1st semester: yellow

Element 1.1 Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Learns about students Gathers additional data to Uses data from a variety Uses data from multiple Uses comprehensive
through data provided by learn about individual of formal and informal measures to make knowledge of students to
the school and/or students. sources to learn about adjustments to make ongoing
assessments. students and guide instruction and meet adjustments and
selection of instructional individual identified accommodations in
strategies to meet diverse learning needs. instruction.
learning needs.
Using knowledge of
students to engage
them in learning Student engage in
learning through the use Students actively utilize a Students take ownership
Some students may of adjustments in variety of instructional of their learning by
engage in learning using Students engage in single strategies and choosing from a wide
instruction to meet their
instructional strategies lessons or sequence of technologies in learning range of methods to
needs.
focused on the class as a lessons that include some that ensure equitable further their learning that
whole. adjustments based on access to the curriculum. are responsive to their
assessments. learning needs.
 While the school does
provide data to help us
learn about the students,
additional data is
gathered in order to
assess the student levels.
This is done through a
series of both formal and
informal assessments. I
do gather data about
student levels through
labs (helps in knowing
students math and
writing skills as well as
science), the warm up at
the beginning of class in
Evidence which I go around an sign
it as I informally assess
the student answers, this
helps guide me and
shows if there is a general
misconception in relation
to the current or previous
topic. I do try and
differentiate by trying to
have alternate
assignments for my IEP
students & ELs, as well as
providing my students
with essential vocabulary
words that they should be
familiar with for the
lesson at hand. (9/29/19)
Element 1.2 Emerging
Develops awareness of
prior knowledge, culture,
backgrounds, life
experiences, and interests
represented among
students.
Connecting learning
to students’ prior
knowledge,
backgrounds, life
experiences, and
interests
Some students connect
learning activities to their
own lives.
Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
Uses gathered Uses school resources and Integrates broad Develops and
information about family contacts to expand knowledge of students systematically uses
students’ prior understanding of and their communities to extensive information
knowledge, cultural, life students’ prior inform instruction. regarding students’
experiences, and interest knowledge, cultural cultural backgrounds,
to support student backgrounds, life prior knowledge, life
learning. experiences, and interests experiences, and
to connect to student interests.
learning.
Students participate in Students make
single lessons or connections between Students can articulate
sequences of lessons curriculum, and their the relevance and impact
related to their interests prior knowledge, of lessons on their lives
Students are actively
and experiences. backgrounds, life and society.
engaged in curriculum,
experiences, and which relates their prior
interests. knowledge, experiences,
and interests within and
across learning activities.
 It has been easier to use
life experiences in
environmental science by
highlighting student's
past actions and how
those actions have an
effect on the
environment. Students
were made aware of
consequences of throwing
trash on the
floor/street/park etc.
during the lesson about
land pollution which then
sparked a "will it make a
difference?" debate.
Which showed great
passion and interest by
the students. It has been
more of a challenge for
Evidence biology and 7/8th science.
This has been dependent
on the topic which we are
covering. During the
lesson about the parts of
the cell, students more
readily started engaging
once we started labeling
the different parts of the
cell to make for a small
town as opposed to just
learning what each part of
he cell does. Biology has
been a little more
challenging in terms of
obtaining student interest
to the topic, which makes
me have to lean towards
more exploration/inquiry
based instruction with the
lesson. (9/29/19)
Element 1.3 Emerging
Uses real-life connections
during instruction as
identified to curriculum.
Connecting subject
matter to
meaningful, real-life
contexts
Some students relate
subject matter to real-life.
Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
Explore using additional Integrates connections Integrates connections to Engages student in
real-life connections to from subject matter to meaningful, real-life actively making
subject matter in single meaningful, real-life contexts in planning connections to relevant,
lessons or sequence of contexts, including those subject matter instruction meaningful, and real-life
lessons to support specific to students’ and is responsive during contexts throughout
understanding. family and community. instruction to engage subject matter
students in relating to instruction.
subject matter.
Students make use of
real-life connections
provided in single lessons Students actively engage
or sequence of lessons to in making and using real- Students routinely
Students utilize real-life integrate subject matter
support understanding of connections regularly to life connections to subject
subject matter. matter to extend their into their own thinking
develop understandings
understanding. and make relevant
of subject matter. applications of subject
matter during learning
activities.
 For environmental
science, students have
been able to make real
life connections more
readily to the topics
which pertain to our
surroundings. Students
were able to look for the
different sources of
radioactive pollution near
where they live which is
provide by the epa
website, this pushed
student interest way
higher than it was
Evidence originally. For biology,
students were given the
job of being a biome
conservation biologist in
which they had to choose
a country and discuss
how we can save the
endangered boime. As for
7/8th science, I had the
students compare the
functions of the different
parts of the cell to a real
life job/function ie the
nucleus as mayor's office.
(9/29/19)

Element 1.4 Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Using a variety of Uses instructional Explores additional Utilizes a variety of Creates, adapts, and Refines the flexible use of
instructional strategies, resources, and instructional strategies, strategies including integrates a broad range an extensive repertoire of
strategies, resources, technologies as provided resources, and culturally responsive of strategies, resources, strategies, resources, and
and technologies to by school and/or district. technologies in single pedagogy, resources, and and technologies into technologies to meet
meet students’ lessons or sequence of technologies during instruction designed to students’ diverse
diverse learning lessons to meet students’ ongoing instruction to meet students’ diverse
needs diverse learning needs. meet students’ diverse learning needs. learning needs.
learning needs.

Some students participate
in instructional strategies,
using resources and
technologies provided.
Students participate in
Students participate in instruction using Students actively engage
single lessons or strategies, resources, and in instruction and make
sequence of lessons use of a variety of Students take
technologies matched to responsibilities for using
related to their interests their learning needs. targeted strategies,
and experiences. resources, and a wide range of strategies,
technologies to meet their resources, and
individual students technologies that
needs. successfully advance their
learning.

Virtual labs/labs are used

as additional
instructional strategy for
all classes. This allows
students to visualize and
somewhat experience the
topic at hand. Web quests
are assigned to help the
students develop the
ability to research.
Students are also
Evidence
provided with additional
information on their
google classroom in case
a question does come up
without my being
present. The next step I
feel to move onto
applying is to use
culturally responsive
pedagogy. (9/29/19)

Element 1.5 Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

 Asks questions that focus Includes questions in
on factual knowledge and single lessons or a
comprehension. sequence of lessons that
require students to recall,
interpret, and think
critically.
Promoting critical
thinking though
inquiry, problem
solving, and
Students respond to
reflection
varied questions or tasks
Some students respond to designed to promote
questions regarding facts comprehension and
and comprehension. critical thinking in single
lessons or a sequence of
lessons.
Guide students to think
critically through use of
questioning strategies,
posing/solving problems,
and reflection on issues in
content.
Students respond to
questions and problems
posed by the teacher and
begin to pose and solve
problems of their own
related to the content.
Supports students to Facilitates systematic
initiate critical thinking opportunities for student
through independently to apply critical thinking
developing questions, by designing structured
posing problems and inquiries into complex
reflecting on multiple problems.
perspectives.
Students pose problems
and construct questions Students pose and
of their own to support answer a wide-range of
complex questions and
inquiries into content.
problems, reflect, and
communicate
understandings based on
in depth analysis of
content learning.

Planning based on the

NGSS standards has
helped in planning in
ways to promote critical
thinking for my lessons.
Students are given group
activities in which they
are faced with a problem
to solve, and are asked to
come up with a solution
as a group. This has
Evidence worked particularly well
with the pollution topic.
Students researched the
causes and effects of the
different types of
pollution, and came up
with many good ideas
(some outlandish) on
how to deal with the
problem. (9/29/19)
Element 1.6 Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
Implements lessons Seeks to clarify Makes ongoing Adjusts strategies during Makes adjustments to
following curriculum instruction and learning adjustments to instruction based on the extend learning
guidelines. activities to support instruction based on ongoing monitoring of opportunities and
student understanding. observation of student individual student needs provide assistance to
engagement and regular for assistance, support, or students in mastering the
checks for understanding. challenge. concepts flexibly and
Monitoring student effectively.
learning and
adjusting instruction
while teaching. Students monitor their
Students successfully Students are able to progress in learning and
Students receive participate and stay articulate their level of provide information to
Some students receive assistance individually or engaged in learning understanding and use teacher that informs
individual assistance in small groups during activities. teacher guidance to meet adjustments in
during instruction. instruction. their needs during instruction.
instruction.
 Student learning is
monitored through
different methods. I go
around and informally
assess every warm up at
the beginning of class to
see how much the
students know about the
topic being discussed
(types of questions vary).
Also, students are
monitored through
Evidence inquiry during the lecture
portion of the lesson as
well as through student
engagement. This helps in
adjusting the lesson as we
move along as a unit. One
thing that has worked has
been the use of real life
connections to the topic
the moment I notice that
students are not relating
/connecting to the lesson.
(9/29/19)