Landing the Lunker:

Hooking the Big Fish Even in the Murkiest of Waters

TraditionalClassroom

Differentiated Classroom VS

What Do I Do with a Gifted Child?• Work ahead of the class in the chapter• Provide extra computer time• Use them as a tutor• Give them extra problems or pages

Is This Really Necessary?

“If gifted students are not challenged by curriculum in the early years, they will equate smart with easy and challenge and hard work will feel threatening to their self esteem.”

– Dr. Sylvia B. Rimm

Why Meet the Needs of Gifted Learners?

Why Meet the Needs of Gifted Learners?

Why Meet the Needs of Gifted Learners?

Jolenda Henderson’s 4th grade • Students have been collecting, organizing, and

analyzing data in math. • Today, they’ll be working with line graphs.• Students were introduced to line graphs in

3rd grade, but Ms. Henderson noticed some are still struggling.

Lesson Plan: Spend today’s class re-teaching line graphs.

Larry Kimmer’s 4th grade• Students have also been studying graphs. • Students were introduced to line graphs in 3rd grade.

Lesson Plan: Pretest students to find out what they recall about data collection and graphing.

Pretest Results:

At least 85% on ALL concepts 3At least 85% on some, but not all, concepts 10Scores indicated a need to practice both analyzing and representing data.

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Jolenda Henderson’s Lesson Plan

1. Ask students to gather data from each other i.e. What’s everyone’s favorite type of pizza?

2. Draw graphs on the board to represent the data the class collected

Larry Kimmer’s Plan Based on PretestAt least 85% on ALL concepts:-Students will choose an enrichment task from a Choices Board- Students will work as an independent group

3

Larry Kimmer’s Plan Based on PretestAt least 85% on ALL concepts:-Students will choose an enrichment task from a Choices Board- Students will work as an independent group

3

At least 85% on some, but not all, concepts- Review the skill with the teacher in small group- Divide into collaborative groups and choose an enrichment task from the Choices Board (based on missed skill)

10

Larry Kimmer’s Plan Based on PretestAt least 85% on ALL concepts:-Students will choose an enrichment task from a Choices Board- Students will work as an independent group

3

At least 85% on some, but not all, concepts- Review the skill with the teacher in small group- Divide into collaborative groups and choose an enrichment task from the Choices Board (based on missed skill)

10

Scores indicated a need to practice both analyzing and representing data.- Review the skill with the teacher in small group- As a group they will construct a line graph based on information he provides

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Which Teacher had a Differentiated Classroom?

Jolenda Henderson Larry Kimmer

Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom By: Diane Heacox, ED. D.

Shans Bait Store

Bragging Board

What is a Lunker?• lunker [ˈlə ng kər] noun informal: an exceptionally

large game fish especially large for its type; a whopper.

Caution: Know Your Surroundings

Murky Waters

Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom By: Diane Heacox, ED. D.

Cognitive Abilities

Learning Styles

Socioeconomic and Family Factors

Readiness

Gender Influences

Gender InfluencesBoys

• Boys take longer to master reading than girls do

• They show early mathematical ability and strengths in 3-dimensional reasoning

• Prefer action and exploration to passive learning

• Benefit from regular physical activity

• Do best with hands-on learning in reading and math

Girls

• Learn best when their classrooms provide variety in teaching methods

• Tasks with many possible right answers

• Activities that use manipulative and a hands-on process approach to learning

• Opportunities to ask questions and discuss ideas and concepts

• Visual ways to present information• Examples of real-life applications• A variety of social arrangements in

the classroom

Cultural &Ethnic Influences

Student’s ValueOf Learning

Confidence inLearning

Learning Pace

Two–Step Process

1. Analyze the degree of challenge and variety in your current instructional plans.

2. Modify, adapt, or design new approaches to instruction in response to students’ needs, interests, and learning preferences.

Differentiating Instruction in the Regular ClassroomDiane Heacox, Ed. D.

WHAT Do We Differentiate?

Content• The curricular topics, concepts or themes presented• HOW?– Pre-assess students’ skills and knowledge, then match

learners with appropriate activities according to readiness

– Give students choices about topics to explore in greater depth

– Provide students with basic and advanced resources that match their current level of understanding

WHAT Do We Differentiate?

Process• The “HOW” of teaching• Your method of teaching should reflect the learning

styles and preferences of your students• Modify process by – adding complexity to tasks– abstractness to tasks– Engaging students in critical and creative thinking– Increasing variety of ways in which you ask them to learn

WHAT Do We Differentiate?

Product• The “End Result” of learning• Can be something tangible– Report, Brochure, or Model

• Can be something verbal– Dialogue, Speech, Debate

• Can involve action– Skit, Mock Trial, Dance

Two Roles as the Teacher1) Facilitator– Providing and prescribing differentiated learning

opportunities– Organizing students for learning– Using time flexibly

2) Collaborator– Combine classes – Partner with another teacher– Share resources– Media Specialist

Flexible Grouping• What is it?– Creating groups based on a student’s learning

needs– Can change often

• When do I use it?– At “Exit” points in the curriculum:• When some students haven’t mastered the skill and

need more review, but others are ready to move on OR

• When some students would benefit from an advanced task and other from a more basic activity

Is Using Whole Group Ever Appropriate?

Whole group is the most effective:• If you are building community though common

activities or experiences• Introducing new units, topics skills or concepts• Conducting discussions of important content

What do you do when your line is tangled up?

Keep Fishing!!!

Catching the lunker is worth all the effort!!!

It’s Break Time!