Making a Difference:

Making a Difference: Introduction Task Resources Process Evaluation Conclusion Standards Citations Teacher Notes A WebQuestfor Pre-Service Educators Creating WebQuests for the K-12 Classroom – Based on a template from The WebQuest Page A WebQuest About Differentiated Instruction

Introduction Making a difference in the lives of our students is what drives us as educators. What you do to meet each student’s individual needs and connect with each student affects his/her success in school and life. How will you make a difference?

Task In order to answer the question, “How will you make a difference?”, you will be investigating differentiated instruction and strategies for using differentiated instruction in planning your lessons. Using the information you have gathered and analyzed you will work in groups of 2 or 3 to apply the information to create a differentiated lesson plan integrating technology that will aid in the success of all the learners in your classroom. This lesson plan will double as your strategy lesson. Go to Process

Resources Paper Pencil Computer Lesson Plan format Activity #1 Answer Sheet

Process You will work in pairs to complete Activity #1, the WebQuest. You will use the information from the web sites, as well as your prior knowledge, to answer the questions. Then you will work with with your partner(s) (one or two other people in the class) to create a differentiated lesson plan/strategy lesson integrating technology that will aid in the success of all learners in your classroom. Activity #1 - Web Quest Evaluation for Activity #1 Return to Task

Activity #1- Web Quest The following questions will guide you in developing an understanding of differentiated instruction that will aid you in creating lesson plans that meet the needs of all the students in your classroom. • 1. What is Differentiated Instruction (DI)? How does it work? What is the classroom teacher’s role/remedial teacher’s role? What are the cautions and other view points for using differentiated instruction? • Introduction- towards a definition of ‘differentiation’ • What differentiated instruction is and is not • What is differentiated instruction? • Differentiated Instruction: Define it - What is it? • Definition of DI • Busting Myths about DI • Differentiated Instruction • DI strategies 2. What is the ultimate goal for using differentiated instruction? • How to Differentiate Instruction: The Bottom Line

Activity #1 con’t • 3. What is the Rationale for differentiated instruction? • Differentiated Instruction: Rationale • DI:Multi-level Instruction Rationale • What are the four(4) elements that guide differentiated instruction? Provide a brief explanation for each. Which of these do you think is most important and why? DI: 4 Ways to Differentiate Instruction Using Differentiated Instruction (You will need to click on the link that has this title.) DI: Identifying Components and Features • What are some ways to differentiate instruction? List at least 5. How would you apply each to the different types (auditory, visual, etc.) of learners in your classroom, as well as the struggling, average and advanced learners? • DI:Multi-level Instruction • DI: Advanced Learners in the Mixed-ability Middle School Classroom • Disability Studies for Teachers - Differentiated Instruction • DI: Finding Manageable Ways to Meet Individual Needs • Strategies for Differentiating

Activity #1 con’t • List 3 tools for differentiated instruction using technology that you might use and explain why and how. • Tools for Differentiated Instruction Using Technology • List 3 Technology tips you found useful and explain why. • Technology Tips for Differentiated Instruction • How will you use the “Ten Tips for Differentiation”? • Ten Tips for Differentiation

Activity #1 con’t • How To: Adjust Your Teaching Style to Your Students’ Learning Style (Use this site to read about the following topics to aid in planning your lesson and when including differentiation in your unit lesson plans.) • The Basics of Adjusting Your Teaching Style to Students’ Learning Style • Differentiation for Tweens • Scaffolding • Using Window Notes • The Mixed- Ability Classroom • Teaching Tips • Assessment Strategies to Promote Learning • Effective Questioning I the Mixed-Ability Classroom • Adolescents and Learning • Responding to the Needs of Adolescent Learners • Knowing What They Know • Lesson Plans • Including Children with Special Needs in Your Classroom • Meet the Needs of Every Student with Differentiated Instruction • Debriefing During and After Instruction • 10. How to Plan for Differentiated Instruction

Activity #2 Creating the differentiated lesson plan • You are to work with one or two other people (classmates) using the information you gathered during the first activity to create a differentiated lesson plan that you will hand in to be assessed. This lesson plan should be about the strategy you and your partner(s) will choose in class. Evaluation Conclusion

Evaluation • Activity #1 Evaluation • You will be evaluated on whether you have completed the WebQuest and answered the questions appropriately using the information you gathered from the web resources and your prior knowledge about Differentiated Instruction. You will also be asked to reflect on the information you are gathering and discuss how you would use it in your planning and teaching. Please use the following document to record your answers and thoughts. • Activity #1 Answer Sheet • Activity #2 Evaluation • Differentiated Strategy Lesson Plan

Conclusion Congratulations on completing the WebQuest and deepening your knowledge and understanding of differentiated instruction! It is my hope that you will be able to apply this more easily to your own planning and teaching. It is important to each individual in your classroom to have every opportunity to learn and succeed while in your classroom and differentiated instruction can help you as the teacher provide those opportunities. YOU can make the difference in a child’s life!!

StandardsNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONPERFORMANCE-BASED STANDARDS FOR INITIAL MIDDLE LEVEL TEACHER PREPARATION Standard 1. Young Adolescent Development Middle level teacher candidates understand the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to young adolescent development, and they provide opportunities that support student development and learning. Standard 3. Middle Level Curriculum and Assessment Middle level teacher candidates understand the major concepts, principles, theories, standards, and research related to middle level curriculum and assessment, and they use this knowledge in their practice. Standard 4. Middle Level Teaching Fields Middle level teacher candidates understand and use the central concepts, tools of inquiry, standards, and structures of content in their chosen teaching fields, and they create meaningful learning experiences that develop all young adolescents’ competence in subject matter and skills. Standard 5. Middle Level Instruction and Assessment Middle level teacher candidates understand and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to effective instruction and assessment, and they employ a variety of strategies for a developmentally appropriate climate to meet the varying abilities and learning styles of all young adolescents.

Teacher Notes This WebQuest was designed to be used with Early Childhood and Middle Childhood methods students, as they have some basic background knowledge about lesson planning and differentiated instruction. It could also be used with Secondary methods students. The methods semester is the semester before students teaching and includes a field component where the methods students plan and teach in a real classroom under the supervision of the classroom teacher and college faculty methods instructors/professors.

Citations • (2008). About differentiated instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from West • Bloomfield School District Web site: http://web.westbloomfield.k12.mi.us/ealy/lafer/about.html • Clare, J. D. (2004). Differentiation: Introduction -towards a definition of 'differentiation'. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Greenfield School Community and Arts College Web site: http://www.greenfield.durham.sch.uk/differentiation.htm • (2003, February). Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Classroom Connect Web site: http://www.doctorgus.net/ClassroomDifferentiated.htm • Dobush, Ken. Differentiated instruction . Retrieved June 30, 2008, from • Bridgewater State College Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders Web site: http://webhost.bridgew.edu/kdobush/Strategies%20for%20Teaching%20Reading/Handbook/Diff_Inst/Differentiated%20Instruction.htm

Citations con’t Eaton, V. (1996). Differentiated instruction (also called Multi-level instruction). Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Inclusion: School as a Caring Community Web site: http://www.ualberta.ca/%7Ejpdasddc/incl/difinst.htm Hall, T. (2002). Differentiated Instruction . Retrieved June 30, 2008, from National Center on Accessing the general Curriculum Web site: http://www.cast.org/publications/ncac/ncac_diffinstruc.html (1998-2008). How to differentiate instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Teachnology Web site: http://www.teachnology.com/tutorials/teaching/differentiate/bottom_line/ (1998-2008). How to plan for differentiate instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Teachnology Web site: http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/differentiate/planning/

Citations con’t • Kluth, P. (2004). Differentiated instruction . Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Disabilities Studies for Teachers Web site: http://www.disabilitystudiesforteachers.org/index.php?id=Differentiated%20Instruction • Lamb, A. (2003, June). Ten tips for differentiation. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Differentiating Instruction through Technology: Meeting the needs of all students Web site: http://eduscapes.com/sessions/needs/elementary2.html • Longert, S. Using differentiated instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Teachers Network: How To: Adjust Your Teaching Style to Your Students' Learning Style Web site: http://www.teachnet.org/ntol/howto/adjust/diffinstruct.htm • 2004). Technology tips for differentiated instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from RTEC Exchange Web site: http://rtecexchange.edgateway.net/cs/rtecp/view/rtec_str/11

Citations con’t • Theroux, P. (2004, June). Differentiated Instruction. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Enhancing Leaning With Technology Web site: http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiating.html • Theroux, P. (2004, June). Strategies for differentiating. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Enhance Learning with Technology Web site: http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/differentiatingstrategies.html • Tomlinson, C.A. (1995, October). Differentiated instruction for advanced learners in the mixed-ability middle school classroom. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from KidSource Online Web site: http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/diff_instruction.html • Tools for differentiated instruction using technology. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Ox Bow Elementary Web site: http://oxbow.concord.k12.in.us/Teacher%20Resources/Tools%20for%20Differeniated%20Instruction%20Using%20Technology.htm

Citations con’t • (2008). What is differentiated instruction? . Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Sacramento City Unified School District Web site: http://www.scusd.edu/gate_ext_learning/differentiated.htm • Willis, S. (2000, Winter). Differentiating instruction:Finding manageable ways to meet individual needs. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from ASCD: Curriculum Update Web site: http://www.ascd.org/ed_topics/cu2000win_willis.html

Making a Difference: