Batavia Local Schools 
Gifted Education

Differentiation in Science

             Joyce VanTassel-Baska in her article Planning Science Programs for High-Ability Learners (1998) gives several suggestions for teaching science to gifted students.

• There should be an emphasis on learning concepts.  Concepts such as systems, change, reductionism, and scale are important when learning central ideas that do not change in science. 
• There should be an emphasis on higher-level thinking.  Students need to be able to use the science concepts they have learned in different, complex, real world situations for problem solving.
• There should be an emphasis on inquiry, especially problem-based learning.  The more that students can discover science for themselves, the better they will be able to apply those ideas to different situations they encounter.
• There should be an emphasis on the use of technology as a learning tool.  The use of technology in science offers more possibilities for students to be involved in real life opportunities.
• There should be an emphasis on learning the scientific process and using experimental design procedures.  Students should be encouraged to design their own experiments rather than just follow the directions printed in a textbook.