Summary Sheet for Assignment 2: Differentiated Learning Experience

Name & Student Number: Molly Hunter (2166154)

Curriculum (Learning) Area of Lesson or Learning Task: Science
Specific Topic of Lesson or Learning Task: Heredity
Year Level/s: 10

Differentiation Choices

1. For this assignment, I have chosen to design a differentiated:

 Learning Menu or Agenda
 Choice Board
 RAFT
 Summative Assessment Task for Unit of Work
 Lesson with Specific Adjustments for Students with Special Needs
 Series of Tasks for Learning Centres or Stations
 Learning Task or Lesson with Innovative Use of Technology to Support Differentiation

2. My lesson or learning task is differentiated to address differences in student:

 Readiness
 Interest
 Learning Profile Preferences

Context
The RAFT presented below is a small part of a unit for year 10 students surrounding heredity.
This unit addresses the science understanding content descriptor ACSSU184: Transmission of
heritable characteristics from one generation to the next involves DNA and genes. (Australian
Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.) This unit further addresses
many descriptors from the science as a human endeavour and science inquiry skills sections
(ACSHE191; ACSHE192; ACSHE194; ACSHE230; ACSIS198; ACSIS203; ACSIS204) however,
these do not directly reflect the content being taught. (ACARA, n.d.) This unit aims to educate
students in the processes that underpin heredity and how these models were developed over
time.

The presented task takes place within the first week of the unit. The students have already
had a chance to show their previous knowledge surrounding heredity and the structure of DNA
through creating a graffiti wall (pre-assessment). This task aims to introduce students to the
contributions of various scientists into the structure of DNA and its influence on heredity and
to formatively assess their learning through an ‘assessment as learning’ approach. (Sousa &
Tomlinson, 2018) This task is completed in class time and homework time over two lessons
(the second and final lesson of the week). After the completion of this task students will have
the opportunity to present their findings and completed task to a small group of peers before
receiving teacher feedback.

Learning Objectives

As a result of engaging with the differentiated task, students will:

Understand that
 Our current understanding of genetics was developed over time through the
contributions of a number of scientists.
 Know Be able to (Do)
 The contributions of Oswald Avery,  Describe the contributions of Oswald
Rosalind Franklin, Watson and Crick, Avery, Rosalind Franklin, Watson and
and Chargaff in the field of genetics. Crick, and Chargaff in the field of
 How these contributions influence our genetics.
current understanding of heredity.
(ACARA, n.d.)
Essential Questions
 Who was an influencer in our current understanding of genetics and why?
 How have discoveries changed our understanding of DNA over time?

Differentiated Learning Task

RAFT Topic: History of Heredity
Role Audience Format Topic
Rosalind Franklin Self Diary entry Entries describing the
discovery of Photo 51
Oswald Avery Scientists Blog Blog to fellow
scientists describing
hereditary
information and DNA
Watson and Crick The world Facebook posts Facebook posts
about constructing
the model of DNA
structure
(Include likes and
comments)
Francis Crick Wife Letter Letter from Crick to
his wife, describing
his discovery
Artist Society Series of cartoon Series of cartoon
images images depicting the
discoveries and
contributions of
Avery, Franklin,
Chargaff, and Watson
and Crick

Explanation
The RAFT presented above is an example of a differentiated learning task that addresses
student interest through the format of the tasks and has the potential to address different
student readiness levels through their selection or further through minor alterations. The task
presented aims to be a meaningful and authentic formative assessment task that supports
their learning from their current readiness levels (sourced from the pre-assessment completed
in the previous lesson). (Jarvis, 2019) The RAFT allows students to select a task based on
their interests and strengths while still assessing content in a thorough manner. While
students have the opportunity to select the topic and method of presentation for their learning
individually, they are all working towards the same learning outcomes.

Student differences are addressed through the various task formats presented and the
opportunity for students to choose their task. As previously mentioned, this task can be
altered or tiered to accommodate a wide range of student differences while still meeting the
learning intentions. This task however, was designed specifically to meet the student
differences brought about by student interest.
An activity that addresses student interest can help to address the negative stereotypes of
traditional assessment – the raft presents a fun interactive activity that still assesses student
learning and progress with clear outcomes. (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2018) This task aims to
teach in response to student interest through providing task formats that are relevant and
have been indicated to be of interest through previous lessons (which can be easily adapted
to suit various interests). The focus on online communication (through the Facebook post and
blog formats) reflects the current method of communication for many students. This was
balanced with the letter and diary entries to offer a similar but maybe more challenging option
of communication that students may be less familiar with. The final format asks for a visual
representation, another form of communication, that allows students to explore their own
structure for the task as well as having the artistic influence. These formats would need to be
changed in order to meet the interests of specific students in each classroom context that the
RAFT was implemented however, the role and topic of each task could remain the same or
very similar in order to meet the learning intentions. Teaching for student interest has been
noted to be engaging and rewarding as opposed to teaching for standardised learning. (Sousa
& Tomlinson, 2018) While it is important for students to meet learning expectations and
outcomes, rote learning and memorisation as the only teaching method is not the most
effective means. The RAFT task presents the opportunity to meet expectations and outcomes
while still providing choice and meeting students interests as well as assisting in the formation
of their learning identities. (Tomlinson, 2008)

While the presented RAFT does account for the readiness levels in the hypothetical class it
has been made for, through offering prompts and various levels of literacy requirements, it
could be adapted further to suit a wide range of readiness levels in a different classroom
context. Readiness, a student’s current understanding and proficiency with skills that are
essential to a specific task, must be considered in learning tasks, especially those such a
RAFTs in order to ensure all students have the opportunity to meet the learning outcomes.
(Doubet, 2015; Jarvis, 2019) Through altering the individual tasks, or simply the vocabulary
used, all students may have the opportunity to meet the expected outcomes of the task. This
task may also work effectively in a tiered classroom setting. Through creating RAFT task
sheets with varying levels of readiness, students could be supported further from their
readiness levels with scaffolded approaches. (Jarvis, 2019)

The flexibility of the RAFT task presents the opportunity to allow all students to access learning
and to include student interest in order to ensure student engagement. It is for this reason
that I believe a RAFT is a perfect example of a differentiatable task that could be applied in all
learning areas.

References
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) (n.d.). Australian
Curriculum: Science. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-
curriculum/science/

Doubet, K. (2015). Differentiation according to student readiness. Differentiation in middle

and high school: strategies to engage all learners. Moorabbin, Victoria: Hawker Brownlow
Education. pp. 173-206.

Jarvis, J. (2019). Assessment in a differentiated classroom. EDUC4720: Differentiation for

Diverse Learners, week 3, lecture notes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
https://flo.flinders.edu.au/pluginfile.php/3276951/course/section/1070506/Lecture%2
03%20Assessment%202018_rev_handouts.pdf
Jarvis, J. (2019). Differentiating in response to student readiness. EDUC4720: Differentiation
for Diverse Learners, week 3, lecture notes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from
https://flo.flinders.edu.au/pluginfile.php/3276951/course/section/1070507/Lecture%2
04%20Readiness%20PPT%20slides.pdf

Tomlinson, C. A. (2008). The goals of differentiation. Educational Leadership: 66(3). (26-30)

Sousa, D., & Tomlinson, C. A. (2018). Differentiation and the brain: how neuroscience
supports the learner-friendly classroom (Second ed.)