Anchors Aweigh

EDU 610 Final Project

Joan Fazo
University of New England
December 16, 2012
Anchor Activities
in a
Differentiated
Classroom




Anchor Activities

Provide meaningful work for students when they finish an
assignment or project, when they first enter the class or
when they are stumped

Provide ongoing tasks that tie to the content and instruction

Free up the classroom teacher to work with other groups of
students or individuals

Differentiate: Students learn in different ways and at
different speeds!

Promote a student-centered classroom


Think-Tac-Toe Choice Boards

Give students opportunity to participate in multiple tasks
to practice skills learned in class or to demonstrate and
extend understanding of concepts

Address student readiness, interest, or learning preferences

Are easily adapted to a subject area

Provide choice of tasks allowing students to assume greater
responsibility and ownership for their own learning

Encourage and teach independent learning









Steps

1. Identify outcomes and instructional focus of a unit of study.

2. Use assessment data and student profiles to determine student
readiness, learning styles, or interests.

3. Design eight different tasks.

4. Allow one task to be a student choice and place in the center of
the board.

5. Arrange the tasks on the choice board.

6. Provide clear instructions, materials, responsibilities, check
points, and expectations (rubrics).

7. Students complete three tasks in a Tic-Tac-Toe row.



Adaptations

Allow students to complete any three taskseven if the
completed tasks dont make a Tic-Tac-Toe.

Create different choice boards based on readiness.
(Struggling students work with the options on one choice
board while more advanced students have different
options.)

Create choice board activities based on levels of Blooms
Taxonomy.

Create choice board options based on learning styles or
learning preferences (Gardners Multiple Intelligences).


















Think-Tac-Toe
Beginnings of an American Identity

1.
Interpersonal
Choose a newsworthy person from
Chapter 5, such as Jonathan
Edwards, John Locke, or John Peter
Zenger. With a partner, conduct and
videotape an interview of the person
to find out more about his role in
American history.

2.
Bodily/Kinesthetic
Create a bulletin board display
illustrating at least six factors that
helped form an American identity.
Write a one-paragraph analysis
explaining how each factor affected
colonial society.

3.
Naturalistic
Research the history of the indigo
plant and how the early colonists
benefited from its cultivation.
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation
of your findings.


4.
Logical/Mathematical
Using Microsoft Word, create a
timeline of eight to ten events that
occurred during or as a result of the
French and Indian War. For each
entry, include an illustration and a
paragraph explaining why the event
was significant.

5.
Student
Choice



6.
Intrapersonal
Take on the identity of a colonist,
such as Eliza Pinckney, a farmer, or a
young apprentice. Using
VoiceThread, create a diary or
journal entry describing highlights of
a typical day.


7.
Visual/Spatial
Create an informational brochure
using Microsoft Publisher to compare
and contrast the important points of
the Magna Carta and the English Bill
of Rights. Explain how each has had
an impact on todays justice system.

8.
Musical/Rhythmic
Research details about Benjamin
Franklins inventions. Write and
record a TV commercial with a jingle
advertising one of Franklins
inventions.



9.
Verbal/Linguistic
Research details about Benjamin
Franklins scientific experiments and
inventions. Give an oral presentation
describing the impact one of
Franklins inventions had on American
society---from Franklins point of view.



Directions: Choose activities in a row-horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
I choose activities # _________, # ________, # ________.

Do you have ideas for alternate activities youd like to do instead? Talk them over with your
teacher.






Think-Tac-Toe Scoring Rubric
4 3 2 1


Accuracy
All content
information is
correct. No
errors are found.
Most content
information is
correct. Only 1 or 2
errors found.
Some content
information is
correct. Between
3 and 5 errors
found.
Little content
information is
correct. More than
5 errors found.

Effort
Regarding
Facts
Exceptional
effort is made to
use relevant and
important facts
from the chapter.
Good effort is
made to use
relevant and
important facts
from the chapter.
Some effort is
made to use
relevant and
important facts
from the chapter.
Little effort is
made to use
relevant and
important facts
from the chapter.

Effort
Regarding
Presentation

Exceptional
effort is made to
present
information in a
neat and creative
way.
Good effort is
made to present
information in a
neat and creative
way.
Some effort is
made to present
information in a
neat and creative
way.
Little effort is
made to present
information in a
neat and creative
way.


Following
Instructions

All instructions
are followed
completely. No
aspect of the
activity
contradicts the
instructions.
Most instructions
are followed
completely. Only
one aspect of the
activity contradicts
the instructions.
Some instructions
are followed
completely. Two
aspects of the
activity contradict
the instructions.

Few instructions
are followed
completely. Three
or more aspects of
the activity
contradict the
instructions.

Activity #1: _________________________
Accuracy: ______
Effort regarding facts: _______
Effort regarding presentation: _______
Following instructions: _______
TOTAL: ______


Activity #2: _________________________
Accuracy: ______
Effort regarding facts: _______
Effort regarding presentation: _______
Following instructions: _______
TOTAL: _______


Activity #3: _________________________
Accuracy: ______
Effort regarding facts: _______
Effort regarding presentation: _______
Following instructions: _______
TOTAL: _______

To reach a port we must sail,
sometimes with the wind,
and sometimes against it.
But we must not drift or lie at anchor.


Oliver Wendell Holmes
References
American history: Beginnings through reconstruction (2008). Evanston, IL: Houghton
Mifflin Company.






















Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York:
Basic Books.

Heacox, Diane. (2005). Promoting student independence and responsibility in
academically diverse classrooms. Orlando, FL: ASCD Annual
Conference.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms.
(2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.














Tomlinson, C. A. (1999). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs
of all learners. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.