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Tiered: Lessons, Activities, Instruction

February 2009TAG Office 503-916-3358

www.tag.pps.k12.or.us

In our last episodes…

Characteristics of Gifted StudentsGrouping Strategies

The Big Picture

And Now…Back to our regularly scheduled program

We bring you Tiered Assignments

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Tiered Assignments (Lessons or Activities)

•Tiered assignments are a differentiation strategy where learning tasks and projects are developed based on assessed student need.

•Tiered assignments are intended to provide a better instructional match between students and their needs.

At the end of this TAG Episode

Participants will •Define Tiered Lessons (or

Activities)•Experience a Tiered activity •View multiple ways to Tier

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Teachers vary•TASK for different levels

•PROCESS for different levels

•PRODUCT appropriately to demonstrate learning

Students arrive with varied• Cultural and linguistic backgrounds

• Learning opportunities and experiences

• Interests

• Readiness levels

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Tiered Chocolate Activities• Make a list of descriptive,

sensory and/or comparative words to describe your chocolate.

• Create 3 SIMILES to help someone understand how you feel about your chocolate.

• Create a warning label to attach to your chocolate.

• Finish these analogies:Chocolate is to stress as

___________Is to ___________________.Chocolate is to happiness as

________Is to ___________________.

There are multiple methods for designing Tiered Assignments

•Challenge level (Depth)

•Complexity•Resources

•Outcome•Process•Product

Tier by….

In designing a Standards-based tiered lesson:•Start with grade-level standards,

concepts or skills•Modify the content into two to three

progressive levels of depth and complexity

•Differentiate by process, product, resources or outcome

Research, Interview, Read book, Use Internet….

Perform, create, present, write….

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Example of an Elementary tiered assignment: Grade 1- Insects

THE STANDARD L3. Explain why plants and animals reproduce their own kind

•Strategic: Observe and show structures of an insect larva and of an insect adult (mealworm, wax worm, milkweed bug, silkworm or butterfly)

•On-level: Show the life cycle of a wax worm (mealworm, milkweed bug, silkworm or butterfly)

•Advanced: Compare the stages of the life cycle of a wax worm to the life cycle of another insect

Example of a Mid-level assignment tiered by Complexity:

Create an informational brochure meeting E2 STANDARD:(4th Grade Land and Water)

•Strategic (Least complex) : informs classmates about how land features (shape of the land, angle of slope) affects the flow of streams and amount of soil runoff.

• On Level (More complex): informs classmates about how land features and human activities (dams, removing/planting vegetation) interact to affect the flow of streams and erosion and deposition.

• Advanced (Most complex): presents various positions about human activities affecting water quality and makes a recommendation 12

High School example of tiering by Depth and Complexity within a Standard

HS.1 Structure and Function: HS.1.PS.1 Describe the atomic model and explain

how electron configuration is related to the Periodic Table and to chemical properties.

Compare and contrast the atomic model, electron configuration and chemical properties of an alkali metal, halogen, and noble gas and explain the placement of each in the periodic table.

Based on the atomic model, electron configuration and chemical properties of an alkali metal, halogen, and noble gas, explain the placement of each in the periodic table and create a method for describing the chemical properties of other elements based on their relative position to these elements in the periodic table.

Middle School example of tiering by Depth and Complexity within a Standard

• Strand: Life Science▫ Standard L2 Describe and explain the structures,

functions, processes and relationships within organisms in terms of cells, tissues, organs and organ systems. L2c Recognize how structural differences among

organisms at the cellular, tissue, and organ level are related to their habitat and life requirements.

• Standards-Based Activity (scaffold) • Standards-Based Activity (with increased depth &/or compl

exity)• Standards-Based activity (Highest level of Depth &/or Comp

lexity)

Using a Teacher’s Edition for Support•Does the activity help the student reach

the standard?•Is the activity basic or advanced? •Do the suggested extensions offer more

depth and more complexity, or just more work?

•Are there multiple activities that provided opportunities for tiering the

content to support the standard?

Caution:

•Be sure that the tasks you design are truly more advanced and not simply MORE work.

How do tiered activities meet the needs of Special Ed, ESL, Gifted, and General Ed students?

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Rate

Level

Matches individual need to content

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Rubrics

• General enough to apply to all tiers• Key concepts are clear and included• The Standard that students need to meet

is clear• Students understand how the varied

activities, resources, products, etc help them demonstrate key concepts or State Standards

• Make sure the key concepts are evaluated separately from the quality criteria

Rubrics• The Standard that

students need to meet is clear.▫ Key Concepts are

included, but general enough to apply to all tiers.

▫ Regardless of assignment, activity (or “tier”) students understand how their work demonstrates the standard.

• Quality, Effort, or Career Related Learning Standards (CRLS)▫ Criteria for Quality of

Product, Measured Effort, or CRLS is separate from the evaluation of proficiency in meeting the standard.

▫ Neat, Organized, ON-Time work is recognized, but not directly tied to meeting the Standard.

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Additional Resources for Tiered Assignments

•Differentiating Instruction in the Regular Classroom by Diane Heacox

•How to Differentiate Instruction in the Mixed-Ability Classroom by Carol Ann Tomlinson

•Tiering Assignments & Compacting Curriculum: It’s for Everyone! By Lynda Rice

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Take-Away Packet

• All of the handouts provided in your Take-Away Packet are available from our website

www.tag.pps.k12.or.us

• Look in Educator Resources