Differentiating Instruction With Menus Science (Grades 3-5)

Author’s Note Part I: All About Menus and Choice Chapter 1: Choice Chapter 2: How to Use Menus in the Classroom Chapter 3: Guidelines for Products Chapter 4: Rubrics Part II: The Menus Chapter 5: Physical Science States of Matter Physical Properties of Matter Mixtures and Solutions Forces Forms of Energy Conductors and Insulators Electricity Light and Its Properties Chapter 6: Biological Science Plant and Animal Life Cycles Adaptations Inherited Traits of Plants and Animals Food Chains and Food Webs Carbon Dioxide-Oxygen Cycle Environments and Environmental Changes Chapter 7: Earth Science Our Soil Landforms Earth’s Processes Rapid Changes to Earth’s Surface Our Earth’s Resources Alternate Energy Sources Fossils and Fossil Records Our Weather Earth, Sun, and Moon System The Lunar Cycle Our Planets Space Chapter 8: Scientists and the Tools They Use Tools Scientists Use Young Scientists Famous Scientists References About the Author Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards

Biography

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.

The choices offered in the menus are hands-on activities that will engage learners to apply their learning in creative ways, and allow students to leverage their strengths and interests in other domains, such as writing or drawing. Examples of menu activities include: perform a news report for a plan to prevent erosion, or design a working model that shows how wind energy is gathered . . . The book provides in-depth guidance for teachers of what to expect and how to implement each lesson, including objectives, time frame, grading rubrics, and special notes which includes practical advice.

Mindprint Learning, 4/11/16

If you have never created a menu and are hesitant to do so, this book provides a wonderful variety of menus. It would allow a teacher trying differentiation great information and suggestions so that you could use the suggested menu with some “tweaks” to address the needs of your particular class . . . This book is great for starting differentiated instruction using menus for multiple learning styles. By using already produced menus, the teacher would gain confidence in later producing his/her own. I highly recommend this book.

Jacqueline Pfeiffer, 3rd Grade Teacher,National Science Teachers Association, 4/22/16
These menus will help to deepen student engagement, and interest in science . . . Students love the fact they can pick and choose what they will learn, and what products they will do to share their learning. I would encourage all teachers and home school parents to check this book out along with the whole series.,Jeffrey Shoemaker,Gifted Intervention Specialist, 10/7/16