This document discusses tiering as a form of differentiation that ensures students work with the same essential ideas and skills but at different levels of complexity, abstractness, and open-endedness. It provides an example of a 2nd grade math lesson tiered by content interest, with students reading books at different reading levels on math topics. Guidelines are given for developing tiered instruction, such as identifying learning objectives and pre-assessing students before grouping them into tiers by readiness, interest, or learning profile.

2. Abstractness

3. Open-endednessTomlinson, C. (1995). The Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

4. 2nd Grade Math This lesson is tiered in content according to interest. Tier I: Whales Is a Blue Whale the Biggest Thing There Is?(0-8075-3656-3) Tier II: Millions How Much Is a Million? (0-688-09933-5) Tier III: Pandas Dinner at the Panda Palace(0-06-443408-7) Tier IV: Bunnies Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies (0-590-44766-1) Tier V: Lifetimes Lifetimes (1-883220-59-9) Each student reads or listens to their selected book and writes a paragraph describing the whole numbers used in the story. Students should identify the smallest and largest number in the story. In addition, they should write a sentence or two about any number relationships which are given in the story. Among students who read the same book, have students share their results. http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/welcome.html

5. Creating Multiple Paths for Learning Key Concept or Understanding Struggling With The Concept Some Understanding Understand The Concept Understand The Concept Reaching Back Reaching Ahead READINESS LEVELS

8. Which tier is which? What is the concept?

9. Is this lesson tiered by content, process, or product?

10. Is this lesson tiered by interest, learning style, or readiness?

11. 4th Grade Math This lesson is tiered in product according to readiness. Tier I: Basic Learners Pairs of students are given a set of “real-number” cards and a blank Venn diagram which has three overlapping circles labeled as follows: numbers greater then 1½, numbers less than 3.5, and numbers between 0 and 15. Students write each number in the appropriate circle. Tier II: Grade Level Learners Pairs of students are given a set of “real-number” cards and a blank Venn diagram which has three overlapping circles which are not labeled. Students must sort their cards and decide on labels for each of the circles. Then students write each number in the appropriate circle. Tier III: Advanced Learners Pairs of students are given a set of “real-number” cards and a blank number line. Students must sort their cards and decide where to place each on the number line. Students complete the lesson by writing each number on the number line. http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/welcome.html

12. IDENTIFY OUTCOMES WHAT SHOULD THE STUDENTS KNOW, UNDERSTAND, OR BE ABLE TO DO? THINK ABOUT YOUR STUDENTS PRE-ASSESS READINESS, INTEREST, OR LEARNING PROFILE INITIATING ACTIVITIES USE AS COMMON EXPERIENCE FOR WHOLE CLASS GROUP 1 TASK GROUP 3 TASK GROUP 2 TASK

13. Creating a Tiered Lesson 1. Identify the grade level and subject for which you will write the lesson. 2. Identify the standard (national, state, district, etc.) that you are targeting. 3. Identify the key concept and generalization.

15. Process: the way students make sense of the content

18. Above grade level.

20. The “Equalizer” 1. Foundational Transformational 5. Smaller Leap Greater Leap 6. More Structured More Open 2. Concrete Abstract 7. Clearly Defined Problems Fuzzy Problems 3. Simple Complex 8. Less Independence Greater Independence 4. Fewer Facets Multi-facets 9. Slower Quicker Based on the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson

21. Primary Objectives / Topics / Skills

23. Activities

24. Homework

25. Learning Centers

26. Experiments

27. Materials

28. Assessments

30. Form tiers based on assessment of your students’ abilities to handle the material.

31. Students are re-grouped the next time you use tiering as a strategy.

33. Teachers give all students choices of content, process, or product that are at approximately the same ability level.

35. The number of students per tier will vary.

36. Form groups based on the readiness needs of individual students.

37. Tier One may have two groups of three students, Tier Two five groups of four students, and Tier Three may have one group of two students.