Tiered Instruction: It’s Tiered Instruction: It’s easy. It’s funeasy. It’s fun

Susan Baum, Ph.D.Susan Baum, Ph.D.International Center for Talent International Center for Talent

DevelpmentDevelpmentInternationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.Internationalcenterfortalentdevelopment.

comcomsbaum@cnr.edusbaum@cnr.edu

What is tiering?What is tiering?

Whole group teaching activity with Whole group teaching activity with one learning outcomeone learning outcome

Multiple levels of the learning activity Multiple levels of the learning activity levels levels

Postcard from ParisPostcard from Paris

We know you We know you have been have been having a fun time having a fun time here in Paris. here in Paris. Please create a Please create a picture post card picture post card with a message with a message on the back of on the back of the picture. Your the picture. Your writing directions writing directions are in the your are in the your envelope.envelope.

Descriptive writingDescriptive writing In your message, write two sentences describing In your message, write two sentences describing

the scene or some feature in your picture. Think the scene or some feature in your picture. Think descriptively using size, color, and texture words. descriptively using size, color, and texture words. Write another sentences telling the reader what the Write another sentences telling the reader what the scene or some feature of the scene is similar to.scene or some feature of the scene is similar to.

Create a riddle about something in your picture. Use Create a riddle about something in your picture. Use enough descriptors so the reader can visualize the enough descriptors so the reader can visualize the scene and guess what it is. Make sure you describe scene and guess what it is. Make sure you describe the item well enough that the reader could create a the item well enough that the reader could create a sketch from your description.sketch from your description.

Create a poem describing the scene in your picture. Create a poem describing the scene in your picture. Use similes and personifications to paint a vivid Use similes and personifications to paint a vivid picture for the reader.picture for the reader.

Why should we tier?Why should we tier?

Blends assessment and instructionBlends assessment and instruction Allows students to begin learning Allows students to begin learning

where they arewhere they are Allows students to work at Allows students to work at

appropriate challenge levelappropriate challenge level Provides success for all studentsProvides success for all students

(Adapted from Tomlinson, 2001)(Adapted from Tomlinson, 2001)

Tiered InstructionTiered Instruction

Start Here

Concept Lesson or Skill

Simpler More Concrete Lower Level Thinking

More Abstract Multiple Steps Higher Level Thinking

Tiering considerations:Tiering considerations:content, process, product, content, process, product,

environmentenvironment

Simple to ComplexSimple to Complex Levels of thinkingLevels of thinking Concrete to abstractConcrete to abstract Dependence to independenceDependence to independence Facts, concepts, principlesFacts, concepts, principles Readiness levels for accessing Readiness levels for accessing

informationinformation

Steps to tieringSteps to tiering

Clearly identify learning outcomesClearly identify learning outcomes Design teaching activity for whole Design teaching activity for whole

groupgroup Select learning activity appropriate for Select learning activity appropriate for

most of the students (What do you most of the students (What do you expect most students to be able to do?)expect most students to be able to do?)

Select another activity that is more Select another activity that is more difficultdifficult

Select another activity that is simplerSelect another activity that is simpler

Analyze thisAnalyze this

The teacher wanted to involve students in The teacher wanted to involve students in a culminating activity to assess the ability a culminating activity to assess the ability of the class to use fractions and percents.of the class to use fractions and percents.

She also wanted to include a writing She also wanted to include a writing component that accompanied the activitycomponent that accompanied the activity

There are four tiers, can you guess which There are four tiers, can you guess which are the simplest, middle, and advanced are the simplest, middle, and advanced levels in terms of complexity of product?levels in terms of complexity of product?

Would you rather Would you rather climb climb

Mount Rainier?Mount Rainier?

We will take you We will take you there!there!

There is gear There is gear to get.to get.

ii

There are scale There are scale models to make.models to make.

Mt. EverestMt. Everest 29,028’29,028’Mt. Mc KinleyMt. Mc Kinley 20,320’20,320’Mt. RainierMt. Rainier 14,410’14,410’Backbone Mountain 3,360’Backbone Mountain 3,360’

There is process There is process to describe…….to describe…….

There is foodThere is food To taste testTo taste test To tallyTo tally To calculate the percentage brand To calculate the percentage brand

for each person.for each person. To order for the trip.To order for the trip.

There is weight to There is weight to calculatecalculate

If you weigh >120 lbs you can If you weigh >120 lbs you can carry 33% of your body weight.carry 33% of your body weight.

If you weigh = or < 120 lbs you If you weigh = or < 120 lbs you can carry 25% of your body can carry 25% of your body weight.weight.

How much gear can each How much gear can each individual carry? How much gear individual carry? How much gear can the entire group carry?can the entire group carry?

There is a budget to There is a budget to prepare.prepare. Plane ticketsPlane tickets

Motel roomsMotel rooms GearGear FoodFood PermitsPermits Negotiation, and division, addition, Negotiation, and division, addition,

subtraction, multiplication and subtraction, multiplication and percents…….percents…….

and routes to plan.and routes to plan.1.1. Sea level to Paradise is 105 miles.Sea level to Paradise is 105 miles.

2.2. If we do it in 5 days it is ___% and ___ If we do it in 5 days it is ___% and ___ miles / day.miles / day.

3.3. If we do it in 4 days it is ___% and ___ If we do it in 4 days it is ___% and ___ miles / day and we get 1 day to goof off.miles / day and we get 1 day to goof off.

4.4. If we do it in 3 days it is ___% and ___ If we do it in 3 days it is ___% and ___ miles / day and we get 2 days to play.miles / day and we get 2 days to play.

Everyone Everyone goes on our goes on our rope team !rope team !

Some strategies to sampleSome strategies to sample

Readiness groupingsReadiness groupings Think tac toe optionsThink tac toe options

Tiered lesson in mathTiered lesson in mathDistance, rate and timeDistance, rate and time

1.1. Teaching activity: whole class lesson: Brainstorm Teaching activity: whole class lesson: Brainstorm questions relating to distance, rate, time. About questions relating to distance, rate, time. About the Masai warrior on the next three slides. the Masai warrior on the next three slides. Develop a math problem from one of the Develop a math problem from one of the questions as a whole group. For instance Hobi, questions as a whole group. For instance Hobi, the Masai warrior is talking to his mother. She the Masai warrior is talking to his mother. She needs him to get home in two hours. He is six needs him to get home in two hours. He is six kilometers away. How fast will he need to run.kilometers away. How fast will he need to run.

2.2. Learning activities, divide class into three levels: Learning activities, divide class into three levels: expert, emergent, novice. Tier by complexity. expert, emergent, novice. Tier by complexity. Expert group: another problem with at least three Expert group: another problem with at least three steps and one piece of extraneous information. steps and one piece of extraneous information. Emergent group create problem similar to model Emergent group create problem similar to model but solve for different unknown. Novice, work with but solve for different unknown. Novice, work with teacher on problem but each step is sketched.teacher on problem but each step is sketched.

Choice BoardsChoice Boards

Creating Think Tac Creating Think Tac Toe AssignmentsToe Assignments

Use Bloom’s Use Bloom’s TaxonomyTaxonomy

Consider color Consider color codingcoding

Think about Think about placement of placement of choices.choices.

Think Tac ToeThink Tac Toe

CharacterCharacter Write a bio-Write a bio-poem about poem about yourself and yourself and another about another about a main a main character in character in the book so the book so your readers your readers see how you see how you and the and the character are character are alike and alike and different. Be different. Be sure to include sure to include the most the most important important traits in each traits in each

poem.poem.

A character in A character in the book is the book is being written being written about in the about in the paper 20 years paper 20 years after the novel after the novel ends. Write the ends. Write the piece. Where piece. Where has life taken has life taken him? Why? him? Why? Now, do the Now, do the same for same for yourself 20 yourself 20 years for years for yourself 20 yourself 20 years from years from now. Make now. Make sure both sure both pieces are pieces are interesting, interesting, feature-type feature-type articles.articles.

You’re a You’re a “profiler”. “profiler”. Write and Write and illustrate a full illustrate a full and useful and useful profile of an profile of an interesting interesting character from character from the book with the book with emphasis on emphasis on personality personality traits and traits and mode of mode of operating. operating. While you’re at While you’re at it, profile it, profile yourself too.yourself too.

SettingSetting

ThemeTheme

Think Tac ToeThink Tac Toe

SettingSetting Research a Research a town or place town or place you feel is you feel is equivalent to equivalent to the one in the one in which the which the novel is set. novel is set. Use maps, Use maps, sketches, and sketches, and population and population and other other demographic demographic data to help data to help you draw you draw comparisons comparisons

and contrastsand contrasts..

Make a model Make a model or a map of a or a map of a key place in key place in your life and of your life and of an important an important place in the place in the novel. Find a novel. Find a way to help way to help viewers viewers understand understand both what the both what the places are like places are like and why they and why they are important are important in your life and in your life and the character’s the character’s life.life.

The time and The time and place in which place in which people find people find themselves themselves and in which and in which events happen events happen shape those shape those people and people and evens in evens in important important ways. Find a ways. Find a way to way to convincingly convincingly prove that idea prove that idea using the book using the book or your own or your own life.life.

SettingSetting

ThemeTheme

Think Tac ToeThink Tac Toe

ThemeTheme Find out about Find out about famous people famous people in history or in history or current events current events whose whose experiences experiences and lives and lives reflect the reflect the essential essential themes of your themes of your novel. Show us novel. Show us what you’ve what you’ve

learnedlearned..

Create a Create a multimedia multimedia presentation presentation fully exploring fully exploring a key theme a key theme from the novel. from the novel. Use at least Use at least three media three media (ie. music, (ie. music, painting, painting, poems, poems, photography, photography, and and calligraphy) . calligraphy) . Draw at least Draw at least two two comparisons or comparisons or contrasts contrasts between between themes in your themes in your life & in the life & in the novel.novel.

Find several Find several songs you songs you think reflect an think reflect an important important message from message from the book the book and /or your and /or your life. Prepare an life. Prepare an audio collage. audio collage. Write an Write an accompanying accompanying card that helps card that helps listeners listeners understand understand why and how why and how you think the you think the songs express songs express the book’s the book’s meaning. meaning.

SettingSetting

ThemeTheme

Bloom’s TaxonomyBloom’s Taxonomya basic framework a basic framework to integrate thinking to integrate thinking into your classroom.into your classroom.

Knowledge

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Comprehension

Levels of thinking Cue Words Sample Products Student Behaviors

Evaluation Judge, justify, persuade, prioritize

Editorial, verdict, debate, evaluative report

Judges the value, adequacy, quality or importance

Synthesis Design, create, invent, plan, compose

A plan, a formula, an artistic product, poem

Writes a well organized theme, formulates a plan

Analysis Classify, infer, compare, outline, characterize

Survey, graphs, diagram, outline

Distinguishes between facts and inferences, uses logical thinking

Application Demonstrate, dramatize, compute, apply, use

Diary, map, puzzle, lesson, collection

Applies concepts and skills to new situations

Comprehension Paraphrase, summarize, tell, review, explain

Report, chart, demonstration, skit

Understands facts, interprets material, translates

Knowledge Define, Describe, label, list, memorize, match

Labels, lists, definitions, reproduce

Knows terms, facts, methods, concepts

Differentiation of Big Ideas:Differentiation of Big Ideas:Little Miss MuffetLittle Miss Muffet

Fear of the Fear of the unknownunknown

Fight or flight Fight or flight responseresponse

Fears vary from Fears vary from person to personperson to person

PhobiasPhobias

Little Miss Muffet Little Miss Muffet

was not happy. was not happy.

Please draw a storyPlease draw a story

board explaining board explaining

what happened to what happened to her.her.

Make a poster of Make a poster of spiders that are spiders that are dangerous and dangerous and those that are not.those that are not.

Give a speech Give a speech convincing Miss Muffet to convincing Miss Muffet to make friends with the make friends with the spider,spider,

Provide at least three Provide at least three reasons. Tell her what reasons. Tell her what other choices she has.other choices she has.

..

Write a letter to Write a letter to Miss Muffet Miss Muffet about something about something that frightened that frightened you.you.

Write a newspaper Write a newspaper story form the story form the spider’s point of spider’s point of view. Remember view. Remember the 5 Ws.the 5 Ws.

Take a survey of what Take a survey of what thethe

students in our class arestudents in our class are

afraid of. Create a graphafraid of. Create a graph

showing your results. showing your results. Decorate Decorate

your graph. your graph.

Make a puppetMake a puppet

show of Little Miss show of Little Miss

Muffet. Use theMuffet. Use the

materials in the artmaterials in the art

center to designcenter to design

your puppetsyour puppets

Research what a Research what a spider needs to spider needs to survive. Build a home survive. Build a home for the spider that for the spider that provides for his provides for his needs. Incorporate needs. Incorporate three facts from your three facts from your research. research.

Make a word mobile with Make a word mobile with definitions of definitions of

Curds and whey tuffet Curds and whey tuffet and spiderand spider

Little Miss Muffet Little Miss Muffet

was not happy. was not happy.

Please draw a storyPlease draw a story

board explaining board explaining

what happened to what happened to herher..

Make a poster of Make a poster of spiders that are spiders that are dangerous and dangerous and those that are not.those that are not.

Give a speech Give a speech convincing Miss Muffet to convincing Miss Muffet to make friends with the make friends with the spider,spider,

Provide at least three Provide at least three reasons. Tell her what reasons. Tell her what other choices she has.other choices she has.

..

Write a letter to Write a letter to Miss Muffet Miss Muffet about something about something that frightened that frightened you.you.

Write a newspaper Write a newspaper story form the story form the spider’s point of spider’s point of view. Remember view. Remember the 5 Ws.the 5 Ws.

Take a survey of what Take a survey of what thethe

students in our class arestudents in our class are

afraid of. Create a graphafraid of. Create a graph

showing your results. showing your results. Decorate your graph. Decorate your graph.

Make a puppetMake a puppet

show of Little Miss show of Little Miss

Muffet. Use theMuffet. Use the

materials in the artmaterials in the art

center to designcenter to design

your puppetsyour puppets

Research what a Research what a spider needs to spider needs to survive. Build a home survive. Build a home for the spider that for the spider that provides for his provides for his needs. Incorporate needs. Incorporate three facts from your three facts from your research. research.

Make a word mobile with Make a word mobile with definitions of definitions of

Curds and whey tuffet Curds and whey tuffet and spiderand spider

Final wordFinal word Take care never to Take care never to

underestimate a underestimate a learner’s readiness. learner’s readiness. Every student has a Every student has a right to be right to be challenged.challenged.

Make sure all Make sure all choices are choices are interesting and self interesting and self explanatory.explanatory.

Offer a variety of Offer a variety of products as choices.products as choices.