Differentiating Science Instruction and Assessment for Learners with Special Needs, K-8

This book provides classroom-tested guidelines and suggestions that can be made to science activities and assessments so that they can be differentiated for students with special needs. Included in the book are examples of original science activities and assessments and their revised versions as per the guidelines suggested in the book. Each of the national-level science education standards documents (The National Science Education Standards from the National Research Council, the Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy: Project 2061 from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the National Science Teachers Association Pathways and Scope, Sequence and Coordination ) emphasize that science instruction must be adequately and appropriately provided to all students. Similarly, federal and state legislation (NCLB) has mandated that students in special education be provided with appropriate science instruction and that necessary accommodations be made to further this objective. The classroom teacher is often left to his/her own devices with respect to determining how this can be accomplished. This book is a tool these teachers can use for guidance in this endeavor.