Differentiation and Special Learning Needs
The Next Generation Science Standards provide an excellent framework for differentiated teaching and learning and the Green Ninja model utilizes and expands on this framework through the creation of a broad array of learning frameworks (https://adoption.greenninja.org/learning-styles). Green Ninja curriculum provides a rich learning environment that can engage many types of learners. Students with disabilities, English Language Learners, as well as students with different learning modalities all benefit from the diversity of teaching and learning strategies.
Creating a climate for differentiated instruction
The differentiated instruction strategies utilized in the Green Ninja curriculum promote a lively classroom environment through activities, discussions and the sharing of student work. We look at this classroom climate as a large system composed of natural learning subsystems.
• Emotional Learning System: Green Ninja lessons strive to provide multiple ways for students to express themselves—from writing, to role-playing, to creating animations and videos—meeting the needs of the Emotional Learning System.
• Social Learning System: The needs of this learning system are met as students work in teams to understand concepts and develop solutions to challenges. Additionally, there are numerous opportunities for scientific discussion and debate.
• Physical Learning System: Active problem solving is a key component in Green Ninja lessons. Students regularly participate in active, tactile, and kinesthetic learning experiences to meet the needs of the Physical Learning System.
• Cognitive Learning System: This is where students learn new knowledge and skills. Learning is facilitated through accessing prior knowledge and engaging the senses. The Cognitive Learning System is closely connected to the previously mentioned learning systems; learning will not take place if the emotional, social, and physical needs are not met.
• Reflective Learning System: Green Ninja lessons include thinking strategies as well as metacognition, meeting the needs of the Reflective Learning System and giving students the opportunity to analyze situations, make plans, and work toward goals and/or solutions.
Additional Support for Differentiated Learning
The instructional strategies discussed above create an ideal learning climate, and they also provide the means to engage all types of learners. While it may not be possible to actually know the intelligences and learning profiles of all students, the differentiated approach used by Green Ninja ensures that all students have access to learning. We know that having a classroom full of diverse learners is challenging, even with this variety of teaching strategies, so we offer additional support for teachers:
• Access and Equity sections in the lessons contain tips for teachers, with suggestions specific to the particular lesson/activity on how to support students with different learning modalities and styles.
• Documents in Spanish: The files and vocabulary terms in each lesson are available in Spanish, providing additional support for English Language learners.
• Student Notebooks: Students develop their own notebooks to organize observations, analyze data, and communicate their thinking. Keeping a science notebook integrates literacy into the curriculum as students develop writing skills and process their thinking.
• Culminating Experiences: Open-ended culminating experiences in every unit provide challenges and opportunities for even very advanced learners to thrive and excel.
• End-of-Unit Study Guides are available for each unit—in print and digital format— and contain the following sections:
Key Science Concepts: These are written summaries of the Disciplinary Core Ideas, with key vocabulary terms highlighted.
Thinking Visually: This section helps students organize key concepts in the form of charts and concept maps, identified as an effective tool for teaching all learners, including ELLs.
Using Your Science Toolkit: This section contains activities designed to help students utilize Science and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts to make sense of the phenomena and fully understand the content.
Guided Practice: This section contains assessment-type questions designed to guide students in their understanding of the science concepts and to prepare them for the California Science Test (CAST).
Vocabulary: This section instructs students to use a vocabulary strategy designed to help all learners understand the key vocabulary terms of the unit.
Extensions: This section contains suggestions for activities so that students and their families can extend their learning beyond the classroom.