DI+Map

=UNIT: Diversified Instruction (DI) toc=

GOALS:
Each participant will: • Deepen her/his understanding of differentiated instruction. • Strengthen her/his differentiation skills. • Engage in meaningful collegial collaboration. • Show evidence of what she/he has learned in multiple ways. • Make explicit connections between DI, RTI, Content Maps, and 2009 - 2010 Equity Action Plans.

MAJOR UNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The teacher focuses on the essentials of the subject- content, principles and skills. 2. All units should be differentiated, whereas individual lessons may or may not be differentiated. 3. Assessment and instruction are inseparable. 4. The teacher modifies content, process and products. 5. All students participate in respectful tasks. 6. The teacher and students collaborate in learning in the classroom and beyond. 7. The teacher balances group and individual needs. 8. The teacher affirms student differences. 9. Connecting district initiatives makes the work manageable and increases chances for student success.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
• How can we adapt our teaching practice to meet and affirm the diverse needs and strengths of our students? • How can diversified instruction improve success for all students while reducing disproportionality? • How are 21st century literacies integral to diversified instruction? • What are the connections between DI, RTI, Content Maps, and the 2009 -2010 Action Plans for Equity?

SKILLS:
The teacher will • provide tiered instruction - Click here for information about tiering • integrate visual thinking tools • provide opportunities for flexible grouping • vary questioning strategies to promote critical thinking skills • adapt instruction based on student interest, readiness and learning profile • create assessments that are differentiated by student interest, readiness and learning profile • use ongoing assessment to inform instruction • embed 21st century literacies and equity • access sources of professional collaboration based on individual interest • articulate connections between this unit and others

VOCABULARY:
Differentiated instruction, content, process, product, readiness, learning profile, respectful tasks, 21st century literacies, affirm, disproportionality, equity, assessment, technology integration, digital citizenship, RTI, Content Maps, 2009 -2010 Action Plans for Equity.

ASSESSMENT:
• Create a complete content map/Unit. • Develop three differentiated lessons (by interest, readiness, learning profile). • Create one or more assessments designed to allow students to show what they have learned/know in more than one way. • Collect and share classroom artifacts (e.g., student work, email exchanges and other digital archives, etc.). • Conduct formative reflections o What do you notice your students doing as a result of our work? o What are you doing differently as a result of our work? o What are your thoughts in relation to the essential questions? • Conduct summative reflections o Four square thinking o In what ways have you deepened your major understandings and increased your skill proficiencies?

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION:
• Empowers teachers and students to construct knowledge and develop innovative products that reflect new learning/application/understanding. • Empowers teachers and students to use 21st century literacies to communicate and collaborate. • Empowers teachers and students to gather, evaluate and use information to solve problems responsibly and ethically. • Empowers teachers and students be digital citizens.

CULTURALLY AFFIRMING COMPONENTS:
• Empower teachers and students to exhibit pride in their family, heritage and culture. • Motivate teachers and students to use culture-generated resources. • Empower teachers and students to express belief in the possibility of their futures. • Motivate teachers and students to interact between and across groups (cultural, geographic, gender, sexual orientation, class, age, ability/disability, etc.)

RESOURCES:
Allen, J. (2007). Creating welcoming schools: A practical guide to home-school partnerships with diverse families. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hilliard, A. III., Perry, T., & Steele, C. (2004). Young, Gifted, and Black: Promoting High Achievement Among African American Students. Boston, MA: Beacon Press. King, Martin Luther Jr. (1967). Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? Beacon Press: Boston.

Oakes, J., & Rogers, J. (2006). Learning Power: Organizing for Education and Justice. New York: Teachers College Press.

Scheurich, J., & Skrla, L. (2003). Leadership for equity and excellence: Creating high achievement classrooms, schools, and districts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Tomlinson, C. (1999). The differentiated classroom, responding to the needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating differentiated instruction and understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

NY STATE STANDARDS: [] (National Staff Development Council Standards)

SUPPORTING MATERIALS:

SUPPORTING FILES:

SUPPORTING WEBSITES:
• http://icsdliteracy.wikispaces.com/ - (Liddy and Lee’s Literacy Site) • http://icsd-literacyacademy.wikispaces.com/ - (ICSD Elementary Literacy Academy) • http://www.icsd.k12.ny.us/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=245 (ICSD BOE RTI Policy) • http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/instrsk.html - (Instructional Strategies online) • http://eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?print&I=5706 - (Technology empowers differentiated instruction) • http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/resteachers/pd.htm - (New York State Professional Development Standards)

• http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=NETS - (National Educational Technology Standards from ISTE) • http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/Profiles/NETS_for_Students_2007_Profiles.htm (NETS for Students 2007 profiles) • http://www.ncte.org/governance/literacies - (NCTE’s 21st Century Literacies Framework) • http://www.socialstudies.org/category/topic/21st-century-skills - (NCSS website: 21st Century Skills) • http://www.amlainfo.org - (Core Principles of Media Literacy Education in the United States, Alliance for a Media Literate America) • http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?Itemid=33&id=31&option=com_content&task=view - (21st Century Skills ICT Literacy Maps)