Cross-Disciplinary Content Standards-Based Lesson

Topic: Animal Adaption*
Grade 4; English Language Development & Science

Content Area Standards:
California English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.9
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

English Language Development
SL.4.1, 6; L.4.1,3,6
Exchange information and ideas with others through oral collaborative discussions on a range of social and academic topics

W.4.1-10; L.4.1-3,6

Writing literary and informational texts to present, describe, and explain ideas and information, using appropriate technology

California Science Content 
LS.3.a-b
3. Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know ecosystems can be characterized by living and nonliving components.
b. Students know that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, and some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

Learning Outcomes:

• Students will relate characteristics and behavior of animals to their environment
• Students will determine the behavior and body structure that have specific growth and survival functions
• Students will evaluate living and nonliving things that affect animals in their environment

Materials:
Pre-activity: photos of various animals and environments
Bird adaptation activity: paper plates, pliers, tweezers, chopsticks, spoons, clothespins, bird seeds, pasta, rice, cereal
Copies of chart worksheet for adaptation activity
Class set of Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
Animal adaptation research: 5"x7" index cards with copies of rubric to assess index cards, access to Internet/computerlab

Pre-Assessment:
Students will be shown various photos of animals and environments on the white board or SmartBoard. They will match the animals to the environment accordingly and discuss with their partners why they made their conclusions.

Activities:
Bird Adaptation Activity
Students will be organized into heterogeneous groups of four. Before their experiment, students will discuss among themselves, and brainstorm and draw the different shapes of beaks while the teacher poses the question "Why are there different shapes of beaks?". For the experiment, students will fill out their chart table with the tools, materials, and their observations as they use the different tools to pick up the foods. Findings will be shared and discussed with the whole class; open-ended questions will be independently completed at the end of the experiment, below the chart table.

Stone Fox Text Reference
Using the chapter book, students will go back and make connections between the bird adaptions and the Samoyed dogs that are mentioned in the story. Students will be instructed to use the text as reference to identify and describe at least three adaptations of the dogs.

Collaborative Animal Adaptation Research
Students will be assigned in pairs and will be given an animal to research. On an index card and using appropriate technology resources, partners will record the animal behavior and structural characteristics in relation to its habitat. Their findings will be shared in a short presentation of about 3-5 minutes with a drawing or diagram.

Vocabulary: environment, adaptations, body structure, survival, behavior, habitat

Post Assessment:

• Teacher will use open-ended questions to check for student understanding of animal adaptation.
• Teacher will use teacher-made rubric to assess research content of animal behavior and structural characteristics.
• Teacher will verify student understanding of animal adaption through citation of text passages from Stone Fox.

Teaching Reflection:
In collaborating with other teachers and colleagues, there may be different approaches to introduce the lesson or different questions to pose for the students. From another perspective, activities can be altered to address other learning styles that weren't considered before.

Source:
*http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/2852?ref=search

Learning Activities for 21st Century Communication Skills

Using the Internet for Current Events: "Dear Mr. President..."**
Grade 6-8
Prompt:

• Rationale: As 21st Century communication skills include "mediated and digital communication, interpersonal, written and oral communication*", 
• Standards: 
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• Learning Outcome:
• Students will be able to gather and analyze multiple sources from the Internet.
• Students will be able to use multiple sources as their supporting evidence to express their knowledge and opinions on a certain event.
• Students will be able to write a business/professional letter, appropriate in content to the audience and containing all correct parts of a letter (heading, body, signature, etc.).
• Vocabulary:
• May vary based on current events (inauguration, policy, regulation, law, protection, citizens, civilians, etc.)
• Collaboration: Students will go through a revision process where at least two classmates will read the letters and offer suggestions for each other to further develop their writing skills.
• Audience: Teacher and president
• Learning Presentation: A letter & a visual (a three-panel poster or a short PowerPoint presentation of 3-5 slides)
• Teacher Reflection: Teacher will assess on students'

Reading Multiple Sources to Analyze Historical Events: Rosa Parks***
Grade 8-12
Prompt:

• Rationale:
• Standards: 
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations widths diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection and research.
• Learning Outcome:
• Students will be able to make their own interpretations of a historical events based on multiple sources (primary and secondary).
• Students will be able to write an argument, using multiple sources as supporting evidence, to argue for or against standard history textbooks.
• Students will be able to collaborate with peers, listening respectfully to others and acknowledging all viewpoints of the topic.
• Vocabulary: activist, analysis, causation, movement, civil rights, primary source, secondary source, interpretation
• Collaboration: Students will be given the opportunity to work in groups and gather evidence for both sides of the argument: reasons for and against standard history textbooks. Students will share their own interpretations of the sources to each other and provide references to support their interpretations.
• Audience: Teacher and classmates
• Learning Presentation: A persuasive essay & class debate
• Teacher Reflection: Teacher will assess on students' 

Source:
*http://www.p21.org/our-work/4cs-research-series/communication
**http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/01-1/lp2291.shtml
***http://teachinghistory.org/teaching-materials/lesson-plan-reviews/19430

Cognitive Rigor Matrix & Project-Based Lesson Plan

Topic: Time Travelers*
Grade 7 World History

Project Prompt: As "time travelers", you will investigate social issues of different times throughout history to determine those that would be relevant and potentially interesting to today's youth.

Students will be divided into groups of four members, hetergeneously grouped by ability.

Content Standards & Objectives:
RLA.O.7.1.6, RLA.O.7.2.1, RLA.O.7.2.9, RLA.O.7.3.6, 21C.O.5-8.1.LS1, 21C.O.5-8.2.TT2, 21C.O.5-8.3.LS1

• Students will be able use appropriate resources to investigate, gather, paraphrase and summarize relevant information.
• Students will relate themes from text to themselves and real-world connections.
• Students will collaborate with peers to create and present a media product.

Materials:
Printed and non-printed informational resources
Assignment handouts and rubrics
Student notebooks/journals
Class-set laptops or computers; computer lab

Levels of Thinking and Questioning:
DOK Level 1- Recall of Information
Students will begin the project by deciding on the time period that they are interested in researching. They will identify or describe features of places or people, key figures. Some questions they will consider as they gather information:

1. Where does this time period geographically take place in?
2. Who were the key figures during this time period?

DOK Level 2- Basic Reasoning
Students will dive deeper into their chosen time period by considering questions such as:

1. Identify and summarize major events, solutions, conflicts and problems during this time period.
2. Describe the cause-effect of particular events during this time period.

DOK Level 3- Complex Reasoning
As students have gathered enough information and notes, they will start to:

1. Explain and connect ideas using supporting evidence from different sources.
2. Analyze the similarities and differences between major events, issues and/or conflicts of their researched time period and of the modern day.

DOK Level 4- Extended Reasoning
Once students have finalized their research and begin to organize their findings into a media product for presentation, in their presentation, they will analyze and explain using supporting evidence and inferences to why they chose their time period and why it would be relevant and potentially interesting for today's youth.

Source:
*http://wveis.k12.wv.us/teach21/public/project/Guide.cfm?upid=3599&tsele1=1&tsele2=107

Examining Depth and Rigor in Student Learning

Webb's Depth of Knowledge & Bloom's Revised Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of Knowledge consists of four levels that categorizes tasks according to the complexity of thinking required to meet the objective. These four levels can act as a guide for teachers to create an in-depth and rich learning environment for students to receive high-level learning:

• Level 1: Recall & Reproduction
• Tasks that does not require cognitive effort beyond copying, computing, defining, and recognizing.
• Level 2: Skills & Concept
• Tasks requiring more than one mental step such as comparing, organizing, summarizing, predicting, and estimating.
• Level 3: Strategic Thinking/Reasoning
• Tasks requiring multiple responses with justification such as solving non-routine problems, designing an experiment, or analyzing characteristics of a genre.
• Level 4: Extended Thinking
• Tasks that require the most cognitive effort such as synthesize information from multiple sources, transfer knowledge from one domain to solve problems in another, designing a survey and interpreting results, analyze multiple texts to extract themes, or writing an original short story.

Similarly, Bloom's Revised Taxonomy consists of six levels of skills and abilities in increasing demand that guides in clarifying objectives of student learning. These levels help teacher plan and deliver instruction appropriately, implement valid assessment tasks and strategies, and ensure that instruction and assessment are aligned with the objectives:

• Remember: recognizing, recalling
• Understand: interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, explaining
• Apply: executing, implementing
• Analyze: differentiating, organizing, attributing
• Evaluate: checking, critiquing
• Create: generating, planning, producing

Application of Webb's DOK to Teaching Practices
Teaching to Webb's Depth of Knowledge to engage students in richer discussions, learning experiences, and rigorous tasks can positively impact their learning in all content areas.

Tiered Vocabulary Activity Lesson Plan

Topic: "The Allure of Gold"*
Physical Science, World History
Grade 6

Content Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.4a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.6.6
Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Vocabulary Words:
Tier 2 (High Frequency.Multi-Meaning)-
divert, lure, property, condense, extract, displace

Tier 3 (Subject Related)-
pharaoh, tarnish, corrode, acid, conductive, malleable, atomic

Learning Activities:
Guided/Collaborative Practice
Using Context Clues & Graphic Organizer
Students will work together in pairs and identify terms within the passage that are unfamiliar to them, highlighting the words as they read along. Students will discuss with each other and use context clues to determine the meaning of the identified words. Students will use a three-column chart graphic organizer to analyze and reflect on the new words found in the reading passage. Each column will be labeled: "What I Think This Word Means", "What This Word Means", "Why Is This Word Important". Under the first column, students will use context clues and their own background knowledge to write their own definitions. Then using a dictionary and writing under the second column of the chart, students will determine the definition of their highlighted words. For the last column, students will be encouraged to think about the importance of the word--such as, why the author uses that particular word, or how it supports the main theme or topic of the passage.

Independent Practice
Using the same vocabulary terms from the lesson's reading passage, students incorporate them in a other ways to further improve their vocabulary understanding and development.

• "This word is important to me because..." Students will write sentences using the vocabulary terms to make personal connections with the new words. For example: "After I left my bike outside in the right overnight, I noticed that its bold canary-yellow paint had tarnished. This word is important to me because I love bright colors and I care about my bike so taking care of its color and condition is something I make an effort in."
• Tell a story.  Students will write one of the following: 1) a short story, or 2) a comic strip/visual story. They will demonstrate understanding of the new vocabulary terms and practice using the words through story-telling.

*Source:

http://www.readworks.org/passages/allure-gold

MAT671 Applied Best Strategies in Classroom Instruction

Reflection on Teaching Diverse Learners

Not only has diversity become a norm within the classroom among our students, we should expect that diversity will continue to grow. As each student enters the classroom with unique cultural and linguistic backgrounds and personal experiences, it is important to regard them respectfully as individuals and address their individual learning needs. To best teach diverse learners, I believe best practices in the classroom should include:

Differentiated Instruction
A new topic, lesson, or unit should always be introduced with clarity so that students understand the purpose and learning goals of it. As there are different types learners (visual, kinesthetic, audio, etc.), content materials should be varied in form to achieve optimal student learning and mastery of objectives/goals. Students come with so many different perspectives and experiences of their own, building meaningful connection based on their personal experiences will help them process the new information/material better.

Feedback and Student Accountability
Teacher feedback is also crucial for student learning; to address the diverse learning needs, feedback should be specific to the students' capabilities and learning style.  Because not all students learn at the same pace, they should be given opportunities to be active in their learning process. Through reflection and self-checkpoints, students can be held accountable for their own learning progress by monitoring their own projects and work, and to better understand their learning strengths and areas of improvement.

Project-Based Learning
Project-based learning can be a very effective strategy in developing students' critical thinking skills, making connection to the real world, and providing meaningful purpose to what they are learning. Through projects and group work, students will face decision-making as well as accountability amongst themselves. In collaboration, students can gain more awareness of their individual talents and have the chance to make significant contributions.

Teaching Resource for Digital Citizenship

http://carolhvy.wixsite.com/youmeinthedigitalage

Audience: Middle School Students
Purpose: To help build essential knowledge base of Digital Citizenship

MAT675 Integrating Multimedia

Digital Literacy

After watching the insightful videos, Mattan Griffel's Crash Course in Digital Literacy and Doug Belshaw's Essential Elements of Digital Literacies, my understanding and views have widened on the meaning of digital literacy (or in Belshaw's argument, literacies) and its importance, which will shape the way I integrate technology and multimedia in ny day-to-day life as well as within the classroom.

As a learner in the 21st Century, I try to be aware of the digital trail and impact I put into the public--whether it be a simple phone message or a blog post or a picture upload on Instagram. I am able to better conceptualize my digital identity and recognize which aspects I should bring more attention to for improvement through Doug Belshaw's outlining of the eight essential elements of digital literacy: cultural, cognitive, constructive, communicative, confident, creative, critical and civic. There are different contexts available all over the media and I understand that having cultural digital literacy means to distinguish the appropriate etiquette for each type of media and context--academic research vs. blogging, etc. I also understand that part of being digitally literate is in learning how it works (cognitive), using it appropriately (constructive), and taking risks (confident) with the various technological tools available to me, with the intent of creating something (creative) that is helpful and enriching to myself, if not to the community. As someone who keeps to herself more often than not, I am opening myself up to the value of communication to the public and the idea of contributing meaningfully based on what I can offer. On the whole, I remain critical and civic by maintaining an open mind towards others and what is presented to me through the media; I believe there is much to learn from each other and that the digital age is a commonplace for learning and advancement for people of all generations.

As a teacher in the 21st Century, I will be a role model to my students. I will consistently practice the digital literacies to provide example, as well as stress the importance of all eight esssential elements of digital literacy. I can create lesson plans focusing on each essential element, encouraging my students to reflect and discuss on it to further develop their understanding and their own identity within the aspects of digital literacy. While students will most likely have their views beginning to shape around their experiences of technology and the digital world, I hope to expand their perspectives and help them to regard it with a sense of wonder--that with appropriate knowledge and use, they can have endless opportunities and discoveries at their fingertips. I believe that, as a teacher, my responsibility to my students is to guide them in the right direction towards digital literacy where they feel capable, inspired, and self-driven to create things. As both Belshaw and Griffel explained in each of their discussions, students (and people in general) need a reason--a motivation--to learn, like coding or remixing. Every student steps into a classroom with their unique set of interests and experiences; as their teacher, I will find connection between their interests and the tools of technology  so that they are driven to explore and learn new ways to present their knowledge and creativity while also not being afraid of taking risks and making mistakes along the way.

Differentiating Content, Delivery, and Assessment

Earth Sciences: Minerals and Rocks

Grade 4

Content

The general formatting of science textbooks provides chapters consisting of highlighted vocabulary terms, headings and sections that organize important sub-topics, and various images and graphic organizers to help students visualize concepts. At the end of each chapter, the main idea is summarized, along with a few key supporting details. Comprehension questions are usually in various formats such as short responses, multiple choice, cloze reading/fill-in-the-blank, and/or drawing diagrams to show categorization, cause-and-effect, sequence, etc.

For English Language Learners and students with needs, supplemental materials can be provided in forms of visual aids and tangible props to assist in comprehension.

Delivery 

Lesson will begin with demonstration to catch students' attention and engagement as well as lead into activation of background knowledge. Students will be in a seating arrangement of homogeneous groups of four based on readiness and ability. Each group will be provided with sample rocks to examine and discuss similarities and differences that they observe. There will be a whole-class discussion to share their observations before the introduction to the chapter and lessons.

Students will see videos of different types of rock formations around the world to help them make real-world connections. Learning activities will consist of students using pictures and cards to help them categorize and identify the classification of rocks to further reinforce their learning.

Assessment

Objective: By the end of the unit, students will demonstrate understanding of the rock cycle and the differences of the characteristics between metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous rocks through:

• Tier 1 (Beginner) -
• completion of a chart comparing the characteristics of three different types of rocks, completion of labeling the types of rock to the correct process in a rock cycle diagram, and a score of at least 70% on a vocabulary quiz consisting of matching questions of terms and its definitions
• Tier 2 (Intermediate) - 
• completion of a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences between three types of rocks, completion of labeling the types of rock and the correct processes in a rock cycle diagram, and a score of at least 80% on a vocabulary quiz consisting of multiple choice/true-false questions
• Tier 3 (Advanced) - 
• completion of a Venn diagram comparing the similarities and differences between three types of rocks, completion of labeling the types of rock and the correct processes in a rock cycle diagram with a short response regarding the similarities between recycling and a rock cycle, and a score of at least 90% on a vocabulary quiz consisting of fill-in-the-blank and multiple choice questions

Project-Based/Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

Project-Based Learning is an approach to learning where students are encouraged to investigate and apply their skills in solving a real-world challenge or problem over an extended period of time.

How "Smart" is Your Food?*
Grade 5 Mathematics

Project Idea: To promote local wellness and healthy eating, students will work in groups to select four healthy recipes from USDA Recipes for Schools (one entree, two side dishes, and one dessert). Each group will perform calculations for the recipes to serve 25 for a class and 150 for an event. The amount of ingredients and nutritional information will be included in a PowerPoint presentation. Their recommended meals will be presented to a community or school event to vote for the "Smartest" Food Meal.

Content Standards & Objectives:
M.O.5.1.1, M.O.5.1.3, M.O.5.1.6, M.O.5.1.7, M.O.5.1.11, M.O.5.4.5, 21C.O.5-8.1.LS3, 21C.O.5-8.2.TT2, 21C. O.5-8.3.LS4

• Students will order and compare decimals and whole numbers to compare nutrition facts.
• Students will estimate decimals and whole numbers to justify their nutrition decisions.
• Students will add and subtract fractions/mixed numbers and decimals, use conversion within a system of measurement, and use models of equivalent fractions and decimals to present their choice of recommended meal with servings of 25 and 150.

Materials/Resources:

School/Community Individuals - Nutritionist, school cooks, local caterers (invite individuals to help start a discussion on healthy foods, how to adjust recipes to feed an entire school, etc.) 

Technology - Computer lab, internet access, word processing software, PowerPoint software, calculators 

Classroom materials - Colored construction paper and base ten blocks (manipulatives to model students' understanding and calculations of conversions and measurements), tape, scissors, glue

Day 1
Students will be introduced to the project and have the opportunity to interview and discuss with a guest (cafeteria worker, nutritionist, etc.) to explore the topic and activate background knowledge. Demonstration of nutrition labels (provide examples of different packaged foods) and discussion of what it means for a food to be "smart" (smart = a smart and healthy choice) will help students build connection to the project.

The class will be divided into groups of four, based on heterogeneous grouping by ability. Among each group, students will determine individual roles within the team: Manager, Materials Technician, Supervisor, and Director. While every role requires active participation and equally shares the group responsibility, the Manager will oversee the overall workings of the group, the Materials Technician will obtain, organize and return all necessary materials, the Supervisor will speak for the group and seek assistance if needed, and the Director will double check all math work of the project.

Rationale: Different roles within the team allows students the opportunity to highlight their strengths and to be engage in their learning and contributions to the group.

Days 2-3
Teams will begin by brainstorming and using the computers to access the USDA Recipes for Schools website to decide on; one recipe for an entree, two recipes for side dishes, and one recipe for a dessert. A copy of each recipe will be printed out for future reference.

Using information from the nutrition facts, each group will be asked to compare the values of different components of the recipes. Each student will select one recipe of the four chosen by the team and estimate the amount of each ingredient that will be needed to serve 25 and 150 people.

Within the instruction of calculating decimals and fractions to help students make conversions, the teacher will provide different stations to differentiate students' process in understanding and meeting their learning needs for the project:

Station 1: Students will be provided with manipulatives or drawn representations to help students understand why numbers and its computations work the way they do. Students will work on an example problem individually, then share with a partner their work that is provided with drawings or manipulatives to defend their solution. In turn, the partner will use a second method to check their classmate's computation.

Station 2: At this station, students will develop their comfort, accuracy, and speed on their calculations. Students can complete a teacher-generated task or a computer program that offers a game-based practice that covers the skills of adding, subtracting, and modeling equivalent fractions/decimals.

Station 3: Students will explore other real-world situations that requires adding, subtracting, and modeling equivalent fractions/decimals, such as purchasing groceries (monetary transactions). Individual students can access the internet and report their findings through an example scenario with provided computations.

Rationale: Different stations will give students different ways to process the concept based on their preferred learning style. Station 1 involves in manipulatives and drawing representations to give the students a more hands-on learning experience while Station 2 gives students a more engaging way of practicing and working on the accuracy of their calculations. Lastly, Station 3 is a supplemental option for higher-achieving students who can independently complete tasks that encourages them to explore the concepts more in-depth.

Days 4-5
Students will complete all their computations and begin putting together their PowerPoint presentations; they will be required to use a minimum of four slides and present their recommended meal around the length of 3 minutes.

Presentations will be graded based on a teacher-created rubric with criterion including application of knowledge, accurate calculations, and creativity. In addition to equal responsibility of the effort and appearance toward the overall presentation, each team member is responsible for creating a slide containing the recipe they helped calculate for the change in servings.

Each student will complete a self-evaluation and team evaluation of the collaboration for this project.

Rationale: Student accountability for the final product is ensured by having every team member be responsible for the presentation of one recipe each. In addition to grading the overall presentation, teacher may assess student performance and learning progress based upon their individual slide as well.

Source:
*http://wveis.k12.wv.us/teach21/public/project/Guide.cfm?upid=3495&tsele1=2&tsele2=105

Cooperative Learning

Both heterogeneous and homogeneous grouping patterns can be applied in lesson instruction and activities to teach grade level standards within specific content areas and to help students master grade level standards.

Advantages to heterogeneous grouping, where students of varying interests and performance levels learn and work together, include developing interpersonal relationships, increasing acceptance of classmates of different diversities and background, student tasks, roles, and accountability, and peer mentoring and leadership opportunities. In subjects such as history or science, students can benefit from wider exposure to the different viewpoints others may have on the subject matter or topic. Higher-achieving students within heterogeneous group can gain roles as a leader or mentor to assist and support those who may be struggling with the lesson. Furthermore, within a mixed ability group, students are held accountable for their efforts and the work they contribute because their task--while each are different from other's (such as discussion leader, note-taker, reporter, etc.)--are equally essential towards the completion of the overall product.

Advantages to homogeneous grouping, where students are grouped based on similar interests and/or performance abilities, include being able to target specific skills based on students' learning needs and allowing students to move on with their learning within being restricted to the pace of the entire classroom. For example, homogeneous grouping is beneficial for reading and math where students can be organized into small groups where each focuses on different concepts that the individual requires more clarification and support in (writing with more text evidence, text analysis, solving multi-step word problems, unit measurement and conversions, etc.). Lastly, by ability grouping students, creative dynamics among the team may start to form and students who usually do not actively participate in groups will explore new roles that they hadn't tried before.

In all, cooperative learning--whether it be heterogeneous or homogeneous grouping--allows for differentiation and increase in student performance by creating the opportunity for students to develop various interpersonal relationships and dynamics through different combinations of student groups and gain more access to content through those different interactions. In groups, students can explore the material more in depth, learn through different perspectives, and actively apply their skills towards a product that demonstrates their understanding.

Beginning Differentiation

Differentiation of instruction within a classroom begins with providing various forms of content presentation as well as implementing different learning activities to supplement and reinforce the new content.

English Language Learners:
Many ways to different content for English Language Learners include using varied supplementary materials, advanced/note-taking organizers, and leveling questions, and providing different levels of explanations.

Content Presentation:

Using varied supplementary materials may benefit English Language Learners because the content can be organized and presented in a way that can be processed easier. Supplementary materials can include adapted text where the content is broken down into smaller chunks and is less demanding in terms of readability and specific terminology. Also, supplementary materials can include manipulatives that can be used for demonstrations or applications to further support a concept--such as using tangrams or gumdrops and toothpicks to help students understand shapes and geometry.

Structuring advanced or note-taking organizers for student may also help them process the content easier as the new information is divided into comprehensible chunks and categories. As an example, in analyzing the components of persuasive writing, English Language Learners can complete a chart that breaks down the main components of a strong persuasive writing (opinion>reasons>details/examples).

Leveling questions and providing different levels of explanations appropriately addresses the student's pace of learn and abilities. For example, in teaching about ecosystem, questions can be structured to allow students in the preproduction stage of English proficiency to actively listen and use nonverbal gestures, like pointing ("Where is the canopy/forest floor/etc. in the forest ecosystem?"). For students within the early production stage of English proficiency, questions ("Who.../What.../Where...") can be structured to allow them to answer in words or phrases. To appropriately address the learning stages of students in intermediate fluency and advanced, questions should target for comprehension and responses in complete sentences with native-like proficiency and fluency.

Learning Activities:

Integrating physical/hands-on activities into learning activities can help English Language Learners to make connections with new information. In discussing and analyzing certain events in history or genres of literature, students can work in groups to create a skit to demonstrate the key actions or events of historical figures/plot. In reading Shakespeare, students can demonstrate comprehension of the content through acting out the scenes of Macbeth to show the character's key thoughts, emotions and actions that contributes to the conflict and plot of the overall play. For learning vocabulary terms (root words, biology terms, etc.), students can gather different images and pictures that associates and provides examples for better understanding of the meaning of the word.

Students with Exceptionalities:
Some methods of differentiating content for students with exceptionalities involve in preteaching, chunking, and copycatting.

Content Presentation:

Preteaching can improve student learning by giving them early exposure to familiarize them with the new topic or lesson. Teaching in detail and reviewing vocabulary terms, such as the parts of a plant, prior to a lesson may decrease the chances of confusion when students begin reading their textbooks on photosynthesis. Furthermore, activating background knowledge is another way of preteaching as it prepares and directs the students towards the relevant topic of the lesson.

Copycatting lets students become familiar to the patterns of sentences or steps of a math problems by having them copy down what the teacher writes. Chunking is another strategy where the teacher can break down a concept into more manageable steps for students; for an example, in summarizing a text, the teacher may first ask students to identify and highlight/underline the main idea and it supporting details before writing a paragraph or sentence for the summary.

Learning Activities:

Peer pairing is beneficial in learning activities as students can support and learn from each other. Students with exceptionalities can be paired with higher achieving students who can encourage, mentor, and provide modeling. On the other hand, working well with others may be one of the challenges students with exceptionalities face. Learning activities can be designed for independent participation where it involves in picture/cue cards and simple steps and directions to avoid overwhelming of senses and frustration in learning.

Advanced or Gifted Learners:
Integrating technology, offering various texts, asking deeper questions, and allowing personal goal setting can be ways to differentiate content for advanced or gifted learners.

Content Presentation:

With wider range of texts and resources (encyclopedias, maps, journal or newspaper articles, internet sources, etc.), advanced or gifted learners can have deeper access to the lesson topic or concept. Moreover, creating more challenging tasks and offering a quick learning pace for advanced learners can maintain their motivation in their learning progress.

Learning Activities:

Modification of learning activities can allow for more independent and self-reflective learning for advanced students. For example, within the unit of U.S. history and media literacy, students will be researching for three websites about the Spanish-American War by comparing and contrasting each based on a given criteria. The assignment will be modified for advanced learners where they will create their own 4-point rubric for evaluating the websites based on five or more features; furthermore, the students will find a website to exemplify each level of their rubric, providing justification for each website selected.

Applying Differentiation and Addressing Various Learning Preferences

An "Archaeological Dig" Writing Assignment
Grade 6-8

Prompt: Students imagine they are an archaeologist at an active dig. While excavating, they come across an object; as they touch the object, they suddenly go back in time. Invisible, they witness their object's creation and use.*

As part of the unit of creative nonfiction writing, I would structure this assignment to allow for differentiation and address various learning preferences in the following ways:

Writing Requirements

Grading Rubric: 1 (24 points)

Tier 1 (At-risk Learners, English Language Learners, Students with Exceptionalities)

• Describe the creator/inventor of the object
• Describe the creation process of the object (materials used, length of time, etc.)
• Describe the time era that the object was created during

Tier 2 (Students at Grade Level)

• Describe the creator's/inventor's purpose behind the creation of the object
• Describe how the object made an impact to the time era

Tier 3 (Advanced or Gifted Learners)

• Describe how the culture or prior events of the time era influenced the creation of the object

Summary Presentation

Grading Rubric: 1 2 3 4 (16 points)

Option 1: Prepare a poster

Option 2: Build a model (physical or virtual)

Option 3: Create a PowerPoint

Option 4: Perform a skit

Rationale
With this particular prompt, students are able to incorporate historical research into their writing as well as provided student choice to ensure their consistent motivation, focus and effort throughout their assignment. The writing requirements for this creative nonfiction prompt is organized into tiers based on the appropriate level of challenge that students are most capable of performing. While all of the students' completed assignments will address the prompt, their products will be varied based on their development of descriptive writing and critical thinking skills. For example, the writing requirements the higher tiers requires higher level of critical thinking by having the students consider the implications and consequences of the creation of the object, evaluating the inventor's point-of-view, and/or using reason and evidence to explain the impact of the object.

In addition to their creative nonfiction writing, students will put together a summary presentation to share their story and knowledge with the class. Multiple options of forms of presentation are available to them based on the student's different learning styles. Visual learners may prefer preparation of a poster for their presentation as they can organize their knowledge and thoughts through means of images and drawings. Kinesthetic learners may benefit from the option of presenting their summaries through model as it gives them the opportunity to use their sense of touch and hands to create a tangible product. With the choice of performing a skit as their presentation, students who are either or both kinesthetic and verbal learners have the chance to communicate their information through speech and actions. Lastly, the assignment addresses the reflective aspect of solitary learning which is appropriate for students to edit and further develop their own personal style of writing which may be different from others.

Source:
*https://www.csn.edu/sites/default/files/legacy/PDFFiles/Library/Cosgrove1.pdf 

MAT674 Differentiated Instruction

Hello all,

I am thrilled to begin my first course towards specialization in Best Practices in teaching. I graduated from University of California, Irvine in 2013, attaining my B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Educational Studies. My decision to teach is a result of my interest in helping and connecting with others as well as seeing students light up when they learn something new. I can't think of anything more rewarding than interacting with young minds and being a part of their personal and academic growth.

While my classroom teaching experience is limited, I have had many opportunities working with children and students through a variety of other settings, such as children's hospital volunteering, child behavioral undergraduate research, and after-school/tutoring programs. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single opportunity of being a role model and teacher to others; all of the experiences thus far has confirmed that I am undoubtedly making the best decision towards my career path. As I am nearing the completion of my Multiple Subject Teaching Credential program, I am looking forward to having my own classroom one day and to be able to work with great potential of all the young minds that I will meet in the future.

Differentiated Teaching and Learning Activities

I believe one of the most important aspects in differentiated teaching is the understanding and acceptance that every student steps into the classroom with a unique mind, background, and needs. As an aspiring teacher, I hope to provide a learning environment that nourishes the confidence and self-esteem of each individual student in their capabilities across all subject areas. Since students will demonstrate a diverse range of strengths and weaknesses, each of their strengths and talents should be acknowledged and celebrated while their weaknesses are embraced as opportunities of improvement.

From my experiences as a tutor and after-school teacher, a strategy of differentiated teaching that I always fall back on is addressing the different learning styles (visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic) of my students. For each new topic or lesson that I introduce to my students, I try to provide more than one means of teaching the content, such as the use of graphic organizers to support visual learners, and the use of learning tools and manipulatives for kinesthetic learners.

Also, I have found that student choice especially helps to avoid redundancy as well as boost their motivation and engagement in learning a new topic and allow them to perform within their own zone of proximal development. In teaching 4th-6th grade students in learning and memorizing root words and affixes, I allow students to choose their own expression of "wordplay" where they can either draw, act out, write a short poem, etc. in regards to an assigned root word to share with their peers. With this wordplay exercise, students can remember their root words and affixes more effectively when their interests and learning styles align.

C