Layers of Learning in Geography: Alternate Teaching and Learning Methods

 
 
 A fresh look at differentiation by Kathy Parr, Lead Teacher of Geography.
As part of the Year 8 Brazil Scheme of Work, students are required to learn the layers of the tropical rainforest. This is a task that requires the uptake of information and memorising the different layers and why they have formed the way that they have.
In order to meet the needs of the different abilities I created 4 different tasks to stretch and challenge the different abilities.
1.       The lower abilities were asked to create a jigsaw puzzle that would be used for the other Year 8 students covering the same topic to help them identify the different layers of the rainforest.
 
2.       The mixed abilities students were asked to use a whiteboard maker to draw on the tables and windows the layers of the rainforest, with labelled descriptions.
 
 

 
3.       The higher abilities were given a mixture of paper and were asked to create labelled diagrams of the rainforest, with labelled descriptions using nothing but paper and their hands.

 
The main aim of these differentiated tasks was to get the students to recreate and embed what they had learnt at the start of the lesson about the layers. Through these methods they created things that would help them remember the layers through tasks they found stimulating and interesting.

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