Strategy-on-a-Page Series

We are posting some resources that help explain some of the strategies used in helping to provide differentiated instruction.  Here is a 1-page hand out on Foldables.

Foldables are a great way for students to organize, plan and/or document new material and concepts.  It is a visually engaging resource that allows students to physically manipulate materials as they make connections between concepts and ideas.

1-page on Foldables

For this and more from our Strategy-on-a-page Series, come visit us at

The Learning Classroom - Classroom Resources

An Essential Tool... The Online Stop Watch

There are several of these tools online, but if you have never tried to look for them... you would never know they were there.  This site also allows the user to set up and customize a countdown timer or stopwatch.  Better still, you can embed this tool onto your website and even save it to your computer so you can use it when you are not online.  Bookmark the link because it is a tool that always comes in handy!

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

Differentiated Instruction and Assessment Newsletter (1st Issue)

A quick link to a newsletter on DI.  This was created by members from our Differentiated Instruction and Assessment Task Force.  This issue offers a description of DI, a overview of the Learning Classroom Program and a look at Choice Boards.

Differentiated Instruction Newsletter from the DIA Task Force

Lexipedia - defining words and terms through mindmaps

A great way to visually show the meaning of words and terms through their connection to other words.  Great for the visual learner...

http://www.lexipedia.com/
 
Showing a few examples from this site also serves as a great way to start discussion and to have students generate their own definition from the mindmap.  Constructing mind maps can be challenging for many students - particularly when they are just starting out with this type of visual organizer. Lexipedia offers students the opportunity to see mind maps in action and also highlights the benefit of using visual organizers to help deepen understanding and retention.

Creating Lessons that use Multiple Intelligences

Understanding and identifying the multiple intelligences within our students is one thing, addressing these intelligences within our lesson plans is another challenge on its own.

The challenge is in finding effective and appropriate strategies that engage a variety of intelligences while delivering curriculum. The following article from Tammy Andrews (suite101.com) begins the conversation in designing lessons that engage these multiple intelligences.

http://teaching-strategies-mentorship.suite101.com/article.cfm/creating_lessons_that_use_multiple_intelligences

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Graphic Organizer Templates

Graphic organizers present another way for students to arrange and organize ideas, concepts and terms.  These tools present a wide variety of uses in the differentiated classroom.

Graphic organizers can be used to:
-  identify relationships and connections between terms and concepts
-  provide a visual alternative to written notes
-  promote understanding and retention
-  generate and brainstorm new ideas

Freeology has posted a number of free resources for educators including printable graphic organizers.

Online sharing and collaboration

It is amazing to see the incredible variety of web 2.0 apps that are available for teachers and students to use in their teaching/learning.  With this incredible variety it will interesting to see how these social networks are used to inspire and educate students.  Here is another: Voice Thread - this allows participants to share, post and collaborate on a variety of different media (video, docs, audio, etc).

http://voicethread.com/#home

Pathway to Big Ideas - TLCPs

Teachers who are engaged in conducting a TLCP (Teaching-Learning Critical Pathway) should check out this website.

http://pathwaytobigideas.wikispaces.com/

Teachers have begun posting their 'big ideas' and describing their learning pathways. The wiki or blog or social networking site provides a great opportunity for educators to share and collaborate. I would be interested in seeing how this forum evolves.

Make Your Online Quizzes!

A nice web application from STUDIYO.  Interface is nice and easy as it walks you through the steps.  It allows for the use of pictures, videos and other types of media.  They also provide the ability to distribute the quiz via weblink or by embedding it on a webpage or blog.

http://www.mystudiyo.com/
A great idea - thanks to DigiGogy for the link.  By the way, this is a great site as well!

More on Multiple Intelligences

Here is a website listing some more ideas/activities for lessons and lesson starters according to the different intelligences.  There is a lot of information here as well as a link to more resources and information.

http://lth3.k12.il.us/rhampton/mi/LessonPlanIdeas.htm#Intrapersonal

(Thanks to Diana for the link!)

Classroom Activities Arranged by Multiple Intelligences

A Handy Reference - Classroom activities arranged according to Gardner's Multiple Intelligences.

MI Chart

This chart is based on Robin Fogarty’s chart from her book Integrating the Curricula © 1991 SkyLight Training and Publishing, Inc.
Mindblue has been remixed, revamped and elaborated on the chart with their ideas as well as the ideas from classroom teachers they have worked with between 2000-2008

Web Resource - Wallwisher (an online, interactive bulletin board)

I'm just playing around with this web 2.0 app and it is pretty cool.

www.wallwisher.com

Quick to set up and the interface is easy to use. You can send out the 'wall' as a link and have students post ideas, words, etc. on the wall without having to login or open an account. As an adminstrator of a 'wall' you can select the option to have all posts approved by you first. The wall itself can be made public or only visible to you. You can also embed it or follow it via an RSS feed.

A great little tool - it will be interesting to see how teachers can use this in the classroom.

Here is one that I have started...

My wall on Differentiated Instruction

Turn any webpage into a PDF

A unique tool that allows you turn any webpage (URL address) into a PDF. Best of all - no account needed and it's free! I have tried it with a few websites and it does what it claims. Simple to use.

http://pdfmyurl.com/


Visit the Learning Classroom Webpage
http://www.tvdsb.ca/programs.cfm?subpage=82973

The Learning Classroom Program

For more videos, podcasts and materials on differentiated instruction, visit us at the Learning Classroom Webpage

http://www.tvdsb.ca/programs.cfm?subpage=82973

Beyond Monet - Instructional Intelligence

Here is a link to the instructionalintelligence.ca website. There are a variety of data sets for concept attainment posted here.

Concept attainment is "an indirect instructional strategy. Structured inquiry drives the strategy. Learners look at groups or categories comparing and contrasting the groups that contain the attributes with groups that do not contain the concept." (http://www.lovinlearning.org/concept/)

ReadWriteThink.org

This is another website presenting ideas on differentiated instruction and the use of technology in the classroom. A great place to start...

http://www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/

TED Talks: Mae Jemison on teaching arts and science together

Although this video was originally filmed in 2002, the message still applies today. A great message - connecting content to prior knowledge, the bigger picture and student interest.

iPhone App - Dragon Dictation

Now available in Canada, Dragon Dictation from Nuance is on the iPhone.

The software itself works fairly well. The accuracy is pretty good with speech that is clear and slow. The fact that this tool is now available for a handheld device is fantastic. And the price is right - free.

http://www.nuance.com/


Visit the Learning Classroom Webpage
http://www.tvdsb.ca/programs.cfm?subpage=82973

Teaching Learning Critical Pathways: Getting Started

A great series of videos on TLCPs from the Curriculum Services Canada website.

http://www.curriculum.org/secretariat/september8.shtml



Visit the Learning Classroom Webpage
http://www.tvdsb.ca/programs.cfm?subpage=82973

Still Tasty - a classic...

Stilltasty.com is a website where you look up different foods and determine how long they typically stay safe to consume. A cool site of interest where one can link safe food handling and the chemical changes linked to food spoilage.

My Day at London South

A special thanks to London South! It was a great chance to talk with teachers and students regarding differentiated instruction and assessment.




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DI vs traditional instruction

A nice place to start. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up with all of the terms, abbreviations and acronyms but when we compare differentiated instruction with traditional instruction, it highlights the solid underpinnings behind this effective teaching practice.

Check out the link for the quick article...

Updates to the site

Four new videos and another podcast can be found @ http://www.tvdsb.ca/programs.cfm?subpage=82973


Visit the Learning Classroom Webpage
http://www.tvdsb.ca/programs.cfm?subpage=82973

The First Post

First week of 2010 and we are off and running! Add us to your feeds as we will be listing updates and news surrounding DI and The Learning Classroom Program as well as resources, articles and information from around the web.

Stay tuned!


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Visit the Learning Classroom Webpage
www.tvdsb.ca