Differentiated Instructional Strategies for Science, Grades K-8

Gayle H. Gregory is first and foremost a teacher, having experienced teaching and learning in elementary, middle, and secondary schools, community colleges, and universities. She has had extensive district-wide experience as a curriculum consultant and staff development coordinator. Gayle was principal/course director at York University for the Faculty of Education, teaching in the teacher education program.Her areas of expertise include brain-compatible learning, differentiated instructional and assessment strategies, block scheduling, emotional intelligence, student motivation, RTI Tier One, collaborative learning, common core, renewal of secondary schools, enhancing teacher quality, coaching and mentoring, managing change, and building professional learning communities. She also a trainer for Visible Learning Plus with Corwin.She is an author of numerous books related to educational neuroscience and differentiated instruction, assessment, and curriculum, including the following titles:• Data Driven Differentiation in the Standards-Based Classroom, Second Edition (2014, with Lin Kuzmich)• Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All, Third Edition (2013, with Carolyn Chapman)• Differentiated Instructional Strategies Professional Learning Guide: One Size Doesn’t Fit All, Third Edition (2013)• Differentiated Literacy Strategies for English Language Learners, Grades K–6 and Differentiated Literacy Strategies for English Language Learners, Grades 7–12 (2011, with Amy Burkman)• Differentiated Instructional Strategies for the Block Schedule (2010, with Lynne E. Herndon)• Student Teams That Get Results: Teaching Tools for the Differentiated Classroom (2009, with Lin Kuzmich)• Teacher Teams That Get Results: 61 Strategies for Sustaining and Renewing Professional Learning Communities (2009, with Lin Kuzmich)• Differentiated Instructional Strategies for Science, Grades K–8 (2009, with Elizabeth Hammerman)• Differentiating Instruction With Style: Aligning Teacher and Learner Intelligences for Maximum Achievement (2005)• The Activities for Differentiated Classroom series (2007, with Carolyn Chapman)She is affiliated with organizations such as ASCD and Learning Forward. Her ASCD publication is The Motivated Brain: Improving Student Attention engagement and Perseverance (2015, with Martha Kaufeldt).Gayle consults internationally with teachers, administrators, and staff developers.She and her family of two daughters and two granddaughters all reside in Burlington, Ontario.Gayle is committed to lifelong learning and professional growth for herself and others. She may be contacted at gregorygayle@netscape.net, www.gaylehgregory.com, and @gaylegregory6. Elizabeth Hammerman is a dedicated science educator and consultant. Her professional background includes teaching science at the middle school and high school levels and over 20 years of experience teaching university science education courses and co-directing funded grant projects. She has done extensive professional development with teachers in the field, specializing in curriculum development and implementation, performance assessment, and effective teaching and learning. The need for high-quality professional development programs and materials in science education became apparent throughout the many projects and professional relationships with teachers who were eager to increase their knowledge base, skills, and confidence for teaching science more effectively. Hammerman has co-authored a book on performance assessment in science and authored a database of science assessment tasks. She has published articles, presented programs at national conferences, consulted nationally, and developed curriculum and assessments for cutting-edge school districts and commercial products.Since relocating to North Carolina in 1999, Hammerman has been a math/science consultant for a consortium of seven county school systems, has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in teacher education and science education, served as director of education and professional development for Virtual Learning Systems, and worked as a consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. She is actively involved in professional development and continues to work on a series of professional development books for science education for Corwin Press.

• AcknowledgmentsAbout the AuthorsIntroductionDifferentiated InstructionTeaching MattersClarifying Instructional GoalsDifferentiated Instruction in ActionPart I. Effective Science Education1. Creating a Climate for Differentiated InstructionA Climate for LearningA Safe and Enriched EnvironmentInternet Resources Related to Health and SafetyNatural Learning SystemsEmotional Learning SystemSocial Learning SystemPhysical Learning SystemCognitive Learning SystemReflective Learning SystemLearning Systems With Links to National StandardsA Planning Guide for Differentiated InstructionPhases of the Planning Guide2. Scientific and Technological Literacy for the Twenty-First CenturyScientific LiteracyScience Education StandardsUnifying Concepts and ProcessesProcess and Thinking Skills in K-8 ScienceDispositions That Underlie ScienceDimensions of LearningTechnological LiteracyViews of TechnologyIntegration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)3. Knowing the LearnerMulticultural EducationMulticultural Education in ScienceGender EquityGender Equity in ScienceLearning ModalitiesLearning and Thinking StylesKolb′s Learning StylesMcCarthy′s 4MAT SystemGregorc′s Thinking StylesGardner′s Theory of Multiple IntelligencesEight Intelligences Linked to ScienceSternberg′s View of IntelligenceLearning Activities Linked to IntelligencesStrategies for PreAssessmentAssessing Prior KnowledgeAddressing MisconceptionsPretest of ConceptsPretest of SkillsPart II. Designing Differentiated Instruction4. Methods and Effective Practices for Increasing Student AchievementMethods for Teaching and Learning ScienceThe Roles of Teachers and Student in MethodsResearch-Based Effective PracticesStrategies Linked to Brain Research and Classroom PracticesScience Notebooks as Tools for LearningLab ReportsGroupingCooperative LearningAdjustable AssignmentsCurriculum Compacting5. Strategies for Activating and EngagingStrategies for EngagementK-W-L ChartsDiscrepant EventsSchool Site InvestigationsInformal Learning EnvironmentsVideo ClipsGuest SpeakersDisplaysLiterature in ScienceCase Studies6. Strategies for Acquiring and ExploringInquiry DefinedTraditional Versus Inquiry-Based ClassroomsFactors That Support Inquiry and Differentiated Instruction in ScienceEnvironments That Support Inquiry-Based Teaching and LearningClassroom FeaturesEquipment and SuppliesManagement StrategiesProblem-Based LearningExamples of PBL TopicsProjectsModelsBooklets, Posters, and BrochuresProjects at the Primary, Intermediate, and Middle Grade LevelsScience Fair ProjectsProduct Testing and Survey ResearchScience and Technological DesignPresentationsStationsExamples of Stations at the Primary Grade LevelExample of Stations at the Intermediate Grade LevelExample of Stations at the Middle Grade LevelCentersStructured CentersExploratory CentersRelearning CentersAssessment for Stations and CentersChoice BoardsChoice Boards for a Primary Level Study of AnimalsContractsContract for Rocks and MineralsChoice Board for ActivitiesComputer-Based Technologies as Tools for Learning7. Strategies for Explaining, Applying, and Creating MeaningGroup DiscussionQuestions for Thinking and Problem SolvingDiscussion StartersNonlinguistic Representations for K-8 ScienceChartsData Tables and GraphsCreating GraphsBar GraphsLine GraphsCircle GraphsSix Types of Graphic OrganizersFour-Corner Organizer8. Strategies for Elaborating and Extending LearningBeyond the BasicsGames That Enhance LearningCubingCubing With Questions About the MoonJigsawAnalogies and SimilesAnalogiesSimilesSimiles for a Middle Grade Unit on Cells9. Strategies for Assessing and Evaluating LearningAssessment and EvaluationAssessment Strategies in the Science ClassroomPerformance Tasks for Learning and AssessmentCreating Rubrics for Teacher Assessment and Self-AssessmentHolistic RubricsGeneralized RubricsAnalytic RubricsPlanning Differentiated Instruction: The Key to SuccessConsiderations, Resources, and Strategies for Differentiating Instruction in ScienceReferencesIndex

"Teachers will find techniques to apply in the classroom immediately. The examples are user friendly and easy to understand. There is little doubt that using these strategies will enhance any science classroom."