Group 5

Kate GowerMegan Pitts

Amanda DavisJen Ryan

Subject AreaFlow of Matter and Energy

TN State Standards

SPI #3210.3.1 – Interpret a diagram that illustrates

energy flow in an ecosystem3210.3.3 – Compare and contrast photosynthesis and cellular respiration in terms of energy transformation3210.3.4 – Predict how changes in a biogeochemical cycle can effect an ecosystem

Arrrrrgh I hate tests!!!

Why Students Fail

• Fear• Boredom• Cookie-cutter

education• Confusion• Real Learning• Teaching strategies

• Not enough revision• Starting revision too

late• Stressing too much• Running out of time

on exams• Misreading the

quesion

Teacher Administration Responsibilities TCAP

According to the Tennessee Department of Education:

• Teachers are responsible for security during state achievement tests

• Teachers should be knowledgeable of the Medical exemption policy for TCAP and be knowledgeable of the accommodations authorized during testing

Teacher Administration Responsibilities TCAP (cont)

• Notify students of the test dates in advance.

• Explain the purposes for testing.

• Create an uncluttered testing environment.

• Use a variety of test formats during the school year.

• Become familiar with the materials and procedures to be used with the tests.

• Identify which students may need and/or be eligible for test accommodations.

• Read the Test Administration Manual carefully for instructions and information.

• When pre-coding student-specific data on the answer documents, be sure to read and follow coding instructions completely and carefully.

Before Test Administration

Teacher Administration Responsibilities TCAP (cont)

• Adhere to time limits specified for tests.• Read carefully the directions to the students.• Expect every student to read all test content material without

assistance unless otherwise noted in the Test Administration Manual.

• Do not read the test, unless specially instructed to do so in State manuals or for student test accommodations.

• Monitor to ensure that students begin marking answers in the proper area of the answer sheet.

• Anticipate and eliminate test disruptions.• Make sure students work independently.

During Test Administration

• Collect and account for all test materials.• Assure student demographic information on the answer

documents is marked accurately.• Document any absent students and arranged for them to

make-up tests, if possible.• Adhere to all test return instructions.• Analyze test reports for instructional strengths and

weaknesses.• Develop a plan to modify instructional strategies to address

any identified test weaknesses.

After Test Administration

Teacher Administration Responsibilities TCAP (cont)

Teacher Requirements

According to the American Federation for Teachers, et al:teachers should be skilled in:• choosing assessment methods appropriate for instructional

decisions• developing assessment methods appropriate for instructional

decisions• administering, scoring and interpreting the results of both

externally-produced and teacher-produced assessment methods

• using assessment results when making decisions about individual students, planning teaching, developing curriculum, and school improvement

Teacher Requirements (cont.)

• developing valid pupil grading procedures which use pupil assessments

• in communicating assessment results to students, parents, other lay audiences, and other educators

• in recognizing unethical, illegal, and otherwise inappropriate assessment methods and uses of assessment information.

Instructions/Guidelines for Paper

Question• Describe the process of photosynthesis, including light

reactions and the Calvin cycle.• Describe the process of cell respiration, including glycolysis

and aerobic respiration.• Discuss the similarities and differences between

photosynthesis and respiration in terms of electron transport and the types of energy created.

• Describe in detail what would happen to a specific ecosystem of your choice (such as a deciduous forest, rainforest, ocean, desert, etc.) if plants were not around to fix carbon and give off oxygen.

The Rubric!

Grading

The overall scale for the class is as follows:

• Homework 10%• Unit Tests 30% • Labs 20% • Research Paper 20%• Classwork 20%

Alternative/Innovative AssessmentsFormative:• Spontaneous question and answer sessions within each lesson• Small group projects to be completed in class• Observation of performance during group activities in class• Class games that test students' knowledge• Questions in which students use clickers to respond• Labs completed during class• An outline for the research paper that students will be

required to turn in for approval two weeks before the paper's due date

• A rough draft that will be due one week prior to the due date of the final paper

Alternative/Innovative Assessments

Summative:• Short presentation in front of the class to accompany final

paper• Draw a diagram of photosynthesis or cell respiration

– Can be on poster or paper with color and detail

• Write the story of photosynthesis from the point of view of an electron

• Create a lab to deomstrate what happens to plants in the absence of necessary components of photosynthesis– Can also be adjusted to determine how varying degrees of necessary

elements of photosynthesis effect the plant (more or less water, more or less light)

• Write a report of observations

Alternative/Innovative Assessments (cont)

Summative:• Create a lab to demonstrate how varying factors of cell

respiration can have an effect on the amount of product it creates– Can also be used to show difference in aerobic and anerobic

respiration

• Write a report of observations• Have students create a comparison chart with bullet points

about differences between photosynthesis and respiration

Eureka!

References

Standards for Teacher Competence. (n.d). University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from http://

www.unl.edu/buroso/bimm/html/article3.htmlHolt, J. (n.d.). How Children Fail. Education Reform Books.

Retrieved September 21, 2011, from http://www.educationreformbooks.net/failure.htmTypes of formative assessment. Retrieved from http://www.taosschools.org/ths/School%20Improvement/CIEDipTTModule7TypesofFormativeAssessment.pdfR, Samina (2010, Apr 28). Top 5 reasons why students fail exams. Message posted to http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/luton/blog/top-5-reasons-why- students-fail-exams/article019982.htm

Reiss, Steven. (2009, Jun 22). Why students underachieve. Message posted to http://www.psychologytoday.com/ blog/ who-we-are/200906/why-students-underachieveTennessee Department of Education (n.d.) TN Testing Code of

Ethics. Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/education/assessment/doc/TestingCodeofEthics.pdf

Tennessee Department of Education (n.d.). “Test-Time” Strategies for Students, Parents, and Teachers. Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/education/assessment/doc/tsteststrategies.pdf

References

References

Biggs, A., Hagen, W. C., & Holliday, W.G. (2010). Biology, Tennessee Edition.Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe/McGraw Hill.

Nowicki, S. (2009). Biology, Tennessee Pupils Edition. Geneva,Illinois: Holt McDougal.

Postlethwait, J. (2009). Modern Biology. Geneva,Illinois: Holt McDougal.

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