7th Grade Differentiated Output Hierarchy
As you take time to explore this small sample of the first six weeks of a 7th grade math curriculum, you will begin to find connections between similar assignments used in your students’ classes. It is an ultimate goal that this resource will support the expansion of opportunities for students’ activity in the general education curriculum/setting and decrease obstacles that interfere with student engagement. Assignments are designed to demonstrate how preparation in advance can support individual student skill levels.
The hierarchy includes the following output strategies; open-ended, visual organization, closed, choice and yes/no. Please reference START’s Differentiated Output Hierarchy description, examples and explanation of each level. For this math class, open-ended assignments and assessments have been differentiated using START’s established Differentiated Output Hierarchy.
Teams are to make decisions to determine what level a student should begin on. The decisions can be made utilizing a student academic plan as a tool for collaboration. Plans should be reviewed often to ensure the assignments continue to align with needs as students grow or require increased support. Assignments can be further differentiated in multiple ways. (Some examples may include the medium for writing/typing, including printed versions of voice to text. Some students may point to a yes or no while others will choose a post-it note labeled “yes’ or “no”)
Understanding the students’ current skills is essential in determining the best output method to begin with. Utilizing prepared differentiated output assignments/assessments in the classroom will allow students the opportunity to express their understanding of the material and maximize overall student engagement alongside their general education peers.