PFD Toolkit Stage 4
How will I manage to tier in an already packed curriculum?
As it turns out, tiering is not difficult, nor is it time consuming. I will tier in my classes by slightly modifying assignments and projects into different levels. This is critical in a heterogeneously group class like I have. One example is in my unit on the structure of matter, which incorporates tiering in the Tic-tac-toe board (Heacox 2009). The element collage for example is tiered into two levels. This project is really good because it shows students that elements are a part of our every day life to two different degrees.
A second way that I will incorporate tiering is with creativity. I know that I get board doing the same thing chapter after chapter. Tiering in 2 x 2’s ( 2009) or tic-tac-toe boards add depth to learning. For example, a student may choose to complete the graphic organizer by filling in the basic information on elements, or create your own element requiring a deeper understanding of atomic content. The graphic organizer was a new addition to this unit’s repitoire.
Bibliography:
Heacox, D. (2009). Making Differentiation a Habit: How to Ensure Success in Academically Diverse Classrooms. Free Spirit Publishing Inc. Minneapolis, MN.