An
Overview of Dr Kathie Nunley's
Layered Curriculum®
Today's
teacher must teach to an overwhelming variety of students.
Any high school class may have students who cannot read past
a second grade level. These students are sitting alongside
others trying to prepare for next year's Advanced Placement
class. There may be as many as five different native languages
spoken and each student at a different level of English proficiency.
Several special education students are likely to be mainstreamed
into the class. There are visual learners, auditory learners,
tactile learners, and plain old reluctant learners. Sprinkled
in are students with attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity.
As a high
school biology teacher I am expected to take this eclectic
collection of human beings and teach them the curriculum laid
out by the state. At first glance this appeared an impossible
task, but over the last several years I have designed and
created a workable method to differentiate my classroom. The
result is a simple five step solution for differentiating
your classroom. I call it Layered Curriculum®.
Step
One: Take the mystery out of your lesson plan by handing
it to the students in advance. My students receive a copy
of the lesson objectives and assignment options at the beginning
of each two week period. These unit sheets contain a variety
of assignment options that are designed to meet specific core
objectives. Each assignment has a point value based on the
complexity and time requirement.
Step
Two: Divide the unit sheet into three layers. Each layer
will represent a level or depth of study on the topic. The
bottom layer is called the C layer because students
working strictly within this layer can earn a grade no higher
than a "C" on the unit. Students are free to choose the assignments
they want and in any order. Different assignments are worth
different amounts of points based on the complexity of the
assignment. Students can choose any number of assignments
for any combination of points up to, but not passing a grade
of a C.
This section
represents a basic understanding of the topic and is structured
so that any student in the room can achieve this level of
success. The greater the diversity in the classroom, the greater
the diversity of assignments in the C layer.
In the
first, C layer, offer a variety of basic assignments to meet
the needs of every type of learner you may have. I make sure
that I have enough assignments so that even my non-readers
can achieve success. This layer includes hands-on activities
for the tactile learners, video and art projects for the visual
learners and optional lectures for the auditory learners.
Include textbook assignments for students who prefer this
traditional method of learning. Include at least one assignment
that must be done in any language except English. It is really
exciting to watch the interaction between the English-only
students and the limited-English proficiency students when
faced with having the tables turned.
Include
art or poetry or history assignments which require cross-discipline
involvement. For example, I may ask them to write a poem describing
a conflict found in an amphibian's world. Students then must
get written feedback from their English teacher on their poem.
In my classroom, the C sections is the largest section on
the unit assignment sheet because I cover the bulk of my state
core curriculum in this layer. There needs to be approximately
three times as many assignment choices as required. (e.g.:
if you expect them to complete 5 C layer assignments, have
15 to choose from).
Step
Three: Create a second or B layer requiring more
complex types of thinking. This layer requires the students
to manipulate or apply the information they learned in the
C layer. Here students carry their newly learned basic knowledge
a step further. Students "play" with their new information
at this layer. They build, design, use, apply, problem solve,
create, brain-storm, etc. Other B layer assignments may include
interdisciplinary studies, history fairs, application of new
words, creative displays of compare & contrast, etc. If you
need ideas, look back through the middle layers of your Bloom's
Taxonomy.
As my
original design was for high school biology, a "problem solving
lab" is required in this layer. I simply suggest problems
such as "How fast does a fish swim in miles per hour?"; "Do
snails have a taste preference?"; "What is the volume of a
frog's heart?"; "Which brand of mouthwash is most effective
in killing bacteria?". I usually list four or five questions
that pertain to the unit we are studying. The students are
always free to choose another question if they wish, with
my permission. I give no other information regarding the lab.
They must write their hypothesis and a detailed procedure.
They need to gather whatever materials they need, although
I will help them find materials after they have written their
procedure. It is critical not to give any information or help
with procedural designs until after they have written their
own ideas. This may be very frustrating at first to the students
as they all want to ask the teacher how they are to do the
lab. I simply tell my students that I haven't the slightest
idea! You will be amazed at the creativity on the part of
your students when left to their own imaginations.
Step
Four: Add a final layer called the A Layer which requires
the most complex thinking - critical thinking. Here students
mix traditional research with other things like values, morality
and personal opinion. Offer students several issues in the
topic that are currently under debate in the real world. Students
must conduct a literature search to find three recent studies
on their topic and then write a critical evaluation of that
issue. The final product may take various forms such as a
letter of persuasion to a legislator on an environmental issue
or a two minute oral presentation arguing their position.
Step
Five: The final and most important step to Layered Curriculum
is assessment through an oral defense of the students' assignments.
As students finish an assignment they spend a couple of minutes,
on a one-on-one basis, discussing what they learned. Based
on the pre-arranged objectives, I ask several key questions
and help clarify their ideas and verify that the learning
objectives have been met. This is a wonderful way to meet
face to face with every student and assure that they are indeed
learning. I often carry note cards with the objectives on
them to use during these discussions. The cards help students
understand that there is a criteria involved in assessing
their learning experience.
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To manage
the classroom easily, you may want to set up various learning
stations in your room to free up your time for evaluation
and facilitation. One of my most successful ideas has been
to put my lectures on audio tape. I use a cassette player
with four headsets attached at a listening station. Since
lecture is an option, the students can listen to the lecture
whichever day they choose. The headsets are wonderful for
the attention deficit students who may ave a difficult time
focusing on a live lecture. This helps isolate them and the
information. Physical props can be set out at the table to
assist points made in the lecture. Never again will students
have to get notes from a classmate because of an absence.
It is also wonderful to be able to record your lecture in
the quiet comfort of your home or empty classroom ahead of
time, free from any interruptions.
The video
cassette player and television are set at desk level in an
isolated corner for those students watching a video. Headphones
can be used here too to isolate the noise from the other working
students. Laying blankets on the floor in front of the t.v.
gives a seating option for those students who seem allergic
to the traditional classroom chair.
Technology
should be used whenever possible. Computer programs make wonderful
assignment options especially for the limited English proficiency
student because concepts are graphically represented. If you
are fortunate enough to have internet access in your room
make sure to include research as an assignment option.
To save
time with oral reports and presentations, a video camera may
be set up in a storeroom or quiet area so that the students
can record their presentations for your later viewing. This
is especially helpful with students who are reluctant to speak
before a large group.
Another
successful idea has been color coding each unit. I photocopy
each unit on a different color of paper. This makes it so
easy for us to refer to the "green sheet" or "orange sheet",
etc. It also makes it much easier for the students to find
their assignment sheets in notebooks filled with school papers.
I have a file cabinet in my classroom so that students may
keep their unit sheets and work in progress in the classroom.
This is important for those students who lack organizational
skills. When a unit is due, the students turn in their colored
unit sheet and I record the points they have acquired. At
the end of the grading period they fill out a term summary
showing how many points they received on each unit and write
down their final term grade. They attach this summary sheet
to the four colored units we've completed and turn it in to
me for their final grade. There are no surprises. The students
understand what it takes to get a certain grade and they have
all the control to obtain that grade.
Layered
Curriculum has been very successful in all types of classrooms
subjects and grade level.(See samples
page). It requires a bit of a shift in thinking though
on both the part of the teacher and the student. The grades
are not based on the traditional percentage of correct information
remembered, but rather on the depth in which a student pursues
the study of a topic. A "C" grade denotes a basic understanding
of core concepts. A "B" grade indicates not only an understanding
of the material but a personal discovery through an original
lab or an application or manipulation of the material. An
"A" indicates that the students have mastered the concepts
and have included a critical analysis of current issues relating
to the subject matter.
Dr Kathie Nunley