Lesson Plan Models�for Differentiation

Responding to students’ educational needs, learning styles, personality profiles,

and interests

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Heather J. Pinedo-Burns, Ed.D.

Head of Lower School, Speyer Legacy School

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There is an �Ebb & a Flow to Differentiated Instruction

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Differentiation is a �Cycle Of:

Reflection

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Assessment

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Planning

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Enactment

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We can differentiate our:

• Content

What do you want your students to learn?

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• Process

How do you want your students to learn?

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• Product 

How will your students demonstrate their knowledge?

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Differentiating Content, Process & Product

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Begins with the

students.

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Often Differentiation is in response to

Student’s academic needs:

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reading level

content skill level

pacing

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We can differentiate in response to student:

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Readiness Skill level

Learning Profile Interests

Personality & more

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Differentiation Always Begins with the children

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What are your students’ needs?

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Encouraging Learning

• Working within children’s Zone of Proximal Development

(Vygotsky)

We want all children to feel a comfortable level of challenge.

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Most Basic DI-Tiered Lessons

• Tiered Lessons are levels that work to meet the various academic needs within your class. Often (but not always!) tiered lessons are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy

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What can be tiered?

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• Assignments
• Lesson Plans
• Homework
• Experiments
• Assessments
• Writing Prompts

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ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A TIERED LESSON PLAN

• Tiers are leveled in cognitive complexity

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• Each tier engaged is matched to the learner’s level of readiness and level of mastery

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• Each task is respectful and engaging

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• Each task moves toward the same essential understanding

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TIERED ASSIGNMENTS

• Select a concept, skills or understanding
• Consider students readiness, interest or learning profile
• Create one activity that is interesting, requires high-level thinking & is clearly focused on the key concept, skill or generalization

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THEN…

• REVISE THE ACTIVITY TO PROVIDE DIFFERENT VERSIONS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY

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• CONSIDER USING BLOOMS TAXONOMY

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• MATCH STUDENTS

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Consider…

• How does this look for content?

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• How does this look for process?

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• How does this look for product?

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• (Complexity, depth, reading level)

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Watching Video Examples

Use your PMI Chart to support your notes during the videos

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Differentiating by �Student Interest��Know your learners

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PRE-ASSESSEMENT

• AS THE TEACHER WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY GOING INTO THIS UNIT OF STUDY?
• You as the teacher – what information, methods, etc. do you need?
• For your students – what information do you have about your students’ interests, abilities, previous knowledge, experiences, learning profiles?
• HOW IS IT BEST TO LEARN THIS INFORMATION?

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Interest Inventories

• General – Get to Know You

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• Specific to Content

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• Learning Style

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• Personality Profile

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Name ________________________

Date _________________________

I can learn best about a subject by listening to the teacher talk

Almost never Sometimes Often

I like to take notes

Almost never Sometimes Often

I enjoy touching objects and working with my hands in class

Almost never Sometimes Often

I remember best by writing things down

Almost never Sometimes Often

Maps are easy for me to understand

Almost never Sometimes Often

The best way to remember things is to picture them in your head.

Almost never Sometimes Often

I learn to spell words by “finger spelling.”

Almost never Sometimes Often

I enjoy listening to speeches rather than reading them.

Almost never Sometimes Often

I follow oral directions better than written directions.

Almost never Sometimes Often

I enjoy giving hugs and shaking hands with people

Almost never Sometimes Often

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Based on the students responses and content, then we must ask…

How are students learning in your classroom?

Is there choice? 

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How do students demonstrate their knowledge?

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Looking at Sample Lessons Plans

Exploring Differentiated Instruction by:

Content

Process

Product

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Beginning with the Public Policy Analyst

1. What is the problem?
2. Where is the evidence?
3. What are the causes?
4. What is the existing policy?
5. What policies can you create to correct the problem?
6. What is the best policy to correct the problem?

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Your Questions about Lesson Planning

Ticket Out the Door

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