Differentiated Instructional Strategy: Inverted Pyramid

Differentiation is a method of teaching that recognizes that students learn in different ways. Carol Ann Tomlinson believes differentiation means giving students multiple options for taking in information. Author Laura Robb said "differentiating instruction means that you observe and understand the differences and similarities among students and use this information to plan instruction." 

Here, we focus on a particular differentiated instructional strategy: The Inverted Pyramid!

Inverted Pyramid

This strategy helps students organize their thoughts.

• Each individual student writes down as many facts and details (on the assigned topic) as they can recall.
• Individual students pair up with a partner. The pair reviews their two lists and creates one new list, using only the best ideas from both.
• Two pairs then come together and create one list from the two lists. Again, use only the best ideas in the new list.
• Those two pairs now meet with another two pairs to develop one list.
• The class comes together, but remains in their final group.
• Assign two scribes to the board.
• Ideas from each group are shared for the scribes to write down.
• Only different ideas are added to the list.
• The list on the board should represent the best thinking of the entire class.

Students work together to organize the list from most important to least important.

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