above the standard

““Does Not Meet the Standard”Does Not Meet the Standard”2. Below the standard2. Below the standard1. Well below the standard1. Well below the standard

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Picture of Ideal Trends for LevelsPicture of Ideal Trends for Levels

Percent of Students at Each Level

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Perc

ent

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Decrease these levels each year

Increase these levels each year

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WASL Science:WASL Science:Results by Performance LevelResults by Performance Level

Percent of Students Scoring in Each Performance Level Science Grade 8

33 30 27

4

45

31

21

2

3731

27

4

3730

25

4

39

27 26

5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4Performance Level

Per

cent

in L

evel 2003-04

2004-052005-062006-072007-08

Does not meet standard Meets standard

North Middle

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Levels of Analyzing the DataLevels of Analyzing the Data

Broad findingsBroad findings

Specific findingsSpecific findings

• Percent Meeting the Standard

• Performance Levels

Strand Scores

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8th Grade Science Strands 8th Grade Science Strands

• SystemsSystems– Properties and CharacteristicsProperties and Characteristics– StructuresStructures– ChangesChanges

• InquiryInquiry– Investigating SystemsInvestigating Systems– Nature of ScienceNature of Science

• Application of ScienceApplication of Science– Design ProcessDesign Process– Science, Technology, and SocietyScience, Technology, and Society

Defensible strand score analysis tracks the difference between school and state.

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Grade 8 WASL ScienceGrade 8 WASL ScienceProperties and Characteristics of SystemsProperties and Characteristics of Systems

Defining what we are measuring Defining what we are measuring Properties of SystemsProperties of Systems

• Understands how properties are used to identify, Understands how properties are used to identify, describe, and categorize substances, materials, describe, and categorize substances, materials, and objects and how characteristics are used to and objects and how characteristics are used to categorize living things categorize living things

Structures of SystemsStructures of Systems• Understands how components, structures, Understands how components, structures,

organizations and interconnections describe organizations and interconnections describe systemssystems

Changes in SystemsChanges in Systems• Understands how interactions within and among Understands how interactions within and among

systems cause changes in matter and energysystems cause changes in matter and energy

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Grade 8 Properties, Structures, & Changes in Grade 8 Properties, Structures, & Changes in Systems: Comparison of School to StateSystems: Comparison of School to State

Properties of Systems

0

20

40

60

80

100

% w

ith s

imila

r per

form

ance

% 29.4 50.5 44.1

North Middle District State0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%LiteraryInformationalPe

rcen

tSchool 1997School 1998School 1999District 1997District 1998District 1999School 2000District 2000School 2001District 2001Difference between School and State Percents

-14 -11 -15 -15-6

-50

-25

0

25

50

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

% p

oint

diff

eren

ce

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Grade 8 WASL ScienceGrade 8 WASL ScienceInquiry in ScienceInquiry in Science

Defining what we are measuringDefining what we are measuringInquiry in ScienceInquiry in Science

• The student knows and applies The student knows and applies the skills, processes, and nature the skills, processes, and nature of scientific inquiryof scientific inquiry

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Grade 8 Inquiry in Science:Grade 8 Inquiry in Science:Comparison of School to StateComparison of School to State

Difference between School and State Percents

-13 -16 -17 -14-11

-50

-25

0

25

50

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

% p

oint

diff

eren

ce 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%LiteraryInformationalPerc

ent

School 1997School 1998School 1999District 1997District 1998District 1999School 2000District 2000School 2001District 2001Inquiry in Science

0

20

40

60

80

100

% w

ith s

imila

r per

form

ance

% 35.8 62.5 50.2

North Middle District State

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Grade 8 WASL ScienceGrade 8 WASL ScienceApplication of ScienceApplication of Science

Defining what we are measuringDefining what we are measuringApplication of ScienceApplication of Science

• Knows and applies science concepts Knows and applies science concepts and skills to develop solutions to and skills to develop solutions to human problems in societal contextshuman problems in societal contexts

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Grade 8 Application of Science:Grade 8 Application of Science:Comparison of School to StateComparison of School to State

Difference between School and State Percents

-13-2

-9 -11-3

-50

-25

0

25

50

2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08

% p

oint

diff

eren

ce 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%LiteraryInformationalPerc

ent

School 1997School 1998School 1999District 1997District 1998District 1999School 2000District 2000School 2001District 2001Designing Solutions

0

20

40

60

80

100

% w

ith s

imila

r per

form

ance

% 38.3 59.8 49.7

North Middle District State

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Questions about Grade 8 Science Questions about Grade 8 Science Strand Data and TrendsStrand Data and Trends

• What do these strand data seem to tell us?What do these strand data seem to tell us?– Celebrations:Celebrations:

– Challenges:Challenges:

• What do these data What do these data notnot tell us? tell us?

• What What elseelse do we need to know? do we need to know?

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Our WASL Science StrengthsOur WASL Science Strengths

• List areas where students were proficient.List areas where students were proficient.• How about the subgroups?How about the subgroups?• What did we do What did we do to contributeto contribute to their successes? to their successes?• What do we need to continue to do to ensure success with our What do we need to continue to do to ensure success with our

students in the future?students in the future?• Can we use these strategies to improve areas where our students are Can we use these strategies to improve areas where our students are

not proficient?not proficient?

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WASL Science TargetsWASL Science Targets

• List challenges.List challenges.

• What do we need What do we need to do differentlyto do differently to improve to improve student performance in these areas? student performance in these areas?

• What other data do we need to consider?What other data do we need to consider?

• What can we learn from our successes?What can we learn from our successes?