Innovative Differentiation Strategies for 4th Grade science learning the parts of the body systems:
The 12 students who have some knowledge about the topic as shown in their score, but need to develop higher order thinking skills
The 5 students who appear to have limited knowledge about the topic, of which 3 are struggling with language and are at different reading levels and 2 students who have little to no comprehension of the the topic and need to be tested further for special needs
The 5 students who answered most of the pre-assessment questions correctly
Provide students with opportunities for independent learning
Use more advanced supplementary and reading materials
Give students more freedom and choice to decide and pick the activities they want to do in reference to leaning the content
Cluster these students together who scored the highest to work on assignments and cater to each others strengths
Give them tests and activities that require a higher level of thinking
Create a buying system that these students can use to "buy more time" for self-directed activities after they have learned the material
Create an extension activities for the students to complete using open-ended real world problems if possible to extend the students learning
THE ASSESSMENT: Students will be given pictures of the digestive and excretory system at the beginning of learning about two body systems. There will be arrows and blank spaces for the students to fill in the parts of the systems they know on the picture. The students will then watch a video about both systems and their parts while I use the assessment to sort them into groups
These students will be placed together in a section of the class to work on a more advanced activity related to the topic. They will take a deeper look into both of the body systems to advance their learning and knowledge. They will create models of the system and will be required to research more parts of the systems (3 more parts) we have not discussed in class to gain a deeper understanding. The teacher will check in on them once throughout the class but they will use each other as guides to assist with the activity.
These students will work at stations in groups of three. They can move about the stations that focuses and different parts of the topic. They will have an activity similar to the 5 advanced students however they will not be required to go into such deep detail and do as much research. they can pick only one more part to research or they can focus on going into further detail of the parts we have learned in class. The teacher will stop by each group a couple of times to offer assistance if they are struggling
Create learning stations and have students rotate around them
Create tasks cards that could be used with stations
Target all the senses if possible when learning new content
Use the Think-Pair-Share method with these students
Offer Journal Time
Offer different types independent study time
Group students within this groups who have similar learning styles
Assign Open-ended projects
Create different sets of reading comprehension Activities
These students will work closest with the teacher during this lesson and will discuss the systems in more detail. They will each get white boards to write the parts of the body when discussing them as well as practice saying the functions of each parts. The goal for this group in the end is to be able to articulate the process of each system as well as recognize the parts on a model. The teacher will spend most of the time with this group having a discussion as well as questioning and answering the students who are struggling.
Offer progressive activities and assignments
Make assignments with variable outcomes so students reach outcomes that match their level of learning and understanding
Offer more verbal support
Use reflection and goal setting exercises
Offer flexible pace learning