Name: Molly Niedens Content Area: Science Grade: 8

Differentiation Strategy: RAFT is an acronym that stands for:

Role of the student. What is the students role: reporter, observer, eyewitness, object?
Audience. Who will be address by this raft: the teacher, other students, a parent, people
in the community, other?
Format. What is the best way to present this information: in a letter, an article, a blog, a
report, a poem, a monologue, a picture, a song?
Topic. Who or what is the subject of this writing: a famous scientist, a prehistoric
dinosaur, a reaction to a specific catastrophic event?

RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer, the
audience they will address, the format they are using to write, and the content they will
write about. This strategy encourages student creativity, makes students consider other
perspectives, and gains writing practice all while using class content (science).

I plan to use RAFT in my classroom as an elaborate activity (from the 5E model). Student
will get to use their imagination and creativity to express ideas about the content. Many
of my students have lived through hurricanes on the Gulf Coast, including Katarina. I
believe this activity would be an outlet for students to reflect and share experiences
with one another.
Purpose/Focus of Lesson (the big idea): Students will show understanding of hurricane
information, including one of the following topics: Hurricane Katrina, hurricane naming
system, preparing for a hurricane, and hurricane formation.
Instruction Grouping:
Individual
Whole Group
Small Group
Peer Partners
Homogeneous
Heterogeneous

What will be differentiated:
Content
Process
Product
Learner Elements Involved:
Readiness
Interest
Learning Profile
As a result of this lesson what you hope your students will:

Students will Know: ingredients for hurricane formation, historical hurricanes that have
hit the Gulf Coast, hurricane naming system, how to prepare for a hurricane

Students will Understand: the weather components needed for potential powerful
hurricane destruction and how to prepare the aftermath.

Students will be able to create: writing or speaking piece displaying hurricane
knowledge of their choosing.
Pre-assessment: There will be no pre-assessment for this activity. This is an enjoyable
assignment for students to be able to express their understanding of the content
through a cross-curricular activity.
Resources/References:
Jill, Katie and Megans Group Presentation (C&T 803 Summer 2014)

https://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/R.A.F.T.+Assignments

http://www.slideshare.net/sholomfried/differentiated-instruction-
powerpoint-for-pd-workshop-4464340