CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Construction of Differentiated Instructional Plan

Katie L. Warren
CIG 602
University of Nevada Las Vegas

Construction of Differentiated Instructional Plan

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Introduction
Vocabulary instruction is an important skill taught throughout the various grade levels.
As part of a Language Arts unit on prefixes and suffixes the lesson plan outlined in this paper
focuses on the suffix portion of the unit. The following lesson plan was written based on a sixty
minute lesson and provides differentiated activities based on the eight intelligences and also
includes an assessment piece. Each of the eight activities provide students with differentiated
practice using suffixes and helps prepare them to successfully master the lesson objectives.

Lesson Topic and Objectives

Prefixes and suffixes are an important part of vocabulary instruction for the third grade
curriculum. Having a solid understanding of both prefixes and suffixes helps students expand
their vocabulary and helps them to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words when reading.
For this reason, suffixes will be the focus of this lesson. With Nevada now following Common
Core Standards, the following standards will be addressed in this lesson: L.3.4b -Determine the
meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known word (e.g.,
agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat). and NV 1.3.4
Build and extend vocabulary using antonyms, synonyms, prefixes (e.g., un, re, bi), and suffixes
(e.g., ing, less, ness).
Prior to this lesson, students will have been working on a language arts unit that focuses
on both prefixes and suffixes. Students will have completed the first part of the unit that focused
on prefixes and will have already been introduced to suffixes. They will know that a suffix is
added to the ending of a base word to change its meaning or form a new word. Students will
have been introduced to academic vocabulary such as base word, affix, prefix, suffix, etc. and
will be familiar with many different suffixes. With having completed the portion on prefixes and
having been introduced to suffixes, students will be prepared to complete the activities in this
lesson plan.
The objectives for this lesson are as follows: Students will be able to identify common
suffixes, students will expand their vocabulary by understanding the meaning of common
prefixes and how they affect the meaning of words, and students will construct complete,

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

meaningful sentences using words with suffixes. Each of these objectives are important as being
able to complete each of them will ensure that students build their vocabulary and will be
successful at reading and comprehending grade level texts.
Students and Their Diversity
This lesson plan was designed for a third grade class made up of twenty three students. In
this class there are thirteen girls and ten boys. The demographics of this group of students is as
follows: eighteen Hispanic, three Asian, one African American and one Caucasian student.
Explorations, hands on learning experiences, the school garden, multiplication facts and the
Magic Tree House book series are all learning interests of this group of students and are
motivating factors in my classroom. Due to the number of English Language Learners in this
group of students it was important to include materials and activities that would provide
scaffolding in order for each student to successfully complete the assignments and keep them
engaged while doing so.
Curriculum Materials
Materials are an important part of ensuring a lesson is successful. For this lesson I chose
to include the following materials: chart paper, small post-it notes, blank sheets of paper,
markers, student journals, highlighters and a grade level reading passage and notebook paper for
the assessment piece. I chose to use these materials because they are familiar to my students and
are used in a variety of lessons and activities across the curriculum in my classroom. Prefixes
and Suffixes are both important and difficult concepts for students to understand. Thus it is
important for students to be successful while learning and practicing this skill.
Using materials and activities that students are familiar with will help them be successful
when completing the assigned activities. In addition, using materials that students are familiar
with allows for more learning time. The teacher will not need to take time away from instruction
to give students directions, because they will already know what to do. Though my students are
familiar with using small post-it notes, using them may be a weakness in the lesson because
students have a habit of playing with them. My students use post-it notes in activities during
writing, reading and other various activities, but I will admit that sometimes students are easily

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

distracted while using them. As the teacher, I make a mental note of the students who may need
to be reminded to focus and stay on task.
Instructional Activities and Sequence
This lesson consists of nine phases including the assessment piece. Though this lesson is
one piece of a larger unit, students will have the prior knowledge they need to complete each
activity. As teachers we know that pacing lessons correctly plays a large role in the success of
our students. Due to a time limit of sixty minutes for this lesson, students will move through the
activities at a quick pace. Each activity, though quick, provides students with meaningful
practice and implementation of suffixes.
Each activity was selected to reinforce the skill being taught: suffixes and each was
designed based on one of the multiple intelligences. Students will have five minutes to complete
each of the linguistic, visual-spatial, kinesthetic, interpersonal, logical-mathematical,
intrapersonal and naturalist activities and will have ten minutes to complete the musical activity
due to level of difficultness. This will leave fifteen minutes for students to complete the
assessment piece for this lesson. The instructional activities selected, were done so to best meet
the various needs of all my students. Not only is each activity differentiated by one of the
multiple intelligences but they also help meet the educational needs of my English Language
Learners and provide opportunities for them to successfully master the objectives set for the
lesson. The activities are as follows:
Linguistic Activity: (5 minutes) To begin this lesson, the teacher would have several base words
written on the board. Whole group, students would share out suffixes that could be added to the
words listed. Using at least three of the words that students added suffixes to, students will write
complete, meaningful sentences.
Visual-Spatial Activity: (5 minutes) Students will create a circle map for this activity. A circle
map is made up of one small circle in the center of a piece of paper with a larger circle drawn
around it. In the small circle students will write the word suffixes. They will use the larger circle
to list the various suffixes they have been learning about. It is important for students to
remember that only suffixes not prefixes will go in the larger circle. Students will need to

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

visualize that suffixes go at the end of words not at the beginning.
Kinesthetic Activity: (5 minutes) For this activity, the teacher will have pre-made suffix charts
prepared. There will be five large charts with the following suffixes written on them: -ed, -able, est, -ing and tion posted around room on various boards, walls, etc. Each student will be given
two to three small post-it notes with base words written on them. Students will then walk the
room matching their base words with the correct suffix by sticking the post-it note on that chart
with the corresponding suffix.
Musical Activity: (10 minutes) Students will be placed into groups of five and will create a
poem, chant or song to help one another remember what a suffix is. Each group must include that
a suffix is added to the ending of a base word to change its meaning or form a new word. It can
rhyme and include hand signals or dance movements.
Interpersonal Activity: (5 minutes) Students will be divided into groups of five. Each team will
be assigned one of the following five suffixes: -ly, -less, -ment, -ful, and ness (different from
the suffixes in the kinesthetic activity). Teams will be provided with a piece of chart paper and
five markers: pink, orange, green, purple and blue. Each team will have five minutes to write as
many words with their assigned suffix as possible. Every team member is responsible for
contributing words to the chart. There are five different colored markers provided to each team
so each chart should have words written in each of the five colors. Each group will share their
charts with the class and the teacher will provide time for students to add words to each of the
charts if they have a word that was not yet listed on one of the charts.
Logical-Mathematical Activity: (5 minutes) For this activity students will be using the charts
created during the interpersonal activity. Students will construct a line plot to show the data of
how many words with each of the five suffixes each group was able to write down during their
five minute activity time.
Intrapersonal Activity: (5 minutes) Students will write a short personal narrative in their journal
using words with suffixes. Students will underline each word with a suffix they used in their
journal.
Naturalist Activity: (5 minutes) This activity would take place in our school garden. Here we

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

have fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers growing. I would give students five minutes to observe
an item of their choice and make a list to describe it using only words with suffixes. For
example, if a student was observing a sunflower in the garden they may list words such as
beautiful, colorful, wilted, picked, growing, smelly, etc. Students will complete this activity in
their personal journals.
Assessment Plan
The assessment piece for this suffix lesson will consist of two parts. First, students will
be asked to read a grade level passage. Using a highlighter, they will highlight all the words with
suffixes in the passage. Secondly, the following words will be written on the board: description,
hopeful, curiously, enjoyment, and endless. On a piece of notebook paper students will identify
the base word, suffix meaning and will write a complete, meaningful sentence for each of the
five words.
I chose to have students complete two parts for various reasons. Having students
complete the first activity will show that they are able to identify suffixes while reading a grade
level text and not just in isolation. Having students complete the second portion of the
assessment will allow them to show that they are able to break down the word parts and write a
complete, meaningful sentence. Writing a complete sentence will show that students understand
the vocabulary and are able to use it correctly when writing. Both of these assessment pieces will
show whether students have successfully met the objectives set at the beginning of the lesson or
need additional instruction on the skill.

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Conclusion
Each of the eight activities in this lesson plan provide students with the opportunity to
practice suffixes using the multiple intelligences. Though the lesson is fast paced, students will
have been exposed to the skill previously and will be familiar with suffixes. By completing each
the activities listed in this lesson plan, students should be able to meet and master the lesson
objectives. Not only will students be more successful when reading and comprehending grade
level texts, but they will greatly increase their vocabulary as well.

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

References
Campbell, Bruce. (2008). Handbook of Differentiated Instruction Using the Multiple
Intelligences Lesson Plans and More.

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

Differentiated Lesson Plan on Suffixes Using the Multiple Intelligences
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Common Core Standard(s):
L.3.4b -Determine the meaning of the new word formed when a known affix is added to a known
word (e.g., agreeable/disagreeable, comfortable/uncomfortable, care/careless, heat/preheat).
NV 1.3.4 -Build and extend vocabulary using antonyms, synonyms, prefixes (e.g., un, re, bi), and
suffixes (e.g., ing, less, ness).
Principle Taught: Using suffixes to comprehend word meaning builds and extends vocabulary.
Unit: Prefixes and Suffixes
Grade Level: Grade 3
Materials Needed: chart paper small post-it notes, blank sheets of paper, markers, student
journals, highlighters, grade level passage and notebook paper for the assessment piece
Linguistic Activity: (5 minutes) To begin this lesson, the teacher would have several base words
written on the board. Whole group, students would share out suffixes that could be added to the
words listed. Using at least three of the words that students added suffixes to, students will write
complete, meaningful sentences.
Kinesthetic Activity: (5 minutes) For this activity, the teacher will have pre-made suffix charts
prepared. There will be five large charts with the following suffixes written on them: -ed, -able,
-est, -ing and tion posted around room on various boards, walls, etc. Each student will be given
two to three small post-it notes with base words written on them. Students will then walk the
room matching their base words with the correct suffix by sticking the post-it note on that chart
with the corresponding suffix.
Visual-Spatial Activity: (5 minutes) Students will create a circle map for this activity. A circle
map is made up of one small circle in the center of a piece of paper with a larger circle drawn
around it. In the small circle students will write the word suffixes. They will use the larger circle
to list the various suffixes they have been learning about. It is important for students to remember
that only suffixes not prefixes will go in the larger circle. Students will need to visualize that
suffixes go at the end of words not at the beginning.
Musical Activity: (10 minutes) Students will be placed into groups of five and will create a
poem, chant or song to help one another remember what a suffix is. Each group must include that
a suffix is added to the ending of a base word to change its meaning or form a new word. It can
rhyme and include hand signals or dance movements.
Interpersonal Activity: (5 minutes) Students will be divided into groups of five. Each team will
be assigned one of the following five suffixes: -ly, -less, -ment, -ful, and ness (different from the
suffixes in the kinesthetic activity). Teams will be provided with a piece of chart paper and five
markers: pink, orange, green, purple and blue. Each team will have five minutes to write as many

CONSTRUCTION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

words with their assigned suffix as possible. Every team member is responsible for contributing
words to the chart. There are five different colored markers provided to each team so each chart
should have words written in each of the five colors.
Each group will share their charts with the class and the teacher will provide time for students to
add words to each of the charts if they have a word that was not yet listed on one of the charts.
Logical-Mathematical Activity: (5 minutes) For this activity students will be using the charts
created during the interpersonal activity. Students will construct a line plot to show the data of
how many words with each of the five suffixes each group was able to write down during their
five minute activity time.
Intrapersonal Activity: (5 minutes) Students will write a short personal narrative in their
journal using words with suffixes. Students will underline each word with a suffix they used in
their journal.
Naturalist Activity: (5 minutes) This activity would take place in our school garden. Here we
have fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers growing. Students will have five minutes to observe an
item of their choice and make a list to describe it using only words with suffixes. For example, if
a student was observing a sunflower in the garden they may list words such as beautiful, colorful,
wilted, picked, growing, smelly, etc. Students will complete this activity in their personal
journals.
Assessment: (15 minutes) The assessment piece for this suffix lesson will consist of two parts.
First, students will be asked to read a grade level passage. Using a highlighter, they will highlight
all the words with suffixes in the passage.
Secondly, the following words will be written on the board: description, hopeful, curiously,
enjoyment, and endless. On a piece of notebook paper students will identify the base word, suffix
and meaning for each word. In addition, students will write a complete, meaningful sentence for
each of the five words.