Differentiating Instruction With Menus for the Inclusive Classroom: Math (Grades 6-8)

Description

Differentiating Instruction With Menus for the Inclusive Classroom: Math for grades 6-8 offers teachers who have multiple ability levels in one classroom everything they need to create a student-centered learning environment based on choice. For each topic covered, there are two menus that look similar but contain differentiated content: one menu for students working on grade level and the other for students working below grade level. Using the creative, challenging choices found in Tic-Tac-Toe menus, List menus, 2-5-8 menus, and Game Show menus, students will demonstrate their knowledge with unique, exciting products. Also included are specific guidelines for products, assessment rubrics, and teacher introduction pages for each menu. These menus can also be used in conjunction with the Differentiating Instruction With Menus series (for students working above grade level) for three tiers of complementary menus. Grades 6-8

After teaching science for more than 15 years, both overseas and in the U.S., Laurie E. Westphal now works as an independent gifted education and science consultant. She enjoys developing and presenting staff development on differentiation for various districts and conferences, working with teachers to assist them in planning and developing lessons to meet the needs of their advanced students.

This book presents a method for differentiating instruction in the classroom through the use of menus, with a variety of tasks addressing multiple learning styles and levels of Bloom's taxonomy. I noticed increased motivation in my seventh-grade classroom with 90 percent of my students while they were using the menus. I recommend using the resource following direct instruction, problem solving, and guided practice in using new content skills, together with formal assessments at the culmination of instruction to create a portfolio demonstrating student learning. ,Kelly De La Cruz, Teacher, Lakeland Montessori Middle School,Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 3/1/14