Chapter 9
Curricular Inquires
"Four Screens"
1. Immerse - Invite Curiosity, Conduct Think-alouds
2. Investigate - Develop Questions, Discover Answers
3. Coalesce - Synthesize Information
4. Go Public - Share Learning
Content and Process Learning
Content
Examples of differentiating content at the elementary level include the following:
- Using reading materials at varying readability levels;
- Putting text materials on tape;
- Using spelling or vocabulary lists at readiness levels of students;
- Presenting ideas through both auditory and visual means;
- Using reading buddies; and
- Meeting with small groups to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking or skills of advanced learners.
Process
Examples of differentiating process or activities at the elementary level include the following:
- Using tiered activities through which all learners work with the same important understandings and skills, but proceed with different levels of support, challenge, or complexity;
- Providing interest centers that encourage students to explore subsets of the class topic of particular interest to them;
- Developing personal agendas (task lists written by the teacher and containing both in-common work for the whole class and work that addresses individual needs of learners) to be completed either during specified agenda time or as students complete other work early;
- Offering manipulatives or other hands-on supports for students who need them; and
- Varying the length of time a student may take to complete a task in order to provide additional support for a struggling learner or to encourage an advanced learner to pursue a topic in greater depth.
"Develop Group Ground Rules"
Take Learning to the Public
- Journal writing placed in doctors' offices and waiting rooms
- Reader's theater to build knowledge and empathy for the subject
- Joined non-profits for funding raising and awareness
- Presented posters, self-published books, and mobiles to other grade levels