Tiered Assignment'sWhat is it?Why do it?

How do you do it?

What do you know about tiered assignments?

What concerns or fears do you have regarding differentiation and tiered assignments?

What would you like to learn more about?

Curriculum Differentiation

• A Working Definition of Differentiation:

Differentiation has come to mean “consistently using a variety of instructional approaches to modify content, process, and/or products in response to learning readiness and interest of academically diverse students.” Tomlinson, Carol Ann. The Differentiated Classroom

• Differentiation is not a curriculum. It is a way of thinking about teaching and learning of various styles.

• Differentiation is synonymous with good teaching.

• Important for teachers to find ways of instruction that allows each student to succeed.

• Students must feel safe, be held to high expectations and realize the diverse population of learners.

When Differentiating Instruction, The Three Most Important Questions to Continually Ask Yourself...

How will my students show

what they know?

What do I want may students to

know, understand, and be able to do?

What will I do instructionally to get my students

to learn this?

Summer’s over kids! Now it is time for all of you round pegs to fit into these

square pegs.

Other options of differentiation:

**Choice Boards

**Tic-Tac-Toe Boards

**Raft Assignments**Higher-level questioning** Curriculum Compacting ** Independent Contracts

** Learning/Interest-centers

The differentiation strategy for today is

Tiered assignments.

The purpose of tiered assignments is to provide students with options and allowing them to learn at their individual level.

Tiered Assignments

-An instructional strategy that allows the teacher to provide mixed-ability groups access to the same content and objectives during a lesson.

-All students gain an understanding of the key concept but at their own ability and level.

-Students come together to share and learn from one another.

The facts on Tiered Assignments

• Teach the same objective but at various levels and modalities/multiple intelligences

• Range from simple to complex using blooms taxonomy

• Each tier builds upon the previous one and allows students to experience success at their own academic level. (i.e…a ladder)

• Use pre-assessments, abilities, interests & talents to group students

• Equally amount of work; engagement; expectations

Tier 1: Below grade-level• Recall and understand from Bloom’s Taxonomy• Asks students to recall general information• Ask students to list and briefly describe characters of a

story• Identify parts of something; write a summary or outline• Explain a topic, make inferences about what their reading• Demonstrate basic knowledge of the content or objective. • Understand the information and put into their own words

Tier 2: On grade-level• Analyzing the Information• Applying the Information in a new form• Write a poem retelling a story• Demonstrate a drawing based on information• Sketch a scene from a play by using stage directions• Demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the

information• Compare and Contrast characters• Distinguish between fact and opinion• Categorizing data; types of genre

Tier 3: Above Grade-level• Evaluating the Information • Creating New Information or product• Making judgment on ideas or concepts/literature• Critique a book or assess author’s viewpoint• Students use their own knowledge to develop an original idea or

thought. • Rewrite the ending to a story, write an extra chapter, create a song,

poem or play from the information• Design a book cover with an illustration and back cover summary• Using a global event to create a new product• Completion of these types of activities (creating) shows mastery of

expected skill

Now It’s Your Turn…

Think of a lesson or standard that you would like to teach from the third nine weeks. Using differentiation, create a tiered assignment for two different subjects.

**We will share what you think is your best “tier” when you are finished.**

I’ve already mapped out all the skills that I know so that I can save you time!