Lesson Summary
Human civilization has been a gradual development from the use of simple tools for hunting to complex ones. The hunter-gatherer communities relied on their natural knowledge and systems and availability of resources to make tools and eventually use fire (Fogarty & Pete, 2011). Natural systems were important in the provision of resources such as goods and ecosystem services. Importantly, Natural systems were vital in enabling the expansion of hunter-gatherer communities in terms of geographic expansion, biological diversity, and feasibility of natural resources (Fogarty & Pete, 2011). In the Paleolithic era, the human settlement was mainly in areas that had resources that made it possible for the existence of life. At the time, there were different means of harvesting, extracting, transporting, and consumption of natural resources. The progress from the Paleolithic heavily depended on the process and cycle that took place within the natural system (Hall, Strangma & Meyer, 2003). Hence, the decision for communities to settle in a particular place is dependent on a variety of factors. One of the factors was climate change. As the climate warmed and changed from one condition to another, humans also moved to newer and more accommodating areas. The movement to newer areas provided the availability of natural resources, as such, the methods of consumption and extraction also changed. Such operations also influenced natural systems. Over time, the environment changed so did consumption, as such, the societies found the need to increase their resource through methods such as agriculture, irrigation, cooking, food preservation, and specialization. Further, the outcome of these methods changed the natural system.
By the education system of the state of California, the above insights are important because students get to understand the differences between a historical narrative and mere stories.
Differentiating by Process
This is a learning process that teachers use to increase learning through harmonizing student characteristics to commands and evaluation. This enables students to attend the same class by providing entry points, classroom tasks, and outcomes that are tailored to suit students.
Direct Instruction
Direct instructions are designed to assess students’ ability on important skills that are given on varying levels of complexity, abstractness, and openness. For instance, the contents and goals could be the same, nevertheless, the process could be different.
Anticipatory Set: This is an outline of what the teacher intends to teach before direct instructions. This helps in two ways:
- It gives continuity of the subject from the previous one
- Acts as a students activation
Input: This can be described as processed information that teachers impart to the students.
Practice: These are tasks that teachers assign to students to translate ideas they have learned into actions.
Cooperative Learning: This is the formation of small student teams of different abilities; engaging in various learning activities to improve on their understanding of history lessons.
Duos: Formation of the group consisting of two individuals.
Trios: This is the formation of a group of students with three individuals.
Small group: A group consists of individuals not more than 20 people.
Inquiry: Teachers engage inquiry as a dynamic process that is open to wonder and puzzlement that enables students to come to their understanding of American History.
Service Learning: This is learning that combines formal instructions with important elements from the community, for instance, student experiences.
Projects: This can be postulated as a joint or individual enterprise often involving research that is carefully designed to achieve certain objectives. Students will gain immensely by coming up with their ideas which can be implemented for professional gain.
Performances: This is doing assigned tasks using the knowledge that has been gained in class as differentiated by merely possessing it.
Differentiating by Content
It is a method whereby teachers vary the contents of what they teach depending on how students have access to that particular content (Strangma, & Meyer (2003). Further, the contents could be varied depending on the level at which the students already have an idea. Students stand to gain immensely because they have an opportunity to choose the subjects or topics they are interested in.
Complexity: Strangma, & Meyer (2003) argues that complexity is the extent to which students find certain topics to be intricate in arrangement and understanding. Some history topics can be understood easily while others are complex and will need considerable time and explanation to be understood.
Concrete: Concrete refers to an instance when teachers refer to the real or actual experience that students can easily relate to (Strangma, & Meyer 2003).
Symbolic: It is a method by which teachers enhance students’ understanding and responses to history lessons by making visual representations of what they are learning.
Abstract
On the other hand, abstract refers to historical ideas that have no tangible or physical references.
Resources: Fogarty & Pete (2011) postulate that resources are tools that are essential for faster and easy facilitation of teaching. For instance, finance, equipment, and stationery. With adequate resources at their disposal, it becomes easier for the student to relate and remember the concepts in class.
Informational: These are the teachings that are derived from experiences, studies, and instruction that are transferred from teacher to student through the process of communication.
Narrative: This is a story both verbal and non-verbal that is transmitted from the teacher to the students.
Multimedia: They are sources of information that come in different forms, such as, video, text, records, audio, and animations, that are transmitted electronically (Fogarty, & Pete, 2011).
Human resources: This is composed of all the individuals who make the work of a school, for instance, teachers, administrators, and subordinate staff.
Learning Environment: A learning environment is a place set aside for learning. This can be a physical place or a virtual space.
Classroom: It is a physical room within a school where learning takes place
School: A school can be both a physical place as well as a process of gaining education or sometimes a specific period that one is required to complete education.
Community: These are people living within the vicinity of an educational institution.
Reflection: Without a doubt, differentiation is such an important strategy in imparting knowledge to students. This is because of the following reasons. Firstly, differentiation helps to meet the needs, interests and discover the abilities of students in one setting. Secondly, it helps in making comparisons between interests, abilities, and opportunities to enrich and accelerate education policies.
References
Fogarty, R., & Pete, B. (2011) Supporting Differentiated Instruction: A Professional Learning Communities Approach. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Hall, T., Strangman, N., & Meyer, A. (2003). Differentiated Instruction and Implications for UDL Implementation. National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Web.