Sub-Group Analysis (Female Students) Part B

I always try to give a balance of instructional methods, examples, and explanations so that I am
able to reach my students regardless of their learning style, race, culture, or gender. I have
wondered recently, however, if I unintentionally give some groups of students more attention,
assistance, or relevant information during instruction or activities. Due to the varied racial makeup of this class outside of simply black and white, I chose to examine the difference in
performance across gender to see if a large discrepancy exists.

1.

Demonstrated an ability to list sources of renewable energy and identify pros and
cons of their use.

What we can tell from the three charts above is that females made great improvement
over their performance on the quantitative part of the pre-assessment with only one
female student failing to master the aspect of renewable energy. There is a gap between
males and females on this measurement that will be discussed in the analysis section.

2.

Demonstrated an ability to list sources of non-renewable energy and identify

the pros and cons of their use.

Thee three charts above show that females made a similar improvement over their
performance on the quantitative portion of the pre-assessment on this measure as they did
on the segment for renewable energy. The one member of the female group who did not
reach competence on renewable also fell short on this measure as well. One additional
male failed to reach competence on this measure when compared to renewables. The
persisting gap remains similarly wide.

3. Demonstrated the ability to identify aspects of past environmental disasters, list examples
of negative aspects of off-shore drilling, and explain in their own words the process of
nuclear energy creation and the cause and effects of a meltdown.

As mentioned in the analysis of the whole class in this category, this lack of competence
lies mostly due to the fact that slightly more than half the students failed to adequately
describe the process of how nuclear energy is created or the process, cause, and possible
effects of a nuclear meltdown.

Analysis of Sub-Group Data Females

While at first glance this data may seem to imply a large gap between males and females
in the mastery of the objectives for this unit, however knowing that there are a total of 9
females compared with 14 males helps clarify the picture. Proportionally females
performed at or better than the percentages shown for the entire class, but not at a rate
that would imply any significant problem on the part of the males. One noticeable trend
was a consistent lack of mastery from the same students regardless of gender. The one
female who failed to master all three objectives on this assessment does consistently well
on daily assignments as well as project work, but struggles to do well on test structured
assessments. She completed the review before the review class, so I would assume that
she studied to some degree. Perhaps offering more activity based learning opportunities
would help her gain a deeper understanding of the material so that she can perform at a
higher level on test day. Other males who fell short consistently in mastering the subject
matter sometimes fail to complete classwork and have issues staying engaged. They have
all proven their intelligence and capability from time to time, which pushes me to
conclude that motivation is the issue. Again, perhaps the structure of learning to be more
activity and project based will help them engage and gain interest. On the inverse side of
that argument, I have found that some students do poorly with relatively long and work
intensive assignments regardless of how relevantly the material is presented, but flourish
under direct instruction. I must work to find a balance that best fits the identity of each
class.
I was honestly unsurprised by the results of this comparison, reflection on my possible
teaching bias aside, as I believe the females in this period to possess a strong work ethic
and a willingness to make the most of their opportunities. Support for this conclusion is
offered by the fact that 7 out of 9 females completed the review handout days before the
review date in order to study in addition to receiving extra credit. This is in comparison
to only 8 out of 14 males who completed the review handout prior to the review date. I
believe that this played at least some role in the observed difference between the genders.
The fact that they completed the review at such a high percentage before the review date
may imply simply that those who studied performed better than those who did not, which
would not be a revelatory finding.
In terms of my teaching and possible biases, it may be possible that I am more willing to
be patient with females when explaining the material than with male students. This could
apply to in lecture or during project and activity work. It could also be that males are less
likely to ask me for help or admit that they do not understand a particular topic for fear of
judgement. Regardless of the source of this discrepancy between gender performance, I
must work to teach and build lessons in a way that does not favor and subset of students.
Analysis of Individual Students Part C

The three students chosen to be the basis for individual analysis are of somewhat
different demographics. Their names have been changed to protect their privacy.
Edward is white male student who does pretty well on almost every assignment given to
him in this class and also excels in group and project work. He is not on free-or reduced
lunch and seems to be socially adjusted for his age. He completes his work and does well
on assessments, but does not seem to be overly concerned for the quality of his work past
the point of a grade. Jana is a black female student who has shown to be incredibly
intelligent, yet lacks motivation at times and seems to resent having to do assignments in
class. While she maintains relatively high grades in the course, it often takes constant
monitoring to keep her on task. She receives reduced lunch and seems to be well liked
and accepted by her peers. When given opportunities to express herself, she rarely fails
to impress. Jaylen is also a black female but is not on free or reduced lunch. Jaylen
always takes beautiful notes and completes her work on time consistently. She is
relatively quiet in my class, but is well loved by her peers as they are often offering her
support. I believe she has some level of test anxiety as she studies very thoroughly and I
have seen students comfort her on assessment days. This is somewhat counter intuitive
since she holds one of the highest grades in the course across all periods. While all three
students tend to maintain relatively good grades, their approach to learning at least within
my class is very different.
Pre Assessment Comparison of Individual Students
Edward
Jana
Sustainable Practices
2
0
Detrimental Practices
1
1
Enviro Disasters
2
0
Indicator

Jaylen
2
4
2

As the results in the pre-assessment table indicate, the level of effort on an ungraded
assignment like a pre-test is very different for this similarly intelligent and capable group
of students. Edward does just enough to say he completed the work and put forth some
amount of effort. His knowledge of sustainable practices may be influenced by his socioeconomic status. Jana, while more than capable, fails to put forth any effort in answering
the questions in the ungraded assignment. Her lack of answers in regard to sustainable
practices may also have been affected by her socio-economic status. Jaylen took her time
and offered many well thought out answers to all the questions asked. Again, socioeconomic status may have played a role in her knowledge of sustainable practices.

Post Assessment Comparison of Individual Students

Indicator
Edward
Jana

Jaylen

Renewables
Non-Renewables
Disasters & Nuclear

Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
Yes
No

Yes
Yes
Yes

The post-assessment data indicates that all three students are capable and willing to learn
and apply their knowledge. They all performed well overall compared to the standard
they have set for themselves. All three of these students completed the review prior to
the review class which helped them study and understand what would be on the test.
Janas answer to the question about nuclear energy at the end of the test indicated a lack
of interest yet an at least surface understanding as we will see in the next section. I feel
that while Edward and Jaylen both answered the question on the test correctly, this was
due to effort more than ability. Jana may well be the smartest of the three, yet she will be
limited by what she will give effort to accomplish. They all showed improvement from
the pre-assessment, but the difference in effort from Edward and Jana on a graded test
versus a pre-assessment is notable.
Writing Sample Analysis
There was not very much writing during this particular unit, so I have chosen to use the
answers given on an exit slip following the oil spill activity and the response to the
prompt to explain how nuclear energy is created in ones own words.
The questions stated as they were asked:
1. In your own words, describe the creation of power using Nuclear Energy on your
answer sheet
2. From what you now know about off-shore drilling practices, do you think that they
pros outweigh the cons? Why/ Why not?
Edwards Responses:
1. Nuclear energy is the breaking /splitting of atoms to create heat which is surrounded by
water to create steam which turns turbines and creates energy
2. No because they faulty effects are major and dramatic to the ecosystem
While his grammar and structure leave much to be desired, he appears to grasp the main points
of the question on nuclear power and makes a claim that seems to understand the impacts of oil
spills on the environment. His description of the process of nuclear power creation implies that
he paid attention to the diagram and explanation as he mentions surrounded by water as
opposed to that it just boils water or that the heat boils water or something to that respect. I will

make sure to continue to use visual aids and moving diagrams in the future if that will help him
and other remember concepts more accurately. His answer about oil spills again shows his lack
of effort on an assignment he considers to be pass or fail such as an exit slip. His work on the
rest of the assignment implies that he can gather information from the article, but I asked this
question in hopes of understanding why he holds his opinion other than the regurgitated lines
from the article. I should work to structure questions in a way that cans answered quickly and
with someone elses words.
Janas Responses:
1. energy in the process of producing steam using water and heat
2. no because the cons are things that can happen and affect something or someone for a
certain amount of time and maybe it won't have pro to lean back on
Janas response to the question about nuclear energy implies that she is too focused on remember
key words or phrases instead of understanding the concept as a whole. Perhaps more time spent
elaborating on how other types of energy such as coal power rely on a similar process with the
difference being what is used to produce the heat. I feel that Janas response to this question is
reminiscent of others who did not master the topic and may indicate that I need to place less
emphasis on key words and more on understanding the processes and concepts. It was a
challenge to word and explain the way in which nuclear energy is created to CP freshmen with
any detailed definition. I felt that using basic steps and general terms would help, but it seems as
though it led to word memorization instead of step by step process.
Her response to the exit slip question about oil spills at first seems somewhat incoherent, but on
its level of meaning it is actually very deep and brilliant. She took a level of understanding away
from the lesson that I had not even hoped to have reached. She connected that the benefits such
as increased oil supply, profits, growth, and independence of the U.S. economy may benefit
some or even most people. However, she also realized that there are many people and animals
affected by the spill who see no benefit, and that all the pros the oil rig could ever bring wont
help them in anyway. There is no silver lining for many of the victims of the disaster. This kind
of response is what makes teaching worth doing, and it shows me the potential in a mind like
Janas.
Jaylens Responses:
1. Nuclear energy is created when the splitting of atoms gives off heat, which boils water
to create steam, which turns turbines to produce energy
2. Yes, because the off-shore drilling practices think theyre doing something right but
actually its affecting animals and their lives.
Jaylens response to the question about nuclear power again shows some signs of word
memorization over concept knowledge, though it also follows a step by step formula that

indicates to me that she took great notes and studied them intently. The contrast in answers
between Jaylen and Jana would to an outside perspective a difference in ability. To me it simply
represents a difference in strengths and the refinement of those strengths. If Jana was given help
with her writing structure, I feel that she has many beautiful ideas that she could put into writing.
Many students in my classes have incredible imagination and ability that is showcased in little
snippets such as Janas exit slip answer. I must work as a teacher to create these moments for
self-expression as often as possible.
Jaylens answer to the same exit slip offers a similar sentiment, but lacks the conceptual
realization that Janas has. By no means is it wrong, except perhaps for the concept that offshore drilling operations are not aware of the risks they place on the environment. It still lacks
the insight offered by a response like Janas, and begs the question if that type of insight can be
taught in a 44-minute lesson. I suppose that this is the heart of critical thinking, but finding ways
to teach complicated material in a way that also develops this skill can be challenging.
Grading, Evaluating, and Reporting
Grades for this assessment, like the grades for all assignments in my class are weighted evenly in
a point system. Larger assignments such as a quiz or a test are worth 50 or 100 points. Smaller
daily or weekly assignments are worth 25. Students are made aware of the point value of
assignments and the aspects of each as they are assigned. Points are awarded based on correct
answers on assessments, though partial credit may be awarded on free response. Daily and
weekly assignments are graded mostly on completion and accuracy, but effort plays a relevant
part in the assignment of a grade.
Parents and students have access to grades as soon as they are placed into the schools grading
system. Grades are therefore reported to the school, parents, and students simultaneously.
The following table represents the grades for second period on the Energy and Environment Test:

Energy and Environment Test

Record

Total Points

Percentage Grade

Letter Grade

88

88%

84

84%

88

88%

100

100%

96

96%

96

96%

100

100%

88

88%

84

84%

10

100

100%

11

78

78%

12

100

100%

13

32

32%

14

76

76%

15

100

100%

16

84

84%

17

80

80%

18

84

84%

19

84

84%

20

92

92%

21

72

72%

22

84

84%

23

90

90%

Class Avg.

86.08

86.0%

Looking at the results here show that as a whole the class performed relatively well on the
assessment. Students who completed the review handout before the day of review in class were
also awarded 5 bonus points that are not included here.

UWS V: Reflection
There is a lot to be said for structuring a unit with continuity and forethought, as careful planning
leads to a unit that flows and sparks connections to past and future content. This helps students
see the way information fits together and gives more value and weight to new concepts. A
teachers approach to developing a unit should be laid out, but still be flexible enough to take
advantage of learning opportunities and current or pressing events. The purpose of structure of
content should always in such a way that expands ones understanding of the world and of those
with whom we share it. Self-awareness and empathy should be a driving goal for all socialstudies classes regardless of the content. That is what drove my creation of this unit.
Students and teachers must rely on one another as a source of feedback and inspiration to stay
motivated and keep learning. The process of education will die without the desire to learn from
one another, so we must instill this desire on every occasion we find. That is what makes

reflection on student learning as it relates to teaching so important, it offers us a chance to refine

our craft and make the most of the time and opportunities we are given to teach and learn.
There were some glaring issues that could be addressed within this unit. I should have structured
my pre-assessment questions in such a way that what the students learned could be put into a
more concrete perspective of what they knew before, as opposed to how they thought about the
subject as I had intended. While this helped direct my choices of content and focus, it detracted
from assessing quantitatively what the students gain from the unit. If I could have seen initially
how the lesson and content on food production would not fit together as well with this unit as
one in the near future, I would have surely left it out. Many students were very interested in that
lesson which excites me on the prospect of teaching them more. While I feel that the concept of
nuclear energy creation might have been a bit much for this class and level, it seemed hollow to
explain meltdowns and nuclear disaster without even a basic understanding of how the energy is
created to begin with. In future lessons I might leave it as supporting information instead of
including it in the assessment.
With more experience and hindsight, I would attempt to use other forms of activities to teach
some of the content, such as the energy sources. Maybe even taking the students to a nuclear
power plant to have them see in person the process that seemed so mysterious. Collaboration
with a science teacher could be very beneficial to this unit as they might be able to use visual
displays and reactions to show effects such as those of oil on marine animals or carbon emissions
in the lungs.
Overall, I believe I accomplished much of what I set out to do with this unit, which was to let
students know about the variety of ways that we get the food they eat in their kitchens and at the
drive through, as well as where the power that they plug their phone into every night comes
from. Most importantly, that all the variety of ways these feats are accomplished all have a set of
benefits and costs that must be weighed. When they grow older, they will have a much larger
say in those decisions, and it is my job as an educator to ensure that they are at least generally
aware and informed on the issues at hand and what is at stake.