Brewster Elementary School

Curriculum Differentiation

The Rochester Community Schools curriculum is based on Michigan standards and benchmarks that require the use of higher order thinking skills. Classroom teachers utilize these benchmarks to challenge their students to think, work, and produce at a meaningful level. The goal of a differentiated classroom is to maximize student growth and individual success.

Curriculum Differentiation allows teachers to provide a variety of opportunities for learning within the classroom community. Teachers assess students in order to provide the best possible instruction. Students engage in many different thinking processes and open-ended activities to learn about a topic. Support and practice is given to students so that they may experience success in an enriched curriculum.

Grade 5 – Curriculum Differentiation

LITERACY

· Opportunities to engage in discovering, creating and analyzing spoken, written, electronic and visual texts.

· Whole class and small individualized group activities

· Variety of assessments given to determine needs of all students

· Literature Circles – Small group discussions; students dialogue about issues

· Reading Journals – students reflect and share during literature circle discussions

· Book talks and reports

MATHEMATICS

· Variety of strategies utilized to meet whole group, partner and individual needs

· Math games modified and extended to meet varied abilities

· Math Explorations involving hands-on problem-solving strategies adapted to varied needs

· Problem-solving activities to extend and refine thinking skills

SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES

· Journal Writing

· Small interactive discussion groups and whole group instruction

· Use of technology for individual and small group research projects

· Field trips – gaining first hand knowledge for thematic units

Projects that enhance the curriculum