1. Differentiation Session
Michael Elder
November 8, 2011
Northwoods Park Middle School Room 54

2. A Quick Differentiation QUIZ
Did every student do it?
Should every student do it?
Could every student do it?
Would every student want to do it?
Did the student do it willingly and zestfully?
Did the student use authentic resources and methodology?
Was it done for an audience other than (or in addition to) the teacher?

3. Your Work Sharing your Projects from last time Bonnie Amy
Amanda, Amanda, and Angie- I thought I had one from you all, but I am not putting my fingers on it right now…

4. Review and Remember Strategies Anchor Activities Curriculum Compacting
Tiered Lessons
Learning Contracts

5. Curriculum Compacting
Let’s review from Session 2
What?
Why?
How?
Who?

6. Anchor Activity Purpose: Examples/Ideas Google Time
Answers the question, What do I do if I finish early?
Typically related to the subject
Typically independent
Examples/Ideas
Google Time
Let’s use our technology to search for examples you can use!
There are tons of resources and no sense in Reinventing the Wheel
I Like

7. Differentiating Review
By Content
By Process
By Product
By Learning Environment
Check out these ideas from Tomlinson, C. & Eidson, C. (2003) Differentiation in practice: A resource guide
for differentiating curriculum (Grades 5-9).
ASCD. (pages 6,7,9)
Also available for other grade bands.

8. What can be tiered? Assignments Experiments Materials Activities
Homework
Learning Centers
Experiments
Materials
Assessments
Writing
Prompts

9. Tiering Lessons How to Tier and Examples It’s search and research time
Let’s take a few minutes to do some Internet searching for tiering examples or clarification that you can use

10. Learning Contracts An agreement between teacher and student
An opportunity for a student to work somewhat independently
Increases student responsibility for their own learning
Provides some freedom for the student in acquiring skills and understandings

11. Learning Contracts Include:
A skills component
A content component
A time line
Specification of expectations
Behavior
Criteria for successful completion and quality
Signatures of agreement to terms (Student and Teacher)
ACSD (1997)
Tomlinson (1995)

12. Consequences: Learning contracts set positive consequences
Example: continued freedom
They also set negative consequences
Example: teacher sets work parameters

13. What Next? Thursday, December 8
Example of use of one of the strategies
What can you still use help with?