Jewel's+Differentiated+Instruction

__**Readiness**__

 * (Skill Level and Background Knowledge of a Child)**

Strategy for the Classrooom: Tiered Assignments

 * These are assignments that instruct students on different levels of complexity. The content is the same for all students, but the content and process for learning is based on students' readiness.

__Title__: Wiggle Works __URL__: [] __Brief Summary__: This is a PreK - 3rd grade interactive beginning reading and writing technology program through Scholastic. This program integrates technology with leveled books and instructional methods that help students advance their reading and writing abilities at their own pace and levels. __Ways to Implement in the Classroom__: This program works great with ESOL (English Second Language Learners) students because it helps develop their literacy skills at their readiness with supportive visuals to help increase their reading abilities. __Supported through Concepts__: //Multiple Means of Representation// (Universal Design for Learning - UDL) - This strategy provides students with the flexibility to demonstrate what they know based on their academic capabilities.
 * __Technology Integration__**

Another Strategy: Compacting

 * This is the process of adjusting instruction based on what the students already know. For example, if through prior assessment, you learn that some students already know the content, then you excuse them from learning again what they already know and provide them with some enriched and accelerated activities to do with that content instead.

__**Technology Integration**__: __Title__: Science for Kids __URL__: [] __Brief Summary__: This interactive website brings science and technology together by providing fun science experiments, cool facts, online games, free activities, ideas, lesson plans, photos, quizzes, videos & science fair projects for students to learn from and enjoy. __Ways to Implement in the Classroom__: This website is a great way to extend learning opportunities for students who have already mastered a particular content requirement in science. Students can create fun science experiements and projects to demonstrate what they know about a particular topic in an accelareted and enriched way. __Supported through Concepts__: //Multiple Means of Representation// (UDL) - This strategy provides students with the flexibility to demonstrate what they know based on their academic capabilities.

__**Interests**__

 * (Topics That Students Want to Explore or That Motivate Them to Learn)**

Strategy for the Classroom: Interest Centers

 * Centers are great ways to motivate young learners as they provide topic of activities based on students' interests.

__**Technology Integration**__: __Title__: Math, Technology and Differentiation __URL__: [] __Brief Summary__: Since each child learns differently, this website provides activities for students to use their flexible thinking skills with math. This website helps students practice math concepts with meaningful resources. __Ways to Implement in the Classroom__: When implementing centers during math time, some students will enjoy using manipulatives while others will find computer tools, pictures, and real world examples as an interest for them. This website provides another avenue for students to integrate technology during math center time. __Supported through Concepts__: //Multiple Means of Engagement// (UDL) - This strategy provides students with the flexibility for engagement based on their personal interests.

Another Strategy: Flexible Grouping

 * Students are placed in groups based on their interests. The groups can either be assigned by the teacher or chosen by the students. With flexible grouping, students can have the opportunity to work with a variety of classmates.

__**Technology Integration**__: __Title__: Student Projects __URL__: [] __Brief Summary__: This website provides links to technology rich projects made from students of all ages. The projects show students' understanding and mastery of both content and 21st century skills. __Ways to Implement in the Classroom__: When students are placed in their flexible groups, they could create projects to demonstrate their learning of a particular topic or content area. Students can refer to this website for additional resources or ideas to use when developing their group's project. __Supported through Concepts__: //Multiple Means of Engagement// (UDL) - This strategy provides students with the flexibility for engagement based on their personal interests and learning styles.

__**Learning Profiles**__

 * (How an Individual Learns: Example, Learning styles, Grouping Preferences, Environmental Preferences)**

Strategy for the Classroom: Learning Contracts
*This is an agreement between the teacher and student. The teacher explains to the student the necessary content and skills he/she needs to learn. Then, the student provides the method(s) for completing the task. Learning contracts help meet the diverse learning needs and styles of students.

__**Technology Integration**__: __Title__: How to Create and Use Learning Contracts __URL__: [] __Brief Summary__: This website provides detailed explanations on how to create and use learning contracts. This website also explains the purpose and advantage of using learning contracts with your students. __Ways to Implement in the Classroom__: Providing our gifted students with the opportunity to create learning contracts would be a great way for them to demonstrate what they already know in a variety of ways that also support their learning needs and profiles. __Supported through Concepts__: //Multiple Means of Action and Expression// (UDL) - This strategy provides students with the flexibility to demonstrate what they know based on their learning profiles.

Another Strategy: Choice Boards
*These are organizers that provide a variety of activities for students to choose from that relate to a common content area. These activities support the multiple intelligences and allow students the opportunity to benefit from more than one learning style for a particular content area.

__**Technology Integration**__: __Title__: Make and Take: Choice Boards and Labeling __URL__: [] __Brief Summary__: This is a video that describes the purpose of choice boards and how to use them with students within your own classroom. __Ways to Implement in the Classroom__: Choice boards are helpful with providing students with visual support and options to help with comprehension of choices within the classrom. It also encourages participation and cooperation with students. Furthermore, it expands the variety of choices students can use within the classroom. __Supported through Concepts__: //Multiple Means of Action and Expression// (UDL) - This strategy provides students with the flexibility to demonstrate what they know based on their learning profiles.

Hi Jewel,

I was reading through your resources that support UDL and DI and found two that would be truly beneficial in my classroom. I really like the concept of choice boards and interest centers. I could use these in all academic subjects, but felt they best fit in my science and social studies classes. Giving students different choices of focus based on interest, as well as different means of retrieving information or demonstrating understanding is exactly what UDL and DI are all about. I do worry about the amount of planning required to effectively utilize interest centers and choice boards. I would have to prepare rubrics and predetermined websites to review. I would also have to monitor students working collabortively because my students struggle with cooperation. I feel that however, if I implement these in my classroom, motivation and eagerness will improve dramatically.

Thanks! Danielle

Hi Jewel,

Thanks for the resources on student projects and learning contracts. These two resources are the ones that I would use in my 9-12th classroom. I particulary liked the stock market game listed in the student projects because it would engage my students through a simulated real world activity. Students are given a certain amount of money to purchase stocks and then make choices on which ones to purcahse and they track their results. This supports differentiated instruction. I have been looking for a good stock market game to use with my students. Also, the learning contract link provides great //ideas to help me implement a contract with my students.// //Jeannine Lowe//