Assessment Analysis:

8th grade Earth Science Lesson Plan on Scientific Notation

Objective: Students will be able to convert given numbers from standard form to scientific
notation and convert given numbers from scientific notation to standard form.

Student First Assessment

1 2/10

14 2/10

2 1/10

3 1/10

5 1/10

11 1/10

12 1/10

13 1/10

9 0/10

10 0/10

7 0/10

8 0/10

6 0/10

4 0/10

15 0/10

16 0/10
First Assessment
Mean: 10/16 = 0.625 (6.25%)

Median: 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2 = 0.5 (5%)

Mode: 0 (0%)
 Reflection:
Based on the results of the pre-test, I realized that the students had very little understanding on
the topic of scientific notation. It was a good indicator that the students would need each step
broken down as well as why we use scientific notation and what it looks like. There was no one
single question that all of the students got correct, most of the scores were all over the place.
With this information, I knew I needed to break down the lesson plan and give the students
several opportunities to practice.

Student Second Assessment

3 8/10

2 8/10

14 8/10

7 7/10

8 7/10

16 7/10

4 6/10

1 6/10

10 6/10

5 5/10

6 5/10

9 4/10

13 3/10

15 3/10

11 2/10

12 2/10

Second Assessment

Mean: 87/16 = 5.44 (54.4%)

Median: 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8 = 6 (60%)

Mode: 6, 7, 8 (60-80%)

Reflection:
After receiving the pre-test results I implemented the lesson plan. The lesson plan began with
introducing why we use scientific notation and what scientific notation looks like. I then
modeled how to switch from standard to scientific and scientific to standard form. We first
practiced this as a class and then with partners. Lastly, the students went around the room solving
various problems in work station format.

Looking at the results of the post-test, the students overall improved. When looking at the mean
the students went from 6.25% to 54.4% which is a 48.2% increase in their scores. The median
score went from 5% to 6% which is a slight increase. Unfortunately, no student received a 9 out
of 10 or 10 out of 10 for the post-test. I liked to see that the students increased in the test yet, the
students didnt quite reach proficiency or a solid understanding of scientific notation. In my
classroom I would take another day to maybe break the students into groups to work on some
problems. I would want students who have a better understanding to be in each group to work
with their group and help show how to do the problems. These work stations would take place
10-15 minutes after we go over some key areas as a class. Then I would work around the
classroom to the different groups to help students with questions. Lastly, I would have students
come solve 4 problems on the board and walk us through each step. I think overall this class is a
large class and the last hour of the day which makes it difficult to keep these 8th graders on task.
The students overall needed more practice with the concepts and repetition for how to do these
problems to master the skill.