Learning objectives and state content standards are communicated.
Objectives and expectations are aligned to the depth and rigor of the standards; lesson content is aligned to the standards and objectives.
Sub-objectives are aligned to the lesson’s major objective.
Learning objectives are connected to what students have previously learned.
Expectations for student performance are clear.
State standards/lesson objectives are displayed.
There is evidence that students are progressing or demonstrating mastery of the objective(s).
The teacher organizes the content, including curriculum resources, so that it is personally meaningful and relevant to students.
The teacher develops learning experiences where inquiry, curiosity, and exploration are valued.
The teacher regularly reinforces and rewards effort.
Presentation of content consistently includes:
visuals that establish the purpose of the lesson, preview the organization of the lesson, and include internal summaries of the lesson;
examples, illustrations, analogies, and labels for new concepts and ideas;
modeling by the teacher to demonstrate his or her performance expectations;
criteria that clarifies how students can be successful;
concise communication;
logical sequencing and segmenting;
all essential information; and
no irrelevant, confusing, or nonessential information.
The lesson starts promptly.
The lesson’s structure is coherent, based on the content, and has a beginning, middle, and end, with time for reflection to ensure student understanding.
Pacing is appropriate and sometimes provides opportunities for students who progress at different learning rates.
Routines for distributing materials are efficient.
Little instructional time is lost during transitions
Activities and materials include a majority of the following:
Content:
support the lesson objectives;
are challenging;
elicit a variety of thinking;
provide time for reflection;
are relevant to students’ lives;
Student-centered:
sustain students’ attention;
provide opportunities for student-to-student interaction;
evoke student curiosity and suspense;
provide students with choices;
Multiple materials:
incorporate multimedia and technology; and
incorporate additional standards-based resources where appropriate to support individual and whole group understanding (e.g., teacher made materials, manipulatives, resources from museums, cultural centers, etc.)
Teacher questions are varied and high-quality, providing an appropriate mix of question types based on content:
knowledge and comprehension;
application and analysis; and
creation and evaluation.
Questions are purposeful and coherent.
The frequency of questions engages students in critical thinking.
Questions are sequenced with attention to the instructional goals.
Wait time (3-5 seconds) is provided.
Questions require active responses (e.g., whole-class signaling, choral responses, or group and individual answers).
The teacher calls on a variety of students to engage different students’ perspectives and provide opportunities for many students to respond.
Oral and written feedback is academically focused, frequent, and high quality.
Feedback is given during guided practice and review of independent work assignments.
The teacher circulates during instructional activities to support engagement and monitor student work.
Feedback from students is used to monitor and adjust instruction.
The instructional grouping arrangements(whole class, small groups, pairs, or individual; heterogeneous or homogeneous ability) adequately enhance student understanding and learning efficiency.
Teacher sets expectations that are understood by students.
In an instructional group, students take responsibility for their roles, tasks, and group work expectations so they can have meaningful and productive collaboration.
Students participating in groups are held accountable for group work and individual work.
Instructional group composition is varied (e.g., race, gender, ability, and age) to accomplish the goals of the lesson.
Instructional groups facilitate opportunities for students to set goals, reflect on, and evaluate their learning.
Teacher displays accurate content knowledge and understanding both of state standards and instructional materials, including their curriculum, for all the subjects they teach.
Teacher implements subject-specific instructional strategies to enhance student content knowledge.
Teacher highlights key concepts and ideas and uses them as the basis to connect other powerful ideas.