Example of Differentiate Instruction Components for NOS Resource Cards

In this part of the NOS Resource Cards activity, teacher candidates will select relevant researched-based instructional practices, materials, resources (e.g., project-based learning) to provide students with a form of differentiated instruction - diverse elements of the subject matter area, instruction providing students with different avenues for achieving student performance objectives including processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and to developing teaching materials so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability. Here is a brief overview of best and desirable practices of science teaching based on research (to be addressed formally in PHY 311). Be certain to make use of a wide range of such activities in your characterization of differentiated teaching to achieve the student performance objectives. What follows is an example of a student performance objective followed by a list of corresponding instructional and assessment practices:

Unit I: Scientific Thinking in Experimental Settings (Adapted from the Modeling Method of Instruction)

Student performance objectives:

• The student will demonstrate abilities of experimental design including how to identify and classify variables and make qualitative predictions about the relationship between variables.
• The student will demonstrate the ability to appropriately collect data such as the use of appropriate measuring devices and significant figures, and demonstrate an understanding for the need to obtain a maximized range of data.
• The student will use Vernier's Graphical Analysis to conduct mathematical modeling that includes determining linear relationships, relating graphical representations to mathematical expressions, and validating models.
• The student will produce a coherent lab report in which they present and defend interpretations of observations.

Differentiated instruction designed to help students achieve performance objectives:

The students will participate in a series of classroom activities that relate to finding relationships associated with a simple pendulum. Students will participate in experimental design, control of variables, measurement, underlying assumptions, data collection, mathematical modeling (data analysis, interpreting graphs), evaluation of the pendulum model, and write a lab report in which they present and defend their findings.

Students will participate in the following instructional activities and formal assessments in the following approximate sequence:

• Activity: readings from ISU's Student Laboratory Handbook dealing with graphical methods
• Activity: worksheet providing six examples for graphing practice using Vernier's Graphical Analysis
• Activity: reading from ISU's Student Laboratory Handbook dealing with significant figures and other mathematical approaches
• Activity: worksheet dealing with many examples of the appropriate use of significant figures
• Activity: unit review worksheet addressing scientific methods of this unit
• Activity: review of graphical methods summary sheet
• Activity: whiteboarding of learning and review worksheets
• Activity: pendulum laboratory in-class pre-lab activities
• Activity: pendulum laboratory activity

Differentiated assessment designed to determine if students have achieved stated performance objectives:

Throughout the learning process there will be a constant informal formative assessment such as questioning, whiteboarding, discussions, and so on to assess student progress toward stated performance objectives. The following formal summative assessments will be used to determine if, indeed, they have achieved the stated performance objectives.

• Assessment: quiz 1 at mid-point of instruction dealing with conceptual understanding of dealing with non-linear data
• Assessment: quiz 2 near end of unit but before introduction of pendulum laboratory activities.
• Assessment: written formal lab report
• Assessment: unit test

(Last updated 7/12/2011, cjw)