Student Engagement in the Classroom Practical Tools for Differentiation Brenda Turner MSE, NBCT

We walk the tightrope daily! Student Boredom: We expect too little. Student Anxiety: We expect too much.

We can differentiate: o Process o Content o Product We must have a manageable system in place!

Anchor Activities We are never finished; there is no option to say "I've done everything!"

Anchor Activities: o Anchor activities are ongoing assignments that students can work on independently throughout a unit, a grading period or longer. o Project/activities management is important, so students keep track of their progress and status. Purpose: o Provide meaningful or real-world activities/tasks for students that enhance current project or task, when finished with current work, or when they arrive into class. o Provide ongoing tasks that tie to the content and instruction. o Free up the classroom teacher to work with other groups of students or individuals.

Choice Boards A management tool for Anchor Activities

Tiered Assignments, Menus, and Products

Spelling and Word Work

Spelling Activities

Chunky Monkey: Lesson 29 Double Consonants (at syllable juncture). When a word follows the VCCV pattern, syllables are divided between the two consonants.) Moose Tracks: Lesson 9 Dipthongs. Two side-by-side vowels can represent a sound that is neither short nor long. Examples are moist, gown, loyal, and pound. Rocky Road: Lesson 6 Long Vowels (silent letter patterns). Sometimes vowel letters make a pattern in which one vowel is long and one is silent, as in beast, float, paint, and elbow. Word Work Groupings

Book Contracts for Voracious Readers

Grades 4-6

Grades 2-3 Level 1

Grades 2-3 Level 2

Grades 2-3 Level 3

Compacting

Workshop Pre-test for Grouping *Have extension and enrichment materials available. Math Stars Enrichment from Math Curriculum Middle Group:Has warm-up of skills with math games Low Group: Meets with teacher for instruction/review High Group: Works daily lesson independently

Independent Study or Interest Based Group What are you interested in? We must analyze student: o Interests o Readiness o Learning Styles

Know your Students Interest Inventories: nvent.pdf nterest+Inventory.pdf

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” -- Edgar Allan Poe

Free Differentiated Starter Pack Today’s Power Point Presentation

Contact: Brenda Turner

Clipart Credits: Tightrope: clker.com Cereal boxes: clipartpanda.com Anchor: public domain Auto scrapyard: public domain Ice Cream: Scrappin’ Doodle Remainder: Microsoft Office