Tiered Lessons

Are all kids the same? Absolutely not. My own children are different from one another. Each person enjoys or thrives doing different types of activities. Then again, there are some kids that teachers must work just to keep them above C level.

Today's thoughts take me to options for students. Particularly tiered lessons as I consider preparing for inclusion classes that include special education students, regular level students, and PreAP who need a push.

In tiered lessons, there is a basic learning goal presented with several levels of learning available. One level is foundational for all students. It is the minimum required for everyone. The middle level will ask a bit more and most students should be able to handle these activities. The third level is for students who need a challenge or are not satisfied with anything less than an A+!

Personal challenge - review a lesson that can be tiered and incorporate it into a performance task for one of the units this year.

Engine-Uity has great ideas that I can even use in high school. 
Engine-uity's Whole Language Prima Kit for Grades 1-3

The Alchemist

Do you know what your purpose is here? Are you doing what you are meant to be doing? Or are you avoiding some greater calling because you fear the adventure. Do you fear leaving the comfortable surroundings to which you have grown accustomed?

The idea in The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is not life eternal but a better life because of a better understanding of life in general. The main character is challenged to follow a dream despite disbelief, detours, and doubting. He embarks on an adventure of his own through the African desert toward the Egyptian pyramids. Until now, he has only read about adventures in other books. Through the bizarre twist of unexpected events he chases the idea of a treasure, although the entire process becomes part of his treasure.

This book challenged me in my own adventure toward my treasure and desire for higher education. The Alchemist reminded me of my own detours along my path that I started nearly ten years ago toward my MACSE. It was perfect timing to read yesterday on my road trip to Fort Worth to visit SWBTS and get back on track in my own adventure.



The Alchemist is not a strictly Christian book, but it makes some wonderful references to the Bible and the Koran.

Anthem by Ayn Rand

What is the scariest book you've ever read? Why did it scare you? Were there ghosts, monsters, or aliens? Anthem is tremendously scary with the potential monster of the future if we do not protect our current freedoms. The furture in Anthem predicts a reverse back to a time of dark ages mixed with extreme socialism. One person, Equality 7-2521, realizes that there is something more to life than what he has. He dares to want and to desire more than he has and something different than his circumstances. He desires rights, friendship, and love. He must search for the way to make change with the courage to do it. This book makes me question what small steps would take a society like ours to a future like the one painted in the book. Equality 7-2521 knows that these steps were not realized and the knowledge slipped away from people in the process. We must be careful with our freedoms not to give them over too easily. This book is powerful and a must read!

Other books that follow in this line of thinking include The Giver by Lois Lowery, and Utopia by Sir Thomas More. The level of The Giver is probably jr. high, while Utopia is more later high school or possibly college. Parents and teachers should encourage students to read these books as they study government.

To get any of these books, click any of the links below.