The Science Speedbag Supplemental Program and Fifth Grade Science Achievement Scores: An Ex-Post Facto Study

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in the fifth-grade achievement scores between schools that used the Science Speedbag Supplemental Program and schools that did not use the program in a Southeastern state. The supplemental program embeds literacy practices such as vocabulary, graphic organizers, writing prompts, and a two-page informational passage. The zone of proximal development was the theory for the study. The sample was the schools in a Southeastern state. Data was collected utilizing archival data and analyzed using SPSS, an independent samples t test. The findings of the study indicated evidence that there were statistically significant differences in fifth-grade academic achievement scores between schools that used the Science Speedbag Supplemental Program and schools that did not use the program for the Overall Mean Scale Scores (t = -2.258, p = .025) and the Mean Points Earned in the Content Areas of Nature of Science (t = -2.109, p = .037), Life Science (t = -2.519, p = .013), and Earth and Space Science s (t = -2.361, p = .020). The differences between the groups (Physical Science Mean Points Earned) had no significant difference (t = -1.275, p = .204). Overall, the results of the current study indicated that the Science Speedbag Supplemental Program improved science achievement scores. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of each literacy practice within the Science Speedbag Supplemental Program as it relates to impacting science achievement scores using a qualitative method.