Rationale: To provide the teacher with a variety of choices for some anchoring activities when needed. These activities are designed so students are continually engaged in meaningful practice of skills. These activities can be differentiated according to skill level, readiness and specific content. These activities may contain material that will be assessed in cumulative tests (FCAT, SAT9). Students like to be given choices and are more likely to feel ownership of the activity when a choice is provided.

DI Strategy: Anchoring

Differentiate What? Content, Readiness

Differentiate How? By providing activities that are designed to meet the needs of students at varying stages in their skill development.

Resources Needed: Resources will vary depending on activity and skill level

Teacher Preparation: Teacher will post activity on the board or provide students with skill sheets.

Explanation:
1. Accelerated Reader or other independent reading program. This allows students to be reading at their specific level of development.
2. Sunshine Math – This program provides skill sheets with stars denoting the difficulty level of each skill.
3. Problem of the Day – Use resources such as FCAT study guides to provide students with skill practice. Level of skill can be made more challenging for students who need this.
4. Around the World – This activity can utilize math facts or spelling words. While some students are completing work, teacher may start going around the room from student to student asking basic facts or skill related questions. The difficulty level of each question may vary with student ability.
5. Vocabulary Challenge – Teacher goes around the room giving students vocabulary words to use orally in sentences. The next student can choose to build onto the previous student’s sentence, making it more complex, or create a sentence of their own using another vocabulary word.

Teacher Role: The teacher will direct students during this time when necessary. For those activities that do not require direct instruction (Accelerated Reader, Sunshine Math, Problem of the Day) the teacher may circulate and assist students, providing skill review as needed.

Duration: These lessons should be no longer than 15 minutes and can be done as often as needed throughout the day.

Assessment: Observation of on-task behavior

Jason Cooper and Trish Kilcoyne
Hawks Rise Elementary

Editor’s Note: Decisions regarding these activities will vary based on the needs of the students in your class and materials available.