Action Research Plan

My Action Research will target the fifth grade students on my campus and it will determine if students who participate in hands on science lessons and lab activities will have a higher success rate on the Science TAKS Test and an increased number of students will obtain commended performance verse students who learn from more traditional forms of learning.

Because fourth grade does not take a Science TAKS Test I will focus on the fifth graders who failed the district science benchmark in fourth grade. My research will be based on data gathered from report cards, classroom observations and district science bechmark scores. I will use this data to create a variety of hands on labs focusing on and targeting 5th grade Science TEKS. I will closely track bubble students and students who are failing and monitor their progress. The final stages of my action research will be to provide all fifth graders with the opportunity to attend Sky Ranch Camp, an overnight Outdoor Education Program. Lessons will be tailored to meet specific curriculum needs at camp. Also, hands on lessons will be provided and will directly correlate with state and district curriculum and testing requirements at this outdoor education program. I will research other school with similar demographics as my campus, that have attended an O.E.P. and compare TAKS scores as well as percentages of commended performance achieved on the Science TAKS Test. I will present my proposal at the first staff meeting in hopes to gain support of teachers and administrators on my campus.