Additionally, over 65% of middle schoolers are visual learners and at least 15% are kinesthetic learners. This is when you can suggest that they help others who are struggling. They can also make your high-fliers feel extra confident in their understanding of the content. What is a manipulative? This is a fancy word for a hands-on puzzle or model that can be manipulated! Being able to move pieces around the table or hold a physical model that represents a concept keeps things low-stakes for students! Low stakes activities can lead to higher engagement from your students who would otherwise give up on trying. ![]() ![]() In my experience teaching 8th grade physical science, I have found that incorporating hands-on manipulatives can be a way to tackle this challenge. At the same time, I always have a posse of people who are totally on board with the concepts and actually enjoy the challenge! What is a teacher to do?! I know that when the Spring comes around and we get into the nitty-gritty chemistry unit (you know… bonding, chemical reactions, balancing equations, etc.), a big handful of kiddos get overwhelmed and become at risk for shutting down completely. It’s a complex concept that can be seen at a macro scale in an exciting chemical reaction, but that is totally abstract at a micro scale. Imagine learning about chemical bonding for the very first time. How Can We Differentiate Complex Content for Our Various Learners?Īt the middle school level, it’s sometimes a great challenge to differentiate for various learning styles when you’re in the midst of a chemistry unit.
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