The Effect of Teacher and Student Characteristics on TIMSS 2011 Mathematics Achievement of Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Students in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yalcin, Seher; Demirtasli, Rahime Nükhet; Dibek, Munevver Ilgun; Yavuz, Hatice Cigdem

2017-01-01

This study investigated effect of student- and school-level variables on mathematics achievement of fourth- and eighth-grade students using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 data of Turkey. The common variables addressed in student and school questionnaires were compared. Due to nested structure of the TIMSS…

Becoming Wildlife Investigators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frissell, Virginia; Cayton, Patricia

2009-01-01

Students love learning outdoors, but how do you ensure they are absorbing the science and gaining skills as they do so? The authors found a way--a fourth-grade classroom teacher, a gifted/science resource teacher, and a group of fourth graders--embarked on a yearlong study of birds and the plants they depend on. They used their school yard as the…

"How Should I Know What Scientists Do?--I Am Just a Kid": Fourth-Grade Students' Conceptions of Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akerson, Valarie L.; Abd-El-Khalick, Fouad S.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore elementary students' views of (NOS) to see how well they align with national reform recommendations (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996). Using an open-ended questionnaire coupled with one-on-one interviews of fourth-grade students conducted at the end of the school year, the researchers explored students' understandings…

The Impact of Problem-Based Learning Curricula and Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching on the Mathematical Development of Second Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trinter, Christine P.

2011-01-01

The results from the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) revealed that the scores of fourth grade students in the 90th percentile showed no measurable change from the results of the first TIMSS assessment in 1995. Contrarily, the scores of the lowest performing fourth graders showed statistically significant…

Examining school effectiveness at the fourth grade: A hierarchical analysis of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stemler, Steven Edward

This study explored school effectiveness in mathematics and science at the fourth grade using data from IEA's Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Fourteen of the 26 countries participating in TIMSS at the fourth grade possessed sufficient between-school variability in mathematics achievement to justify the creation of explanatory models of school effectiveness while 13 countries possessed sufficient between-school variability in science achievement. Exploratory models were developed using variables drawn from student, teacher, and school questionnaires. The variables were chosen to represent the domains of student involvement, instructional methods, classroom organization, school climate, and school structure. Six explanatory models for each subject were analyzed using two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and were compared to models using only school mean SES as an explanatory variable. The amount of variability in student achievement in mathematics attributable to differences between schools ranged from 16% in Cyprus to 56% in Latvia, while the amount of between-school variance in science achievement ranged from 12% in Korea to 59% in Latvia. In general, about one-quarter of the variability in mathematics and science achievement was found to lie between schools. The research findings revealed that after adjusting for differences in student backgrounds across schools, the most effective schools in mathematics and science had students who reported seeing a positive relationship between hard work, belief in their own abilities, and achievement. In addition, more effective schools had students who reported less frequent use of computers and calculators in the classroom. These relationships were found to be stable across explanatory models, cultural contexts, and subject areas. This study has contributed a unique element to the literature by examining school effectiveness at the fourth grade across two subject areas and across 14 different countries. The results indicate that further exploration of the relationship between school effectiveness and student locus of control warrants serious consideration. Future research on school effectiveness is recommended, perhaps using trend data and looking at different grade levels.

Science for Iowa Schools, Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nice, Karl; And Others

This guide includes four units for use in each of grades 4 through 6. The fourth grade units are entitled Measurement Systems, Classification Systems, Bio-Control Systems, and Hydrologic Systems; the fifth grade units are Chemical Systems, Force Systems, Bio-Systems, and Astro-Systems; and the sixth grade units are Equilibrium Systems,…

Creating Science Picture Books for an Authentic Audience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFauw, Danielle L.; Saad, Klodia

2014-01-01

This article presents an authentic writing opportunity to help ninth-grade students use the writing process in a science classroom to write and illustrate picture books for fourth-grade students to demonstrate and share their understanding of a biology unit on cells. By creating a picture book, students experience the writing process, understand…

Theory Building and Modeling in a Sinking and Floating Unit: A Case Study of Third and Fourth Grade Students' Developing Epistemologies of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kawasaki, Keiko; Rupert Herrenkohl, Leslie; Yeary, Sherry

2004-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to carefully examine the evolution of students' theory building and modeling, critical components of scientific epistemologies, over a unit of study on sinking and floating in one third/fourth grade classroom. The study described in this paper follows in the tradition of Design Experiments ( Brown 1992 , Collins 1990 )…

Using History of Science to Teach Nature of Science to Elementary Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fouad, Khadija E.; Masters, Heidi; Akerson, Valarie L.

2015-11-01

Science lessons using inquiry only or history of science with inquiry were used for explicit reflective nature of science (NOS) instruction for second-, third-, and fourth-grade students randomly assigned to receive one of the treatments. Students in both groups improved in their understanding of creative NOS, tentative NOS, empirical NOS, and subjective NOS as measured using VNOS-D as pre- and post-test surveys. Social and cultural context of science was not accessible for the students. Students in second, third, and fourth grades were able to attain adequate views of empirical NOS, the role of observation and inference, creative and imaginative NOS, and subjective NOS. Students were not able to express adequate views of socially and culturally embedded NOS. Most gains in NOS eroded by the next school year, except for tentative NOS for both groups and creative NOS for the inquiry group.

Explanation-Construction in Fourth-Grade Classrooms in Germany and the USA: A cross-national comparative video study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, Cory; Lange, Kim; Möller, Kornelia; Biggers, Mandy; Laux, Mira; Zangori, Laura

2014-09-01

To help explain the differences in students' performance on internationally administered science assessments, cross-national, video-based observational studies have been advocated, but none have yet been conducted at the elementary level for science. The USA and Germany are two countries with large formal education systems whose students underperform those from peers on internationally administered standardized science assessments. However, evidence from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Exam assessment suggests fourth-grade students (9-10 year-olds) in the USA perform higher than those in Germany, despite more instructional time devoted to elementary science in Germany. The purpose of this study is to comparatively analyze fourth-grade classroom science in both countries to learn more about how teachers and students engage in scientific inquiry, particularly explanation-construction. Videorecordings of US and German science instruction (n 1 = 42, n 2 = 42) were sampled from existing datasets and analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Despite German science lessons being, on average, twice as long as those in the USA, study findings highlight many similarities between elementary science in terms of scientific practices and features of scientific inquiry. However, they also illustrate crucial differences around the scientific practice of explanation-construction. While students in German classrooms were afforded more substantial opportunities to formulate evidence-based explanations, US classrooms were more strongly characterized by opportunities for students to actively compare and evaluate evidence-based explanations. These factors may begin to help account for observed differences in student achievement and merit further study grounded in international collaboration.

Textbooks vs. techbooks: Effectiveness of digital textbooks on elementary student motivation for learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oman, Auna

This action research project investigated fourth grade students¡¦ motivation to learn science using a digital science techbook. Participants in the study included 29 fourth grade students in two different classrooms. One classroom of 16 students used a digital science techbook to learn science while the other classroom of 13 students used a traditional paper science textbook to learn science. Students in both classrooms answered five sets of questions regarding their experience using a digital science techbook and a paper science techbook to understand science, find science information, solve science problems, learn science, and assess learning science was fun. Results were compiled and coded based on positive and negative responses to conditions. A chi-square was used to analyze the ordinal data. Overall differences between techbooks vs. textbook were significant, X2 (1, N = 29) = 23.84, p = .000, justifying further examination of individual survey items. Three items had statistically significant difference for finding science information, solving science problems, and learning science. A gender difference was also found in one item. Females preferred to use paper science textbooks to understand science, while males preferred digital techbooks to learn science. The fourth graders in this study indicated that digital techbooks were a powerful learning tool for increasing interest, excitement and learning science. Even though students reported paper science textbooks as easy to use, they found using digital science techbooks a far more appealing way to learn science.

Theory Building and Modeling in a Sinking and Floating Unit: A Case Study of Third and Fourth Grade Students' Developing Epistemologies of Science. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kawasaki, Keiko; Herrenkohl, Leslie Rupert; Yeary, Sherry A.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to carefully examine the evolution of students' theory building and modeling, critical components of scientific epistemologies, over a unit of study on sinking and floating in one third/fourth grade classroom. The study described in this paper follows in the tradition of Design Experiments (Brown 1992, Collins 1990)…

Hannah's Prior Knowledge about Chemicals: A Case Study of One Fourth-Grade Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bretz, Stacey Lowery; Emenike, Mary Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Chemical principles are taught in elementary education across much of the United States because the "National Science Education Standards" include concepts about the nature of matter, states of matter, and changes in matter among other science concepts within the first to fifth grade levels. "Chemicals" is a word related to the nature of matter…

I Find Out About Science. Grade 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Applied Linguistics, Arlington, VA.

This textbook is the fourth in the official science series developed by the Ministry of Education in Saigon and used in all public schools in Vietnam. The books in this series have been reprinted in their entirety from the original editions for use in American schools with Vietnamese students. The grade four text contains the following chapters:…

Using children's literature to enhance views of nature of science and scientific attitude in fourth graders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampton, Kathryn Walker

This project was an effort to study the effect of integrating children's trade books into the fourth grade science curriculum on the students' views of the nature of science and their scientific attitude. The effect on the students' reading and language achievement, and science content knowledge was also analyzed. This was done by comparing the nature of science views and scientific attitudes, reading and language achievement scores, and the science grades of the treatment group, prior to and immediately following the intervention period, with the control group which did not participate in the integration of children's books. The science teacher's views on the nature of science and her attitude towards teaching science were also evaluated prior to and after the intervention. The selected trade books were evaluated for their coverage of nature of science aspects. Three intact classes of fourth grade students from a local elementary school were involved in the study along with their science and reading teacher. Two of the classes made up the experimental group and the remaining class served as the control group. All students were assessed prior to the intervention phase on their views of the nature of science and scientific attitudes. The experimental group was engaged in reading selected science trade books during their science class and study hall over a semester period. The results of the study showed a significant difference in the groups' initial reading and language achievement, which may have affected the lack of an effect from the intervention. The instrument selected to assess the student's views on the nature of science and scientific attitude (SAI II) was not reliable with this group. There was no significant difference on the students' science content knowledge as measured by their semester grade averages. The results from the teacher's response on the STAS II did indicate slight changes on her views on the nature of science. Sixty-nine of the eighty-three children's trade books selected had one or more aspects of the nature of science included.

Colorado Student Assessment Program Technical Report, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver.

This report presents the results of the statewide spring 2000 administration of the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP). Third-grade students were assessed in Reading; fourth- and seventh-grade students were assessed in Reading and Writing; and eighth-grade students were assessed in Mathematics and Science. The assessments were developed by…

Acquiring Science and Social Studies Knowledge in Kindergarten Through Fourth Grade: Conceptualization, Design, Implementation, and Efficacy Testing of Content-Area Literacy Instruction (CALI).

PubMed

Dombek, Jennifer; Crowe, Elizabeth C; Spencer, Mercedes; Tighe, Elizabeth L; Coffinger, Sean; Zargar, Elham; Wood, Taffeta; Petscher, Yaacov

2017-04-01

With national focus on reading and math achievement, science and social studies have received less instructional time. Yet, accumulating evidence suggests that content knowledge is an important predictor of proficient reading. Starting with a design study, we developed Content Area Literacy Instruction (CALI), as an individualized (or personalized) instructional program for kindergarteners through fourth graders to build science and social studies knowledge. We developed CALI to be implemented in general education classrooms, over multiple iterations (n=230 students), using principles of design-based implementation research. The aims were to develop CALI as a usable and feasible instructional program that would, potentially, improve science and social studies knowledge, and could be implemented during the literacy block without negatively affecting students' reading gains (i.e., no opportunity cost). We then evaluated the efficacy of CALI in a randomized controlled field trial with 418 students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Results reveal that CALI demonstrates promise as a useable and feasible instructional individualized general education program, and is efficacious in improving social studies ( d =2.2) and science ( d =2.1) knowledge, with some evidence of improving oral and reading comprehension skills ( d =.125).

National Center for Mathematics and Science - publications

Science.gov Websites

Approach to Teaching Evolution Speaks to Debate (press release) Fourth Grade Math Makes the News: VIEW , Megan Loef Franke, Linda Levi Publisher: Heinemann, 2003 Transforming Teaching in Math and Science: How

Sound Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sickel, Aaron J.; Lee, Michele H.; Pareja, Enrique M.

2010-01-01

How can a teacher simultaneously teach science concepts through inquiry while helping students learn about the nature of science? After pondering this question in their own teaching, the authors developed a 5E learning cycle lesson (Bybee et al. 2006) that concurrently embeds opportunities for fourth-grade students to (a) learn a science concept,…

Simple and Complex Plants. Fourth Grade. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anchorage School District, AK.

This unit contains 15 lessons on Alaskan plants for fourth graders. It describes materials, supplementary materials, use of process skill terminology, unit objectives, vocabulary, background information about five kingdoms of living things, and a webbing activity. Included are: (1) "Roots in Action"; (2) "Chlorophyll"; (3)…

Teaching the Classics in the Middle Grades: Connecting with the Roots of Western Civilization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Robin H.

1998-01-01

At a New Jersey school, students spend one year studying each of three time periods: ancient Egypt in fourth grade; Greece in fifth grade; and Rome and the Middle Ages in sixth grade. The history curriculum becomes the focal point for other areas (art, music, drama, language arts, science, geography, and math). Teachers use primary sources and…

The Effects of Incorporating Classroom Pets into the Fourth Grade Science Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Admire, Maegan

The purpose of this study was to identify and promote successful teaching strategies that incorporate classroom pets in order to influence student engagement, achievement, and perceptions of animals. This was a small action research study conducted in a fourth grade science classroom. Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained including, pre- and post-assessments, student interviews, researcher field notes, researcher journal, and student work. The results of this study revealed an increased academic achievement from the pre- to post-assessment, increased student observations and descriptions when discussing the animals, and increased student empathy toward the animals. The results also revealed that the teacher's incorporation of the animals within the science curriculum grew in ease over time, and that the animals provided the educator with opportunities to teach non-content related lessons and also a concrete experience for the teacher to apply and extend the science content.

Construction and Validation of an Instrument to Measure Taiwanese Elementary Students' Attitudes toward Their Science Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Tzu-Ling; Berlin, Donna

2010-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to develop a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the "attitudes toward science class" of fourth- and fifth-grade students in an Asian school culture. Specifically, the development focused on three science attitude constructs--science enjoyment, science confidence, and importance of science as…

Should Science Be Used to Teach Mathematical Skills?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kren, Sandra R.; Huntsberger, John P.

1977-01-01

Studies elementary school childrens' abilities in (1) measuring and constructing angles, and (2) interpreting and constructing linear graphs as a result of instructional formats. Partitioned into instructional treatments of (1) science, (2) science-mathematics, (3) mathematics, and (4) control were 161 fourth- and fifth-grade children. Mathematics…

Art & Science Grow Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stellflue, Pat; Allen, Marie; Gerber, D. Timothy

2005-01-01

This article describes a collaborative effort that included a botany professor, an art teacher, and a science teacher, called,"Plants, Pots, and Paints." This interdisciplinary project was successful in connecting content across disciplines (science to art) and for motivating fourth-and fifth-grade students to create something beautiful both they…

Science Curriculum Guide, Level 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newark School District, DE.

The fourth of four levels in a K-12 science curriculum is outlined. In Level 4 (grades 9-12), science areas include earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. Six major themes provide the basis for study in all levels (K-12). These are: Change, Continuity, Diversity, Interaction, Limitation, and Organization. In Level 4, all six themes are…

Using History of Science to Teach Nature of Science to Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouad, Khadija E.; Masters, Heidi; Akerson, Valarie L.

2015-01-01

Science lessons using inquiry only or history of science with inquiry were used for explicit reflective nature of science (NOS) instruction for second-, third-, and fourth-grade students randomly assigned to receive one of the treatments. Students in both groups improved in their understanding of creative NOS, tentative NOS, empirical NOS, and…

Investigating Elementary Principals' Science Beliefs and Knowledge and Its Relationship to Students' Science Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Uzma Zafar

2012-01-01

The aim of this quantitative study was to investigate elementary principals' beliefs about reformed science teaching and learning, science subject matter knowledge, and how these factors relate to fourth grade students' superior science outcomes. Online survey methodology was used for data collection and included a demographic…

Science Instruction in a Culture of High-Stakes Assessment: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study into the Experiences of Missouri Elementary School Teachers in a Non-Assessed Grade Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, April Dawn-Nell

2017-01-01

The purpose of the transcendental qualitative phenomenological research is to describe the characteristics and strategies of teachers who share the same experiences in teaching science, a non-assessed content, in a high-stakes assessment environment at the third and fourth grade levels. Teacher curriculum choices are dictated by the need to…

Acquiring Science and Social Studies Knowledge in Kindergarten Through Fourth Grade: Conceptualization, Design, Implementation, and Efficacy Testing of Content-Area Literacy Instruction (CALI)

PubMed Central

Dombek, Jennifer; Crowe, Elizabeth C.; Spencer, Mercedes; Tighe, Elizabeth L.; Coffinger, Sean; Zargar, Elham; Wood, Taffeta; Petscher, Yaacov

2016-01-01

With national focus on reading and math achievement, science and social studies have received less instructional time. Yet, accumulating evidence suggests that content knowledge is an important predictor of proficient reading. Starting with a design study, we developed Content Area Literacy Instruction (CALI), as an individualized (or personalized) instructional program for kindergarteners through fourth graders to build science and social studies knowledge. We developed CALI to be implemented in general education classrooms, over multiple iterations (n=230 students), using principles of design-based implementation research. The aims were to develop CALI as a usable and feasible instructional program that would, potentially, improve science and social studies knowledge, and could be implemented during the literacy block without negatively affecting students' reading gains (i.e., no opportunity cost). We then evaluated the efficacy of CALI in a randomized controlled field trial with 418 students in kindergarten through fourth grade. Results reveal that CALI demonstrates promise as a useable and feasible instructional individualized general education program, and is efficacious in improving social studies (d=2.2) and science (d=2.1) knowledge, with some evidence of improving oral and reading comprehension skills (d=.125). PMID:28479610

Fourth and eighth grade students' conceptions of energy flow through ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arkwright, Ashlie Beals

This mixed methods status study examined 32 fourth grade students' conceptual understandings of energy flow through ecosystems prior to instruction and 40 eighth grade students' conceptual understandings of the same topic after five years of daily standards-based instruction in science. Specific ecological concepts assessed related to: 1) roles of organisms; 2) the sun as the original energy source for most ecosystems; and 3) interdependency of organisms. Fourth and eighth grade students were assessed using the same three-tiered forced-choice instrument, with accompanying tasks for students to defend their forced-choice selections and rate their level of confidence in making the selections. The instrument was developed for the study by a team of researchers and was based on similar tasks presented in the research literature. Distractor options were embedded in each assessment task using common non-scientific ideas also reported in the research literature. Cronbach's alpha values at or greater than .992 for each task indicated interrater consistency of task answers, and Rasch analysis was employed to establish the reliability of the instrument. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were employed to assess the data. Constant comparative methods were employed to analyze students' written responses, which were coded and grouped into emerging themes. These themes were further developed to characterize students' conceptual understandings. Student open responses also were scored and coded by a team of researchers using a rubric to identify level of scientific understanding. Quantitative analyses included Rasch analysis used to normalize survey data. Independent samples t-tests were then employed to compare students' forced-choice responses to their written responses and to the confidence ratings, as well as to compare fourth and eighth grade students' responses. Findings indicated that eighth grade students generally outperformed the fourth grade on both the forced-choice and written responses, but both groups demonstrated conceptual difficulties in all three topics assessed. Thus, results from the current study support the assertion that students' understanding of concepts related to energy flow in ecosystems is not at the expected level according to national science education standards and frameworks. Conceptual difficulties identified in the study are discussed along with implications and curricular recommendations.

Teacher training

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-14

Mississippi educators participated in a variety of hands-on activities, including rocketry, robotics, and NASA's BEST (Beginning Engineering, Science, and Technology) during a pair of during a pair of professional development workshops conducted by Stennis Space Center educators in June. On June 14, Stennis educators presented workshops to 96 kindergarten-through-12th-grade science teachers and eight Jackson State University faculty, as part of JSU's Project MAST (Mississippi Academy for Science Teaching) Project. On June 21, educators presented workshops in Starkville to 43 fourth-through-eighth-grade science teachers as part of Mississippi State University's Advancing Teachers of Middle School Science initiative.

Chemistry Science Investigation: Dognapping Workshop, an Outreach Program Designed to Introduce Students to Science through a Hands-On Mystery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyle, Timothy J.; Sears, Jeremiah M.; Hernandez-Sanchez, Bernadette A.; Casillas, Maddison R.; Nguyen, Thao H.

2017-01-01

The Chemistry Science Investigation: Dognapping Workshop was designed to (i) target and inspire fourth grade students to view themselves as "Junior Scientists" before their career decisions are solidified; (ii) enable hands-on experience in fundamental scientific concepts; (iii) increase public interaction with science, technology,…

Participating in Science at Home: Recognition Work and Learning in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Heather Toomey

2012-01-01

This article presents an analysis of the longitudinal consequences of out-of-school science learning with a conceptual framework that connects the intentions of youth to their participation in science. The focus is on one girl's science activities in her home and hobby pursuits from fourth to seventh grade to create an empirical account of how…

Examining the Effects of Science Manipulatives on Achievement, Attitudes, and Journal Writing of Elementary Science Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frederick, Lynda R.; Shaw, Edward L., Jr.

This study examined several aspects of elementary science students' achievement, attitudes, and journal writing in conjunction with an Alabama Hands-on Activity Science Program (HASP) grant utilizing the Full Option Science System (FOSS) kit. The sample of 56 fourth grade students in two classes was administered a 15-item pretest and post-test.…

Increasing Student Achievement through Brain-Based Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pociask, Amanda; Settles, Jeri

2007-01-01

The students targeted were third and fourth grade students with learning-disabilities and seventh-eighth grade science students who exhibited poor test scores, motivation, and behaviors that negatively impacted their learning. The objective of this study was to change the level of student engagement in order to increase their academic achievement…

A Mathematics and Science Trail

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kathy Horak; Fuentes, Sarah Quebec

2012-01-01

In an attempt to engage primary-school students in a hands-on, real-world problem-solving context, a large urban district, a mathematics and science institute housed in a college of education, and a corporate sponsor in the southwest United States, joined forces to create a mathematics and science trail for fourth- and fifth-grade students. A…

Science Inquiry into Local Animals: Structure and Function Explored through Model Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rule, Audrey C.; Tallakson, Denise A.; Glascock, Alex L.; Chao, Astoria

2015-01-01

This article describes an arts- and spatial thinking skill--integrated inquiry project applied to life science concepts from the Next Generation Science Standards for fourth grade students that focuses on two unifying or crosscutting themes: (1) structure (or "form") and function and (2) use of models. Students made observations and…

Traffic Flow - USMES Teacher Resource Book. Fourth Edition. Trial Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keskulla, Jean

This Unified Sciences and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (USMES) unit challenges students to improve traffic flow at a problem location. The challenge is general enough to apply to many problem-solving situations in mathematics, science, social science, and language arts at any elementary school level (grades 1-8). The Teacher Resource Book…

Instruction and Students' Declining Interest in Science: An Analysis of German Fourth- and Sixth-Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tröbst, Steffen; Kleickmann, Thilo; Lange-Schubert, Kim; Rothkopf, Anne; Möller, Kornelia

2016-01-01

Students' interest in science declines substantially in the transition from elementary to secondary education. Using students' ratings of their instruction on the topic of evaporation and condensation, we examined if changes in instructional practices accounted for differences in situational interest in science instruction and enduring individual…

Sisters in Science: A Model Program. Spotlight on Student Success, No. 201.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammrich, Penny L.

In an effort to promote females' achievement in science, the Sisters in Science program was developed. Conducted in 2 schools in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), the program's inaugural year involved 60 fourth-grade girls in 2 elementary schools, an intergenerational corps of 20 women volunteers, 150 undergraduate elementary education students, and 8…

Environments. Basic Edition. Science for Micronesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Dept. of Education, Saipan.

Presented is a teacher's guide to an elementary science unit designed for use with fourth grade, or higher, students in the Trust Territory of Micronesia. Although there is a degree of similarity to curriculum materials developed for the Science Curriculum Improvement Study, this Micronesian unit does not purport to be an adaption or edition of…

Teaching habitat and animal classification to fourth graders using an engineering-design model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marulcu, Ismail

2014-05-01

Background: The motivation for this work is built upon the premise that there is a need for research-based materials for design-based science instruction. In this paper, a small portion of our work investigating the impact of a LEGOTM engineering unit on fourth grade students' preconceptions and understanding of animals is presented. Purpose: The driving questions for our work are: (1) What is the impact of an engineering-design-based curricular module on students' understanding of habitat and animal classification? (2) What are students' misconceptions regarding animal classification and habitat? Sample: The study was conducted in an inner-city K-8 school in the northeastern region of the United States. There were two fourth grade classrooms in the school. The first classroom included seven girls and nine boys, whereas the other classroom included eight girls and eight boys. All fourth grade students participated in the study. Design and methods: In answering the research questions mixed-method approaches are used. Data collection methods included pre- and post-tests, pre- and post-interviews, student journals, and classroom observations. Identical pre- and post-tests were administered to measure students' understanding of animals. They included four multiple-choice and six open-ended questions. Identical pre- and post-interviews were administered to explore students' in-depth understanding of animals. Results: Our results show that students significantly increased their performance after instruction on both the multiple-choice questions (t = -3.586, p = .001) and the open-ended questions (t = -5.04, p = .000). They performed better on the post interviews as well. Also, it is found that design-based instruction helped students comprehend core concepts of a life science subject, animals. Conclusions: Based on these results, the main argument of the study is that engineering design is a useful framework for teaching not only physical science-related subjects, but also life science subjects in elementary science classrooms.

Impact of Integrated Science and English Language Arts Literacy Supplemental Instructional Intervention on Science Academic Achievement of Elementary Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks, Jamar Terry

The purpose of this quasi-experimental, nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design study was to determine if any differences existed in upper elementary school students' science academic achievement when instructed using an 8-week integrated science and English language arts literacy supplemental instructional intervention in conjunction with traditional science classroom instruction as compared to when instructed using solely traditional science classroom instruction. The targeted sample population consisted of fourth-grade students enrolled in a public elementary school located in the southeastern region of the United States. The convenience sample size consisted of 115 fourth-grade students enrolled in science classes. The pretest and posttest academic achievement data collected consisted of the science segment from the Spring 2015, and Spring 2016 state standardized assessments. Pretest and posttest academic achievement data were analyzed using an ANCOVA statistical procedure to test for differences, and the researcher reported the results of the statistical analysis. The results of the study show no significant difference in science academic achievement between treatment and control groups. An interpretation of the results and recommendations for future research were provided by the researcher upon completion of the statistical analysis.

The Attitudinal and Cognitive Effects of Planetarium Integration in Teaching Selected Astronomical Concepts to Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth-Grade Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twiest, Mark Gilbert

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudinal and cognitive differences among students in an astronomy curriculum which utilizes a planetarium in comparison to an astronomy curriculum which is presented solely in the classroom. The specific attitudes of interest in this study are those student attitudes toward science as a whole and toward astronomy in particular. Researcher developed attitude and astronomy achievement measures were developed and administered to 423 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in three schools. Pre and post test data were collected from students in this quasi-experimental design. Two way analysis of covariance techniques were used to analyze the independent variables of gender and treatment. Results revealed significant differences (p < .05) in student attitudes toward astronomy in the fourth grade favoring the control school students. No other significant differences in student attitudes were found with respect to treatment or gender. Achievement was analyzed at both the knowledge and comprehension levels. Significant differences (p <.05) in student achievement were found fourth and fifth grades with respect to knowledge level questions. In both instances these differences favored the control school setting. Significant differences (p <.05) in student achievement were found for comprehension level questions at every grade level. In this case the control school outperformed the experimental setting in the fourth and sixth grades. Fifth grade experimental setting students had significantly higher achievement on comprehension level questions. A significant interaction occurred between treatment and gender with respect to student attitudes toward astronomy in the fifth grade. A second significant interaction occurred between treatment and gender for knowledge level questions for sixth grade students. No other significant interactions were found between treatment and gender. Correlations between post test attitudes and achievement were also calculated for each grade level in both the control and experimental settings. Correlations remained below.2 in every instance except one. Post test correlations between attitudes overall and achievement in the control school's sixth grade were.54.

Examination of the Transfer of Astronomy and Space Sciences Knowledge to Daily Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emrahoglu, Nuri

2017-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to determine the levels of the ability of science teaching fourth grade students to transfer their knowledge of astronomy and space sciences to daily life within the scope of the Astronomy and Space Sciences lesson. For this purpose, the research method was designed as the mixed method including both the quantitative…

The Poetry of Dandelions: Merging Content-Area Literacy and Science Content Knowledge in a Fourth-Grade Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Lauren; Peel, Anne; Watson, Heather

2014-01-01

As teachers begin to implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), they are challenged to focus on informational texts across the disciplines and engage children in critical thinking about complex scientific ideas. In this article, we present an integrated science-language arts lesson that explores…

The Effect of the Conceptual Change Oriented Instruction through Cooperative Learning on 4th Grade Students' Understanding of Earth and Sky Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Celikten, Oksan; Ipekcioglu, Sevgi; Ertepinar, Hamide; Geban, Omer

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the conceptual change oriented instruction through cooperative learning (CCICL) and traditional science instruction (TI) on 4th grade students' understanding of earth and sky concepts and their attitudes toward earth and sky concepts. In this study, 56 fourth grade students from the…

Earth Science: Rocks. Grade 4. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anchorage School District, AK.

This unit contains six lessons on rocks for fourth graders. It describes materials, supplementary materials (including films, units, and books) schedule, unit introduction, and background information for teachers. Lessons include: (1) "Rocks Are Everywhere"; (2) "Chart Making"; (3) "Things Are Breaking Up"; (4)…

Whales and Hermit Crabs: Integrated Programming and Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kataoka, Joy C.; Lock, Robin

1995-01-01

This article describes an integrated program in marine biology. The program was implemented in a nongraded inclusive setting with second- to fourth-grade students whose abilities ranged from gifted to learning disabled. The program integrated science, art, music, language arts, and research and computer skills. (DB)

101 Environmental Education Activities. Booklet 4--Science Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitney, Helen, Comp.

Fourth in the series "101 Environmental Education Activities" by the Upper Mississippi River ECO-Center, the booklet contains 39 environment-based science activities directed to students in primary, intermediate, and junior high classes. Organization of the activities usually includes grade level, objectives, procedures, and materials,…

Teaching Habitat and Animal Classification to Fourth Graders Using an Engineering-Design Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marulcu, Ismail

2014-01-01

Background: The motivation for this work is built upon the premise that there is a need for research-based materials for design-based science instruction. In this paper, a small portion of our work investigating the impact of a LEGO[TM] engineering unit on fourth grade students' preconceptions and understanding of animals is presented. Purpose:…

Designing for Human Proportions - USMES Teacher Resource Book. Fourth Edition. Trial Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussey, Margery Koo

Designing or making changes in things students use or wear is the challenge of this Unified Sciences and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (USMES) unit. The challenge is general enough to apply to many problem-solving situations in mathematics, science, social science, and language arts at any elementary school level (grades 1-8). The Teacher…

Wolves Are Beautiful and Proud: Science Learning from a School Field Trip

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glick, Marilyn Petty; Samarapungavan, Ala

2008-01-01

This research examines the impact of related classroom activities on fourth grade students' science learning from a school field trip. The current study draws upon research in psychology and education to create an intervention that is designed to enhance what students learn from school science field trips. The intervention comprises a set of…

Mi Cuarto Libro de Maquinas Simples: Otras Modificaciones de la Rueda. Escuela Intermedia Grados 7, 8 y 9 (My Fourth Book of Simple Machines: Other Modifications of the Wheel. Intermediate School Grades 7, 8, and 9).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarado, Patricio R.; Montalvo, Luis

This is the fourth book in a five-book physical science series on simple machines. The books are designed for Spanish-speaking junior high school students. This volume explains further refinements of the wheel which is introduced in volume three. The fourth volume explains principles behind gears and the relationship between velocity and force by…

Integrating Math in a Sea of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herron, Julie; Foster, Andrea

2017-01-01

In this featured lesson, entitled "Fishy Feeding Frenzy," fourth-grade students engage in a classic science activity that requires them to experience the interdependent relationships of organisms in an ecosystem. The students explore how adaptations increase the survival of a member of a species by participating in an active "fishy…

Science Activities in Energy: Electrical Energy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN.

Presented is a science activities in energy package which includes 16 activities relating to electrical energy. Activities are simple, concrete experiments for fourth, fifth and sixth grades which illustrate principles and problems relating to energy. Each activity is outlined in a single card which is introduced by a question. A teacher's…

Conservation II. Science Activities in Energy. [Student's and] Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN.

Designed for science students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, the activities in this unit illustrate principles and problems related to the conservation of energy. Eleven student activities using art, economics, arithmetic, and other skills and disciplines help teachers directly involve students in exploring scientific questions and making…

Teacher's Guide for Budding Twigs. Elementary Science Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crowley, Rose Lea; And Others

This teaching guide supplements a science unit concerned with bud maturation recommended for use in fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms. The first section describes possible activities for children to explore, such as field study, collections, dissecting, and experiments. The second section offers a few brief suggestions for teaching the unit. The…

Navigating a Sea of Ideas: Teacher and Students Negotiate a Course toward Mutual Relevance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flick, Lawrence B.

1995-01-01

Uses theories of social cognition and verbal communication to analyze how an experienced fourth-grade teacher blends teaching skills in language arts and reading with hands-on science to stimulate classroom inquiry. Discusses implications for elementary science instruction. Contains 41 references. (Author/JRH)

Factors Affecting Early Elementary (K-4) Teachers' Introduction of the Nature of Science: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeney, Sophia Jean

2010-01-01

A researcher-developed questionnaire regarding the importance and developmental appropriateness of 12 specific elements of the nature of science (Alshamrani, 2008) for early elementary (kindergarten through fourth grade [K-4]) science instruction was mailed to a random sample of U.S. K-4 teachers. At least half (N = 377) of the respondents…

A Comparison of the Quality and Sequence of Television and Classroom Science Questions With a Proposed Strategy of Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beisenherz, Paul C.

1973-01-01

Studied the utilization and effectiveness of a televised science series in 54 first through fourth-grade classrooms, using multiple category systems to analyze the questioning behavior of studio and classroom teachers. Concluded that questioning behaviors of teachers with or without the teachers' manual was influenced by the TV broadcast. (CC)

Enhancing Elementary Students' Experiences Learning about Circuits Using an Exploration-Explanation Instructional Sequence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Timothy M.; Brown, Patrick L.

2010-01-01

Using an exploration-explanation sequence of science instruction helps teachers unveil students' prior knowledge about circuits and engage them in minds-on science learning. In these lessons, fourth grade students make predictions and test their ideas about circuits in series through hands-on investigations. The teacher helps students make…

Formative Assessment Probes: Where Do I Put the Switch?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeley, Page

2015-01-01

After completing a science unit on transfer of energy, including how chemical energy from a battery is converted to electrical energy; electrical circuits; and transformation of energy into sound, light, or heat; the students in Mrs. Finlay's fourth-grade science class were challenged to use what they learned to solve a problem. The students…

The Effects of a Computerized Study Program on the Acquisition of Science Vocabulary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollins, Karen F.

2012-01-01

The following study examined the difference in science vocabulary acquisition comparing computer-assisted learning and a traditional study review sheet. Fourth and fifth grade students from a suburban school in central Texas were randomly selected and randomly assigned to either experimental group or control group. Both groups were given a…

Toad-Ally Cool Math and Science Integration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brkich, Katie; Allen, Melony; Huffling, Lacey; Matthews, Catherine

2017-01-01

"Hop to It," a week-long herpetology-focused summer STEM camp for rising fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade girls, provided young females with authentic, hands-on science experiences, allowing them to develop the habits of thought and processes of action used by STEM field experts while also engaging and sustaining their interest in the…

Illuminating Apps for Fourth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennex, Lesia; Bodenlos, Emily

2014-01-01

Elementary science is chock-full of wonderful experiences for students. Do children see iPads as a tool for learning about science? Using Prensky (2010) as a guide, the researchers decided to see if "assessing students with their own" tools (p.178) using iPad apps would support learning discrete knowledge for electricity and light…

TIMSS 2015 Assessment Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullis, Ina V. S., Ed.; Martin, Michael O., Ed.

2013-01-01

Now entering into its 20th year of data collection, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, (TIMSS) is an international assessment of mathematics and science at the fourth and eighth grades. TIMSS 2015 is the most recent in the TIMSS series, which began with the first assessments in 1995 and has continued every four years--1999,…

The Force of Multimedia Slide Shows

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santangelo, Darcy; Guy, Mark

2004-01-01

Many teachers look for a creative and engaging way to bring physical science topics of force and motion to life for their students. In this project, fourth-grade students weren't "forced" to investigate physical science topics--they were thrilled to! With the help of various technology tools--digital cameras, the Internet, computers, and…

"The Capture:" Kidnapping Students' Interests Using the "Guardians of Ga'Hoole"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradbury, Leslie; Frye, Beth; Gross, Lisa

2013-01-01

This project describes a fourth-grade unit that integrated science and language arts using the book "The Capture" as a focal point. During the unit, students engaged in science activities and language arts lessons that focused on owls. Students conducted investigations that helped them develop a deeper understanding of the adaptations of…

Go Fly a Tetrahedron!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowens, John

1995-01-01

Describes a science unit used in a fourth-grade class to teach students about Bernoulli's law of flight, the similarity of tetrahedrons to birds, and the construction of tetrahedron kites. Also includes thought-provoking math questions for students. (MDM)

A Pilot Study to Investigate the Effectiveness of Multimedia CD-ROM vis-a-vis Traditional Print-Based Technology in Teaching Fourth-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shana, Zuhrieh A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of effectiveness of multimedia technology in teaching in comparison to the traditional print-based teaching methods. Multimedia CD was designed to teach the second semester unit of science and Islamic studies for the fourth graders. The unit's content was the same in the print-based teaching…

Assessing School Libraries as Learning Environments: Examining Students' Perceptions in Third, Fourth and Fifth Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz-Jones, Barbara; Ledbetter, Cynthia

2010-01-01

This paper presents the full results from a 2008/2009 research study examining the application of a "learning environment" paradigm to the school library setting. The preliminary results from the examination of the Fifth Grade science classes were presented at the IASL 2009 Research Forum. We now report the process of completing our…

Teacher's Resource Book for Animal Evidence/Tracks. Grade 4. Revised. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anchorage School District, AK.

This resource book introduces fourth-grade children to nature around them by studying animal tracks and other animal evidence. The lessons and concepts covered in this unit are designed to develop an awareness and appreciation of animals in our environment. Ten lessons are provided including: (1) identifying holes, tracks, and scratches; (2)…

Improving Elementary Students' Engagement during Independent Reading through Teacher Conferencing, Teacher Modeling, and Student Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Jenna L.; Howard, Cameron C.; Leftwich, Rebecca J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this action research project report was to increase engagement during independent reading for 32 fourth-grade students and 26 seventh-grade science students. At Site A, data was collected from August 27, 2012 through December 14, 2012. At Site B, data was collected from September 24, 2012 through December 14, 2012. Students'…

Learning Science-Based Fitness Knowledge in Constructivist Physical Education

PubMed Central

Sun, Haichun; Chen, Ang; Zhu, Xihe; Ennis, Catherine D.

2015-01-01

Teaching fitness-related knowledge has become critical in developing children’s healthful living behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a science-based, constructivist physical education curriculum on learning fitness knowledge critical to healthful living in elementary school students. The schools (N = 30) were randomly selected from one of the largest school districts in the United States and randomly assigned to treatment curriculum and control conditions. Students in third, fourth, and fifth grade (N = 5,717) were pre- and posttested on a standardized knowledge test on exercise principles and benefits in cardiorespiratory health, muscular capacity, and healthful nutrition and body flexibility. The results indicated that children in the treatment curriculum condition learned at a faster rate than their counterparts in the control condition. The results suggest that the constructivist curriculum is capable of inducing superior knowledge gain in third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade children. PMID:26269659

An Analysis of the Relationship between Prospective Teachers' Thinking Styles and Their Attitudes to Teaching Profession According to Various Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uygun, Mehmet; Kunt, Halil

2014-01-01

This study aimed to analyze the relationship between primary school prospective teachers' thinking styles and their attitudes to teaching profession. The study group for the research consisted of fourth-grade Primary School of Elementary Education, Social Sciences Education and Science Education students studying at Dumlupinar University Education…

The Effects of Integrated Science, Technology, and Engineering Education on Elementary Students' Knowledge and Identity Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, So Yoon; Dyehouse, Melissa; Lucietto, Anne M.; Diefes-Dux, Heidi A.; Capobianco, Brenda M.

2014-01-01

This study examines the effects of integrated science, technology, and engineering (STE) education on second-, third-, and fourth-grade students' STE content knowledge and aspirations concerning engineering after validation of the measures. During the 2009-2010 school year, 59 elementary school teachers, who attended a week-long engineering…

Science Study Aids 4: Plant Pigments - Studies in Color Changes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, Bill; McCready, R. M.

This publication is the fourth of a series of seven supplementary investigative materials for use in secondary science classes providing up-to-date research-related investigations. This unit is structured for grades 9 through 12. It deals with physical factors that affect color changes in plant foods during processing and in the preparation of…

Science Inquiry and Student Diversity: Enhanced Abilities and Continuing Difficulties after an Instructional Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Okhee; Buxton, Cory; Lewis, Scott; LeRoy, Kathryn

2006-01-01

This study examines elementary students' abilities to conduct science inquiry through their participation in an instructional intervention over a school year. The study involved 25 third and fourth grade students from six elementary schools representing diverse linguistic and cultural groups. Prior to and at the completion of the intervention, the…

Teachers' Perceptions of Policy Influences on Science Instruction with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaver, Annis; Cuevas, Peggy; Lee, Okhee; Avalos, Mary

2007-01-01

This study asked elementary school teachers how educational policies affected their science instruction with a majority of English language learners. The study employed a questionnaire followed by focus group interviews with 43 third and fourth grade teachers from six elementary schools in a large urban school district with high populations of…

Explanation-Construction in Fourth-Grade Classrooms in Germany and the USA: A Cross-National Comparative Video Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Cory; Lange, Kim; Möller, Kornelia; Biggers, Mandy; Laux, Mira; Zangori, Laura

2014-01-01

To help explain the differences in students' performance on internationally administered science assessments, cross-national, video-based observational studies have been advocated, but none have yet been conducted at the elementary level for science. The USA and Germany are two countries with large formal education systems whose students…

Biomass I. Science Activities in Energy [and] Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oak Ridge Associated Universities, TN.

Designed for science students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, the activities in this unit illustrate principles and problems related to biomass as a form of energy. (The word biomass is used to describe all solid material of animal or vegetable origin from which energy may be extracted.) Twelve student activities using art, economics,…

Determining Discourses: Constraints and Resources Influencing Early Career Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grindstaff, Kelly E.

2010-01-01

This study explores the thinking and practices of five early-career teachers of grades eight to ten science, in relation to their histories, schools, students, and larger cultural and political forces. All the teachers are young women, two in their fourth year of teaching, who teach together in an affluent suburb, along with one first-year…

Rekindling the Flame.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohanian, Susan

1985-01-01

An elementary school teacher developed renewed interest in both teaching and learning after enrolling in an American Heart Association workshop. This article discusses how a science unit on the heart was taught in a creative and interesting way to fourth-grade students. (DF)

Skeletons Not Just for Halloween.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markle, Sandra; And Others

1983-01-01

A teaching unit that helps fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students learn about human and animal skeletal systems is described. The unit focuses on bone characteristics and develops basic science skills, such as observation, data collection, and making and testing hypotheses. (PP)

The Relationship Between the Learning Style Perceptual Preferences of Urban Fourth Grade Children and the Acquisition of Selected Physical Science Concepts Through Learning Cycle Instructional Methodology.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Kenneth Mark

The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between the learning style perceptual preferences of fourth grade urban students and the attainment of selected physical science concepts for three simple machines as taught using learning cycle methodology. The sample included all fourth grade children from one urban elementary school (N = 91). The research design followed a quasi-experimental format with a single group, equivalent teacher demonstration and student investigation materials, and identical learning cycle instructional treatment. All subjects completed the Understanding Simple Machines Test (USMT) prior to instructional treatment, and at the conclusion of treatment to measure student concept attainment related to the pendulum, the lever and fulcrum, and the inclined plane. USMT pre and post-test scores, California Achievement Test (CAT-5) percentile scores, and Learning Style Inventory (LSI) standard scores for four perceptual elements for each subject were held in a double blind until completion of the USMT post-test. The hypothesis tested in this study was: Learning style perceptual preferences of fourth grade students as measured by the Dunn, Dunn, and Price Learning Style Inventory (LSI) are significant predictors of success in the acquisition of physical science concepts taught through use of the learning cycle. Analysis of pre and post USMT scores, 18.18 and 30.20 respectively, yielded a significant mean gain of +12.02. A controlled stepwise regression was employed to identify significant predictors of success on the USMT post-test from among USMT pre-test, four CAT-5 percentile scores, and four LSI perceptual standard scores. The CAT -5 Total Math and Total Reading accounted for 64.06% of the variance in the USMT post-test score. The only perceptual element to act as a significant predictor was the Kinesthetic standard score, accounting for 1.72% of the variance. The study revealed that learning cycle instruction does not appear to be sensitive to different perceptual preferences. Students with different preferences for auditory, visual, and tactile modalities, when learning, seem to benefit equally from learning cycle exposure. Increased use of a double blind for future learning styles research was recommended.

An Analysis of the 3D Video and Interactive Response Approach Effects on the Science Remedial Teaching for Fourth Grade Underachieving Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Chin-Cheng

2017-01-01

Elementary school remedial teaching has been promoted for many years in Taiwan but it has primarily been aimed at Chinese and mathematics with little attention being paid to natural sciences. Due to the current shortage of natural science teachers, along with limitations in school budget and manpower, it is difficult to put natural science…

Critical Thinking Handbook: 4th-6th Grades. A Guide for Remodelling Lesson Plans in Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Richard; And Others

This handbook, designed to help teachers of fourth through sixth grades remodel their own lesson plans, has one basic objective: to demonstrate that it is possible and practical to integrate instruction for critical thinking into the teaching of all subjects. The handbook thoroughly discusses the concept of critical thinking and the principles…

An Assessment of Student Knowledge in Fourth, Eighth and Eleventh Grades of Science and Natural Resource Concepts Related to Acidic Deposition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Michael; And Others

This study assessed the level of scientific and natural resource knowledge that 4th, 8th, and 11th grade students in Maine possessed concerning acidic deposition. A representative sample of public school students (n=175) was interviewed on 12 concept principles considered critical to a full understanding of the acidic deposition problem. These…

Enhancing Learning through Multiple Intelligences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozdemir, Pinar; Guneysu, Sibel; Tekkaya, Ceren

2006-01-01

This study investigated whether there was a significant difference between multiple intelligence instruction (MII) and traditionally designed science instruction (TDSI) on fourth grade students' understanding of concepts associated with the "Diversity of Living Things" unit. Students' intelligence types were also examined. There were two…

Highlights from TIMSS 2011: Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Students in an International Context. NCES 2013-009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Provasnik, Stephen; Kastberg, David; Ferraro, David; Lemanski, Nita; Roey, Stephen; Jenkins, Frank

2012-01-01

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international comparative study of student achievement. TIMSS 2011 represents the fifth such study since TIMSS was first conducted in 1995. Developed and implemented at the international level by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement…

The Nature of Parent-Child Talk during the Sharing of Science Trade Books at Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groothuis, Becky Anne

2015-01-01

This study examined the interactions between parents and their typically developing fourth grade children as they shared science trade books together at home. The aim of this research was to understand how parents and children make meaning together in this context and how parent-child talk related to children's developing scientific views. Four…

Measuring Opportunity to Learn and Academic Language Exposure for English Language Learners in Elementary Science Classrooms. CRESST Report 767

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Jose Felipe; Bailey, Alison L.; Kerr, Deirdre; Huang, Becky H.; Beauregard, Stacey

2010-01-01

The present study piloted a survey-based measure of Opportunity to Learn (OTL) and Academic Language Exposure (ALE) in fourth grade science classrooms that sought to distinguish teacher practices with ELL (English language learner) and non-ELL students. In the survey, participant teachers reported on their instructional practices and the context…

Reproducibility of the School-Based Nutrition Monitoring Questionnaire among Fourth-Grade Students in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penkilo, Monica; George, Goldy Chacko; Hoelscher, Deanna M.

2008-01-01

Objective: To assess reproducibility of a School-Based Nutrition Monitoring (SBNM) questionnaire for fourth-grade students. Design: Test-retest. Setting: Fourth-grade elementary school classrooms. Participants: Multiethnic fourth-grade students from 2 area school districts (N = 322). Main Outcome Measures: Reproducibility coefficients with time…

The CTD-80 Survey Introduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadar-Fulop, Judit; Bathory, Zoltan

1985-01-01

Hungary's national institute of education carried out the Curriculum Theory Department (CTD-80) national asessment in 1980. Reading, mathematics, and practical science achievement were measured, as well as teacher attitudes. Particular emphasis was placed on eighth-grade students; fourth graders were tested in reading. (GDC)

The Integration of Creative Drama in an Inquiry-Based Elementary Program: The Effect on Student Attitude and Conceptual Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrix, Rebecca; Eick, Charles; Shannon, David

2012-11-01

Creative drama activities designed to help children learn difficult science concepts were integrated into an inquiry-based elementary science program. Children (n = 38) in an upper elementary enrichment program at one primary school were the participants in this action research. The teacher-researcher taught students the Full Option Science System™ (FOSS) modules of sound (fourth grade) and solar energy (fifth grade) with the integration of creative drama activities in treatment classes. A 2 × 2 × (2) Mixed ANOVA was used to examine differences in the learning outcomes and attitudes toward science between groups (drama and non-drama) and grade levels (4th and 5th grades) over time (pre/post). Learning was measured using the tests included with the FOSS modules. A shortened version of the Three Dimension Elementary Science Attitude Survey measured attitudes toward science. Students in the drama treatment group had significantly higher learning gains ( F = 160.2, p < 0.001) than students in the non-drama control group with students in grade four reporting significantly greater learning outcomes ( F = 14.3, p < 0.001) than grade five. There was a significantly statistical decrease in student attitudes toward science ( F = 7.5, p < 0.01), though a small change. Creative drama was an effective strategy to increase science conceptual learning in this group of diverse elementary enrichment students when used as an active extension to the pre-existing inquiry-based science curriculum.

Acquiring Science and Social Studies Knowledge in Kindergarten through Fourth Grade: Conceptualization, Design, Implementation, and Efficacy Testing of Content-Area Literacy Instruction (CALI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connor, Carol McDonald; Dombek, Jennifer; Crowe, Elizabeth C.; Spencer, Mercedes; Tighe, Elizabeth L.; Coffinger, Sean; Zargar, Elham; Wood, Taffeta; Petscher, Yaacov

2017-01-01

With national focus on reading and math achievement, science and social studies have received less instructional time. Yet, accumulating evidence suggests that content knowledge is an important predictor of proficient reading. Starting with a design study, we developed content-area literacy instruction (CALI) as an individualized (or personalized)…

Choosing the Right Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boote, Stacy K.

2016-01-01

Students' success with fourth-grade content standards builds on mathematical knowledge learned in third grade and creates a conceptual foundation for division standards in subsequent grades that focus on the division algorithm. The division standards in fourth and fifth grade are similar; but in fourth grade, division problem divisors are only one…

Using Creative Dramatics to Foster Conceptual Learning in a Science Enrichment Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrix, Rebecca Compton

This study made analysis of how the integration of creative drama into a science enrichment program enhanced the learning of elementary school students' understanding of sound physics and solar energy. The study also sought to determine if student attitudes toward science could be improved with the inclusion of creative drama as an extension to a well-known science inquiry program. The qualitative portion of this study explored the treatment groups' perceptions of how the use of creative drama helped them to learn science. A treatment group of fourth and fifth grade students were taught using the Full Option Science System (FOSS) kit in sound physics and solar energy with the inclusion of creative drama, while a control group of fourth and fifth grade students were taught using only the FOSS kit. The quantitative data analysis revealed that the students who were taught science with the inclusion of creative drama showed greater understanding of the science content than the students in the control group taught without the inclusion of creative drama. Both groups and grade levels in this study showed a slight decline in science attitudes from pre to post survey. Although the overall change was small it was statistically significant. The conclusion from this data is that the inclusion of creative drama in a science inquiry science program does not increase student's attitudes toward learning science any better than inquiry based instruction without creative drama. The drama treatment group students reported that they enjoyed participating in creative drama activities and generally viewed the creative drama intervention as a fun way to learn more about science. The students indicated that the creative drama activities helped them to remember and think about science. The researcher concluded that creative drama when used as an extension to an inquiry science program increases student understanding of science content better than the use of a science inquiry program alone. Although students in both treatment and control groups showed a small decline in attitude toward science, the drama treatment students responded favorably to creative drama's use and implementation in helping them to learn more about science.

Meet the Mealworms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staller, Teena

2005-01-01

Engaging fourth-grade students in hands-on science was easy when a container of mealworms arrived the second week of school. The author's naturally curious students immediately began asking questions, and soon they were eagerly investigating animal characteristics and behavior. But, the journey did not stop there. After students tested mealworms…

Our Town

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Connie

2010-01-01

This article describes how the author teaches a fourth- and fifth-grade unit on architecture called the Art and Science of Planning Buildings. Rockville, Indiana has fine examples of architecture ranging from log cabins, classic Greek columns, Victorian houses, a mission-style theater, and Frank Lloyd Wright prairie-style homes. After reading…

Education Reforms and Innovations to Improve Student Assessment Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAfee, Wade J.

2014-01-01

International assessments such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) have exhibited United States students specifically in the fourth and eighth grades, are not performing well when compared to their international peers. Educational stakeholders including…

Defining the Relationship of Student Achievement Between STEM Subjects Through Canonical Correlation Analysis of 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neal, Melissa Jean

Canonical correlation analysis was used to analyze data from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2011 achievement databases encompassing information from fourth/eighth grades. Student achievement in life science/biology was correlated with achievement in mathematics and other sciences across three analytical areas: mathematics and science student performance, achievement in cognitive domains, and achievement in content domains. Strong correlations between student achievement in life science/biology with achievement in mathematics and overall science occurred for both high- and low-performing education systems. Hence, partial emphases on the inter-subject connections did not always lead to a better student learning outcome in STEM education. In addition, student achievement in life science/biology was positively correlated with achievement in mathematics and science cognitive domains; these patterns held true for correlations of life science/biology with mathematics as well as other sciences. The importance of linking student learning experiences between and within STEM domains to support high performance on TIMSS assessments was indicated by correlations of moderate strength (57 TIMSS assessments was indicated by correlations of moderate strength (57 < r < 85) stronger correlations (73 < r < 97) between life science/biology and other science domains. Results demonstrated the foundational nature of STEM knowledge at the fourth grade level, and established the importance of strong interconnections among life science/biology, mathematics, and other sciences. At the eighth grade level, students who built increasing levels of cognitive complexity upon firm foundations were prepared for successful learning throughout their educational careers. The results from this investigation promote a holistic design of school learning opportunities to improve student achievement in life science/biology and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects at the elementary and middle school levels. While the curriculum can vary from combined STEM subjects to separated mathematics or science courses, both professional learning communities (PLC) for teachers and problem-based learning (PBL) for learners can be strengthened through new knowledge construction beyond the traditional boundaries of each subject. It is the knowledge transfer across subjects that breaks barriers of future STEM discoveries to improve STEM education outcomes.

Co-Constructing Cultural Landscapes for Disciplinary Learning in and out of School: The Next Generation Science Standards and Learning Progressions in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Córdova, Ralph A.; Balcerzak, Phyllis

2016-01-01

The authors of this study are teacher-researchers, the first is a university researcher and former third and fourth grade teacher, while the second author is a university-based science educator. They report findings from a community-based study that Ralph, the first author, and his students conducted across two academic years (2001-2003) in order…

Impact of constructivist pedagogy on science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrishon-Ford, Grace E.

This study focused on how constructivist pedagogy impacts science achievement of the fourth grade students in an elementary Department of Defense School. Constructivism is a learning or meaning-making theory that offers an explanation of the nature of knowledge and how human beings learn. The population of this study was two fourth grade classes in an elementary Department of Defense District School. Data collection was accomplished in four ways: (1) focus group interviews of students, (2) individual interviews of students selected from the focus groups, (3) interviews of teachers, and (4) unobtrusive observations of science instruction. A six-step process was followed to gain entry for this study. The steps were my university dissertation committee, Department of Defense Education Activity Research Study Request, Endorsement and Agreement form to the Headquarters Office, school superintendent, school principal, teacher participants, and the final step was to seek parental approval of the fourth graders involved in the study. The findings from this study were an increase of 47% test scores; 57% revealed experiments/projects and 64% working on the computers in groups were the fun things; 100% student interaction; 100% student attentativeness; and 70% using other resources. Implications have demonstrated that the traditional classroom can be converted if the teachers and administrators would buy into the approach that this project demonstrated. As an advocate of the constructivist model the case study demonstrated students do indeed respond to the constructivist theory. If approached in a positive manner, it could be done in any kind of school setting.

Highlights from TIMSS and TIMSS Advanced 2015: Mathematics and Science Achievement of U.S. Students in Grades 4 and 8 and in Advanced Courses at the End of High School in an International Context. NCES 2017-002

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Maria; Landeros, Katherine; Perkins, Robert; Tang, Judy H.

2016-01-01

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015 is the sixth administration of this international comparative study since 1995 when first administered. TIMSS is used to compare over time the mathematics and science knowledge and skills of fourth- and eighth-graders. TIMSS is designed to align broadly with mathematics and…

A model marine-science curriculum for fourth-grade pupils in Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulte, Philip James

This dissertation focused on the development of a model marine-science curriculum for fourth-grade pupils in the State of Florida. The curriculum was developed using grounded theory research method, including a component of data collected from an on-line survey administered to 106 professional educators and marine biologists. The results of the data collection and analysis showed a definitive necessity for teacher preparedness, multidisciplinary content, and inquiry-based science instruction. Further, three important factors emerged: (a) collaborative grouping increases achievement; (b) field excursions significantly impact student motivation; (c) standardized testing influences curriculum development. The curriculum is organized as an 11-day unit, with detailed lesson plans presented in standard curricular format and with all components correlated to the Florida State Educational Standards. The curriculum incorporates teacher preparation, multimedia presentations, computer-assisted instruction, scientific art appreciation, and replication as well as assessment factors. The curriculum addresses topics of ichthyology, marine animal identification, environmental conservation and protection, marine animal anatomy, water safety, environmental stewardship, and responsible angling techniques. The components of the curriculum were discussed with reference to the literature on which it was based and recommendations for future research were addressed.

Becoming a Leader: Finding My Voice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finchum, Tabetha R.

2014-01-01

In this article, fourth-grade teacher Tabetha Finchum describes how a program called Arizona Master Teacher of Mathematics (AZ-MTM), a Noyce grant funded through the National Science Foundation, helped boost her confidence and broaden her understanding of the philosophies, curricula, and instructional decisions being implemented by other teachers.…

BONES, TEACHER'S GUIDE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elementary Science Study, Newton, MA.

THIS GUIDE WAS DEVELOPED FOR USE WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCIENCE STUDY UNIT ON "BONES.""BONES" HAS BEEN TAUGHT IN THE FOURTH GRADE AND REQUIRES FROM 10 TO 25 LESSONS, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES USED. THE GUIDE DOES NOT PROVIDE DETAILED INSTRUCTION FOR CONDUCTING CLASSES, BUT RATHER SOME POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES, AND LEAVES…

Project CHAMP, 1986-1987. OEA Evaluation Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cabrera, Eulalia; And Others

In its fourth year, Project CHAMP (Chinese Achievement and Mastery Program) provided instruction in English as a second language (ESL), native language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies to 728 limited-English-speaking Chinese immigrant students in grades nine through twelve at three schools. Content-area classes were taught in English…

New York Agriculture in the Classroom. Grade 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolanyk, Betty

These classroom exercises have been designed to maximize teacher time, while creating an awareness of our food and fiber system among New York fourth graders. The materials are color-coded, falling into four categories: language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Each exercise includes background information, concepts, and objectives…

Teacher's Guide to Indoor Air Pollutants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Safety Council, Washington, DC. Environmental Health Center.

This guide, designed for fourth- through sixth-grade classrooms, contains information teachers will need to teach an educational unit on indoor air quality. It draws on a variety of students' skills, including science, vocabulary, reasoning, math, and basic biology. Each lesson comes with suggested activities that highlight and reinforce what is…

Savvy Consumers through Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Sami

2005-01-01

Is Bounty the "quicker picker-upper?" Are expensive shampoos better? Are all antacids the same? The authors' fourth-grade students posed and answered these questions and many more during their recent "Consumer Product Testing" unit in which they designed experiments to assess these products' qualities and learned to question the advertising that…

The Role of Experience in Learning Science Vocabulary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Carol V.; Contreras, Norma J.

Comparing traditional to experiential instruction, a study investigated whether teaching content area vocabulary using hands-on experiences and teacher/student interaction would result in greater vocabulary knowledge and better comprehension of a related text than conventional dictionary work. Subjects, 45 fourth grade students from a chapter 1…

Restructuring from the Inside Out: Starring Roles for Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnow, Gary A.

1992-01-01

Describes five educational restructuring projects that have been taking place in the Alhambra School District in California. Includes descriptions of literature instruction, multimedia research in high school social science, notebook computers and high school at-risk students, LogoWriter for grades 7-8, and interactive video for fourth graders.…

Analysis of Listening Skills Acquisition in Magnet Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, Wanda A.; Anderson, Frances

A study conducted in a magnet school examined whether curricular attractions stressing science, second language acquisition, and use of computers make a difference in how effectively children listen and how well the pupil comprehends what is heard. Subjects were 58 fourth grade students who participated in an enriched curriculum. Data were…

Food-based science curriculum yields gains in nutrition knowledge.

PubMed

Carraway-Stage, Virginia; Hovland, Jana; Showers, Carissa; Díaz, Sebastián; Duffrin, Melani W

2015-04-01

Students may be receiving less than an average of 4 hours of nutrition instruction per year. Integrating nutrition with other subject areas such as science may increase exposure to nutrition education, while supporting existing academics. During the 2009-2010 school year, researchers implemented the Food, Math, and Science Teaching Enhancement Resource (FoodMASTER) Intermediate (FMI) curriculum in 18 fourth-grade classrooms, whereas 16 classrooms served as comparison. FMI is a hands-on, integrative curriculum for children in grades 3-5 that uses food as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Researchers developed a 28-item multiple-choice questionnaire to assess students' nutrition knowledge in 6 content areas. Students were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention. Data were analyzed using independent t tests. Analysis of covariance was employed to control for differences at baseline when assessing the effectiveness of the FMI curriculum to increase nutrition knowledge. A significant improvement was observed in total nutrition knowledge at post-intervention (adjusting for baseline) between groups (F [1] = 128.95; p < .01) and in all content areas post-intervention. Findings from this study suggest teachers were successfully able to integrate science and nutrition to meet multiple academic standards. More specifically, results showed implementation of the integrative FMI curriculum effectively improved fourth-graders' nutrition knowledge compared with students not exposed to FMI. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Construction and Validation of an Instrument to Measure Taiwanese Elementary Students' Attitudes toward Their Science Class

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tzu-Ling; Berlin, Donna

2010-12-01

The main purpose of this study is to develop a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the attitudes toward science class of fourth- and fifth-grade students in an Asian school culture. Specifically, the development focused on three science attitude constructs-science enjoyment, science confidence, and importance of science as related to science class experiences. A total of 265 elementary school students in Taiwan responded to the instrument developed. Data analysis indicated that the instrument exhibited satisfactory validity and reliability with the Taiwan population used. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.93 for the entire instrument indicating a satisfactory level of internal consistency. However, both principal component analysis and parallel analysis showed that the three attitude scales were not unique and should be combined and used as a general "attitudes toward science class" scale. The analysis also showed that there were no gender or grade-level differences in students' overall attitudes toward science class.

'Sometimes They Are Fun and Sometimes They Are Not': Concept Mapping with English Language Acquisition (ELA) and Gifted/Talented (GT) Elementary Students Learning Science and Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marzetta, Katrina; Mason, Hillary; Wee, Bryan

2018-01-01

This study presents an 'education for sustainability' curricular model which promotes science learning in an elementary classroom through equity pedagogy. A total of 25 fourth-grade students from an urban, public school in Denver, Colorado participated in this mixed-methods study where concept maps were used as a tool for describing and assessing…

Fourth Grade Factory--An Integrated, Collaborative Unit in Manufacturing and Economics--Make It, Take It.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bliss, Clifford; Giles, Bob

This unit for fourth grade and high school includes elements of careers, economics and free enterprise for fourth graders and elements of problem solving and design, manufacturing, drafting, and woodworking for high school students. The unit is taught in both the fourth grade and the high school classrooms. The unit involves planning, designing,…

Integration of Arts Education into the Core Reading Curriculum: A Quasi-Experimental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernard, Mona J.

2017-01-01

Students who acquire reading comprehension using arts integration will have the opportunity to improve their ability to learn through the following subjects writing, science, language arts, social studies, and mathematics. The problem is economically disadvantaged third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students did not make adequate yearly gains or pass…

Bolden Visit Davis Elementary

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-10

NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden speaks to students during a visit to Davis Elementary School, Friday, Sept. 11, 2009, in Washington. Bolden spent time with approximately 120 students in third, fourth and fifth grade talking about science, technology, mathematics and engineering as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

A New Breed of Teacher's Pet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owens, Roxanne; Williams, Nancy

1995-01-01

Describes how a fourth-grade class developed a hands-on, integrated math, science, and literature unit about dogs and brought a dog into class for two weeks. The unit was so successful that the dog stayed for the year. School administration, teachers, parents, and students agreed that the impact of the dog's presence had been beneficial. (ET)

Entomology: Promoting Creativity in the Science Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akcay, Behiye B.

2013-01-01

A class activity has been designed to help fourth grade students to identify basic insect features as a means of promoting student creativity while making an imaginary insect model. The 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Extend [or Elaborate], and Evaluate) learning cycle teaching model is used. The 5Es approach allows students to work in small…

People from the Past: Writing Biographies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Kelli

1992-01-01

Teachers have allowed the social studies and science areas of instruction to become isolated from vibrant language arts skills, resulting in deficiencies in reading and writing skills within the different content areas. An 8- to 10-week biography unit was developed for a fourth-grade social studies course in an attempt to give students a stronger…

Influence of Family Processes, Motivation, and Beliefs about Intelligence on Creative Problem Solving of Scientifically Talented Individuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Seokhee; Lin, Chia-Yi

2011-01-01

Predictive relationships among perceived family processes, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, incremental beliefs about intelligence, confidence in intelligence, and creative problem-solving practices in mathematics and science were examined. Participants were 733 scientifically talented Korean students in fourth through twelfth grades as well as…

Hey Students, That Can Is Full of Energy!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seimears, C. Matt

2010-01-01

This effective technique has third- and fourth-grade students explore potential and kinetic energy and explain their discoveries. Students investigate what it takes to make a paint can roll forward and come right back, without seeing inside. Students experience science as an inquiry and develop their critical thinking skills. Students can also…

Can Trains Really Float?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCartney, Robin Ward; Deroche, Sarah; Pontiff, Danielle

2008-01-01

Have you ever heard of a Maglev train? Who would be crazy enough to think that exploring how a high-tech train little known in the United States works with a group of fourth-grade students would yield understandings about the properties of magnetism, force and motion, and inquiry science? Fortunately, the authors--a college methods professor and…

Comparability of Computer-Based and Paper-Based Science Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herrmann-Abell, Cari F.; Hardcastle, Joseph; DeBoer, George E.

2018-01-01

We compared students' performance on a paper-based test (PBT) and three computer-based tests (CBTs). The three computer-based tests used different test navigation and answer selection features, allowing us to examine how these features affect student performance. The study sample consisted of 9,698 fourth through twelfth grade students from across…

Let's Take a Road Trip

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrandt, Martha E.; Biglan, Barbara; Budd, Lisa

2013-01-01

In this article, the authors describe activities that can keep math and science skills sharp over summer breaks. A fourth-grade class was encouraged to talk about their coming summer break. The class brainstormed about what one might see on the road--"Observing landscapes, vehicles, and highway signage were quick replies." The children…

Improving science inquiry with elementary students of diverse backgrounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuevas, Peggy; Lee, Okhee; Hart, Juliet; Deaktor, Rachael

2005-03-01

This study examined the impact of an inquiry-based instructional intervention on (a) children's ability to conduct science inquiry overall and to use specific skills in inquiry, and (b) narrowing the gaps in children's ability among demographic subgroups of students. The intervention consisted of instructional units, teacher workshops, and classroom practices. The study involved 25 third- and fourth-grade students from six elementary schools representing diverse linguistic and cultural groups. Quantitative results demonstrated that the intervention enhanced the inquiry ability of all students regardless of grade, achievement, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), home language, and English proficiency. Particularly, low-achieving, low-SES, and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) exited students made impressive gains. The study adds to the existing literature on designing learning environments that foster science inquiry of all elementary students.

Student scientific inquiry in the core curriculum.

PubMed

Vaidean, Georgeta D; Vansal, Sandeep S; Moore, Ronnie J; Feldman, Stuart

2013-10-14

To design and implement a required student-driven research program as a capstone experience in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. A research proposal in the form of a competitive grant application was required for each of 65 fourth-year students in an inaugural PharmD class at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York. The focus of the proposals was on hypothesis-driven research in basic science, clinical research, health outcomes, and public health. Students' research proposals were graded using a standardized grading instrument. On a post-experience survey, most students rated the overall experience positively, indicating increased confidence in their research skills. About two-thirds of faculty members were satisfied with their students' performance, and the great majority thought the experience would be useful in the students' careers. The capstone research project was a positive experience for fourth-year students.

Science teacher’s idea about environmental concepts in science learning as the first step of science teacher training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapilouw, M. C.; Firman, H.; Redjeki, S.; Chandra, D. T.

2018-05-01

To refresh natural environmental concepts in science, science teacher have to attend a teacher training. In teacher training, all participant can have a good sharing and discussion with other science teacher. This study is the first step of science teacher training program held by education foundation in Bandung and attended by 20 science teacher from 18 Junior High School. The major aim of this study is gathering science teacher’s idea of environmental concepts. The core of questions used in this study are basic competencies linked with environmental concepts, environmental concepts that difficult to explain, the action to overcome difficulties and references in teaching environmental concepts. There are four major findings in this study. First finding, most environmental concepts are taught in 7th grade. Second finding, most difficult environmental concepts are found in 7th grade. Third finding, there are five actions to overcome difficulties. Fourth finding, science teacher use at least four references in mastering environmental concepts. After all, teacher training can be a solution to reduce difficulties in teaching environmental concepts.

Ohio Ag in the Classroom. Fourth Grade Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Dept. of Agriculture, Columbus.

Adapted from Idaho's fourth grade agricultural education curriculum guide, this manual was created because there were insufficient resources available to Ohio students about the systems that provide human beings with food and fiber. Economically Ohio's largest industry, agriculture, serves as a basis for providing fourth-grade teachers with…

78 FR 44553 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Early Childhood Longitudinal Study...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-24

... Third-Grade National Collection, Fourth-Grade Recruitment, and Fifth-Grade Tracking AGENCY: Department...-Grade Recruitment, and Fifth-Grade Tracking. OMB Control Number: 1850-0790. Type of Review: Revision of...) recruitment for the spring 2015 fourth-grade data collection, and (3) tracking students for the spring 2016...

Comparison of students from private and public schools on the spelling performance.

PubMed

Silva, Nathane Sanches Marques; Crenitte, Patrícia Abreu Pinheiro

2015-01-01

To compare the spelling ability of schoolchildren from the fourth to sixth grades of the elementary schools in the private and public schools of Bauru, São Paulo, and to verify whether errors are overcome as studies progress and the hierarchy of errors as to how often they occur. A dictation was applied to 384 schoolchildren: 206 from the private schools: 74 were at the fourth grade, 65 at the fifth grade, and 67 at the sixth grade; and 178 from the public schools; 56 at the fourth grade, 63 at the fifth grade, and 59 at the sixth grade of elementary school. Student's t test was used. In comparison of total spelling errors score, difference was found among the fourth and sixth grades of the private and public schools. Spelling errors decreased as education progressed, and those related to language irregularities were more common. Spelling ability and performance of students from the private and public schools are not similar in the fourth and sixth grades, but it is in the fifth grade. Spelling errors are gradually overcome as education progresses; however, this overcome rate was considerable between the fourth and fifth grades in the public schools. Decrease in the types of spelling errors follows a hierarchy of categories: phoneme/grapheme conversion, simple contextual rules, complex contextual rules, and language irregularities. Finally, the most common type of spelling error found was that related to language irregularities.

Antarctica: Is It More Than Just Ice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Cheryl; Gutierrez, Melida

2009-01-01

The authors introduced polar science in a fourth-grade classroom by means of 3 hands-on activities that addressed (1) the melting of glaciers and ice, (2) the differences between the North and the South Pole, and (3) the geography and landforms of Antarctica. An assessment 4 months after the original activity showed that students remembered the…

Competitive Edge: A Cross-National Examination of Mathematics Achievement in 53 Jurisdictions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngwudike, Benjamin C.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to examine the cross-national performance of fourth- and eighth-grade students in mathematics on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003. The TIMSS assessment data were used to identify nations that have a competitive edge in the critical area of mathematics. The Trends in International…

The Effect of Instruction on the Acquisition of Conservation of Volume.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butts, David P.; Howe, Ann C.

Tested was the hypothesis that science instruction based on task analysis will lead to the acquisition of the ability to perform certain Piaget volume tasks which have been characterized as requiring formal operations for their solutions. A Test on Formal Operations and a Learning Hierarchies Test were given to fourth- and sixth-grade students in…

Effects of an Informal Energy Exhibit on Knowledge and Attitudes of Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, David Wayne

2009-01-01

This dissertation addresses the growing need for renewable energy education by looking at the design, development, and implementation of an informal energy education exhibit that was developed for placement into a regional science museum, school, and community center. This study examined several research questions related to the concept that an…

Implementation of a Food-Based Science Curriculum Improves Fourth-Grade Educators' Self-Efficacy for Teaching Nutrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stage, Virginia C.; Roseno, Ashley; Hodges, Caroline D.; Hovland, Jana; Diaz, Sebastian; Duffrin, Melani W.

2016-01-01

Background: Teacher self-efficacy for teaching nutrition can positively impact student dietary behaviors; however, limited curricular resources and professional development can serve as barriers to the provision of nutrition education in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a food-based, integrative science…

A Longitudinal Comparison of Two Versions of an Interactive Multimedia Substance Abuse Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Joel; Thomson, Nicole Renick; Collins, Karen Kadela; Pancella, Thom

2009-01-01

Using a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, The Missouri Institute of Mental Health produced a series of media tools designed to teach fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children from African-American churches about the science of drug addiction. Beginning with a core curriculum, we created two separate interventions. In the…

National Income, Income Inequality, and the Importance of Schools: A Hierarchical Cross-National Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudgar, Amita; Luschei, Thomas F.

2009-01-01

The international and comparative education literature is not in agreement over the role of schools in student learning. The authors reexamine this debate across 25 diverse countries participating in the fourth-grade application of the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. The authors find the following: (a) In most cases,…

The Role of Family Background and School Resources on Elementary School Students' Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nonoyama-Tarumi, Yuko; Hughes, Kathleen; Willms, J. Douglas

2015-01-01

This article compares the effects of family background and school resources on fourth-grade students' math achievement, using data from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In order to ameliorate potential floor effects, it uses relative risk and population attributable risk to examine the effects of family…

Using a Review Book to Improve Knowledge Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elmas, Ridvan; Aydogdu, Bülent; Saban, Yakup

2017-01-01

This study has two primary objectives. The first one is preparation of an efficient review book including a series of activities, which will help fourth grade students exercise what they learned in the elementary science course in a year. The second objective is examination of the prepared book in the framework of student and teacher opinions. In…

The Contribution of Executive Functions to Narrative Writing in Fourth Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drijbooms, Elise; Groen, Margriet A.; Verhoeven, Ludo

2015-01-01

The present study investigated the contribution of executive functions to narrative writing in fourth grade children, and evaluated to what extent executive functions contribute differentially to different levels of narrative composition. The written skills of 102 Dutch children in fourth grade were assessed using a narrative picture-elicitation…

Extrinsic Motivators Affecting Fourth-Grade Students' Interest and Enrollment in an Instrumental Music Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasil, Martina

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate fourth-grade students' extrinsic motivators for joining and continuing in a school instrumental music program. Three research questions were investigated: (a) What extrinsic motivators have influenced fourth-grade students' initial interest and continuing participation in an instrumental music program?…

Career Education Classroom Activities: North Dakota, K-12: Elementary (Fourth).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Dakota State Board for Vocational Education, Bismarck.

The career education activities in the guide are designed to be integrated with the school curriculum at the fourth grade level. They should be used selectively according to class needs and capabilities. A career education philosophy, how to use the guide, and intermediate (grades 4-6) objectives are outlined. Fourth grade career education…

Bullying Prevention in the Elementary Classroom Using Social Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Stacie; Swiatowy, Colleen

2008-01-01

Our action research project report provided students with social skills training to effectively handle bullying situations in the fourth grade. Our study involved 70 fourth-grade students and began Monday, January 14, 2008 and concluded Friday, May 2, 2008. The behaviors documented from the fourth grade students were name calling, exclusion,…

Examining Variations in Fourth-Grade Children's Participation in School Breakfast and Lunch Programs by Student and Program Demographics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guinn, Caroline H.; Baxter, Suzanne Domel; Finney, Christopher J.; Hitchcock, David B.

2013-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: Analyses were conducted to examine variations in fourth-grade children's participation in school-breakfast and school-lunch programs by weekday, month, socioeconomic status, absenteeism, gender, and school-breakfast location. Methods: Fourth-grade children were participants in a dietary-reporting validation study during either…

Predictors of gender achievement in physical science at the secondary level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozlenko, Brittany Hunter

This study used the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science restricted data-set for twelfth graders. The NAEP data used in this research study is derived from a sample group of 11,100 twelfth grade students that represented a national population of over 3,000,000 twelfth grade students enrolled in science in the United States in 2009. The researcher chose the NAEP data set because it provided a national sample using uniform questions. This study investigated how the factors of socioeconomic status (SES), parental education level, mode of instruction, and affective disposition affect twelfth grade students' physical science achievement levels in school for the sample population and subgroups for gender. The factors mode of instruction and affective disposition were built through factor analysis based on available questions from the student surveys. All four factors were found to be significant predictors of physical science achievement for the sample population. NAEP exams are administered to a national sample that represents the population of American students enrolled in public and private schools. This was a non-experimental study that adds to the literature on factors that impact physical science for both genders. A gender gap is essentially nonexistent at the fourth grade level but appears at the eighth grade level in science based on information from NAEP (NCES, 1997). The results of the study can be used to make recommendation for policy change to diminish this gender gap in the future. Educators need to be using research to make instructional decisions; research-based instruction helps all students.

"Beyond the walls": A research study of eighth-grade students mentored in a hospital setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grattan, Aileen

This research study was designed to evaluate twelve eighth-grade students participating in the fourth year of a mentoring program to determine what effect the mentoring experience would have on the students' sense of a scientific community, their understanding of scientific knowledge and process skills and attitudes toward science. The mentoring program was developed through a partnership established between the researcher, an eighth-grade science teacher at a junior high school, and an administrator of a local hospital, to provide educational opportunities for students mentored by medical professionals. The research design included qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. The qualitative instruments were student journals and interviews. The quantitative instruments included the science subtest of the Stanford Nine Achievement Test, a Student Attitude Toward Science Survey (STATS), and a Hospital Questionnaire. The findings indicate that mentoring developed the students' understanding of a scientific community, revealed a wide range of attitudes and had a positive effect on the students' scientific knowledge and process skills. Finally, this research study has shown the benefits of mentoring as a model for teaching science in a community setting beyond the walls of the school.

Scientific Investigations of Elementary School Children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valanides, Nicos; Papageorgiou, Maria; Angeli, Charoula

2014-02-01

The study provides evidence concerning elementary school children's ability to conduct a scientific investigation. Two hundred and fifty sixth-grade students and 248 fourth-grade students were administered a test, and based on their performance, they were classified into high-ability and low-ability students. The sample of this study was randomly selected and included 80 students, 40 fourth-grade and 40 sixth-grade students of low and high abilities. Students were specifically instructed to investigate the functioning of a device, to think aloud prior and after any experiment with the device, and to keep a record of their experimental results. The results showed that students were inclined to mainly collect evidence from the experimental space and failed to control variables during their investigation. The majority of the students had difficulties with effectively organizing collected data and failed to coordinate hypotheses with evidence. The significant interaction effect that was found between grade level and ability in terms of students' investigation ability indicates that the existing gap between high- and low-ability students becomes bigger as students become older. Undoubtedly, ongoing research efforts for identifying patterns of children's cognitive development will be most valuable as they can have important implications for the design of teaching scenarios and inquiry-based science activities conducive to accelerating students' cognitive growth and scientific investigation abilities.

Fire Safety: Stop the Heat. Fourth Grade. Fire Safety for Texans: Fire and Burn Prevention Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas State Commission on Fire Protection, Austin.

This booklet comprises the fourth grade component of a series of curriculum guides on fire and burn prevention. Designed to meet the age-specific needs of fourth grade students, its objectives include: (1) understanding principles of extinguishing fires, (2) investigating issues of peer pressure related to fire setting, (3) developing…

Availability and Use of Informational Texts in Second-, Third-, and Fourth-Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeong, Jongseong; Gaffney, Janet S.; Choi, Jin-Oh

2010-01-01

A sharp increase in the proportion of informational text with the corresponding expansion of cognitive demands and conceptual structures is a widely held explanation for the decline in reading achievement at the fourth-grade level. In this study, differences in the proportion of informational text across the second, third, and fourth grades were…

Student Scientific Inquiry in the Core Curriculum

PubMed Central

Vansal, Sandeep S.; Moore, Ronnie J.; Feldman, Stuart

2013-01-01

Objective. To design and implement a required student-driven research program as a capstone experience in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Design. A research proposal in the form of a competitive grant application was required for each of 65 fourth-year students in an inaugural PharmD class at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York. The focus of the proposals was on hypothesis-driven research in basic science, clinical research, health outcomes, and public health. Assessment. Students’ research proposals were graded using a standardized grading instrument. On a post-experience survey, most students rated the overall experience positively, indicating increased confidence in their research skills. About two-thirds of faculty members were satisfied with their students’ performance, and the great majority thought the experience would be useful in the students’ careers. Conclusion. The capstone research project was a positive experience for fourth-year students. PMID:24159217

Technology Integration in Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade Classrooms in a Florida School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Tiffani; Gaines, Trudi

2015-01-01

Third, fourth and fifth grade teachers have the potential to shape the way their students will begin to view and use technology. This study investigated the nature of technology usage among third, fourth and fifth grade teachers in a Florida school district as well as the relationship between the level of technology usage factors such as available…

The Correlation between the Fourth Grade Students' Level of Functional Literacy and Metacognitive Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özenç, Emine Gül; Dikici, Hidayet

2016-01-01

The present study aims at presenting the relationship between the fourth grade primary school students' level of functional literacy and metacognitive awareness. The study group of the research is made up of 406 fourth grade students attending school during 2015-2016 academic year in Nigde. This study adopts survey model and its data collection…

An Action Research Study Using the Music Model of Academic Motivation to Increase Reading Motivation in a Fourth-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Angela W.

2013-01-01

This study involved examination of the processes employed in tailoring fourth-grade reading instruction to increase levels of student motivation. A participatory action research approach was utilized to design and conduct reading instruction that fourth-grade students perceived to be motivating. The reading instructional program was designed using…

An Exploratory Study of the Relationships between Reading Comprehension Competence, Reading Attitude and the Vividness of Mental Imagery among Turkish Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kocaarslan, Mustafa

2016-01-01

This study aimed to establish the possible relationships between reading comprehension competence, reading attitude and the vividness of mental imagery among Turkish fourth-grade students. Participants were fourth grade students, selected using convenience sampling from two different public schools (n=103) in Bartin, Turkey. The research was…

Aggression in Primary Schools: The Predictive Power of the School and Home Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozina, Ana

2015-01-01

In this study, we analyse the predictive power of home and school environment-related factors for determining pupils' aggression. The multiple regression analyses are performed for fourth- and eighth-grade pupils based on the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 (N = 8394) and TIMSS 2011 (N = 9415) databases for Slovenia. At the…

Standing in the Gaps: Examining the Effects of Early Gifted Education on Black Girl Achievement in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jemimah L.; Young, Jamaal R.; Ford, Donna Y.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the differential effects of access to gifted education on the mathematics and science achievement of fourth-grade Black girls. This study utilized mean difference effect sizes to examine the magnitude of differences between groups. By convention, White girls were included as a comparison group. Girls…

The Doubles: Evaluation of a Substance Abuse Education Curriculum for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Joel; Collins, Karen Kadela; Thomson, Nicole Renick; Pancella, Thom; Pauley, Danielle

2007-01-01

"The Doubles," funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is a seven-episode series of media tools designed to teach third- and fourth-grade students about the science of drug addiction. The program's curriculum was delivered through a set of DVDs, interactive CD-ROMs, workbooks, or an Internet Site. Results indicate that although the…

The Doubles: A Case Study on Developing a Technology-Based Substance Abuse Education Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Joel; Collins, Karen Kadela; Pancella, Thom

2004-01-01

The Doubles, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, is a seven-episode series of media tools designed to teach third and fourth grade students about the science of drug addiction. The program's curriculum is delivered via a set of videos, interactive CD-ROMs, workbooks, or an Internet site. This article examines the process used to…

Bolden Visit Davis Elementary

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-10

NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden reads a passage from the book "Can You Fly High Wright Brothers?" while visiting with students at Davis Elementary School, Friday, Sept. 11, 2009, in Washington. Bolden spent time with approximately 120 students in third, fourth and fifth grade talking about science, technology, mathematics and engineering as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

The Analysis of Fourth Grade Primary Students' Reader Self-Perceptions in Terms of Gender and Preschool Educational Background

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sagirli, Muhittin; Okur, Burçin

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse perceptions of fourth grade primary school students on their reading ability. In study, screening model was used as a quantitative research method. The sample of this research was selected by convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 556 fourth grade students who received education in 8 public schools in…

The Effects of Background Music in the Classroom on the Productivity, Motivation, and Behavior of Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Kevin N.

2007-01-01

Many students in a fourth grade classroom at Logan Elementary School are expressing numerous types of negative behaviors, are not motivated to learn, and do not stay on-task. In an effort to change these students, an action research study was conducted that implemented background music in the classroom. There were ten fourth grade students who…

Using writing as a vehicle to promote and develop scientific concepts and process skills in fourth-grade students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Disimoni, Katherine Cecilia

The development of conceptual knowledge, particularly at the elementary level, is one area in which researchers and educators have noted remarkable deficiencies. The purpose of this descriptive study was to observe the impact of the use of writing as a thinking tool on the promotion and development of scientific concepts and science process skills in elementary students in the discipline of science. Reports from some of the publications for science research and educational progress cited the direct links of writing effectiveness to the development of skills in critical thinking. The study consisted of 12 fourth-grade students in the control group and their 12 fourth-grade counterparts in the experimental group. The treatment for the study was the use of learning logs by the experimental group to record their written responses to predesigned prompts related to hands-on science experiences during the intervention period. Their counterparts did no writing. Statistical measures used were Student's t tests to determine if significance was present. A pretest and posttest were given that involved written responses to the same prompt. Three judges used a specially designed rubric to evaluate and score the writing. Significant differences were found when the scores of the experimental group were analyzed between pretest and posttest. Also, a standardized test to assess basic process skills was administered prior to and after the intervention. There were no statistical differences found in either group to demonstrate that writing effected the development of process skills. The researcher determined that perhaps writing is not the best way to promote process skills. Rather, engaging in science is the best way. These skills are built separately but used in tandem, particularly when learning about science and mathematics. The implications of this study impact upon several areas of education which make up paradigms leading to good practice based on sound theory. These components include the use of writing as a tool to develop and link conceptual knowledge, use of scientific discourse in collaborative efforts, use of integration of language arts and theme-related content areas, and multiinstructional techniques. Rather than a "change" of paradigms for veteran teachers then, an "addition to" existing paradigms could lead to the changes necessary to revamp curriculum and may aid in meeting the demands of a vastly changing and diverse population of monolingual and multilingual learners experiencing gaps in their construction and demonstration of oral and written knowledge.

A safe place to grow: Children, animals and caring in a life science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Day, Leslie

The ecological systems of the earth are in crisis. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact an elementary school life science education program based on an ethic of care had on children's ability to value the natural world. It is a study of how care-based science education supports personal connections to animals and nature; and how strength-based science education emphasizes creativity as a means for students to explore and express scientific knowledge through the arts. This qualitative study was conducted in a life science classroom filled with a wide variety of animals: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals the students studied and developed caring relationships with. The participants were 55 fourth, fifth and sixth-grade students who spent two years studying the natural world both inside the classroom and outside in the field. Invertebrates, trees, birds, mammals and wildflowers were studied in fourth grade. Evolution, and the study of vertebrate animals, were studied in the fifth grade. As teacher researcher, I collected data including audio-taped interviews, observations, field notes, and artifacts including children's creative projects expressing their factual understanding and thoughts about the animals and the natural world. This study revealed themes reflecting children's caring for animals, scientific knowledge, creative expression of knowledge, and the natural world. The themes are illustrated through four "portraits of care" based on students' voices, experiences, and class-work. The findings indicate that caring relationships with animals supported personal connections to the natural world and scientific knowledge. Children had better understanding and retained knowledge due to their personal connections to the animals. The concepts of evolution and interdependence of living organisms enhanced their relationships with animals and nature. Through the arts, students expressed scientific knowledge in ways that had personal meaning and a high level of active engagement. Concerned about the environment, some students used their knowledge to affect the behavior of others by creating school newspapers and websites. Inasmuch as an ethic of care in life science supports personal connections to understanding and valuing the natural world, the implications include the recommendation that preservice and inservice science education should support these connections.

A Quest for Awareness: Gender-Differentiated English Language Arts Resources and Instructional Techniques to Acknowledge the Needs and Passions of Fourth and Fifth Grade Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feltman, Todd Jason

2013-01-01

A major educational crisis has been transpiring among fourth and fifth grade boys over the last twenty years (Eliot, 2009; Whitmire, 2010). On average, fourth and fifth grade boys, regardless of racial background or socioeconomic class, are performing below girls, both academically in reading and writing. The Center on Educational Policy reports…

The Effect of Using Computer Games in Teaching Mathematics on Developing the Number Sense of Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nejem, Khamis Mousa; Muhanna, Wafa

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using computer games in teaching mathematics on developing the number sense of fourth grade students. To achieve this purpose a study sample of (81) students was selected from the fourth grade. This sample was divided into two groups. One group was randomly chosen to be the experimental…

Promoting Reading Achievement and Countering the "Fourth-Grade Slump": The Impact of Direct Instruction on Reading Achievement in Fifth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockard, Jean

2010-01-01

Previous research has documented a substantial decline of standardized test scores of children from low-income backgrounds, relative to more advantaged peers, in later elementary grades, the so-called "fourth-grade slump." This article examines changes in reading achievement from first to fifth grade for students in a large urban school…

Chemical Properties and Change. Fourth Grade. Revised. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, John, Ed.

In this unit students are asked to mix materials together and look closely at what happens. From this experience, plus teacher input, they are introduced to the concept that matter is made of small particles which cannot be seen, but can be manipulated. Students learn the difference between a physical and a chemical change and that there are four…

Navigating in a Sea of Ideas: Teacher and Students Negotiate a Course Toward Mutual Relevance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flick, Lawrence B.

The distinction between the participant and spectator functions of language are used to describe the teaching skills of a fourth grade teacher during a unit of instruction. This study documented the science instruction of a teacher who 20 years ago majored in teaching reading. In recent years she has taken steps to develop skill and knowledge in…

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011): User's Manual for the ECLS-K:2011 Kindergarten-Fourth Grade Data File and Electronic Codebook, Public Version. NCES 2018-032

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tourangeau, Karen; Nord, Christine; Lê, Thanh; Wallner-Allen, Kathleen; Vaden-Kiernan, Nancy; Blaker, Lisa; Najarian, Michelle

2018-01-01

This manual provides guidance and documentation for users of the longitudinal kindergarten-fourth grade (K-4) data file of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). It mainly provides information specific to the fourth-grade round of data collection. The first chapter provides an overview of the…

Systematic Education of Self-Medication at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences.

PubMed

Narui, Koji; Samizo, Kazuo; Inoue, Michiko; Watanabe, Kinzo

2016-01-01

The promotion of self-medication by pharmacies, with the aim of encouraging a patient's self-selection of proper OTC drug, is written about in the national action plan "Japan is Back". The subject of self-medication has been improved in the 2013 revised edition of "Model Core Curriculum for Pharmaceutical Education". At Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, the systematic education of self-medication was started from the onset of the six-year course in the third, fourth and fifth grade. We introduce here a new approach in our systematic education of self-medication. In the practice of the fourth grade, groups of around 5-6 students are formed. The pharmacy students assume various roles-of pharmacist, rater, observer, and chairman-and perform role-playing. We prepared a standardized patient (SP) showing various symptoms. The student of the role of pharmacist asks about the SP's symptoms, chooses an OTC drug suitable for the SP, and explains the OTC drug to the SP. After the role-playing, those in the roles of rater, observer, SP, and faculty give feedback to the student who played the role of pharmacist. Because we conduct this role-playing using SPs with a variety of symptoms, we can create a situation similar to a real drugstore.

Core Vocabulary in Written Personal Narratives of School-Age Children

PubMed Central

Wood, Carla; Appleget, Allyssa; Hart, Sara

2016-01-01

This study aimed to describe core words of written personal narratives to inform the implementation of AAC supports for literacy instruction. Investigators analyzed lexical diversity, frequency of specific word use and types of words that made up 70% of the total words used in 211 written narrative samples from children in first grade (n =94) and fourth grade (n=117). Across grades 191 different words made up 70% of the total words used in the 211 written narrative samples. The top 50 words were comprised of content words (64%) and function words (36%). Grade differences were noted in diversity and types of words, including differences in the number of words comprising the core (132 words for children in first grade and 207 for fourth grade) and a higher proportion of abstract nouns for children in fourth grade based on the 200 most frequently occurring words for each grade. PMID:27559987

Predictors and Outcomes Associated with Trajectories of Revenge Goals from Fourth Grade through Seventh Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Kristina L.; Lochman, John E.

2012-01-01

The present study identified longitudinal trajectories of revenge goals in a sample of at-risk youth (N = 240; 63.3% male) followed from fourth grade through seventh grade. Three revenge goal trajectory groups were identified: a low-stable group, an increasing group, and a decreasing group. The increasing and decreasing groups were initially more…

The Effects of Group Bibliocounseling on Selected Fourth-Grade Students Who Are Underachieving in Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Norman Anthony

This study tested the effectiveness of bibliocounseling, group counseling using books as an adjunct, on 48 fourth-grade boys whose third-grade reading scores fell two or more stanines below their third-grade IQ scores. The Gates MacGinitie Reading Test, Survey D; the San Diego County Inventory of Reading Attitude; and the Self-Concept and…

Doing Your Thing: Fourth Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, Beverly

The fourth grade instructional unit, part of a grade school level career education series, is designed to assist learners in relating present experiences to past and future ones. Before the main body of the lessons is described, field testing results are reported, and key items are presented: the concepts, the estimated instructional time, the…

Perspectives on Senate Bill 55.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Massarelli, Corey L.

1999-01-01

Surveys parents, students, teachers, and administrators in one Ohio school district about Senate Bill 55, which prohibits promoting to fifth grade any fourth grade student who fails the fourth grade proficiency test. Argues that legislators determined what is best for students without educators' input, and that the public still has a lot to learn…

Pronominal Reference Skills of Second and Fourth Grade Children with Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finestack, Lizbeth H.; Fey, Marc E.; Catts, Hugh W.

2006-01-01

Pronominal referencing was evaluated in a sample of 569 children comprising four diagnostic subgroups: typical language (TL), specific language impairment (SLI), nonspecific language impairment (NLI), and typical language with low nonverbal IQ (LNIQ). Participants generated oral narratives in second grade and again in fourth grade. The narratives…

Children, teachers and nature: An analysis of an environmental education program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Judith Chen-Hsuan

Environmental education is an important tool for providing knowledge, supporting positive attitudes toward nature, and building skills to protect and improve the environment. Because of limited funding sources and increasing environmental challenges, it is important to provide effective environmental education programs. Program evaluation is one strategy to engage stakeholders and increase program effectiveness. An evaluation of a fourth grade environmental education program, Lagoon Quest developed by Brevard Zoo, provides an unique opportunity to answer several questions about implementing an effective environmental education program. The first question is about the effectiveness of Lagoon Quest. Evaluation data are reported in a case study that provides details about the development of the evaluation questions and evaluation instruments. The pre/posttest comparison suggests that participating in Lagoon Quest effectively increases students' knowledge of Indian River Lagoon (mean increase = 5.03, p<0.05). This program is effective among students' from different socio-economic background. Moreover, teachers and parents indicate that the program positively influenced the students and are supportive of it. Lagoon Quest is now a required program in the fourth grade curriculum in Brevard County, which raises the second question: how do teachers react to a required fourth grade program? Teachers' prior experience in environmental education, science education, Lagoon Quest and their attitudes toward Lagoon Quest were examined. A teacher survey was conducted to explore teachers' attitudes, but the low response rate necessitated a process to explore non-respondents' attitudes. Follow-up focus groups at schools with few respondents suggest that teachers who had prior experience in teaching science were more likely to be highly supportive of Lagoon Quest and were more likely to use additional resources to support the program. Also, teachers' interest in Indian River Lagoon is positively associated with their attitude toward nature. The third question uses Lagoon Quest to explore how to measure children's attitudes toward nature and the long-term development of conservation ethics. A Connection to Nature Index was developed and validated with fourth-grade students. A correlation analysis was conducted, and Connection to Nature was linked to other variables to explore its predictive ability. Four major elements were in the Connection to Nature Index: enjoyment of nature, empathy for living creatures, sense of oneness and sense of responsibility. The results suggest that measuring connection to nature (beta=0.38, p<0.05) is a promising strategy to predict children's interest in participating in nature-based activities. Also, connection to nature (beta=0.30, p<0.05) can predict children's interest in performing environmental friendly practices.

Family Influence: Key to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption among Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Susan M.; Pollock, Elizabeth Davenport; Braun, Bonnie

2010-01-01

Objective: To assess social and familial environmental influences on fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption of fourth- and fifth-graders living in a culturally diverse, urban setting. Design: In 2006, students from 9 fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms from a public school in the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Region were recruited as part of the…

Poor Children's Fourth-Grade Slump.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chall, Jeanne S.; Jacobs, Vicki A.

2003-01-01

In a study of second, fourth, and sixth graders who completed reading and language tests over 2 years, low-income second and third graders achieved as well as their normative peers on all subtests. However, around fourth grade, their reading scores began to decline. One possible cause for this slump may stem from lack of fluency and automaticity.…

From Global Sustainability to Inclusive Education: Understanding urban children's ideas about the food system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calabrese Barton, Angela; Koch, Pamela D.; Contento, Isobel R.; Hagiwara, Sumi

2005-08-01

The purpose of this paper is to report our findings from a qualitative study intended to develop our understandings of: what high-poverty urban children understand and believe about food and food systems; and how such children transform and use that knowledge in their everyday lives (i.e. how do they express their scientific literacies including content understandings, process understandings, habits of mind in these content areas). This qualitative study is part of a larger study focused on understanding and developing science and nutritional literacies among high-poverty urban fourth-grade through sixth-grade students and their teachers and caregivers.

Prompting methods affect the accuracy of children's school lunch recalls.

PubMed

Baxter, S D; Thompson, W O; Davis, H C

2000-08-01

To evaluate the feasibility of implementing 3 specific prompting methods among students in the first and fourth grades (mean age = 7.2 and 10.1 years, respectively), to validate recall accuracy of first- and fourth-grade students against observation, to develop a single measure of inaccuracy that cumulated errors in reporting food items and amounts without allowing underreporting and overreporting to cancel each other, and to establish information regarding the measure of inaccuracy for use in future studies. Children were interviewed the morning after they were observed eating lunch provided by the school. Interviews included free recall, nonsuggestive prompted recall, and specific prompted recall (either preference, food category, or visual). Ninety-six children (48 students per grade) were studied--32 per the specific prompting method--stratified by grade, sex, and ethnicity (African-American or white). Specific prompting method was randomly assigned to children within strata. Food items were categorized and weighted as: combination entree = 2, condiments = 1/3, and other = 1. To calculate inaccuracy of recall, absolute differences between amounts reported and observed eaten were calculated for each item and then multiplied by each item's weight; these values were then summed across all items for each child. Inaccuracy of recall was determined before specific prompting and after specific prompting and for the difference (inaccuracy after specific prompting minus inaccuracy before specific prompting). Before specific prompting, median inaccuracy was 2.7 servings for the 48 first-grade students and 1.7 servings for the 48 fourth-grade students. The median difference in inaccuracy from before to after specific prompting was 0 for both grades. Specific prompting increased recall accuracy for 9 first-graders and 12 fourth-graders, but decreased recall accuracy for 21 first-graders and 7 fourth-graders, and did not change recall accuracy for 18 first-graders and 29 fourth-graders. Among children whose recall accuracy increased after specific prompting, 5 first-graders and 8 fourth-graders received prompting for food category. Among first-grade students, specific prompting (either preference, food category, or visual) may hurt more than help recall accuracy. Among fourth-grade students, prompting for food category yields small gains in recall accuracy with minimal losses. Validation studies are needed with larger sample sizes to determine prompting methods that produce more accurate dietary recalls from children of various socioeconomic status groups, other racial/ethnic groups, and at other meals.

Prediction and stability of reading problems in middle childhood.

PubMed

Ritchey, Kristen D; Silverman, Rebecca D; Schatschneider, Christopher; Speece, Deborah L

2015-01-01

The longitudinal prediction of reading problems from fourth grade to sixth grade was investigated with a sample of 173 students. Reading problems at the end of sixth grade were defined by significantly below average performance (≤ 15th percentile) on reading factors defining word reading, fluency, and reading comprehension. Sixth grade poor reader status was predicted by fall of fourth grade passage reading fluency, spelling fluency, and the number of reading problems identified by teachers. Reading fluency and spelling fluency were significant predictors in logistic regression equation that combined to yield a screening battery with an area under the curve of .91. These results suggest that brief assessments of reading and spelling fluency in fourth grade may be able to identify students in middle childhood who have a reading problem or who are at risk for experiencing reading problems in sixth grade. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Effects of nonfiction guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds on fourth grader's depth of content area science vocabulary knowledge and comprehension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanna, Tania Tamara

Effects of nonfiction guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds as a supplement to basal science textbooks on three vocabulary measures, definitions, examples, and characteristics, and one multiple-choice comprehension measure were assessed for 127 fourth graders over three time periods: pretest, posttest, and a 2-week delayed posttest. Two of three fourth-grade elementary science teachers implemented a series of 12 content-enhanced guided interactive scripted lessons. Two of these teachers implemented two treatments each. The first condition employed basal science textbooks as the text for guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds while the second treatment employed basal science textbooks in conjunction with nonfiction text sets as the texts for guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds. The third teacher, guided by traditional lesson plans, provided students with silent independent reading instruction using basal science textbooks. Multivariate analyses of variance and analyses of variance tests showed that mean scores for both treatment groups significantly improved on definitions and characteristics measures at posttest and either stabilized or slightly declined at delayed posttest. The treatment-plus group lost considerably on the examples posttest measure. The treatment group improved mean scores on the examples posttest measure, outperforming the treatment-plus group and the control group. Alternately, the control group significantly improved on the delayed posttest examples measure. Additionally, the two groups implementing guided interactive read-alouds and think-alouds performed better than the independent reading group on multiple-choice comprehension measures at posttest and sustained those gains 2 weeks later on delayed posttests. Findings maintain the incremental nature of vocabulary acquisition and development research and emphasize the roles of listening and speaking as critical features for integrating vocabulary into long-term memory.

Relation between language experiences in preschool classrooms and children's kindergarten and fourth-grade language and reading abilities.

PubMed

Dickinson, David K; Porche, Michelle V

2011-01-01

Indirect effects of preschool classroom indexes of teacher talk were tested on fourth-grade outcomes for 57 students from low-income families in a longitudinal study of classroom and home influences on reading. Detailed observations and audiotaped teacher and child language data were coded to measure content and quantity of verbal interactions in preschool classrooms. Preschool teachers' use of sophisticated vocabulary during free play predicted fourth-grade reading comprehension and word recognition (mean age=9; 7), with effects mediated by kindergarten child language measures (mean age=5; 6). In large group preschool settings, teachers' attention-getting utterances were directly related to later comprehension. Preschool teachers' correcting utterances and analytic talk about books, and early support in the home for literacy predicted fourth-grade vocabulary, as mediated by kindergarten receptive vocabulary. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Departmentalized Classroom Environments versus Traditional Classroom Environments in Second through Fourth Grades: A Quantitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Staci Janelle

2017-01-01

Since No Child Left Behind was introduced, kindergarten through 12th-grade educators have seen a dramatic increase in accountability, rigor of standards, and responsibilities in the classroom (New America Foundation, 2015). In order to meet the increased demands of federal education regulations in second through fourth grades, many administrators…

A Comparison of Concrete and Virtual Manipulative Use in Third- and Fourth-Grade Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Barbara A.; Hamm, Ellen M.

2011-01-01

The primary purpose of this classroom experiment was to examine the effectiveness of concrete (hands-on) manipulatives as compared with virtual (computer-based) manipulatives on student review of fraction concepts in third grade and introduction of symmetry concepts in fourth grade. A pretest-posttest design was employed with a sample of 91…

The function of questions in Omani fourth grade inquiry-based science classrooms: A sociocultural perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Shaibani, Madiha Ahmed

2005-11-01

Studies indicate that science education reforms are globally converging. Many countries are adopting the globally advocated science education reforms for the purpose of obtaining the competitive edge in science education and technology that are viewed as the driving forces of modern economies. Globally, science education reforms are emphasizing paradigm shifts in which constructivist instructional are foregrounded. Many science education curricular documents advocate teaching science through engaging students in scientific inquiry. As a result, science classrooms are becoming more student-centered where students are typically actively engaged in inquiry learning. Even though inquiry instruction has become the common approach in teaching science, the actual implementation of inquiry in classrooms indicates that there is a big gap between the intended inquiry advocated in curricula documents and the actual practices in classroom settings. One of the main features of inquiry instruction is student questions. Authentic student questions are essential for the initiating and main scientific inquiry. However, studies have also illustrated the rarity of student questions in classrooms. This dearth in student questions has been attributed to the discursive practices in classrooms. Classrooms that implement the traditional IRE discourse structure tend to have less student questions. On the other hand, reflective questioning is considered a more appropriate classroom discourse structure because it intentionally invites student questions and engages students in classroom discussions. This qualitative study addresses the issue of questioning in fourth grade inquiry-based science classrooms of the Omani Basic Education system. Methods employed in this study included: participant observation, individual interviews, focus group interviews and the collection of artifacts. Findings of this study illustrated the rarity of student questions in the classrooms. However this investigation also revealed the connection between teacher beliefs and implementation of reforms. Teachers whose beliefs were aligned with reforms came closer to implementing reform initiatives as opposed to teachers whose beliefs were not aligned with reform initiatives. The findings of this study were inconclusive when it came to linking teachers' questioning practices to teachers' understanding of inquiry methods.

Developmental differences between boys and girls result in sex-specific physical fitness changes from fourth to fifth grade.

PubMed

Flanagan, Shawn D; Dunn-Lewis, Courtenay; Hatfield, Disa L; Distefano, Lindsay J; Fragala, Maren S; Shoap, Mark; Gotwald, Mary; Trail, John; Gomez, Ana L; Volek, Jeff S; Cortis, Cristina; Comstock, Brett A; Hooper, David R; Szivak, Tunde K; Looney, David P; DuPont, William H; McDermott, Danielle M; Gaudiose, Michael C; Kraemer, William J

2015-01-01

To better understand how developmental differences impact performance on a broad selection of common physical fitness measures, we examined changes in boys and girls from fourth to fifth grade. Subjects included 273 boys (age, 9.5 ± 0.6 years; height, 139.86 ± 7.52 cm; mass, 38.00 ± 9.55 kg) and 295 girls (age, 9.6 ± 0.5 years; height, 139.30 ± 7.19 cm; weight, 37.44 ± 9.35 kg). We compared anthropometrics, cardiorespiratory and local muscular endurance, flexibility, power, and strength. A mixed-method analysis of variance was used to compare boys and girls at the 2 time points. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine relationships between anthropometric and fitness measurements. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Weight increased significantly (>10%) in both sexes, and girls became significantly taller than boys after growing 4.9% by fifth grade (vs. 3.5%). Both groups improved cardiorespiratory endurance and power, although boys performed better than girls at both time points. Boys were stronger in fourth grade, but girls improved more, leading to similar fifth-grade values. Girls were more flexible in fourth grade, but their significant decreases (∼32.4%) coupled with large improvements in boys (∼105%) resulted in similar fifth-grade scores. Body mass index (BMI) was positively correlated with run time regardless of grade or sex. Power was negatively correlated with BMI and run time in fourth grade. In conclusion, sex-specific differences in physical fitness are apparent before pubescence. Furthermore, this selection of measures reveals sexually dimorphic changes, which likely reflect the onset of puberty in girls. Coaches and teachers should account these developmental differences and their effects on anthropometrics and fitness in boys and girls.

Using Open-Response Fraction Items to Explore the Relationship between Instructional Modalities and Students' Solution Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shumway, Jessica F.; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.; Baker, Joseph M.; Westenskow, Arla; Anderson-Pence, Katie L.; Tucker, Stephen I.; Boyer-Thurgood, Jennifer; Jordan, Kerry E.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between instructional modality used for teaching fractions and third- and fourth-grade students' responses and strategies to open-response fraction items. The participants were 155 third-grade and 200 fourth-grade students from 17 public school classrooms. Students within each class were…

Smoking-related Attitudes and Behaviors of Parents of Fourth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Leonard V.; Haynes, Donald K.

1981-01-01

A study was done to determine the smoking habits and attitudes of parents of fourth grade students. The results indicate that cigarette smoking parents who participated in the school-home smoker education program reported smoking fewer cigarettes. (JN)

Man and Energy, Module C. Fourth Grade. Pilot Form.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasco County Schools, Dade City, FL.

This booklet is one of a set of learning modules on energy for use by students and teachers in the fourth grade. This module investigates solar energy, ecology, and fossil fuels. Included are laboratory activities and values exercises. (BT)

The Contribution of Segmental and Suprasegmental Phonology to Reading Comprehension

PubMed Central

Veenendaal, Nathalie J.; Groen, Margriet A.; Verhoeven, Ludo

2016-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between decoding and segmental and suprasegmental phonology, and their contribution to reading comprehension, in the upper primary grades. Following a longitudinal design, the performance of 99 Dutch primary school children on phonological awareness (segmental phonology) and text reading prosody (suprasegmental phonology) in fourth-grade and fifth-grade, and reading comprehension in sixth-grade were examined. In addition, decoding efficiency as a general assessment of reading was examined. Structural path modeling firstly showed that the relation between decoding efficiency and both measures of phonology from fourth- to fifth grade was unidirectional. Secondly, the relation between decoding in fourth- and fifth-grade and reading comprehension in sixth-grade became indirect when segmental and suprasegmental phonology were added to the model. Both factors independently exerted influence on later reading comprehension. This leads to the conclusion that not only segmental, but also suprasegmental phonology, contributes substantially to children's reading development. PMID:27551159

Validating the Vocabulary Levels Test with Fourth and Fifth Graders to Identify Students At-Risk in Vocabulary Development Using a Quasiexperimental Single Group Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Suzanna

2012-01-01

This quasiexperimental single group design study investigated the validity of the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) to identify fourth and fifth grade students who are at-risk in vocabulary development. The subjects of the study were 88 fourth and fifth grade students at one elementary school in Washington State. The Group Reading Assessment and…

The effectiveness of the 1996 Wood Magic Science Fair as an experiential field trip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Robert Wayne

In response to the need for evaluating the effectiveness of the 1996 Wood Magic Science Fair (WMSF) at Mississippi State University's Forest and Wildlife Research Center/Forest Products Laboratory, two tests were developed. One test was designed for third-grade students and one for fourth-grade students who would attend the WMSF. Both tests have multiple choice answers and contained thirteen questions each. Five of the questions addressed general issues of the forest products industry that would be mentioned in an opening video but not stressed in the oral presentations of the WMSF. The students would have no active involvement in these presentations. These general issue questions represent passive involvement teaching. The eight remaining questions addressed specific information that would be stressed in the WMSF oral presentations and would allow students to actively participate in the presentations. The participation of the students in these presentations represents participatory teaching. The tests were given to the students (third and fourth grades) both before they attended the fair as a pre-test and after their attendance as a post-test with the only difference being that the multiple choice answers were arranged in a different order. Classroom teachers administered the tests to the students. The test results were evaluated for each class individually. Each question was evaluated and the results recorded in a table. The general information questions were grouped together as were the specific information questions. This grouping allowed a comparison to be made between passive and participatory learning. The results from the tests will help those making the science fair presentations evaluate their materials and methods. Statistical analysis of the results would indicate which questions had a significant change in the number of correct answers between the pre-test and post-test. This information will help the Fair planners and presenters in developing future programs.

Professional development in inquiry-based science for elementary teachers of diverse student groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee; Hart, Juliet E.; Cuevas, Peggy; Enders, Craig

2004-12-01

As part of a larger project aimed at promoting science and literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students, this study has two objectives: (a) to describe teachers' initial beliefs and practices about inquiry-based science and (b) to examine the impact of the professional development intervention (primarily through instructional units and teacher workshops) on teachers' beliefs and practices related to inquiry-based science. The research involved 53 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six elementary schools in a large urban school district. At the end of the school year, teachers reported enhanced knowledge of science content and stronger beliefs about the importance of science instruction with diverse student groups, although their actual practices did not change significantly. Based on the results of this first year of implementation as part of a 3-year longitudinal design, implications for professional development and further research are discussed.

Integrating science education and marine conservation through collaborative partnerships.

PubMed

Martin, Jeannie Miller; Higgins, Katie; Lee, Kristin; Stearns, Kira; Hunt, Lori

2015-06-15

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center has a mission of conservation based rehabilitation, research, and education. Marine debris is a serious threat to marine species. In an effort to educate local students, the GSTC obtained a grant to provide educational opportunities to local third graders. Third and fourth grade classes in Glynn County, Georgia were offered a Garbage in the Water program and 964 students were reached. After programming, students showed a statistically significant (p<.0001) increase in test scores between the pre and posttests. This success led to repeat funding for additional programming for first grades as well as a formalized relationship with the Glynn County School District. As part of this relationship the Georgia Sea Turtle Center is now the official field trip location for all third grades in the district. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aspects That Arise in the Transition from the Montessori Method to a Traditional Method: A Fourth Grade Mathematics View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurdle, Zachariah B.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the dissertation is to investigate three particular aspects that may affect the transition between a third grade Montessori system and a fourth grade non-Montessori system, specifically within the context of teaching and learning mathematics. These aspects are 1) the change in pacing and structure of the classroom, 2) the removal of…

Is There a Drop in Normative Clearsightedness in Sixth Grade? Study of Internality and Normative Clearsightedness in Fourth to Seventh Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigot, Johann; Pichot, Nathalie; Teste, Benoit

2004-01-01

Numerous studies have demonstrated a decrease in the expression of internality in French sixth graders as compared to fifth graders. The present study examines normative clearsightedness in addition to internality across four French school grades (fourth to seventh). The results confirmed the sixth-grade drop in internality and showed that the…

Nature's Energy, Module B. Fourth Grade. Pilot Form.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasco County Schools, Dade City, FL.

This booklet is one of a set of learning modules on energy for use by students and teachers in the fourth grade. This module examines man's use of fossil fuels, electricity production, and other energy sources. Included are laboratory activities and values exercises. (BT)

The Effects of Running Club Membership on Fourth Graders' Achievement of Connecticut State Standard for the Mile Run

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foshay, John D.; Patterson, Melissa

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a running club on the mile run times of fourth grade students. The study was conducted in a suburban elementary school setting in central Connecticut with a student body of 400. The participants for the study included 59 fourth grade students, 30 of whom were boys and 29 of whom were…

Reading Achievement of U.S. Fourth-Grade Students in an International Context: First Look at the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2016 and ePIRLS 2016. NCES 2018-017

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner-Griffin, Catharine; Liu, Huili; Tadler, Chrystine; Herget, Debbie; Dalton, Ben

2017-01-01

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is an international assessment of student performance in reading literacy at the fourth grade. PIRLS measures students in the fourth year of formal schooling because this is typically when students' learning transitions from a focus on "learning to read" to a focus on…

Does content knowledge matter for new teachers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves, Todd D.

There is considerable evidence that new teachers are ill prepared for classroom practice, including self-reported evidence collected from teachers (e.g., Levine, 2006), and statistical evidence for differences in the achievement of students with new versus more experienced teachers (Rivkin, Hanushek, & Kain, 2005). In light of the challenges encountered by new teachers (e.g., Levine, 2006), this study examined the value of different forms of teacher knowledge for teachers with different levels of experience. In particular, this study investigated the interactive relationship between teaching experience and teacher content knowledge, and student achievement in mathematics and science. In New York City, Boyd et al. (2009) linked practice-focused teacher preparation to student mathematics achievement in the first year of teaching and teacher content preparation to achievement in the second. However, other studies demonstrated interactions between teaching experience and content knowledge with different interpretations (e.g., Kukla-Acevedo, 2009; Monk, 1994). At the same time, this study examined the interactive relationship between teaching experience and teachers' pedagogical content knowledge, and student achievement. Extant models of teacher career development (Huberman, 1989; National Research Council, 2010) and how teacher education affects student achievement (e.g., Desimone, 2009) offered theoretical grounding for the study. With nationally representative samples of fourth and eighth grade U.S. students--participants in the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study--this study employed hierarchical linear modeling to address its research questions among an array of student achievement outcomes in the domains of mathematics and science. This study attempted to account for salient student, teacher, and contextual factors, and the probabilities of teachers' receipt of various teacher education "treatments" (i.e., propensity score analysis) to reduce the plausibility of selection threats to internal validity. The study found no evidence for relationships between teacher content knowledge or pedagogical content knowledge and student mathematics and science achievement in fourth and eighth grade. Furthermore, the results indicated no interactive relationships between forms of teacher knowledge and teaching experience, and student achievement in these grades/subjects. The limitations of cross-sectional, observational studies using large-scale data and directions for further research are discussed.

Small-Group Learning in an Upper-Level University Biology Class Enhances Academic Performance and Student Attitudes Toward Group Work

PubMed Central

Nakonechny, Joanne; Cragg, Jacquelyn J.; Ramer, Matt S.

2010-01-01

To improve science learning, science educators' teaching tools need to address two major criteria: teaching practice should mirror our current understanding of the learning process; and science teaching should reflect scientific practice. We designed a small-group learning (SGL) model for a fourth year university neurobiology course using these criteria and studied student achievement and attitude in five course sections encompassing the transition from individual work-based to SGL course design. All students completed daily quizzes/assignments involving analysis of scientific data and the development of scientific models. Students in individual work-based (Individualistic) sections usually worked independently on these assignments, whereas SGL students completed assignments in permanent groups of six. SGL students had significantly higher final exam grades than Individualistic students. The transition to the SGL model was marked by a notable increase in 10th percentile exam grade (Individualistic: 47.5%; Initial SGL: 60%; Refined SGL: 65%), suggesting SGL enhanced achievement among the least prepared students. We also studied student achievement on paired quizzes: quizzes were first completed individually and submitted, and then completed as a group and submitted. The group quiz grade was higher than the individual quiz grade of the highest achiever in each group over the term. All students – even term high achievers –could benefit from the SGL environment. Additionally, entrance and exit surveys demonstrated student attitudes toward SGL were more positive at the end of the Refined SGL course. We assert that SGL is uniquely-positioned to promote effective learning in the science classroom. PMID:21209910

Small-group learning in an upper-level university biology class enhances academic performance and student attitudes toward group work.

PubMed

Gaudet, Andrew D; Ramer, Leanne M; Nakonechny, Joanne; Cragg, Jacquelyn J; Ramer, Matt S

2010-12-29

To improve science learning, science educators' teaching tools need to address two major criteria: teaching practice should mirror our current understanding of the learning process; and science teaching should reflect scientific practice. We designed a small-group learning (SGL) model for a fourth year university neurobiology course using these criteria and studied student achievement and attitude in five course sections encompassing the transition from individual work-based to SGL course design. All students completed daily quizzes/assignments involving analysis of scientific data and the development of scientific models. Students in individual work-based (Individualistic) sections usually worked independently on these assignments, whereas SGL students completed assignments in permanent groups of six. SGL students had significantly higher final exam grades than Individualistic students. The transition to the SGL model was marked by a notable increase in 10th percentile exam grade (Individualistic: 47.5%; Initial SGL: 60%; Refined SGL: 65%), suggesting SGL enhanced achievement among the least prepared students. We also studied student achievement on paired quizzes: quizzes were first completed individually and submitted, and then completed as a group and submitted. The group quiz grade was higher than the individual quiz grade of the highest achiever in each group over the term. All students--even term high achievers--could benefit from the SGL environment. Additionally, entrance and exit surveys demonstrated student attitudes toward SGL were more positive at the end of the Refined SGL course. We assert that SGL is uniquely-positioned to promote effective learning in the science classroom.

Discrimination Evidence for Examining Fourth Grade Students' Learning Disability Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassan, Abdulhameed S.; Al-Harthy, Ibrahim S.

2014-01-01

This study investigated the ability of discriminate variables (perceptual-motor, hyperactivity disorder, neurological and psychological skills) to distinguish between normal (n = 68) and students with learning disabilities (n = 72) in fourth grade. Three instruments were developed: perceptual-motor scale, hyperactivity disorder scale, skills test…

How Do Elementary Students in Turkey and the Czech Republic Perceive the Game Concept? A Phenomenographic Study with Draw and Write Technique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pinar Karacan Dogan; Tingaz, Emre Ozan; Hazar, Muhsin; Zvonar, Martin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the perception concerning game concept of 4th grade students in Turkey and the Czech Republic. 19 fourth grade elementary students in the Czech Republic and 40 fourth grade elementary students in Turkey were selected by criterion and convenience sampling. They responded to a specific question "What is…

Income Inequality or Performance Gap? A Multilevel Study of School Violence in 52 Countries.

PubMed

Contreras, Dante; Elacqua, Gregory; Martinez, Matias; Miranda, Álvaro

2015-11-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the association between income inequality and school violence and between the performance inequality and school violence in two international samples. The study used data from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2011 and from the Central Intelligence Agency of United States which combined information about academic performance and students' victimization (physical and social) for 269,456 fourth-grade students and 261,747 eighth-grade students, with gross domestic product and income inequality data in 52 countries. Ecological correlations tested associations between income inequality and victimization and between school performance inequality and victimization among countries. Multilevel ordinal regression and multilevel regression analyses tested the strength of these associations when controlling for socioeconomic and academic performance inequality at school level and family socioeconomic status and academic achievement at student level. Income inequality was associated with victimization rates in both fourth and eighth grade (r ≈ .60). Performance inequality shows stronger association with victimization among eighth graders (r ≈ .46) compared with fourth graders (r ≈ .30). Multilevel analyses indicate that both an increase in the income inequality in the country and school corresponds with more frequent physical and social victimization. On the other hand, an increase in the performance inequality at the system level shows no consistent association to victimization. However, school performance inequality seems related to an increase in both types of victimizations. Our results contribute to the finding that income inequality is a determinant of school violence. This result holds regardless of the national performance inequality between students. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Action Research and Differentiating Reading Instruction in Mississippi: Fourth-Grade Students' Reading Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mims, Wyn, M.; Lockley, Jeannie

2017-01-01

A fourth-grade teacher utilized action research in order to make data-driven decisions about reading interventions with her students. The teacher decided on a broad intervention, which was differentiating reading instruction, implemented differentiated instruction, collected data and continuously adjusted interventions based on monitoring data.…

Self-Esteem and Sharing in Fourth-Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Shirley M.; And Others

1981-01-01

Children (N=64) in a fourth-grade class were given 20 tokens for drawing a picture and then had the option of donating any or all of the tokens to either "needy children" or for "a class prize." Sharing with needy children was positively correlated with self-esteem. (Author)

Constructing Arguments with 3-D Printed Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McConnell, William; Dickerson, Daniel

2017-01-01

In this article, the authors describe a fourth-grade lesson where 3-D printing technologies were not only a stimulus for engagement but also served as a modeling tool providing meaningful learning opportunities. Specifically, fourth-grade students construct an argument that animals' external structures function to support survival in a particular…

Fourth Grade: Late Fall and Early Spring Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Joel Robert, Ed.

Activity plans for fourth grade outdoor education experiences comprise the bulk of this curriculum guide. Many of the outlines have been developed through practical application and experimentation by staff members of the Outdoor and Environmental Education Center (OEEC) of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, City Schools. Activities and studies for the…

Fourth-Grade Slump: The Cause and Cure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcon, Rebecca A.

1995-01-01

Summarizes a study comparing effects of three different preschool models on urban public school children's success. Children enrolled in child-initiated programs mastered more basic skills than those in academically directed or middle-of-the-road classrooms. By fourth grade, the negative effects (lower scores and maladaptive behavior) of overly…

Association Between Transient Newborn Hypoglycemia and Fourth-Grade Achievement Test Proficiency: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Kaiser, Jeffrey R; Bai, Shasha; Gibson, Neal; Holland, Greg; Lin, Tsai Mei; Swearingen, Christopher J; Mehl, Jennifer K; ElHassan, Nahed O

2015-10-01

Prolonged neonatal hypoglycemia is associated with poor long-term neurocognitive function. However, little is known about an association between early transient newborn hypoglycemia and academic achievement. To determine if early (within the first 3 hours of life) transient hypoglycemia (a single initial low glucose concentration, followed by a second value above a cutoff) is associated with subsequent poor academic performance. A retrospective population-based cohort study of all infants born between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 1998, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences who had at least 1 recorded glucose concentration (a universal newborn glucose screening policy was in effect) was conducted. Medical record data from newborns with normoglycemia or transient hypoglycemia were matched with their student achievement test scores in 2008 from the Arkansas Department of Education and anonymized. Logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the association between transient hypoglycemia and school-age achievement test proficiency based on perinatal factors. Common hypoglycemia cutoffs of a glucose level less than 35 mg/dL (primary) and less than 40 and 45 mg/dL (secondary) were investigated. All 1943 normoglycemic and transiently hypoglycemic infants (23-42 weeks' gestation) were eligible for inclusion in the study. Infants with prolonged hypoglycemia, congenital anomalies, or chromosomal abnormalities were excluded from the study. Hypoglycemia as a newborn. The primary outcome was proficiency on fourth-grade literacy and mathematics achievement tests at age 10 years. We hypothesized a priori that newborns with early transient hypoglycemia would be less proficient on fourth-grade achievement tests compared with normoglycemic newborns. Perinatal data were matched with fourth-grade achievement test scores in 1395 newborn-student pairs (71.8%). Transient hypoglycemia (glucose level <35, <40, and <45 mg/dL) was observed in 6.4% (89 of 1395), 10.3% (143 of 1395), and 19.3% (269 of 1395) of newborns, respectively. After controlling for gestational age group, race, sex, multifetal gestation, insurance status, maternal educational level and socioeconomic status, and gravidity, transient hypoglycemia was associated with decreased probability of proficiency on literacy and mathematics fourth-grade achievement tests. For the 3 hypoglycemia cutoffs, the adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs) for literacy were 0.49 (0.28-0.83), 0.43 (0.28-0.67), and 0.62 (0.45-0.85), respectively, and the adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs) for mathematics were 0.49 (0.29-0.82), 0.51 (0.34-0.78), and 0.78 (0.57-1.08), respectively. Early transient newborn hypoglycemia was associated with lower achievement test scores at age 10 years. Given that our findings are serious and contrary to expert opinion, the results need to be validated in other populations before universal newborn glucose screening should be adopted.

The Relationship between Students' Performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the Fourth and Fifth Grade Reading and Math Achievement Tests in Ohio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnimont, Chad S.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between students' performance on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and the fourth and fifth grade Reading and Math Achievement Tests in Ohio. The sample utilized students from a suburban school district in Northwest Ohio. Third grade CogAT scores (2006-2007 school year), 4th…

FREQUENCY OF FEET DEFORMITIES IN PUPILS ATTENDING JUNIOR GRADES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PubMed Central

Kendić, Sulejman; Skender, Nijaz; Ćatović, Amra; Čeleš, Naim; Dupljak, Indira; Ćatović, Sejdo

2007-01-01

The examination of feet by plantograph was performed in 552 pupils of first, second and fourth grades of elementary school “Harmani II” in Bihać. Examination revealed 201 children (36,42%) with satisfactory condition (pedes recti) while 351 pupils were diagnosed with certain form of feet deformity. Frequencies of feet deformities in girls are 60,00% in first, 65,19% in second and 66,30% in fourth grade. Average frequency of feet deformities in the examined girls is 64,90%. Pedes plani was found in 24,91% pupils. Fequencies of feet deformities in boys are 61,29% in first, 65,54% in second and 52,54% in fourth grade. Average frequency of feet deformities in the examined boys is 62,17%. Pedes plani is the most frequent deformity (23,83%). PMID:17848147

Relating Narrative, Inquiry, and Inscriptions: Supporting Consequential Play

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barab, Sasha A.; Sadler, Troy D.; Heiselt, Conan; Hickey, Daniel; Zuiker, Steven

2007-02-01

In this paper we describe our research using a multi-user virtual environment, Quest Atlantis, to embed fourth grade students in an aquatic habitat simulation. Specifically targeted towards engaging students in a rich inquiry investigation, we layered a socio-scientific narrative and an interactive rule set into a multi-user virtual environment gaming engine to establish a virtual world through which students learned about science inquiry, water quality concepts, and the challenges in balancing scientific and socio-economic factors. Overall, students were clearly engaged, participated in rich scientific discourse, submitted quality work, and learned science content. Further, through participation in this narrative, students developed a rich perceptual, conceptual, and ethical understanding of science. This study suggests that multi-user virtual worlds can be effectively leveraged to support academic content learning.

Erratum to: Relating Narrative, Inquiry, and Inscriptions: Supporting Consequential Play

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barab, Sasha A.; Sadler, Troy D.; Heiselt, Conan; Hickey, Daniel; Zuiker, Steven

2010-08-01

In this paper we describe our research using a multi-user virtual environment, Quest Atlantis, to embed fourth grade students in an aquatic habitat simulation. Specifically targeted towards engaging students in a rich inquiry investigation, we layered a socio-scientific narrative and an interactive rule set into a multi-user virtual environment gaming engine to establish a virtual world through which students learned about science inquiry, water quality concepts, and the challenges in balancing scientific and socio-economic factors. Overall, students were clearly engaged, participated in rich scientific discourse, submitted quality work, and learned science content. Further, through participation in this narrative, students developed a rich perceptual, conceptual, and ethical understanding of science. This study suggests that multi-user virtual worlds can be effectively leveraged to support academic content learning.

Exploring the Causes of Underachievement of African American Boys: A Qualitative Descriptive Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis, Rosetta

2017-01-01

The qualitative descriptive case study explores the underachievement phenomenon of fourth-grade African American boys in New York City public elementary schools. Numerous studies have been conducted at the middle school through college levels. However, very little is known about the underachievement phenomenon of fourth-grade African American…

Reading Fluency as an Indicator of Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basaran, Mustafa

2013-01-01

This study examined the relationship between fourth grade primary school students' reading habits/conditions/ situations and their comprehension regarding what they read. For this purpose, a correlational survey method was used in the study. 90 fourth-grade students who were attending a state primary school in the center of Ku¨tahya participated…

Supporting Fourth-Grade Students' Word Identification Using Application Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moser, Gary P.; Morrison, Timothy G.; Wilcox, Brad

2017-01-01

A quasi-experimental study examined effects of a 10-week word structure intervention with fourth-grade students. During daily 10-15-minute practice periods, students worked individually with mobile apps focused on specific aspects of word identification. Pre- and post-treatment assessments showed no differences in rate and accuracy of oral reading…

North Carolina Tales Fly with Fourth Grade Tellers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westman, Gretchen Daub

2008-01-01

In fourth grade, North Carolina students are required to write their own personal narratives. The teachers felt that telling a story would be a great stepping stone toward writing one. Rather than focusing on grammar and the mechanics of writing, students could focus on story development and creativity. In this article, the author describes how…

An Inquiry into Flipped Learning in Fourth Grade Math Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'addato, Teresa; Miller, Libbi R.

2016-01-01

The objective of this action research project was to better understand the impact of flipped learning on fourth grade math students in a socioeconomically disadvantaged setting. A flipped instructional model was implemented with the group of students enrolled in the researcher's class. Data was collected in the form of classroom observations,…

Calculator Use on NAEP: A Look at Fourth- and Eighth-Grade Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walcott, Crystal; Stickles, Paula R.

2012-01-01

This article summarizes research conducted on calculator block items from the 2007 fourth- and eighth-grade National Assessment of Educational Progress Main Mathematics. Calculator items from the assessment were categorized into two categories: problem-solving items and noncomputational mathematics concept items. A calculator has the potential to…

Day of the Dead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dann, Tammy; Murphy, Amy

2012-01-01

Foreign Language in Elementary School (FLES) teachers in the West Des Moines schools incorporate the Day of the Dead into the fourth grade curriculum each year. The teachers discuss the Day of the Dead celebration at the Art Center, and many ask for volunteers from fourth grade to participate in the event. Student presentations include a wide…

Enhancing Argumentative Essay Writing of Fourth-Grade Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deatline-Buchman, Andria; Jitendra, Asha K.

2006-01-01

A within-subject pretest-posttest comparison design was used to explore the effectiveness of a planning and writing intervention in improving the argumentative writing performance of five fourth-grade students with learning disabilities. Students were taught to collaboratively plan and revise their essays and independently write their essays using…

PIRLS 2011 International Results in Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullis, Ina V.S.; Martin, Michael O.; Foy, Pierre; Drucker, Kathleen T.

2012-01-01

PIRLS is an international assessment of reading comprehension at the fourth grade that has been conducted every five years since 2001. In 2011, nationally representative samples of students in 49 countries participated in PIRLS and prePIRLS. Forty-five countries assessed fourth grade students, and some countries participated in one or more of the…

Missing Voices: Fourth through Eighth Grade Urban Students' Perceptions of Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel; Bellmoff, Lynnae; Lopp, Eugene; Birckbichler, Lamar; Marshall, Megan

2008-01-01

This qualitative study aims to investigate urban students' perceptions of bullying. Thirty participants were recruited from the fourth through eighth grade in an urban school system. Five primary themes emerged representing these youths' perceptions of: (a) the nature of the bullying; (b) the characteristics of victims and bullies; (c) the…

Advancing Fourth-Grade Students' Understanding of Arithmetic Properties with Instruction That Promotes Mathematical Argumentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumsey, Chepina Witkowski

2012-01-01

The goals for this study were to investigate how fourth-grade students developed an understanding of the arithmetic properties when instruction promoted mathematical argumentation and to identify the characteristics of students' arguments. Using the emergent perspective as an overarching theoretical perspective helped distinguish between two…

Cognitive Processing and Mathematical Achievement: A Study with Schoolchildren between Fourth and Sixth Grade of Primary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iglesias-Sarmiento, Valentin; Deano, Manuel

2011-01-01

This investigation analyzed the relation between cognitive functioning and mathematical achievement in 114 students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. Differences in cognitive performance were studied concurrently in three selected achievement groups: mathematical learning disability group (MLD), low achieving group (LA), and typically achieving…

Teachers' Use and Perceptions of Authentic Assessments in Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barcelo-Martinez, Maria

2013-01-01

This action research study was conducted in an elementary school with a team of seven fourth- grade teachers. Transcripts of the fourth-grade teachers' discussions during their common planning sessions were recorded and analyzed. The data revealed that during collaborative planning sessions the teachers repeatedly referred to authentic…

Fourth-Grade Students' Motivational Changes in an Elementary Physical Education Running Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiang, Ping; McBride, Ron E.; Bruene, April

2006-01-01

Achievement goal theory and the expectancy-value model of achievement choice were used to examine fourth-grade students' motivational changes in an elementary physical education running program. In fall and spring of the school year, participants (N = 113; 66 boys, 47 girls) completed questionnaires assessing achievement goals, expectancy beliefs,…

Gender Differences in Inference Generation by Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clinton, Virginia; Seipel, Ben; Broek, Paul; McMaster, Kristen L.; Kendeou, Panayiota; Carlson, Sarah E.; Rapp, David N.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are gender differences among elementary school-aged students in regard to the inferences they generate during reading. Fourth-grade students (130 females; 126 males) completed think-aloud tasks while reading one practice and one experimental narrative text. Females generated a larger number and a…

Cognitive Attributes, Attention, and Self-Efficacy of Adequate and Inadequate Responders in a Fourth Grade Reading Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Eunsoo; Roberts, Garrett J.; Capin, Philip; Roberts, Greg; Miciak, Jeremy; Vaughn, Sharon

2015-01-01

We examined cognitive attributes, attention, and self-efficacy of fourth grade struggling readers who were identified as adequate responders (n = 27), inadequate responders with comprehension only deficits (n = 46), and inadequate responders with comprehension and word reading deficits (n = 52) after receiving a multicomponent reading…

Detention as a Deterrent for Late Assignments: A Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conover, Pamela J.

To gauge the impact of after-school student detention on punctual completion of homework, on detained student grades, and on student self-esteem, fourth- through sixth-grade students from a school with an after-school detention policy for late or incomplete assignments were studied. Interviews were conducted with the four fourth-, fifth-, and…

Efficacy of Rich Vocabulary Instruction in Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vadasy, Patricia F.; Sanders, Elizabeth A.; Logan Herrera, Becky

2015-01-01

A multi-cohort cluster randomized trial was conducted to estimate effects of rich vocabulary classroom instruction on vocabulary and reading comprehension. A total of 1,232 fourth- and fifth-grade students from 61 classrooms in 24 schools completed the study. Students received instruction in 140 Tier Two vocabulary words featured in two…

UNDERSTANDING THE FOURTH GRADE SLUMP IN CREATIVE THINKING. FINAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TORRANCE, E. PAUL

STUDIES OF CREATIVITY AND OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES IN CHILDREN HAVE SUGGESTED THE PRESENCE OF SLUMPS (OR INVERSIONS) WHICH MAY BE CORRELATED WITH DEVELOPMENTAL TRANSITIONS. THE MOST NOTABLE OF THESE OCCURS AT ABOUT THE FOURTH GRADE AND IS THE OBJECT OF THIS STUDY. THREE SETS OF INVESTIGATIONS WERE UNDERTAKEN--(1) A STUDY OF CREATIVE…

Understanding the Fourth-Grade Slump: Our Point of View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanacore, Joseph; Palumbo, Anthony

2009-01-01

Educators know that an achievement gap exists between students of low-income and middle-income families, a gap that is especially evident in fourth grade and beyond. This essay explores issues related to this gap, including primary-level children being immersed in narrative text and, therefore, unprepared for the challenges of informational text…

[Application of role-play simulation in pre-clinical practice of the fourth grade students in department of endodontics].

PubMed

Zhu, Lin-lin; Qiu, Li-hong; Qu, Liu; Xue, Ming; Yan, Lu

2014-10-01

To apply role- play simulation in pre-clinical practice of the fourth grade students in department of endodontics. Thirty-two students were randomly divided into 2 groups, there were 16 students in each group. Students in one group were taught with role-play simulation while the other group with lecture-based learning method. The teaching effect was measured with examination and questionnaire survey. The data was analyzed by using SPSS 17.0 software package. There were no significant differences in basic knowledge, case analysis and oral examination between 2 groups (P>0.05), but there was significant difference in history taking and medical records writing, practical examination and total scores between 2 groups (P<0.05). The role-play simulation was generally approved by both teachers and students in experimental group. The abilities of the fourth grade students can be developed by role-play simulation in different aspects. Role-play simulation can be applied in pre-clinical practice of the fourth grade students in department of endodontics.

The Impact of Field Trips and Family Involvement on Mental Models of the Desert Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Judson, Eugene

2011-07-01

This study examined the mental models of the desert environment held by fourth- and seventh-grade students in the USA and whether those mental models could be affected by: (1) classroom field trips to a desert riparian preserve, and (2) interaction with family members at the same preserve. Results generally indicated that students in this study were resolute in their models and that field trips did not impact the types of models students adhered to. Twenty-three seventh-grade students who self-selected to participate in a Family Science Club with their parents did demonstrate a shift in their mental models and developed significantly more sophisticated models over time. A critical implication of the study is that unless transformation of mental models of the environment is an explicit goal of instruction, simple exposure to the environment (even within the context of life science instruction) will not transform understandings of how organisms within an environment act and interact interdependently.

The Effects of Using Space to Teach Standard Elementary School Curriculum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewell, Robert N.

1996-01-01

This brief report and recommendation for further research brings to a formal close this effort, the original purpose of which is described in detail in The effects of using space to teach standard elementary school curriculum, Volume 1, included here as the Appendix. Volume 1 describes the project as a 3-year research program to determine the effectiveness of using space to teach. The research design is quasi experimental using standardized test data on students from Aldrin Elementary School and a District-identified 'control' school, which shall be referred to as 'School B.' Students now in fourth through sixth grades will be compared now (after one year at Aldrin) and tracked at least until the present sixth graders are through the eighth grade. Appropriate statistical tests will be applied to standardized test scores to see if Aldrin students are 'better' than School B students in areas such as: Overall academic performance; Performance in math/science; and Enrollments in math/science in middle school.

Development and validation of an energy-balance knowledge test for fourth- and fifth-grade students.

PubMed

Chen, Senlin; Zhu, Xihe; Kang, Minsoo

2017-05-01

A valid test measuring children's energy-balance (EB) knowledge is lacking in research. This study developed and validated the energy-balance knowledge test (EBKT) for fourth and fifth grade students. The original EBKT contained 25 items but was reduced to 23 items based on pilot result and intensive expert panel discussion. De-identified data were collected from 468 fourth and fifth grade students enrolled in four schools to examine the psychometric properties of the EBKT items. The Rasch model analysis was conducted using the Winstep 3.65.0 software. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis flagged 1 item (item #4) functioning differently between boys and girls, which was deleted. The final 22-item EBKT showed desirable model-data fit indices. The items had large variability ranging from -3.58 logit (item #10, the easiest) to 1.70 logit (item #3, the hardest). The average person ability on the test was 0.28 logit (SD = .78). Additional analyses supported known-group difference validity of the EBKT scores in capturing gender- and grade-based ability differences. The test was overall valid but could be further improved by expanding test items to discern various ability levels. For lack of a better test, researchers and practitioners may use the EBKT to assess fourth- and fifth-grade students' EB knowledge.

Study of velocity and temperature distributions in boundary layer flow of fourth grade fluid over an exponential stretching sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Najeeb Alam; Saeed, Umair Bin; Sultan, Faqiha; Ullah, Saif; Rehman, Abdul

2018-02-01

This study deals with the investigation of boundary layer flow of a fourth grade fluid and heat transfer over an exponential stretching sheet. For analyzing two heating processes, namely, (i) prescribed surface temperature (PST), and (ii) prescribed heat flux (PHF), the temperature distribution in a fluid has been considered. The suitable transformations associated with the velocity components and temperature, have been employed for reducing the nonlinear model equation to a system of ordinary differential equations. The flow and temperature fields are revealed by solving these reduced nonlinear equations through an effective analytical method. The important findings in this analysis are to observe the effects of viscoelastic, cross-viscous, third grade fluid, and fourth grade fluid parameters on the constructed analytical expression for velocity profile. Likewise, the heat transfer properties are studied for Prandtl and Eckert numbers.

Professional Staffing Levels and Fourth-Grade Student Research in Rural Schools with High-Poverty Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krueger, Karla Steege; Donham, Jean

2013-01-01

Rural schools in high-poverty areas are often understaffed. This descriptive phenomenological study examined fourth-grade state research projects in high-poverty rural Iowa schools to reveal the influence of school librarians' staffing levels on student learning of research skills. To determine evidence of students' critical literacy, ethical use…

Bully Prevention in Positive Behavior Support: Preliminary Evaluation of Third-, Fourth-, and Fifth-Grade Attitudes toward Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Scott W.; Horner, Robert H.

2014-01-01

The current pilot study demonstrates the potential of adding simple and efficient bully prevention strategies to already established School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. The self-report surveys of third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students from three elementary schools evaluated the relationship between the implementation of…

Bystanders to Bullying: Fourth-to Seventh-Grade Students' Perspectives on Their Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsberg, Camilla; Thornberg, Robert; Samuelsson, Marcus

2014-01-01

The aim with the present study was to investigate bystander actions in bullying situations as well as reasons behind these actions as they are articulated by Swedish students from fourth to seventh grade. Forty-three semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with students. Qualitative analysis of data was performed by methods from…

Effects of Fourth and Second Graders' Cross-Age Tutoring on Students' Spelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Rebekkah J.; Morrison, Timothy G.; Feinauer, Erika; Wilcox, Brad; Black, Sharon

2016-01-01

A quasi-experimental study examined some effects of cross-age tutoring on fourth grade tutors' and second grade tutees' ability to spell accurately and correct errors on their own rough drafts. Half of the participating tutors were trained in tutoring skills; half were not. All participants were given pre- and post-assessments. On dictated writing…

Reducing Test Anxiety and Improving Academic Performance in Fourth Grade Students: Exploring an Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donato, Jeanne M.

2009-01-01

This quantitative study investigated the effectiveness of a teacher-implemented intervention of eight sessions integrated into an existing curriculum to reduce test anxiety and improve academic performance in fourth grade students. The experimental group, n=23 was drawn from a sample of 64 students in a southwestern Rhode Island public school…

Improving the Academic Achievement of Third and Fourth Grade Underachievers as a Result of Improved Self-Esteem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coakley, Barbara Fairfax

This study was designed to improve the academic achievement of 35 third- and fourth-grade underachievers through improved self-esteem. Specific goals included focusing on self-concept and learning skills reinforcement, with the ultimate goal of increasing academic performance and motivation. Large group sessions with students focused on…

Increasing the Responsibility Levels of Fourth Grade Gifted Children by Promoting Positive Character Traits and Caring Behaviors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Marliese G.

This paper describes a project to improve the responsibility levels of 16 gifted students in fourth grade attending a daily 2-hour language arts gifted education class. Students had become inconsistent about completing assignments, maintaining an orderly environment, and communicating necessary information to parents. A teacher-developed checklist…

Error Patterns in Ordering Fractions among At-Risk Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Amelia S.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

2017-01-01

The three purposes of this study were to (a) describe fraction ordering errors among at-risk fourth grade students, (b) assess the effect of part-whole understanding and accuracy of fraction magnitude estimation on the probability of committing errors, and (c) examine the effect of students' ability to explain comparing problems on the probability…

Benefits of Repeated Reading Intervention for Low-Achieving Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vadasy, Patricia F.; Sanders, Elizabeth A.

2008-01-01

Many students have difficulty achieving reading fluency, and nearly half of fourth graders are not fluent readers in grade-level texts. Intensive and focused reading practice is recommended to help close the gap between students with poor fluency and their average reading peers. In this study, the "Quick Reads" fluency program was used…

Fourth Grade Outcomes of Children with a Preschool History of Developmental Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgado, Christine E. F.

2009-01-01

Special education outcomes were evaluated for 3,608 children (2,513 males) with a preschool history of developmental disability. Sixty-six percent of the children had an identified disability in fourth grade. The percentage of children with a disability at outcome varied across preschool disability categories from 54% to 96%. The consistency of…

An Analysis of Computational Errors in the Use of Division Algorithms by Fourth-Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefanich, Greg P.; Rokusek, Teri

1992-01-01

Presents a study that analyzed errors made by randomly chosen fourth grade students (25 of 57) while using the division algorithm and investigated the effect of remediation on identified systematic errors. Results affirm that error pattern diagnosis and directed remediation lead to new learning and long-term retention. (MDH)

Class Size Effects on Fourth-Grade Mathematics Achievement: Evidence from TIMSS 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Wei; Konstantopoulos, Spyros

2016-01-01

Class size reduction policies have been widely implemented around the world in recent years. However, findings about the effects of class size on student achievement have been mixed. This study examines class size effects on fourth-grade mathematics achievement in 14 European countries using data from TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and…

Constructing and Modeling Algebraic Statements in the Multiplicative Domain: Investigating Fourth-Grade Student and Teacher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grandau, Laura

2013-01-01

This study of fourth-grade students and teachers explores mathematics teaching and learning that focuses on discovering and modeling algebraic relationships. The study has two parts: an investigation of how students learn to construct algebraic statements and models for comparisons and measurement situations in the multiplicative domain, and an…

Fourth-Grade Elementary Students' Conceptions of Standards-Based Lunar Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trundle, Kathy Cabe; Atwood, Ronald K.; Christopher, John E.

2007-01-01

Fourth-grade students' knowledge of observable moon phases and patterns of change, as well as conceptual understanding of the cause of moon phases, was investigated before and after special instruction. Pretest and post-test data for 48 students were used to address the research question related to observable moon phases and patterns of change.…

Measures of Writing Ability of Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, George Franklin

The purpose of this canonical and multiple correlation study of measures of writing ability was to develop a valid weighted index of writing ability to replace the single measures now being used to evaluate elementary English programs. The subjects, 134 pupils from each fourth, fifth, and sixth grade level of Broadway and Dunham schools in Maple…

Enhancing Fourth Grade Students' Writing Achievement through Purposeful Experiential Learning: An Action Research Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McManus, Michael S.; Thiamwong, Ladda

2015-01-01

This study focuses on the effects of involving fourth grade students in an experiential learning task that improves the school and requires the students to call on community agency, area business, and high school student support. Data related to students' learning were collected by using evaluative writing surveys, student and parent conferences,…

TIMSS 2011 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 1: International Version of the TIMSS 2011 Background and Curriculum Questionnaires

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foy, Pierre, Ed.; Arora, Alka, Ed.; Stanco, Gabrielle M., Ed.

2013-01-01

The TIMSS 2011 International Database includes data for all questionnaires administered as part of the TIMSS 2011 assessment. This supplement contains the international version of the TIMSS 2011 background questionnaires and curriculum questionnaires in the following 10 sections: (1) Fourth Grade Student Questionnaire; (2) Fourth Grade Home…

The Academic Achievement of Second, Third, and Fourth Grade Regular Education Students Involved in Special Education Inclusion Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liddiard, Hannah J.

This study investigated the differences in academic achievement of regular education students in noninclusion classrooms and of same-grade students in special education inclusion programs, to assess the impact on regular education achievement of inclusion programs in a particular elementary school. All subjects were second, third, or fourth grade…

Concept Mapping: Effects on Content Knowledge and Engagement with Content in Elementary Students' Persuasive Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Melissa England

2015-01-01

This comparative pre-test/post-test quantitative study investigated the effect of an instructional strategy using concept mapping as a graphic organizer on the quality of persuasive writing compositions produced by fourth grade elementary school students. Six fourth grade classes were assigned as intact groups to three conditions: concept mapping…

The Schema Strategies in Reading Comprehension Tasks of Fourth-Grade Students with Reading Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutkind, Rebeka Chaia

2012-01-01

This mixed method study investigated the schema strategy uses of fourth-grade boys with reading challenges; specifically, their ability to understand text based on two components within schema theory: tuning and restructuring. Based on the reading comprehension scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (Form 2010), four comparison groups were…

Prejudice as a Function of Intellectual Level and Cultural Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sussman, Earl; Thompson, Glen Robbins

This study was designed to examine factors related to prejudice among fourth grade children from an inner city area of Chicago. A total of 91 children were sampled, 60 from "low-performing" and 31 from "high-performing" fourth grade rooms. Thirty of the low-performing children were assigned to the experimental condition and 30…

Emergent Understandings: Multilingual Fourth Grade Students Generating Close Readings and Multimodal Responses to Global and Informational Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasty, Michelle Medlin; Fain, Jeanne Gilliam

2014-01-01

In this paper, the authors present findings from a yearlong ethnographic research study that examines the development of critical literacy within two urban fourth grade classrooms in Tennessee. This study examines how young second language learners in English-dominant classrooms learn to read critically, write, and construct multimodal…

Laptops and Fourth-Grade Literacy: Assisting the Jump over the Fourth-Grade Slump

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suhr, Kurt A.; Hernandez, David A.; Grimes, Douglas; Warschauer, Mark

2010-01-01

School districts throughout the country are considering how to best integrate technology into instruction. There has been a movement in many districts toward one-to-one laptop instruction, in which all students are provided a laptop computer, but there is concern that these programs may not yield sufficiently improved learning outcomes to justify…

The English Language Arts Assessment: Knocking at Our Door.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Scott

2003-01-01

Describes how Michigan's English Language Arts Assessment (ELA) takes parts of the old fifth-grade writing assessment and fourth-grade reading tests, adds new elements, and wraps everything around a theme. Presents a seven-step activity to help prepare fourth graders for the ELA. Concludes that the overall impact on scores is not known. (SG)

Error Patterns with Fraction Calculations at Fourth Grade as a Function of Students' Mathematics Achievement Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Robin F.; Malone, Amelia S.

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to describe fraction-calculation errors among fourth-grade students and to determine whether error patterns differed as a function of problem type (addition vs. subtraction; like vs. unlike denominators), orientation (horizontal vs. vertical), or mathematics-achievement status (low-, average-, or high-achieving). We…

"No Easy Road to Freedom": Critical Literacy in a Fourth-Grade Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeney, Maria

1997-01-01

Illustrates the possibilities of critical literacy by discussing a project a class of fourth-grade students undertook to write and produce a play about the conditions of apartheid, the history of resistance, and the upcoming South African elections. Concludes that students felt empowered as social activists and believed they had a mandate and the…

The Fourth Grade Experience: Insights toward the Transition to Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Kelly A.

2005-01-01

The transition from elementary to middle school can be an exciting as well as scary time for young adolescents. The stress of this transition can be decreased by incorporating transition programs that address student needs and concerns. This qualitative research study was designed to gain an overall sense of fourth grade in order to better…

Science inquiry and student diversity: Enhanced abilities and continuing difficulties after an instructional intervention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee; Buxton, Cory; Lewis, Scott; Leroy, Kathryn

2006-09-01

This study examines elementary students' abilities to conduct science inquiry through their participation in an instructional intervention over a school year. The study involved 25 third and fourth grade students from six elementary schools representing diverse linguistic and cultural groups. Prior to and at the completion of the intervention, the students participated in elicitation sessions as they conducted a semistructured inquiry task on evaporation. The results indicate that students demonstrated enhanced abilities with some aspects of the inquiry task, but continued to have difficulties with other aspects of the task even after instruction. Although students from all demographic subgroups showed substantial gains, students from non-mainstream and less privileged backgrounds in science showed greater gains in inquiry abilities than their more privileged counterparts. The results contribute to the emerging literature on designing learning environments that foster science inquiry of elementary students from diverse backgrounds.

The Quantitative Reasoning for College Science (QuaRCS) Assessment in non-Astro 101 Courses II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkman, Thomas W.; Jensen, Ellen

2017-06-01

The Quantitative Reasoning for College Science (QuaRCS) Assessment[1] aims to measure the pre-algebra mathematical skills that are often part of "general education" science courses like Astro 101. In four majors STEM classes, we report comparisons between QuaRCS metrics, ACT math, GPAO, and the course grade. In three of four classes QuaRCS QR score and ACT math were statistically significantly correlated (with r˜.6), however in the fourth course —a senior-level microbiology course— there was no statistically significantly correlation (in fact, r<0). In all courses —even in courses with seemingly little quantitative content— course grade was statistically significantly correlated to GPAO and QR. A QuaRCS metric aiming to report the students belief in the importance of math in science was seen to grow with the course level. Pre/post QuaRCS testing in Physics courses showed fractional sigma gains in QR, self-estimated math fluency and math importance, but not all of those increases were statistically significant. Using a QuaRCS map relating the questions to skill areas, we found graph reading, percentages, and proportional reasoning to be the most misunderstood skills in all four courses.[1] QuaRCS, Follette, et al.,2015, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1936-4660.8.2.2

Use of Medical Students in a Flipped Classroom Programme in Nutrition Education for Fourth-Grade School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McEvoy, Christian S.; Cantore, Kathryn M.; Denlinger, LeAnn N.; Schleich, Michele A.; Stevens, Nicole M.; Swavely, Steven C.; Odom, Anne A.; Novick, Marsha B.

2016-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a flipped classroom progamme, designed and implemented by medical students, in communicating nutrition education to fourth-grade school students aged 9-10 years and to characterise teachers' assessments of the progamme, which was designed to minimise the burden placed on…

A Research Study to Determine the Effects of Early Keyboard Use upon Student Development in Occupational Keyboarding. Final Report of Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwood, Byrdeen; And Others

Before students can use microcomputers effectively, they need keyboarding skills. A project was conducted in Montana to teach keyboarding to fourth-grade children using computer-assisted instruction. Two fourth-grade classes at Hawthorne Elementary School, Bozeman, Montana, participated in an 8-week, 32-session elementary keyboarding pilot…

A Comparison of Reading Rates, Comprehension, and Stamina in Oral and Silent Reading of Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trainin, Guy; Hiebert, Elfrieda H.; Wilson, Kathleen M.

2015-01-01

This study examined the relationships between silent and oral reading fluency and comprehension. Findings indicated that fourth grade students had consistent levels of comprehension in both reading modes. Students of all reading levels showed a similar pattern across the segments of a text set in both oral and silent reading--a gradual increase in…

Xbox Kinect Gaming Systems as a Supplemental Tool within a Physical Education Setting: Third and Fourth Grade Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shewmake, Cole J.; Merrie, Michael D.; Calleja, Paul

2015-01-01

Literature indicates that technology, including exergaming, is popular among adolescents and can be used as a supplemental tool in the physical education classroom. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine third and fourth grade students' perceived enjoyment and exertion levels toward exergaming in relation to traditional physical…

The Relationship Between Child and Teacher Evaluations of Self Esteem and Adjustment in Fourth and Sixth Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorr, Darwin; And Others

The purposes of this study were to investigate at two elementary grade levels, the fourth and the sixth: the relationship between children's self-evaluations of self esteem and adjustment; the relationship between teachers' evaluations of children's self esteem and adjustment; and the relationship between teacher and child judgments of adjustment,…

Water Works: A Great Show on Earth. Classroom Activities for Third and Fourth Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Judy; Clark, Neil

This curriculum guide is divided into five lessons, each containing several activities that reflect the natural path of inquiry that third or fourth grade students might take in considering the water that arrives in their bathroom sinks each morning. Starting from the familiar faucet, the students are encouraged to reflect on their own habits and…

Growing Up Strong: A Mental Wellness and Life Skills Development Program for Fourth Graders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammer, Judith McGowan; O'Bar, Angelina Merenda

Growing Up Strong (GUS) is a curriculum designed to develop strong mental and physical health in kindergarten through sixth grade students, with the objective of preventing subsequent substance abuse. This document contains a teacher's guide for using GUS in fourth grade classrooms (GUS 4) and duplication masters of materials that can be sent home…

Impact of Attending Jump Start Literacy Camp on Reading Achievement among Third and Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padgett, Carrie B.

2010-01-01

The Jump Start Literacy Camp was developed as a means to combat summer learning loss. The camp utilized high-energy activities to target phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. This study examined the effects of the Jump Start Literacy Camp on reading achievement for rising third and fourth grade students in an urban…

Does Relative Age Influence Motor Test Performance of Fourth Grade Pupils?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wattie, Nick; Tietjens, Maike; Schorer, Jörg; Ghanbari, Marie-Christine; Strauss, Bernd; Seidel, Ilka; Baker, Joseph

2014-01-01

The aim of the current study was to explore relative age's influence on physical and motor tests among fourth grade children (9 to 10 years) from Germany. Data from 1218 children (49% female) who had performed the German Motor Ability Test (Bös et al., 2009) were analysed. The test battery, which was comprised of physical and motor tests, included…

The Relationship between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement for Fourth Grade Students in Southeast Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Jordan

2017-01-01

This study examined the strength and direction of the relationship between the STAAR exam's reading and mathematics portions and the FitnessGRAM's cardiovascular portion for fourth grade students located in Region 6 from the state of Texas. Using existing, archival data consisting of 4,215 students from 36 elementary schools, a non-experimental…

Beyond the Fourth Grade Glass Ceiling: Understanding Reading Comprehension among Bilingual/Bimodal Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Jessica Armytage

2015-01-01

Research has found that, on average, deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students graduate from high school reading at the fourth grade level (Allen, 1986). Additionally, DHH children of deaf parents (Charrow & Fletcher, 1974) and those with strong American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency (Strong & Prinz, 1997) tend to outperform DHH students…

The Relationship of School Absenteeism with Body Mass Index, Academic Achievement, and Socioeconomic Status among Fourth-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baxter, Suzanne D.; Royer, Julie A.; Hardin, James W.; Guinn, Caroline H.; Devlin, Christina M.

2011-01-01

Background: Data from a school-based study concerning fourth-grade children's dietary recall accuracy were linked with data from the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) through the South Carolina Budget and Control Board Office of Research and Statistics (ORS) to investigate the relationships of children's school absenteeism with body…

Effects of Self-Graphing on Written Expression of Fourth Grade Students with High-Incidence Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stotz, Kate E.; Itoi, Madoka; Konrad, Moira; Alber-Morgan, Sheila R.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of self-graphing on the writing of 3 fourth grade students with high-incidence disabilities. Measures of written expression included total number of words written and number of correct word sequences. During intervention, students self-graphed their total number of words written in response to…

Use of Digital Stories to Develop Listening Comprehension Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cigerci, Fatih Mehmet; Gultekin, Mehmet

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of digital stories on the Turkish (mother language) listening skills of fourth grade students. The study used a mixed methods and was conducted in two fourth grade classrooms (ages 9-10 years) in a primary school in Eskisehir city, Turkey, during the 2014-2015 spring semester. During the 8-week…

The Effect of Guided Reading on Literacy Achievement of Third and Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Brandon

2017-01-01

Literacy, the ability to read and write, is of great importance to the success of students throughout their lives. The problem the study addressed was low literacy achievement levels of third and fourth grade students. The information gained from this study was important because it helped staff members at the research site identify the impact of…

Effects of Healthy Life Practice Education on Reported Health Behaviors among Fourth-Grade Elementary School Students in South Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Shin-Jeong; Cho, Haeryun; Baek, Seong-Sook

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of healthy life practice (HLP) education on reported health behaviors, including health promotion, disease prevention, and safety among fourth-grade elementary school students. A quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest design was used. The 101 recruited participants from two schools were assigned to…

Active Participation in the Reading of Fourth and Sixth Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzpatrick, Oney D., Jr.; Naus, Mary J.

To understand what kinds of mental processing take place during reading and how the child encodes information that is presented, a study investigated the comprehension of a story by asking the reader to take part actively in the decision-making of the protagonist. Subjects, 56 children from a fourth- and sixth-grade class at an elementary school…

State Secret: North Carolina and the Cherokee Trail of Tears

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, James

2008-01-01

This paper is an analytic essay that examines the treatment of the Cherokee Trail of Tears in a North Carolina fourth grade textbook. I begin by offering a satiric look at an imaginary textbook's treatment of the Holocaust that is based closely on the actual narrative of the Trail of Tears written in the fourth grade text. Following this, close…

The "Power Play! Campaign's School Idea & Resource Kits" Improve Determinants of Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Physical Activity among Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keihner, Angie Jo; Meigs, Reba; Sugerman, Sharon; Backman, Desiree; Garbolino, Tanya; Mitchell, Patrick

2011-01-01

Objective: Examine the effect of the "California Children's Power Play! Campaign's School Idea & Resource Kits" for fourth/fifth grades on the psychosocial determinants of fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and physical activity (PA). Methods: Randomized, controlled trial (n = 31 low-resource public schools; 1,154 children). Ten…

The Effects of Explicit Reading Strategy Instruction and Cooperative Learning on Reading Comprehension in Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lencioni, Gina M.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of explicit direct instruction and cooperative learning on reading comprehension in fourth grade students. A quasi-experimental design was used. There were six cognitive and three affective measures used to collect quantitative data. Cognitive measures included California State Test scores,…

Fourth-Grade Primary School Students' Thought Processes and Challenges Encountered during the Butter Beans Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahin, Neslihan; Eraslan, Ali

2017-01-01

In parallel with mathematical modeling studies that have gradually drawn interest in recent years, the aim of this study is to investigate the thought processes of fourth-grade students in the Butter Beans Problem and to identify possible challenges in this process. For this purpose, a qualitative study was conducted at a university-foundation…

Performing Race in Four Culturally Diverse Fourth Grade Classrooms: Silence, Race Talk, and the Negotiation of Social Boundaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaffer, Rebecca; Skinner, Debra G.

2009-01-01

This article addresses how preadolescents produce and perform race through an ethnographic study of 8- to 11-year-old students in four fourth grade classrooms in the southeastern United States. Although Asian, Latino, and white students tended to avoid explicit talk of race, many white students constructed black students as disruptive…

The Effects of Strategy Training and an Extrinsic Incentive on Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students' Performance, Confidence, and Calibration Accuracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutierrez de Blume, Antonio P.

2017-01-01

This study investigated the influence of strategy training instruction and an extrinsic incentive on American fourth- and fifth-grade students' (N = 35) performance, confidence in performance, and calibration accuracy. Using an experimental design, children were randomized to either an experimental group (strategy training and an extrinsic…

A Study of the Effectiveness of a Character Education Program to Prevent Bullying in Fourth and Seventh Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Deborah J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess whether bullying behaviors were impacted by the character education curriculum "Character Counts!" in fourth and seventh grade students. More specifically, over time are the perceptions that the students had of bullying behaviors impacted and is there a difference between the perceptions that boys…

The Elementary Bubble Project: Exploring Critical Media Literacy in a Fourth-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gainer, Jesse S.; Valdez-Gainer, Nancy; Kinard, Timothy

2009-01-01

This article addresses issues surrounding critical media literacy using popular culture texts. The authors focus on the example of their work with a fourth-grade class involved in a project to unpack the messages of popular media and advertising texts. This project, which they call the Elementary Bubble Project, was inspired by guerilla artist Ji…

A Study of Attitudes in an All Boys' School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tickner, Anne-Marie

This study examined the effect of single-sex schooling on the academic and social development of boys. An extensive literature review presents the conflicting results of studies of various issues related to single-sex education. Subjects of the present study were 39 boys in a fourth grade class at a boys school and 23 boys in a fourth grade class…

Joyous Reading: Aspects of Literature Enjoyment for Black/African American Fourth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosley, Sherea

2017-01-01

This study primarily explores the types of books African American children in a local fourth grade classroom like and enjoy. Books students are interested in reading and other related aspects that contribute to their literary enjoyment are also explored. It is during the upper elementary years that many students who eventually express little or no…

Idaho Region IV Fourth-Grade Teachers' Perceptions about the Educational Influence of Idaho State Achievement Standards and the Idaho State Achievement Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Annette Marie

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore Idaho Region IV fourth-grade teachers' perceptions regarding the educational influence of Idaho State Achievement Standards and the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT) in language usage, reading, and math. Differences between subgroups based on teacher/school demographics, specifically, teachers'…

The Effect of Music and Sound Effects on the Listening Comprehension of Fourth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Raymond E.

This study was designed to determine if the addition of music and sound effects to recorded stories increased the comprehension and retention of information presented on tape to fourth grade students at three levels of reading ability. Two versions of four narrated stories were recorded, one version with music and sound effects, the other with…

Diet- and Body Size-related Attitudes and Behaviors Associated with Vitamin Supplement Use in a Representative Sample of Fourth-grade Students in Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this research was to examine diet- and body size-related attitudes and behaviors associated with supplement use in a representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas. The research design consisted of cross-sectional data from the School Physical Activity and Nutrition study, ...

Co-constructing cultural landscapes for disciplinary learning in and out of school: the next generation science standards and learning progressions in action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Córdova, Ralph A.; Balcerzak, Phyllis

2016-12-01

The authors of this study are teacher-researchers, the first is a university researcher and former third and fourth grade teacher, while the second author is a university-based science educator. They report findings from a community-based study that Ralph, the first author, and his students conducted across two academic years (2001-2003) in order to illustrate the ways in which the next generation science standards and learning progressions can be appropriated as social-constructed practices inside and outside of school. The authors argue that what constitutes science learning in school is not a `state of grace' dictated by standards. Rather, becoming a scientist within a community of learners is a cultural phenomenon that teachers and students co-construct and as such teachers can approach the next generation science standards and learning progressions as opportunities to create intentional, disciplinary practice-based learning communities inside and outside of school.

A Comparison of the Influences of Verbal-Successive and Spatial-Simultaneous Factors on Achieving Readers in Fourth and Fifth Grade: A Multivariate Correlational Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solan, Harold A.

1987-01-01

This study involving 38 normally achieving fourth and fifth grade children confirmed previous studies indicating that both spatial-simultaneous (in which perceived stimuli are totally available at one point in time) and verbal-successive (information is presented in serial order) cognitive processing are important in normal learning. (DB)

Physical Education Teachers' Attitudes towards Teaching Character Education and Their Attitudes towards the Character Development of Their Fourth and/or Fifth Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denaro, Edward Joseph

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of elementary school physical education teachers towards teaching character education related to the variables respect, honesty, fairness and self-discipline and to examine their attitudes towards the character development of their fourth and/or fifth grade students related to the variables…

Effects of a Developmental Guidance Program on the Affective-Social Development of Third and Fourth Graders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stilwell, William E.

This study compared the effects of the Stuttgart School District's developmental guidance program with the effects of one of its traditional school programs on children's affective-social development. Affective education data were collected at the end of third grade (May, 1975) and again at the end of fourth grade (May, 1976) for 58 boys and 47…

An Evaluation of the Higher Order Thinking Skills Program with Fourth and Fifth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenman, J. Gordon, Jr.

The Higher Order Thinking Skills Program (HOTS) is a computer-based program for teaching thinking skills developed by Stanley Pogrow at the University of Arizona. It is now used in over 800 U.S. schools. This study investigated the effects of the HOTS program versus the traditional Chapter 1 program on fourth and fifth grade students'…

Learning to Love Your Computer: A Fourth Grade Study in the Use of Computers and Their Economic Impact on the World Today.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKeever, Barbara

An award-winning fourth-grade unit combines computer and economics education by examining the impact of computer usage on various segments of the economy. Students spent one semester becoming familiar with a classroom computer and gaining a general understanding of basic economic concepts through class discussion, field trips, and bulletin boards.…

Diet- and Body Size-Related Attitudes and Behaviors Associated with Vitamin Supplement Use in a Representative Sample of Fourth-Grade Students in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Goldy C.; Hoelscher, Deanna M.; Nicklas, Theresa A.; Kelder, Steven H.

2009-01-01

Objective: To examine diet- and body size-related attitudes and behaviors associated with supplement use in a representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas. Design: Cross-sectional data from the School Physical Activity and Nutrition study, a probability-based sample of schoolchildren. Children completed a questionnaire that assessed…

Effects of a Cross-Age Peer Learning Program on the Vocabulary and Comprehension of English Learners and Non-English Learners in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Rebecca D.; Martin-Beltran, Melinda; Peercy, Megan M.; Hartranft, Anna M.; McNeish, Daniel M.; Artzi, Lauren; Nunn, Stephanie

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the effects of a cross-age peer learning program targeting vocabulary and comprehension in kindergarten and fourth-grade classrooms with substantial proportions of English Learners (ELs). The study followed a quasi-experimental design with 12 classrooms (6 kindergarten and 6 fourth grade) in the intervention group and 12…

An Investigation of Two Instructional Settings in the Use of Semantic Mapping with Poor Readers. Program Report 85-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittelman, Susan D.; And Others

A study investigated whether semantic mapping is more effective for poor readers instructed in a small group of poor readers or in a class of students with mixed reading abilities. Students in five fourth-grade classes served as the control, receiving no semantic mapping instruction. Subjects, 39 fourth-grade poor readers, were presented semantic…

A Scale Development for 21st Century Skills of Primary School Students: A Validity and Reliability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyaci, S. Dilek Belet; Atalay, Nurhan

2016-01-01

The objective of the present study is to develop a measurement tool to assess 21st Century learning and innovation skills of primary school students. Study data was collected from 632 fourth grade students in five different primary schools during 2014-2015 academic year and data obtained from 609 fourth grade students were utilized in the study.…

Textual production of children without learning difficulties.

PubMed

Santos, Maria Aparecida Gonçalves dos; Hage, Simone Rocha de Vasconcellos

2015-01-01

To characterize the writing skills of students, to compare the performance of students in public and private schools, and to identify enhancements in the course of the school year. Three texts (narrative, game rules description, and a note or letter) written by 160 students from public and private schools were analyzed based on a specific protocol. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. To compare the overall performance by the protocol between school grades, the Kruskal-Wallis and Miller tests were used, and to compare results as to schools (private and public), Mann-Whitney test was used. Median values of aesthetic aspects, coherence, clarity, and concision for game rules description among public school students remained one point below the top score. Students from private schools achieved the highest score at medians. When comparing schools, private institutions had students with better performances, with significant difference. As to grades, statistical difference was found between the fourth and sixth grades of public schools and between the fourth and fifth grades of private schools. Most of the private school children showed consolidation of skills assessed in the different grades. However, public school children had this consolidation only at the sixth grade. Students from private schools had better performances compared to those from public schools. There is tendency to evolution from the fourth to sixth grades in public schools. However, the overall performance is similar in all grades in private schools.

The effects of traditional learning and a learning cycle inquiry learning strategy on students' science achievement and attitudes toward elementary science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahim, Ali

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of two instructional methods on students' academic achievement and attitudes toward elementary science in the State of Kuwait: traditional teaching method and the 4-E learning cycle inquiry teaching method. The subjects were 111 students from four intact 4th grade classes. The experiment group (n = 56) received the learning cycle instruction while the control group (n = 55) received a more traditional approach over a four week period. The same female teacher taught the experimental and control groups for boys and a different female teacher taught experimental and control groups for girls. The dependent variables were measured through the use of: (1) a science achievement test to assess student achievement; and (2) an attitude survey to measure students' attitudes toward science. Quantitative data were collected on students' pre- and post-treatment achievement and attitudes measures. The two way MANOVA reveals that: the 4-E learning cycle instructional method produces significantly greater achievement and attitudes among fourth grade science students than the traditional teaching approach F (2, 93) = 19.765, (P = .000), corresponding to Wilks' Lambda = .702 with an effect size of .298 and a power of 1. In light of these findings, it is therefore suggested that students can achieve greater and have higher science attitudes when the 4-E learning cycle is used. In addition, these findings support the notion that effective instruction in teaching science, such as the 4-E learning cycle instruction, should be proposed and implemented in elementary schools.

Impact of Fathers’ Alcohol Problems on the Development of Effortful Control in Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Adkison, Sarah E.; Grohman, Kerry; Colder, Craig R.; Leonard, Kenneth; Orrange-Torchia, Toni; Peterson, Ellen; Eiden, Rina D.

2013-01-01

Objective: This article examines the association between fathers’ alcohol problems and children’s effortful control during the transition from middle childhood to early adolescence (fourth to sixth grade). Additionally, we examined the role of two potential moderators of this association, fathers’ antisocial behavior and child gender. Method: The sample consisted of 197 families (102 nonalcoholic [NA]; 95 father alcoholic [FA], in which only the father met diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence). The sample was recruited from New York State birth records when the children were 12 months old. This analysis focused on 12-month alcohol problem data and child effortful control data measured in the fourth and sixth grades. Results: Structural equation modeling revealed that FA status was associated with lower effortful control on the Stroop Color and Word and Tower of London tasks in the sixth grade, but antisocial behavior did not moderate this association. Multiple group analysis revealed that FA status was associated with higher Stroop interference scores in fourth and sixth grade and lower move scores on the Tower of London task for boys but not girls. Conclusions: The association between FA status and effortful control may be attenuated in middle childhood (fourth grade) but emerge again in early adolescence (sixth grade). The results indicate that sons of alcoholics may be particularly vulnerable to poor self-regulatory strategies and that early adolescence may be an important time for intervening with these families to facilitate higher self-regulation before the transition to high school. PMID:23948526

Independent contributions of the central executive, intelligence, and in-class attentive behavior to developmental change in the strategies used to solve addition problems.

PubMed

Geary, David C; Hoard, Mary K; Nugent, Lara

2012-09-01

Children's (N=275) use of retrieval, decomposition (e.g., 7=4+3 and thus 6+7=6+4+3), and counting to solve additional problems was longitudinally assessed from first grade to fourth grade, and intelligence, working memory, and in-class attentive behavior was assessed in one or several grades. The goal was to assess the relation between capacity of the central executive component of working memory, controlling for intelligence and in-class attentive behavior, and grade-related changes in children's use of these strategies. The predictor on intercept effects from multilevel models revealed that children with higher central executive capacity correctly retrieved more facts and used the most sophisticated counting procedure more frequently and accurately than their lower capacity peers at the beginning of first grade, but the predictor on slope effects indicated that this advantage disappeared (retrieval) or declined in importance (counting) from first grade to fourth grade. The predictor on slope effects also revealed that from first grade to fourth grade, children with higher capacity adopted the decomposition strategy more quickly than other children. The results remained robust with controls for children's sex, race, school site, speed of encoding Arabic numerals and articulating number words, and mathematics achievement in kindergarten. The results also revealed that intelligence and in-class attentive behavior independently contributed to children's strategy development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of Fourth and Sixth Grade Reader Performance Using Cloze Tests, Group Reading Inventories, an Informal Reading Inventory, and a Standardized Reading Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Emma Sue

A study was conducted to explore the issue of testing to determine reading levels of students. A group of 624 fourth and sixth grade students from 13 schools participated in the study, which compared results from an informal reading inventory (IRI), a standardized achievement test, a group reading inventory (GRI), and a cloze test. Pupil…

Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Teachers' Descriptions of Methods Used to Improve the Reading Achievement of Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berkowitz, Sally Greenberg

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore ways in which third, fourth, and fifth grade teachers reported they successfully improved the reading achievement of students with LD as documented by an increase in test scores on standardized tests in reading. Moreover, this study is an examination of productive ways in which elementary classroom…

The Effects of White Boards on Student Achievement in Fourth Grade Mathematics as Measures on the Palmetto Achievement Test (PACT) at Selected Schools in North Central South Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Tanya Lighty

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the use of interactive Whiteboard technology in mathematics class could improve student achievement as measured by scores achieved on the South Carolina State Palmetto Achievement Test (PACT). The study examined fourth grade mathematics achievement test scores for students whose teachers used…

Academic Growth Trajectories of ELLs in NAEP Data: The Case of Fourth- and Eighth-Grade ELLs and Non-ELLs on Mathematics and Reading Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Nihat; Zarecky-Hodge, Ashley; Schreiber, James B.

2016-01-01

Utilizing the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data, this study examined (1) how fourth and eighth-grade ELLs' mathematics and reading scores on national tests compared to their non-ELL peers' scores over the testing period between 2003 and 2011, and (2) if gender and ethnicity contributed to variation in the growth patterns…

The Monitoring and Responding Behaviours of Proficient Fourth Grade Readers to Miscues on a Complex Scientific Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucer, Stephen B.

2017-01-01

The monitoring of meaning and the correction of miscues that fail to make sense are a hallmark of a proficient reader. Much of the research, however, has focused on the reading of fictional, narrative texts. In contrast, this research examines the monitoring and response behaviours of 35 proficient fourth grade readers (nine and 10 years of age)…

Third and Fourth Grade Teacher Practices in Cognitive and Emotional/Social Development, Their Students' Opportunities for Emotional/Social Development, and Academic Self-Concept Moderated by Students' Mothers' Level of Education and Time Reading at Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Carol A.

2009-01-01

This study examines the relationships among third and fourth grade teacher practices in cognitive development: understanding, application, synthesis, and judgment; emotional/social development; their students' self-reported opportunities for emotional/social development; and academic self-concept. In addition, this study investigates the…

Math Scores Add Up for Hispanic Students: States and School Districts Notable for Recent Gains by Hispanic Students in Mathematics. Publication#2014-59

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pane, Natalia E.

2014-01-01

This report shows significant gains in math achievement by Hispanic fourth- and eighth-graders across the nation--the equivalent of one grade level in the last ten years (2003-3013). Using data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Child Trends reviewed and compared fourth and eighth grade math scores in the nation, states, large…

USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Creates Positive Change in Children's Consumption and Other Behaviors Related to Eating Fruit and Vegetables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bica, Lori A.; Jamelske, Eric M.

2012-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the 2009-2010 USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) on fruit intake and other behaviors related to fruit and vegetable consumption among Wisconsin fourth- and fifth-grade students. Methods: Participants were fourth- and fifth-grade from one FFVP school (n = 51)…

Gold Rush. Fourth Grade Activity. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krupnick, Karen

In 1875, a man fishing in the isolated Trout River of California discovered several large gold nuggets. This lesson plan asks fourth-grade students to develop a plan to avoid another 1849 gold rush. The plan is to design a new town while considering transportation, housing, food and goods for the miners, and the preservation of the area's…

The Effects of Marzano's Six Step Vocabulary Process, on Fourth Grade Students' Vocabulary Knowledge, Fluency, and Sentence Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suing, Janet S.

2012-01-01

This exploratory study examined the ways in which fourth grade students, in an urban setting, responded to a nine-week implementation of Marzano's Six Step Vocabulary Process. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the direct instruction of vocabulary and the effects on student achievement as measured by Vocabulary…

What counts as knowing: Constructing a communicative repertoire for student demonstration of knowledge in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, Teresa

2005-02-01

The purpose of this study was twofold. One purpose was to identify the locally negotiated literate practices that defined ways of communicating information and knowledge across the curriculum in a fourth/fifth grade classroom. Through an ethnographic and sociolinguistic set of analyses, this investigation illustrated how the teacher worked to construct a learning environment that valued the use of multiple discourses as a way of communicating competence as a learner. Another purpose was specifically to address the ways that these practices contributed to student demonstration of knowledge in science. This was accomplished by an analysis of one student's presentation of science knowledge after a study of simple machines. A comparative analysis between his use of two discourses, written and oral, showed that the opportunity to choose between multiple discourses led to his success in demonstrating competence in ways that may have otherwise remained questionable.

Examination of the relationship between preservice science teachers' scientific reasoning and problem solving skills on basic mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuksel, Ibrahim; Ates, Salih

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study is to determine relationship between scientific reasoning and mechanics problem solving skills of students in science education program. Scientific Reasoning Skills Test (SRST) and Basic Mechanics Knowledge Test (BMKT) were applied to 90 second, third and fourth grade students who took Scientific Reasoning Skills course at science teaching program of Gazi Faculty of Education for three successive fall semesters of 2014, 2015 and 2016 academic years. It was found a statistically significant positive (p = 0.038 <0.05) but a low correlation (r = 0.219) between SRST and BMKT. There were no significant relationship among Conservation Laws, Proportional Thinking, Combinational Thinking, Correlational Thinking, Probabilistic Thinking subskills of reasoning and BMKT. There were significant and positive correlation among Hypothetical Thinking and Identifying and Controlling Variables subskills of reasoning and BMKT. The findings of the study were compared with other studies in the field and discussed.

Can lessons designed with Gestalt laws of visual perception improve students' understanding of the phases of the moon?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wistisen, Michele

There has been limited success teaching elementary students about the phases of the moon using diagrams, personal observations, and manipulatives. One possible reason for this is that instruction has failed to apply Gestalt principles of perceptual organization to the lesson materials. To see if fourth grade students' understanding could be improved, four lessons were designed and taught using the Gestalt laws of Figure-Ground, Symmetry, and Similarity. Students (n = 54) who were taught lessons applying the Gestalt principles scored 12% higher on an assessment than students (n = 51) who only were taught lessons using the traditional methods. Though scores showed significant improvement, it is recommended to follow the American Association for the Advancement of Science guidelines and wait until 9th grade to instruct students about the phases.

Influence of eating quickly and eating until full on anthropometric gains in girls: A population-based, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Ochiai, H; Shirasawa, T; Nanri, H; Nishimura, R; Hoshino, H; Kokaze, A

2017-11-01

In examining childhood overweight/obesity, there is a need to consider both eating quickly and eating until full. This longitudinal study investigated the influence of eating quickly and/or eating until full on anthropometric variables and becoming overweight/obese among Japanese schoolgirls. Study participants were fourth-grade schoolgirls (aged 9 or 10 years) in Ina Town, Japan. Physical examinations and a questionnaire survey were performed at baseline (fourth grade) and after 3 years (seventh grade). Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured in the physical examinations, while the data on eating quickly and eating until full were collected in the questionnaire survey. Analysis of variance and analysis of covariance were used to compare the differences in each anthropometric variable between fourth and seventh grade among groups. Data on 425 non-overweight/obese schoolgirls in fourth grade were analyzed. Gains in anthropometric variables (body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio) from fourth to seventh grade were significantly larger in the "eating quickly and eating until full" group than in the "not eating quickly and not eating until full" group. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the gains between the "eating quickly or eating until full" group and the "not eating quickly and not eating until full" group. The proportion of overweight/obese girls in seventh grade was higher in the "eating quickly and eating until full" group than in the other groups. Eating quickly and eating until full had a substantial impact on excess gains in anthropometric variables among schoolgirls, suggesting that modifying these eating behaviors may help prevent non-overweight/obese girls from the excess gains. Accordingly, school health programs need to focus on not eating quickly and/or not eating until full to prevent overweight/obesity; it is necessary to emphasize "the risk of overweight/obesity associated with these eating behaviors" in schools. © 2017 The Authors. Child: Care, Health and Development Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The role of teacher behavior in children's relational aggression development: A five-wave longitudinal study.

PubMed

Weyns, Tessa; Verschueren, Karine; Leflot, Geertje; Onghena, Patrick; Wouters, Sofie; Colpin, Hilde

2017-10-01

The present article examined the development of relational aggression in middle childhood and the effects of observed teacher behavior on this development. Relying on social learning theory, we expected that teacher praise would slow down the increase of relational aggression, whereas teacher reprimands would promote the increase of relational aggression. A sample of 570 children (49% boys, M age =7years and 5months, >95% Belgian) was followed from second to fourth grade. Teacher praise and reprimands were observed at the beginning of second grade. Child relational aggression was assessed using teacher and peer reports, collected at five points in time: at the beginning and end of the second grade, at the beginning and end of the third grade, and at the end of the fourth grade. Multilevel modeling showed that relational aggression generally increased from second to fourth grade. Moreover, when teachers displayed more praise, students' relational aggression increased at a slower rate; when teachers displayed more reprimands, students' relational aggression increased at a faster rate. Overall, the results stress the importance of supporting teachers to reduce reprimands and increase praise when interacting with children. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Faculty Grading of Quantitative Problems: A Mismatch between Values and Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petcovic, Heather L.; Fynewever, Herb; Henderson, Charles; Mutambuki, Jacinta M.; Barney, Jeffrey A.

2013-04-01

Grading practices can send a powerful message to students about course expectations. A study by Henderson et al. (American Journal of Physics 72:164-169, 2004) in physics education has identified a misalignment between what college instructors say they value and their actual scoring of quantitative student solutions. This work identified three values that guide grading decisions: (1) a desire to see students' reasoning, (2) a readiness to deduct points from solutions with obvious errors and a reluctance to deduct points from solutions that might be correct, and (3) a tendency to assume correct reasoning when solutions are ambiguous. These authors propose that when values are in conflict, the conflict is resolved by placing the burden of proof on either the instructor or the student. Here, we extend the results of the physics study to earth science ( n = 7) and chemistry ( n = 10) instructors in a think-aloud interview study. Our results suggest that both the previously identified three values and the misalignment between values and grading practices exist among science faculty more generally. Furthermore, we identified a fourth value not previously recognized. Although all of the faculty across both studies stated that they valued seeing student reasoning, the combined effect suggests that only 49% of faculty across the three disciplines graded work in such a way that would actually encourage students to show their reasoning, and 34% of instructors could be viewed as penalizing students for showing their work. This research may contribute toward a better alignment between values and practice in faculty development.

Teacher change in beliefs and practices in science and literacy instruction with English language learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee

2004-01-01

This study examined patterns of change in beliefs and practices as elementary teachers learned to establish instructional congruence, a process of mediating academic disciplines with linguistic and cultural experiences of diverse student groups. The study focused on six bilingual Hispanic teachers working with fourth-grade, mostly Hispanic students. The results indicated that teacher learning and change occurred in different ways in the areas of science instruction, students' language and culture, English language and literacy instruction, and integration of these areas in establishing instructional congruence. The results also indicated that establishing instructional congruence was a gradual and demanding process requiring teacher reflection and insight, formal training, and extensive support and sharing. Implications for further research in promoting achievement for all students are discussed.

Nutrition Education Intervention Improves Vegetable-Related Attitude, Self-Efficacy, Preference, and Knowledge of Fourth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Denise E.; Least, Christine; Gromis, Judy; Lohse, Barbara

2012-01-01

Background: Impact of a classroom-based, standardized intervention to address limited vegetable consumption of fourth graders was assessed. Methods: A 4-lesson, vegetable-focused intervention, revised from extant materials was repurposed for Pennsylvania fourth graders with lessons aligned with state academic standards. A reliability-tested survey…

Self-Contained versus Departmentalized School Organization and the Impact on Fourth and Fifth Grade Student Achievement in Reading and Mathematics as Determined by the Kentucky Core Content Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Kimberly Penn

2010-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between self-contained and departmentalized classroom organization on the Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT) in reading and mathematics for students in fourth and fifth grade. A secondary purpose of this study was to consider how these organizational structures affect the…

The Effects of Two Summarization Strategies Using Expository Text on the Reading Comprehension and Summary Writing of Fourth-and Fifth-Grade Students in an Urban, Title 1 School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braxton, Diane M.

2009-01-01

Using a quasi-experimental pretest/post test design, this study examined the effects of two summarization strategies on the reading comprehension and summary writing of fourth- and fifth- grade students in an urban, Title 1 school. The Strategies, "G"enerating "I"nteractions between "S"chemata and "T"ext (GIST) and Rule-based, were taught using…

Clear de Road: A Manual for Teachers to Accompany a Virgin Islands History Textbook of the Same Name on Virgin Islands History for Fourth Grade.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sage, Jewel Ross

This teacher's manual accompanies a supplementary fourth grade Virgin Islands history textbook, depicting the struggle of West African ancestors from slavery to emancipation and beyond The title of the text is the name of a freedom song used by Danish West Indian slaves in the fight for emancipation. Written from an Afro-West Indian perspective,…

Classroom Applications: Will Taping and Replaying Their Speeches Help My Fourth Grade Students with Organizing Their Written Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wirth, Harold E.

A fourth-grade teacher developed a unit on writing designed to help his students go from oral to written text after finding that only 4 of the 22 in his classroom had the organizational and writing skills to get their ideas on paper. The basis of the unit was a unique problem which the teacher himself was trying to solve in real life; namely, how…

The Impact of a Cooperative Learning Program on the Academic Achievement in Mathematics and Language in Fourth Grade Students and Its Relation to Cognitive Style

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vega, Mery Luz; Hederich M., Christian

2015-01-01

This study is expected to determine the impact of a program based on the cooperative learning methodology. This, in comparison to a traditional learning situation in both mathematics and language achievement. The study was carried out on a group of fourth grade students of primary school. In addition, it tried to find the differential impact…

Semantic Webbing, Semantic-Pictorial Webbing and Standard Basal Teaching Techniques: A Comparison of Three Strategies To Enhance Learning and Memory of a Reading Comprehension Task in the Fourth Grade Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy-Tucker, Sherri

A study analyzed the relative effectiveness of three teaching strategies for enhancing vocabulary and reading comprehension. Sixty-eight students in three fourth-grade classrooms in a suburban southwestern public school were presented with a vocabulary lesson on weather from the reading text according to one of the following strategies: (1) basal…

The Impact of the Use of One-to-One Netbooks on Student Achievement, Teacher Practice, and Perceptions of Technology in a Fourth-Grade Bilingual Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bukofser, J. Holly

2013-01-01

This research involved a 14-month qualitative case study of a fourth-grade bilingual class embarking on a one-to-one netbook computer initiative. Students in this program had unlimited use of the netbooks during the school day. The main foci of the data collected were student achievement, teacher instruction, and student and teacher perceptions of…

The Effects of Teacher-Set and Student-Set Accelerated Reader Goal Setting on Reading Comprehension and Student Attitudes towards Reading in Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Tiffany G.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this research study was to compare the impact of Teacher-Set Accelerated Reader goals (TSAR) with Student-Set Accelerated Reader goals (SSAR) of fourth- and fifth-grade students. The goal of this research study was to determine which type of goal setting approach influences reading growth the most as measured by the easyCBM…

Our Community -- Today and Yesterday. Book One. Teacher's Guide (Nihil Hahoodzodoo -- Diijiidi doo Adaadaa. Naaltsoos T'aala'i Gone Yits'iligii). Fourth Grade Navajo Bilingual-Bicultural Social Studies Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Stephen; And Others

Intended to accompany book 1 of the Rough Rock (Arizona) fourth grade Navajo social studies program, this guide is intended to help the teacher assist students through a series of learning experiences designed to develop important inquiry and social studies skills and to increase students' abilities to make generalizations about their community…

Science learning and literacy performance of typically developing, at-risk, and disabled, non-English language background students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larrinaga McGee, Patria Maria

Current education reform calls for excellence, access, and equity in all areas of instruction, including science and literacy. Historically, persons of diverse backgrounds or with disabilities have been underrepresented in science. Gaps are evident between the science and literacy achievement of diverse students and their mainstream peers. The purpose of this study was to document, describe, and examine patterns of development and change in the science learning and literacy performance of Hispanic students. The two major questions of this study were: (1) How is science content knowledge, as evident in oral and written formats, manifested in the performance of typically developing, at-risk, and disabled non-English language background (NELB) students? and (2) What are the patterns of literacy performance in science, and as evident in oral and written formats, among typically developing, at-risk, and disabled NELB students? This case study was part of a larger research project, the Promise Project, undertaken at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation. The study involved 24 fourth-grade students in seven classrooms located in Promise Project schools where teachers were provided with training and materials for instruction on two units of science content: Matter and Weather. Four students were selected from among the fourth-graders for a closer analysis of their performance. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were used to document, describe, and examine specific events or phenomena in the processes of science learning and literacy development. Important findings were related to (a) gains in science learning and literacy development, (b) students' science learning and literacy development needs, and (c) general and idiosyncratic attitudes toward science and literacy. Five patterns of science "explanations" identified indicated a developmental cognitive/linguistic trajectory in science learning. Students' learning needs appeared related to (a) depth of science knowledge, and (b) written communication in science. Students' performances and attitudes suggested a continuum of readiness for science inquiry. Differences in performances and attitudes revealed curricular, personal, social, cultural, cognitive, metacognitive, and linguistic aspects that could impact science learning and literacy development. Implications for instruction and assessment were discussed. Suggestions for further research were presented.

Due Process Hearing Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bateman, David F.

2008-01-01

Greg is 13 years old, and currently in seventh grade; he entered an unnamed District ("the District") school in fourth grade as a student with a specific learning disability; he had been identified as eligible for special education programming and services during second grade. During fifth and sixth grade Greg was provided services…

A Quantitative Examination of Title I and Non-Title I Elementary Schools in District 8 of North Alabama Using Fourth Grade Math and Reading Standardized Test Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Headen, Renee Ashley

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference over time on standardized test scores for reading and math between fourth grade students attending Title I and Non-Title I schools in three select school systems within District 8 of North Alabama. In an effort to determine if Title I schools are successfully closing the…

Our Community -- Today and Yesterday. Book One (Nihil Hahoodzodoo -- Diijiidi doo Adaadaa. Naaltsoos T'aala'i Gone Yits'iligii). Fourth Grade Navajo Bilingual-Bicultural Social Studies Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bia, Fred; And Others

Presented in five chapters, book 1 of the Rough Rock fourth grade Navajo social studies program text is written in Navajo and English. The first chapter is on the community of Rough Rock (Arizona) illustrated by photographs of the community and people. Chapter II discusses the four elements (air, water, earth, and fire) the community needs to…

Elementary School Students' Perceptions of the Future Environment through Artwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özsoy, Sibel; Ahi, Berat

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to investigate first level of elementary school students' perceptions of the future state of the environment through the pictures they draw. The participants of the study are 131 first-grade students, 127 second-grade students, 160 third-grade students, 188 fourth-grade students, and 222 fifth-grade students,…

Investigating Elementary School Students' Perceptions about Environment through Their Drawings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozsoy, Sibel

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine elementary school students' perceptions about environment through their drawings. The study was carried out during the spring semester of 2010-2011 academic year. A total of 429 elementary school students, including 68 fourth grade, 78 fifth grade, 97 sixth grade, 85 seventh grade, 101 eighth grade,…

Integrated Curriculum and Subject-based Curriculum: Achievement and Attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casady, Victoria

The research conducted for this mixed-method study, qualitative and quantitative, analyzed the results of an academic year-long study to determine whether the use of an integrated fourth grade curriculum would benefit student achievement in the areas of English language arts, social studies, and science more than a subject-based traditional curriculum. The research was conducted based on the international, national, and state test scores, which show a slowing or lack of growth. Through pre- and post-assessments, student questionnaires, and administrative interviews, the researcher analyzed the phenomenological experiences of the students to determine if the integrated curriculum was a beneficial restructuring of the curriculum. The research questions for this study focused on the achievement and attitudes of the students in the study and whether the curriculum they were taught impacted their achievement and attitudes over the course of one school year. The curricula for the study were organized to cover the current standards, where the integrated curriculum focused on connections between subject areas to help students make connections to what they are learning and the world beyond the classroom. The findings of this study indicated that utilizing the integrated curriculum could increase achievement as well as students' attitudes toward specific content areas. The ANOVA analysis for English language arts was not determined to be significant; although, greater growth in the students from the integrated curriculum setting was recorded. The ANOVA for social studies (0.05) and the paired t-tests (0.001) for science both determined significant positive differences. The qualitative analysis led to the discovery that the experiences of the students from the integrated curriculum setting were more positive. The evaluation of the data from this study led the researcher to determine that the integrated curriculum was a worthwhile endeavor to increase achievement and attitudes in fourth grade students.

Collaborative Science Work in the Elementary Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kersey, Denise A.

Not all students with disabilities receive special education accommodations in science class. Without special education support, students with disabilities are unable to comprehend and apply science concepts. Implementing a co-teaching model could be a remedy for this lack of supports. Framed by constructivist theory, this study sought to determine if there was a difference in science assessment scores between students in a co-taught science class and those in a regular education science class. Following a pretest-posttest control group design, this study examined the relation between two teaching models and achievement in science. Using a convenience sample of 84 students drawn from a population of 144 fourth grade special education students in a public school district located in the Southeastern United States, analysis of variance was used to compare the mean growth of the two groups. The data revealed no statistically significant difference in mean gain scores between the two groups. Additional studies using a larger sample and longer trial are needed. Implications for social change include understanding instructional strategies that allow educators to differentiate for diverse learners in mainstreamed classrooms as well as removing barriers for underrepresented groups, thereby allowing equal access to science related professions.

Urban school leadership for elementary science education: Meeting the needs of English Language Learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alarcon, Maricela H.

Science education reform and state testing accountability call upon principals to become instructional leaders in science. Specifically, elementary school principals must take an active role in science instruction to effectively improve science education for all students including English Language Learners. As such, the research questioned posed in this study centered on How are elementary school principals addressing the academic needs of Latino Spanish-speaking English language learners within science education? This study employed a qualitative research design to identify the factors contributing to the exemplary performance in science, as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), for English Language Learner students in three high poverty bilingual elementary schools based on a multiple case study. As part of the data collection process, interviews were conducted with three school principals, three science academic support teachers, and two 5th grade bilingual teachers. Additionally, observations were acquired through school principal shadowing. The findings revealed four attributes necessary for effective instructional leadership in science education. First, Positive School Culture was defined as the core that linked the other three instructional leadership attributes and thus increased their effectiveness. Second, Clear Goals and Expectations were set by making science a priority and ensuring that English language learners were transitioning from Spanish to English instruction by the fifth grade. Third, Critical Resourcing involved hiring a science academic support teacher, securing a science classroom on campus, and purchasing bilingual instructional materials. Fourth, principal led and supported Collaboration in which teachers met to discuss student performance based data in addition to curriculum and instruction. These research findings are vital because by implementing these best practices of elementary school principals, educators are positioned to lay the foundation for science needed for ELLs to continue their educational career with the tools needed to succeed in future science classes and in turn college, answering the call to effectively improve science within the educational system.

The effects of student-level and classroom-level factors on elementary students' science achievement in five countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaya, Sibel

The interest in raising levels of achievement in math and science has led to a focus on investigating the factors that shape achievement in these subjects (Lamb & Fullarton, 2002) as well as understanding how these factors operate across countries (Baker, Fabrega, Galindo, & Mishook, 2004). The current study examined the individual student factors and classroom factors on fourth grade science achievement within and across five countries. Guided by the previous school learning models, the elements of students' science learning were categorized as student-level and classroom-level factors. The student-level factors included gender, self-confidence in science, and home resources. The classroom-level factors included teacher characteristics, instructional variables and classroom composition. Results for the United States and four other countries, Singapore, Japan, Australia, and Scotland were reported. Multilevel effects of student and classroom variables were examined through Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003 fourth grade dataset. The outcome variable was the TIMSS 2003 science score. Overall, the results of this study showed that selected student background characteristics were consistently related to elementary science achievement in countries investigated. At the student-level, higher levels of home resources and self-confidence and at the classroom-level, higher levels of class mean home resources yielded higher science scores on the TIMSS 2003. In general, teacher and instructional variables were minimally related to science achievement. There was evidence of positive effects of teacher support in the U.S. and Singapore. The emphasis on science inquiry was positively related to science achievement in Singapore and negatively related in the U.S. and Australia. Experimental studies that investigate the impacts of teacher and instructional factors on elementary science achievement are needed. For all the countries investigated, with the exception of Singapore, the between-class variance was much smaller than the within-class variance. Japan had the smallest variation in science achievement among classrooms which indicates the homogeneity across classrooms in Japan. Increasing awareness and knowledge of gender neutral instructional techniques, providing a non-threatening, rich and supportive environment for both genders in classrooms by elementary teachers are to be encouraged. To improve students' self beliefs about science, it is recommended that teachers model science activities and accommodate students' needs and abilities (Bandura, 1997; Britner & Pajares, 2006). Schools and teachers are recommended to develop a successful home-school partnership for improved student learning and positive attitudes toward science (Eccles & Harold, 1996; Epstein & Salinas, 2004). Furthermore, developing a knowledge base for teachers regarding the influences of classroom and school composition is highlighted (Honig, Kahne, & McLaughlin, 2001; Murrel, 2001). At the classroom- and school-level, policy efforts could focus on the distribution of educational resources (Condron & Roscigno, 2003; Goesling, 2003) to compensate for poor family background.

The effect of visual and verbal modes of presentation on children's retention of images and words

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasu, Ellen Storey; Howe, Ann C.

This study tested the hypothesis that the use of two modes of presenting information to children has an additive memory effect for the retention of both images and words. Subjects were 22 first-grade and 22 fourth-grade children randomly assigned to visual and visual-verbal treatment groups. The visual-verbal group heard a description while observing an object; the visual group observed the same object but did not hear a description. Children were tested individually immediately after presentation of stimuli and two weeks later. They were asked to represent the information recalled through a drawing and an oral verbal description. In general, results supported the hypothesis and indicated, in addition, that children represent more information in iconic (pictorial) form than in symbolic (verbal) form. Strategies for using these results to enhance science learning at the elementary school level are discussed.

Mars Robotics in the Elementary School

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonett, D.

2003-05-01

Kenneth E. Little Elementary is a public school grades Pre-K to 5th in Bacliff, Texas. It has an ethnically diverse population of one-thousand boys and girls. It is a Title 1 school with eighty-six percent of the students receiving free or reduced meals. K.E. Little has a large at-risk population with a thirty-three percent transition rate. The Young Astronauts @ K.E. Little is an on-going afterschool space science program in it's third year of operation. Thirty students,fourth and fifth grade, were involved in our spring robotics program. Each co-operative group was assigned a LEGO robotics kit to inventory,organize, and familiarize themselves with. Each team made decisions, by consensus, concerning the robots design and capabilities. Students used the Dell Computer Lab on campus to program their robots. Although time did not permit the construction of a simulated Martian landscape, future Young Astronauts will continue this project in January 2004.

Family influence: key to fruit and vegetable consumption among fourth- and fifth-grade students.

PubMed

Gross, Susan M; Pollock, Elizabeth Davenport; Braun, Bonnie

2010-01-01

To assess social and familial environmental influences on fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption of fourth- and fifth-graders living in a culturally diverse, urban setting. In 2006, students from 9 fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms from a public school in the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Region were recruited as part of the Food Stamp Nutrition Education's initiative to increase FV consumption among school-aged children in low-income schools. This intervention was conducted in partnership with the school. Ninety-three fourth- and fifth-grade students and their parents. The average daily FV consumption of elementary school students was the dependent variable. Home engagement (eg, student participation in menu planning and food selection at home), parental modeling, school environment, peer influences, and individual characteristics were the independent variables. Multiple regression analysis. Family and home environment factors explained more than 50% of the variance in students' FV consumption. Interventions designed to influence school-aged children's FV consumption should target family members and consider incorporating strategies to reach families and promote meal planning activities with the children in their homes. Copyright 2010 Society for Nutrition Education. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prediction and Stability of Reading Problems in Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritchey, Kristen D.; Silverman, Rebecca D.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Speece, Deborah L.

2015-01-01

The longitudinal prediction of reading problems from fourth grade to sixth grade was investigated with a sample of 173 students. Reading problems at the end of sixth grade were defined by significantly below average performance (= 15th percentile) on reading factors defining word reading, fluency, and reading comprehension. Sixth grade poor reader…

Investigating elementary principals' science beliefs and knowledge and its relationship to students' science outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Uzma Zafar

The aim of this quantitative study was to investigate elementary principals' beliefs about reformed science teaching and learning, science subject matter knowledge, and how these factors relate to fourth grade students' superior science outcomes. Online survey methodology was used for data collection and included a demographic questionnaire and two survey instruments: the K-4 Physical Science Misconceptions Oriented Science Assessment Resources for Teachers (MOSART) and the Beliefs About Reformed Science Teaching and Learning (BARSTL). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to assess the separate and collective contributions of background variables such as principals' personal and school characteristics, principals' science teaching and learning beliefs, and principals' science knowledge on students' superior science outcomes. Mediation analysis was also used to explore whether principals' science knowledge mediated the relationship between their beliefs about science teaching and learning and students' science outcomes. Findings indicated that principals' science beliefs and knowledge do not contribute to predicting students' superior science scores. Fifty-two percent of the variance in percentage of students with superior science scores was explained by school characteristics with free or reduced price lunch and school type as the only significant individual predictors. Furthermore, principals' science knowledge did not mediate the relationship between their science beliefs and students' science outcomes. There was no statistically significant variation among the variables. The data failed to support the proposed mediation model of the study. Implications for future research are discussed.

Children's Understanding of Lies in Elementary School Years.

PubMed

Hayashi, Hajimu

2017-01-01

The author examined whether children's understanding of lies exhibits developmental trends in the elementary school years. Four story contexts were presented to 51 first-grade students, 44 fourth-grade students, and 58 adults. These stories represented combinations of a protagonist's intention (truthful or deceptive) and the truth of the protagonist's message (true or false). The results showed that adults judged whether these messages were lies by considering the protagonist's intentions. By contrast, approximately 30% of first-grade students and some fourth-grade students did not consider intentions in making judgments, although they appropriately predicted the outcomes of the messages. These results suggest that children in the early elementary school years have a conception of lies different from that of adults, and their conception of lies becomes more sophisticated after middle childhood.

Children's and adults' evaluation of the certainty of deductive inferences, inductive inferences, and guesses.

PubMed

Pillow, Bradford H

2002-01-01

Two experiments investigated kindergarten through fourth-grade children's and adults' (N = 128) ability to (1) evaluate the certainty of deductive inferences, inductive inferences, and guesses; and (2) explain the origins of inferential knowledge. When judging their own cognitive state, children in first grade and older rated deductive inferences as more certain than guesses; but when judging another person's knowledge, children did not distinguish valid inferences from invalid inferences and guesses until fourth grade. By third grade, children differentiated their own deductive inferences from inductive inferences and guesses, but only adults both differentiated deductive inferences from inductive inferences and differentiated inductive inferences from guesses. Children's recognition of their own inferences may contribute to the development of knowledge about cognitive processes, scientific reasoning, and a constructivist epistemology.

Reading: Students' Attitudes and Interests in Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Grades in Official Portuguese Schools in the USA (A Leitura: Atitudes e Preferencias dos Educandos do 4th, 5th, e 6th Anos de Escolaridade nas Escolas Oficiais Portuguesas nos Estados Unidos da America).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castanho, Maria da Graca Borges

A study investigated attitudes and preferences concerning reading among fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students in Portuguese-language schools in the United States. Extrinsic factors influencing students (parents, teachers) were also analyzed. The research took place in 10 schools in 5 states. Data were obtained using questionnaires (students)…

Findings from the Fourth-Grade Round of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:2011). First Look. NCES 2018-094

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Gail M.; McCaroll, Jill Carlivati; Flanagan, Kristin Denton; Potter, Daniel

2018-01-01

This report is intended to provide a snapshot of the children in the ECLS-K:2011 cohort who were in kindergarten for the first time in the 2010-11 school year and in fourth grade 4 years later during the spring of 2015. About 88 percent of children enrolled in kindergarten in 2010-11 were in kindergarten for the first time that school year and…

Learning by Choosing: Fourth Graders Use of an Online Multimedia Tutoring System for Math Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloy, Robert W.; Razzaq, Leena; Edwards, Sharon A.

2014-01-01

This study explored the use of an online mathematics tutoring system in eight fourth grade classrooms in two Massachusetts communities--a small rural city with a low 2010 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) math performance rating and a small suburban district with a high 2010 AYP math performance rating. 165 fourth graders completed 11 modules…

Grade Retention in Primary Education Is Associated with Quarter of Birth and Socioeconomic Status.

PubMed

González-Betancor, Sara M; López-Puig, Alexis J

2016-01-01

Grade retention is still common practice in some countries though longstanding experience tells us that it is a highly criticised practice for its unclear benefits, its important costs for the educational systems and its relation with school dropout. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyse which variables increase the probability of being retained in primary education differentiating between being retained in second or in fourth grade, and paying special attention to the role of the socioeconomic status of the families. By knowing which analysed variables are related to grade retention, and how, we may offer some suggestions to reduce it. We use a national dataset with more observations for Spain than any other international ones, called 'Evaluación General de Diagnóstico', conducted in Spain in 2009 with the participation of 28708 students of fourth grade of primary education from 874 schools, considered to be representative for every Spanish autonomous region. This assessment focused on four competences and includes information about the learning context collected through questionnaires for students, families, school management and teachers. Estimating different multilevel random-intercept logistic regressions we obtain the following three main findings: 1) the existence of a 'quarter of birth' effect, that nearly doubles the probability of grade retention in second grade of primary -compared to the probability of grade retention in fourth grade-, for the youngest students of their same age cohort (OR = 1.93 vs. OR = 1.53, both p<0.001); 2) that the mothers' education level influences more than the fathers' one -especially in second grade (OR = 0.20 vs. OR = 0.45, both p<0.001)-; and 3) that having an unemployed father increases the probability of grade retention much more than having an unemployed mother -especially in second grade (OR = 1.48, p<0.005 vs. OR = 1.18, p>0.05)-.

34 CFR 200.11 - Participation in NAEP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... academic assessments of fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics under the State National Assessment... academic achievement results in grades four and eight on the State's NAEP reading and mathematics...

34 CFR 200.11 - Participation in NAEP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... academic assessments of fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics under the State National Assessment... academic achievement results in grades four and eight on the State's NAEP reading and mathematics...

34 CFR 200.11 - Participation in NAEP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... academic assessments of fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics under the State National Assessment... academic achievement results in grades four and eight on the State's NAEP reading and mathematics...

34 CFR 200.11 - Participation in NAEP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... academic assessments of fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics under the State National Assessment... academic achievement results in grades four and eight on the State's NAEP reading and mathematics...

34 CFR 200.11 - Participation in NAEP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... academic assessments of fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics under the State National Assessment... academic achievement results in grades four and eight on the State's NAEP reading and mathematics...

Getting Started Using American Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singleton, Laurel R., Ed.

2001-01-01

This publication features teaching ideas generated by classroom teachers. For grades K-4, fourth grade teacher, Janet Williamson, has developed "Off and Running with Primary Sources" which describes how she introduces students to primary sources using historical advertisements. Appropriate for grades 5-8, a strategy was developed by…

KSC-2011-3346

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-05-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- During the NASA Explorer Schools Symposium at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, students and teachers check out the Science on a Sphere system at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. About 60 fourth- through 12-grade students from across the nation are at the center May 4-7 participating in tours of processing and launch facilities, as well as several educational activities and a career panel question-and-answer session. About 30 teachers will receive professional development opportunities during the symposium. The participants were competitively selected after they completed an original investigation focused on existing NASA missions or research interests. Photo Credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Assessing multiple intelligences in elementary-school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strecker, Catherine Hunt

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a clear understanding of the manner in which fourth-grade students attending a Kansas elementary school learn when engaged in science activities grounded in H. Gardner's book, Frames of mind the theory of multiple intelligences (1983). The significance of this research lies in the discovery of the difference between teaching practice grounded in multiple intelligences versus that based upon traditional theory. Teacher self-perceptions with regard to the effectiveness of their instruction and student assessment within the classroom were also explored. The research evaluated the overall effectiveness of both traditional curriculum delivery and that rooted in the concept of multiple intelligences.

Shallow and deep orthographies in Hebrew: the role of vowelization in reading development for unvowelized scripts.

PubMed

Schiff, Rachel

2012-12-01

The present study explored the speed, accuracy, and reading comprehension of vowelized versus unvowelized scripts among 126 native Hebrew speaking children in second, fourth, and sixth grades. Findings indicated that second graders read and comprehended vowelized scripts significantly more accurately and more quickly than unvowelized scripts, whereas among fourth and sixth graders reading of unvowelized scripts developed to a greater degree than the reading of vowelized scripts. An analysis of the mediation effect for children's mastery of vowelized reading speed and accuracy on their mastery of unvowelized reading speed and comprehension revealed that in second grade, reading accuracy of vowelized words mediated the reading speed and comprehension of unvowelized scripts. In the fourth grade, accuracy in reading both vowelized and unvowelized words mediated the reading speed and comprehension of unvowelized scripts. By sixth grade, accuracy in reading vowelized words offered no mediating effect, either on reading speed or comprehension of unvowelized scripts. The current outcomes thus suggest that young Hebrew readers undergo a scaffolding process, where vowelization serves as the foundation for building initial reading abilities and is essential for successful and meaningful decoding of unvowelized scripts.

Tobacco Education Curriculum: Grade 4. Health Education: Substance Abuse Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Christine K.; And Others

This teaching guide for a tobacco education curriculum at the fourth grade level is part of a coordinated K-12 educational support program for reducing smoking. It includes a tobacco curriculum matrix for grades K-12, sample teaching methods, concepts and objectives for grades 4-6, and a resource materials list. The basic instructional concepts…

Comprehensive K-3 Reading Policy: Fundamental Principles. ExcelinEd Policy Toolkit, 2017

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foundation for Excellence in Education, 2017

2017-01-01

A Comprehensive K-3 Reading Policy establishes intensive reading intervention for K-3 students to ensure they read on grade level by the end of third grade. The policy then requires third grade students to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade. Retention provides struggling readers the additional time and intensive…

Change and Continuity in Student Achievement from Grades 3 to 5: A Policy Dilemma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaslin, Mary; Burross, Heidi Legg; Good, Thomas L.

2005-01-01

In this article we examine student performance on mandated tests in grades 3, 4, and 5 in one state. We focus on this interval, which w e term "the fourth grade window," based on our hypothesis that students in grade four are particularly vulnerable to decrements in achievement. The national focus on the third grade as the critical…

K-8th Grade Korean Students' Conceptions of 'Changes of State' and 'Conditions for Changes of State'. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paik, Seoung-Hey; Kim, Hyo-Nam; Cho, Boo-Kyoung; Park, Jae-Won

2004-01-01

This study investigates the various conceptions held by K-8th Korean grade students regarding the 'changes of state' and the 'conditions for changes of state'. The study used a sample of five kindergarteners, five secondgrade students, five fourth-grade students, five sixth-grade students, and five eighth-grade students. The 25 students attend…

A population-based study of stimulant drug treatment of ADHD and academic progress in children.

PubMed

Zoëga, Helga; Rothman, Kenneth J; Huybrechts, Krista F; Ólafsson, Örn; Baldursson, Gísli; Almarsdóttir, Anna B; Jónsdóttir, Sólveig; Halldórsson, Matthías; Hernández-Diaz, Sonia; Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur A

2012-07-01

We evaluated the hypothesis that later start of stimulant treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder adversely affects academic progress in mathematics and language arts among 9- to 12-year-old children. We linked nationwide data from the Icelandic Medicines Registry and the Database of National Scholastic Examinations. The study population comprised 11,872 children born in 1994-1996 who took standardized tests in both fourth and seventh grade. We estimated the probability of academic decline (drop of ≥ 5.0 percentile points) according to drug exposure and timing of treatment start between examinations. To limit confounding by indication, we concentrated on children who started treatment either early or later, but at some point between fourth-grade and seventh-grade standardized tests. In contrast with nonmedicated children, children starting stimulant treatment between their fourth- and seventh-grade tests were more likely to decline in test performance. The crude probability of academic decline was 72.9% in mathematics and 42.9% in language arts for children with a treatment start 25 to 36 months after the fourth-grade test. Compared with those starting treatment earlier (≤ 12 months after tests), the multivariable adjusted risk ratio (RR) for decline was 1.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.4) in mathematics and 1.1 (95% CI: 0.7-1.8) in language arts. The adjusted RR of mathematics decline with later treatment was higher among girls (RR, 2.7; 95% CI: 1.2-6.0) than boys (RR, 1.4; 95% CI: 0.9-2.0). Later start of stimulant drug treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is associated with academic decline in mathematics.

Associations Between Extracurricular Activity and Self-Regulation: A Longitudinal Study From 5 to 10 Years of Age.

PubMed

Piché, Geneviève; Fitzpatrick, Caroline; Pagani, Linda S

2015-01-01

Health promotion in youth is likely to benefit from enhancing academic achievement and physical activity. The present study examines how kindergarten childhood self-regulation skills and behaviors predict involvement in both structured and unstructured physical and nonphysical extracurricular activities in the fourth grade. As a second objective this study also investigated how kindergarten childhood participation in extracurricular activities predicts classroom engagement, reflective of self-regulation, by the fourth grade. Secondary analyses were conducted using prospective-longitudinal data. The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, Quebec, Canada. Participants were randomly selected at birth from a stratified sample of 2694 born in Québec, Canada, between 1997 and 1998. Participants were included if they had complete data on teacher ratings of child self-regulation as measured by classroom engagement and parent ratings of sports participation (n = 935). Teachers reported self-regulation skills in children through a measure of classroom engagement. Parents provided reports of child participation extracurricular activities. Ordinary least-squares regressions were conducted. A higher-frequency kindergarten involvement with structured physical activities was associated with fourth-grade classroom engagement (β = .061, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .017, .104). Better kindergarten classroom engagement predicted more frequent participation in fourth-grade structured physical activities (β = .799, 95% CI: .405, 1.192) and team sports (β = .408, 95% CI: .207, .608). Results suggest mutual relations between physical activity and self-regulation from kindergarten to grade four. This suggests strong learning skills indicative of self-regulation and opportunities to participate in supervised physical activities or sports teams may help children develop healthy dispositions and behaviors in emerging adolescence.

Grade Retention in Primary Education Is Associated with Quarter of Birth and Socioeconomic Status

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Grade retention is still common practice in some countries though longstanding experience tells us that it is a highly criticised practice for its unclear benefits, its important costs for the educational systems and its relation with school dropout. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyse which variables increase the probability of being retained in primary education differentiating between being retained in second or in fourth grade, and paying special attention to the role of the socioeconomic status of the families. By knowing which analysed variables are related to grade retention, and how, we may offer some suggestions to reduce it. We use a national dataset with more observations for Spain than any other international ones, called ‘Evaluación General de Diagnóstico’, conducted in Spain in 2009 with the participation of 28708 students of fourth grade of primary education from 874 schools, considered to be representative for every Spanish autonomous region. This assessment focused on four competences and includes information about the learning context collected through questionnaires for students, families, school management and teachers. Estimating different multilevel random-intercept logistic regressions we obtain the following three main findings: 1) the existence of a ‘quarter of birth’ effect, that nearly doubles the probability of grade retention in second grade of primary –compared to the probability of grade retention in fourth grade–, for the youngest students of their same age cohort (OR = 1.93 vs. OR = 1.53, both p<0.001); 2) that the mothers’ education level influences more than the fathers’ one –especially in second grade (OR = 0.20 vs. OR = 0.45, both p<0.001)–; and 3) that having an unemployed father increases the probability of grade retention much more than having an unemployed mother –especially in second grade (OR = 1.48, p<0.005 vs. OR = 1.18, p>0.05)–. PMID:27851779

Life sciences licensing deals in the fourth quarter of 2017: updates and trends.

PubMed

D'Souza, P

2018-02-01

During the fourth quarter of 2017, Cortellis Competitive Intelligence registered 1,107 new deals (excluding mergers & acquisitions) as part of its ongoing coverage of licensing activity in the life sciences sector compared to 1,043 in the third quarter and 1,035 in the fourth quarter of 2016. Copyright 2018 Clarivate Analytics.

Examining Teacher Framing, Student Reasoning, and Student Agency in School-Based Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Emily Mae

This dissertation presents three interrelated studies examining opportunities for student learning through contributory citizen science (CS), where students collect and contribute data to help generate new scientific knowledge. I draw on sociocultural perspectives of learning to analyze three cases where teachers integrated CS into school science, one third grade, one fourth grade, and one high school Marine Biology classroom. Chapter 2 is a conceptual investigation of the opportunities for students to engage in scientific reasoning practices during CS data collection activities. Drawing on science education literature and vignettes from case studies, I argue that the teacher plays an important role in mediating opportunities for students to engage in investigative, explanatory, and argumentative practices of science through CS. Chapter 3 focuses on teacher framing of CS, how teachers perceive what is going on (Goffman, 1974) and how they communicate that to students as they launch CS tasks. Through analysis of videos and interviews of two upper elementary school teachers, I found that teachers frame CS for different purposes. These framings were influenced by teachers' goals, orientations towards science and CS, planning for instruction, and prior knowledge and experience. Chapter 4 examines how students demonstrate agency with environmental science as they explore their personal interests across their third grade classroom, school garden, and science lab contexts, through the lens of social practice theory (Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner, & Cain, 1998). Through analysis of classroom observations, student interviews, teacher interviews and important moments for three focal students, I found that student agency was enabled and constrained by the different cultures of the classroom, garden, and science lab. Despite affordances of the garden and science lab, the teachers' epistemic authority in the classroom permeated all three contexts, constraining student agency. In Chapter 5, the conclusion, I summarize and synthesize findings from the previous three chapters, outlining three value-added affordances of CS for student learning: repeated data collection, diverse stakeholders and student contributions, and the uncertainty of field work. I also suggest three factors that can mediate these opportunities for learning: teacher framing, the culture of the classroom learning environment, and access to and use of CS project resources. These findings have important implications for design and implementation of CS in classrooms by citizen science practitioners and classroom teachers.

Curriculum coherence: A comparative analysis of elementary science content standards in People's Republic of China and the USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Fang

This study examines elementary science content standards curriculum coherence between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America. Three aspects of curriculum coherence are examined in this study: topic inclusion, topic duration, and curriculum structure. Specifically this study centers on the following research questions: (1) What science knowledge is intended for elementary students in each country? (2) How long each topic stays in the curriculum? (3) How these topics sequence and connect with each other? (4) And finally, what is the implication for elementary science curriculum development? Four intended science curriculum frameworks were selected respectively for each country. A technique of General Topic Trace Mapping (GTTM) was applied to generate the composite science content standards out of the selected curriculum for each country. In comparison, the composite USA and Chinese elementary science content standards form a stark contrast: a bunch of broad topics vs. a focus on a set of key topics at each grade; an average of 3.4 year topic duration vs. an average of 1.68 year topic duration; a stress on connections among related ideas vs. a discrete disposition of related ideas; laundry list topic organization vs. hierarchical organization of science topics. In analyzing the interrelationships among these characteristics, this study reached implications for developing coherent science content standards: First, for the overall curriculum, the topic inclusion should reflect the logical and sequential nature of knowledge in science. Second, for each grade level, less, rather than more science topics should be focused. Third, however, it should be clarified that a balance should be made between curriculum breadth and depth by considering student needs, subject matter, and child development. Fourth, the topic duration should not be too long. The lengthy topic duration tends to undermine links among ideas as well as lead to superficial treatment of topics.

Independent Contributions of the Central Executive, Intelligence, and In-Class Attentive Behavior to Developmental Change in the Strategies Used to Solve Addition Problems

PubMed Central

Geary, David C.; Hoard, Mary K.; Nugent, Lara

2012-01-01

Children’s (n = 275) use of retrieval, decomposition (e.g., 7 = 4+3, and thus 6+7=6+4+3), and counting to solve additional problems was longitudinally assessed from first to fourth grade, and intelligence, working memory, and in-class attentive behavior was assessed in one or several grades. The goal was to assess the relation between capacity of the central executive component of working memory, controlling for intelligence and in-class attentive behavior, and grade-related changes in children’s use of these strategies. The predictor on intercept effects from multilevel models revealed that children with higher central executive capacity correctly retrieved more facts and used the most sophisticated counting procedure more frequently and accurately than did their lower capacity peers at the beginning of first grade, but the predictor on slope effects indicated that this advantage disappeared (retrieval) or declined in importance (counting) from first to fourth grade. The predictor on slope effects also revealed that from first through fourth grade, children with higher capacity adopted the decomposition strategy more quickly than did other children. The results remained robust with controls for children’s sex, race, school site, speed of encoding Arabic numerals and articulating number words, and mathematics achievement in kindergarten. The results also revealed that intelligence and in-class attentive behavior independently contributed to children’s strategy development. PMID:22698947

Learning about static electricity and magnetism in a fourth-grade classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, David Roy

Students begin to develop mental models to explain electrostatic and magnetic phenomena throughout childhood, middle childhood and high school, although these mental models are often incoherent and unscientific (Borges, Tenico, & Gilbert, 1998; Maloney, 1985). This is a case study of a classroom of grade four students and the mental models of magnetism and static electricity they used during a six-week science unit. The 22 students studied magnetism and static electricity using inquiry activities structured to create an environment where students would be likely to construct powerful scientific ideas (Goldberg & Bendall, 1995). Multiple data sources, including students' writing, student assessments, teacher interviews, student interviews, teacher journals, and classroom video and audio recordings were used to uncover how fourth grade students made sense of static electricity and magnetism before, during, and after instruction. The data were analyzed using a social constructivist framework to determine if students were able to develop target scientific ideas about static electricity and magnetism. In general, students were found to have three core mental models prior to instruction: (1) Static electricity and magnetism are the same "substance"; (2) This substance exists on the surface of a magnet or a charged object and can be rubbed off, and (3) Opposite substances attract. During the activities, students had many opportunities to observe evidence that contradicted these core mental models. Using evidence from direct observations, the students practiced differentiating between evidence and ideas. Through group and class discussions, they developed evidenced-based (scientific) ideas. Final assessments revealed that students were able to construct target ideas such as: (1) static electricity and magnetism are fundamentally different; (2) there are two kinds of static "charge;" (3) magnet-rubbed wires act like a magnet; and (4) opposite substances move toward each other, like substances push away from each other. Some target ideas, such as "Magnetic materials are made up of magnetic domains that align to give an overall magnetic effect" were found to be difficult for students this age to develop. This case study will augment research about effective science teaching, teacher development and the support necessary for curriculum change.

Practicing Good Habits, Grade 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Cong Lau; And Others

This illustrated textbook was designed for teaching civics and values to fourth grade students in Vietnam. It is divided into six chapters: (1) At School (recapitulation of the grade three program, friendship, respect for the teacher, team work, discipline, honor); (2) In the Street: Traffic Regulations; (3) At Home (the extended family spirit,…

The Leap into 4th Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Mike

2011-01-01

Fourth grade is a pivotal year, in which students commonly face increased academic demands. According to Anderson, teachers can help students make a smooth transition to 4th grade by introducing these new challenges in ways that are in line with 4th graders' common developmental characteristics: incredible energy and emotion, industriousness and…

Peer tutoring pilot program for the improvement of oral health behavior in underprivileged and immigrant children.

PubMed

Reinhardt, Claus H; Löpker, Nadine; Noack, Michael J; Klein, Klaus; Rosen, Evelyne

2009-01-01

Caries prevalence in underprivileged children is particularly high and, even though many efforts have been made, adherence to dental preventive programs is low. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a tutoring program can improve oral health behavior in underprivileged and/or immigrant children. Thirty fourth-grade children (mean age = 9.6), over 50 percent of immigrant background, participated in this longitudinal pilot study. The fourth graders were invited to develop on oral health program for their first-grade peers. For this purpose, the fourth graders learned oral health practices and developed the peer tutoring program. Prior to the intervention and after having instructed their first-grade peers, all fourth graders were interviewed about their oral health habits and their tooth-brushing was recorded on video. Toothbrushing time, performance of circular tooth-brushing movements, and systematic cleaning of all dental surfaces were analyzed before and after the intervention. After peer teaching, there was a significant increase concerning tooth-brushing time (P = .004), performance of circular tooth-brushing movements (P < .001), and systematic cleaning of all dental surfaces (P < .001). The tutoring program yielded a significant improvement in relevant oral care behavior. This approach provided an environment which, in contrast to traditional approaches, facilitates empowerment.

The Ability to Read Is the Gateway to Success. K-3 Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foundation for Excellence in Education, 2017

2017-01-01

The goal of a Comprehensive K-3 Reading Policy is to establish intensive reading intervention for K- 3 students who are at risk of reading failure to help ensure they read on grade level by the end of third grade. The policy also requires third grade students to demonstrate sufficient reading skills for promotion to fourth grade. Retention can…

The Evaluation of Pre­-Service Preschool Teachers' Knowledge about the Concept of Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahi, Berat; Alisinanoglu, Fatma

2015-01-01

The purpose of the research is to evaluate pre-­service preschool teachers' knowledge about environment by analyzing their drawings about it. 70 first grade, 99 second grade, 56 third grade and 44 fourth grade, with a total of 269 students have been evaluated in this research. This qualitative research was made with social structuralism vision.…

A Quantitative Evaluation of an Ability-Grouped Literacy Program in the Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Portales Blair, Lidiana

2017-01-01

National assessments have shown that the majority of students in the United States cannot read at grade level by fourth grade. These results are alarming because students who are not proficient readers by third grade suffer long-term consequences and are more likely to drop out of high school. Feeling pressure to improve reading outcomes, schools…

Scientists in the making: An ethnographic investigation of scientific processes as literate practice in an elementary classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, Teresa Jo

This study explored the issue of literacy in science by examining how the social and academic literate practices in an elementary classroom formed the basis for learning across the curriculum, with a specific focus on the disciplinary field of science. Through the study of classroom interaction, issues related to student knowledge and ability were addressed as they pertain to scientific literacy in the context of science education reform. The theoretical framework guiding this study was drawn from sociocultural studies of scientific communities and interactional ethnography in education. To investigate the literate practices of science in a school setting, data were collected over a two-year period with the same teacher in her third grade and then her fourth/fifth grade classroom. Data were collected through participant observation in the form of fieldnotes, video data, interviews, and various artifacts (e.g., writings, drawings, teaching protocols). Using ethnographic and sociolinguistic methods of analysis this work examined classroom members' discursive practices to illustrate the role that discourse plays in creating opportunities for engagement in, and access to, scientific knowledge. These analyses revealed that the discursive actions and practices among members of this classroom shaped a particular type of learning environment that was process-oriented and inquiry based. It was shown that this learning environment afforded opportunities for students to engage in the processes of science outside the official, planned curriculum, often leading to whole class scientific investigations and discussions. Additionally, within this classroom community students were able to draw on multiple discourses to display their knowledge of scientific concepts and practices. Overall, this study found that the literate practices of this classroom community, as they were socially constructed among members, contributed to opportunities for students to practice science and demonstrate scientific literacy.

The South Carolina Amazing Coast Program: Using Ocean Sciences to Address Next Generation Science Standards in Grades 3-5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, E. V.; Thomas, C.; Weiss, B.; Bliss, A.; Spence, L.

2013-12-01

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are more inclusive of ocean sciences than the National Science Standards and respective state science standards. In response, the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence-SouthEast (COSEE SE) is piloting the South Carolina's Amazing Coast (SCAC) program: a three-year initiative that incorporates ocean science concepts in grades 3-5 with the goals of addressing NGSS, STEM (science-technology-engineering-math) disciplines, and inquiry skills. The SCAC program targeted two Charleston County, South Carolina elementary schools that were demographically similar: Title 1 status (75% free or reduced lunch), > 90% African American student population, grade level size <55, and proximity to tidal salt marsh or barrier islands (< 2 miles). Fourteen teachers and approximately 240 students participated in the SCAC program between 2010 and 2013. The SCAC framework uses a scaffolding and multi-pronged approach for teacher professional development and student engagement. The scaffolding approach to curriculum implementation focuses on one grade level per year (Year 1 = 3rd; Year 2 = 4th, and Year 3 = 5th), thus building student and teacher literacy in ocean sciences. The coach-mentor model of teacher professional development was also used for the implementation of the program which differs from the traditional 'train the trainer' method in allowing for more frequent and consistent interaction by COSEE SE staff with the students and teachers during the school year. The coach mentor model enabled the creation of a community of practice where teachers served as both learners and practitioners of student learning. Methods for student engagement aligned with the NGSS and included hands-on classroom activities, use of 'hook' species such as loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) and smooth cord grass (Spartina alterniflora), field experiences to explore local ecosystems, interactions with marine scientists, and a capstone project incorporating STEM and inquiry skills. Specifically, third grade students learn about coastal habitats, animal and plant adaptations, and human impacts to the environment, and engage in a salt marsh restoration capstone project. This part of the curriculum aligns with the NGSS Core Ideas 3-LS1, 3-LS3, 3-LS4, 3-ESS3. The fourth grade students learn about weather, organism responses to the environment, and engage in a weather buoy construction capstone project. This part of the curriculum aligns with the NGSSS Core Ideas 4-LS1, 4-ESS2, 4-ESS3, 3-5-ETS1. In 5th grade, students focus specifically on the ocean ecosystem, human impacts on the environment and engage in a capstone project of designing and constructing remotely operated vehicles. This part of the curriculum aligns with NGSS Core Ideas 5-PS2, 5-LS1, 5-LS2, 5-ESS2, 3-5-ETS1. Initial evaluation results indicate that the SCAC teachers value the coach mentor approach for teacher professional development as well as the impact of field based experiences, place-based learning, and a culminating capstone project on student learning. Teacher feedback also indicates elements of sustainability that extend beyond the scope of the pilot project.These initial evaluation results poise the SCAC curriculum to be replicated in other southeastern states.

Departmentalization and Twenty-First Century Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Toy Coles

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between school organizational style and student outcomes. The research questions that guided this study were, "Is there a difference in mathematical performance of fourth graders who receive departmentalized instruction as compared to fourth grade students who receive…

Performance of Fourth-Grade Students in the 2012 NAEP Computer-Based Writing Pilot Assessment: Scores, Text Length, and Use of Editing Tools. Working Paper Series. NCES 2015-119

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Sheida; Kim, Young Yee; Chen, Jing; Liu, Fei

2015-01-01

This study examined whether or not fourth-graders could fully demonstrate their writing skills on the computer and factors associated with their performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) computer-based writing assessment. The results suggest that high-performing fourth-graders (those who scored in the upper 20 percent…

An Analysis of the Relationships between Taiwanese Eighth and Fourth Graders' Motivational Beliefs and Science Achievement in TIMSS 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liou, Pey-Yan; Liu, Eric Zhi-Feng

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the issues of students' motivational beliefs in science learning and their relations with science achievement. Data of Taiwanese fourth and eighth graders from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2011 were examined. Students' self-concept and intrinsic interest as motivational beliefs,…

Science Topics for Third and Fourth Year Non-S.C.E. Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scottish Education Dept., Edinburgh.

This publication contains details of 18 science topics based upon the general science objectives stated by the Working Party on Secondary School Science for pupils in the third and fourth years of Scottish secondary schools who do not intend to take courses leading to the Scottish Certificate of Education examinations (see SE 015 432). The topics…

Age and Race Differences in Racial Stereotype Awareness and Endorsement

PubMed Central

Copping, Kristine E.; Kurtz-Costes, Beth; Rowley, Stephanie J.; Wood, Dana

2012-01-01

Age and race differences in race stereotype awareness and endorsement were examined in 382 Black and White fourth, sixth, and eighth graders. Youth reported their own beliefs and their perceptions of adults’ beliefs about racial differences in ability in two domains: academics and sports. Children’s own endorsement of race stereotypes was highly correlated with their perceptions of adults’ race stereotypes. Blacks reported stronger traditional sports stereotypes than Whites, and fourth- and sixth-grade Blacks reported roughly egalitarian academic stereotypes. At every grade level, Whites reported academic stereotypes that favored Whites, and sixth and eighth grade Whites reported sports stereotypes that favored Blacks. Results support the tenets of status theory and have implications for identity development and achievement motivation in adolescents. PMID:23729837

Emotional and Physical Abuse in Family: Survey among High School Adolescents

PubMed Central

Aberle, Neda; Ratković-Blažević, Violeta; Mitrović-Dittrich, Dubravka; Coha, Renata; Stoić, Antun; Bublić, Joško; Boranić, Milivoj

2007-01-01

Aim To determine the prevalence of different forms of child abuse among high school pupils in Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Method The study included 2140 first and fourth-grade pupils aged between 14 and 18 years from all 10 high schools in Slavonski Brod and the area (4 grammar and 6 vocational schools). The pupils were asked to complete an anonymous structured questionnaire during a 45-minute class. The questionnaire, developed for the needs of this study, collected basic demographic data on family life and experience of emotional or physical abuse. Results First-grade pupils were more satisfied with their family life than fourth-grade pupils (96.9% vs 91.3%, P<0.001, χ2 test). The feeling of being insufficiently loved or unloved was reported by 17.5% of the first-grade and 24.6% of the fourth-grade pupils and a greater percentage of pupils whose parents were divorced or who had a stepparent. Almost 80% of pupils had been verbally or nonverbally punished for disobedience. Emotional abuse was significantly associated with female sex (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.87, β = 0.474, P = 0.028), younger age (β = 1.263, P<0.001), and alcoholism in the family (β = 2.037, P<0.001. Physical punishment for disobedience was reported significantly more often by first-grade than fourth-grade pupils (15.6% vs 12.9% P = 0.021, χ2 test). Physical abuse was significantly associated (Nagelkerke R2 = 0.69) with younger age (β = 0.379, P<0.012), emotional abuse (β = 0.665, P<0.002), alcoholism in the family (β = 1.791, P<0.001) and the lack of parental love (β = -0.645, P<0.001). Possible sexual molestation was admitted by 6.0% boys and 3.3% girls. Conclusion Most high school pupils in Slavonski Brod were satisfied with their life at home. Disobedience was usually punished verbally or by aggressive behavior of the parents. Physical punishment was less common and usually did not result in serious injuries. PMID:17436389

The equivalence of learning paths in early science instruction: effect of direct instruction and discovery learning.

PubMed

Klahr, David; Nigam, Milena

2004-10-01

In a study with 112 third- and fourth-grade children, we measured the relative effectiveness of discovery learning and direct instruction at two points in the learning process: (a) during the initial acquisition of the basic cognitive objective (a procedure for designing and interpreting simple, unconfounded experiments) and (b) during the subsequent transfer and application of this basic skill to more diffuse and authentic reasoning associated with the evaluation of science-fair posters. We found not only that many more children learned from direct instruction than from discovery learning, but also that when asked to make broader, richer scientific judgments, the many children who learned about experimental design from direct instruction performed as well as those few children who discovered the method on their own. These results challenge predictions derived from the presumed superiority of discovery approaches in teaching young children basic procedures for early scientific investigations.

Modeling the development of written language

PubMed Central

Puranik, Cynthia S.; Foorman, Barbara; Foster, Elizabeth; Wilson, Laura Gehron; Tschinkel, Erika; Kantor, Patricia Thatcher

2011-01-01

Alternative models of the structure of individual and developmental differences of written composition and handwriting fluency were tested using confirmatory factor analysis of writing samples provided by first- and fourth-grade students. For both groups, a five-factor model provided the best fit to the data. Four of the factors represented aspects of written composition: macro-organization (use of top sentence and number and ordering of ideas), productivity (number and diversity of words used), complexity (mean length of T-unit and syntactic density), and spelling and punctuation. The fifth factor represented handwriting fluency. Handwriting fluency was correlated with written composition factors at both grades. The magnitude of developmental differences between first grade and fourth grade expressed as effect sizes varied for variables representing the five constructs: large effect sizes were found for productivity and handwriting fluency variables; moderate effect sizes were found for complexity and macro-organization variables; and minimal effect sizes were found for spelling and punctuation variables. PMID:22228924

Children's motivation in elementary physical education: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Xiang, Ping; McBride, Ron; Guan, Jianmin

2004-03-01

The present study examined relationships among variables drawn from achievement goal theory and the expectancy-value model of achievement choice as well as mean level changes of these variables over time in elementary physical education. Participants (N = 207) completed questionnaires over a 2-year period: once while in the second and fourth grades and again when they were in the third and fifth grades. Results indicated that achievement goals, expectancy-related beliefs, and subjective task values were related to one another and were predictive of children's intention for future participation in physical education. Children's subjective task values of physical education decreased over time. Children in Cohort 1 (across second to third grades) generally had stronger motivation for learning in physical education than children in Cohort 2 (across fourth to fifth grades). Findings suggest the importance of integrating achievement goal theory and the expectancy-value model of achievement choice in understanding student motivation.

Grade Repetition in Honduran Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jeffery H.

2003-01-01

This paper looks at several dimensions of the grade failure issue in Honduras using a unique data set compiled by the UMCE evaluation project in 1998 and 1999. The analytical framework incorporates econometric analysis of standardized tests and teacher pass/fail decisions for roughly 13,000 second and fourth grade students. The results show that…

Writing To Learn History in the Intermediate Grades. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Matthew T.

A study examined the relationship between writing activities and historical learning by elementary school students. Subjects in schools in the San Francisco Bay area were drawn from third-grade classrooms from a predominantly working class neighborhood, a mixed fourth-grade class of mostly limited-English-proficient children of immigrants from…

Bilingual-Bicultural Curriculum for Social Studies: Grade 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Anne; And Others

Designed to assist bilingual teachers in providing a coordinated program of studies for students in the Connecticut Migratory Children's Program and others whose native language is Spanish, this social studies curriculum guide for fourth grade is one of a series for pre-school through fifth grade. The overall focus is on Puerto Rican history and…

Teaching with Interactive Picture E-Books in Grades K-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schugar, Heather Ruetschlin; Smith, Carol A.; Schugar, Jordan T.

2013-01-01

This article presents general implications for using interactive electronic picture books in the classroom. The suggestions are rooted in research with middle grades readers in a tutoring setting and kindergarten through fourth-grade classroom settings. Specific attention is given toward those features in eBooks that may distract, support, or…

Integrating Fine Arts Instruction with At Risk Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brieger, Charles; Kendall-Dudley, Lori; Sarmiento, Patty

This report details a program design for improving fine arts instruction among at-risk students. The participants were in a second and third grade bilingual class and a first-through third-grade learning disabled and behavior disordered class in an at-risk elementary school along with a heterogeneous fourth-grade class in a neighboring Midwest…

Figural Creativity, Intelligence, and Personality in Children: A Factor Analytic Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hetrick, Suzanne H.; And Others

To study the relationships among figural creativity, intelligence, and personality, 196 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys and girls were given a battery of 14 tests. Teacher ratings of creativity and independence, grade point averages, art grades, and IQ scores were also obtained. It was hypothesized that a unitary trait of…

Effects of a Year Long Supplemental Reading Intervention for Students with Reading Difficulties in Fourth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanzek, Jeanne; Petscher, Yaacov; Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Rivas, Brenna; Jones, Francesca; Kent, Shawn; Schatschneider, Christopher; Mehta, Paras

2017-01-01

Research examining effective reading interventions for students with reading difficulties in the upper elementary grades is limited relative to the information available for the early elementary grades. In the current study, we examined the effects of a multicomponent reading intervention for students with reading comprehension difficulties. We…

Age and sex differences in perceptions of networks of personal relationships.

PubMed

Furman, W; Buhrmester, D

1992-02-01

In this study, 549 youths in the fourth grade, seventh grade, tenth grade, and college completed Network of Relationship Inventories assessing their perceptions of their relationships with significant others. The findings were largely consistent with 7 propositions derived from major theories of the developmental courses of personal relationships. In particular, mothers and fathers were seen as the most frequent providers of support in the fourth grade. Same-sex friends were perceived to be as supportive as parents in the seventh grade, and were the most frequent providers of support in the tenth grade. Romantic partners moved up in rank with age until college, where they, along with friends and mothers, received the highest ratings for support. Age differences were also observed in perceptions of relationships with grandparents, teachers, and siblings. Finally, age differences in perceived conflict, punishment, and relative power suggested that there was a peak in tension in parent-child relationships in early and middle adolescence. Discussion centers around the role various relationships are perceived as playing at different points in development.

At the Beginning of the STEM Pipeline: A Case Study Exploring Preadolescent Female Students' Attitudes Toward Science, Perceptions of Scientists, and Developing Career Aspirations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heacock, Lucy Vogel

The continuous underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), referred to as the leaky pipeline, has been examined from multiple perspectives internationally, while the attitudes and perceptions of preadolescent girls regarding STEM remain largely ignored. Employing a constructivist paradigm, this qualitative case study explored the perceptions and attitudes of 40 public elementary school female students across three grade levels regarding science, scientists, and career aspirations. Mixed-methods data collections included three survey instruments combined with semi-structured interviews. Self-efficacy, stereotype threat, and career choice theory provided the framework for the overarching research question: What are the attitudes and perceptions of female preadolescent students at the third, fourth, and fifth grade levels regarding science and scientists, and how might these dispositions affect their early development of STEM career aspirations and interests? The Three-Dimensions of Student Attitude Towards Science (TDSAS) instrument informed the exploration of self-efficacy; the modified Draw-A-Scientist Test (mDAST) and Rubric informed the exploration of stereotype threat; and the STEM-Career Interest Survey (CIS) informed the exploration of career aspirations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants. Results from this study indicated that the majority of the preadolescent girls thought science was an important topic to study and displayed an attitude of self-confident ability to learn science and be successful in science class. They highly enjoyed scientific experimentation and deeply valued problem solving. While they inferred they did not experience gender bias, the girls did engage in stereotyping scientists. Over half the girls expected to use science in their future careers, while a minority had already determined they wanted to be scientists when they grow up. The study concludes with recommendations for education stakeholders and for future research.

Test-Retest Reliability of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey’s 5-Question Food Insecurity Survey Completed by Fourth-Grade Children

PubMed Central

Baxter, Suzanne D.; Smith, Albert F.; Hitchcock, David B.; Collins, Kathleen L.; Guinn, Caroline H.; Finney, Christopher J.; Royer, Julie A.; Miller, Patricia H.

2015-01-01

Objective To examine test-retest reliability and internal consistency of a 5-question food insecurity survey used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Methods Researchers administered the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the classroom to 92 fourth-grade children (74 African American; 48 girls) in 2 sessions 27–30 days apart in spring, 2011. Each classroom administration lasted 5–10 minutes. Results Test-retest reliability was 0.66 (Kendall tau), which is modest. Internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) was .67 and .70 for respective administrations. Food insecurity scores were related to gender (adjusted P = .05) and academic achievement (adjusted P = .004) but not to socioeconomic status or body mass index percentile (binomial regression). On average, boys reported higher food insecurity than girls. Children with lower academic achievement scores reported higher food insecurity than children with higher academic achievement scores. Conclusions and Implications The National Health and Nutrition Examination 5-question survey may be group administered to assess food insecurity efficiently as reported by individual fourth-grade children. PMID:26363937

Increasing self-esteem and school connectedness through a multidimensional mentoring program.

PubMed

King, Keith A; Vidourek, Rebecca A; Davis, Beth; McClellan, Warren

2002-09-01

High levels of self-esteem and positive school, peer, and family connections represent protective factors against youth involvement in risky behavior. This paper reports findings from year one of the Healthy Kids Mentoring Program, a multidisciplinary mentoring program for fourth-grade students in a Midwestern public school. In October 2000, 28 fourth-grade students were admitted into the program, based on findings from a 55-item survey distributed to all fourth-grade students (N = 283) regarding overall self-esteem, school, peer, and family connectedness and involvement in risky behavior. The program, which ran from January 2000 to May 2000, consisted of four components: 1) relationship building, 2) self-esteem enhancement, 3) goal setting, 4) academic assistance. Pretest-Posttest data showed significant improvements at posttest in mentored students' self-esteem levels and positive connections to school, peers, and family. Mentored students also were significantly less likely to be depressed or involved in bullying and fighting at posttest than at pretest. Compared to nonmentored students, mentored students reported significantly higher school and family connectedness scores at posttest. Recommendations for effective mentoring program design are offered.

Does school mobility place elementary school children at risk for lower math achievement? The mediating role of cognitive dysregulation.

PubMed

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H; Raver, C Cybele

2015-12-01

Children growing up in poverty have a higher likelihood of exposure to multiple forms of adversity that jeopardize their chances of academic success. The current paper identifies school mobility, or changing schools, as 1 such poverty-related risk. Using a sample of low-income, predominantly ethnic-minority children (n = 381) in Chicago, this study tests the hypothesis that repeatedly changing schools during the 5-year period between Head Start (preschool) and third grade is a potent predictor of children's math achievement in fourth grade and that children's cognitive dysregulation serves as a mechanism through which school mobility may negatively affect children's math achievement. Hierarchical linear models controlling for baseline child and family characteristics (including children's early math and dysregulation measured during Head Start) revealed an inverse relation between the number of times low-income children changed schools between preschool and third grade and children's math achievement on state standardized tests in fourth grade. Furthermore, frequently changing schools (3 or 4 school changes over the same time period) was positively associated with teacher-reported cognitive dysregulation in third grade and negatively associated with children's math achievement in fourth grade. Evidence for the role of children's cognitive dysregulation as a partial statistical mediator was found for the relation between frequently changing schools and math achievement, even after accounting for baseline risk. Results are discussed in terms of school policies, practices, and intervention strategies to prevent the disruptive and potentially stressful experiences of school mobility for young, low-income children. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Does School Mobility Place Elementary School Children at Risk for Lower Math Achievement? The Mediating Role of Cognitive Dysregulation

PubMed Central

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H.; Raver, C. Cybele

2015-01-01

Children growing up in poverty have a higher likelihood of exposure to multiple forms of adversity that jeopardize their chances of academic success. The current paper identifies school mobility, or changing schools, as 1 such poverty-related risk. Using a sample of low-income, predominantly ethnic-minority children (n = 381) in Chicago, this study tests the hypothesis that repeatedly changing schools during the 5-year period between Head Start (preschool) and third grade is a potent predictor of children’s math achievement in fourth grade and that children’s cognitive dysregulation serves as a mechanism through which school mobility may negatively affect children’s math achievement. Hierarchical linear models controlling for baseline child and family characteristics (including children’s early math and dysregulation measured during Head Start) revealed an inverse relation between the number of times low-income children changed schools between preschool and third grade and children’s math achievement on state standardized tests in fourth grade. Furthermore, frequently changing schools (3 or 4 school changes over the same time period) was positively associated with teacher-reported cognitive dysregulation in third grade and negatively associated with children’s math achievement in fourth grade. Evidence for the role of children’s cognitive dysregulation as a partial statistical mediator was found for the relation between frequently changing schools and math achievement, even after accounting for baseline risk. Results are discussed in terms of school policies, practices, and intervention strategies to prevent the disruptive and potentially stressful experiences of school mobility for young, low-income children. PMID:26436870

Science for Kids Outreach Programs: College Students Teaching Science to Elementary Students and Their Parents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koehler, Birgit G.; Park, Lee Y.; Kaplan, Lawrence J.

1999-11-01

For a number of years we have been organizing and teaching a special outreach course during our Winter Study Program (the month of January). College students plan, develop, and present hands-on workshops to fourth-grade students and their parents, with faculty providing logistical support and pedagogical advice. Recent topics have been "Forensic Science", "Electricity and Magnetism", "Chemistry and Cooking", "Waves", "Natural Disasters", "Liquids", "Pressure", "Color and Light", "Momentum and Inertia", "Illusions", and "The Senses". The two-hour workshops, held one weekend on campus, emphasize hands-on experiments involving both the kids and the parents. Handouts for each workshop give instructions for doing several experiments at home. This program has been a great success for all involved: the college students gain insight into an aspect of science and what it takes to develop and teach that topic, the elementary school students participate in an exciting and challenging scientific exploration, and the parents have a chance to learn some science while spending time working on projects with their children. We provide an overview of the pedagogical aims of our current approach and a sense of the time-line for putting together such a program in a month.

Enacting science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Anthony Leo

My study examines the development of forms of knowing that arise when students engage in open-ended explorations involving self-directed design and building involving simple materials. It is grounded in an enactivist theoretical perspective on cognition which holds that the creation of action-thought processes for engaging the world is interwoven with the meanings that are constructed for these experiences. A dynamic conception of persons-acting-in-a-setting is fundamental to an enactivist view of cognition. How is understanding enacted in building activity? How does the shape of a problem emerge? How do students enact meaning and understanding when they experience a high degree of physical engagement in building things? What are some characteristics of an enactive learning/teaching environment? My research settings comprise a range of individual, group and classroom engagements of varying lengths over a three and one-half year period. The first research episode involved two grade eight students in an investigation of Paper Towels. The second four month engagement was in a grade nine science class that culminated in the building of a Solar House. The third grade ten episode involved a one month project to build a Mousetrap Powered Car. A fourth Invent a Machine project was conducted in two grade eight science classes taught by the teacher who participated in the Solar House project. Two students were present in three of the four projects. I interviewed one of these students upon completion of his high school physics courses. I found that building is a form of thinking which develops competency in managing complex practical tasks. A triadic relationship of exploration, planning and acting is present. Practical and procedural understandings emerge as students enter and re-enter self-directed problem settings. Thinking patterns depend on the kinds of materials chosen, the ways they are used, and on how students contextualize the problem. Classroom assessment procedures gain complexity and incorporate process components as students become involved in establishing criteria for their work. Contemporary science programs emphasize using performance criteria to evaluate student learning in investigative activity. My study seeks to expand the notion of performance by identifying and portraying essential features of student action-thought.

Implementation of a Food-Based Science Curriculum Improves Fourth-Grade Educators' Self-efficacy for Teaching Nutrition

PubMed Central

Carraway-Stage, Virginia; Roseno, Ashley; Hodges, Caroline D.; Hovland, Jana; Diaz, Sebastian; Duffrin, Melani W.

2016-01-01

Background Teacher self-efficacy can positively impact student dietary behaviors; however, limited curricular resources and professional development can serve as barriers to the provision of nutrition education in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a food-based, integrative science curriculum on 4th grade teachers’ self-efficacy toward teaching nutrition. Methods Researchers used a quasi-experimental design to implement the FoodMASTER Intermediate (FMI) curriculum in 19 4th-grade classrooms across Ohio and North Carolina. The Nutrition Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale was used to assess baseline and post-test teacher self-efficacy using a 4-point Likert-scale (1=not confident at all; 4=very confident). ANCOVA and Wilcoxon-Signed Rank Test were used for statistical analysis. Results Teachers in the intervention group displayed significantly higher post-efficacy expectation scores (mean=3.52; sd=0.41) than comparison group teachers (mean=2.86; sd=0.55). Overall, the intervention group showed significant improvement in self-efficacy on 15 of the 18 items. Discussion The results suggest providing training and integrative resources to teachers can significantly improve self-efficacy toward teaching nutrition. Future research should focus on determining the amount of training needed to improve the quality of teacher-delivered nutrition education. Translation to Health Education Practice Health educators can use the findings to inform the development of teacher trainings in nutrition and health. PMID:28392881

Apprenticeship, education, and technology: Children as oldtimers and newcomers to the culture of learning through design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ching, Cynthia Carter

This study deals with the construct of apprenticeship, a well-documented phenomena in anthropological and cultural studies, but which is treated here in unique ways. Whereas most existing work examines apprenticeship among adults in traditional vocational settings, this research is situated among a community of fourth and fifth grade schoolchildren with different levels of previous experience "learning through design" and programming science simulations, thus making them relative oldtimers and newcomers to the culture and practices of design. This work examines teams of children as they create computer simulations, and documents the practices that characterize their apprenticeship to one another. This research also describes how children conceptualize their own roles as newcomers or oldtimers to design. Finally, this study investigates how cognitive benefits realized in an apprenticeship environment are distinctive from that in non-apprenticeship classroom communities, due to the addition of a comparison group of fourth and fifth grade students all engaged in learning through design for the first time. Results reveal that design apprenticeship among schoolchildren shares some crucial characteristics with vocational apprenticeships. Oldtimers initially break down tasks into component parts for newcomers to perform, newcomers move from peripheral to fuller participation in the design process as the project progresses, and tacit pedagogical interactions initiated by oldtimers are intimately tied to the immediate design context on a day-to-day basis. Oldtimers are also more reflective about their interactions with other designers, and they have a more differentiated view of the design process as a whole, than newcomers or comparison first-time designers. The learning benefits realized in an apprenticeship environment are characterized not by a significant difference over the comparison class in the amount of science content or programming code students mastered, but rather in the extent to which students in the apprenticeship classroom are better able to use the context of design to help them represent science knowledge in a systemic manner. The results of this study have implications for broadening the accepted definitions of "apprenticeship" in the literature, curriculum design and implementation of design-based learning, and pedagogy and policy for the technology-infused classroom.

ACEIdeas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbour, Nita H.

1983-01-01

Offers three ideas for classroom activities in a "dip-and-save" format: (1) introducing formal map study in the third and fourth grades, (2) teaching reading readiness to prekindergarten and kindergarten children, and (3) teaching plant propagation and care in first through sixth grades. (RH)

Development of the Formation of Categories by Normal and Retarded Persons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winters, John J., Jr.; Brzoska, Mary Anne

1976-01-01

Investigated the development and fragmentation of categories over chronological and mental age without the requisite of free recall. Kindergarten, fourth grade, ninth grade and retarded students labeled and categorized chromatic slides of picturable objects. (GO)

Situational Interest of Fourth-Grade Children in Music at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, J. Christopher

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of common elementary music class activities that elicit situational interest, the short-term interest that emerges spontaneously in learners when faced with environmental factors in an educational experience. An instrumental case study approach was employed, with 24 fourth-grade…

Reflections on Doing Geography: Learning Observations from the Fourth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delahunty, Tina

2010-01-01

The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Orchard Bog site in Shady Valley, Tennessee, is a unique Appalachian mountain bog that provides many opportunities for student exploration. A biogeographer, a field technician, two biologists, and a historian combined their expertise to teach 100 fourth graders how historians and scientists learn about past…

Family Outing Activities and Achievement among Fourth Graders in Compensatory Education Funded Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griswold, Philip A.

This study sought to identify the relationship between operationally-defined family outing activities and measures of achievement among fourth grade students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. The results, collected for four successive years from 1715 students in urban Los Angeles, indicated that: (1) participation in family activities…

Diet- and body size-related attitudes and behaviors associated with vitamin supplement use in a representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas.

PubMed

George, Goldy C; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Nicklas, Theresa A; Kelder, Steven H

2009-01-01

To examine diet- and body size-related attitudes and behaviors associated with supplement use in a representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas. Cross-sectional data from the School Physical Activity and Nutrition study, a probability-based sample of schoolchildren. Children completed a questionnaire that assessed supplement use, food choices, diet-related attitudes, and physical activity; height and weight were measured. School classrooms. Representative sample of fourth-grade students in Texas (n = 5967; mean age = 9.7 years standard error of the mean [SEM] = .03 years, 46% Hispanic, 11% African-American). Previous day vitamin supplement consumption, diet- and body size-related attitudes, food choices, demographic factors, and physical activity. Multivariable logistic regression models, P < .05. The prevalence of supplement use was 29%. Supplement intake was associated with physical activity. Girls who used supplements were more likely to report positive body image and greater interest in trying new food. Relative to nonusers, supplement users were less likely to perceive that they always ate healthful food, although supplement use was associated with more healthful food choices in boys and girls (P < .001). The widespread use of supplements and clustering of supplement use with healthful diet and greater physical activity in fourth graders suggest that supplement use be closely investigated in studies of diet-disease precursor relations and lifestyle factors in children.

Reading accuracy and speed of vowelized and unvowelized scripts among dyslexic readers of Hebrew: the road not taken.

PubMed

Schiff, Rachel; Katzir, Tami; Shoshan, Noa

2013-07-01

The present study examined the effects of orthographic transparency on reading ability of children with dyslexia in two Hebrew scripts. The study explored the reading accuracy and speed of vowelized and unvowelized Hebrew words of fourth-grade children with dyslexia. A comparison was made to typically developing readers of two age groups: a group matched by chronological age and a group of children who are 2 years younger, presumably at the end of the reading acquisition process. An additional purpose was to investigate the role of vowelization in the reading ability of unvowelized script among readers with dyslexia in an attempt to assess whether vowelization plays a mediating role for reading speed of unvowelized scripts. The present study found no significant differences in reading accuracy and speed between vowelized and unvowelized scripts among fourth-grade readers with dyslexia. The reading speed of fourth-graders with dyslexia was similar to typically developing second-graders for both the vowelized and unvowelized words. However, fourth-grade children with dyslexia performed lower than the typically developing second-graders in the reading accuracy of vowelized script. Furthermore, for readers with dyslexia, accuracy in reading both vowelized and unvowelized words mediated the reading speed of unvowelized scripts. These results may be a sign that Hebrew-speaking children with dyslexia have severe difficulties that prevent them from developing strategies for more efficient reading.

Improving Reading through the Use of Multiple Intelligences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albero, Paula; Brown, Ann; Eliason, Susan; Wind, Jeanne

This report describes a program for increasing reading test scores. The targeted population consisted of one second-grade, one third-grade, and two fourth-grade classrooms in a growing middle class community located in a far western suburb of Chicago, Illinois. The problem of low reading test scores was documented though the 1995 IGAP scores on…

A Longitudinal Examination of the Persistence of Late Emerging Reading Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etmanskie, Jill M.; Partanen, Marita; Siegel, Linda S.

2016-01-01

There are some children who encounter unexpected reading difficulties in the fourth grade. This phenomenon has been described as late emerging reading disabilities (LERD). Using Grade 4 as a starting point, this study examined the reading development of 964 children between kindergarten and Grade 7. The results showed that 72.0% of children had…

21st Century Curriculum: Does Auto-Grading Writing Actually Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

T.H.E. Journal, 2013

2013-01-01

The West Virginia Department of Education's auto grading initiative dates back to 2004--a time when school districts were making their first forays into automation. The Charleston based WVDE had instituted a statewide writing assessment in 1984 for students in fourth, seventh, and 10th grades and was looking to expand that program without having…

Natural Resources and Career Awareness: A Teacher's Guide for Grades K-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, George C.

The materials in this teacher's guide have three general divisions that are based on a sequential progression from kindergarten through grade six. Section A (kindergarten through two) explores the world of the child and divides this world into identifiable study groups. Section B (third and fourth grades) deals with the needs of living things and…

Children's Perceptions of Moral Themes in Television Drama.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christenson, Peter G.

To determine children's perceptions of underlying morals or messages in television drama, a study was conducted in which four early prime time situation comedies were selected for viewing by 15 children per program in kindergarten/first grade, 15 children per program in third/fourth grade, and 8 children per program at the sixth grade level. The…

Comprehension and Production of Non-Literal Comparisons (NLC) via Visual Stimuli in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douka, Glykeria; Motsiou, Eleni; Papadopoulou, Maria

2014-01-01

The present study focuses on the comprehension and production of non-literal comparisons (NLC) via visual means in three age groups: kindergarten, second grade and fifth grade students. Although non-literality is a cognitive process, the educational system does not take advantage of it in pedagogy, especially before the fourth grade. The research…

Math and science technology access and use in South Dakota public schools grades three through five

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwietert, Debra L.

The development of K-12 technology standards, soon to be added to state testing of technology proficiency, and the increasing presence of computers in homes and classrooms reflects the growing importance of technology in current society. This study examined math and science teachers' responses on a survey of technology use in grades three through five in South Dakota. A researcher-developed survey instrument was used to collect data from a random sample of 100 public schools throughout the South Dakota. Forced choice and open-ended responses were recorded. Most teachers have access to computers, but they lack resources to purchase software for their content areas, especially in science areas. Three-fourths of teachers in this study reported multiple computers in their classrooms and 67% reported access to labs in other areas of the school building. These numbers are lower than the national average of 84% of teachers with computers in their classrooms and 95% with access to computers elsewhere in the building (USDOE, 2000). Almost eight out of 10 teachers noted time as a barrier to learning more about educational software. Additional barriers included lack of school funds (38%), access to relevant training (32%), personal funds (30%), and poor quality of training (7%). Teachers most often use math and science software as supplemental, with practice tutorials cited as another common use. The most common interest for software was math for both boys and girls. The second most common choice for boys was science and for girls, language arts. Teachers reported that there was no preference for either individual or group work on computers for girls or boys. Most teachers do not systematically evaluate software for gender preferences, but review software over subjectively.

Student-Described Engagement with Text: Insights Are Discovered from Fourth Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weih, Timothy G.

2014-01-01

This article reports on a research study investigating student-described engagement with self-selected text in a classroom where a core reading program (in the context of this study meaning instruction based primarily on manuals and commercial textbooks) comprised the majority of their literacy instruction. Fourth grade students were invited to…

Dental Hygiene Program Clinic Manual, Fall 1997. Fourth Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Errico, Mary; Cama, Christine; Pastoriza-Maldonado, Alida

This is the fourth edition of the Clinic Manual for the Dental Hygiene Program at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College in the Bronx (New York). It contains general information, grading procedures, performance guides, and clinical forms related to the program. Section 1 provides an introduction to clinic philosophy, policies, goals and…

Effects of Organization and Instruction on Free and Cued Recall in Lower Socioeconomic Status Fourth Graders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phye, Gary D.; Zimmerman, Bonnie B.

Free recall, cued recall, and clustering performance of fourth grade lower socioeconomic black and white children is studied under four conditions of teaching: random presentation, random presentation plus instruction, blocked presentation, and blocked presentation with instruction of categorically related list. Results indicate that both recall…

ORAL DRILLS AND WRITING IMPROVEMENT IN THE FOURTH GRADE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MILLER, BARBARA D.; NEY, JAMES W.

BELIEVING FORMAL WRITTEN ENGLISH TO BE A "FOREIGN LANGUAGE" TO MOST AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS USED THE AUDIO-LINGUAL METHOD OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION TO PROMOTE WRITING IMPROVEMENT IN FOURTH-GRADERS. TWO RANDOMLY-SELECTED CLASSES OF STUDENTS OF AVERAGE ABILITY COMPOSED THE STUDY POPULATION--ONE CLASS FOR THE EXPERIMENT,…

Organizing a Program To Increase Fitness Levels in Fourth Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Warren A.

An experienced physical education teacher designed and implemented an 11-week practicum intervention meant to supplement physical education classes and improve the physical fitness of fourth graders with low scores in areas of the Chrysler/Amateur Athletic Union Fitness Test (C/AAUFT). Particular attention was given to the improvement of test…

The Relationship between Good Readers' Attention, Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yildiz, Mustafa; Çetinkaya, Ezgi

2017-01-01

This study aimed to examine the relationship between fourth-graders' reading fluency, reading comprehension and attention. It was conducted using the relational screening model and included 132 fourth-graders with grade level adequate reading skills. The study results showed that good readers' attention had significant effects on reading speed,…

Kaleidoscope: A Multicultural Booklist for Grades K-8. Fourth Edition. NCTE Bibliography Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen-Krening, Nancy, Ed.; Aoki, Elaine M., Ed.; Mizokawa, Donald T., Ed.

The fourth edition of this annotated bibliography collection offers students, teachers, and librarians a helpful guide to the best multicultural literature (published from 1999 to 2001) for elementary and middle school readers. The book continues a tradition of promoting unity through diversity by highlighting fiction and nonfiction published by…

The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-458

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This report presents results of the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics at grades 4 and 8. Nationally representative samples of 209,000 fourth-graders and 175,200 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics. At each grade, students responded to…

Teaching Module for Expanding Occupational Awareness of Preschool, Second, and Fourth Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marotz-Baden, Ramona; Riley, Pamela

These three modular units for preschool children (eight-week unit), grade 2 (nine-week unit), and grade 4 (six-week unit) were developed to facilitate career education by reducing sex-role stereotyping of occupations. (Final progress report of the project is available as CE 024 425.) Within each unit an outline for each week's activities details…

NAEP Fourth-, Eighth-, and Twelfth-Grade Reading Scores by Gender: 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klecker, Beverly M.

2014-01-01

This paper describes a secondary analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scores by gender. Data were national public 4th- and 8th-grade reading scores from composite and subscales for 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Twelfth-grade scores for composite and literary experience from 2005, 2009, and 2013 and gain…

Writing Disabilities and Reading Disabilities in Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costa, Lara-Jeane C.; Edwards, Crystal N.; Hooper, Stephen R.

2016-01-01

This longitudinal study was conducted to determine (a) the rate of co-occurrence of reading disabilities (RDs) in a writing disability (WD) population of students followed from first grade to fourth grade and (b) the cognitive burden that is assumed by having a WD and a RD (WD + RD). The sample included 137 first-grade students from a single…

Correlates of Fathers' Participation in Family Work: A Technical Report. Working Paper No. 106.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baruch, Grace K.; Barnett, Rosalind C.

This study addresses the nature, extent, antecedents, and consequences of fathers' participation in child care and home chores. Data was collected from 160 families with children in kindergarten and fourth-grade classes. The sample was equally divided between the two grade levels and within each grade level by sex. Within each of the four groups…

Mothers' Behaviors and Sons' Reading Achievement and Projected Feelings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oidick, Michael Stanley

Two groups of fourth-grade boys, one group reading at grade level or above, the other reading below grade level, were selected for this study. All boys in both groups had scored at the 30th percentile or below on a kindergarten reading-readiness test. The mothers of these boys were interviewed to assess their participation, instigation, and level…

49 CFR 393.108 - How is the working load limit of a tiedown, or the load restraining value of a friction mat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... that for polypropylene fiber rope. (d) Welded steel chain which is not marked or labeled to enable... load limit shall be considered to have a working load limit equal to one-fourth of the nominal strength... Grade 43 high test Grade 70 transport Grade 80 alloy Grade 100 alloy 1. 7 (1/4) 580 (1,300) 1,180 (2,600...

49 CFR 393.108 - How is the working load limit of a tiedown, or the load restraining value of a friction mat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... that for polypropylene fiber rope. (d) Welded steel chain which is not marked or labeled to enable... load limit shall be considered to have a working load limit equal to one-fourth of the nominal strength... Grade 43 high test Grade 70 transport Grade 80 alloy Grade 100 alloy 1. 7 (1/4) 580 (1,300) 1,180 (2,600...

49 CFR 393.108 - How is the working load limit of a tiedown, or the load restraining value of a friction mat...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... that for polypropylene fiber rope. (d) Welded steel chain which is not marked or labeled to enable... load limit shall be considered to have a working load limit equal to one-fourth of the nominal strength... Grade 43 high test Grade 70 transport Grade 80 alloy Grade 100 alloy 1. 7 (1/4) 580 (1,300) 1,180 (2,600...

Multimedia Uses in Organizing Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvert, Sandra L.

The "preplay" technique, an advance organizer summarizing important plot events before sections of a story, is examined for its effectiveness in facilitating children's selective attention to and comprehension of televised stories. One hundred and sixty first through fourth grade children, equally distributed by grade and sex, were…

Student Responsibility in School and Home Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Carol; Bassett-Anderson, Mary Kay; Gerretsen, Deborah; Robilotta, Georgine

This action research project evaluated an intervention to improve primary, intermediate, and special education student responsibility in a middle class community located near a metropolitan area in northeastern Illinois. Participating were students in first grade, fourth grade, and communication development classes. Lack of student responsibility…

[Low level auditory skills compared to writing skills in school children attending third and fourth grade: evidence for the rapid auditory processing deficit theory?].

PubMed

Ptok, M; Meisen, R

2008-01-01

The rapid auditory processing defi-cit theory holds that impaired reading/writing skills are not caused exclusively by a cognitive deficit specific to representation and processing of speech sounds but arise due to sensory, mainly auditory, deficits. To further explore this theory we compared different measures of auditory low level skills to writing skills in school children. prospective study. School children attending third and fourth grade. just noticeable differences for intensity and frequency (JNDI, JNDF), gap detection (GD) monaural and binaural temporal order judgement (TOJb and TOJm); grade in writing, language and mathematics. correlation analysis. No relevant correlation was found between any auditory low level processing variable and writing skills. These data do not support the rapid auditory processing deficit theory.

Applying mathematical concepts with hands-on, food-based science curriculum.

PubMed

Roseno, Ashley T; Carraway-Stage, Virginia G; Hoerdeman, Callan; Díaz, Sebastián R; Eugene, Geist; Duffrin, Melani W

2015-01-01

This article addresses the current state of the mathematics education system in the United States and provides a possible solution to the contributing issues. As a result of lower performance in primary mathematics, American students are not acquiring the necessary quantitative literacy skills to become successful adults. This study analyzed the impact of the FoodMASTER Intermediate curriculum on fourth-grade student's mathematics knowledge. The curriculum is a part of the FoodMASTER Initiative, which is a compilation of programs utilizing food, a familiar and necessary part of everyday life, as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Students exposed to the curriculum completed a 20-item researcher-developed mathematics knowledge exam (Intervention n=288; Control n=194). Overall, the results showed a significant increase in mathematics knowledge from pre- to post-test. These findings suggest that students engaged in food-based science activities provided them with the context in which to apply mathematical concepts to an everyday experience. Therefore, the FoodMASTER approach was successful at improving students' mathematics knowledge while building a foundation for becoming quantitatively literate adults.

Applying mathematical concepts with hands-on, food-based science curriculum

PubMed Central

Roseno, Ashley T.; Carraway-Stage, Virginia G.; Hoerdeman, Callan; Díaz, Sebastián R.; Eugene, Geist; Duffrin, Melani W.

2015-01-01

This article addresses the current state of the mathematics education system in the United States and provides a possible solution to the contributing issues. As a result of lower performance in primary mathematics, American students are not acquiring the necessary quantitative literacy skills to become successful adults. This study analyzed the impact of the FoodMASTER Intermediate curriculum on fourth-grade student’s mathematics knowledge. The curriculum is a part of the FoodMASTER Initiative, which is a compilation of programs utilizing food, a familiar and necessary part of everyday life, as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Students exposed to the curriculum completed a 20-item researcher-developed mathematics knowledge exam (Intervention n=288; Control n=194). Overall, the results showed a significant increase in mathematics knowledge from pre- to post-test. These findings suggest that students engaged in food-based science activities provided them with the context in which to apply mathematical concepts to an everyday experience. Therefore, the FoodMASTER approach was successful at improving students’ mathematics knowledge while building a foundation for becoming quantitatively literate adults. PMID:26494927

Disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors in South Korean boys and girls: a school-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Yang, Su-Jin; Kim, Jae-Min; Yoon, Jin-Sang

2010-05-01

This study was designed to assess the prevalence and correlates of disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors in South Korean students. In a cross-sectional survey, 2,226 fourth and seventh grade students filled out questionnaires on eating attitudes and behaviors (Eating Attitude Test -26, EAT-26), coping strategies, fear of being overweight, behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. Disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors were found in 7 percent of students. In the multivariate analyses, disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors were associated with the passive coping strategies, fear of being overweight, total behavioral difficulties, fourth grade, and high socioeconomic status (SES). Differences in the associations were found between boys and girls. There were significant associations between elevated EAT-26 scores and passive coping strategies, desired underweight body mass index (BMI), and low SES in boys; and between elevated EAT-26 scores and passive coping strategies, fear of being overweight, behavioral problems, being in the fourth grade, and high and low SES in girls. In South Korean children, disturbed eating attitudes and behaviors were associated with various psychological and sociocultural factors; some gender-related differences are also evident.

Efficacy of a Word- and Text-Based Intervention for Students With Significant Reading Difficulties.

PubMed

Vaughn, Sharon; Roberts, Garrett J; Miciak, Jeremy; Taylor, Pat; Fletcher, Jack M

2018-05-01

We examine the efficacy of an intervention to improve word reading and reading comprehension in fourth- and fifth-grade students with significant reading problems. Using a randomized control trial design, we compare the fourth- and fifth-grade reading outcomes of students with severe reading difficulties who were provided a researcher-developed treatment with reading outcomes of students in a business-as-usual (BAU) comparison condition. A total of 280 fourth- and fifth-grade students were randomly assigned within school in a 1:1 ratio to either the BAU comparison condition ( n = 139) or the treatment condition ( n = 141). Treatment students were provided small-group tutoring for 30 to 45 minutes for an average of 68 lessons (mean hours of instruction = 44.4, SD = 11.2). Treatment students performed statistically significantly higher than BAU students on a word reading measure (effect size [ES] = 0. 58) and a measure of reading fluency (ES = 0.46). Though not statistically significant, effect sizes for students in the treatment condition were consistently higher than BAU students for decoding measures (ES = 0.06, 0.08), and mixed for comprehension (ES = -0.02, 0.14).

Everything You Need To Know about Math Homework. A Desk Reference for Students and Parents. Fourth to Sixth Grades. Scholastic Homework Reference Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zeman, Anne; Kelly, Kate

This book is written to answer commonly asked homework questions of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. Included are facts, charts, definitions, explanations, examples, and illustrations. Topics include ancient number systems; decimal system; math symbols; addition; subtraction; multiplication; division; fractions; estimation; averages; properties;…

Fourth and Fifth Grade Students Learn about Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy through Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortner, Sarah K.

2009-01-01

A classroom of eighteen fourth and fifth graders in the Columbus, Ohio Public School system successfully evaluated how people obtain fossil fuels, how they are limited in nature, and how they can develop renewable energy solutions. Students modeled oil-drilling using: chocolate syrup, rice cereal, a baster, and a clear container. Chocolate oil…

The Effects of Specific Reading Interventions on Elementary Students' Test Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Jacqueline Laverne Meeks

2016-01-01

Many students in third, fourth and fifth grades struggle at the lowest levels of reading proficiency. In fact, fewer than 40% of fourth graders in the United States read at or above the "proficient" level on state standardized tests in 2009 (D'Ardenne, Barnes, Hightower, Lamason, Mason, Patterson, Stephens, Wilson, Smith & Erickson,…

A Summary of an Assessment of Fourth and Sixth Grade Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CTB / McGraw-Hill, Monterey, CA.

A comprehensive assessment was made of the status of elementary education in Missouri in reading, mathematics, language, and study skills. The Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS) and the Short Form Test of Academic Aptitude (SFTAA) were administered to a sample of Missouri fourth and sixth graders. For each curricular area, Missouri…

Development of Multiple Regression Equations To Predict Fourth Graders' Achievement in Reading and Selected Content Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hafner, Lawrence E.

A study developed a multiple regression prediction equation for each of six selected achievement variables in a popular standardized test of achievement. Subjects, 42 fourth-grade pupils randomly selected across several classes in a large elementary school in a north Florida city, were administered several standardized tests to determine predictor…

A Comparison of Standardized Achievement Test Scores on Right and Left Brain Dominant Fourth-Grade Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Michael L.; Roubinek, Darrell L.

1989-01-01

Compares fourth-graders' subtest scores on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), and the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT). Finds right-brain dominant students scored better on four SAT subtests, and left-brain dominant students scored better on four ITBS subtests and two MAT subtests. (NH)

Effects of Translation Methods in Imported Instructional Video Programs on Taiwan Fourth Graders' Memory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyan, Nay-ching Nancy; Hu, Yi-chain

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of various translation methods used in imported instructional video programs on Taiwan elementary school students' visual and verbal memory. Following pretesting, 128 fourth grade students from an urban public elementary school in northern Taiwan participated. The students in 4 experimental…

Nutrition Claims Influence Health Perceptions and Taste Preferences in Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soldavini, Jessica; Crawford, Patricia; Ritchie, Lorrene D.

2012-01-01

Objective: To determine whether children perceive food with nutrition claims as healthier and tasting differently than those without claims. Methods: Fourth- and fifth-graders (n = 47) from 3 California schools participated. Two identical products (cookies, crackers, or juice) were placed in front of product packages, 1 with a nutrition claim, the…

Reclaiming Students' Voices: Fourth Graders' Discussion of the Great Migration in a Climate of Paced Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, K. Dara

2013-01-01

In this study, a researcher investigated how teachers can negotiate their practice to engage high-needs students whose life experiences are not reflected in the curriculum, without compromising administrative demands for standardized curriculum and pacing. A fourth-grade teacher in a high-achieving, high-poverty urban primary school in Detroit…

A Window into Bilingual Reading: The Bilingual Reading Practices of Fourth-Grade, Mexican American Children Who Are Emergent Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García, Georgia Earnest; Godina, Heriberto

2017-01-01

A qualitative think-aloud study, informed by social literacies and holistic bilingual perspectives, was conducted to examine how six emergent bilingual, Mexican American, fourth graders approached, interacted with, and comprehended narrative and expository texts in Spanish and English. The children had strong Spanish reading test scores, but…

Uses of Mathematics Textbooks for Grade (4-8) as per Basic Concepts and Questions Levels in TIMSS Test: A Study Conducted in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Tamimi, Abdul Rehman

2018-01-01

This study tried to explore the degree of representation of math textbooks for grades (4-8) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concerning the key concepts, shape, and levels of questions used in the TIMSS test. The study population of this study includes both students and teachers from fourth grade to eighth grade. The goal of this study was…

Proceedings of the Sudden Oak Death Fourth Science Symposium

Treesearch

Susan J. Frankel; John T. Kliejunas; Katharine M. Palmieri

2010-01-01

The Sudden Oak Death Fourth Science Symposium provided a forum for current research on sudden oak death, caused by the exotic, quarantine pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum. Ninety submissions describing papers or posters on the following sudden oak death/P. ramorum topics are included: biology, genetics, nursery and wildland...

Problem-Based Learning of Social Sciences and Humanities by Fourth-Year Medical Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colby, Kathleen K.; And Others

1986-01-01

A required fourth-year course integrating the social sciences and humanities into the required clinical medical curriculum at Dartmouth Medical School is intended to prepare students to deal with the social and humanistic issues involved in medical practice, including law, ethics, economics, and social anthropology. (MSE)

Identifying Young Gifted Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoctor, Marge

2013-01-01

Although there is a Federal definition of gifted and talented students, there are few state policies regarding identification of and services for students in kindergarten, first, and second grade. Most school districts do not begin their gifted programs until the third or fourth grade. Consequently, identification and implementation of appropriate…

Development of Probabilistic Understanding in Fourth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

English, Lyn D.; Watson, Jane M.

2016-01-01

The authors analyzed the development of 4th-grade students' understanding of the transition from experimental relative frequencies of outcomes to theoretical probabilities with a focus on the foundational statistical concepts of variation and expectation. After observing the decreasing variation from the theoretical probability as the sample size…

Catching up to College and Career Readiness in Kentucky. ACT Research Report Series. 2014 (4)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Chrys; Hiserote, Linda; Shaw, Teresa

2014-01-01

This report focuses on the extent to which students who are academically far off track in fourth or eighth grade in Kentucky catch up by eighth or eleventh grade. We studied three recent cohorts of Kentucky students whose eighth-grade ACT Explore® scores were more than one standard deviation below the ACT Explore benchmark scores associated with…

Catching up to College and Career Readiness in Kentucky. ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2014-04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Chrys; Hiserote, Linda; Shaw, Teresa

2014-01-01

This report focuses on the extent to which students who are academically far off track in fourth or eighth grade in Kentucky catch up by eighth or eleventh grade. We studied three recent cohorts of Kentucky students whose eighth-grade ACT Explore® scores were more than one standard deviation below the ACT Explore benchmark scores associated with…

Building BRIDGES: A Design Experiment to Improve Reading and United States History Knowledge of Poor Readers in Eighth Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Rollanda E.; Beach, Kristen D.; Sanchez, Victoria M.; Bocian, Kathleen M.; Flynn, Lindsay J.

2015-01-01

We tested the effects of teaching reading skills through U.S. history content for 38 eighth-grade poor readers whose reading ability ranged from second-to fourth-grade levels. Half of the students received special education services, and half of the students were English language learners. Students were taught to decode multisyllabic words, learn…