Running Head: STUDENT LEARNING ANALYSIS 1

Student Learning Analysis

EED 4950

Internship in Elementary Education

Fall 2020
STUDENT LEARNING ANALYSIS 2

Urban Sprawl in North America

INTRODUCTION
Audience Analysis
● Grade Level: 6th
● Subject: Social Studies/Geography
● Gender: 14 girls; 9 boys (23 Students)
● Classroom Environment: Whole Group, Virtual Classroom
● Socioeconomic Status(es): Lower & Working Class

This student learning analysis will revolve around the topic, Urban Sprawl in North
America. I have just completed all lessons regarding the Great Lakes and will now be heading
into Lesson 5 of TCI (Social Studies pilot) dealing with urbanization in North America. I will be
providing a diagnostic assessment as a way to see what the students already know and what I
need to teach before heading into the lesson. Students should already be able to recognize the
difference between urban and rural areas. Upon completion of the pre-assessment, I will gear my
lessons in order to best serve their needs. After all objectives and standards are presented through
various lessons, I will assess the class again to see if they understand urbanization in North
America and the connection with global urban patterns.

PART I
Michigan K-12 Standards (Social Studies):
● ERA 6 – The Development of an Industrial, Urban, and Global United States, 1870-1930
● 6 – G4.3.3: Explain the patterns, causes, and consequences of major human migrations.
● 6.1.3 – Urbanization: Explain the causes and consequences of urbanization, including:
○ The location and expansion of major urban centers and their link to industry and
trade.
○ The development of cities divided by race, ethnicity, and class, as well as the
resulting tensions among and within groups.
○ Different perspectives about urbanization.
● P2.2: Evaluate data presented in social science tables, graphs, graphics, maps, and texts.
● 6 – G2.0.2: Describe how the local community is part of a larger region.

Objectives:
● Students will analyze the causes of, consequences of, and various solutions to urban
sprawl.
● Identify the effects of urban sprawl policies implemented in three North American cities.
● Analyze the implications of global urban patterns and international solutions to sprawl.
STUDENT LEARNING ANALYSIS 3

Diagnostic Assessment/Post-Assessment
Alignment
Questions w/State Standards Percentage Correct

Which of the following is a statement that a person opposing urban growth might say? ERA 6 62%
6.1.3

Which of the following statements about the United States and Canada is true? ERA 6 69%
6 – G4.3.3

By 2000, nearly half of the world's population lived in urban areas. (T/F) ERA 6 79%
6 – G4.3.3

What is a metropolitan area? ERA 6 54%

6 – G2.0.2

What kind of reasons do many people give to support urban growth? ERA 6 43%
6.1.3

Why does urban sprawl continue in the United States and Canada? ERA 6 47%
6 – G4.3.3

What mode of transportation allows city workers to live in far away suburbs and ERA 6 49%
commute to their jobs? 6.1.3

What is one benefit of a mixed-use development? ERA 6 38%

6 – G2.0.2

Where is the suburb of a city most likely to be located? ERA 6 44%

6.1.3

What was the biggest problem created by urban sprawl in Atlanta in the 1990s? ERA 6 38%
6 – G4.3.3

Which city will have the largest estimated population by 2030? 44%
ERA 6
P2.2
6.1.3

Which TWO cities are expected to experience the least population growth from 1990 to ERA 6 35%
2030? (See bar graph above.) P2.2
6.1.3
STUDENT LEARNING ANALYSIS 4

PART II

Mean Scores of ​Pre-Assessment​: 45.5%

Mean Scores of ​Post-Assessment:​ 91%
(The Post-Assessment included 15 additional questions on top of the Diagnostic Assessment)

Upon looking at the results of the pre-assessment. It is obvious that these students have
not yet been exposed to the idea of urban sprawl. After the pre-assessment, I informally assessed
the students by asking them what the difference was between urban and rural areas. No one
could give me an answer. So, I showed a picture of a farm and asked, “What does this picture
represent, urban or rural? Put your answer in the chat.” Only half of the class could distinguish
that the picture was of a rural area. I knew that this would be my starting point in teaching the
lesson. Before jumping into urban sprawl in North America, the students must understand the
following terms: urban, suburban, and rural. Then, I would be able to proceed to the lessons on
urban sprawl and the cities that are most impacted by it.
I was surprised by the responses to the last two questions with the bar graphs. Students do
not need any prior knowledge in order to answer these questions. Looking at a diagram is
something that I will definitely be going over with my students before the post test. Furthermore,
a third of the students did not provide two cities in the last question because they did not read the
directions clearly enough.

PART III
Analysis of Assessment Data - Insights into Students Thinking
Based on the data, I need to cover the following items before the Post-Test:
❖ Terms: Urban, Suburban, Metropolitan Area, Rural
❖ Reasons to Support/Oppose Urban Growth
❖ Mixed-Use Development
❖ Reading a Chart/Diagram
❖ Stages of Urban Growth: Urban Core-Urban Fringe-Rural Fringe
❖ Modes of Transportation in Urban Areas

PART IV
Subsequent Instruction
Before instruction took place, it was obvious that these students were not yet made aware
of rural and urban areas, much less the concept of urban sprawl in North America. Subsequent to
instruction, students could identify the difference between urban and rural areas through
STUDENT LEARNING ANALYSIS 5

description, pictures, and examples. Furthermore, they could provide reasons to support and
oppose urban growth. We practiced reading bar graphs in order to understand data in the social
studies context. Students are able to identify the stages of urban growth on an aerial view of a
city. We looked at Chicago, Phoenix, Detroit, and Toledo as real-world examples.
One thing that I would like to cover again is mixed-use development. This seemed to be a
recurring theme that they do not yet understand. I will remind them of the word ‘mixed’ and how
that gives them the hint that the area combines both businesses and homes. In a sense, mixing
two developments into one area.

PART V
Additional Assessment
Since students struggled with mixed-use development, I assigned an exit ticket in order
for me to quickly assess their understanding the second time around. The exit ticket prompt and
various answers that I copied from my students are provided below:

In your own words, describe mixed-use development.

A mixture of housing and business

I think it’s the mixture of homes and businesses

Building with both companies and homes

A mixed-use development is a work building but can be a home to people too

Homes and business building

Combination of both housing for people and business for working people

Building that is used for both housing and business

Area in a city where it combines business and housing for the community

Housing and businesses

City with both housing and company buildings

Mean Scores of ​Exit-Ticket Post-Assessment​: 94%

With these results from the exit-ticket post-assessment, I came to the conclusion that the
students understand the term ‘mixed-use development’. The definition of a mixed-used
development is a ​development that combines housing and businesses in one area which their
answers are eerily similar.​ The mean score was above a 90% and their responses were spot-on
with the instruction I gave them about the concept. With this, I was able to smoothly move onto
the next lesson in the book knowing that they understood urban sprawl in North America, its
effect on their own communities and how the whole world has been impacted by this
phenomenon.