“Summer’s over kids! Now, all you round pegs get back

into your square holes!”1

Differentiation Strategies

KNOW: Strategies for differentiation UNDERSTAND:Differentiation is a teacher’s proactive response to individual student needsDO:Become familiar with a variety of appropriate teaching strategies for those situations

Goals for the Lesson

Introduction/Review

QHT

Q: Words I have questions about

H: Words I have heard of

T: Words I know well enough to teach

This strategy allows students to build on their prior knowledge of words to provide a forum for peer teaching and learning of new words, and to serve as a pre-reading exercise to aid in comprehension.

QHT

Read the words given to your table.

Place each word in the appropriate column.

Which fruit are you?

Jigsaw A cooperative learning strategy in which all students become experts on a small piece of a topic and then teach each other.

Home Group

Expert Group Expert Group Expert Group

Home Group

Whole Class Discussion

Check for Individual Understanding

Jigsaw Format

Read the materials about your strategy in the folder you were provided at your table

Together with the people at your table, discuss what the strategy is, how it works, and what you think the pros & cons of the strategy are.

Create a sample activity using this strategy to take back and share with your home groups

Be sure that everyone in your group can explain the strategy and give an example. You will be moving to different groups!

Jigsaw Procedures

I’ve mapped out the concepts I’ve already grasped to save you time. 11

Considerations for Planning a

Differentiated Lesson Identify the student learning

target/s that ALL students must reach

Decide WHAT you will differentiate Decide HOW you will differentiate

and the assessment method you will use

Determine what assessment method/s you will use

Creating a Differentiated Classroom

Start Slowly…But Start One subject or one class

Where the need is greatest Where you feel most comfortable

Deliberately plan to differentiate Content, Process, or Product

Based on your Students’ Readiness, Interest or Learning Preference

Don’t Bother Differentiating Fluff

Pender County Schools, in compliance with the North Carolina Academically or Intellectually Gifted State Standards, offers local training to classroom teachers, working with gifted students.  This training, titled PCS Credentials for AIG, is not comparable to AIG state licensure, but it promotes basic understanding of the characteristics and social-emotional needs of gifted students as well as implementation of differentiated content and instructional strategies for advanced learners.  AIG Local Endorsement consists of 20 CEU credits of Professional Development in Gifted Education.

PCS Credentials for AIG

List three words that you felt were most crucial to today’s lesson. They do not need to be words you heard today – we want the words that are significant to you.

Exit Card

Tiered ActivitiesTiered Instruction features:

Whole group introduction and initial instructionIdentification of developmental differencesLadder Analogy (bottom – up; challenge/complexity)Increase or Decrease the:

Abstraction/Challenge Levels (ie. application, analysis & synthesis)

Extent of Support Complexity of:

outcomes resources (reading levels, types of text [on-line, magazine, etc…],

based on prior-knowledge levels) processes (way in which students obtain information) products (M.I. products)

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Beginning Intermediate Advanced

Outcome/Objective

Students will determine a topic and will write a five-sentence paragraph with a main idea, three supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence.

Students will determine a topic, state a point of view, and write two paragraphs defending that point of view.

Students will determine a topic, state a point of view, and write an essay of at least five paragraphs that uses multiple sources to defend that point of view.

Instruction/Activity

Students will receive a model of a five-sentence paragraph and explicit instruction in constructing the paragraph.As a prewriting activity, students will list their topic and develop a list of at least three things that support their topic.

Students will receive a model of a persuasive essay and a graphic organizer that explains the construction of a persuasive essay. Students will also receive explicit instruction in writing a persuasive essay.As a prewriting activity, students will use the graphic organizer to plan their writing.

Students will review the graphic organizer for a persuasive essay. Students will be given explicit instruction in locating sources and quotes for their essays. As a prewriting activity, students will use the graphic organizer to organize their essay. Students will also compile a list of five sources that defend their main point.

Assessment Students will be able to write a five-sentence paragraph that successfully states and supports a main idea. The paragraph will meet the criteria on the state writing rubric.

Students will be able to state a point of view and successfully defend the idea using two paragraphs that defend the point of view using main ideas and supporting details. The paragraphs will meet the criteria on the state writing rubric.

Students will be able to write a five-paragraph essay that states a point of view, defends the point of view, and uses resources to support the point of view. The essay will meet the criteria on the state writing rubric.

Tiered Activity – Writing a Persuasive Essay

4th–6th Grade Classroom

Group 1Read pages from The Little PrinceComplete an analysis matrix that specifies the fox’s feelings about responsibility toward those we tame

and why he believes what he does.Read story, “Bloodstain”Complete analysis matrix on the beliefs of the main character.Select a newspaper article from folder.Write 2 paragraphs that compare beliefs of the people in the article with the two charactersWhat advice would you give children about responsibility toward people we tame? Brainstorm on paper

and then either: Write a letter to a kid, giving your advice Write guidelines for adults who affect children’s lives Draw and explain a blueprint for becoming a responsible adultPeer revise and then peer edit your work before turning in to teacher.

Group 2Read pages from The Little Prince.Using article and story list provided by the teacher, find at least one piece of writing that shares the

fox’s view on responsibility for those we tame.Find at least 2 contrasting pieces.Develop notes on two views of responsibility with reasons and examples from your reading selections. Be

sure you are thoughtful about each view.Then either:• Write an editorial about the implications of the two approaches for our school.• Write an interior monologue of a teen at a point of decision about responsibility for someone he/she

has tamed.• Create a series of editorial cartoons that look at the ripple effect of such decisions in history,

science, or our community.Peer revise and then peer edit your work before turning in to teacher.

All students will Know: (key ideas, vocabulary, facts)• Elements of literature• Author’s voice• Concept of responsibilityAll students will understand: (generalizations)• We are responsible for ourselves and our choices• We “write” our own lives.• Our actions have a ripple effect.• Responsibility may require sacrifice and may

result in fulfillment.• Our work bears our hallmark.

All students will be able to do: (skills)• Argue and support• Edit and revise skills• Use figurative language effectively• Analyze literary pieces

All students will analyze pieces of literature to explore the premise that we are responsible for those we tame, and will frame an argument to support their position.

Secondary Literature Tiered Lesson

Start with Whole Class Topic

Open up with the Question

Narrow the Question

Add Context to

the Language

Differentiating by ProcessLeveling Questions

Why is estimating an answer important when you are solving math problems?

Estimate the answer to 503 X 299. What strategy did you use to estimate?

Estimate means to find a number that is close to the exact amount. Why is estimating an important thing to do when solving mathematics problems?

Why is estimating an answer important when solving? Give an example of this.

Leveled Questions

In what ways did…. How might have you done this differently? What if…. How does this affect… Explain several reasons why… What problems does this create… Describe the ways…. What are some explanations for… Support your reason… What is the likelihood…

Leveled Questions

Curriculum Compacting

Modify and/or streamline regular curriculum to:

eliminate repetition of previously mastered material

upgrade the challenge level of the regular curriculum

determine student “readiness” provide time for enrichment and/or

acceleration activities

Eight Compacting Steps(Student Readiness)

1. Identify objectives2. Create pretest (end of unit expectations)3. Identify students to Pretest4. Administer Pretest5. Eliminate content in areas of mastery6. Streamline instruction 7. Offer enrichment or acceleration activities8. Keep records of progress

Leveled Graphic Organizers

Differentiate by content Change what is expected Change the number of items needed to be listed

Change the resources Change the look of the organizer