STANDARD 3: PLANNING FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION

Description: This picture has two levels of hands-on Counting by 5's activities. Due to my students' various learning levels and preferences, I have to create materials based on their needs. One was for a student who needed help retaining his numbers and required a consistent visual to count by 5s accurately. The other is an activity for a student who knows his numbers, can independently work, and can choose the correct answer from a field of 2 or more. 

Connection: 3Q) develops or selects relevant instructional content, materials, resources, and strategies (e.g., project-based learning) for differentiating instruction: Working in special ed, creating and providing activities with different levels is essential, allowing students to engage with the material that matches their readiness level. It's also important to group students in Centers based on their readiness, interests, and learning styles. It makes it easier for you to tailor instruction to the needs of each group.

Learned: By having to plan for differentiated institutions, I've learned that I need to reflect more on the effectiveness of my differentiation strategies. Sometimes, I have so much I want to do and plan for, however, there isn't enough time, everyone isn't on the same page, and they may never be. Ultimately, as long as you create an inclusive and engaging learning environment that supports the success of all students, you're on the right path to instructional improvement. 

Description: This is an example of the curriculum we use for inspiration in our lesson planning. We can implement it as we please. This is a hibernation unit we used in Science. These are differentiated activities with varying levels of complexity regarding hibernation. 

Connection: 3Q) develops or selects relevant instructional content, materials, resources, and strategies (e.g., project-based learning) for differentiating instruction: Planning for differentiated instruction involves creating learning activities that cater to students' diverse needs, learning styles, and readiness levels in the classroom. Developing or selecting relevant instructional content, materials, resources, and strategies is critical to meeting students' diverse needs. 

Learned: When creating materials, it is important to consider students' different learning styles and preferences. When planning, you should identify skills or knowledge you want your students to acquire. To help increase engagement and motivation, it's important to group students with similar cognitive and readiness levels and interests.