DI Bailey

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Differentiated Instruction
What is it? Why we need it? How we
implement it?
Cecilia Lemon, Instructional Facilitator
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Department of Special Education

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By the end of this workshop, you will:
 Solidify your understanding of the definition of
differentiated instruction and its guiding principles.
 Understand how to differentiate based on content,
product, process, and manipulating the environment
in your classroom.
 Demonstrate how differentiated instruction will be
utilized using Think Link data and reflect its usage on
your lesson plans.
 Create differentiated products to use in your
classroom.

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Group Assignment
 Within your group, designate these
individuals:
 A “Giver”
 A “Keeper”
 A “Crier”
 A “Teller”

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“Givers” distribute index cards
Please write on the index card provided:
3 Things you already know about DI
2 Things you want to know more about DI
1 Thing you don’t understand about DI
Share information (2 minutes)
“Teller” will share commonalities and/or
differences
Give your cards to the “Keeper”

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What is Differentiated Instruction?
 A collection of best practices, strategically
employed to maximize students’ learning at
every turn, including giving them the tools
to handle anything that is undifferentiated.
 Highly effective teaching.
 Requires us to do different things for
different students, based upon individual
student needs.

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Differentiated Instruction is. . . .
 Whatever works to advance the student
when the regular classroom approach
doesn’t meet students’ needs.
 Designed to tap into different student
readiness levels, interests, and learning
profiles.
 Teaching different students the content in
different ways, based on how students learn.

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Differentiated Instruction
Is Is Not
Having high expectations for all
students
Helping the student to “own” the
learning
Highly effective teaching
Providing students with choices
about what and how they learn
Acknowledgement of individual
needs
Using a variety of methods for the
student to explore curriculum
content
Qualitative
Activities that all students will be able
to do
Getting it on your own
All assignments are the same for
every student except for the number of
problems
Allowing the early finishers computer
time
Assigning “extra” work for more
advanced students
Cooperative learning groups where
the “gifted” student gets to be the leader
Quantitative

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Why is Differentiated Instruction
necessary?
Current Student Demographics
Learning Style Differences
Instructional Day Design
Achievement Goals

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If the diverse characteristics of America’s children were
merged into one classroom, of thirty students …
 18 would be White
 15 would live in a single
parent family at some
point in childhood
 10 would be born to
unmarried parents
 7 would be born poor
 6 would be Hispanic
 5 would be African
American
 4 would be born to a
teenaged mother
 3 would never graduate
from high school and live
at less than half the
poverty level
 2 would have a disability
 1 would be Asian
American
 1 would live with neither
parent

1010
Students Learn in a Variety of Ways
Learning is based on a person’s . .
Preferred Learning Style
Experiences
Interests

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The Multiple Intelligences Theory
Verbal/Linguistic magazines, field
trips, dramatic reading,
problem solving centers,
games, graphic organizers
Musical-rhythmic songs, raps,
cheers, poems, choral
readings, using music
Intrapersonal problem-solving,
journals, centers, independent
learning
Intrapersonal video, film, group
activities, collages, comic
strips, Venn diagrams
Naturalist observing, collecting
data from the natural
world, experiments,
classifying information
Bodily/kinesthetic centers,
simulations, projects,
creating things
Visual/Spatial art materials,
posters, charts,
demonstrations
Logical/Mathematical puzzles,
calculations, games,
patterns, timelines,
outlines

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Activity
 Take 3 minutes to complete the learning
styles survey.
 Once you have tallied the results, choose
your learning style preference group.

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Product modifications based on multiple intelligences
**menu options**
Verbal/Linguistic Write or act out another story using
the same character
Musical/Rhythmic Create a poem or rap describing
main characters
Intrapersonal Choose a character who you think
would make a good friend
Naturalist Collect items from nature that
would fit the setting of the story
Bodily/Kinesthetic Make a model of the setting of the
story
Logical/Mathematical Create a timeline of the events in
the story
Visual/Spatial Draw a costume that one of the
characters might have worn.
Interpersonal Create a venn diagram comparing
two characters from the story

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Activity Continued
In groups, you will have 5
minutes to complete the
learning style activity.
Share out.

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Manipulating the environment
 The aim is to create a learning environment
which encourages students to engage their
abilities to the greatest extent possible. It
should be:
 Student-centered
 Encouraging independence
 Open
 Accepting
 Complex
 Highly mobile

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Instructional strategies in a classroom using
DI should include a mix of . . .
Individual Activities
Group Activities
Whole Class Activities

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Characteristics of the DI Classroom
Instruction is concept focused and
principle driven.
On-going assessment of student
readiness and growth are built into the
curriculum.
Flexible grouping is consistently used.
Students are active explorers.

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Adjustments Based on Assessed
Readiness
Concrete to abstract
Simple to complex
Basic to transformational
Few to multi facets
More structured to open
Quicker to slower

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Getting Started
Start with one subject/concept
Plan for the possibilities
Share with others
Use all the resources available in
the building: library, computers,
specialists
Look to the web for ideas

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How Does DI Work?
Challenged Average Gifted
Content
What
Three Crucial Points
Three Concepts
All aspects of the topic In-depth study
Process
How
Direct instruction in each step of
the research process
Modeling
Independent work
Review and practice
Minimal instruction with probing
questions for further
investigation
Product
Evaluation
One group paper of one page Five page paper per individual Power point presentation with
computer generated graphics
and charts

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Learning Cycle and Decision Factors Used in Planning
and Implementing Differentiated Instruction

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Streamlining Future Planning
Teachers can use what was
successful in the past.
Adjust activities that may need
more clarity.
Spend more time on the instruction
of each student according to her/his
needs.

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Think Link Data
 Uses – Refer to your classroom data
 Share – Co-teacher, team members, content
specialists, stem coaches, administrators,
etc.
 Collaborate – pre-/post assessments,
planning, instructional methods,
school/district/state-wide goal setting
 Evaluate - ongoing

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Differentiated Learning Plans
Standards: What should students know and be
able to do?
Assessment tools for
data collection: (logs,
checklists, journals,
agendas, observations,
portfolios, rubrics,
contracts)
Essential Questions:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Skills:
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:

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Content: (Concepts, Vocabulary, Facts)
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs:
Fri:
Activate/Motivation: How will you pre-assess, gain
and maintain students’ attention?

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Acquire: Total Group or small groups (How will the lesson be taught?)
Lesson Segment 1 (chunk):
Activities (chew):
Activities (chew):
Activities (chew):
Grouping Decisions: (T.A.P.S-Total, Alone, Partner, Small group)(random, heterogeneous,
homogeneous, interest, task, constructed) APPLY/ADJUST as needed

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Brain Compatible Strategies: “Which will you use to deliver the content?
Brainstorming/Discussion
Drawing/Artwork
Fieldtrips
Games
Mnemonic Devices
Music/Rhythm/Rhyme/Rap
Reciprocal Teaching/Cooperative Learning
Storytelling
Technology
Graphic Organizers/Semantic Maps/Word Webs/Thinking Maps
Humor
Work study/Apprenticeships
Manipulative/Experiments/Labs/Models
Role play/Drama/Charades/Metaphor/Analogy/Simile
Movement
Writing/Journals
Visuals
Project/Problem-based Instruction
Visualization/Guided Practice

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Web-Based Resources
 Video- Teachertube.com
 Teach-nology.com
 ASCD.org
 Internet4classrooms.com/di.htm
 Tutorial- Curriculumassociates.com
 http://frsd.k12.nj.us/rfmslibrarylab/di/differ
entiated_instruction.htm
 http://eduscapes.com

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Instructional Strategies
 Multiple texts and
materials
 Use of computer
programs
 Interest centers
 Learning contracts
 Compacting
 Group Investigation
 Graduated tasks and
product rubrics
 Tasks and products
designed with
multiple intelligence
orientation
 Tiered activities and
products

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Tiering Definition
Adjusting readiness, interest, and
learning profiles to maximize learning
Changing the level of complexity or
required readiness of a task or unit of
study in order to meet the
developmental needs of the students
involved.

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About Tiers
 Tomlinson (1999) describes tiered lessons as
“the meat and potatoes of differentiated
instruction.” A tiered lesson addresses a
particular standard, key concept, and
generalization, but allows several pathways
for students to arrive at an understanding of
these components.
 Lessons can be tiered according to students’
readiness (ability to understand a particular
level of content), learning profiles (style of
learning), or interests (student interest in the
topics to be studied).

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 In tiered lessons, students work in teacher-assigned
groups according to the chosen tiering strategy,
such as grouping students by their current level of
understanding for the topic of study.
 The number of groups per tier can vary, as can the
number of students per tier.
 Groups need not be of equal size; groups are
formed based on the needs of individual students.
 For example, one tier may have two groups of three
students; a second tier, five groups of four students;
and a third tier, one group of two students.

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Grouping by Readiness Level
 A lesson tiered by readiness level implies that
the teacher has a good understanding of the
students’ ability levels with respect to the
lesson and has designed the tiers to meet
those needs.
 Many examples of lessons tiered in readiness
have three tiers: below grade level, at grade
level, and above grade level.
 There is no rule that states there may only be
three tiers, however. The number of tiers
depends on the range of ability levels in the
classroom.

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 Tiering by readiness or ability can apply to nearly
every facet of the science lesson from reading
material to hands-on experiences.
 For example, when the class is ready to investigate
magnetism, one tier of students at a lower readiness
level might work very concretely by investigating the
kinds of objects that a magnet can attract given a set
of 10–12 objects.
 A tier of students at a more advanced level of
readiness, however, might investigate whether the
size of a magnet affects its strength, a more abstract
concept.

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 When tiering, each lesson is contained; tier
groups are formed based on the teacher’s
assessment of the student’s abilities to
handle the material particular to that
particular lesson. Therefore, students may be
in one tier for one lesson but may be
regrouped when a different tiering strategy is
used.

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Grouping by Learning Profile
 When a lesson is tiered by learning profile, students
are placed in groups according to the style of learning
in which they work best.
 In this type of tiering, students are expected to learn
the same level of content as their classmates, but the
way in which the material is presented differs.
 For example, a lesson might be tiered to focus on
three learning styles: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic.
Students of varying ability levels would then be
placed in the tier that best matches their learning
style.
 There are a variety of instruments to determine a
student’s learning profile. Two good interactive
instruments may be found at www.ldpride.net.

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 If you choose to tier via students’ learning
profiles, it is best to control the number of
tiers by using only a few different learning
styles. Tiering all eight of Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligences (Campbell 1996) in one lesson
may not be a good place to start! For
example, choose logical mathematical
intelligence, spatial intelligence, and linguistic
intelligence.

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Grouping by Student Interest
 Another possible way to tier lessons is to
group students by their interest in various
topics to be studied. To pre-assess students’
interests, a teacher can design an interest
inventory that lists several topics students will
be studying or several activities that the
teacher is considering. Students rank their
choices, and the teacher uses the rankings to
assign students to groups based on their
choices.

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Developing a Tiered Lesson
The process boils down to a few essential steps:
 Identify the standard (national, state, district, etc.)
that you are targeting. A common mistake is to
develop three great activities and then try to force
them into a tiered lesson.
 Identify the key concept and generalization. The key
concept follows from the standard, and the
generalization follows from the concept. Ask yourself,
“What ‘big idea’ am I targeting?” and “What do I want
the students to know at the end of the lesson,
regardless of their placement in the tiers?”

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 Assess whether students have the background
necessary to be successful in the lesson. Ask,
“What must have been already covered or what
must the student have already learned? Are there
other skills that must be taught first?”
 Select what you will tier. For example, decide
whether to tier the content, process, or product.
 Next, decide how you will tier—i.e., by student
readiness, interest, or learning profile.
 Based on the above decisions, determine how
many tiers you will need and develop the lesson.

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After the Lesson is Developed…
 Once the lesson has been developed, review it with
classroom management and student equitability in
mind. It is helpful to have a clearly articulated
structure for the class when students work in groups.
 For example, we prepare anchoring activities—
brainteasers or other puzzles or short activities related
to the topic—for students who finish early or are
waiting for your assistance.
 Anchoring activities promote “what’s next” thinking
rather than the attitude, “I’m done!” (Suggested
resources for anchoring activities may be found at
www.bsu.edu/teachers/services/ctr/javits.)

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 It is recommended alert school administrators
and students’ parents before using new
strategies in the classroom. This opens the
lines of communication in case questions
come up from either group.

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Next …
 Next, reflect on the lesson’s tiers. Differentiation
means doing something qualitatively different, not
quantitatively different. Take care to ensure that the
lesson’s tiers differ in the level of complexity of work
that students are expected to do, rather than the
amount of work students are expected to complete.
 Also, be sure that each tier provides challenging and
developmentally appropriate work, i.e., no group
should be doing practice worksheets while another is
doing a hands-on experiment.

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Finally …
 Consider assessment.
Ask yourself, “How will
learning be assessed in
the lesson?”
 Teachers can use
formative or summative
assessments or a
combination of the two
methods to assess
learning in tiered
lessons.
 Some assessment ideas
include:
 Recording observations
of the various groups
using flip cards or sticky
notes;
 Developing a rubric for
each tier based on a
particular assignment;
 Giving a formal paper-
and-pencil test.
 Choose assessments
based on the specific
needs of the class and on
the lesson design.

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Tiered Lesson Example
 The following example shows
the basic blueprint of a tiered
lesson we developed as part of
a unit on environments and
habitats (see Figure 1). In the
lesson, all three tiers address
the same content standard from
the National Science Education
Standards (NRC 1996) (Content
Standard C: Life Science),
concept (organisms react to
environmental change), and
generalization (all students
should come away knowing
organisms depend on their
environment, changes occur in
environments, and organisms
themselves cause some of
these changes).
 Figure 1. Science lesson
tiered in content according to
students’ readiness.
Subject: Science
Grade: Third
Standard: Content Standard
C: Life Science. Students will
develop an understanding of
organisms and
environments.
Key Concept: Organisms
react to environmental
change.Generalization:
Organisms depend on their
environment and changes
occur in environments; the
organisms themselves
cause some of these
changes.

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Lesson Plan
 Background: This is one piece in a unit on environments and will introduce the
concept of reactions to environmental change. Each story focuses on a
particular environment or series of environments. For each tier, the students will
read the assigned book—or listen if the story is taped (for struggling readers
who comprehend at a level higher than they can read).
 Tier I: Students read Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (Aardema 1981).
 Tier II: Students read The Desert Is Theirs (Baylor 1975).
Tier III: Students read The Story of Jumping Mouse (Steptoe 1972).
 Whole-Group Process: Students will choose three characters in the story and
describe in writing or pictures how the change(s) in the environment(s) affected
each character with respect to their basic needs. The teacher will then initiate a
discussion using shared inquiry. Students sit in a circle so that they can make
eye contact with each other and the teacher. The teacher has prepared a seating
chart for the circle so that she can keep track of student responses and
interactions.
 Whole-Group Long-Term Product: Students design and paint a mural
depicting the various environments they studied.
 Assessment: The teacher notes the students’ responses during sharing and
checks their writings/drawings for accuracy.
Before beginning the lesson, students should have studied basic vocabulary and
worked through an introductory chapter from a textbook on the basic needs of
living things.

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Lesson Continued …
 The lesson’s content is tiered, and students are grouped in one
of three tiers based on their ability to comprehend what they
have read or what has been read to them.
 In this lesson, each group reads a different book with content
appropriate for their current level of understanding. For
example, students in Tier I read Bringing the Rain to Kapiti
Plain, an African folktale retold in the same meter as “This Is the
House That Jack Built.” The repetition and illustrations are
helpful for students who have difficulty comprehending grade-
level material. For students in Tier II, the selected book is The
Desert Is Theirs, a more abstract tale that requires students to
make more inferences when reading the material. Students in
Tier III read The Story of Jumping Mouse, which involves more
than one biome (the other two books deal with only one),
making it an appropriate choice for students in a more advanced
tier.

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Lesson …
 After students have individually read their assigned books, the
teacher begins the whole-class discussion by asking an
interpretive question such as, “Why do you think some animals
migrate and some animals don’t?” This question gives students
an opportunity to share what they learned and substantiate their
point of view from their individual readings.
As students share their answers, the teacher jots down notes for
a formative assessment of each student. Thoughts to keep in
mind are: Which child is struggling with the concept? Which
child is moving rapidly and accurately through the material? and
Whose answers show more thought and insight?
 To demonstrate their knowledge of environmental change and
bring this part of the environments unit to a close, students
design and paint a mural depicting the various environments
they studied.

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Tiering Assignment & Assessments
Advice
 Begin by listing every skill or bit
of information a student must use
in order to meet the needs of the
task successfully. Most of what
we teach has subsets of skills
and content that we can break
down for students and explore at
length.
 Tier tasks by designing the full-
proficiency version first, then
design the more advanced level
of proficiency, followed by the
remedial or early-readiness level,
as necessary.
 Respond to the unique
characteristics of the
students in front of you.
Don’t always have high,
medium, and low tiers.
 Don’t tier every aspect of
every lesson. It’s often
okay for students to do
what everyone else is
doing.
 When first learning to tier,
stay focused on one
concept or task.

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Final Thoughts
 Time, energy, and patience are required to effectively
differentiate instruction in an academically diverse
classroom.
 Our best advice: start small. Choose a favorite lesson
in your next unit and differentiate it according to the
needs of your students.
 Also, seek the expertise of specialists, such as
special and gifted education coordinators, media
specialists, and others to collaborate to improve
instruction in the academically diverse classroom.
 Through tiering, we hope you’ll find you are able to
better meet the varying needs of the students in your
classroom.

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Tiering: Cubing and R.A.F.T.S.
 Cubing: Ask students to create a 3-D cube out of foam
board or poster board, then respond to one of these
prompts on each side: Describe it, Compare it, Associate it,
Analyze it, Apply it, Argue for it or against it.
 Toss the cube
 Kids interact with topic through 6 things. Some are
More or less challenging. Kids can create the prompts.
All kids must interact to the prompt
 R.A.F.T.S- Choose a menu of choices that are not a natural
fit.
 Ex: Crawfish talks about his marine biome to a
fisherman. Give 4-5 topics and 4-5 audiences to
address. (R=role, A=audience, F=form, T=time or
topic, S=strong adverb or adjective)

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SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD
The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance
Book by: Jennifer Armstrong
Tiered Assignment – Where on Earth is …?
Objectives – Tiered Assignment
Students will know:
• the equator and the prime meridian divide the globe into four hemispheres
• geographic terms: hemisphere, equator, prime meridian, latitude, longitude,
absolute location, and relative location
• every point on Earth has a specific location that can be determined by
imaginary grid lines
Students will understand that:
• a map is a visual representation of geographic information
• maps are used to locate positions on the Earth’s surface
Students will be able to:
• use the equator and prime meridian to identify the four hemispheres of the
Earth
• distinguish between parallels of latitude and meridians of longitude
• locate places using latitude and longitude on maps and globes
• describe a location in relative and absolute terms
• utilize a compass rose to identify and make use of cardinal directions

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Tiered Assignment – Where on Earth is …?
Whole Class Activity:
Day 1:
As a whole class discuss the definitions of relative and
exact location. Use the school as an example for both
ways of describing where something is located.
Students will find the school address as the exact
location and as a class will generate a description of its
relative location – where the school is located in relation
to other things. Students will determine the relative and
exact locations of their homes. As a class, discuss the
benefits of each explanation. In what situation would it
be best to use exact? Relative? Why would you use
one over the other?

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Day 2:
Using a map of their state, ask students to determine
relative and exact location for the town in which they
live. Students will determine relative location using
cardinal directions and exact location using lines of
latitude and longitude.
Using these two assignments, as well as homework
and exit cards from each activity, place students in
three groups based on their readiness level for this
subject matter. Each group will be working toward the
same KUDs (listed above) but at varying degrees of
difficulty.

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Group One:
This group of students has been hired by the families of the crew
members to try and locate Shackleton and his lost ship the
Endurance. They have been sent coordinates of locations where
the ship may be located as well as messages from people who last
saw the ship and its crew. They will use these clues to mark the
locations on a world map as they plan the route for the search
party.
Group Two: Making a Route Map
Using the information from the text, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the
World, students will act as historians; recreating a chronological
journal of the crew’s voyage from their starting point in London,
England to their final return to South Georgia Island a year and a
half later. Each entry in the journal will have exact location points
using latitude and longitude as well as an accompanying
descriptor of their relative location.

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Group Three:
This group has been hired by the Scott Polar Research Institute at
the University of Cambridge to create a display
for the opening of their new wing in honor of Sir Ernest Shackleton
and his brave crew members. The institute
would like to hang a large handmade map or globe in the entry
way of the wing. The display must have the route
of the expedition clearly marked with location names and latitude
and longitude coordinates. They would also like a
plaque to hang on the wall that clearly describes this heroic
journey using relative information.

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Assessment
All students will be assessed on their ability to:
• accurately plot the longitude and latitude
coordinates
• place the events in the correct sequence
• describe locations in relationship to other places
• produce professional quality work (neat, eye-
catching, error-free)

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Tiering: Learning Menus
 Students are given choices of tasks to complete in
a unit or for an assessment.
 “Entrée” tasks are required. Students can select one
from the list of “side dish” tasks, and they can
choose to do one of the “dessert” tasks for
enrichment. Make a tri-fold menu with a
description of the dish. The tier will be each menu
choice. Students choose the menu that fits best. The
tiering element is the way the student chooses from
the menu.

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Additional Strategies
 Stations. Using stations involves setting up different spots
in the classroom where students work on various tasks
simultaneously. These stations invite flexible grouping
because not all students need to go to all stations all the
time.
 Compacting. This strategy encourages teachers to assess
students before beginning a unit of study or development
of a skill. Students who do well on the pre-assessment do
not continue work on what they already know.
 Agendas. These are personalized lists of tasks that a
student must complete in a specified time, usually two to
three weeks. Student agendas throughout a class will have
similar and dissimilar elements.

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 Complex Instruction. This strategy uses
challenging materials, open-ended tasks, and small
instructional groups. Teachers move among the
groups as they work, asking students questions
and probing their thinking.
 Orbital Studies. These independent
investigations, generally lasting three to six
weeks, revolve around some facet of the
curriculum. Students select their own topics, and
they work with guidance and coaching from the
teacher.

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 Entry Points. This strategy from Howard Gardner
proposes student exploration of a given topic
through as many as five avenues: narration
(presenting a story), logical-quantitative (using
numbers or deduction), foundational (examining
philosophy and vocabulary), aesthetic (focusing
on sensory features), and experiential (hands-on).
 Problem-Based Learning. This strategy places
students in the active role of solving problems in
much the same way adult professionals perform
their jobs.

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 Choice Boards. With this strategy, work
assignments are written on cards that are placed in
hanging pockets. By asking a student to select a
card from a particular row of pockets, the teacher
targets work toward student needs yet allows
student choice. (See Handouts)

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Structures, Processes and Responses of Plants
Tic-Tac-Toe for Student Choice Activities
1. Draw some type of visual that
differentiates the two types of
reproduction in flowering plants
2. Write a short essay explaining
the structures flowering plants
have for defense.
3. Search the Internet for
information about a plant’s
response to external stimuli.
Print out what you find and
summarize your information into
your own outline.
4. Create a lesson plan on the
life cycle of a flowering plant and
teach this lesson to the class.
5. Write a newspaper article
highlighting the poisonous plants
common to South Carolina (i.e.
Mississippi)
6. Write a short story about the
life cycle of an apple seed.
7. Create a Venn Diagram
comparing and contrasting
vascular and nonvascular plants.
8. Design a poster shows the
parts of a flowering plant that
function for survival.
9. Make a collage of various
organisms from the five
kingdoms. Label and give the
characteristics of each kingdom.
Name: ________________________ I/We choose activities #____, #____, #____.
Today’s Date _________________________ Due Date ___________________

66
ASSESSMENT FOR TIC-TAC-TOE
1. Drawing/Visual
Visual clearly shows both types
_____
Accuracy of information ___
Differences of 2 types evident ____
Detailed & informational labels ____
Possible Points = ______
2. Essay
Explanation clear and well organized
____
Defense structures identified ____
Writing mechanics, spelling and
grammar are correct __
3. Internet Search & Outline
Uses at least 3 Internet sites ___
Variety of responses ______
Accurate summary highlighting
important points ____
Follows correct outline form ___
4. Lesson Plan
Follows oral presentation criteria
card _____
Correct Information ____
Explains clearly – Easy to
understand _____
Answers questions well ___
Suggested extension: Give test or
quiz and grade it.
5. Newspaper Article
Article written in an interesting way
so the public would like to read it
____
Accurate details about poisonous
plants of SC ___
Knowledge of plant structures
shown in the discussion of plants
____
6. Short Story
Story has a beginning, middle, and
end ____
Story reflects knowledge of the life
cycle of flowering plants _____
Creativity ____
Correct, spelling, grammar and
mechanics _____
6. Venn Diagram
Follows Venn Diagram criteria card
_____
Clearly shows similarities and
differences _____
Accurate Information ____
7. Poster
Follows poster criteria card _____
Flower parts clearly shown _____
Description of each flower part
included on poster ____
8. Collage
Follows Criteria Card ____
Shows 15 Organisms ____
Each Kingdom well represented
____
Accurate labels ___

67
 4MAT. Teachers who use 4MAT plan
instruction for each of four learning
preferences over the course of several days on
a given topic. Thus, some lessons focus on
mastery, some on understanding, some on
personal involvement, and some on synthesis.
As a result, each learner has a chance to
approach the topic through preferred modes
and also to strengthen weaker areas.

68
Anchor Activities
 What are anchor activities?
 specified ongoing activities on which students work
independently
 ongoing assignments that students can work on throughout
a unit
 Why use anchor activities?
 provide a strategy for teachers to deal with “ragged time”
when students complete work at different times
 they allow the teacher to work with individual students or
groups
 provides ongoing activities that relate to the content of the
unit
 allow the teacher to develop independent group work
strategies in order to incorporate a mini lab of computers in
classroom

69
Anchor Activities are used to keep
the concept in position.
 Walking around room helping students as
they work. Students that needs extra help
you pull out
 Use small group or individuals to teach a
mini lesson, pulling out of group then
sending back in.

70
The Process
 When are anchor activities used?
to begin the day
when students complete an assignment
when students are stuck and waiting for help
 Types of anchor activities
DEAR Time - Silent Reading
Journal Writing or Learning Logs
Vocabulary Work
Math “Problem of the Day”
Learning Centre
Spelling Practice
Portfolio Management
Agenda notes

71
Anchor Lesson Design
Activity/Group:
Activity/Group: Activity/Group:
Activity/Group::
Anchor Activity
(20-45 min.)

72
How Do I Get Started?
1. 1. Teach the whole group to work on an anchor activity independently
and quietly. The teacher is not a contact person at this time.
2. Progress to one group on anchor activity and another group on
another activity - then flip flop groups. This may be done later in the day
or in back-to-back time slots.
Example - One group may be working with the teacher on math
manipulatives while the other group works independently on anchor
activities.
3. Progress to 1/3 of the class on anchor activities, 1/3 involved in a
teacher directed activity and 1/3 working at mini lab on a curriculum
related unit.
4. Move to the next stages only when your students are ready. Length
of time can be increased at the second stage before moving on to the
third stage.

73
Advice for Anchor Activities
 Use activities with
multiple steps to engage
students
 Require a product:
Increases urgency and
accountability
 Train students what to do
when the teacher is not
available
 Start small: Half the class
and half the class, work
toward more groups,
smaller in size
 Occasionally, videotape
and provide feedback
 Use task cards
 Use and train students in
attention signals
 “Fish Bowl:” A group in
the middle of all the other
students conduct the task
 Scaffolding: A great deal
of direct instruction in
which support is slowly
pull out so that the teacher
puts himself out of a job.
(Student is a success?)
This is only accomplished
with consistency
throughout the year.

74
Examples
In his classroom
the
Anchor Activities
are hung
from the ceiling.
This pocket chart has
removable cards
which
can be changed to
reflect the
ongoing activities
within a unit of study.

75
How can I assess anchor activities?
 Help students to take responsibility for their
roles in classroom routines. Clear
expectations, rationale for expectations and
student self evaluation are integral to
developing classroom procedures and
student ownership within the learning
environment.

76
How can I assess individual anchor
activity work?
 Ongoing anecdotal records and checklists
 Student conferences for evaluation and goal setting
 Learning journals
 Student portfolios
 Rubrics
 Random checks
 Peer review

77
Resources
 Internet Resources
Using Anchor Activities - Rapid Robin The "Dreaded Early
Finisher"
 Anchor Activities - a list of sample activities in different subject
areas; although American, can provide ideas
 Differentiation Strategies - Instructional Strategies to use in
Differentiating Curriculum
 Communicating in the Literacy Classroom - sample of how a Gr.
3 teacher uses anchor activities
 Vocabulary Anchor Activities - a sample daily anchor activity
 Text Resources by Carol Ann Tomlinson
The Differentiated Classroom - Responding to the Needs of All
Learners, Association for Curriculum and Development. Virginia,
1999.
How to Differentiate in Mixed Ability Classrooms - Association
for Curriculum and Development. Virginia, 2001

78
To Increase (or Decrease) a Task’s Complexity, Add (or
Remove) these Attributes:
 Manipulate information, not
just echo it
 Extend the concept to other
areas
 Integrate more than one subject
or skill
 Increase the number of
variables that must be
considered; incorporate more
facets
 Demonstrate higher level
thinking, i.e. Bloom’s
Taxonomy
 Use or apply content/skills in
situations not yet experienced
 Make choices among several
substantive ones
 Work with advanced resources
 Add an unexpected element to
the process or product
 Work independently
 Reframe a topic under a new
theme
 Share the back-story to a
concept – how it was developed
 Identify misconceptions within
something

79
Increasing/Decreasing Complexity
Continued . . .
 Identify the bias or prejudice in something
 Negotiate the evaluation criteria
 Deal with ambiguity and multiple meanings
or steps
 Use more authentic applications to the real
world
 Analyze the action or object
 Argue against something taken for granted
or commonly accepted

80
Continued . . .
 Synthesize (bring together) two or more unrelated
concepts or objects to create something new
 Critique something against a set of standards
 Work with the ethical side of the subject
 Work in with more abstract concepts and models
 Respond to more open-ended situations
 Increase their atomicity with the topic
 Identify big picture patterns or connections
 Defend their work

81
Learning Logs
Start First Day Of School
 Some schools use agendas
 Can be done instead of agendas or throughout the
lesson
 Teacher will give instructions to take out the
learning log. Make a large cross on the paper
 Write a paragraph
 Make a list
 Draw a picture
 Create a rap or a song

82
Strategies Used For Lecture Lessons
 Better learning comes from making the
student …
 Paraphrase: translations
 Echo: student attempts to repeat exactly
what the teacher says
 Followed by class choral response
 Keeps students at attention
 Class writes down what you see (3
seconds to finish)

83
Lecture Lesson Tips
One problem with at-risk students is
that they never heard what was said
Echo – paraphrase - choral response
teacher gives invitation
2 ways to raise anxiety level:
(pleasant or unpleasant)
Anticipatory set - priming the pump,
wait (Why am I talking?)

84
What to do if I finish early?
 Complete one of the following
activities if you complete your
class work assignment before the
end of the period.
 Remember: There is always
something to do.

85
 Work on your Choice
Board activities
 Design a t-shirt about
our current topic
 Make a word search
using our vocabulary
 Read a non-fiction
book with a theme
 Write a story
 Draw and properly
label a graph
 Work on an
independent study of
your choice
 Help a classmate (This
is not a chance to chat)
 Make a collage using
different types of
pictures. The collage
should be based on our
current topic or a topic
the teacher has
approved
Choose One

86
10 Practices to Avoid in a Differentiated Classroom:
They Dilute Grade Validity and Effectiveness
 Penalizing students’ multiple attempts at mastery
 Grading practice (daily homework) as students
come to know concepts (Feedback, not grading,
is needed)
 Withholding assistance (not scaffolding or
differentiating) in the learning when it’s needed
 Group grades
 Incorporating non-academic factors (behavior,
attendance, and effort)

87
Continued . . .
 Assessing students in ways that do not accurately
indicate students’ mastery (student responses are
hindered by the assessment format)
 Grading on a curve and allowing extra credit
 Defining supposedly criterion-based grades in terms of
norm-referenced descriptions (“above average,”
“average”, etc.)
 Recording zeroes on the 100.0 grading scale for work not
done
 Penalizing a whole letter grade daily as a consequence
for lateness is punitive. It does not teach students, and it
removes hope. A few points off for each day late is
instructive; there’s hope.

90
Interventions
At-Risk Students
ELL Students
Over-Active Students
Poor Hand-Writers

91
At-Risk Students
There is more than one way to get the
job done.
Follow your heart to come up with
alternate ways to accomplish skill
mastery. You cannot overwhelm at-
risk students
When students attain mastery, give
them time to brag.

92
ELL Students
 Provide English Language Learners (ELL)
additional wait-time to process complex
information before expecting an answer.
 Allow ample time for students to retrieve words
from their first language necessary for creating a
mental picture.
 Slow down your speech during conversations in
class.
 Ask students which language they dream in and
that will be their primary language.

93
The Value of Wait Time
 Wait time is an academic rainmaker for all
students.
 We look for strategies that include kids; not
exclude them. Kids need time to recall the
information, even after they volunteer.
 With DI, always try to have good goals.
Providing additional wait-time will increase
the number of students who respond and the
quality and depth of the student’s response.

94
Differentiated “Wait-Time”
 Wait time allows students
sufficient time to process and
develop a response to a
question before the teacher
asks a specific student to
respond.
 Every 20 minutes provide a 60
second talk break for students
to process information
 Give students 3-5 seconds of
“wait-time”
 Some students need more than
5 seconds when the question is
above their recall level
 Some boys may need up
to 60 seconds to bring
information up on their
“screen”
 Many students from
poverty need additional
“wait-time”
 Students whose primary
language is not English
will need additional
processing time
 Students with expressive
language difficulty need
more time for the retrieval
of words and thoughts

95
With the Overactive student in mind….
 REMEMBER: Hyperactive students are never absent!
 Toddler Proof Your Classroom
 Change the classroom environment to accommodate
your overactive students.
 When you escalate your voice, you confirm the lack of
success of that student.

96
Over-Active Students
 Give students something to do with their hands,
i.e., squeeze ball, play dough clay, etc. Provide
some students with a “fidget box.”
 Attach a bungee cord around the legs of the chair
about 4” off the floor (makes a bouncing footrest).
 Provide some students with a twelve-inch foot
roller.
 Provide two desks, one on each end of the
classroom
 Provide a rocking chair (glue felt to the bottom of
each leg).
 Encourage thigh tapping.

97
Over-Active Students
 Attach a tennis ball to the bottom of each chair leg
(use a razor blade) and notice students who have
allergies to latex.
 Allow students to stand when they work
(encourage toe rocking). Provide an adjustable
height ironing board as a surface for students to
use when working standing up.
 Provide opportunities for physical movement in
the classroom.
 Encourage students to lean against a wall or
bookcase.

98
For Poor Hand-Writers . . .
To address sliding and drifting
handwriting in math, turn paper
sideways so that students can line up
their numbers.
Use graph paper to put math
problems on so that students can line
up their work.

99
All students can benefit from . . .
Creating easy to remember phrases to
teach sequential steps.
 Does McDonald’s Sell Cheeseburgers Rare?
 Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Check, Remainder

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