Capstone Task - Neil Dembeck

1

2016-0616

Instructional Reading Strategies – Utilizing KWL Chart with 6th Grade Science Students

Neil Dembeck

A Capstone Presented to the Teachers College Faculty of

Western Governors University

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction

January 19, 2017

2

2016-0616

Abstract

The topic the researcher selected to discuss and analyze is the struggle that 6th grade students

encounter with reading and gleaning important parts of text in their 6th grade curriculum. This

topic is important because the researcher has observed and documented (by the teacher in class)

the difficulties 6th grade science students face in terms of comprehending the curriculum in class.

As such the researcher has proposed a solution of utilizing a KWL chart to better organize

gathered information. The research question is “How does using the KWL chart affect middle

school students’ learning during a salamander instructional unit as measured by pre- and

post-tests?” The participants are the students in the researcher’s period 1 class. The method used

is the administration of a duplicate pre- and post-test on the topic of salamanders. The results are

still to be determined. Descriptive statistics that analyze the mean, median, range, and mode will

provide data analysis all of which will be used to draw conclusions.

3

2016-0616

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 – Topic and Problem...........................................................................................5

Topic....................................................................................................................................5

Problem Statement...............................................................................................................5

Research Questions..............................................................................................................5

Topic and Problem Conclusion............................................................................................5

Chapter 2 – Review of the Literature...................................................................................7

Overview of the Literature...................................................................................................7

Thematic Subheading...........................................................................................................7



Summary..............................................................................................................................7

Chapter 3 – Research Methodology.....................................................................................8

Research Design...................................................................................................................8

Research Questions..............................................................................................................8

Participants...........................................................................................................................8

Data Collection Instruments and Methods...........................................................................8

Data Security and Confidentiality........................................................................................9

Summary..............................................................................................................................9

Chapter 4 – Results............................................................................................................10

Results Overview...............................................................................................................10

Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................10

Answers to Research Questions.........................................................................................10

Chapter 5 – Discussion and Conclusion............................................................................11

Overview............................................................................................................................11

Problem Solutions..............................................................................................................11

Strengths and Weaknesses.................................................................................................11

Influential Factors..............................................................................................................11

Further Investigation..........................................................................................................11

4

2016-0616

References..........................................................................................................................12

Appendix A........................................................................................................................14

Appendix B........................................................................................................................15

Appendix C........................................................................................................................16

Appendix D........................................................................................................................17

5

2016-0616

Chapter 1 – Reading Comprehension Without Use of a KWL Chart

Topic The topic the researcher selected to discuss and analyze is the struggle that 6th grade

students encounter with reading and gleaning important parts of text in their 6th grade

curriculum. This topic is important because the researcher has observed and documented (by the

teacher in class) the difficulties 6th grade science students face in terms of comprehending the

curriculum in class. As such the researcher has proposed a solution of utilizing a KWL chart to

better organize gathered information.

The researcher believes this research project can aid in his colleagues adoption of a more

intellectually well-rounded approach to teaching all students, particularly those who have even

more significant comprehension struggles, how to better read, glean, and organize thoughts on

written curriculum material. Moreover, the unpacking of this topic during this project will

hopefully reveal why these struggles exist and who and / or what can and should receive the

brunt of the burden of responsibility.

Problem Statement

The instructional problem impacting the learning environment in the researcher’s 6th

grade science class is the struggle that students face with reading and gleaning important parts of

the text in their written science curriculum.

Problem Background and Causes

The researcher believes this is an important topic in the world of education as it is

something that has been under scrutiny for quite some time. To unpack this phenomenon the

researcher would like to clarify that it makes a difference whether “accuracy measures” or “rate

measures” are used when assessing reading comprehension. Findings from a study conducted by

6

2016-0616

Ronberg and Petersen (2016) on 10-year-old children (a mere year younger than the 11-year-old

students the researcher teaches) indicate that “when the outcome is reading comprehension

accuracy (i.e., the number of correct responses), word reading skills (measured as access to

orthographic representations) account for a modest amount of the variance in the reading

comprehension” (p. 45). Ronberg and Petersen go on to show that “this changes when reading

comprehension is conceptualized as rate (i.e., number of correct responses per minute); when this

is done, the correlation with word reading increases.” Additional research from the Journal of

Research in Childhood Education shows that the primary difference between strong and weak

readers is their phonemic awareness skills (2016). Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear,

identify, and manipulate individual sounds-phonemes--in spoken words. ... They must

understand that words are made up of speech sounds, or phonemes, which is the smallest parts of

sound in a spoken word that make a difference in a word's meaning (Edwards & Taub, 2016).

With underdeveloped phonemic awareness combined with unfamiliarity with new content there

comes a void in reading comprehension, as such is the case in the researcher’s 6th grade science

class. The overarching objective for students is to, by the end of the unit, be able to describe the

relationship between a salamander’s physical characteristics and its behavioral characteristics, its

diet, its defense mechanisms, and why it is placed where it is in the animal kingdom.

Research Questions

How does using the KWL chart affect middle school students’ learning during a

salamander instructional unit as measured by pre- and post-tests?

Topic and Problem Conclusion

A project like this is needed because without means of organizing large sums of new and

complex information, children’s ability to retain information, on the whole, is limited.

7

2016-0616

Organizing new information on a new topic becomes more feasible when information can be

organized in a way that a KWL chart provides.

8

2016-0616

Chapter 2 - Review of the Literature

Overview of the Literature

The available literature on this topic centers around how reading comprehension is

measured and the influence of phonemic awareness on learning.

Thematic Subheading [Insert theme found in the literature. Number of themes will vary.]

Use topic-specific subheadings. Subheadings should reflect themes and categories

specific to the topic. Provide context for the study by exploring the research previously

conducted in the topic area. Include discussion of current best practices that are acknowledged

by researchers and professional educators. Support with citations.











Summary

Provide a conclusion that explains how the literature applies to the problem being

investigated.

9

2016-0616

Chapter 3 - Research Methodology

Research Design

The research project is designed in the following manner: a pre-test (given the day before

the implementation of the KWL chart) will be given consisting of 20 multiple choice questions

on the selected topic as well as a follow-up post-test consisting of the exact same questions. The

comparison between the results of the pre-test vs. the post-test will be the project’s data and an

indication of the effectiveness of the KWL chart on information comprehension / retention.

On day 1 of the unit students will take a pre-test on their knowledge of the topic and also

learn the physical characteristics of a salamander by viewing a PowerPoint presentation led by

the teacher. On days 2 and 3 students will watch a video that goes into great detail on

salamanders, including their physical characteristics and their defense mechanism(s). Day 4 will

be spent in a lab designed to teach students about the topics mentioned in the previous days plus

their diet. Day 5 will be a continuation of day 4. Day 6 will be spent doing bookwork learning

more about their physical traits. Days 7 and 8 will be spent watching a video and observing a real

– life salamander in class. Day 9 will wrap up the unit with the post – test.

This study adheres to the action research model, in particular the participatory action

research model, because it solves an immediate problem (in the researcher’s classroom) and is a

reflective process of progressive problem solving.

Research Question

How does using the KWL chart affect middle school students’ learning during a

salamander instructional unit as measured by pre- and post-tests?

10

2016-0616

Participants

This research study is to be conducted using students from the researcher’s period 1 class.

There are 26 students in the researcher’s period 1 class, 3 of whom identify as black, 3 of whom

identify as Hispanic, 4 of whom identify as Asian, and 16 of whom identify as white.

Furthermore, 13 students are female and 13 students are male. A total of 4 students receive IEP’s

and/or 504’s. The researcher has had ample time to formulate an idea of each individual’s

learning style and motivational tendencies. There were four students whom the researcher was

still somewhat unsure about regarding motivational tendencies and for each of those four

students phone calls were successfully made home to consult parents on motivational tendencies.

The length of this research study will be 9 class periods (approximately 9 hours).

Data Collection Instruments and Methods

A pre-test (given the day before the implementation of the KWL chart) consisting of 20

multiple choice questions on the selected topic as well as a follow-up post-test consisting of the

exact same questions. The comparison between the results of the pre-test vs. the post-test will be

the project’s data and an indication of the effectiveness of the KWL chart on information

comprehension / retention.







11

2016-0616



Data Security and Confidentiality

Data will be collected in paper form and immediately entered into a computer and saved

on a flash drive. Consent forms will be kept in a locked safe in my office.

Summary

12

2016-0616

Chapter 4 - Results

Results Overview Pre-Test Results (out of 20)

Mean: 9.2

Median: 8.8

Mode: 7

Range: (4, 15)

Post-Test Results (out of 20)

Mean: 14.1

Median: 16.2

Mode: 13

Range: (5, 19)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Pre-Test

Post-Test

Mean Median Mode

13

2016-0616

Data Analysis

The researcher met his goal of improving by at least ten percentage points in the areas of

mean, median, and mode.

Answers to the Research Questions

The answer to question 1 is C. The skin is NOT full of scales and is, in fact, smooth and slimy in

nature. The answer to question 2 is C. The salamander relies on its olfactory system for territorial

maintenance and predator recognition. The answer to question 3 is E. Salamanders use skin,

gills, lungs, mouth and throat membranes in their respiration. The answer to question 4 is A,

True. Salamanders have a vast appetite. The answer to question 5 is “the mucus on the skin of

salamanders aids in its ability to avoid predators because its mucus coating on damp skin makes

them difficult to grasp, and the slimy coating may have an offensive taste or be toxic.” The

answer to question 6 is A, True. Salamanders use cryptic colors for camouflage. The answer to

question 7 is A. The Japanese giant salamander is the largest salamander in the world. The

answer to question 8 is salamanders are vertebrates and amphibians because of their backbone

and their metamorphosis from larva with gills to an adult air-breathing form with lungs. The

answer to question 9 is B, False. Salamanders are not found in Australia. The answer to question

10 is B, False. Salamanders do not all have the same respiration systems.

14

2016-0616

Chapter 5 - Discussion and Conclusion

Overview

Provide an overview of the conclusions reached.

Problem Solutions

Explain how your research problem could be solved based on the results of your study.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Discuss both the strengths and weaknesses of the project (e.g., research methodology,

data tools).

Influential Factors

Discuss any factors that may have skewed the findings (e.g., prior relationship with

participants, wording of a questionnaire).

Further Investigation

Recommend areas for further investigation raised by your research and relevant to your

topic.

15

2016-0616

References

Ronberg, L. F., & Petersen, D. K. (2016). It matters whether reading comprehension is conceptualized as rate or accuracy. Journal of Research in Reading, 39 (2), 209-228.

Edwards, O. W., & Taub, G. E. (2016). The Influence of Specific Phonemic Awareness

Processes on the Reading Comprehension of African American Students. Journal of

Research in Childhood Education, 30 (1), 74-84.

16

2016-0616

Appendix A









17

2016-0616

Appendix B Salamander Pre / Post – Test (Instrument)

1. Which of the following is not a physical characteristic of a salamander?

a. Vertebrae

b. Can regenerate lost limbs

c. Skin is scales

d. Tetrapod body form

2. Which of the five senses is used primarily in territory maintenance and recognition of

predators?

a. Sight

b. Sound

c. Smell

d. Hearing

e. Touch

3. By which means do salamanders utilize respiration (breathe)?

a. Gills

b. Skin

c. Lungs

d. Mouth and throat membranes

e. All of the above

18

2016-0616

4. True or False – salamanders have a large diet and will eat nearly anything of reasonable

size.

a. True

b. False

5. Explain why its mucus (slimy) skin aids in its ability to defend against predators.

6. True or False – many salamanders use cryptic colors as to be camouflage

a. True

b. False

7. Which salamander species is the largest in the world?

a. Japanese giant salamander

b. King Kong salamander

c. Asian salamander

d. Chinese salamander

8. What placement does it have in the animal kingdom and why?

9. True or False – salamanders are commonly found in Australia

10. True or False – all salamander species have the same respiration systems.

19

2016-0616

AppendixC

Informed Consent

Student (K–12) Classroom Research

Western Governors University - Teachers College

[Master’s of Science on Curriculum & Instruction]

[Neil Dembeck]

Instructional Reading Strategies – Utilizing KWL Chart with 6th Grade Science Students

Introduction

Neil Dembeck is a science teacher at Deerlake Middle School as well as a graduate-student researcher at Western Governors University. Mr. Dembeck to conduct a research study for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of using a KWL chart in 6th science to measure student retention of new information. Approval of the Deerlake Middle School principal to conduct this study was obtained prior to this announcement. By signing this consent form, parents or legal guardians agree to allow their child to participate in the study. Any data collected will be reported as part of a group; individual student names will not be used.

Description of the Project

This study will focus on utilizing a KWL chart in 6th grade science and evaluating its effectiveness on student learning. For most students, the content of salamanders (within the unit of “Living Things”) will be new and as such, much of the taught information will be new. Instead of using traditional teaching methods to learn about salamanders and measure growth, students will, with the leadership of Mr. Dmebeck, compelte and ongoing KWL chart on the topic of salamanders. A pre/posttest method will be used to compare understanding of what salamaders are and how they live and thrive with results obtained on the first day of the research project as well as the last day of the research project. The research will be conducted in the researcher’s first period 6th grade class during the 50 minute class period. The study will run for a two-week period (approximately 9 class hours).

Benefits and Risks of the Study

Some students may feel anxious about taking a test that they know is a part of graduate school research. Students may experience normal test anxiety when completing the pre/posttest and survey. However, all anticipated risks to participation in this study are minimal and not likely to be much greater than those which are normally encountered in normal daily classroom activity. The researcher will seek to minimize the anxiety risks by providing detailed information on taking tests. Students will also be informed that their participation or nonparticipation in the activity will not influence their grade in any way.

Possible participant benefits may include learning more about salamanders and other living things. Students will be informed that the study activities are intended to help them better

20

2016-0616

understand salamanders and their place in the animal kingdom, enabling them to become more proficient in future science units. The study may help the researcher and other educators acquire additional teaching techniques to facilitate student learning. Confidentiality

The data gathered from this research will be private and confidential. Your child’s information will be assigned a code number. The list connecting your child’s name to this code will be kept in a locked file. When the study is completed and the data have been analyzed, this list will be destroyed. Your child’s name will not be used in any report. Data will be reported in the aggregate.

Voluntary Participation

A unit on living things is a routine sixth grade curriculum activity; as such, all students are expected to participate fully in the classroom activities. The student can skip any question on the test without consequence. Those students that choose not to participate in the study will not be required to complete the data gathering instruments (pre/posttest, survey).

Withdrawal Participants may withdraw at any time from non-regular classroom instruction and will not be penalized for nonparticipation. To withdraw from the study, the parent or participant must notify the researcher. Parental or legal guardian consent as well as school principal or district administrator permission must be granted in order for the student researcher to gather data for the purposes of their research project. Participants or their parents can request that their individual results be excluded from the final report. Grades/enrollment will not be impacted in any way as a result of withdrawing from this study.

Questions, Rights, and Complaints

Participants and their parents/legal guardians have a right to view the results of the study. If you have questions about this study, please contact me by calling 443-655-3786 or email [email protected] If you have questions about your rights, unresolved questions, or complaints pertaining to the study, contact the WGU IRB Chairperson by email: [email protected]. Consent Statement

By signing this document, the administrator grants permission for student data collection and all reporting necessary for this study. By signing this document, the parent/legal guardian grants permission for their child to participate in the study and has the opportunity to have his or her questions answered. Student participants will be informed of the research purpose and activities and will be asked for their assent to participate upon parental approval.

21

2016-0616

_____________________________________________________________________________

Note: Assent is the term used to acknowledge a willingness to participate in research by study participants who, by legal definition, are too young to give informed consent. Nevertheless, these participants are old enough to understand, in general, the purpose of the research. The assent process also informs child participants of the activities in which they will be required to engage during the study, the possible risks and benefits of participation, and answers their questions about study participation. Assent is not the same as permission. Even though a child may give assent, informed consent must first be obtained from the subject's parents or guardian before any data collection occurs.

____________________________ ______________________________

School Administrator Signature Parental/Legal Guardian Signature

____________________________ ______________________________

Title of Administrator Typed/Printed Name

____________________________ ______________________________

Typed/Printed Name Date

____________________________ ____________________________

Date Student Signature (Assent)

_______________________________

Typed/Printed Name

_______________________________

Date

22

Business

Capstone Task - Neil Dembeck