Transcript Layered Curriculum and Computer Applications

Layered Curriculum ™
How to teach if there’s more than
one student in your class
What is Layered Curriculum™
Every Child deserves a Special Education
• Tasks arranged in levels of understanding
• Individualized expression and assessment
• Research-based
• Curriculum tailored to the variety of
students you serve
Levels of Understanding
C Level—basic skills, facts, and
understanding
B Level—able to manipulate their
knowledge, problem-solve, brainstorm
A Layer—requires the most complex,
critical thinking.
C Layer
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Maximum “C” grade—basic skills,
knowledge, and understanding
Vocabulary, basic mechanics
 Do project with detailed directions
 Do experiment someone else has designed
 Wide variety of choices—other languages,
music, poetry, art, hands-on projects,
listening, reading at a variety of levels
 Something for EVERYONE in your class
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B Layer
Maximum
“B” grade—able to apply
knowledge and skills to practical situations
Design
Do
their own experiment
projects with just basic directions
Interdisciplinary
Creative
studies
displays of compare & contrast
A Layer
“A”
grade—independent research
and/or advanced/complicated project
Mix
traditional research with other
things like values, morality and personal
opinion
Literature
research and written
response—report, persuasive essay,
letter to Congress
Usually
outside of class time
Why Layered Curriculum™
Allows for more individualized program
 Let’s students decide their grade
 Gives teacher more time for each student
 Allows for more “intelligences” to be used
 Provides variety in the period
 Easily adjusts to a variety of period lengths
 Allows resources to be shared
 Reduces at-home grading time
 Allows a variety of students to succeed
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How to create a unit
List all the objectives
 List a variety of ways students could
learn the basic material
 List a variety of ways to reinforce the
material
 Organize them into basic, intermediate,
and advanced levels of understanding
 Decide the point values for each activity
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Suggestions for Activities
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Provide a variety of levels of reading
material—hit the library!
 Have a parent or other volunteer record the
chapter on tape
 Get tape player “listening center”
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elementary schools often have them
Print out, list URLs, or bookmark pertinent
sites/articles on the Internet
 Use a WebQuest
Assessment
Oral defense of the students'
assignments.
 As students finish each assignment they
spend a couple of minutes, on a one-onone basis, discussing what they learned
 Oral reports and presentations—privately
or to the whole class or a group
 Variety of written papers, art projects,
experiments
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More Ideas
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Set up learning centers or stations
Provide art material for making posters or
other creative works
Allow students to “perform” songs or skits
privately or publicly
Allow students to answer verbally or in writing
Let students help each other by working
together—adjust points
Getting Started
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Start slowly!!
Make sure students and parents (send a
letter home) understand the concept
Explain time limits
Explain how points work
Give out all assignments at the start
Be sure they understand the rubric
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Must do work at all three levels to get an “A”
150 points can still be a “C”
Doing an “A” project does not guarantee an “A”
FAQs
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Yes, you can still do whole class work
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Yes, you can still do lectures, discussions
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make it short—20-30 min.
points for notes, participation, record on tape
Yes, you can still give tests (but why?!)
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Use multiple, preferably self-grading, quizzes
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Yes, you can still require writing, reading,
anything you want
 Yes you can still have homework
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Allow parents to sign off some work
Think of other means of assessment
Helpful Websites
Help4teachers.com
 Brain.org
 Quia.com—student and teacher created
quizzes, flashcards, website, etc.
 MS.com--Education tutorials and
lessons
 EXPAN—create future-oriented
activities
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Resumes and cover letters to real places
 College searches, job searches,
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