Introduction
Science is a very absorbing subject with relevance in a plethora of real world situations. It is a resolute attempt by humans to understand the history of the natural world and how it works. It makes use of empirical evidence as the foundation of that understanding and is done by examination of natural phenomena and experimentation.
Effective teaching of science, like many other subjects, requires the use of standard-based connections with other principal subjects like mathematics and languages. This goes a long way in reinforcing teaching and learning of science.
Science ought to be taught in a way that captures the interest and imagination of young children. It must develop a number of relevant skills like literacy, numeracy, communication, coordination, critical thinking, and problem solving. Teaching basic science should also strive to cultivate a connection between children and their environment.
The effective teaching of science must assist a student develop the understanding of concepts and ability to make inquiries. This is necessary for them to become constructive citizens and learners of science. Science education should emphasize participating in and acquiring scientific practice. With proper support, young students can take part in complex scientific practices.
In order to assess the learning of science among fifth grade students, ten questions were collected from the Fifth Grade California Standards Test (CST) and administered to students.
In picking these test questions, it was necessary to ensure the following three benchmarks were met: “(1) the questions adequately cover a selection of the academic content standards assessed on the Grade 5 Science Test; (2) the questions demonstrate a range of difficulty, and (3) the questions present a variety of ways standards can be assessed” (California Department of Education, 2012).
From the results of the assessment, graphs were made to depict how the students scored when answering questions and the overall performance per question. The subject teacher, Mrs. Matsuo, was also interviewed, and her education qualification taken into consideration in an attempt to understand why the students performed the way they did in certain areas.
This report examines the level of learning among fifth grade students. It looks at the questions used and why they were chosen. It analyzes the results of the assessment using graphs and a table. This report also gives my personal reflection of the assessment and makes recommendations for future implementation.
Demography
My assessment project was performed at Charles Wright Elementary (CWE) School in Merced. CWE is an elementary school forming part of Merced City School District located in the middle of the agriculturally productive San Joaquin Valley. This is a district school with most students living in a rural setting. The participating class had eighteen male students and eleven female students making a total of twenty-nine.
Of these students, four were African-American, eighteen were Hispanic, six Caucasian and one was Asian. Within that class, there were some students with special needs. For instance, two of them were emotionally disturbed while four had attention deficit disorder (ADD). In addition, five students had cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The school offered a daily lunch program to its students. The class that undertook the assessment had twenty-four students enrolled in the free lunch program, three in the reduced program, and two in the fully paid program.
The teacher in charge of the assessment class was Mrs. Matsuo. She has multiple subject credentials in teaching and a master’s degree in Education with specialization in curriculum and instruction. On many occasions, her input proved vital during and after the assessment.
A solid education background of the teacher is important especially when dealing with elementary school students. This is because the curriculum for this level is complex and vital in building scientific interest and practice at an early stage.
Analysis of the Results
Though there was a broad diversity in the ethnicity of learners in the test class, their understanding of English was good and did not require extra elaboration to answer the questions. The students were able to comprehend the questions asked in the test and the poor scores depicted in the results could not be attributed to language barrier.
According to California Department of Education, “effective science programs reflect a balanced, comprehensive approach that includes the teaching of investigation and experimentation skills along with direct instruction and reading” (2004, p.11). For this to happen efficiently, it requires a qualified educator with an adept understanding of young students’ needs and science curriculum.
This helps the student get a complete understanding of problems in and out of the classroom. Mrs. Matsuo, being a master’s degree holder with specialization in curriculum and instruction was properly qualified to provide the required teaching standards as stipulated by the Education Department.
As was depicted by the results, the students scored highly in questions that were illustrated as opposed to those that were not. They performed best in question six with eighteen students getting it correct. This was because of the illustrative nature of the question meaning that the illustrations helped them have a better understanding of the question.
I was informed by Mrs. Matsuo that the class used various assortments of still pictures during the science class to keep the students engaged and interested. Such visual materials were very important in the dissemination of scientific knowledge especially at the elementary level.
While two students got nine questions right, one student did not answer any question correctly. It was not clear why that happened, but I suspected it could be due to psychological complications. Mrs. Matsuo was made aware of that case, and the student was placed under counseling. Though there were twenty-nine students in the test class, three did not take part in the assessment.
One of the three was visiting with the counselor; the second one was testing, and the third was absent. The fact that a majority of the students lived in a rural area could have had a significant impact on their ability to perform well in the test. There were also cases of psychological instability, which required guidance and counseling.
Reflection
This assessment granted me an opportunity to learn how to evaluate students after a test. It showed me the strengths and weaknesses of students and how the individual backgrounds affected performance, as well as the impact of motivation on concentration levels.
The elementary science program should offer a platform for students to cultivate intellect and skills essential to operate effectively as problem-solvers in a scientific and technologically savvy world (NSTA Elementary School Science, 2002).
The task gave me a firsthand opportunity to learn the challenges that came with teaching students from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This was an eye-opening experience as I had an opportunity to live a day in the shoes of their teacher and share her day to day experiences working with such an ethnically diverse class.
In addition, I learnt that students understood science most effectively when they were engaged in firsthand exploration and examination. Since most students performed well in the well-illustrated problems, a diversity of modes of presentation ought to be used in order to accommodate diverse styles of learning.
Similarly, students should be granted chances to cooperate and share ideas with their friends in a group setting. This means that group work can help improve their performance.
Assessments, such as the one I did, ought to be carried out taking into consideration its value to learning such as problem-solving, application of concepts, inquiry, as well as methods used. The institution’s administration should make sure that appropriate resources are availed together with the appropriate equipment and space.
They should recognize educators who do exemplary work in teaching science and encourage special events for advancement of the subject. The teachers should also incorporate inquiry-based strategies that combine asking of questions and active engagement to boost student learning.
There was a possibility that the students did not give the test their best since it was not to be graded. This was especially evident in the case of the student who chose not to complete the test.
In conclusion, I found this assessment important in planning lessons and in delivering quality education not only to me, but also to other educators. It showed me that inquiry and inquiry-based approaches in teaching were essential for growing the love and enthusiasm that elementary school students had for science.
Such methods encouraged students and improved their usual inquisitiveness and motivation for studying science.
References
California Department of Education. (2004). Science Framework for California Public Schools. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.
California Department of Education. (2012). CST Released Test Questions. Retrieved from https://www.cde.ca.gov/
NSTA Elementary School Science. (2002). Teaching Science for Elementary School Students. Retrieved from https://www.nsta.org/about/positions/elementary.aspx