Managing a Differentiated Classroom: A Practical Guide by Imbeau Marcia B. & Tomlinson Carol Ann

Author:Imbeau, Marcia B. & Tomlinson, Carol Ann
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic
Published: 2011-07-01T00:00:00+00:00

One of the most familiar types of anchor activities is a journal. Students are told that whenever they have “down time,” they should add an entry—something they’ve learned, a song lyric they heard, a question they want answered. You can also put intriguing journal prompts on the board each day such as a question, a sentence starter, or a story starter.

• What would happen if there were no television?

• If I had a superpower, it would be _____.

• One night, a tiny spaceship appeared over the roof of the house next door.

For more anchor activity ideas, see here in Chapter 5.

While introducing anchor activities to students, it’s important for them to understand the nature and purpose of the activities as well as procedures and expectations for working with anchor tasks. It’s helpful to convey the following ideas at appropriate times.

• Anchor activities are designed to be interesting to students. They provide an opportunity for students to learn things they might not otherwise have the chance to know about the subjects they are studying.

• Some anchor activities may stay constant through the year (for example, books, magazines, or websites to read about a topic the students are studying). Others will change after a period of days or weeks.

• You will be happy to hear suggestions from students of anchor activities that seem useful and interesting.

• There are so many important things to learn that there’s never a reason to say, “I’m finished with my work and I don’t have anything else to do.” A student should automatically move to an anchor activity when they finish assigned work.

• Anchor activities won’t be graded, but you will be observing how effectively students work with them. This information will be part of your conversation with students and parents about habits of mind and work. Be sure to let students know if they should keep a record of their anchor work or respond to it in any way. (See Chapter 5, here, for an example of an anchor log.)

• If a student feels “stuck” in trying to complete an anchor activity, he or she should read accompanying directions carefully, see if there are samples or models of student work at the anchor activity station, see if a peer can help, or select a different anchor activity until you are available to help.

• Anchor materials should not go home (not leave the classroom) with students unless the teacher gives permission.

• Students will need to return anchor materials to the anchor activity station when you announces that it’s time for a transition to new work or a new class.

Different teachers will begin anchor activity routines in different ways, depending on their own comfort with a flexible classroom and the age and nature of the students with whom they work. Some teachers may be more comfortable offering only one anchor activity when they are introduced, and may want the activity to be one that students do with little or no movement or conversation. Other teachers may prefer to

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