Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Science, Grades 6-8 - Paperback

by Gayle H. Gregory (Author), Carolyn M. Chapman (Author)

A Corwin Press Classroom Activity Book

Classroom-ready science activities to help all middle school students learn!

In today′s highly diverse classrooms, differentiated instruction enables teachers to plan strategically so they can meet the individual needs of all their students. Now this unique resource makes the challenge of reaching all learners easier by providing teachers with a wide array of practical activities for the differentiated middle school science classroom--all based on the strategies presented in the best-selling Differentiated Instructional Strategies, Second Edition.

Correlated to national academic standards, the activities in this book are ideal for supplementing differentiated lessons on energy exchange, force and motion, simple machines, the periodic table, planets and stars, biomes, body systems, DNA, genetics, and much more. These ready-to-use tasks can be immediately incorporated into lesson plans, and each activity features objectives, materials lists, helpful tips on conducting the activity, and reproducibles.

Teachers can adjust learning based on individual students′ knowledge, skills, experience, preferences, and needs by using tested, research-based strategies such as:

• Choice boards
• Cubing
• Graphic organizers
• Centers
• Problem-based learning
• Cooperative learning

With this valuable resource, teachers can instruct students according to their readiness and ability levels. By putting the authors′ proven strategies into practice, educators are sure to make a positive difference in student achievement!

For other grade-specific Corwin Press Classroom books, please see:

Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Kindergarten
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Grade One
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Grade Two
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Grade Three
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Grade Four
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Grade Five
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Language Arts, Grades 6-8
Activities for the Differentiated Classroom: Math, Grades 6-8

About the Authors
Gayle H. Gregory consults internationally with teachers, administrators, and staff developers in the areas of differentiated instruction, emotional intelligence, brain-compatible learning, block scheduling, and instructional and assessment practices. She also works with educators in the areas of cooperative group learning, presentation skills, coaching and mentoring, renewal of secondary schools, and facilitating large-scale change. She has written many books about differentiated instruction, brain-compatible learning, and block scheduling.

Carolyn Chapman is an international educational consultant, author, and teacher who has taught in kindergarten to college classrooms. Her hands-on professional development training sessions challenge educators to use strategies that ensure success for learners of all ages. Carolyn has written many books about differentiated instruction, multiple intelligences, multiple assessments, and the brain-compatible classroom.

Author Biography

Gayle H. Gregory is first and foremost a teacher, having experienced teaching and learning in elementary, middle, and secondary schools, community colleges, and universities. She has had extensive district-wide experience as a curriculum consultant and staff development coordinator. Gayle was principal/course director at York University for the Faculty of Education, teaching in the teacher education program.
Her areas of expertise include brain-compatible learning, differentiated instructional and assessment strategies, block scheduling, emotional intelligence, student motivation, RTI Tier One, collaborative learning, common core, renewal of secondary schools, enhancing teacher quality, coaching and mentoring, managing change, and building professional learning communities. She also a trainer for Visible Learning Plus with Corwin.

She is an author of numerous books related to educational neuroscience and differentiated instruction, assessment, and curriculum, including the following titles:

- Data Driven Differentiation in the Standards-Based Classroom, Second Edition (2014, with Lin Kuzmich)
- Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't Fit All, Third Edition (2013, with Carolyn Chapman)
- Differentiated Instructional Strategies Professional Learning Guide: One Size Doesn't Fit All, Third Edition (2013)
- Differentiated Literacy Strategies for English Language Learners, Grades K-6 and Differentiated Literacy Strategies for English Language Learners, Grades 7-12 (2011, with Amy Burkman)
- Differentiated Instructional Strategies for the Block Schedule (2010, with Lynne E. Herndon)
- Student Teams That Get Results: Teaching Tools for the Differentiated Classroom (2009, with Lin Kuzmich)
- Teacher Teams That Get Results: 61 Strategies for Sustaining and Renewing Professional Learning Communities (2009, with Lin Kuzmich)
- Differentiated Instructional Strategies for Science, Grades K-8 (2009, with Elizabeth Hammerman)
- Differentiating Instruction With Style: Aligning Teacher and Learner Intelligences for Maximum Achievement (2005)
- The Activities for Differentiated Classroom series (2007, with Carolyn Chapman)

She is affiliated with organizations such as ASCD and Learning Forward. Her ASCD publication is The Motivated Brain: Improving Student Attention engagement and Perseverance (2015, with Martha Kaufeldt).

Gayle consults internationally with teachers, administrators, and staff developers.

She and her family of two daughters and two granddaughters all reside in Burlington, Ontario.

Gayle is committed to lifelong learning and professional growth for herself and others. She may be contacted at gregorygayle@netscape.net, www.gaylehgregory.com, and @gaylegregory6.

Carolyn Chapman is an international educational consultant, author, and teacher who has taught in kindergarten to college classrooms. Her interactive, hands-on professional development training sessions challenge educators to use strategies that ensure success for learners of all ages. Chapman has written many books about differentiated instruction, multiple intelligences, multiple assessments, and the brain-compatible classroom. She is coauthor with Gayle Gregory of the landmark Corwin Press book Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn′t Fit All.