Content
In terms of content, the Biology 30 curriculum leaves plenty of room for differentiation while still meeting the required outcomes. You could differentiate the content pertaining to broad topics within the Biology 30 curriculum, such as the indicators relating to identifying common misconceptions relating to genetics, and investigating the use of selective breeding.
Example One - Addressing Common Misconceptions Relating to Genetics:
I think differentiating the way this specific learning indicator is taught is incredibly important, as misconceptions can vary greatly from student to student and ending the discussion at the most common misconceptions may leave some students with unanswered questions. I think that the best way to differentiate this specific topic would be to have students anonymously complete a survey/quiz at the start of the unit to determine what they do know and what they don’t know. This survey would include true or false questions relating to the most common misconceptions, a short answer section asking students to explain what they do know (or think they know) about genetics, and a final section where they can ask any questions they have relating to genetics.
Example Two - Selective Breeding:
Selective breeding is one of the easiest topics to differentiate within the Biology 30 curriculum. There are countless examples of selective breeding that vary greatly from area to area and from time period to time period, meaning that students’ knowledge of selectively bred organisms varies greatly depending on what environment they grew up in. In order to differentiate this topic within my own classroom I plan to take the location I am currently teaching in, into consideration. For example if I am teaching in rural Saskatchewan I will probably gear my lesson on selective breeding towards cattle, as it would be a much more familiar and applicable starting point than an organism like Caridina shrimp.
Process
Differentiating the learning process within secondary schools is much the same regardless of the course you are teaching. That being said, biology does present some unique challenges that can be addressed by process differentiation. Take dissections for example, one of the most commonly used organisms to perform dissections on in high school biology is pigs. However, not all students are able to participate in pig dissections, as touching pig meat is forbidden in some religions, such as Judaism and Islam. I have thought of several ways to differentiate dissections to make them accessible to all students. The easiest thing to do would be to allow students to work with a partner or in small groups so that only the students who felt most comfortable performing the dissection would need to. Another option would be to provide alternate organisms for dissection, such as frogs, that all students would be able to dissect.
There are also some general methods of process differentiation I plan to use that would be useful regardless of the course I am teaching. These methods include patterned graphs rather than color-coded graphs (for colour-blind students), links to videos watched in class (for students who missed the class or have difficulty focusing), closed captions on videos watched in class (for students hard of hearing), modified seating arrangements (so that students with vision issues can sit closer to the front), physical copies of notes (for students who struggle to write quickly), and physical copies of test dates (for students who struggle to remember important dates or are dyslexic).
Product
Every student has a unique style of learning, so it is only logical that every student expresses what they have learned in a way that is unique to them. That is why I believe that product differentiation is incredibly important within education.The possibilities for product differentiation within high school biology courses are truly endless. Looking back at my own experiences in biology courses over the years has allowed me to see just how creative you can get when it comes to assessments within this teaching area. While I have written final exams and research papers, I have also constructed 3D models, designed an imaginary ecosystem, created a website, written pretend news articles, and recorded video projects. The possibilities for product differentiation within high school biology courses are truly endless.
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