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How do I differentiate for a GATE class in a science lesson?

Ashlee, Is your GATE class a "gifted and talented education" class? If so, maybe you can add some additional hands-on activities to differentiate the lesson. You can also add stations to supplement and reinforce the lesson concepts. What is the specific lesson that you are teaching? Maureen

Here are some ideas for the classroom when you are using differentiation in science: •Create a tic-tac-toe board that lists different activities at different ability levels. When students aren't involved in direct instruction with you, they can work on activities from their tic-tac-toe board. These boards have nine squares, like a tic-tac-toe board; and each square lists an activity that corresponds with the science unit. For example, one solar system activity for advanced science students might be to create a power point presentation about eclipses. For beginning students, an activity might be to make a poster for one of the planets and include important data such as size, order from the sun, whether it has moons, and so on. •Find websites on the current science unit that students can explore on their own. •Allow students to work in small groups to create a project throughout the entire unit. For example, one group might create a solar system model to scale. Another group might write a play about the solar system. This is an activity these groups can work on while they are not working directly with you. Differentiation in science gets students excited to learn because it challenges them to expand their knowledge and skills, instead of teaching the whole group concepts they have already mastered. www.brighthubeducation.com

I like the tic tac toe board idea. It keeps students motivated. I think in every type of classroom you have to use differentiated instruction whether the students are gifted of general ed. I believe activities are an important part of keeping students motivated and engaged in science. Using activities also helps students with inquiry, observing and investigating science concepts.

A few Gifted & Talented Resources for Science Teachers: 1) NGSS for all Students (ebook or printed version) http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/PKEB400X Has a chapter on NGSS and GT students 2) NGSS standards - Appendix D: All Standards All Students http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Appendix%20D%20Diversity%20and%20Equity%206-14-13.pdf and the Case Studies (one of which is a GT example) http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Appendix%20D%20Diversity%20and%20Equity%206-14-13.pdf 3) "Using the Next Generation Science Standards with Gifted & Advanced Learners" and "A Teacher's Guide to Using the NGSS with Gifted & Advanced Learners" both from Prufrock Press