Expanding Excellence 2014 Shenango Area Jr/Sr High School October - PDF document

Supplementing and Remediating for Maximum Biology Achievement Expanding Excellence 2014 Shenango Area Jr/Sr High School October 2014

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS PART A: COURSE OFFE RINGS ~ “HONORS” BIO LOGY FOR ALL STUDENTS .............................................................................. 5 C URRICULAR O VERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Figure 1: Comparison of Former Biology Courses ................................................................................................................. 5 Figure 2: Original Science Course Sequence after Implementation of Biology Keystone Exam ........................................... 6 ............................................ 7 Figure 3: Revised Science Course Sequence after Implementation of Biology Keystone Exam ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8 C HANGE IN C ULTURE D ATA D RIVEN D ECISIONS ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 P ERSONNEL ................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 PART B: CURRICULAR ALIGNMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 9 A LIGNMENT O VERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Figure 4: Explanation of the Meanings of Terms in the Eligible Content: ............................................................................ 9 .................................................................................................................................................................... 10 D RIVEN I NSTRUCTION P ERSONNEL ................................................................................................................................................................................. 10 PART C: PROACTIVE SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION ............................................................................................................ 11 C OURSE N ARRATIVE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 11 P ERSONNEL ................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 E LIGIBLE S TUDENTS ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11 ............................................................................................ 11 Figure 5: Student Identification for Supplemental Instruction C OURSE S TRUCTURE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 11 D ATA D RIVEN I NSTRUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 12 PART D: REACTIVE REMEDIATION PROGRAM ..................................................................................................................... 13 ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 C OURSE N ARRATIVE P ERSONNEL ................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 ....................................................................................................................................................................... 13 E LIGIBLE S TUDENTS .................................................................................................................. 13 Figure 6: Spotlight on Summer Keystone Camp C OURSE S TRUCTURE ..................................................................................................................................................................... 14 D ATA D RIVEN I NSTRUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 ............................................................................................................................................................... 16 PART D: APPENDIX C URRICULUM M AP FOR B IOLOGY C OURSE ........................................................................................................................................ 16 S TEPS TO I MPLEMENT B IOLOGY A CHIEVEMENT P LAN ........................................................................................................................... 22

Part A: Course Offerings ~ “Honors” Biology for All Students Curricular Overview In the past, lower achieving students took Environmental Science instead of Biology. Obviously once the Biology Keystone Exam was implemented, that class had to be eliminated, as it was not designed to prepare students for the content on that test. We replaced Environmental Science with a course called Conceptual Biology, which was designed to cover the Biology Keystone Assessment Anchors, but in a more simplistic manner than our regular Biology course, which was at that time reserved for students on the academic and honors path. Though it was supposed to teach the same content in theory, we found that the passing rate for the Biology Keystone Exam for students in Conceptual Biology was extremely low, and the learning environment was very negative due to the composition of learners. Many students in that class still struggled to earn decent grades partly because they fed off of each other’s negativity regarding class work and assignments. Following is a comparison of the two Biology courses as they were initially structured following the implementation of the Biology Keystone Exam. Figure 1: Comparison of Former Biology Courses Conceptual Biology Academic Biology Students Enrolled Non college-bound students and College-bound and IEP students (LS, ES, & HI) honors students Attempted to reach Biology Biology Keystone Content Keystone Assessment Anchors Assessment Anchors Simplified version of content; Prepared students well Allowed students to earn a Pros for Biology Keystone science credit if Academic Biology Exam; Rigorous course would be too rigorous Poor Biology Keystone Exam Potentially challenging passing rate; Negative learning for some students (low Cons environment; Underperformance achieving and learning by some students support students) Following several years of this unfavorable learning environment and poor Biology Keystone Exam scores, we eliminated Conceptual Biology. All students, whether they are gifted, college-bound, non-college-bound, or special needs, take the regular Academic Biology course together, with some students receiving proactive support measures that are discussed later in the Implementation Plan. This supplemental programming helps those students who would have been in Conceptual Biology keep up with the pace and rigor of Academic Biology. We have seen success with these students both with their classroom attitude and achievement and with a better Biology Keystone Exam passing rate. Following is a flow chart of the science course sequence initially after adding Conceptual Biology and after the elimination of that course in favor of all students taking the same Academic Biology, though some as freshmen and most as sophomores.

Figure 2: Original Science Course Sequence after Implementation of Biology Keystone Exam General Academic Honors Science 9 Science 9 Academic 9 th Biology Grade Conceptual Academic Academic 10 th Biology Biology Chemistry Grade Conceptual Academic AP Chemistry 11 th Chemistry Chemistry Grade or AP Biology or Academic Physics or Anatomy & Physiology Conceptual Academic AP Biology, 12 th Physics or Physics, AP Academic Grade Science 12 Chemistry, AP Physics, or (General Biology, or Anatomy & Science) Anatomy & Physiology Physiology

Figure 3: Revised Science Course Sequence after Implementation of Biology Keystone Exam General Academic Honors Science 9 Science 9 Academic 9 th Biology Grade Academic Academic Academic 10 th Biology Biology Chemistry Grade + Supplemental Lab Conceptual AP Chemistry Academic 11 th or AP Biology Grade Chemistry Chemistry or Academic +/- Physics or Biology Anatomy & Remediation Physiology Lab Conceptual Academic AP Biology, 12 th Physics Academic Physics, AP Grade Physics, or Chemistry, AP Biology, or Anatomy & Anatomy & Physiology Physiology