Creating a schedule for learning content can be a good way to reinforce a point. I used a schedule activity when I was teaching about the Montgomery Bus Boycott. I had the students pretend that they were one of the leaders of it. I had them create a pick up and drop off schedule for work, church, shopping, school, etc. Anything that they use transportation for in their lives could be put on the schedule. This helped them draw on their own experiences and connect the content to themselves.

Creating a schedule uses multiple intelligence learning styles. The following are used:

• Logical Multiple Intelligence Learning Style: planning the order, timing, and the amount of people they need to transport.
• Linguistic Multiple Intelligence Learning Style: writing and using language to explain the importance of each transport.
• Intrapersonal or Interpersonal Multiple Intelligence Learning Styles: students should be given a choice of how they want to work; individually, with a partner or a group.

A schedule activity can be used to differentiate instruction. Here are two ways to differentiate instruction while using a schedule activity:

• Multiple Intelligence Learning Style: Teachers can offer students other options for activities using different multiple intelligence learning styles and the same content. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kasha-Mastrodomenico offers over 50 activity templates with rubrics to help teachers differentiate instruction quickly.
  
• Leveling/Tiering/Scaffolding: For those with a lower ability level a pre-made schedule of times of the day as well as a bank of places to go will help guide them through the activity. It might also help to have a question section about why this is an important activity for people to have transportation for. Instead of having students explain why it’s important using complete sentences, allow them to list the reasons. Those with a higher ability level can create this schedule from scratch which will allow them to critically think and use their creativity.

When teachers differentiate instruction it is important for them to remember two things:

• All students must use the same content.
• Differentiated instruction is not increasing the amount of work a student does. In other words don’t just give busy work.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kasha-Mastrodomenico provides lessons like the one above and can save social studies teachers time during the planning process for differentiated instruction.

Written by,

Kasha Mastrodomenico

http://www.socialstudiesdifferentiatedinstruction.com

kasha@socialstudiesdifferentiatedinstruction.com

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kasha-Mastrodomenico