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Seventh Grade Science lessons will follow the 5E learning model. Students will receive feedback, but not grades, on assignments that are part of introductory lessons . Grade marks will be given for assessment activities as outlined in Viking's standards based grading system called Grading For Learning. Wisconsin Science Standards which are based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are the standards followed in Seventh Grade Science. An essential component of those standards requires lessons and assessments to incorporate at least one standard from each of the three standard categories, called 3D learning (see below). For an example of a 3D assessment you can see the example I've co-published on the DPI website. My academic grading categories (see below) match the three NGSS standard categories. Whenever possible I use a teaching style, often called Competency Based (or Mastery) Learning, which allows students to progress through concepts at their own learning pace and allows for different assessment options. This style requires tracking student understanding and progress on each standard. That is accomplished using the student's electronic portfolio, which students prepare to demonstrate their understanding. Since assessment activities involve multiple standards, a student will see the same activity title listed multiple times under different standards and, depending on their performance, each may have different grade marks. Their portfolio also shows feedback I have given on their work. Student work on all the standards within a domain is considered when creating a final grade for each of the three domains, which is what shows in student grade reports.
A learning model outlines the steps in teaching students a new concept. The purpose of a learning model is to encourage teachers to identify and understanding key aspects of student learning so they can incorporate the parts into their teaching. There are many different learning models, each one is similar but may have its own twist on teaching. The 5E Learning Model outlines five steps, each starting with the letter E.
The model is well researched, particularly suited for science learning, and has been incorporated into the Next Generation Science Standards. I consider the first three categories to be introductory lessons. These are activities that will pique student interests, help them understand basic vocabulary, and give the student experience with the specific topic. These first three categories will be used to introduce students to a single standard. Students will track the work and feedback they receive in these lessons but those lessons will not be reflected in their classroom grade. NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) and drafts of the Wisconsin Science Standards show students need to integrate at least three standards (one from each category) for full comprehension. The last two lesson types (Elaboration and Evaluation) will integrate standards and be used for full understanding and classroom assessment.
Communicating what a student knows and is able to do is critical in helping them progress. The traditional A, B, C, D, F grading system is too simplistic to communicate that information. For example, a student may receive an F if they do not understand a topic but that F could also show that the student was careless and simply didn't complete the entire assignment. It may also show a student's inability to do well on written tests, their willingness to participate in class, their behavior, or how they felt when taking the test on that particular day. Each of these cases need a different approach to progress the student's learning you wouldn't know that if they simply received an F for the assignment. Furthermore, traditional grading averages assignment grades into a final grade. So the student that receives an F on an assignment at the start of a unit and works to understand it fully and get an A on an assignment will have their final grade averaged to a C, even though they understand the topic completely. Furthermore, traditional grading also usually neglects to give information about the assignment other than an its title. To help a student progress, the topic and level of understanding need to be communicated with the grade.
Grading for Learning has been adopted at Viking. In my classroom, and most others, the grades categories are based on state and national standards that explain a complete topic and the level to which it should be understood. Behavior, such as assignment completion and class participation, is a separate grade so it can be easily understood if the student is failing because of a lack of understanding or a lack of trying. Grades a student receives reflects their current understanding. If a student struggles with a topic at first, but can demonstrate full understanding at the end of the unit, they get a grade showing their full understanding and because grades are based on understanding, rather than completing a specific assignment, the student is free to demonstrate their understanding in any way accepted by the teacher.
Grading for Learning is new to Viking this year but I have used Standards Based Grading in my classroom for the past couple years so I am familiar with its advantages. The only difference is this year the Standard Based Grades will be reported directly through Family Access rather than students having a separate Standards Based Grade sheet that calculated a letter grade.
Every class has an identical grading category for student behaviors. The other three grading categories specific to my classroom grades are based on the three categories established by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS): Science Concepts (phenomenon about our world that cuts across all fields of science), Life Science Content Knowledge (facts that are related directly to Life Science), and Science and Engineering Practices (techniques scientists use).
Each grading category on Family Access lists the NGSS standards that fall under it. As students demonstrate their abilities in each standard they will receive a grade mark; BE (Beginning), DE (Developing), PR (Proficient), or EX (Exemplary). A grade of NA (Not Assessed) will be used when a student has not completed an assessment. Please be aware that a grade of BE or DE is to be expected when a topic is first introduced
I am aware that these change may bring some confusion and I will make extra effort to communicate directly with students and parents when I see the student falling behind classroom expectations.
Standards are lengthy documents created by a state or national committee that detail the topics and levels of understanding a student should have at each grade for a particular subject area.
Several years ago I started adopting Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) because they are based on modern research on how students learn, current technology that is used in the classroom, and the skills it is predicted students will need in the future. Many states have adopted NGSS and so there are many resources based on those standards.
A few years ago Wisconsin replaced their 35 year old science standards with new standards which are nearly identical to the Next Generation Science Standards which are nationally created standards that have been adopted by most states. Science standards point out the importance that lessons and assessments incorporate at least one standard from each of the three domains (categories) in which they are placed. This is referred to as 3D learning/assessment. In addition to the science standards there are also Common Core Math and Common Core Language Arts skills that cross over into the Science curriculum. Those standards are currently being assessed where they are part of the NGSS standards.
3D learning is a primary focus of the NGSS and WI Standards. 3D learning upholds the idea that learning and assessment need be done with experiences that incorporate standards from each of the three categories outlined in the standards document. Since these three categories represent separate skills needed to perform science it makes sense they are used as grading categories in my classroom. Those categories are; Science Concepts (phenomenon about our world that cuts across all fields of science), Life Science Content Knowledge (facts that are related directly to Life Science), and Science and Engineering Practices (techniques scientists use).
Since a single activity can be asses under at least three different standards a student can expect to see the same activity on Family Access multiple times. Depending on their performance their grades on that one activity may be different under each standard. This may be easier to understand with the following example:
Early in the year students will be shown how to create a controlled experiment, (category: Science and Engineering Practices, standard: Plan and Carry Out Investigations). They will receive practice and feedback on several simple experiments I have created for them. Then, while learning to use a microscope, students will look for single celled organisms in water taken from the creek going through Woodville (category: Science Concepts, standard: Scale, Proportion, and Quantity). They will receive lessons and feedback to improve their microscope techniques. Later in the year students will learn about the parts of a cell (category: Life Science Content Knowledge, standard: Organisms). They will receive lessons and feedback to increase their understanding of cellular processes such as a respiration.
With these introductory units complete, students are ready to combine all three categories in a lesson or assessment. In an assessment titled "Creek Water Changes" students may be asked to investigate why most of the organisms in the creek water have died. A student could use a microscope to conduct a controlled experiment to determine if the respiration of an single celled organism is creating carbon dioxide that kills the other organisms.
The assessment title "Creek Water Changes" would show up on Family Access in each of the three categories and, depending on the student's success, may have different grades in each category. For example, if the student showed superior understanding of how much carbon dioxide an organism may create and how much is bad for another organism and created a basic controlled experiment to test for those levels but failed to use the microscope properly to carry out their investigation they may receive an "EX" (Exemplary) grade for the 'Organism' standard, a "PR" (Proficient) grade for the 'Plan and Carry Out Investigations' standard, and a "DE" (Developing) grade for the 'Scale, Proportion, and Quantity' standard. The assignment title listed for each standard would be "Creek Water Changes".
Students do not learn at the same pace. If a student is struggling to understand basic parts of a topic it doesn't make much sense to move them onto more complicated parts of the topic. Also, it doesn't seem like it is a good use of time and effort for a student that already understands a topic to spend time participating in lessons that are meant to introduce the topic. Yet that is usually what happens in traditional education.
Whenever possible I strive to adopt methods of Competency Based Learning, sometimes called Mastery Learning. Competency Based Learning is more personalized to student's needs. When a student can demonstrate understanding of a topic they are allowed to move on to other topics. Students that cannot demonstrate understanding receive focused instruction so they can move on.
Competency Based Learning makes it impossible to grade students on the completion of a specific set of assignments as is done with traditional grading. Instead students receive feedback on their understanding of a standard, are given direction on how to proceed with their learning, and are graded on their progression through the standards.
It is challenging to manage a classroom where each student has a different set of assignments and activities they are working to complete, so this system isn't always practical. It is used when it can be managed and I am always looking for ways to give students more options in their learning. This year Viking has added a new SMART Lab. The lab is set up so students will work at stations and each will be doing a different activity. They will progress to a new station about once a week. The lab provides many opportunities, and in some ways requires competency based learning.
Sometimes students know a topic very well but are not able to show their understanding using a particular type of assessment. In 7th Grade Science, students will be encouraged to take the assessment that is the most practical in the classroom but will be allowed other options and welcome to suggest alternatives of their own. Students may also be given grades based on observations made during activities in the classroom. I want grades to reflect what a student knows and understands so I will change a student's grade to communicate that understanding no matter how or when I came to realize their understanding. For example, when learning to use microscopes a student may become curious if an organism will react to light. On their own, they may conduct a test to answer that question. If they demonstrate good investigation techniques when doing so they may receive a grade for 'Plan and Carry Out Investigations'. Furthermore, because they have demonstrated understanding on that standard they will be able to work on other topics when the class is learning that standard.
Grading in this manner is only possible with Standards Based Grading because grades are based on categories of what a student should know, as opposed to basing grades on how well a specific assignment or test was completed.