Differentiation using RAFT

Black Death Writing

Collin Case
9th Grade World History
WHAT IS RAFT?
RAFT stands for Role, Audience, Format, Topic.
The purpose of RAFT is to help students to understand the different aspects that go into writing and giving them a
starting point. RAFT allows for students to make their own idea or use instructor provided ideas. When writing, it
is important to understand from whose perspective am I writing? To whom am I writing? How will I communicate
to my audience? What am I writing about? One of the big reasons to use RAFT is to allow for students to write in a
way that they enjoy and on a subject they like.
BIG IDEAS
Big Ideas
Societies are shaped by events and their environments.
This idea addresses Kansas History Government and Social Studies standard number 5 Relationships
between people, places, ideas, and environments are dynamic.
Essential Questions for Students
Who am I writing to?
From whose perspective am I writing?
What am I trying to communicate?
What is the best way for this person to communicate?
Students need to
Know: Student will need to be familiar with what the Black Death was, who it affected, how society
reacted, the flagellant movement, and the symptoms of the disease.
Understand: Students will need to understand how the elements of RAFT play into writing. Students will
also need to understand the larger outcomes of the black death on society.
Be able to: Students will need to be able to write some form of story, song, or leaflet in order to convey
information to their audience.
GIVE ME DETAILS
Preassessment:
This assignment will not have a pre-assessment because it is the first major writing assignment and will
act as their base line and will be used to determine what they need assistance on in their future writings.
Will students work alone?
Students will work by themselves since this is acting as a preassessment/writing sample which will help
determine their individual needs. .
How will students pick their topic?
Students will be able to pick from several sub topics within the major topic of the Black Death. This will
fulfill the T portion of the RAFT.
How will it be differentiated?
Both product and process with be differentiated. Because students will have choice in what type of
writing they do, the product and process can be differentiated. I have provided several choices for them
to act as a spring board, but they can always make their own.
The student learner elements involved
Student readiness will be assessed based upon the product. Learning profile and interest will play into
what students pick as their RAFT.

RESOURCES
Student Resources

Black Death Writing Black Death History

Assignment RAFT.docx Channel.docx

Teacher Resources
Tomlinson, Carol A. How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-ability Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: Association
for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001. Print.