Planning for Differentiated Learning:
This template helps educators plan a unit that targets a particular grade level.
The person organizing this unit should be aware of the pre-requisite knowledge and
skills that a student must have to take on the content/skill/assessment. Lessons would be
designed to address lacking pre-requisites by “Filling the Gap” and identifying “Concepts or
Skills in Place”.
Unit Title: Grade Level:
Standards: Pre-Assessment Lesson Strategy:
Critical Question for this Portion of the Unit: Personal Question(s):
Content: (Concepts) Skills: (What will students do?)
Activate: (Creating focus and purpose)
Acquire: (Getting the information and grouping choices)
Total Groups Discussion:
Question prompts:
Alone:
Partner work:
Formative Assessment: (Demonstrating the learning)
Its basic checklist follows a six-step planning model for differentiated learning.
PLANNING FOR DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING
1. STANDARDS: What should students know and be able to do? Assessment tools for data collection: (logs,
checklists, journals, agendas, observations,
portfolios, rubrics, contracts)
Essential Questions:
2. CONTENT: (concepts, vocabulary, facts) SKILLS:
3. ACTIVATE: Focus Activity: Pre-assessment strategy Quiz, test
Preassessment Surveys
Prior knowledge K.W.L.
& engaging the Journals
learners Arm Gauge
Give me 5
Brainstorm
Concept Formation
Thumb It
4. ACQUIRE: Lecturette
Presentation
Demonstration
Jigsaw
Video
Field Trip
Guest Speaker
Text
Grouping Decisions: (T.A.P.S. random, heterogeneous, homogeneous, interest, task,
constructed)
5. APPLY Learning Centers
ADJUST Projects
Contracts
Compact/Enrichment
Problem-Based
Inquiry
Research
Independent Study
6. ASSESS Quiz, test
Performance
Products
Presentation
Demonstration
Log, journal
Checklist
Portfolio
Diversity Honored (Learning Styles, Multiple Intelligences, personal interest, etc.) Rubric
Metacognition
Adjustable Learning Grid:
This template helps educators have the same topic for a class composed of differently
abled students. There are three levels of basic knowledge or competency: High Degree,
Approaching, and Beginning.
High Degree: Students have a mastery of concepts and skills.
Approaching: Students have an ability and understanding of basic terms.
Beginning: Students are able to use concepts in a simple, basic manner.
The person organizing this unit should be aware of the pre-requisite knowledge and
skills that a student must have to take on the content/skill/assessment. Lessons would be
designed to address lacking pre-requisites by “Filling the Gap” and identifying “Concepts or
Skills in Place”. These are questions to be considered by the teacher:
1. What is the standard targeted in this unit and lesson?
2. What would success look like? How will students demonstrate competency?
3. What are the various ways to demonstrate success?
4. What assessment tools will be needed?
5. What do students already know?
6. What can students do?
7. What are the students interested in studying?
8. What are students’ strengths or needs or learning styles?
9. What choices might I offer?
Standards-Based Content, Skill, or Assessment:
Pre-Assessment Tool or Method:
Filling in the Gap: Filling in the Gap: Filling in the Gap:
Concepts or Skills in Place:
Concepts or Skills in Place:
Concepts or Skills in Place:
High Degree Approaching Beginning
Lesson Planning for Centers:
This template is used to summarize the lessons/activities related to the learning centers.
Center:
Standards:
Content:
Who:
Activities Materials
Location
Assessment Teacher Reflections
