1st Edition

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

By Laurie E. Westphal Copyright 2013
    158 Pages
    by Prufrock Press

    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

    Author’s Note Chapter 1: Choice in the Inclusive Middle School Classroom Chapter 2: How to Use Menus in the Inclusive Classroom Chapter 3: Guidelines for Products Chapter 4: Rubrics The Menus How to Use the Menu Pages Chapter 5: Numbers and Operations Problem Solving Fractions and Decimals Adding and Subtracting Fractions Integers Order of Operations Mean, Median, Mode, and Range Ratios Chapter 6: Geometry Angles Solid Figures Solids and Spatial Reasoning Circles Measuring Shapes Surface Area Pythagorean Theorem Chapter 7: Graphing and Measurement Graphing Coordinate Planes Transformations and Symmetry Measurement Chapter 8: Basic Algebra Using Variables Algebraic Expressions Resources References About the Author Common Core State Standards Alignment

    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.

    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