Running Head: CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

Credit Recovery Curriculum for a Core Chemistry Curriculum

Teri Arenstam
University of New England EDU 707

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

Introduction
As part of Thornton Academys Response to Intervention program
(RTI), the science department offers what we call a "safety net" for students
who fail a core course. All of our core courses are semester courses. If
students fail a semester, depending on the circumstances, they may be
given the option to make up some work in the following semester in order to
get their credit for that class. The credit is issued under Credit Recovery
Science and does not alter the fact that they failed the original course. It is
up to the teacher to track the student down and make arrangements with
the student to complete the work necessary to earn the credit, even though
they may no longer have that student in class.
Most students who fail a core science course are eligible to take
advantage of the safety net. The students who are not eligible are those
with an extremely low average. This program was developed for students
who need to complete a small amount of work in order to get their average
up to a passing level. However, a relatively low number of students take
advantage of this opportunity. Formal data collection only began in school
year 2010-2011. The data for the last school year is not yet available since
students are in various stages of the credit recovery process during this
semester. In school year 2010-2011, only 13% of students eligible to earn
credit via the safety net did so. This number was higher for the 2012-2013

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

school year with 36% of eligible students earning their credit via the safety
net (see Table 1).

Table 1
Students Successfully Completing
Credit Recovery Science
CORE SCIENCE COURSE FAILURES

School Year 2010-

School Year 2011-

2011

2012

Number of Failures
Number of Students offered Safety

50
30

39
22

Net
Number of Students Completed

13%

36%

Safety Net
Percentage of Eligible Failing
Students Receiving Science Credit

In speaking with teachers within the science department, it is evident

that there are many reasons why students do not take advantage of the
safety net. There is however, a common theme expressed by all teachers
and that is, there is little structure to the program. Teachers are essentially
left to their own devices. It is the responsibility of the teacher to track down
a student that has failed their class and who is usually no longer their
student. It is up to the teacher to decide what and how much work the
student needs to do in order to receive credit. Many teachers say they just
give the students worksheets to do because it is easy and they just do not

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

have the time to develop assignments for each student that addresses the
portion(s) of their class that they have failed.
I have developed a credit recovery curriculum for the sophomore
(grade 10) Chemistry II course. There are five major units in the sophomore
Chemistry II curriculum. A major assignment is aligned with each of these
units which students can work on independently to gain their science credit.
Each of these assignments encompasses the major points of each unit. If a
student should fail the Chemistry II course, the teacher can look back at their
grades for the student, determine which unit(s) the student failed, and give
them the corresponding assignment to complete. My hope is this will
increase the number of students who take advantage of this opportunity and
that it will be a worthwhile learning opportunity for them as well.
Additionally, this will take much of the burden off of already overtaxed
teachers.
Curriculum Map
Table 2 is the curriculum map for the Chemistry II core science course.
This is a semester course normally taken in the fall of the sophomore year.
Students have already completed the Chemistry I course during the spring
semester of their freshman year. The Credit Recovery Assignment is the
new assignment developed for each unit.

Table 2
Chemistry
II

Curriculum Map

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

UNIT

Trends in
the
Periodic
Table

Conservati
on of Mass
& Energy

Chemical
Reactions

Kinetic
Molecular
Theory

Gas Laws

Core
Curriculum
Theme
*Review periodic
table trends,
valence electrons,
oxidation numbers,
metals, nonmetals,
metalloids.
*Atomic and Ionic
Radii
*Reactivity
*Focus on standard
vocabulary
*Counting atoms
*Balancing
Equations
*Stored energy in
bonds

*Five reaction types

*Prediction
products of single
and double
replacement
reactions
*Reaction Rate
*Catalysts

*Kinetics of
Molecules
*Temp. conversions
between C and K
*Focus on heat vs.
temp.
*Heating curve of
H2O
*Focus on Charles

Descriptor
Details from
Maine Learning
Results

Assessments

Credit
Recovery
Assignme
nt
3-D Model
of Atomic
Radii

Describe the
structure of atoms in
terms of neutrons,
protons, and
electrons and the role
of the atomic
structure in
determining chemical
properties.
Describe how in
energy
transformations, the
total amount of
energy remains the
same, but because of
inefficiencies (heat,
sound, and vibration)
useful energy is often
lost.
Describe how the
number and
arrangement of
atoms in a molecule
determine properties,
including the types of
bonds it makes with
other molecules and
apply this to
predictions about
chemical reactions.
Describe factors that
affect the rate of
chemical reactions.
Apply an
understanding of the
factors that affect the
rate of chemical
reaction to
predictions about the
rate of chemical
reactions.
Describe the
relationship among
heat, temperature,
and pressure in terms
of the action of
atoms, molecules,
and ions.

*Quiz-structure of
periodic table
*Presentation of
elements group
project
*Lab Report-Atomic
Radii
*Unit Test

*Quiz-States of
Matter
*Lab Report-Heating
Curve of Water
*Temp. Project
*Unit Test

The 5th
State of
Matter.

Describe the

*Quiz-Using Gas

Mystery of

*Quiz-Vocab
*Lab ReportConservation of
Mass
*Quiz-Balancing
Equations
*Unit Test

Counting
Atoms Lab
Activity

*Lab Report-Energy

Diet Coke
& Mentos

Changes
*Quiz-Reaction
Types
*Lab Report-Single
& Double
Replacement
Reactions
*Unit Test

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

and Boyles Laws
*Interdependence
of temperature,
pressure, and
volume

relationship among
heat, temperature,
and pressure in terms
of the action of
atoms, molecules,
and ions.

6
Law Equations
*Lab Report-Charles
Law
*Lab Report-Boyles
Law
*Unit Test

the Rising
Water

Newly Designed Unit

Following are the five newly designed credit recovery assignments
which align with each unit in the Chemistry II core science course. The
assignments are presented in Tables 3- 7. The assessments and rubrics for
each credit recovery assignment are presented in Figures 1-10 and follow the
table that outlines the assignment. Each assignment is aligned with one of
the five major units from the core curriculum. Attention was paid to
including development of both declarative and procedural knowledge.
Declarative knowledge is informational and procedural is process oriented
and skills based (Dean et al., 2012). There are many opportunities for
hands-on activities in science, even when students are working
independently. It is the goal of these assignments to help students extend
and apply knowledge. I attempted to include system analysis, experimental
inquiry, and investigation in these lessons, which Dean et al., (2012)
describe as essential to applying declarative knowledge. Multiple learning
styles are addressed in each assignment as well. There is something that
will appeal to both visual and kinesthetic learners in each assignment and
several also have an auditory component.
The heart of differentiated instruction is about offering different
avenues to learning content, processing information, and developing

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

products in order to demonstrate learning (Tomlinson, 2001). In accessing

the credit recovery assignments, students will be responsible for their own
learning. I have tried to make the assignments both interesting and
authentic. Tomlinson (2001) describes differentiated instruction as student
centered and points out that learning experiences are most effective when
they are engaging, relevant, and interesting. The assessments are
differentiated as well. None of the assessments are of the standard quiz or
test format. Davies (2000) points out that both products which students
create, and conversations can be sources of evidence of student learning.
These assessments lean heavily towards product, sometimes rely on
conversation, but never on a test or a quiz.
Table 3
Unit 1:
Credit
Recovery
Assignm
ent

Periodic Table
Trends
Learning
Activities
*Construct a 3-D

3-D
Model of
Atomic
Radii

model of atomic radii

of the elements of the
periodic table using
drinking straws and a
96 well plate.
(Instructions provided)
*Graph the data
collected in the 3-D
activity.
*Analyze graph and
determine pattern
represented then
apply to other
properties of atoms.

Common Core
Standard
Addressed

Assessments

*Follow precisely a
complex multistep
procedure when
carrying out
experiments, taking
measurements, or
performing technical
tasks.

Trends in Atomic Radii

Lab Report

*Translate quantitative
or technical
information expressed
in words in a text into
visual form and
translate information
expressed visually or
mathematically into
words.

Students will submit the

completed report along
with a photograph of
their model.

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

Table 4
Unit 2:
Credit
Recovery
Assignm
ent
Counting
Atoms
Activity

Conservation of
Mass/
Learning
Activities

Energy
Common Core
Standard
Addressed

Assessments

*Students will
construct models of
various molecules and
then simulate
chemical reactions
demonstrating the Law
of Conservation of
Mass. (Model Kit
provided).
*Students will
complete the Counting
Atoms Lab packet.

*Follow precisely a
complex multistep
procedure when carrying
out experiments, taking
measurements, or
performing technical
tasks.
*Translate quantitative or
technical information
expressed in words in a
text into visual form and
translate information
expressed visually or
mathematically into
words.

1. Teachers will select

two reactions and
students will:
A. make models of the
molecules, identifying
correct bond types.
B. predict products
and make models of
those, demonstrating
conservation of mass
II Students will choose
1 of 2 essay ques. to
answer.

Table 5
Chemical Reactions
Unit 3:
Credit
Recovery
Assignm
ent

Learning Activities

Common Core
Standard
Addressed

*Students will research the *Follow precisely a

Diet
Coke and
Mentos

science behind the diet

coke and mentos geysers.
Students will identify the
reaction type, the
reactants, the products,
and the role that
nucleation sites play in the
reaction. They will begin
by watching the Discovery
Channels MythBusters
Diet Coke and Mentos
episode (available in the
school library).

complex multistep
procedure when
carrying out
experiments, taking
measurements, or
performing technical
tasks.
*Determine the
meaning of symbols,
key terms, and other
domain-specific words
and phrases as they
are used in a specific
scientific or technical

Assessments

Lab Report Diet Coke

and Mentos
Students will be given
the skeleton of the
report and will
complete it with their
research and data.
This report will be
submitted on-line with
the video attached.

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

*Students will construct a
delivery system for getting
the maximum number of
Mentos into the bottle and
the greatest height on the
geyser.

9
context.

*Students will record 1 or

more trials of their Diet
Coke and Mentos
experiment.

Table 6
Unit 4:
Credit
Recovery
Assignme
nt
BoseEinstein
Condensat
e, The 5th
State of
Matter

Kinetic Molecular
Theory
Learning Activities

*Students will watch In

Search of Absolute Zero
from Nova. (Available on
line and in the school
library.)
Students will choose one
article from the 5
presented at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/
nova/zero/ and play one
of the five interactive
games on that page.
(There is a companion
worksheet to the video
and questions to answer
regarding the article and
the game.)

Maine Learning
Result/Com-mon
Core Standard

Assessment

*Determine the central

ideas or conclusions of a
text; trace the texts
explanation or depiction
of a complex process,
phenomenon, or concept;
provide an accurate
summary of the text.

Students will
submit a summary
of their chosen
article using the
rule-based
summarizing
strategy described
in Dean, et al.,
(2012)

*Determine the meaning

of symbols, key terms,
and other domain-specific
words and phrases as
they are used in a specific
scientific or technical
context.

Students will
describe a world in
which BoseEinstein
Condensate is a
common state of
matter.

Professional Development and Support

After speaking with my department chair and faculty who teach the
sophomore curriculum, it is apparent that there is already much support for
implementing this curriculum. It would require those teachers involved to

CREDIT RECOVERY CURRICULUM

10

meet and carefully examine these assignments. Our department chair has
offered department time during one of our professional development days in
order for us to do this. She has offered much support for this curriculum and
has talked about possibly modeling credit recovery curriculum for all of the
core science courses after these assignments. I envision sitting with those
teachers involved, going over each assignment, discussing how they match
with our learning objectives, evaluating everyones input, and improving
them. We are fortunate in that we do not need to have our curriculum
approved by administration. This is due in part to the fact that we are an
independent town academy and while we often do align our curriculum to
different standards such as the Maine Learning Results and the Next
Generation Science Standards, we are not legally required to do so. I am
excited to share this curriculum with my colleagues and hope they find it
alleviates some of the obstacles to helping struggling students become
successful.

References
Davies, A. (2000). Making classroom assessment work. British Columbia:
Connections Publishing.
Dean, C. B., Hubbell, E. R., Pitler, H., & Stone, B. (2012). Classroom
instruction that works.

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11

(2nd ed.). Denver: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms.
(2 ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development.