This document discusses trends in differentiated instruction for math and science, including flexible grouping, respectful tasks, tiered lessons, and stations. Flexible grouping involves splitting students into temporary groups based on goals, skills, or understanding. Respectful tasks provide meaningful, high-level work for all students. Tiered lessons provide materials at different levels to allow students to learn from their own starting point. Stations provide multiple ways for students to master concepts independently. The conclusion states that no single approach works for all students, so differentiated instruction is needed to meet individual abilities and strengths.

1. COREY SHEEHAN-FRENT, CHIA-LING CHIANG
MTE/533CA
JUNE 29, 2015
NICHOLAS BLAKE
Differentiating Instruction

2. TRENDS IN MATH AND SCIENCE
Flexible Grouping
Respectful Tasks
Tiered Lessons
Stations

3. FLEXIBLE GROUPING
 Can be used for both math
and science.
 Students work in different
groups depending on
goals and the activity.
 Groups can be lead by
both teacher or students.
 In math students can be
split into groups according
to their skill level.
 In science students can be
split into groups depending
on their level of
understanding.
 Issues:
1. More distractions
2. Not easy for teachers and
students to flow in and out
across activities or lessons
3. Teacher does lots of
planning to meet all
students’ diverse needs.
4. Unequal responsibilities
among groups

4. RESPECTFUL TASKS
 Both math and science
lessons.
 Purposeful and
meaningful tasks
 Most important ideas
 Everyone Master Ideas
 Thinking and problem
solving at a high level
 Very interesting to the
student
 Issues:
1. Time Consuming:
Prepare numerous
materials
2. Classroom might be
noisy

5. TIERED LESSONS
 Mainly used for math
lessons
 Resource Materials at
different levels.
 Allows students to learn
from their level up
 A motivator to challenge
students to push
themselves
 Student awareness of
strengths and
weaknesses.
 Issues:
1. Not easy to reach true
level mastery
2. Might group students
improperly

6. STATIONS
 For both math and
Science lessons
 Gives students multiple
ways to master a
concept
 Students can observe
different strategies for
the same concept
 Students learn
independently
 Issues:
1. Not easy for teachers to
manage the classroom
behaviors and keep all
students on task
2. Time consuming for
teachers- need to
prepare numerous
materials and
worksheets
3. Need more classroom
space

7. LESSON PLAN OUTLINE
 Subject: Math
 Unit: Addition
 Grade Level: Kindergarten
 Objective:
1. Students will be able to demonstrate different strategies to make a
10.
2. Students will be able to describe the concepts of addition.
3. Students will be able to define the vocabulary terms- add,
addition, sum,
total number, equal
4. The student will successfully set up the equation and put the
numbers in the
correct sequence
Time: 1 hour
Materials: worksheets, counters, cubes, dices, domino

8. Procedure:
1. Review the concept of addition and practice 2 addition questions with students and
ask what strategy they use.
2. Introduce 4 different stations and demo for students
- Count counters: Students receive 10 counters (each counter has red and yellow for
each side) and put all counters into a cup. After shaking the cup, students need to
color how many red and yellow counters each time on their worksheet. Each
worksheet included 10 practices. _______ + _______ = 10
- Build a Sum: Teacher puts several cards and cubes in the box and each card has a
question like “Build 7. Add 4 more. What is the sum?” After students write the
equation _____ + ______ = ______ on the worksheet, and they need to take
another card and repeat the same process.
- Domino Math: Student choose a domino and draw it on the worksheet. Count how
many dots in total and draw a picture to match the total number. The write one
sentence about the picture.
- Yahtzee: Students roll two dices and cross out the sum on their worksheets. They
keep the process until they cross out all the numbers.
3. Closure: Ask students to clean up the workspace. All students sit on the carpet and
discuss what they have learned from different activities and their feedbacks about
today’s Station activity.
Assessment: Teacher assesses students during in-class informal observation and
facilitates if students have any questions. Teacher might need to re-teach the
concept to struggling students.

9. CONCLUSION
 There is no “one size fits all” strategy to
teaching students. Each student has a
different pace and intelligence when it comes
to learning, therefore, differentiated
instruction is essential and necessary
because it offers students equivalent
opportunities to learn the same concepts and
skills and reach the same objective but
based on their individual abilities and
strengths.

10. REFERENCES
 Chen, J. J., & Weiland, L. (2007). Helping young children
learn mathematics: Strategies for meeting the needs of
diverse learners. Exchange (01648527), (174), 46.
 Van De Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S., & Bay-Williams, J. M.
(2013). Elementary and middle school mathematics:
Teaching developmentally. (8th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
 Martin, R., Sexton, C., & Franklin, T. (2009). Teaching
Science for All Children (5th ed.). : Pearson Education.