ERIC Number: ED537157
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2012-May
Pages: 46
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Narrowing the Achievement Gap in Second-Grade Social Studies and Content Area Literacy: The Promise of a Project-Based Approach. Working Paper #26
Halvorsen, Anne-Lise; Duke, Nell K.; Brugar, Kristy; Block, Meghan; Strachan, Stephanie; Berka, Meghan; Brown, Jason
Education Policy Center at Michigan State University
This design experiment addresses the question: How can second-grade students from low-SES schools attain the same levels of achievement as students from high-SES schools on standards-based social studies and content area literacy assessments? Students from two high-SES school districts were assessed in order to establish target levels of achievement. Two project-based units focused on state standards in economics; civics and government; public discourse, decision making, and citizen involvement; and content area literacy were developed and implemented successively in four classrooms in low-SES school districts. Achievement of students in the low-SES districts was then compared to that of students in high-SES districts. Results show no statistically significant differences: following instruction, there was no SES achievement gap on these standards-based assessments. We describe the unit plans and strategies that the teachers used to implement these plans, and we discuss implications of the study for future research and practice. Appended are: (1) Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, Social Studies; (2) Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations, English/Language Arts; and (3) Projects. (Contains 2 tables and 2 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Achievement Gap, State Standards, Teaching Methods, Content Area Reading, Student Projects, Statistical Significance, Effective Schools Research, Social Studies, Outcome Measures, Interviews, Achievement Gains, Educational Improvement, Improvement Programs, Active Learning, Instructional Innovation, Instructional Effectiveness, Grade 2, Change Strategies, Educational Change
Education Policy Center. Michigan State University, 201 Erickson Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824-1034. Tel: 517-355-4494; Fax: 517-432-6202; e-mail: EPC@msu.edu; Web site: http://education.msu.edu/epc
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 2
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Michigan State University, Education Policy Center
Identifiers - Location: Michigan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A