Gifted Endorsement Course 2

Implement the Strategies

Module 2
From your “Consider the Strategies” assignment, or from the suggested list of strategies, choose one strategy from
Advancing Differentiation and one strategy from Cobb County Advanced Learning Strategies. Develop the strategies and
use them in the course of your instruction.
1. On this document, write the name of the strategy.
2. Check the appropriate box(es) indicating what you differentiated for gifted and advanced students with this
strategy.
3. Check the appropriate box(es) indicating what drove differentiation.
4. In the “My Classroom” space, describe how you used the strategy as part of one of your own lessons. The
following should be included in your description:
a. In what grade level and content was the strategy used?
b. How were students grouped? Why did you group them this way? How did this grouping arrangement
benefit gifted/advanced learners? (Consider students’ learning styles, interests, and/or readiness.)
c. How did you implement the strategy? Describe what you did in your classroom, step by step.
d. How did you specifically differentiate for your gifted and high achievers?
e. How was the effectiveness of the strategy assessed? (A rubric, checklist, or rating scale should be used
for assessment.)
5. In the “What I Think Now” space, discuss what you think of the strategy based on your experience. Was it
successful? Did it go as planned? Did you have difficulties or challenges? Will you try this strategy again?
What would you do differently if you used this strategy again?
6. Provide data that substantiates the effectiveness of this strategy. How did students perform based on the
rubric? Does the data indicate success?
7. For “Materials Attached,” Upload the following documents:
 Strategy organizer/directions (given to students)
 Additional resources to clarify assignment (optional)
 Rubric, checklist, or rating scale used to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy
 Student Samples
 Strategy Data

Strategy from Advancing Differentiation:

1. Name of Strategy: Hypothetical Thinking “What If” Strategy
Page: 168
Citation: Cash, R. M. (2017). Advancing differentiation: thinking and learning for the 21st century. Minneapolis, MN: Free
Spirit Publishing.
2. Differentiation of (check one): □ Content □ Process □ Product
3. Differentiation based on (check one): □ Interest □ Readiness □ Learning Style
4. In My Classroom:
a. The Hypothetical Thinking Strategy was used in my 5th grade Advanced Content ELA Class
b. Students were grouped on interest groups based on topics that they are working on in conjunction with an
A-Z Annotated Picture Book for an ELA project. Student groups were based on student choice topics that
were previously chosen for their project. Students are conducting a self-selected interest research project.
The grouping benefitted the learners as they got to work together and discuss their writing with students in
the same interest groups.
c. Students have been working on their A-Z annotated picture book for one week. Many students have gained
a lot of insight into historical events and have been very inquisitive about what they are researching. In an
attempt to make the students see the bigger picture of what they were researching, I used the Hypothetical
Thinking strategy for students to stop, take a moment, and reflect about the impact their Historical event
 had on the overall history of mankind. I set up the activity as an opener to Monday, January 29th’s A-Z writing
workshop. I displayed the statement “What If” on my interactive whiteboard. I had students brainstorm at
tables what the statement meant. I asked students to look at the particular even that they were researching
and to think about “What If” their particular event had never happened? How would that have impacted our
lives as we know it today?
d. To allow for differentiation for the gifted learners in the class, I asked them to look deeper into their
historical or scientific topic and to pose their own What If question based on something that they had
researched. For other students in the class, I provided a scaffold for instruction by offering them writing
prompt or sentence starters.
e. In order to evaluate the student performance a 3-2-1 rubric was used to assess understanding.

5. What I Think Now: Overall, I feel the Hypothetical Thinking strategy addressed the needs of my classroom. My goal was
for students to consider the ramifications of their event and to see the bigger picture of how their particular time period in
history impacted and shaped out world today. One of the biggest challenges of this strategy was that 5 th graders often take
things for face value and assume that things are what they are without questioning the why. Once I explained that as
problem solvers and global citizens we should always question why, look at the big picture, and consider the impact, the
students begin to really think and dig deep into their moment in history. Overall, I was pleased at the results I received. I will
definitely use this strategy again as I believe it allows students to make a deep connection to their world rather than a
surface connection. I feel that now the students know what is expected, the next time I use the strategy it will be easier for
them to know what is expected.

6. Data:
The Data in the Pie chart is
Student Data from Hypothetical representative of both
Advanced Content ELA
Thinking Exercise classes. The make-up of the
classes is as follows:

Total Students: 46

#of Gifted Students: 21

24%
3-Meets #of AC Students: 27
2-Developing
56% 17 Gifted students comprise
1- Needs Intervantion
20% part of the % of students
Meeting Expectations.

3 Gifted Students are in the

Developing Stage

1 Gifted Student is in the

Needs Intervention Category

8. Attached materials:
Strategy Directions Presented on Interactive Board with Directions:
Rubric for Assessment of Process and Product
Student Samples of Strategy:
Strategy from Cobb County Advanced Learning Strategies:
1. Name of Strategy: One Minute Quick Write
Page: Strategy #7
Citation: Cobb County Advanced Learning Strategies, Cobb County School District
2. Differentiation of (check one): □ Content □ Process □ Product
3. Differentiation based on (check one): □ Interest □ Readiness □ Learning Style
4. In My Classroom:
a. I used this strategy in lieu of a usual ticket out the door for my Advanced Content ELA Class.
b. This strategy was used with a small group of gifted students (7) in my Advanced Content ELA class.
It is a group that struggles with task completion and are usually unmotivated to get their
assignments completed. I needed to check-in on their learning to see if they were making any
progress toward their self-directed research project.
c. In my classroom, I pulled this particular group of individuals as a small group. I set up out group as
I would a regular writing conference. I asked the students how their A-Z research project was
coming along. I told them I was interested in their project and I would like them to share with me
in writing the most awesome thing that they had discovered. I told them that they would have 5
minutes to write just a few sentences for me to share this fact. I shared with them a checklist of
what I expected in their writing. It was a short checklist since this was a ticket out the door type
assignment, Since this is a group I have to pull teeth to get to complete tasks, I wanted to make the
task simple and appealing. Then I told them that I would read their responses to see who had
found the most fascinating thing or maybe taught me something that I did not know. I passed out
an index card to each student, set the timer, and told them to begin telling me about their
awesome fact. The students wrote for five minutes and then turned in their cards. I read all
responses and praised them for their efforts of wowing me with their knowledge.
d. This is a group within my AC class that I struggle to get to complete tasks. I specifically pulled
them from the larger group and gave them a manageable and appealing task with a hint of
competition to see if I could motivate them to complete their assignment.
e. I evaluated the effectiveness of the strategy by using a simple checklist that I went over with the
students prior to them beginning the task. I laid out specific expectations with a yes or no as an
indicator.
5. What I Think Now: This strategy proved to be a success with this particular group of individuals. Because it was
a short and manageable task, I feel the students responded better as they could get immediate gratification for
their efforts. The task was set-up for success by offering a distinct checklist of requirements and the fact the task
would only last for 5 minutes appeals to those who are often unmotivated because tasks become too arduous.
Since this particular group can be competitive, I think they also liked the timed aspect and the fact that I would
read them to see who wowed me or taught me something new. I think this strategy provided a good way to
increase student engagement. I will definitely implement this strategy with this particular group more often as I
feel that they can share the information that I need to know and I feel they didn’t mind the task as it was time
limited.
6. Data:
I chose this strategy to
Comparison of Task Completion Typical Long Task challenge a group of students
vs. Quick Write who struggle with task
8 completion. I figured that
since it was a quick write,
7
they would be more apt to
6
complete their assignment.
5 The typical task assignment
4 was a writing assignment that
3 was designed to take 30
minutes to complete. Only 4
2
of the 7 students completed
1
that task. On the five minute
0 quick write, 7 of 7 students
Typical Task Quick Write
completed the task and the
checklist. Thus, this strategy
was successful for this group
of students. The quality of
work I received in five
minutes was almost better
than the quality of work I
typically received from this
group in an extended text.
This sort of says that less is
more. It’s not the length of
the task, but the quality of
work that can be delivered
with structure in a short time.

7. Attached materials:
Implement the Strategies Grading Rubric
Advancing Differentiation Strategy Implementation
Criteria Meets Progressing Does not Meet
Implementation 5 3 1
of Strategy Clearly describes components of Describes components of Does not describe one or more
implementation, including implementation, including components of implementation,
content, grouping, and steps taken content, grouping, and steps taken including content, grouping, and
steps taken
Differentiation 10 6 2
of Strategy Effectively differentiates strategy Differentiates strategy for gifted Does not differentiate strategy for
for gifted and advanced learners and advanced learners gifted and advanced learners
5 3 1
Evaluation of Clearly evaluates effectiveness of Evaluates effectiveness of strategy Does not evaluate effectiveness of
Effectiveness strategy based on data obtained based on data obtained from strategy based on data obtained
from assessment assessment from assessment
Evidence 5 1
Includes all required elements, Does not include all required
including strategy organizer/ elements, including strategy
student directions; rubric, organizer/student directions;
checklist, or rating scale; two rubric, checklist, or rating scale; two
student samples; strategy data student samples; strategy data

CCSD Advanced Strategy Implementation

Criteria Meets Progressing Does not Meet
Implementation 5 3 1
of Strategy Clearly describes components of Describes components of Does not describe one or more
implementation, including implementation, including components of implementation,
content, grouping, and steps taken content, grouping, and steps taken including content, grouping, and
steps taken
Differentiation 10 6 2
of Strategy Effectively differentiates strategy Differentiates strategy for gifted Does not differentiate strategy for
for gifted and advanced learners and advanced learners gifted and advanced learners
Evaluation of 5 3 1
Effectiveness Clearly evaluates effectiveness of Evaluates effectiveness of strategy Does not evaluate effectiveness of
strategy based on data obtained based on data obtained from strategy based on data obtained
from assessment assessment from assessment
Evidence 5 1
Includes all required elements, Does not include all required
including strategy organizer/ elements, including strategy
student directions; rubric, organizer/student directions;
checklist, or rating scale; two rubric, checklist, or rating scale;
student samples; strategy data two student samples; strategy data