Biology Spring Workshop 2014

Practical Activities for Differentiated Revision

Agenda

• Participants will explore differentiation and practical activities for varied learners

• Participants will share and discuss tips for examination success• Kinaesthetic revision activities will be examined for use in the

classroom• Participants will use a tool to classify their students learning

styles• ICT resources for use in Biology revision class will be accessed

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation is…not treating all learners the same but knowing how different students learn

“There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of unequal people.”

Thomas Jefferson

“Teaching things differently according to observed differences

among learners .”

Peter Westwood(2001)

“When a teacher tries to teach something to the entire class at the same time, chances are one-third of the kids already know it; one-third will get it;

and the remaining third won’t. So two-thirds of the children

are wasting their time.”

Lillian Katz

These are many influences on student learning

Feedback Teacher-Student Relationships Mastery Learning

Challenge of Goals Peer Tutoring Expectations

Homework Aims & Policies of the School

Ability Grouping

0.730.720.580.560.550.430.290.240.12

Effect SizeJohn Hattie Visible Learning

Activity -Think – Pair – Share

1. Think about how students in your class differ

2. Discuss these thoughts with your neighbour

3. Share these examples with the full group

Our students differ based on…

• Ability• Learning Style• Multiple Intelligence• Motivation• Interest in Subject• Time of Day• Culture

• Background• Parental Support• Literacy and Numeracy• Study Skills and habits• Self-esteem• Physical state• Learning experiences/ successes

to date

Diamond Nine Activity-Rank student difference according to how much you think it impacts learning

1

2 3

54 6

7 8

9

• TES nine diamond resource

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We learn best by talking

Dale’s Cone of Experience

How can we do more when revising Biology?

We have a terminal summative examination in Biology which all students must sit…

Section A

6 questions= with 2 question each from Unit 1/Unit 2/Unit 3 and answer 5

Section B

3 questions= based on prescribed practical activities and answer 2

Section C

6 questions= 1 from unit 1- 2 from unit 2- 3 from unit 3 –Answer 4. All words that put spell fear / disaster for students (and for teachers!)

Marks Distribution- Total 400 marks

Section A Section B Section C

5x 20marks=100 marks

2x30 marks= 60 marks

4 x 60 marks = 240

Throughout teaching and before the exam

1.Ensure students are familiarwith the paper structure

2.Practice questions using examination papers

3.Know the marking structure and use marking schemes

Learning for Recall

Techniques for remembering and recall are useful for BiologyStudents should try to:

• Connect what they are learning to prior knowledge• Learn in small manageable chunks• Transfer knowledge from short term to long term memory by

repeating or reviewing 5 times over a period

So we differentiate by identifying what students MUST-SHOULD-COULD know or do for Biology exams

Must Should Could• Practice previous questions and know the syllabus content• Know biology is usually marked in 3 marks per point• Know that points are as good as sentences unless

otherwise stated• Definitions can require precise wording• In section A questions a wrong answer cancels a correct

answer (This can also apply to Section C)• Read exam paper slowly and carefully and begin with a

familiar topic question• Ensure to answer every part of long questions• Read back over your answers

Why use the MUST-SHOULD-COULD?

• There are multiple intelligences and varying learning styles in your classroom

• Different students learn differently• By varying activities within your lesson you provide a better

opportunity to ensure the ‘must’ is a given for all, the ‘should’ for some and the ‘could’ for a few.

• It raises expectations as learners can see a trajectory of where their learning could go

However…rememberStudents cannot do well in the examination unless they have

learned and understood the information required of them and the research tells us…

These are many influences on student learning

Feedback Teacher-Student Relationships Mastery Learning

Challenge of Goals Peer Tutoring Expectations

Homework Aims & Policies of the School

Ability Grouping

0.730.720.580.560.550.430.290.240.12

Effect SizeJohn Hattie Visible Learning

So students learn from each other…and need regular feedback

• Differentiated revision in biology can cater for all learners through activities that challenge and get them talking, giving feedback and assessing each other

Back to the MUST- SHOULD- COULD

We should try to get the students revising together in the classroom more of the time rather than whole class or independent revision. HOW?

TEA/COFFEE- Activities after coffee

Station 1

• In pairs arrange the short questions answers with their questions (2 sets)

• You do not need to do them in order• A goes first and places the answer of one question beside

where it goes• B agrees or disagrees and then goes next- Give feedback!• Complete the activity together in 5 minutes• Place the activity back as you found it for next group

Station 2

• Gather round the main projector screen. Click this link to go on http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1550 and click change subjects. Select sciences/human anatomy. In turns answer a questions to earn some rice for the third world

Station 3

• Go to the activity 3 station laptop 1 and 2• Explore the study stack biology revision resource. • Answer the questions alternately giving feedback before

deciding correct or incorrect• Try out the other games• Ask for help if you need it

Station 4

This is the COULD station as it is really fun kinaesthetic activities used during revision or during

a topic.

How did that work?

Skills for the most able students

Learning Styles

• Visual Learners – prefer to see information

• Auditory Learners – prefer to hear information

• Kinaesthetic Learners – learn best by doing, touching or making

What Learning Style are you?

Differentiated Teaching Methods

Differentiation Content

Outcome

Process

Depth of treatment will vary for different learners-Must-Should-Could

Students will produce work in different ways to learn e.g projects

Different activities help different students learn e.g visuals

Other ways to Differentiate in Biology by outcome

• Diagrams in Experiments• Mind maps to revise• Presentation of work• Models of cells/plants• Projects as extension work• Writing good notes• Teaching work back to a partner

Click the

image to

access

What differentiated activity might you try with your class before they leave?

CD Navigation

That’s all folks except to leave your evaluations!

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