Action+Research+Plan

These are the areas on which I focused in my Action Research Plan:

__**Problem:**__ 5th Graders at Garfield Elementary School score low on standard
 * 5.P.2.2 **Students are able to **analyze** the structure and design of __simple and compound machines__ to **determine** how the machines make work easier by trading __force__ for distance.


 * __Question:__** Will integrating 21st Century Skills and Tools improve student achievement on __standard 5.P.2.2?__

__**Plan:**__ Integrate 21st Century Skills and Tools into my lesson plans for __standard__ __5.P.2.2__ Administer pre and post tests over the standard to gauge student understanding. Use formative assessment in the classroom, over the course of the teaching and after the lesson to check understanding. Actually we did a main unit on simple machines in November and December and then a review for two weeks, prior to Dakota STEP in March/April. I think the review was extremely beneficial to rely and pull on prior experience and knowledge.

__**Reflection:**__ This has been a great process. I enjoyed and felt rewarded by having my test scores and formative assessment guide my instruction. I believe that the students have enjoyed this unit immensely (as seen by the increase in scores!) They learned more than they would have if I hadn't focused on using technology to encourage collaborative work and creativity. My students' technology skills increase dramatically as well as they were able to create simple machines out of legos...how fun is that???.

__**Implications for Future Work:**__ I always hope to use my standards and assessments (whether formal or informal) to guide my teaching. It's better to spend a day or two refreshing the memory and then spending more time on needed areas. Instead of teaching everything, even if they know it already! I will continue to formatively assess my students and look at pre and post tests. This is important for students as well as me, the teacher. Why waste time teaching things the students already know?

I based these areas on this outline of an Action Research Plan

[| Action Research Plan Components.doc]