Differentiation Strategies for High-End Learners:
A Response to Instruction
DIFFERENTIATION:
LOTS OF CHOICES!
Fascinating Facts:
Gifted learners require only
1-3 repetitions to learn a new skill in their
strength areas.
Average learners require up to 15 repetitions.
When gifted learners must participate in too
many repetitions or the learning pace is too
slow, they may actually “mislearn” material
(Julian Stanley, John Hopkins University).
Gifted learners have special learning needs in
their area(s) of giftedness:
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Depth
Complexity
Accelerated Pacing
Opportunities for
creative production
and
creative expression
As well as unique :
Affective Needs
Deserve to learn something new
EVERYDAY!
Non-Negotiables
Different respectful work, not simply more work.
Builds Deeper Understanding.
Provide rigorous, challenging activities.
Try to weave two or more elements and/or combine Both
types of thinking tools to increase intellectual demand .
Fair in terms of work expectations and time needed.
Choice
 When given the freedom of choice and
adequate information, the brain’s prefrontal
cortex (decision-making, planning, critical
thinking) and amygdala (fear response) have
been found to respond positively (Bechara, et
al. 1999). This effect is likely triggered by the
increased production of serotonin, dopamine,
and noradrenaline, which enhance well-being
and motivation. So, it turns out that choice
may, indeed, “feed the brain.”

Jensen, Eric, & Dabney, Michael, Learning Smarter, 2000
Choice
 Choice activities give students options. Even if
the options all include doing work, there is
something liberating about being able to choose
the activity for which you will later be assessed.
Students’ interests and learning styles are taken
into heavy consideration when preparing choice
activities. Even the content to be learned may be
part of the choices students get to make. They
could be learning facts, concepts or a variety of
useful and practical knowledge.
Choice
 As with related strategies, it is important that
no matter which choices students make, they
must grapple with the key ideas and use the
keys skills central to the topic or area of
study.
 In other words, whichever choices the
student makes, he/she should be addressing
the same KUDs as the others
Choice
 A choice board offers students a way to make decisions
about what they will do in order to meet class
requirements. A choice board could be for a single lesson, a
week-long lesson, or even a month-long period of study. In
order to create a choice board:
 Identify the most important elements of a lesson or unit.
 Create a required assignment or project that reflects the
minimum understanding you expect all students to achieve.
 Create negotiables which expand upon the minimum
understandings. These negotiables often require students to go
beyond the basic levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
 Create a final optional section that provide students the
opportunity for enrichment. The optional section often reflects
activities that students can use for extra credit.
from Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom by Rick Wormeli
Menu Planner
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Name: _________________
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Due: All items in the main dish and the specified number of side dishes must be completed by the
due date - ________. You may select among the side dishes, and you may decide to do some of
the dessert items, as well.
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Main Dish (Complete all)
1.
2.
3.
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Side Dish (select _________ )
1.
2.
3.
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Dessert (Optional)
1.
2.
3.
.
Tic Tac Toe
Draw a pictorial
representation of an
important historical
event. Your picture
should include all of the
important elements such
as setting, date, and
characters to help you
remember the event.
Draw a mural of an
important historical
event. Make sure to
include the main concept,
the events leading up to
it, and the events that
followed, or that you
predict will happen in the
future because of the
event.
Make a pictorial timeline of
a historical period or event,
as well as the events leading
up to it.
Make a parallel pictorial
timeline of other historical
events in other regions that
were happening
simultaneously.
Use a graphic organizer to
note any related patterns or
universal causes.
Use or make up a flow
chart or graphic organizer
to illustrate the sequence
of events of a historical
happening.
Create a secret code and
write a message to
someone involved in an
important historical
event. The message must
indicate a core
understanding of the
event and its
circumstances.
Draw a political
cartoon representing
a historical event.
Make up a comic strip
relating an important
historical event.
Make up a set of skits
or a play about a
historical event.
Make sure to show
the event from
different
perspectives and
include the different
points of views of the
characters involved.
Assume the persona of a
historical figure and give
a presentation or speech
to an audience relating
why you acted as you did
to solve a significant
historical problem.
Then share with the
audience how you might
solve the problem in an
alternative way. Dress in
character.
Choice
 RAFT is an acronym for Role, Audience, Format,
and Topic.
In a RAFT, students take on a particular role,
develop a product for a specified audience in a
particular format and on a topic that gets right at
the heart of what matters most in a particular
segment of study. At some points, a teacher may
want to assign students particular RAFTs and at
other points may want the student to make the
choice. RAFT assignments are typically of fairly
short duration and can be completed at school or
at home.

From Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom by Carol-Ann Tomlinson
RAFT

R
Role
A
Audience
F
Format
Spilled
Oil
People of Gulf Coast
Rap
BP
Marine Life
Persuasive letter
Fish
Seabirds (Pelicans, Terns,
Gannets, etc.)
Poem
T
Topic
It’s Not My Fault!
Relocation To A New
Home-
There’s A Better
Meal Around The
Corner!
Contracts-Advantages
Allow students an element of choice in
assignment or unit grade.
Challenge and engage mastery students
while teachers work with struggling
learners.
Make students responsible for their
learning.
Contracts: Disadvantages
Require a level of maturity and self
discipline for students.
Time management can be challenging.
Take time to plan.
Non-Negotiables of Contracts
Meet with student at regular intervals to
monitor progress.
Set deadlines (can be flexible).
Allow flexibility of student movement to
accomplish varied tasks.
Accompany contract with student rubric
for self-evaluation and self-reflection.
Different Types of Contracts
•Open-ended, Interest driven
•Short or long-term
•Skills or Content
•Student choice of activities within a
discipline with varied possible points
depending on complexity of task (Core
content only)
•Contracts for grades in exchange for
completing specific activities (Core
content only).
Contracts: Suggestions for
Behavior Management
•Expected behaviors embedded in contract
with specific consequences
•Establish rules for checking in and out of
classroom if resources are at another
location
•Students set clear goal/s before leaving
classroom
•Progress journals to report on progress upon
return.
Contracts:
Let’s look at some examples of student
contracts.
SAMPLE CONTRACT (OLDER PRIMARY CHILD)
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Name_______Kristin Blakely___________________________________
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This is what I want to learn (FACTS AND CONCEPTS):
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1. How to make a good plot for a story
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2. The elements of plot: (a) good hook in the beginning, (b) suspense in the middle, (c) a climax, and (d) a strong
ending.
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This is what I need to do (SKILLS):
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1. Read two stories with good plots I like.
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2. Brainstorm some plot ideas of my own.
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3. Put my idea into each section of the plot to see how it works.
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This is what I will create (PRODUCT):
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A mystery story of my own with sketches
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These are the things I have to do before I am finished:
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Use at least two books to get the information I need
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Remember the important things by writing them down and making diagrams, designs, and maps.
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Figure out at least three ways to do my project.
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Choose one way and do the project.
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Ask the teacher for help if I get stuck.
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I will complete my project by: Friday
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Student Signature:_____________________________________
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Teacher Signature:_____________________________________
Tic-Tac-Toe Menu/Contract
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Name: _________________________________________

Date Received:_____________ Date Due:_____________
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Date Completed:_________________
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Directions: Choose activities in a tic-tac-toe design. When you have
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completed the activities in a row–horizontally, vertically, or diagonally–you
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may decide to be finished. Or you may decide to keep going and complete
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more activities.
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I choose activities # _________, # ________, # ________, # ________
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Do you have ideas for alternate activities you’d like to do instead? Talk
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them over with your teacher.
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I prefer to do the following alternate activities: _______________________
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_____________________________________________________________
Bibliography:
 Gregory, G. H., & Chapman, C. (2002). Differentiated instructional
strategies: One size doesn’t fit all. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
 Diehn, G. (1998). Making Books that Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up,
Twist & Turn. Lark Books, NY.
 Kingore, B. (2004). Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic, and Effective.
Professional Associates Publishing.
 Heacox, D. (2002). Differentiating instruction in the regular classroom.
Free Spirit Publishing, Minneapolis, MN.
 Keen, E. & Zimmermann, S. (1997). Mosaic of Thought. Heinemann,
Portsmouth, NH.
Bibliography Continued :
Smutney, J., Walker, S., & Meckstroth, E. (1997). Teaching young gifted
children in the regular classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit.
Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the
needs of all learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Treffinger, D. & Nassab, C. (1997). Thinking Tools Lessons. Center for
Creative Learning Press.
Winebrenner, S. (2001). Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom. Free
Spirit Publishing
Bibliography Continued:
 Kingore, B. (2004). Differentiation: Simplified, Realistic, and
Effective, Professional Associates Publishing.
 Naglieri, J., Brills, D. & Lansdowne, K. (2008). Helping All Gifted
Children Learn. Pearson Publishing.