Science Intervention Amber Jones, Consultant, Doni Cash, Consultant,

Beliefs About Children’s Success

Intervention Structures

TIER 1: Universal Takes place in the regular classroom Assess the total population to identify and monitor students at risk of failure. Emphasizes high-quality general education, grade level curriculum with differentiated instruction. Flexible grouping is key. Specific interventions are implemented for students not likely to achieve success with grade-level material On-going assessment is used to determine and to plan necessary adjustments.

TIER 2: Targeted Students who do not respond to general instruction, even with adjustments, may be moved to Tier 2 for additional support. The instruction is provided by the classroom teacher, or someone else, within or outside the classroom. More targeted support that revolves around a specific area of need- emphasizing skills and strategies in meaningful contexts. On-going assessment is used to determine the success of the intervention and to plan necessary adjustments. A student’s progress is largely dependent on the collaboration of those providing support.

TIER 3: Intensive Highest level of support and is targeted to meet the specific needs of the small percentage of students who are still unsuccessful. Support is more individualized by reducing the instructional setting to three or fewer and often one on one. Tier 3 instruction should be provided by a highly qualified teacher, generally outside the classroom. Progress is monitored more frequently, but care must be taken that testing does not replace teaching.

An Overview of the Three-Tiered Model of RtI TIER 1: UNIVERSAL About 80 percent All students Flexible grouping and differentiated instruction TIER 2: TARGETED 15 to 20 percent Small group not to exceed 5 Consistent supplemental instruction TIER 3: STRATEGIC OR INTENSIVE 5 to 10 percent Individualized or very small group (<3) Multiple opportunities for instruction INTENSITY

Intervention Practices

Assessment

Types of Assessments to Uncover Student Thinking Probes Open-ended questions Student drawings

Finding Out What Students Know Which fraction is the largest? A. 4/5 B. 3/4 C. 5/8 D. 7/10 Which fraction is the smallest? A. 1/6 B. 2/3 C. 1/3 D. 1/2

Assessment Probes uncover understandings misunderstandings concepts procedures misconceptions/ overgeneralizations misconceptions/ overgeneralizations common errors that can inform

Does is Have Potential Energy? ____ apple on a teacher’s desk ____ car driving down a hill ____ roller coaster car going up a hill ____ rock sitting on the ground ____ a child at the bottom of their swing on a playground ____ unopened soda bottle ____ water behind a dam ____ stretched rubber band ____ someone diving off a diving board ____ a pendulum pulled all the way to one side

Does it Have Potential? Student 1 Student 2 __X__ apple on a teacher’s desk ____ car driving down a hill ____ roller coaster car going up a hill ____ rock sitting on the ground ____ a child at the bottom of their swing on a playground __X__ unopened soda bottle __X__ water behind a dam __X__ stretched rubber band ____ someone diving off a diving board __X__ a pendulum pulled all the way to one side __X__ apple on a teacher’s desk ____ car driving down a hill ____ roller coaster car going up a hill __X__ rock sitting on the ground __X__ a child at the bottom of their swing on a playground __X__ unopened soda bottle __X__ water behind a dam __X__ stretched rubber band ____ someone diving off a diving board __X__ a pendulum pulled all the way to one side

Open-Ended Questions Designed to encourage an answer using the student's own knowledge Must have thorough understanding to answer; no place to hide Design the prompt well to get good information

Annotated Student Drawings Choose an idea that can be visually represented Must have a clear prompt that will elicit the information you seek Use interviewing if the drawing needs further explanation

Draw a picture to represent the relationship between DNA and chromosomes.

STAAR Biology Question

New Assessment Resource! Here you will find free access to more than 600 items. These items: o Are appropriate for middle and early high school students. o Test student understanding in the earth, life, physical sciences, and the nature of science. o Test for common misconceptions as well as correct ideas.