Needs Assessment

Question 1: What Do You Know?

I ask my class of 2nd graders to tell me what they know and have learned about bats.  Some of the students admit they know very little about bats.  A number of my students believe they know a few facts about bats and are willing to share these facts.  However, for most of my students, the information they have gathered is limited to what they see on television, in movies, or from parents who do not truly understand bats. 

For this reason, several of the students believe bats are flying mice or rodents who only come out a night to drink blood. Since they believe bats drink blood, several believe bats are really vampires who turn into bats to move from one location to another.  Some of my students even think bats are blind.  The rest of my students believe bats are hairless, ugly, leathery, dirty animals carrying diseases like rabies.  Most of my students fear bats due to these misguide ideas and beliefs.

Question 2: What Do You Want To Know?

After the students have watched the virtual field trip, I would like them to have a better understand of important bats are to our world.  Once the students have watched the video, they should have a better understanding of the bat’s body from their fingers to their skeleton.  The students will learn how bats fly including how fast they can go.  They will also learn about the different number species in the world, how big they can become, what the different species of bats like to eat, and even how a bat is born.

               In addition to these facts, the students will learn how bats communicate with each other.  They will also learn how big of a part sound plays in the bat’s life.  Students will discover what the word nocturnal means and how it applies to a bat.  After learning about the bat’s communication techniques and waking hours, the students will learn how the bats act from being with their families to why they hibernate.  In addition to all of these facts, the students will learn why we need to help and protect bats for the future.

For example:

“Bats are essential to the health of our natural world. They help control insect pests and are vital pollinators and seed-dispersers for countless plants” (BatsLive, n.d., “Basic Bat Info”, para. 1).

Question 3: What Are Your Trying To Measure, Determine, or Define?

What you are trying to measure, determine, or define are called learning objectives.  “Good objectives are a mission-critical, sin qua non, must-have, make-or-break requirements for effective e-learning” (Horton, 2012, p.16).  The objectives help the teacher to identify all prerequisites, choose learning activities, and design any type of assessment.  The better the object, the less time wasted in the classroom.

·        The students will be able to identify the body parts of bats.

·        The students will be able to repeat facts about the bat’s ability to fly.

·        The students will be able to identify basic facts about bats from size to colors to diet.

·        The students will be able to outline how bats communicate with each other.

·        The students will be able to state what nocturnal means and why bats are nocturnal animals.

·        The students will be able to recall and outline bats behavior from living in colonies to hibernating.

Question 4: How Will You Collect and Record Information?

The students will use a worksheet to identify the parts of the bat’s body to assess if they know the material.  The worksheet is:

 

 
 

The students will also complete a worksheet detailing different facts about bats.  The worksheet is:

In addition to the two worksheets, the student will write a story about a day in the life of a bat.  They will choose one kind of bat and give the reader a glimpse into the bat’s daily life from the point of view of the bat.  The students can write as if they are the bat or follow a bat's activities throughout the day and night.

The teacher will introduce the writing assignment by saying: Bats have very interesting lives that we don't see because they are nocturnal.  Think about what it would be like to be a bat for a day.  What would it be like to a bat during the night?  What kind of bat would you want to be?  What would you do if you were a bat?  What would you eat and where would you fly?  Would you sleep somewhere special?

The students can take this assignment home as homework or work on it during free time during the day.  Once the students have had time to create their story, they will share the stories with the class.  The students would need to ensure the story is based on true facts learned from the virtual field trip or from a reliable source, either online or from a book.

Grading Rubic:

Complete and Detailed Retelling (3 points)	Partial Retelling (2 points)	Fragmentary Retelling (1 point)	Incorrect or Omitted Retelling (0 points)	Prompting
Nonfiction: Includes every main idea, each supported by at least one or two details. Organization follows the scheme of the book (e.g., chronological, explanatory). The student uses vocabulary correctly and in context.	Nonfiction: This includes most, if not all, of the main ideas. Details may be fragmentary or missing. Vocabulary is included but may be in isolation (e.g., student gives word and definition out of context). Organization is looser, but essential sequences (processes and explanations) remain in order.	Nonfiction: This includes the subject but misses main ideas. Details are sketchy or not linked with the idea they support. Organization is loose and random, and mistakes occur in essential sequences. Student tells facts incorrectly.	Nonfiction: The retelling misses the subject or consistently errs on main ideas.	•If a student needs your guidance at each stage of the retelling, record a 1.
Fiction: The major plot elements are retold completely, accurately, and in order. All major characters are included. The problem and resolution are clear. The retelling includes details, minor characters, and non-essential events, but not at the expense of the main story.	Fiction: The retelling includes the plot and most major characters. Minor characters and setting may be absent. Events not essential to the plot are missing or out of order.	Fiction: The retelling has major holes: central characters left out, incorrect identification of the problem, inability to relate sequence, and/or essential plot points missing.	Fiction: The retelling consists of bits and pieces not tied to any plot.	If she or he needs “several prompts”, record a 2.
** Both will show evidence of student inferences and other comprehension skills. **				If little guidance is needed, record a 3.

 

Notes

The teacher will record any general notes or comments observed during the activity. These are not factored into the student's overall score, but may help the teacher to recall and categorize the retelling when working with each student in the future.

Scoring

Add the numbers in the rubric together to come up with a total score.

•A skilled reteller will have 15 to 21 points.  This student is doing well in the area of comprehension and can continue her or his advancement through the leveled reading levels.

•A developing reteller will have 8 to 14 points.  This student will need a bit more practice with comprehension at this level.  The teacher should try various subjects, topics, and genres; a book in line with a student's interests can raise retelling ability.

•A student who needs work will have 0 to 7 points and may benefit from some review reading at a lower level.

Question 5: How Will You Report The Information You Collect?

For this class, the teacher will be creating a portfolio to include samples of different assignments for reviewing with both the student and his/her parents.  The teacher will choose assignments based on the work completed over a period of time.  Starting with the first week of school to gain a base level idea of the student’s ability, the teacher will then select other pieces of work to compare the student progress from excelling to needing improvement.

               Since the work will be gathered over a period of time, the teacher will be able to notice fluctuations in the student’s work and progress.  “Parent–child portfolios are a collection of artifacts collected over time that illustrate children’s developmental progress within the context of their relationship with their parents or primary caregivers” (Appl, Leavitt, & Ryan, 2013, p. 191).  This will allow the teacher to take into consideration issues with the work, possible issues in the classroom, and even issues at home.  For example, if a student was excelling during the first few months and has taken a turn for the worse, the teacher can evaluate the student’s behavior in class to see if there are in any changes.  If not, the teacher can ask the parents to come in to discuss the student’s progress.

               To ensure the student and parents are aware of the student’s progress, a mini version of the portfolio will be sent home with the students every week or two for the family to review.  “Parents could view their child’s work on any given day and see “where they were” and “where they are” (Dotson & Henderson, 2009, p. 14).  In addition to a small sampling of the student’s work, the teacher will include little notes to be reviewed by the parents and student in regards to the students work.  For example, the teacher may comment on the story the student created for this assignment letting them know how impressed she was with the student’s ability to write a story about a day in the life of a bat. 

               At the end of the mini version of the portfolio, parents will find sheets of paper to respond to the teacher’s notes, make comments about the student work, or just ask any questions they might have regard the student’s education.  “The portfolio allows parents and teachers to view added dimensions of the child as a learner beyond that offered by report cards.  Through student-generated reflections and goal-setting, portfolios provide insights into each child's interest, strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations” (Weldin & Tumarkin, 1998, p. 93).  In addition, the parents will find an information sheet to update the teacher on any issues regard family, health, or just unknown facts for the student.  Parents will also find a parent/teacher conference request sheet to be returned with the mini portfolio.  Rather the parents want to just catch up, discuss upcoming issues, or just make some suggestions, the request sheet can be returned by the student through the portfolio.

Question 6: Are All Interested Groups Included in Planning and Conducting the Needs Assessment?

               For this assignment, all staff including para-educators, special education and resource teachers, ELL and ELA teachers, and extend staff for the classroom will be involved in develop appropriate ideas for creating the assignment.  In addition, each member was consulted in regards to the grading rubic, as well as the portfolios.  In regards to the portfolios, each member helped to select the different pieces of work included in both the mini and original portfolio.  By including the special education and resource teachers, the ELL and ELA teachers, and para-educators, the teacher will be able to include any missed observations caught by the extend staff.  In addition, the extend staff will be able to ensure the work is not too easy or complicated for those with special needs from language to physical barriers.

References

Appl, D. J., Leavitt, J. E., & Ryan, M. A. (2013). Parent–child portfolios: “Look—this book is all about us!”. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(3), 191-202. doi:10.1007/s10643-013-0598-1

BatsLive. (n.d.). BatsLive. Retrieved from https://batslive.pwnet.org/resource/bat_info.php

Dotson, R. K., & Henderson, M. (2009). Using student portfolios to guide instruction. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 37(4), 14-19. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e67121f1-97d3-4570-abeb-84fc7fe00a17%40sessionmgr102&vid=20&hid=113

Weldin, D. J., & Tumarkin, S. R. (1998). Parent Involvement More Power in the Portfolio Process. Childhood Education, 75(2), 90-95. doi:10.1080/00094056.1999.10521989