Science: Sharing What Works

Breckinridge County High SchoolPresented by Melody Mingus, Barbara

Ezzo, and Nick Carter

Our History

• Breckinridge County High School is located in Harned, Kentucky.

• We are a true community school, but things have changed over the years.– More transient students– Transitioned from an experienced staff

to a relatively new staff• Average years of experience- 11 years

Where we used to be

• From 2006 until 2010, our school’s accountability scores fluctuated between a 72 and 75.

• In 2010, we bottomed out and barely missed becoming a PLA school.– This development forced us to take a

hard look in the mirror before moving forward.

Our School’s Response

• In spring 2011, we began laying the groundwork to work in PLCs starting in August 2011.– Common Planning

• Weekly Team Meetings• Pacing• Common Formative Assessments

– Daily Guided Study Period• Intensive Interventions

Quality Professional Growth

• We have sent three teams to PLC at Work Conferences– July 2011– October 2011– June 2012

• Sent three teams to John Antonneti Student Engagement trainings over the last three years.

• Sent two teams to John Antonneti Higher Level Task Development trainings over the last two years.

• Sent multiple staff members to ACT Inc. Quality Core trainings over the last two years.

• School Leadership has attended multiple quality trainings as well.

Preparing for the ACT

Preparing for the ACT

• Representative from the Science department/team attended an ACT workshop.

• Examined ACT questions for the first time

• Discovered only science skills are important – no knowledge of science content is required

Preparing for the ACT

• We now teach ACT science skills to freshmen, sophomores and juniors.

• Freshmen science classes introduce graphing and data tables and use some PLAN practice questions toward the end of the year.

Preparing for the ACT

• Sophomore classes build on the freshmen foundation by:– Teaching more complex graphing and

data tables– Teaching experimental design

• Independent and dependent variables• Inference and observation• Deductive reasoning• Drawing conclusions

• LAB REPORT RUBRIC•  • Title The Effect of ____________________ on __________________ • (5) Independent variable Dependent variable•  •  Introduction What in real life would cause one to have questions that this experiment could answer? (15)

What do you specifically want to find out from this experiment? • What is your hypothesis?•  •  Procedure List the steps in numerical order that you will follow to complete the experiment. (20)

• Check your list carefully for accuracy, completeness, and precision.•  •  Results Complete a data table and an appropriate graph for the data.•  • Data Make a table containing columns for the independent variable• Table and dependent variable. (5)• (15) Order the values of the independent variable from smallest to largest. (5)• Record values of the dependent variable. (5)•  • Graph Draw and label all necessary parts of the graph including:• (15) Independent variable on x-axis (with units) (2)• Dependent variable on y-axis (with units) (2)• Title (The effect of IV on DV) (1)• Subdivide axis and number (5)• Plot points and draw a best-fit line or curve (5)•   • Conclusion (30) IN YOUR OWN WORDS and in a paragraph, Describe the purpose, major findings, an

explanation for the findings, and • recommendations for further study. •   Use these six questions to guide your writing of the conclusion• What was the purpose of the experiment? (5)• What were the major findings? (5)• Was the hypothesis supported by the data? (5)• How did your findings compare with other researchers or with information in

the textbook? (5)• What possible explanation can you offer for the findings? (5)• What recommendations do you have for further study and for improving the

experiment? (5)

Preparing for the ACT

• Sophomore classes use PLAN practice questions weekly until the fall PLAN test– Dissect some questions to see where in

the text to find the answers– Compare different types of PLAN

questions and their difficulty– Use a timer for practice questions so

students get a feel for how long they have on the test.

Preparing for the ACT

• Junior science classes currently use Kaplan Foundation to introduce/review elementary graphing and data table work.

• Kaplan Advantage is then used to introduce ACT questions and a method for solving them.

• Released ACT questions are used as quizzes throughout the year.

Preparing for the ACT

• Junior science classes dissect released ACT questions to understand methods for solving problems

• Junior science classes are given timed practice science ACT tests to introduce them to the style of testing and allows them to practice methods for solving the problems

• All juniors are given a practice ACT that is the full length of the actual ACT

Preparing for the ACT

• All junior science classes emphasize the importance of the ACT beginning the first day of class

• Junior science teachers express how the ACT can impact their lives in the near future and possibly later in their lives

• Juniors are given support by administration, teachers and other staff preparing for the ACT

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

• Step 1– Set Goals for End of Course

Assessment and determine what needs to be done to best meet those goals.

– We originally set a goal for 80% of our students to make a 60% or better on the end of course assessment.

– That would mean that 80% of students would get a B+ or better according to state recommendations.

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

• Step 2– Mapping the EOC objectives back to

our curriculum.– Limiting what is taught: there is not

enough time to teach all content to mastery.

– Decide collaboratively what is most important and teach that content to mastery.

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

• Step 3– Creating Common Assessments that

match curriculum and the EOC objectives– Use EOC test bank questions from the

ACT website to set the standard.– Use some lower level questions that are

below standard, but require some evidence of learning.

– Use some higher level questions to show which students have not only mastered the standard, but have surpassed it.

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

• Step 4– Finding and Creating Activities that

really teach the objectives.– Using common planning time to plan

the curriculum activities

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

• Step 5– Reteach– During in-school intervention time,

reteach students who did not demonstrate mastery on particular common assessment objectives.

– Retest students after reteaching to provide evidence of mastery of objectives.

Preparing for Biology End Of Course Assessment

• Step 6– Reflect, reflect, reflect– What worked best? What needs

revision? Why does it need revision? How do we fix it?

– These questions must be addressed to continue to improve.

– We use common planning time to reflect and revise.

Administrative Support

• Administrative support is crucial to ensuring success.– Student Reward Plan

• Reward students for good effort and positive attitude.– Treats, hat days, shorts days, field days, etc…– Attendance rewards on testing day.

– School-Wide Apathy Plan• Operation Zero- students who have zeros are given a deadline and

assigned detention if the deadline isn’t met• Student-Response teams- teachers send names of students failing

classes and the teams meet to determine how to intervene

– Protect instructional time• Fire Drills, class meetings, club meetings, pep rallies, and other

events occur during the twenty-five minute guided study period.

• EOC Power Review Weeks– Occur after spring break and students receive

intense reviews

Final Exemption Plan

• Students are able to earn a final exam exemption to be used the following school year for each benchmark met on the ACT, PLAN, or EXPLORE test.– Example- 11th grade student meets two

benchmarks- two exemptions to be used the following school year

Communication

• Effective communication from the school is essential.

• The school must set and communicate a goal, expectations, and a rewards plan in order to be successful.– Example- We met with our tenth grade

class on September 19th to go over PLAN test goals, expectations, and the rewards plan.

Brag all the time…

• Nothing beats positive energy in a school.

• Don’t be afraid to brag about the school and students at all times.

• We have to make sure our students know we believe in them first and foremost.

Questions