LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS

ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE ACTION RESEARCH IS INITIATED

Teacher Researcher
Name / Deborah Thurman / Emp. ID
School or Department / Spring Creek Elementary School
Issue or Topic / About 50% of my students write with a score of 2 or below using the FCAT Writing rubric. My goal is to have 100% of my students writing at a score of 4 or higher using the FCAT Writing Rubric at the time of Florida Writes. I plan to increase vocabulary and incorporate peer conferencing.
Research Hypothesis / Will peer conferencing be an effective tool that will enhance the student’s confidence and ability to write? Will students feel comfortable with and use the new and enriched vocabulary properly in their essays?
Principal‘s Signature / Date / 9/8/2009

TO BE COMPLETED AT CONCLUSION OF ACTION RESEARCH

RESEARCH PROCESS
1.  What student data formed the baseline? I used writing scores from a 45 minute timed prompt given the fifth week of school. These prompts were scored using for FCAT Writing Rubric.
2.  What research resources, i.e., books, documents, were studied?
States FCAT Writing samples from last year. Melissa Forney workshop and Writing Manual
3.  What student demographic groups were used and how were they selected?
White, poverty, ELL students were in these groups.
4.  What strategies were implemented during the study?
I would introduce six to ten robust vocabulary words from our reading series each week with a power point and review them daily. Students will implement these words in their writing. I introduced story boards for a planning technique and peer conferencing with the students writing.
5.  What was the timeline for the study?
September 2009- April 2010 School year.
Approved / Disapproved / Comments
Principal’s
Signature / Principal assigns
10-30 points / Date
Director of Staff
Development Signature / Date Acknowledged

LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS

ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT - SHARING THE RESULTS

[Complete online and email to

Title of Action Research Project / Excelling at Florida Writes in the Fourth Grade
Name of Teacher Researcher / Deborah Thurman
Name of School / Spring Creek Elementary School / Grade Level / 4
Answer the following questions in your abstract. DO NOT USE teacher or student names.
1.  Classroom Problem: About 50% of my students write with a score of 2 or below using the FCAT Writing rubric. My goal is to have 100% of my students writing at a score of 4 or higher using the FCAT Writing Rubric at the time of Florida Writes. I plan to increase vocabulary and incorporate peer conferencing.
2.  Research Process: My first action was to increase the student’s vocabulary. Each week in our reading series I would introduce our six to ten robust vocabulary words for the students to learn. I would introduce these words with a power point presentation. Every day as a whole group we would review these words and put them in a question to be answered. Students will give examples and practice using these words throughout the week. My second action was to implement peer conferencing on writing to increase the class essays to a score of a level 4 or higher by the time of the Florida Writes. With peer conferencing, I created a form that the peer needs to sign and they need to give one compliment, one suggestion, and any remarks about the convention of the students writing. Peers are held accountable for their evaluation of each other. The peer then needs to discuss what they stated on their paper with the student that wrote the essay. The peer review is stapled to the back of the essay and the student takes their essay and rewrites it using the advice given. A third action I took with the students was story boarding, an easier way to plan before they wrote their essays. My class of twenty-two students participated in this Action Research from September 2009- April 2010. At the beginning of the year I had the students write an essay for a baseline. This was a timed essay, 45 minutes. I scored the student’s writing using FCAT Writing Rubric, 50% (11 students) wrote with a score of 2 or below. Students were off topic, used poor vocabulary, and weak transitional phrases. My evaluation of my students success with Action Research was a timed 45 minute essay the week before Florida Writes, 21 were tested, Five students scored a 3, 14 scored a 4, and 2 scored a 5. No students scored below a 3.
3.  Collection and Analysis: The three forms of evidence I used in collecting this data was a writing test given on the fifth week of school and scored based on the FCAT Florida Writes rubric, class writing turned for grades, and observations and peer conferencing documentation. I discovered there was a variation in scores with my different subgroups of students. My low poverty students did not have the life experiences to reflect in their writing, which did not enable them to score at a higher level. Many topics used in the expository writing these students could not relate to. My ELL students I found did not always understand the meaning of the prompt.
4.  Action: I found I needed to enhance student’s knowledge about family life, and their community and environment around them. I also shared many students’ writing (with their names covered) on the document camera so the students could practice scoring for them to see what is expected. I gave the students the role of a teacher.
5.  Professional Reflection: The action research project has kept me organized and focused on a goal. It has kept me monitoring students more closely.
6.  With whom did you share your action research? I shared my action research with my grade level team.
ABSTRACT: My class of twenty-two students participated in this Action Research from September 2009-April 2010. Students were off topic, used poor vocabulary and weak transitional phrases. Would increased vocabulary and implementing story boards for planning strengthen the students writing enough to increase their score?
I modeled story boarding for my students and created activities using robust vocabulary, and peer conferencing. This enabled my students to improve their essays and show growth in their writing.
Source: A Guide to Becoming an Action Research – Department of Education

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Submitted by Staff Development