Reaching Them All: Assignments of Choice

1. Reaching Them All:Assignments of Choice OMLA February 20, 2014 Elizabeth Raker, PhD The University of Findlay 419.434.5520 raker@findlay.edu

2. What is Differentiated Instruction? Differentiating Instruction means changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction you provide in response to individual learners’ needs.

3. Differentiated Instruction is A way of thinking about teaching & learning A collection of best practice strategies Tailoring instruction to meet student needs Rigorous Relevant Flexible & varied Complex Fair

4. Goals of Differentiated Instruction Challenging & inviting tasks for ALL learners Instructional activities aligned with standards Flexible approaches Engaging content, performances, & products Address readiness, interests, learning profiles Opportunities to work in varied formats Meet curriculum requirements for ALL students Learner-responsive, teacher-facilitated classrooms

5. Types of Classroom Diversity Cognitive Abilities Learning Styles/Multiple Intelligences Socioeconomic & Family Factors Readiness Learning Pace Gender Influences Cultural/Ethnic Influences Value of Learning Confidence in Learning

6. The Teacher’s Role in Differentiated Instruction Facilitator Providing & prescribing DI opportunities Organizing students for learning Using time flexibly Collaborator Innovative teaming with other teachers Share resources Work with media specialists Communicate with other building specialists Communicate with families/community

7. Through Implementing a Range of Instructional Strategies

8. Differentiated Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learners that includes Teachers can differentiate According to students’

9. Differentiated Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learners that includes Teachers can differentiate According to students’

10. Differentiated Instruction Is a teacher’s response to learners that includes Teachers can differentiate According to students’

11. Vietnam War Think-Tac-Toe Directions: each student must complete three assignments in a straight line. The assignment may be completed in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line. Please refer to the rubrics of this assignment before beginning. This assignment is worth 150 points. Be prepared to present all of your work to the class.

12. Math Unit Review Think-Tac-Toe Directions: each student must complete all activities as a math unit.

13. The American Revolution Think-Tac-Toe Directions: select three activities to form any straight line..

14. What Are RAFTS? RAFTS are incredibly flexible and offer limitless opportunities for creativity for both you and your students. RAFT assignments encourage students to uncover their own voices and formats for presenting their ideas about content information they are studying.  Students learn to respond to writing prompts that require them to think about various perspectives

15. Possible RAFT Elements • Role of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A movie star? The President? A plant? • Audience: To whom are you writing? A senator?  Yourself? A company? • Format: In what format are you writing? A diary entry? A newspaper?  A love letter? • Topic: What and Why are you writing?

16. RAFT Activity for Unit on Ancient Greece

17. What are Cubes? Cubing is an instructional strategy that asks students to consider a concept from a variety of different perspectives. The cubes are six-sided figures that have a different activity on each side of the cube. A student rolls the cube and does the activity that comes up.

18. Organization for Cubes Blooms’s Taxonomy Cubes (questions/activities) Multiple Intelligence Cubes (questions/activities) Learning Style Cubes (questions/activities) 5WH Cubes

19. Great Depression Visual Learner Cube

20. Fractions Cube

21. What are Think Dots The activities on the activity card should allow students to explore what they just learned from a variety of angles. You may consider having each activity card explore a concept or idea from a different level of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy* You can use the cards for a fun, engaging test review– put different formulas, important terms, or problems on each card

22. Uses for Think Dots? 1. Use “Think Dots” to lead students into deeper exploration of an idea. 2. Use “Think Dots” for review before assessment. 3. Use “Think Dots as an assessment

23. Organization for Think Dots Blooms’s Taxonomy Think Dots Multiple Intelligence Think Dots Learning Style Think Dots 5WH Think Dots

24. Sample Bloom Verbs for Knowledge

25. Sample Bloom Verbs for Comprehension

26. Sample Bloom Verbs for Application

27. Sample Bloom Verbs for Analysis

28. Sample Verbs for Evaluating

29. Sample Verbs for Creating

30. Sample Unit: Travel

31. Sample Unit: Space

32. Verbs for Learning Channels

33. How to Begin Start where you are Start with opportunities for choice Start with simple formats (Think-Tac-Toe, RAFTS, Cubes, Dots, Anchoring Activities) Use Bloom, Williams, or Multiple Intelligences Work with a partner or a team

34. Building Bridges from Planning to Implementation

35. Presentation Credits Bridge Back Ground from Slides 1 & 2 http://curry.virginia.edu/uploads/resourceLibrary/nagc_cubing__think_dots.pdfhttp:/ /www.flickr.com/photos/ryanricketts/2295726918/sizes/o http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/221827536/ All surveys included in the hand-out are from Handbook on Differentiated Instruction by Sheryn Spencer Northey (see references) Sample documents were developed by the presenter or by students in the presenter’s classes who have given permission for inclusion, as well as from Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson (see references).