Third Grade Differentiated Scientific Method Activity Cassandra Spicer EDU 605 Post University

Educational Context 22 third grade students ages 8-9 Mostly military children with unique needs Co-taught with special education teacher 3 students with IEPS Wide variety of learning preferences and styles

Plan for DI How? Plan for DI is to get to know the students so that: -concerns (ex. Military deployments/relocations) can be addressed -Learning can scaffold off of existing knowledge How? Learner Profiles -Strengths -Needs –Interests & Preferences Assessments –Beginning of Lesson –Mid-Lesson –End of Lesson

Rationale for DI Students ability to make meaning of content is shaped by: -Level of understanding -Beliefs -Learning Preferences -Attitudes towards self and school (Tomlinson, 2001) Learning more likely to transfer when students are actively engaged in their learning (Purefoy, 2009).

Pre-Learning Activity Class will watch video of the scientific method song from Have Fun Teaching (2015). Complete K (what I already know) and W (What I want to know) columns of K-W-L chart.

Why A K-W-L Chart? A K-W-L chart provides a personal place for the student to: -Brainstorm -Record their thoughts -Reflect upon what they learned

During Learning Activity Students will complete a tiered learning activity based on their individual reading levels. Beginning Group -View Junior version of scientific method video -Complete basic scientific method terminology worksheet courtesy of BubblePOP (n.d.). -Students will work with partner to perform lower-level science experiment of their choice

During Learning Activity Continued…. Intermediate Group -View a grade-level scientific method video -Complete complex definition and flow chart worksheets (BrainPOP, n.d.) -Perform grade-level experiment of their choice with partner

During Learning Activity Continued…. Advanced Group -View grade-level scientific method video -Complete complex definition, order of events, and let’s solve problems worksheets (BrainPOP, n.d.), which are more advanced than the other groups’ worksheets -Work with partner to conduct higher-level science experiment

Post Learning Activity Students will complete the L (What I have learned) column of K-W-L chart. This is a reflective activity. Reflection is important because: -it helps students to make mental connections -to recognize their growth -to identify what worked and what did not -to plan for future learning (Eisenbach, 2016).

Content Adjusting what students learn or how they learn it to meet their needs (Tomlinson, 2001). In this lesson, the videos worksheets, and experiments were adjusted to meet the beginning, intermediate, and advanced tier groups.

Process Providing students with various options for making sense of information (Preszler, n.d.). In this lesson, activities are designed to meet various learning preferences: Scientific Method video, Scientific Method song video, and reading materials → Visual (Spatial) Scientific Method video, song video → Aural Hands-On Experiments → Physical (Kinesthetic)

Product Providing students with various choices for reflecting, applying, and demonstrating what they learned (Tomlinson, 2001). In this lesson, students chose an experiment that corresponds with their tier level. Next they conducted the experiment with a partner. Finally, they chose how to present the procedure and results to the class using the terminology they were assigned.

Strategies for DI Jigsaw Strategy – combines independent learning and group collaboration (Tomlinson, 2001). Steps: -Students divided into “home” groups and assigned subtopics -Students assigned materials on subtopics that correlate with their reading levels -Students conduct research on their subtopic and have discussions with members of the other home groups that share their subtopic -Students share their new “expert” knowledge with their home group (Reading Rockets, 2012)

Strategies for DI Continued Flexible Grouping – Using different grouping combinations to meet the needs learners. -Can be tailored to objectives -May be based on data from assessments or learner profiles -Activities can differ for each group -Can be teacher or student selected -Groups might consist of students from the same or different tier groups (Cox, n.d.)

Future Goals Learn how to create WebQuests Learn more about using technology to differentiate Practice differentiating using data from assessments and learner profiles

Summary Differentiation is about knowing the students, making necessary adjustments, and providing the right avenues to help each student to learn to their fullest potential (Robb, n.d.). This DI plan assignment has provided me with an invaluable opportunity to create lesson plans that are differentiated at various levels to meet the needs of my future learners. I hope that by learning how to differentiate lessons, prior to beginning my teaching career, that it will be second nature to me by the time I enter the classroom.

References BrainPOP. (n.d.). Differentiated lesson plan on the scientific method. Retrieved from https://educators.brainpop.com/lesson-plan/differentiated-lesson-plan-scientific-method/ Cox, J. (n.d.). Flexible grouping as a differentiated Instruction strategy. Retrieved from http://www.teachhub.com/flexible-grouping-differentiated-instruction-strategy Eisenbach, B.B. (2016). Student reflection: A tool for growth and development. Retrieved from https://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/WhatsNew/WNDet/TabId/270/ArtMID/888/ArticleID/586/Student-Reflection-A-Tool-for-Growth-and-Development.aspx Have Fun Teaching. (2015, March 6). Scientific method song video. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIFz_-KzURY Preszler, J. (n.d.). On target: Strategies that differentiate instruction grades 4-12. Retrieved from https://education.ky.gov/educational/diff/documents/strategiesthatdifferentiateinstruction4.12.pdf Purefoy, D. (2009, Nov 7). Howard Gardner of the Multiple Intelligence Theory. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2QtSbP4FRg Robb, L. (n.d.). What is differentiated instruction? Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/what-differentiated-instruction/ Reading Rockets. (2012, February 16). Jigsaw. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtm5_w6JthA Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.