Differentiated Menus and Your Classroom

2012

Janessa Stancato

Prince William Public Schools

K-3 Gifted Resource teacher

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• Differentiation is the practice of making lessons different to accommodate the different students in a single classroom.

• The adaptation of classroom learning to suit each student's individual needs, strengths, preferences, and pace by either splitting the class into small groups, giving individual learning activities, or otherwise modifying the material.

What is differentiation

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Traditional and Differentiated Classroom

Traditional Classroom• Student differences cause problems• Assessment is at the end• Growth is measured by the class• Single option activities

Differentiated Classroom• Student differences are used in planning• Assessment is throughout a unit• Growth is measured from the student’s starting point

What is differentiated in the classroom?

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What do I use to differentiate?

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What guides my planning?

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Ways to Use in the Classroom

• Enrichment

• Replace other activities

• Mini-lessons

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Student Choice

• Read “Chapter 1 Choice”

Great for child because..

• Multiple Options

• Various learning styles

• Empowers the learner

• Meaningful and relevant to the student

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What do menus accomplish?

Menus “provide the teacher-as-curriculum-designer with a range of options within each of the components of the model. The menus encourage teachers to design in-depth curriculum units that bring together an understanding of the structure of a discipline, its content and methodologies, and the wide range of instructional techniques teachers use to create teaching and learning experiences.” Joseph S. Renzulli, 2000

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Types of Menus

• Tic-Tac-Toe

• Cube

• Meal Menu

• Shape Menu

• Point Menu

• List Menu

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Tic-Tac-ToeName _______________________ Date ________________________

Tic Tac Toe

DIRECTIONS: Choose three in a row either horizontally, diagonally, or vertically. You may work on any project described on this Tic Tac Toe Grid.

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Cube

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Meal Menu

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Shape MenuChoices—Figures of Speech Student Reproducibles

Name ____________________________________________________________

Symbol Choices Board

Directions: Choose two activities from the choices below. Make sure your choices correspond with the two symbols your teacher assigned you.

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Point MenuMenu of Options Template

Directions: Project ideas are listed below with the total possible points. (You may offer an alternative project or alterations to those listed below to your teacher. If accepted, it will be assigned points.) You must complete enough projects to earn between 50Р70 points. If you try to earn 50, the highest grade you can receive is a C. If you try to earn 70 points, the highest grade you can receive is an A.

Full credit will only be given for outstanding work. Fewer points will be assigned for incomplete or inadequate projects. Neatness counts.

Projects are due: _________________________________

Project Choices

Worth 50 points each

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Worth 30 points each

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Worth 20 points each

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Worth 10 points each

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Extra credit ideas

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2-3-5 Point Menu

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2-5-8 Point Menu

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List Menu

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Adams, Cheryll, and Rebecca Pierce. Differentiation That Really Works: Strategies from Real Teachers for Real Classrooms Grades 3-5. Waco, Tex: Prufrock, 2010. Print.

"Definition of Differentiation for Gifted Children -- What Is Differentiation?" Gifted Children. Web. 20 June 2011. <http://giftedkids.about.com/od/glossary/g/differentiation.htm>.

"Differentiation | Definition." Education.com | An Education & Child Development Site for Parents | Parenting & Educational Resource. Web. 20 June 2011. <http://www.education.com/definition/differentiation/>.

"The Multiple Menu Model for Developing Differentiated Curriculum." Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. Web. 18 June 2011. <http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/mmm/mmmart01.html>.

Tomlinson, Carol A. The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of All Learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1999. Print.

Westphal, Laurie E. Differentiating Instruction with Menus. Waco, TX: Prufrock, 2007. Print.

Resources

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