This document provides guidance for teachers on adapting EngageNY module lessons to meet students' needs while maintaining alignment to standards. It discusses the differences between accommodations, which maintain rigor and expectations, and modifications, which change standards. Teachers participate in activities like brainstorming ways to meet student needs and discussing adaptations to a sample lesson. Guidelines are provided for adaptations that are simple yet helpful or complex yet help many students. Sample adapted lessons are examined to evaluate if the adaptations maintain learning targets and rigor. The goal is for teachers to thoughtfully adapt lessons to support students without compromising standards.

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Adapting Module Tasks at the
Lesson Level

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Learning Targets
• I can adapt module lessons to meet students’
specific needs.
• Adapting lessons is important – it enables
teachers to meet their students’ needs and
also to bring their personal artistry to the work.
• It’s critical, however, that adaptations maintain
alignment to the Common Core and the shifts.
• In this session we are going to collaboratively
build a shared understanding of methods that
support quality module adaptation.

3. Accommodations and
Modifications
Accommodations
• Focus on the HOW
• Provide multiple means and
opportunities for students to
demonstrate mastery
• Provide equal access to
instruction or assessment
• Reduce or eliminate the
impact of the student’s
disability
• Maintain the rigor of the
content being taught
• Maintain achievement
expectations
Modifications
• Focus on the WHAT
• Change the core content
standard or the performance
expectation
• Are not designed to move
students to independent
mastery of the standards
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4. Chalk Talk (15 mins)
When directions are complete:
•You are going to form a group of no more than 4-5 people.
•You are going to take a marker and stand in front of one of the
posters.
•You are going to brainstorm and write on the poster some ideas
for meeting the need at the top of the poster.
•After 2 minutes, you will go to another poster, read what has
written before you, and add additional ideas…again, taking up
only a small portion total paper.
•You will visit at least 5 different posters.
•The task will get harder, but richer, each time.
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5. Table Discussion
• Review grade 3 Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 3.
• Discuss adaptations you would make to this
lesson to meet the needs of a third grade class
in your building.
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6. Student Work
• Examine the student work. (5 minutes)
• Discuss each question (3 minutes each):

How is the work students completed similar and
different?

Did the adapted work meet the same learning
targets? If so, how? If not, why not?

Were these students successful?

What might you have done differently?
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8. Guidelines for Adapting the
3-8 modules
Simple for Teachers/Helpful for a Few
Students
Complex for Teachers/Helpful for a Few
Students
Simple for Teachers/Helpful for Many
Students
Complex for Teachers/Helpful for Many
Students
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9. Discuss (5 mins)
• Which adaptations are the simplest yet the
most helpful? Are they using or helping
others use those adaptations?
• Which adaptations are more complex yet
helpful to many students? What support to
teachers need to use those adaptations?
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10. Thinking it Through
• A reflective tool for teachers who are adapting
lessons.
• Use as part of a conversation about the
changes teachers are typically making to help
them stay aligned with the standards and the
shifts.
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11. Samples of Adapted Lessons
• There are two adapted lessons 8th
grade and 3rd
grade
• Work in read-discuss cycles.
• Choose which lesson you’d like to start with.
• Read (5 minutes), thinking about whether the teacher’s choices
maintain alignment.
• Discuss (2 minutes each question):

What needs is this teacher trying to meet?

Do the proposed changes maintain the lesson’s learning
targets?

Do the proposed changes allow for maximum rigor for as
many students as possible? If not, what could be done to
still adapt the lesson and maintain that rigor?

Will the teacher still be able to assess students’ progress
toward the learning targets? If not, what could be done to
adapt the lesson or assessment to meet students’ needs?
• Repeat process with second lesson.
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