Differentiated Activities

DIFFERENTIATED ACTIVITIES

(reminders for math lessons)

Use with UDL (Universal Design for Learning).

General Notes to Teacher: When possible, each activity should include a range of problems. (Design a problem for the “average” student, then a similar one that is “less complicated” for the struggling student and another that is “more challenging” for the advanced student.)Still, be aware of the rigor expected at your grade level. Some activities are appropriate for pre-requisite skills, to introduce a topic, to practice, to review, or even to assess understanding at the end of a unit.

ACTIVITY / NOTES TO TEACHER
Which one doesn't belong, and why?
or
Which is easiest/most difficult to solve and why? (or most difficult) / Whole class:The teacher projects 4 things labeled A, B, C, D (math expressions/equations, diagrams, pictures, objects) … Each student has scrap paper, and an ABCD sheet to hold up with their choice.
Teacher posts or projects the 4 things: (Design this so any choice could be correct.)
A …. / B ….
C …. / D ….
Students fold their ABCD sheets and hold up “their” answer. The teacher calls upon random students to explain “why” they made their choice. (repeat; give time for students to find reasons why another choice could be correct.)
Divide into 2 groups and solve: given information (expressions, *examples, pictures, graphics)
-What was your rule?
-*Do the easiest example and the one that seems the most difficult.
-*Explain why you chose those two. / Work alone or in pairs:
Students receive a list of some 8-10 examples.
These could be examples in the textbook or online so students practice copying the information correctly …
A suggestion: students can solve each problem then cut them out individually so they can more easily move and rearrange them into groups. They can also write their rule under each group. (i.e. “It was necessary to use the distributive property in group A, but not in group B.”)
Carousel –solve at least (#) of tasks posted about the room; show work, check your answers, and be prepared to discuss these and to submit your work.
(Also fun to play carousel-type music as background while students complete their assignment.
/ Work alone or in pairs:
Teacher posts 12-15 numbered examples about the room (on colorful post-it notes, index cards, or on 8 ½” x11” paper). There is no sequential order. (Have fun; post some on the walls, doors, … post at eye level or low down so students sit on the floor to copy the example.)
Recommend using the same topic, theme, or cluster of standards.
Students walk about from one example to another; they choose which ones to complete on their paper … teacher assigns a minimum to be completed. (If available, each student can work on a clip board.)
21st. Century Assembly Line: Move Right– The first step of one example is duplicated and posted around room:
-Do one step only, then move to the right and do one step only, …. (use different colored markers and initial your work)
-Each student must show work (no steps done in your head).
-Student must write neatly and include all details so the next person can follow the progression of the problem
-Students are not permitted to speak to each other; they may correct mistakes then do “their” step.
(other students, at their seats, may be working on a similar “pass it on” activity.) / As many students in a group as number of steps in the problem(students see each other’s thinking and problem-solving processes; they follow accepted rules, …. )
Sample problems:
-Teacher creates an expression with parenthesis, brackets, integers w/exponents, etc. that can be simplified using steps in different order. The focus might be on using proper algebraic-order-of-operations, or appropriate grouping, or using the distributive property, etc.
Samples:
2(9-5)2 + 16 ÷ 4 - 2(32-5) x 5
… or one including fractions and/or variables
-or an equation or inequality to solve such as:
-3(x-2) + [4(3x – 6) ÷ 2] > 60
-or
16a + 14b – 2(3a – b/2) + (x-2)2….
21st. Century Assembly Line: Pass it On –Worksheet distributed to students at seats
- Do one step only, then pass to the next student; do one step only, …. (You may not speak; you should make corrections if you notice mistakes made by previous student.) / Duplicate for as many students in each group as number of steps in the problem:
- or the task is designed where each student’s-created step creates the problem:
GEOMETRY sample:
a) step 1: draw a rectangle (or triangle or cube) with an area (perimeter/volume) of xxx; label it.
Step 2: write equation to find area of shape in step 1.(2D shape or 1 face of the cube)
Step 3: find area using above equation
Step 4: write equation to find perimeter of 2D shape
Step 5: find perimeter of above
Step 5a: if 3D form: write equation to find surface area … next: find surface area … or … write equation to find volume … next: find volume
Step 6: a related real-life scenario to solve
Step 7: related questions to extend/challenge
FRACTIONS sample:
Step 1: write the denominator of 3 fractions (from given integers according to CCSS for grade level).
Step 2: write the numerators for each of the 3 fractions
Step 3: write a common denominator
Step 4: copy the common denominators & use the numerators from step 2 to create equivalent fractions
Step 5: add operation symbols between the three fractions ( + - x ÷ sq., sq. root, …. )
Step 6: simplify the expression or solve if an equation
Step 7: write an expression using only 2 fractions (or 2 decimal numbers) that simplifies to the same answer.
Step 8: create and solve a word-problem using these 3 fractions
Step 9: related questions to extend/challenge
Match cards (or slips of paper)
- Match the cards to make equivalent sets / Work with a partner or group of three.
Teacher creates set of cards/slips of paper in envelopes; these could be:
-vocabulary word and definition
-vocabulary word and example
-example and solution
-example and graphic
-table and equation; equations and graphs
Match your Partner’s Answer / Teacher createstwo sets of examples to solve where the examples are different, but the answers are the same. (This is an easy way to design set A with “easier” examples, set B with “more complex examples” on the same topic.) Print Set A one side, set B another side of same sheet.
The last two spaces on sheet may ask students to create two examples of their own with the same answer.
A homework (or next day assignment) may ask students to do the examples in the “other” set that their partner had used.
Sample:
Set A: If the circumference of a circle is 16π, what is the radius of that circle? (answer: 8)
Set B: If the area of a rectangular garden is 32 sq. feet and the width measures 4 feet, what is the length of the garden? (answer: 8)
Tic-tac-toe
Bingo
Jeopardy

/ Teams / whole class … recommended for review. See online for many samples, templates and music.
Battle-ship like game
Students must describe something and their partner must create what they described (without looking at their partner’s work). / Students work in pairs.
Students use a manila folder to stand up between them so they cannot see each other’s papers.
Encourage students to use correct math vocabulary.
Sample:
Student A: (closest birthday to today) draws a shape on a coordinate grid with the vertices labeled. Student A describes the shape and location to student B.
Student B: follows the verbal directions to draw and label the identical shape.
Sample; lower elementary grades may work with shapes:
Student ‘A’ describes a given pattern, or creates his own to describe: “draw a small circle in the middle of your paper, draw a right triangle above, draw a *thick rectangle to the right of the circle, draw a smaller *thin circle under the middle circle, etc. ….” (Teacher may design this so students can use concrete manipulatives: polygon shapes, *attribute blocks, snap cubes, base-ten blocks, ….)
If both shapes (or design patterns) match, each student gets 2 points.
Next, reverse, so Student B begins.
Become a Master: Jig-Saw cooperative learning groups.
Students sit in groups of 3-5 students. Each group is given a different (but related) set of tasks. Students work together with their group-mates to complete their problems; each student completes his/her own worksheet; students may help each other. Each student in each group becomes a specialist in that skill.
Then, 1 student from each group (someone who feels they understand the material well … or someone the teacher selects) moves on to another group (group B) and teaches/assists the students in that group to understand and completethe problems from their group-A.
/ This works well with related material. Manipulatives and/or calculators should be provided as appropriate. Some examples:
-HS: sine, cosine, tangent _ each group learns about “their” given term, completes related problems, checks their work.
-MS: solving equations, inequalities or systems of equations; each group solves examples that focus on a different skill and/or level of difficulty; and completes at least one real-life related scenario.
-MS: simplifying expressions by combining like terms, using the distributive property, working with +- integers, working w/fractions, solving related real-life examples.
-MS/ES: evaluating given expressions, equations, and solving real-life scenarios.
-MS/ES: groups find the area/perimeter of a variety of polygons or rectilinear shapes … or volume of given 3D forms including solving real-life situations … or work with one component of different polygons such as the diagonals or interior/exterior/adjacent angles.
-ES: groups work with addition or subtraction problems including writing equations to match a given scenario and then solving real-life problems.

Page 1 of 2 by J. Brendel List: Differentiated Tasks (use with UDL approach) 11/11/2015