Christina Amaral Learners Analysis September 27,2010

Introduction My students learning environment is not the usual classroom set up and our school is different from many other programs. My program serves only male students and there is 150 students at my program but each camp has 45-50 students. Our school is divided up into three camps and each camp has 6 groups of students. There are up to 9 students per group in education. I have decided to use at least two students from four of the education groups because the two other groups consist of students who have received their GED or High School diploma. My school is considered a public school but it owned by a private company and our students are part of the Department of Juvenile Justice of Georgia. My students are intermixed into class by grade levels and two subjects per classroom. My students range from 9th to 11th grade students in Biology. Standards: BIOLOGY SB1.SB2.Students will analyze the nature of the relationships between structures and functions in living cells. a. Explain the role of cell organelles for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including the cell membrane, in maintaining homeostasis and cell reproduction.

b. Explain how enzymes function as catalysts. c. Identify the function of the four major macromolecules (i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids). d. Explain the impact of water on life processes (i.e., osmosis, diffusion). Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to successive generations. a. Distinguish between DNA and RNA. b. Explain the role of DNA in storing and transmitting cellular information. c. Using Mendels laws, explain the role of meiosis in reproductive variability. d. Describe the relationships between changes in DNA and potential appearance of new traits including Alterations during replication. Insertions Deletions Substitutions Mutagenic factors that can alter DNA. High energy radiation (x-rays and ultraviolet) Chemical e. Compare the advantages of sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction in different situations. SB4.f. Examine the use of DNA technology in forensics, medicine, and agriculture. Students will derive the relationship between single-celled and multi-celled organisms and the increasing complexity of systems. a. Explain the cycling of energy through the processes of photosynthesis and respiration. b. Compare how structures and function vary between the six kingdoms (archaebacteria, eubacteria, protists, fungi, plants, and animals). c. Examine the evolutionary basis of modern classification systems. d. Compare and contrast viruses with living organisms. Students will assess the dependence of all organisms on one another and the flow of

energy and matter within their ecosystems. a. Investigate the relationships among organisms, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biomes. b. Explain the flow of matter and energy through ecosystems by Arranging components of a food chain according to energy flow. Comparing the quantity of energy in the steps of an energy pyramid. Explaining the need for cycling of major nutrients (C, O, H, N, P). c. Relate environmental conditions to successional changes in ecosystems. d. Assess and explain human activities that influence and modify the environment such as global warming, population growth, pesticide use, and water and power consumption. e. Relate plant adaptations, including tropisms, to the ability to survive stressful environmental conditions. f. Relate animal adaptations, including behaviors, to the ability to survive stressful environmental conditions. SB5. Students will evaluate the role of natural selection in the development of the theory of evolution. a. Trace the history of the theory. b. Explain the history of life in terms of biodiversity, ancestry, and the rates of evolution. c. Explain how fossil and biochemical evidence support the theory. d. Relate natural selection to changes in organisms. e. Recognize the role of evolution to biological resistance (pesticide and antibiotic resistance). Demographics My program is an all male facility. I chose eights students with different education backgrounds. I have 3 students who are in 9th

grade, a white non-Hispanic, an African- American and Hispanic student. The next four students are in the 10th grade and are all African American students. One of the four students is being served under Special Education at our program. The 8th student is in 11th grade and is White non-Hispanic. I have obtained their background information from our juvenile system called JTS, where you can find educational and demographics. Entry Skills and Prior Knowledge All of the chosen students are very capable of the standards chosen for Biology. I have seen their work previously to this assignment and they average A and B averages on their work. These students work hard daily to receive credit in Biology. Our program uses a system called CAPs for our students. They are packets of work that have the standard they will perform and the work that needs to be completed in order to receive their grade. These 8 students are some of my best students at my program. Of the 8 students, only one student is receiving special education services so his CAPs are modified to fit his IEP. Academic Motivation I interviewed my selected students about what motivates them to finish their work and a majority of them said they wanted a better life when they are released from our program. These students have been incarcerated from 8months to 5 years and have ample time to

rethink their educational goals. These students work daily to reach their goals on receiving their high school credit before they leave the program. Some of the selected students have already completed their 10th and 11th grade Science work and waited to complete Biology later. Since I have been teaching these students their CAP numbers have increased almost double the amount prior to me entering in the classroom. Motivational Strategies My students are highly motivated to achieve their academic goals by positive reinforcement and variability of the performance task. They enjoy lessons with hands on activities as well as lectures with question and answer opportunities. I will introduce the new information to the students so they do not feel overwhelmed when the new information in presented to them in these goals and standards providing them with familiarity of the information. Learner Characteristics My students come from many different backgrounds that can affect their educational experiences. My two whites students come from middle class families in North and Southern Georgia. My five African American students come from big cities in Atlanta with many different livings situations. Two of the five African American students are known to be active gang members and live in the projects of their cities. My one Hispanic student lives with him family and has been at

our facility prior but is involved in gang related activity, which keeps him in trouble. Many of my learners come from families in which they have family members that have been in and out of jail their selves. There is a lack of guidance in many of their family lives. My students have multiple siblings in their families and many of them come from a struggling single mother family. My Hispanic student comes from a family where education is very important for him to have and make a better life for himself. His family is very supportive of his education and well-being. Two of my African American students would be classified as visual learners. They grasped information presented to them on the board and always need to be close to the board to see. They always ask questions about what is being presented on the board as well. My 9th grade white non-Hispanic student would be a naturalist because he self teaches himself on his caps and ask very few questions. My 11th grade white non-Hispanic student, is a Logical/mathematical student. He participates daily in daily riddles and loves problem-solving questions. My other 4 students fall under verbal, existential and musical intelligences. Accommodations There are many accommodations that need to be applied in teaching my students at my program. My students unfortunately are

unable to access the Internet without supervision and use modern technology as well. When I present a lesson using the computer I have to monitor their access to the computers. To accommodate my student with special needs, I would use this website http://www.teachervision.fen.com/specialeducation/resource/5347.html, to gather more knowledge on how I can accommodate my special needs learner. This website helps with students in Science in inclusive classrooms, http://www.teachervision.fen.com/educational-research/teachingmethods/8538.html?detoured=1. In Carol Tomlinsons The Differentiated Classroom, she gives great accommodations for learners and how a teacher with special needs students should tailor their lesson to fit the entire classroom. Having group investigation, problem-based learning and independent study could possible help many students that are in need of differentiated instruction. References 1. Carr, Amy and Carr, Chad (2000) ARCS- Motivation Theory. Retrieved from http://ide.ed.psu.edu/idde/ARCS.htm 2. Cummins, Jim (1991) Empowering Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students with Learning Problems. Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/specialeducation/resource/5347.html 3. Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008) 'Howard Gardner and multiple

intelligences', the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm. 4. TeachersVision (2010) Adapting Language Arts, Social Studies and Science for the Inclusive Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.teachervision.fen.com/educational-research/teachingmethods/8538.html?detoured=1 5. Tomlinson,Carol Ann (2000) The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners.