Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction is balancing success and challenge and putting the students at the center of the conversation.

Presented by Lynda FoteJuly 12 – 15, 2010

Lynda@learning-plus.us

Language Arts/Literacy Strategies

1. One Word Each student is given a word on an index card. The word is a word that describes a

character in a story that you will be reading. Before you read the story, give a brief overview of the story and discuss the words (meanings) that were distributed. The cards should be distributed for ability level – the student should be able to read the word on the card that they receive. Make sure to use words that are on, above, and below grade level. Once the students understand the meanings of the words on the cards, they should take a few minutes to talk to their groups (2-3 students per group – mixed abilities) about the words. They should tell who they think their word describes and why. While the students are talking, the teacher should walk around and check in with the students. Then, read the story aloud to the class. Every now and then, stop and pause to discuss the words with the class. Each time you stop, you should ask the kids for a word that describes one of the characters. Students share their words if they think it is an appropriate time. They would tell their word and what happened in the story to support their word. Then, ask for words that describe the other characters and allow students to share. Continue reading and allowing students to share until the story is finished and all students have answered. You should stop 4 or more times throughout the story to complete this task.

o For example, you may be reading aloud “The Wolf’s Chicken Stew” to the class. The words on the cards would either describe the wolf or the chicken. When discussing the words with their group, they would answer the question, “Who does your word describe?” The students would tell if they think the word describes the wolf or the chicken and why. In this case, while reading and sharing, the teacher would stop and ask for a word that describes the chicken. Allow a few students to share. Then, after students share their words and evidence from the story, the teacher would ask for a word that describes the wolf. Allow the students to share their words and evidence. Continue 4 or more times until all students have shared and the story is finished. **A part of the story is included in the binder.

If students do not raise their hands, partner them up to help build confidence and risk-taking skills.

If a student gives a response that makes no sense, but has been paying attention, find some truth in their answer and reword it for the class.

If a student doesn’t show that they were paying attention, challenge them to find more information in the story to support their word.

Students may use their word more than one time and to describe both characters as long as they can find the evidence to support the word.

2. Compare and Contrast After completing the One Word strategy, this activity is used to continue reinforcing and

encouraging discussions of stories. Students use newsprint or chart paper and create a venn diagram, bow tie, or chart with 3 columns. The chart typically works better because there is more room. They will work in small groups (no more than 4 students per group, but partners are the best way to ensure that everyone is working) to create this part of the lesson. Each group will receive a list of all of the words that were distributed among the students. Students should put the words under the character that they best describe or if appropriate, they should put it in the both column. Before the students begin working, you should model the kind of discussion that they should be having. For example, “I think _________________ describes _________________ because ________________.” This kind of discussion reinforces that students are paying attention and understand the story and vocabulary. After the students have categorized the words, they should try to add words of their own to each column. Bring the class together and share. After the charts are completed, student groups should choose one character and three words from their chart that best describe the character. Students will highlight examples of how each word describes the character in a copy of the story. Share and find additional evidence as a whole class.

Sometimes you may want to group the more assertive students together so that they can learn to share and work together.

Pull any struggling students and complete this activity as a small group lesson. This strategy incorporates rereading, retelling, and reviewing the story. Students practice inferencing and finding supporting details. This is an open-ended question and there is no wrong answer as long as the student can

find evidence. If a group finishes quickly, have something in mind for them to do. (Anchor Task)

3. Sequence As another extension of the previous two strategies, this strategy should be completed in

small homogeneous groups so the groups will have to be changed at this time. Each group is given an envelope with the same story events in the envelope. The events are cut apart into strips. The student groups should work together to put the story events in order. Different levels of support are given in each envelope to help students complete the task successfully.

o Support examples – some events may be cut into strips that are puzzle-like, some have numbers next to every other event (#’s 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. are numbered and students fill in the gaps), some have less numbers given (#’s 1, 5, 9, etc.), some may be cut into chunks that are color coded (first 5 events are pink, next five are blue, and last five are green), some may have no support (cut apart after each event), or the size of chunks can vary (after every event cut a strip – more strips or after every 2nd event cut a strip – less strips to order).

4. Leveled (Tiered) Writing Task Number tasks from 1 – 3. Each student completes a task independently, but they are not

given a choice. The teacher assigns the number to each student that they should complete, with #1 being the most basic and #3 being the most difficult. **See paper included for “The Wolf’s Chicken Stew” for examples.

When completing the first four strategies together, you incorporate four different teaching techniques: heterogeneous small groups, whole group, homogeneous small groups, and individual. They can even be completed as centers or during reading groups.

5. Jigsaw Puzzles – Word Study (Phonics) Each student receives a word part on an index card. (Words are cut in half). Cards can

be color coded and have puzzle-like cuts. Students move around the classroom to find the partner with the other half of their word. Once they find their partner, they should practice reading the word that they made. Then, students should continue to walk around the room and find the sentence that their word fits in. The sentences are hanging up around the classroom. When students find the correct sentence, the pairs stand and practice reading the sentence. Share with the class. Say the word and read the sentence. Return sentences and cards to teacher when completed.

o When to use this strategy – grammatical concepts or any word or study skill, such as contractions, plurals, “ow” family, etc.

6. Word Splash Each small group of students receives a sheet of pictures and words that are divided into

boxes. (One picture or one word in each box.) Students cut the sheet into small boxes and make predictions about what is going to happen in the story. Discuss predictions. **Older students can write their predictions before sharing. After sharing, show the cover and title of the story to the students to give them more information. Have students predict again or add to their written predictions. Students do not have to be right. When finished reading the story, go back to see how close their predictions were and make changes.

o Example – Peter is a young boy who goes outside on a snowy day. He makes a snowball and decides to keep it in his pocket. When he goes home, he still has the snowball in his pocket, which melts. He takes a bath and goes to bed. Peter dreams about the sun coming out all of the snow being gone. Peter wakes up the next morning to see that it snowed again and he can have another snowy day. The cards that might have been included pictures of snow, snow gear, bathtub, and a boy. The cards that might have included words could have been Peter and falling. The students would be those cards to make their predictions. Then, they would be told the title and shown the cover to add to their predictions.

Always give 1 or 2 main character names, verbs (actions in the story), and the setting on the cards for student predictions.

Make sure there are a couple of words that your most struggling readers can read and challenging words for those who are higher.

Words can be from the first couple of pages or chapter of a story. You can use this strategy for other subject areas as well. For example, you can use it for

Social Studies – regions, landforms, and vocabulary.

7. RAFT Writing Prompts This is an independent activity that is tiered toward student ability. Students receive a

RAFT sheet and go straight across a column to choose their writing task. Each writing task includes four things – role of the writer, audience, format, and topic. Although it is a student choice, the teacher should help students choose the best task for the student based on their ability. As students work, check over it and then help them adjust the work to their level. For example, challenge students to add more sentences if they are capable of doing that.

See examples of RAFT prompts on blue sheet included in binder. Start with only 2 choices and then work up to four choices. Don’t use formats that they haven’t done for you before. Use only familiar tasks.

8. Carousel Writing Prompt Hang a few sheets of newsprint or chart paper on the walls. Doing this in the hallway

may be a good idea so that the students can have more room. There should be a different topic written on the top of each newsprint. Students work in pairs. Each partnership will need one marker and each group’s marker should be a different color. This makes them accountable for what they add to each piece of newsprint. Students rotate around during a given amount of time and add to each newsprint until they get back to their original topic. As students rotate, it gets harder because they have to come up with something that has not been added to the list by another group. After completing the carousel, students should use 2 or 3 words from each list in their independent writing task.

o Example – Writing topic is a description of winter. Each newsprint could be labeled with one of the following: we see, we do, we taste/smell, we feel, we celebrate, and we hear.

Before asking students to rotate, allow each group to add at least 1 more item to the list. For independent writing portion of strategy, allow students who are overwhelmed by the

number of words on each chart to use a graphic organizer. The graphic organizer can limit the number of words for them and it will essentially be easier for them to concentrate. They should choose 2 – 3 words from each list and add them to their organizer so that they can remember which words they chose to use in their writing.

At least two students in a group, but no more than 3 students. Can use as a review, as a prewriting tool, or before doing something to find out what they

know. Other ideas – Polygon review, fall description, etc.

9. Book Bag This strategy is a good strategy to use for independent reading, centers, or guided reading

book work. Each book bag has the same things in it. Pick an author, theme (friendship), or nonfiction theme for each bag. In each bag, include a to do list: word study skill (on a ring), RAFT or other journal prompt, word splash, read and talk. Each student chooses a book on their level and completes the tasks in the book bag. **It is important that the to do lists always include the same thing; it should be the same sequence of tasks in each bag.

o Examples of Word Study Rings: Sort the words into ow (long o), ow, ou, and other. Have the word written

on additional cards on the ring and students sort them into 4 piles and record them on an answer sheet.

Add oon to each card. Have just the beginning letter written on each card and have students complete the words by adding oon. Students should record the new words on an answer sheet and practice reading the words; make long o sounds

Make long o words. Add 1 more consonant to make a long o word. The cards have combinations of letters that need just one more consonant to create a word with a long o sound. Have students create new words, write them on an answer sheet, and practice reading the words.

This strategy builds skills, choice, and accountability.

10. From the Way I See It This strategy gets students to look at things from different perspectives. Every

partnership receives one paper. (**See tan paper in binder.) There are cards located around the room with quotes from a story. The quotes come from 4 different characters in the story. These cards should have letters in the bottom corner to make it easier for students to record their answers. On their answer sheets, they should write the title of the story in the Event/Issue box and one character in each Perspective box. Students will record the letter of each quote in the eyeballs next to the character name as they complete the task. Once all students are ready, the student pairs should walk around the room, read the quotes, record the letter in the eyes of who said the quote in the story. When they have added all of the quotes to one character perspective on their answer sheet, student pairs return to their seats and try to add another quote (of their own) to each character’s perspective. **As an extension, you may even ask the students to add a quote that each character might say a year later or another challenging task. Once students have had a chance to do most of these tasks, hand out the quote cards to each group and ask “Who has a quote from _________________________ (character name)?” Students read their cards aloud, identify the person responsible for saying the quote, and prove it – how/why they know that character said it.

o Example – Cinderella (Event). The characters were Cinderella, the evil step sisters, the fairy godmother, and the prince. All quotes were from the story Cinderella.

This strategy can be done for anything that has specific attributes. Ideas – Science Review (circuits), Social Studies (regions), Geometry (polygons),

Grammar, etc.

11. Quiz, Quiz Trade Create a set of cards (index cards) that have a question on the front and an answer to the

question on the back. Each student gets one card. Students move around the classroom for this task. They find a partner and they begin quiz, quiz, trade. In partners, the first partner quizzes using the question on their card. The partner tells the answer. If the student is wrong, the partner who asked the question should tell the answer. Model: “Let me help you. The answer is _________________________.” Next, the second partner quizzes the first partner using the question on their card. Once both students quiz each other and know the correct answers to each question, they trade cards (whether they got the answer right or wrong). Finally, they stop and raise their hands to find a new partner. Repeat the procedure.

Modification: Inside/Outside Circle – This is a good way to teach this strategy to the class. Begin by assigning each student a number (1 or 2). Have all #1’s stand in a circle. Then, have all #2’s stand in a circle inside the #1’s. The 2’s turn around and face the 1’s. That is their partner. Quiz, Quiz, Trade. Teacher rotates one circle randomly to change partners.

This strategy can be tiered to student ability depending on the topic being used. You can tier it by color coding and allowing students to trade with the same color cards only.

Teacher Role – If there is an even number of students playing, the teacher can observe. However, if there are an odd number of students, the teacher must play.

Ideas – review games, math facts, reading review, time and money, word problems, vocabulary, getting to know you (no answers would be written on the back), or principal/school/classroom facts.

Laminate the cards once you create them!

12. Scavenger Hunt (Tiered Phonics) This strategy has leveled tiers and is best used for phonics skills. Hang pictures around

the classroom. Students walk around the room and look at the pictures that are hanging up. Each picture has a number on it so that it correlates with student answer sheets. Each tier has a different level of support. **See yellow packet of paper provided in binder.

o First tier (most support) – students are provided with most of the word to identify the picture. At the bottom of the answer page, they are provided with the only answer choices that they should fill in to the missing blanks. (For example, they may have been provided with the consonant blends they should be working on.) In this tier the students are practicing seeing the sound and reading the words.

o Second tier – students are provided with the vowel sound only and have to fill in the rest of the missing word.

o Third tier – students have to fill in the whole word using the skill that they are required to use.

o Even lower tier – students only practice seeing the sound. They are provided with a list of the words that are shown in the pictures. They also get to walk around and see the pictures. They highlight the words when they see the picture. They are matching the word to the picture as they walk around and practice seeing the sound only.

13. Read the Walls (Jigsaw) – Team of 4 An example of reading the walls using a bear activity – Each group member reads about a

different bear. There are pictures of different bears (4) hanging around the room. Include a descriptive fact about the bear on the picture card as well. Each bear type should be on a different color card so as the students circulate around the room, they know which pictures to go to in order to identify facts about their chosen bear. As students circulate, they are working with the students from the other groups that are working on the same bear. They should list facts from each picture on their answer sheet. (There are four pictures with a fact hanging around the room per bear being studied.) **See example answer sheet in binder. When students have gathered all of their facts, they return to their original group and share 1 interesting fact each that they learned.

Modifications to the activity – Students can work on finding facts for each different bear (do one per day) until they have had a chance to learn about all 4 kinds.

You may want to make sure that your struggling readers are paired with other students that are better readers. Also, you can have all struggling students working on the same topic – in this case, you may highlight the key words on the picture/fact cards hanging around the room. You could also modify the hunt sheet so that the students who are overwhelmed may only have to fill in the key words.

Complete for Social Studies regions – landforms, economy, and cultural facts would be shown and hung around the room.

14. Tic Tac Toe (Follow-Up Activity) Follow the basic outline provided to help create a tic tac toe board. This is a great

strategy for Reading Themes, Social Studies, and Science. It can also be implemented for math if needed. Students need to complete 1 activity from each column to get Tic Tac Toe. **See example follow-up activity for The Bear Hunt and The Paper Bag Princess (green packet).

Summarize Predict Create (Artistic)

Write Compare/Contrast Imagine (Put yourself in shoes of…pretend you are…)

Make a Decision Music/Rhythmic Evaluate

Modifications – You can highlight 1 per page and allow students to choose 2. This helps ensure that students are choosing activities that are at their ability levels.

This can be an independent assignment during reading groups.

15. Polly Proofreader Read a story together with the students. When finished working with the student and

teaching grammar skills, hand out a reprinted or retyped copy of the story that students can write on. This copy should have mistakes in it based on the skills you choose to have students focus on. Students’ task is to find the errors that are listed on the Polly Proofreader handout. (You choose the skills to put on the Polly Proofreader worksheet.) Students are looking for one kind of mistake on each reprinted page of the story; otherwise it gets too difficult and confusing. **See example on orange sheet in binder.

Good for review for Daily Language Practice each week. Focuses on grammar and phonics skills.

16. Fact/Inference Hang pieces of newsprint around the room. Each newsprint page should also have a

picture (or text) at the top. Divide the newsprint down the middle into two columns and label one column Fact and one column Inference. Students rotate around just like they did for Carousel Writing. Remember that each partnership needs a different colored marker for accountability. Each partnership should add 1 fact and 1 inference on each newsprint based on the picture (or text) at the top. Once all groups were able to complete the task, share facts and inferences with the class. Have each student choose their favorite their favorite inference and tell what they see in the picture that makes it a good inference.

Extension – Give list of facts and inferences to each pair of students along with 2 different pictures. Students can identify which picture each fact and each inference correlates with.

Modification – Show students a picture and have them sort facts about the picture and inferences about the picture. This can be done on strips of paper and they can cut the strips out and sort them into two piles.

17. Inference Sort (Inferencing based on a story) Each group of students (2 – 3 students) gets a piece of newsprint. Have them divide the

newsprint into 3 columns and label each column with a different character name that will be in the story. Each group should also receive an envelope with words that are cut apart in it. Students should take the words and sort/predict which character each word describes. After all groups have sorted the words into three columns, read the story aloud. Every so often, stop reading and have students move their words around based on the events and actions of characters in the story. Have students share their words. For example, model the following statement and allow students to use that to explain their character descriptions: “I think _____________________ (character name) is _______________________ (description word) because _______________________ (what happened in the story).” After a few students have shared, continue reading the story aloud. Repeat sorting procedure until the story is finished and all students have shared. Once finished, have students add 1 more word of their own to each column to further describe the characters. Groups should also share their choices with the class. Lastly, have student groups choose 3 words that best describe 1 of the characters and have them share those words with the class again. If you would like, each group can glue the words onto the newsprint and then the newsprint can be hung around the classroom. In this case, you should discuss the similarities and differences between groups.

o Example: Read aloud The Paper Bag Princess. Before reading, have students sort the words to describe the following 3 characters: Princess, Prince, and Dragon. They can do this without reading anything aloud at first.

If students don’t know the meanings of the words in the envelope, let them look them up in a dictionary or just give them examples before reading the story aloud.

If they need a word more than once, they can write it on the newsprint since some of the words can describe more than one character.

o If the story is about 3 characters (by name), you will have to read the first few pages aloud before students can begin sorting.

18. Inference/Evidence (Tiered Writing) This is a follow up activity to the two activities above. **See The Paper Bag Princess

example in green packet.

19. Cause and Effect Step 1: Prior to the start of this strategy, hang pictures around the classroom. Cards with

a part of a sentence are distributed to each student. The cards should be puzzle cut so that the cause is on one half and the effect of the sentence is on the other half. Students should go around the classroom and find their partner that has the other half of their sentence. Once students find their partners, they should walk around the room and find the picture that goes with their sentence. Have students practice reading their sentence with each other. All groups will read their sentence aloud and identify the cause and effect.

o Example: I was sick so I couldn’t go to the dance. (Picture of a girl in bed with a thermometer in her mouth). cause – I was sick; effect – I couldn’t go to the dance.

Step 2: Give students another picture. Have them practice writing their own cause/effect sentences based on their picture. Complete this is groups of 2 or 3 students. After a few minutes, each group should choose their favorite statement that they came up with. Have them hold their picture up and read aloud their statement to the class. The class identifies the cause and effect of the sentence read aloud.

Step 3: Model a personal cause/effect statement. Partners/Individuals create their own personal cause/effect statement. Share.

Step 4: Read a story aloud to the class. Make sure to stop once in awhile for cause/effect identification.

20. Triple Play Create a spinner and game board. Have students spin once and color in the picture or

correct answer on the game board. Three in a row wins. **Explain pictures to students before playing so that they know what each picture is.

o Example: Phonics – Use the spinner provided with vowels. The phonics skill is short vowel sounds. If the student spins and lands on o, he or she would look at the game board and color in the picture with the short o sound. Whatever sound is spun, is the sound they should hear in the picture word. Three in a row wins.

o Example: Nouns – Use the two spinners provided. Spin twice (once on each spinner). Color in a correct choice on the answer sheet or game board. For example, if a student spins people and proper, they would color in a proper noun for a person, such as Bart Simpson. Three in a row wins.

o Example: Vocabulary (synonyms and antonyms) – Use the two spinners provided and either the basic game board or the more advanced game board. Spin once on each spinner and have students shade a choice on the answer sheet. For example, if a student spins egress and synonym, they would shade in exit (or any other synonym for egress) on their answer sheet. Three in a row wins.

The more advanced board for the vocabulary triple play has more than 1 synonym and antonym for each word, but students should only shade 1 word each time they take a turn.

21. Menu This strategy is used after reading a story or book. It leaves students with an option of

which activities to complete and lends toward their ability levels. There are three components to each menu – appetizer, main course, and dessert. The appetizer activity is related to vocabulary, the main course is a comprehension activity, and the dessert is a writing task. Students should be able to complete these tasks independently.

o Examples: “Having a Whale of a Time” (blue menu worksheet), The All American Café menu (white worksheets), and Biography menu worksheets.

o Also included in the binder is a pink worksheet which is a generic outline to use for creating a menu.

22. The Perfect 10 Every student in the class has a chance to get the perfect 10. Each question on the

handout it worth 2, 3, or 4 points. Students should choose enough questions on the handout to make a perfect 10 points. Before having students complete the assignments, set the rules and expectations so that you can grade accordingly. For example, you may instruct the students to answer each question clearly, writing in complete sentences, and using correct punctuation. Without those, they would not receive full points for their response. Be sure to model the rules and expectations to the students prior to having them work independently. The questions are tiered to student abilities. **This is a good activity that can eventually be used as centers.

Most able students should do at least one 4 point question. You can allow them to choose all of their activities or you can highlight the 4 point question that you would like them to complete. Allow them to choose the other activities to make the perfect 10.

For lower level students – keep the same contract, with the same questions. Change some 2 point questions to 3 and 4 point questions. Help students find the questions that used to be worth 2 points (don’t tell them this) and guide them to wanting to work on these questions by telling them that they are good questions for them to answer.

Help lower students choose appropriate questions for them to complete. 2 point questions – “Right There” questions – the answers are found in the book.

Sometimes the page number is given. 3 point questions – “Think and Search” questions – the answers are in the book, but may

not be stated directly in the text. 4 point questions – “Step Beyond” questions – these answers are not in the book. The

information that the students need to start is in the book, but the students have to step beyond to complete the questions.

Use different contracts for Fiction stories and Nonfiction stories.o Fiction Examples: The Great Kapok Tree and a generic form are included in the

binder. These examples include more content based questions.o Nonfiction Examples: Owls and a generic form are included in the binder. These

questions are more knowledge based.

23. Stop and Spin Create mixed ability groups for this activity. Students work in small groups of 2 – 3

students. Each group will need a piece of newsprint divided into 4 boxes and numbered from 1 to 4. Create a spinner and a key that identifies tasks you would like the students to complete. Review the key for the pictures on the spinner so that the students understand what task they are to complete after they spin. They should also receive a handout of what each picture stands for so that they can use it while working. Begin to read aloud a story to the class. Every now and then, stop reading and have each group spin. The group should complete the task that is spun and complete the task in the box. Give students a few minutes to complete the task and then bring the class together to share. Share only 1 or 2 things from the spinner each time. (Everyone will not share every time because of time.) Continue reading, spinning, working, and sharing until the story is finished and all groups have finished 4 tasks and shared at least one time.

o Examples of spinners and keys are included in the binder. Also included is an example for younger students.

o Example: Julius The Baby of the World – The open ended questions included are not tiered. These are questions that a teacher would expect students to be able to answer successfully and are incorporated in the activities to complete for Stop and Spin. Therefore, students complete them in a group and then can complete one or more of them independently if you would like. A RAFT prompt is also provided as a follow up activity for independent work.

Spin again of it lands on the same thing. Students cannot go ahead in the story to complete a task, but they can use any

information from the story that has been read aloud up to the stop. If it is a longer story, you can have the students divide their papers into as many boxes as

you would like – one box for each time you plan on stopping. This activity can be done individually, whole group, or for guided reading groups. For individual, use a smaller sheet of paper and tell them the number of boxes and spins

to complete. Also make sure that you tell them when to stop reading (which page numbers).

24. Build Background This is a strategy used to build background knowledge for all students prior to reading a

story. o Examples: Reading Theme – Animals, Parents, and Babies. For this example,

you would hang pictures of animals around the room. Underneath of the picture, write the name of the animal and the correct term for the baby (horse/calf). Then, each student should receive a card that is cut like a puzzle. On one half of the card, the parent name should be written and on the other half, the baby name should be written. Students should walk around the room to find the partner with the other half. Once they find their partner, they should find the picture of their animal hanging around the room. As a class, discuss how babies and parents are alike. Create a class list.

25. Read the Walls (Building Fluency) This strategy can be used as a second step to building background. Books that have

patterns are good for practicing fluency.

First step: Read aloud a book that goes along with the theme (Animals, Parents, and Babies). For example, you may read aloud Does Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? Read the book one time to the whole class. Hand out sheets to the students with parts of the story typed on it. (Example – a sheet may have a picture of a fox on it and under the picture it would say, “Yes, a fox has a mother just like you!”) Two students sitting next to each other should get the same sheet so that they can chorally read when it is their turn. The second time around, the teacher reads aloud only parts of the story. In this case, she would read only the questions aloud and the students (partners) would chorally read the answer typed on the sheet that was handed out to them. (Example – the teacher would say, “Does fox have a mother too?” and the students would chorally read the answer above, “Yes, a fox has a mother just like you!”) Students only read when they have the correct response in front of them. They have to pay attention in order to do this task successfully.

Second Step: Retype each page of the story. Each page should also have a picture of the animal that is being talked about on that page of the story. Hang the retyped story on the walls in the hallway and hang the picture underneath the appropriate retyped page. Laminate the pages with the typing on them so that they can act as a white board. Students reread the story with a partner and complete a task. They rotate around the parts of the story like Carousel in order to complete the task. Students should complete only 1 task per day and they should be reading it aloud as they complete the tasks. Some tasks might include: circling all of the animal names, circling the punctuation, or circling the capitals.

o Since the higher students have completed reading this story and can fluently do so, they should be working on something else. You may want them to read another animal book, look up other animals and identify the parent/baby names, or they might think of other animals that have mothers to add to the wall (draw a picture and identify the parent and baby name).

Third step: Read aloud the book that you have been working on building background and fluency. For example, you may read aloud A Mother for Choco. As reading, create

another list of what parents would do to take care of a baby. This is also something you do before reading and add to as you read. The story before this prepares students for reading this story.

Once finished all three steps, you could have students work independently on a RAFT assignment. **See example on pink sheet in binder and examples below.

In addition to a RAFT assignment, you can have students complete a journal entry by Choco (writing to himself), emails or texts to someone, planning a house, create a billboard, or even create a birthday card for Choco on his birthday. **See pink sheet about “My Mother” as an example of a journal entry.

Some good poets to use for building fluency are Jack Prelutsky, Douglas Florian, and Jeff Moss.

Role Audience Format TopicChoco Father Want Ad Looking for a FatherMother Choco List/Letter Explain a good

motherChoco Yourself Picture with a caption Explain what Choco

learned and enjoyed with his new family

Yourself Family Ad Why my mom is great!

Other Children in Family

Choco Letter Welcome to the Family!

Photographer Family Picture Family Portrait

26. Carousel Envelope Hang envelopes with comprehension questions for a story around the classroom. Read

the story aloud to the class. When the story is finished, students circulate and answer questions on index cards with a partner. After they answer a question, they should put the index card in the envelope. Students should answer as many questions that time permits (at least 5 – 6 questions). When time is up, have each partnership return to their seats with one of the envelopes. They should look at all of the answers to the question. Then, on one last index card, they should answer the question independently. It does not matter if they already answered it. Now they have their thoughts plus their classmate’s thoughts to help create a well written answer.

o Examples: Make Way for Ducklings and Cinderella provided in binder.

Have more questions than partnerships so that there is never a line. This task will require enough time to answer 5-6 open ended questions or you can have

students complete the assignment in more than one day. In between each envelope that is hanging in the classroom, have a word bank hanging.

27. Jot – Pair – Share Read aloud a story to the students. As you are reading, stop every so often. When you

stop, have students jot answers to the open-ended questions. These questions could be typed in a packet already handed out to them or you could post the questions somewhere in the room, like on the smart board. As the students are jotting their answers, they should not be talking. **Give expectations and rules for jotting before the students work. For example, you may ask them to write single words, phrases, or complete sentences. When all students have jotted an answer, they should share their responses with a partner. Then, ask students to share something interesting that their partner said in order to increase attention and to encourage all students to participate. Those students who are normally hesitant to raise their hands should participate more because it is not their own answer they are sharing and they will not worry about if it was right or wrong. Not all students will share at this point, but make sure that everyone shares during the process. Continue the process of jot – pair – share.

o Example: The Emperor’s Egg

Good strategy to use for Social Studies

28. The Perfect 100 Students have the option of which tasks to complete for a book report. They have to

make sure that they choose enough tasks to earn 100 points.o Example provided in binder.

Anchor Strategies

“What do I do when I’m done?”

1. Cookie Jar Students choose a “cookie question” out of the cookie jar. They should write the number

of the cookie on their answer sheet and answer the question that they pulled out. Questions can be tiered to students’ levels by using different colored cookies.

These cookies are good to use for review questions, writing tasks, and math tasks.

2. Cubes Students work independently or in partners to complete this activity. They roll a cube or

cubes and complete tasks based on what they rolled. o Examples

Reading – Response Activities Writing – Use 3 cubes. On one cube write different quotes, on a second

cube write different people or characters, and on a third cube write different situations or places. Students roll all three cubes and use what they roll for a story starter. Another example for writing could be to use 2 cubes, one with different types of beginnings (action, dialogue, sound effect, etc.) and another with different topics. Students roll both cubes and use the information as a paragraph starter.

Math – Use 2 cubes. This can be used for many different math techniques, such as time and money. For example, for time you may have one cube that has a time on it and another that tells you to add another amount of time to it. Students would record the new time. 2:30 pm + 45 minutes = 3:15 pm.

This activity can be used across a variety of subject areas and students. You can use it for independent or group work. For example, the cubes are good to also use in guided reading groups and literature circles.

The cubes are also good to use for phonics and word skills. This strategy can also be leveled. You can level it by using different colored boxes or

colored dots on the questions. For the more able students you can use more than one cube, but for other students you may want them to use only one cube in which they can complete 2 or more tasks.

3. Other Any activity which has been practiced and can be completed independently may become

an Anchor Task or center activity.

Review Strategies

1. Numbered Heads Together Put students into groups of 3 or 4 students that have mixed abilities. Assign each person

a number from 1 – 4. (If there are only 3 students, then one student should have 2 numbers). Spread the stack of cards out on the table so that all students can see the options. Read a question aloud to the students. Students quietly talk to their team. The teacher spins a spinner or rolls a die (random numbers). On a die 5 and 6 would be teacher’s choice for number to be called. The number that is called stands up with the correct answer card. Make sure the card is facing the student’s chest until they are asked to reveal their answers. This cuts down on wandering eyes for those students who aren’t sure of the correct answer. Once answers are shown, and if necessary, explained, students sit and the process repeats.

o Example – The names of actors/actresses are on the cards that are spread face up on the table in front of each group. Read aloud quotes from movies and have students identify who said the quote.

Modifications to the activity – put pictures or other visuals on the cards and complete the “who said” or question process.

Can score to enhance the game. The most important information is on the cards on the table. Every so often, throw in a bonus question and have students raise their hand to give the

answer. Good for vocabulary review – Always put the vocabulary words on the cards that are on

the table and mix up the prompts that you read aloud. For example, give the definitions and ask for the word, show a picture and ask for the correct word, or read a sentence and have students fill in the correct vocabulary word.

This strategy is also a great review to use for matching questions.

2. Zap Put students into groups of 3 or 4 students. Each group receives a red plastic cup full of

popsicle sticks that are labeled with the answers needed for the review, lose a turn, steal one, give one away, and zap. When students answer a question correctly, they keep the stick they pulled out of the cup; if they were wrong they return the stick to the cup.

Students should also follow the other directions on the sticks. If they pull zap, it means to put all of their sticks back into the red cup. Allow students to play for a certain amount of time and the player at the end of the time with the most sticks wins the game.

o Example – For a social studies review, you may review the map of the United States. Each group receives a blank map that sits face up on the table and each group gets a map that is filled in (answer key) that sits face down on the table. Take turns picking popsicle sticks out of the cup and finding the correct state on the map that is written on the stick. Complete any other task on the popsicle stick if a state was not written on it. If the students are sure if they are correct or not, they should check with the answer key.

You should have at least 30 sticks for each group. Within those thirty, have the answers, at least 2 lose a turn, 2 steal one, 2 give one away, and 4 zap. For review games that do not have many answers, for example vocabulary, you may want to include each word or answer on two sticks in the cup.

Someone can be the expert and use answers to check. This is good for those students who may have a more difficult time remembering the answers.

You can also have a random checker and the students pass the answer sheet around the group as they take turns answering questions.

Some kids will not check their answers and will assume that they are right, so it might be best to assign a checker somehow.

Ideas – matching (put state name on the stick and pictures of the states on the card), break the US map into regions and add on each time, facts (answers go on the card and the basic fact is written on the stick), geometry (picture, definition, or description of a polygon goes on the card and the name of the polygon on the stick), or vocabulary (word on stick and picture or definition on the card).

This strategy does not have to be a whole class review. It can also be completed as a center.

Sources

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg – good source for writing activities

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