Kayla Taylor

Differentiation Plan

Using Knowledge of Children to Inform Teaching

While teaching in Mrs. C’s 5th grade science classes, I recorded student observations and

learned about each individual student, as well as child development in general. Our students are

very social and show a developmentally advanced ability to work in groups. According to Erik

Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development, our 5th graders are nearing the end of the industry

vs. inferiority stage and are struggling to develop a sense of competency. We can see this

struggle in our students. Many of the activities during science are inquiry-based. The focus on

inquiry, while still scaffolding to support each student, helps them develop a sense of

competency. They become very proud of their observations and claims because they discovered

them on their own. Additionally, as the eldest students in the school, our 5th graders are given

responsibilities that younger students do not have the privilege of receiving. They are given the

opportunity to serve as safety patrol officers, sit on the “Green Team” (sustainability team), and

act as mentors for younger students. All of these opportunities aide in the students’ development

of a sense of competency and it is reflected in their behavior during class. Most of our students

are not afraid to answer questions, participate in group discussions, or ask questions when

they’re unsure about a concept or direction. However, some students are still developing a sense

of competency. One student, A, is very quiet and does not volunteer to participate in class. She is

talkative with her friends during homeroom, but it seems like she has yet to find her voice in

larger groups. When Emily and I first became a part of the classroom she rarely spoke to us, but

as we become more actively involved in the classroom she has begun to open up to us. A has

really come out of her shell and we can see this during group work. During the engineering

design challenge, she was in a team that had a difficult time agreeing on any design decisions.
Instead of caving and letting go of her ideas, A held her own against the boys in the group and

managed to get them to compromise with her. Each student in that group benefitted from A’s

design idea and the experience of learning to work collaboratively.

This example also reflects the value of Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, which states

that learning is a cognitive process, but it needs to take place in a social context. Bandura

believed that people learn from observations and modeling. While modeling and observation is

traditionally thought of as the teacher’s role in the classroom, our students learn from observing

each other and working collaboratively in groups, too. Mrs. C does not model the use of

materials or procedures for investigations to ensure that the investigations are truly inquiry-

based, but our students have learned to rely on each other for that support. Similarly, Vygotsky’s

sociocultural theory of development states that social interaction plays a critical role in the

development of cognitive processes. He also stressed that children can achieve more when they

are supported by caregivers, teachers, or peers. This idea, known as the zone of proximal

development, is often referred to when discussing scaffolding in the classroom. Our 5th graders

are taught to be independent, but during investigations different scaffolds are provided

depending on student ability. For example, 5th period receives more detailed verbal and written

instructions are provided. K, a student in 5th period, also receives a scribe so he can focus on

scientific inquiry and critical thinking.

Finally, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory discusses the impact of the social

environment on the child. His defined system starts with immediate family and caregivers, then

extends to the school and community. Our students are actively involved in the community and

bring the community into their school work. For example, KP’s church was raising money to
build a well in South Africa and he recruited the school to help. This kind of social collaboration

and community advocacy shows students the importance of service.

Our students are well supported in their social and emotional development, with many of

them hitting developmentally appropriate milestones. As Vygotsky believed, a strong social

support system is necessary for proper cognitive development. Many of our students are above

grade-level in their higher thinking and understanding of abstract concepts. During an anti-

bullying lesson, L shared a lot of insight about bullying and a lack of sensitivity that many

people have towards the topic. In another lesson, he pointed out how insignificant the concept of

space made him feel due to its immense size and infinite unknowns. L’s deep thinking also

shows that he is nearing the end of the concrete operational and starting to move into the formal

operational stage of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development. Our students are moving from

thinking logically about concrete events/concepts into being able to think about abstract

concepts, use systematic planning, deductive reasoning, and logical thought.

As our students move into the formal operational stage of cognitive development, they are

beginning to use content-specific language. Our students repeat the words we use in science and

incorporate them into their own vocabulary. For example, students regularly use terms like

claim, criteria, theory, hypothesis, testable question, sustainability, and more. This is a direct

product of imitation because these terms are introduced in science class. As our students further

develop their interests and gain more knowledge about those topics, their vocabulary will expand

even more.

Finally, our students are very well-balanced between academics and extracurriculars.

Overall, they are very active. M does softball. R plays lacrosse. O and A love playing basketball.

LH rides his bike to school every day and is one of many students who participate in Let Me
Run, an afterschool running club. K enjoys skiing and rock-climbing. H belongs to a dance

company where she does ballet, contemporary, tap, and modern dance. J does Girls on the Run.

MR is obsessed with everything soccer. Ai plays basketball and baseball. F does gymnastics. OI

enjoys drawing. S plays video games. As is evident above, our students are involved in many

different activities that showcase their physical development. One student, J, has cerebral palsy.

His physical development may be delayed, but he does not let that stop him. During our

engineering challenge, J participated in the showcase by throwing balls, connecting circuit wires,

and controlling the arms of a pinball machine. He needs assistance with writing and his wheel

chair to get around, but every day he proves that he is just as capable as his peers.

In doing my observations of our students, I have learned about the development of each

student and the development of children in general. My understanding of each student’s

development will guide my teaching and help me determine how to differentiate between classes

and for individual students. While not every student is developing at the same pace, they all

amaze me with what they accomplish every day.

Supporting Children’s Development and Learning-Planning for Differentiating Instruction

In 5th grade at Hopewell Elementary School, the students switch classes for each subject.

Emily and I teach four periods of science, so have four different classes. Each class period is

different and, when planning our lessons, we have to differentiate accordingly. Our

differentiation plan includes modifications to worksheets, differing goals/objectives for each

class, changes to activities, and more accommodations aimed at helping our students achieve

their full potential. This plan will include details for how our lessons will be differentiated for

periods 5 and 6, as well as for students who may need extra support.
 Our 5th period class is co-taught by Mrs. C and Mrs. N, a special education teacher. In this

class, most of the students have 504s or IEPs. For the class as a whole, we plan to edit

worksheets and provide written and verbal directions for every activity. When creating

worksheets, we will utilize white space to ensure that students have enough space to write and

use appropriate spacing, such as putting the conclusion questions on the back to keep students

from moving through them before doing the activity (even if there is room for them on the front).

We will also use larger font on all worksheets. Many of the students have a magnifier on their

computers to help them read online, as well. When giving directions, we will make sure that the

language in the directions matches our previous lessons and the materials they will be using for

the activity. Additionally, we will plan our lab teams ahead of time. We will have groups of four

for investigations and groups of five for the engineering design challenge. This allows us to

choose pairings based on ability, behavior, or both and then edit them before beginning the

design challenge. Creating the lab groups ourselves also gives us the chance to discuss which

groups we want to make it a point to check-in on more often. During lesson activities, we will

use leveled questions to guide and scaffold based on student ability. When students are working

in groups, we will suggest roles so that each student is actively participating in the way that best

fits them. Finally, for investigations and the engineering design challenge, we will model and

provide samples of exemplars.

In addition to general differentiation methods, we will differentiate for individual students in

5th period. J, the student with cerebral palsy is in this class. For J specifically, we enlarge the

worksheets to an 11”x17” paper so he is able to write and draw diagrams himself. Since J is in a

wheelchair we adjust any centers or movement activities so that the other students can come to

him without him having to navigate the crowded room. Another student, K, may have a scribe
during investigations and assessments. For example, I scribed for him during the pre-assessment.

This allows him to focus on the content of his answers, rather than the grammar and spelling.

Lastly, students that we provide extra support to in the form of frequent check-ins, scaffolded

questioning, and frequent reminders about the instructions include JO, OL, D, and MA.

It is expected that, with these supports, our 5th period students will understand electrical

conductivity, thermal conductivity, and magnetism as properties of matter. It is also expected

that they will complete the engineering design challenge of creating a game box with one input,

at least two outputs, and one magnet. During the unit, we will perform many formative

assessments that will measure student understanding, which will in turn measure our

effectiveness in differentiating for each student within 5th period.

Our 6th period class consists of mostly homeroom students. Overall, this class is very

outgoing and get along very well. As a whole, this class is independent, but can get off-topic

quickly since they are so close-knit. This class consists of students who are all about the same

ability level, but that will vary depending on the topic of the lesson or unit. For the class as a

whole, we will write objectives and goals on the board because it helps keep them focused. We

will also provide written and verbal directions for every activity, again to help them stay focused.

All lab groups will be decided by the teachers ahead of time, with consideration focused on

behavior rather than ability. For lab teams, we will have four team of three. We will revisit the

teams and adjust, as needed, to create three teams of four for the engineering design challenge.

When students are working in groups, we will suggest roles so that each student is actively

participating in the way that best fits them and has a role to keep them on-task. Finally, for the

engineering design challenge, provide samples of exemplars.

 In addition to general differentiation methods, we will differentiate for individual students in

6th period. N, a student with severe ADHD, needs constant reminders about the task at hand. If

given a role or materials to work with, she has a much easier time staying focused. Lastly, we

will remind her to complete the written portion of activities often, as she struggles with

remembering to complete the written aspect of activities.

It is expected that, with these supports, our 6th period students will surpass standards for

electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and magnetism as properties of matter. It is also

expected that they will complete the engineering design challenge of creating a game box with

one input, at least two outputs, and one magnet. During the unit, we will perform many formative

assessments that will measure student understanding and assess for connections between the

concepts, which will in turn measure our effectiveness in differentiating for each student within

6th period.

Lastly, across all our classes there are some students who will need more support than others.

In general, we plan to edit worksheets so that they are the in the most effective format for each

student. We also plan to provide written and verbal directions when necessary. While creating

worksheets, we will utilize white space to ensure that students have enough space to write and

use appropriate spacing, such as putting the conclusion questions on the back to keep students

from moving through them before doing the activity. We will also use larger font when

necessary. When giving directions, we will make sure that the language in the directions matches

our previous lessons and the materials they will be using for the activity. Additionally, we will

plan our lab teams ahead of time. There will be the opportunity for us to change lab teams, so if

any of the teams are not working we can address that issue. This allows us to choose pairings

based on ability, behavior, or both and then edit them before beginning the design challenge.
Creating the lab groups ourselves also gives us the chance to discuss which groups we want to

make it a point to check-in on more often. During lesson activities, we will visit students who

many need extra support more often than other students. We will use leveled questions to guide

and scaffold based on student ability. When students are working in groups, we will suggest

roles so that each student is actively participating in the way that best fits them. Throughout the

design challenge and labs, we will visit groups to make sure that everyone is actively

participating. Finally, for investigations and the engineering design challenge, we will model and

provide samples of exemplars.

In addition to general differentiation methods, we will differentiate for individual students in

2nd and 3rd periods who may need extra support. F, a student in 2nd period, is very quiet. In the

past, we struggled to engage her fully. During this unit, we will check-in with her often to ensure

that she is participating in the activity and engaging with her group. S, a student in 3rd period

with Autism, has an IEP that allows him to use his computer as an alternative to paper

assignments. We will share all worksheets with him, so he can complete the activities on his

computer. Additionally, we will serve as a scribe for activities that he is unable to complete on

the computer, such as the pre/post assessment. J, a student in 3rd period, is a struggling reader. To

support her, we will provide extra time for assessments. Since the focus in science is on scientific

thinking, not reading or writing, we will read any directions or questions to her and serve as a

scribe, if necessary.

It is expected that, with these supports, all of our students will meet or surpass standards for

electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and magnetism as properties of matter. It is also

expected that they will complete the engineering design challenge of creating a game box with

one input, at least two outputs, and one magnet. During the unit, we will perform many formative
assessments that will measure student understanding and assess for connections between the

concepts, which will in turn measure our effectiveness in differentiating for each student.