AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Sara Smith
TED 632 Content Area Curriculum
Authentic Assessment Differentiation of Instruction
Professor Mark Powell
December 5, 2015

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

ABSTRACT

This paper will describe possibilities for differentiation within one Content Area Standard
providing opportunities for each of the five types of students appropriate for their specific
learning needs within one lesson plan. I will describe the curricular, instructional, and
assessment methods for each of the five groups: English Language Learners, High Performing
Students, Under Performing Students, Average Performing Students, and Students with Special
Needs. I will utilize a chart to show the various techniques and any modifications needed.
Lastly, I will reference any specific sources that were used in the writing of this paper.

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Differentiated Instruction is a necessity when trying to reach all student levels in your
classroom. Since all children learn and test differently and are at different levels of knowledge
personally, implementing various methods of instruction will increase the probability of students
truly understanding and retaining the information being taught. Differentiated Instruction has the
capability of making the material more relevant and meaningful for students and will hold
students interest more effectively than just sticking to one method of instruction. Also varying
forms of assessment and implementing these assessments throughout the lesson will ensure that
students understand the material. According to Marzano in The Art and Science of Teaching,
Major reviews of research on the effects of formative assessment indicate that it might be one of
the more powerful weapons in the teachers arsenal.
I am going to look specifically at a lesson explaining Heart Rate, how we track it, its
various zones, and why those things are important. The standard that I will be focusing on is one
of the Nevada Academic Content Standards for Physical Education and it states that students will
learn an understanding of movement and the human body.
The lesson will begin with a brief discussion of Heart Rate and what we will be covering
in this this particular part of the unit. I will perform some pre-assessment at this point by asking
students questions and getting an idea of how well they understand Heart Rate and how it is
affected. I will, of course, already have a fairly good knowledge of my students personally and
what learning styles they prefer, but this will allow me to understand what they know specifically
about what we will be covering in this lesson. We will discuss Heart Rate and what exactly it
represents and why it is important. An explanation and class discussion will go over activities
and how they affect Heart Rate. This is an excellent time to utilize bridging by including

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

activities and sports that each of the students enjoy and participate in so that the information is
more meaningful and relevant for all of the students.
The next part of the lesson will focus on Heart Rate Zones and a chart will be used to
help students visualize what is happening to the body when certain activities are performed, how
it feels, and how to figure out Maximum Heart Rate and the percentages reached to get into each
zone. This type of schema building can be very helpful for English Language Learners, students
with special needs, and under-performing students by allowing them to see something that may
seem abstract in a different format making it more understandable. This is a good time for
formative assessments in the form of questions; asking students if they can give me examples of
certain activities and which zone they may fall into when performing the activity, why they think
that, and maybe an explanation of what it would feel like. If students are not grasping the
material, further explanation and examples will be necessary.
Once the students understand the concept of Heart Rate and the specific zones, we will
learn how to take their Heart Rate in two different locations of the body: the carotid artery at the
neck and the radial artery at the wrist. Modeling will be used here which should help all five
groups of learners. Walking around the classroom and assisting those that need help is another
formative assessment utilized during the lesson ensuring that they are able to perform the task.
This may also be a good opportunity for High Performing and Average Performing students to
help out English Language Learners, under performing, and students with special needs. This
will encourage positive communication and also stimulate students more by including all of them
in a collaborative effort. Something else that is important to note, when it comes to Physical
Education and Health, those students that are typically high performers in other academic
settings may not excel any more than the ELLs or under-performing students based on the

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

physical nature of the activity. This is a good time to break down barriers and stereotypes and
just have all students help one another in various groups or collaborative settings.
In the next part of the lesson, the students will be put into groups of two or three
depending on class size and space, and they will perform various timed activities with the goal of
increasing their Heart Rate and then tracking it. Grouping the students will help English
Language Learners, students with special needs, and under performers by encouraging
participation and teamwork. Also, if ANY of the students are having difficulty finding their
Heart Rate or performing the activity for the required amount of time, the other students can
help. Continuously walking around the class and making sure the students are on task and able
to find their Heart Rate is another formative assessment. The students will be required to graph
their Heart Rates for each of the activities which will be an ungraded formative assessment to
ensure they understand the material.
At the end of the class, we will discuss what they learned that day. I would give guidance
in this area, but I really want to hear what the students have to say about the lesson and what they
now know about Heart Rate and it importance in overall health.
Whatever was not completed with the graph in the classroom will serve as homework
along with a separate homework sheet asking some brief questions that the students need to
reflect upon to show their understanding of the material. This would also be a good time to
challenge students to do a brief research paper for extra credit explaining how their favorite sport
or activity affects their Heart Rate and why knowing that is important in improving performance
and recovery.
Below is a chart with specific modifications for the learning activity and forms of
assessment for each of the five categories of students. I already mentioned this, but it is worth

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

repeating; in a Physical Education type setting, students that are high performing in other classes
may be out of their element a little bit in a more physical environment so this may level the
playing field so to speak.

STUDENT

ELLS

HIGH
PERFORM
-ING
STUDENTS

PRELEARNING
ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY

ASSIGNMENT
STRATEGIES

-Know the
ELLs
comprehension
of English and
their specific
level according
to the CELDT
-Know specific
areas of interest
-Find out
knowledge of
subject matter
-Know
preferred
learning style

-Walk around the

class and help
when needed to
make sure that
student can find
his/her HR
-Include them in
questioning and
encourage them
to respond
without any fear
of judgement
-Graphing of HR
after activities
-Homework
handout

-Know specific
areas of interest
-Find out
knowledge of
subject matter
-Know
preferred
learning style

-Utilize various
grouping
techniques
-One on one
time
-Repeat and
reword when
necessary
-Speak clearly
-Depending on
level of ELL,
provide handouts
in native
language if
needed
-Include schema
building with
use of graphs for
visual assistance
-Use bridging by
including
specific
activities that
interest student
-Utilize various
grouping
techniques
-Encourage them
to help other
students if
needed or
applicable
-Offer extra
credit research
paper (offered to

-Walk around the

class and help
when needed to
make sure that
student can find
his/her HR
-Collaborative
questions and
answers
-Graphing of HR
after activities

POST ASSESSMENT/
MODIFICATIONS
-Modify assessment
based on ELLs
English
comprehension
-More emphasis on
quality of work with
graph and
enthusiastic
participation in
activities

-Offering of
additional research
paper may give
these students an
extra challenge
-Encourage them to
discuss what they
learned with their
family members at
home and teach
them how to take

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

all levels)

UNDER
PERFORM
-ING
STUDENTS

AVERAGE
PERFORM
-ING
STUDENTS

SPECIAL
NEEDS

-Homework
handout
-Know specific -Utilize various
-Walk around the
areas of interest grouping
class and help
-Find out
techniques
when needed to
knowledge of
-Graph for visual make sure that
subject matter
assistance
student can find
-Especially
(schema
his/her HR
important to
building)
-Collaborative
know preferred -Include specific questions and
learning style
activities that
answers
interest student
-Graphing of HR
(bridging)
after activities
-One on one
-Homework
time if needed
handout
-Know specific -Utilize various
-Walk around the
areas of interest grouping
class and help
-Find out
techniques
when needed to
knowledge of
-Graph for visual make sure that
subject matter
assistance
student can find
-Know
(schema
his/her HR
preferred
building)
-Collaborative
learning style
-Include specific questions and
activities that
answers
interest student
-Graphing of HR
(bridging)
after activities
-One on one
-Homework
time if needed
handout
-Be very
-Utilize various
-Walk around the
familiar with
forms of
class and help
students ability grouping
when needed to
to perform and
-One on one
make sure that
participate in
time
student can find
certain activities -Graph for visual his/her HR
-Know specific assistance
-Include them in
areas of interest -Speak clearly
questioning and
-Know
-Repeat and
encourage them
preferred
reword when
to respond
learning style
necessary
without any fear
-Be aware of
-Include
of judgement
things that make activities that
-Graphing of HR
student
interest student
after activities
uncomfortable
and that they are -Homework
familiar with
handout

their HR at both
locations.
-Encourage them to
discuss what was
learned in class with
family members at
home and teach
them how to take
their HR at both
locations.
-Encourage them to
go the extra mile
and do the extra
credit research paper
-Encourage them to
discuss what was
learned in class with
family members at
home and teach
them how to take
their HR at both
locations.
-Encourage them to
go the extra mile
and do the extra
credit research paper
-More emphasis on
enthusiastic
participation and
completion of graph
-Any physical
modifications
necessary
-If unable to
perform activities,
maybe have them
help with stop watch
to encourage
participation

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

One of the main reasons for Differentiated Instruction and assessment is to enhance the
learning experience for students. Addressing all of the different styles of learning shows students
that you genuinely care about their success and makes lessons more memorable and meaningful.
Being able to modify activities and assessments based on the needs of each student, no matter
which category the fit into, may be more challenging, but reaching more students and making
information relevant and fun for them to learn is incredibly rewarding and, honestly, the whole
point behind teaching. Lastly, performing ongoing formative assessments allows teachers to
assess themselves and their ability to get the desired information across to the student. It those
goals and objectives are not being met, we need to be honest with ourselves and make any
necessary modifications so that students are able to get the full benefit of each lesson.

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT-DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

REFERENCES:

Marzano, R. (2007). The art and science of teaching a comprehensive framework for effective
instruction. Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Nevada Academic Content Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2015, from
http://www.doe.nv.gov/Standards_Instructional_Support/Nevada_Academic_Content_Standards/