Differentiation using Tiering by Readiness

Black Death
Collin Case
9th Grade World History
WHAT IS TIERING BY READINESS?
Understanding Tiering
Tiering is a strategy of differentiation that allows the instructor to create groups based upon readiness,
learning profile, or interest. This strategy can be used with individual lessons or with assessments to better fit
the needs of students. Tiering will be used with this assignment so that students will be able to read at a
level that challenges them appropriately.
BIG IDEAS
Big Ideas
Societies are shaped by events and their environments.
This idea addresses Kansas History Government and Social Studies standard number 5 Relationships
between people, places, ideas, and environments are dynamic.
Essential Questions
What are the societal effects of the Black Death?
How did people React to the Black Death?
Why do these sources write what they do?
How do people in the 14th century understand the black death?
Students need to
Know: Student will need to what effects on society occurred because of the black death and what the
symptoms of the disease were.
Understand: Students will need to understand that primary sources can provide unadulterated looks at
events from people who did not know the outcomes. Also they will need to understand the importance of
using primary sources when constructing ideas of what actually occurred in history.
Be able to: Students will need to be able to read and comprehend primary sources in order to determine
the answer to the essential questions.
GIVE ME DETAILS
What will the tiers be made up of?
Students will be divided into three tiers based upon their readiness in reading comprehension into three
levels below, at and above grade level.
How will groups be divided?
Pre-assessment: Students will be given short passages each of the documents on the first day of the
mini-unit (approx. two days prior) to see which passage is the highest one they can read and
understand.
Students will be placed with a partner who closely matches their readiness level. The readiness level will
be determined based upon the students reading comprehension and writing abilities as determined by a
pre-assessment.
How will it be differentiated?
Content will be differentiated with 3 levels of readiness: below grade level being the originally modified
documents from SHEG, at grade level being my own modification of the original texts, and above grade
level being the original documents. All students will use the same organizer but the texts will be in line
with their readiness.

RESOURCES
Student Documents

Understanding the Understanding the Understanding the Understanding the

Black Death organizer.pdf
Black Death Modified Reading.pdf
Black Death Original Docum
Black Death
ents.doc
Modified Original.doc

Teacher Resources

Understanding the
Black Death Lesson Plan.pdf

Tomlinson, Carol A. How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001. Print.