Anchor ActivitiesContent from Early Release October 2010

Anchor Activities and Anchor Activities and RigorRigor

Pre-planned activities

Tied to current or past units of study

Readily available

Anchor Activities and Anchor Activities and RigorRigor

Not “busy work”MeaningfulExtension, enrichment or practice

Instructional Practices-Anchor Instructional Practices-Anchor ActivitiesActivities

Differentiated classroom = complete assignments at different rates

‘Nothing to do’ What to do when they complete assigned

work. Stepping stone for flexible groups

Differentiation

Is a teacher’s response to learner’s needs

Guided by general principles of differentiation

Respectful tasks Flexible grouping Continual assessment

Teachers Can Differentiate Through:

Content Process Product Environment

According to Students’

Readiness Interest Learning Profile

Through a range of strategies such as:

Multiple intelligences…Jigsaw…4MAT…Graphic Organizers…RAFTSCompacting…Tiered assignments…Leveled texts…Complex Instruction… Learning

Centers

Instructional Practices-Anchor Instructional Practices-Anchor ActivitiesActivities

“In this class we are never finished.  Learning is a process that never ends.”

Carol Ann Tomlinson

Benefits of Anchor Benefits of Anchor ActivitiesActivities

Differentiation Explore a concept more deelpy Enrich their skill development Management strategy when working with

small groups Vehicle for more student-centered

classroom

Steps to Implement Steps to Implement Anchor ActivitiesAnchor Activities

1. Explain, model and practice2. Be clear on expectations3. Develop ground rules 4. Tasks that require time and thinking5. Clear instructions6. Develop an anchor activity that

uses multiple skills

ANCHOR ACTIVITIESANCHOR ACTIVITIES

Can be:

used in any subject

whole class assignments

small group or individual assignments

tiered to meet the needs of different readiness levels

Interdisciplinary for use across content areas or teams

Anchors to Help with Anchors to Help with OrganizationOrganization

Step 1 Teach students to work independently on the Anchor Activity

Step 2

Step 3

Half the class works on an Anchor

activity

Other half works ona different lesson.

One third ofclass works

on an anchor.

One third ofclass works ondifferent lesson

One third of classworks with teacherdirect instruction

Organization for Anchor Organization for Anchor ActivitiesActivities

Practice-Rigor or Practice-Rigor or Rigormortis????Rigormortis????

1. Silent reading2. Jigsaw Puzzle3. Journal Writing4. Math Problem of the Day5. Read and select two current events, summarize one for

group discussion6. What’s in the Middle? Students take two photos (one is

beginning and one is the end) Write the story.7. Utilize a graphic organizer to classify rocks and mineral

samples.8. Compile a picture glossary9. Problem-based learning example

Anchor Activities and Anchor Activities and RigorRigor

Resources available on the EIMS PD Wiki

www.eimspd.pbworks.com

Plus/Delta/Issue Bin