CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning

Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating

Has a foundational Examines concepts in Understands and explains Uses broad knowledge of Uses extensive knowledge
knowledge of subject subject matter and the relationship between inter-relationships of of subject matter
matter, related academic academic language to essential subject matter concepts, academic concepts, current issues,
3.1 Demonstrating
language, and academic identify connections concepts, academic content standards, and academic language, and
knowledge of subject
content standards. between academic language, and academic academic language in research to make relevant
matter academic
content standards and content standards. ways that ensure clear connections to standards
content standards
instruction. 9/15/23 connections and during instruction and
relevance to students. extend student learning.

I discuss current topics

and emerging issues to
relate knowledge to
instruction/activities. I
identify prior knowledge
that can be utilized and
skills required for specific
learning goals
(formative), and also aim
for students to be
well-prepared for more
complex concepts.
Additionally, I draw upon
my subject matter
expertise to contextualize
Evidence
each lesson within the
broader scope of
biology/life science (I
need to focus on making
this digestible at various
levels), helping students
visualize the content they
are learning. My choice of
instructional strategies
align with pedagogical
research, and my use of
curricular materials that
meet the academic
content standards for
science education (NGSS).
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging
Has basic knowledge of
student stages of
development while
becoming aware of
differences in students’
understanding of subject
matter.
Teaches subject-specific
3.2 Applying vocabulary following
knowledge of student curriculum guidelines.
development and
proficiencies to
ensure student
understanding of
subject matter
Exploring
Expands knowledge of
student development and
implements learning
activities in single lessons
or sequence of lessons
that addresses students’
proficiencies and support
understanding of subject
matter including related
academic language.
Provides explicit teaching
of essential content
vocabulary and associated
academic language in
single lessons or sequence
of lessons. Explains
academic language,
formats, and vocabulary
to support student access
to subject matter when
confusions are identified.
9/15/23
Applying Integrating Innovating
Adapts instruction in Integrates knowledge of Utilizes comprehensive
response to knowledge of range of students knowledge of students to
student development and development into guide all students to
proficiencies to meet instructional decisions to develop proficiencies,
students’ diverse learning ensure student understand subject
needs. Ensures understanding of the matter including related
understanding of subject subject matter including academic language.
matter including related related academic
academic language. language. Engages student at all
levels of vocabulary,
Provides explicit teaching Provides explicit teaching academic language, and
of essential vocabulary, of specific academic proficiencies in
idioms, key words with language, text structures, self-directed goal setting,
multiple meanings, and grammatical, and stylistic monitoring, and
academic language in language features to improvement. Guides all
ways that engage students ensure equitable access to students in using analysis
in accessing subject subject matter strategies that provides
matter text or learning understanding for the equitable access and deep
activities. range of student language understanding of subject
levels and abilities. matter.

I align instructional
strategies with NGSS
guidelines, making
adaptations for students. I
make efforts to connect
NGSS mastery across the
3 dimensions (SEP, DCI,
CCC), utilizing the
dimensions to scaffold
Evidence
understanding of concept
before formal
introduction of specific
content vocabulary
(“healing” as a process vs
cellular replication, etc.).
During classroom
observations, I support
student learning by
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
connecting content to
prior experiences, using
NGSS-appropriate
instructional materials,
and employing
NGSS-aligned entry-level
assessments (further
revisions and growth .
Follows organization of Examines organization of Uses knowledge of Integrates knowledge of Uses extensive knowledge
curriculum as provided by curriculum and considers curriculum and student curriculum and resources of curriculum and related
site and district to adjustments in single readiness to organize and to organize and adjust resources to flexibly and
support student lessons or sequence of adjust the curriculum to instruction within and effectively organize and
3.3 Organizing
understanding of the lessons to support ensure student across subject matter to adjust instruction.
curriculum to
subject matter. understanding of subject understanding. extend student
facilitate student
matter. 9/15/23 understanding. Ensures student
understanding of the
comprehension and
subject matter
facilitates student
articulation about what
they do and do not
understand.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
I organize the curriculum
to promote student
understanding of subject
matter, aligning with the
Next Generation Science
Standards (NGSS). The
curriculum is sequenced
to build upon prior
instruction and ensure
logical progression of
related concepts
Evidence (storylining).

Uses instructional Gathers and uses Selects and adapts a Integrates instructional Uses an extensive
strategies that are additional instructional variety of instructional strategies appropriate to repertoire of instructional
provided in the strategies in single strategies to ensure subject matter to meet strategies to develop
3.4 Utilizing curriculum. lessons or sequence of student understanding of students’ diverse learning, enthusiasm,
instructional lessons to increase academic language to ensure student meta-cognitive abilities,
strategies that are student understanding of appropriate to subject understanding of and support and
appropriate to the academic language matter and that addresses academic language, and challenge the full range of
subject matter appropriate to subject students’ diverse learning guide student in student towards a deep
matter. 9/15/23 needs. understanding knowledge of subject
connections within and matter.
across subject matter.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
Effective strategies
engage students and cater
to their varied levels of
engagement and
understanding within the
NGSS framework. I
prioritize both depth and
breadth of understanding,
allowing students to
explore NGSS-related
content through the lens
of an overarching
phenomena. During
Evidence classroom explorations,
students participate in
instructional/scaffolded
activities, and I
incorporate strategies
that enable me to
routinely assess their
understanding (formative
assessments).

Uses available Explores additional Selects, adapts, and Integrates a wide range of Engages students in
instructional materials, instructional materials, utilizes appropriate adapted resources, identifying and adapting
resources, and resources, and instructional materials, technologies, and resources, technologies,
3.5 Using and
technologies for specific technologies to make resources, and instructional materials to and standards-aligned
adapting resources,
lessons to make subject subject matter accessible technologies for concept meet identified student instructional materials to
technologies, and
matter accessible to to students. and skill development in needs and make subject extend student
standards-aligned
students. subject matter. Resources matter accessible to understanding and
instructional
Explores how to make reflect the diversity of the students. critical thinking about
materials including
Identifies technological technological resources classroom and support subject matter.
adopted materials, to
resource needs. available to all students. differentiated learning of Assists student with
make subject matter
9/15/23 subject matter. equitable access to Ensures that student are
accessible to all
materials, resources, and able to obtain equitable
students
Guides students to use technologies. Seeks access to a wide range of
available print, electronic, outside resources and technologies through
and online subject matter support.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
resources based on ongoing links to outside
individual needs. resources and support.
I incorporate relevant
pages of the text to
support the current
lesson over allowing it to
guide the pace and
direction of the course.
Furthermore, I plan ways
to extend and deepen the
learning experience for
students who have
already grasped the
Evidence concept, aligning with
NGSS standards. I provide
graphic organizers to help
students access and
comprehend textbook
passages, alternative
online resources (articles)
and various multimedia
(documentary clips,
Youtube videos, etc.).

Is aware of students’ Seeks additional
primary language and information describing
English language elements of culture and
proficiencies based on language proficiencies in
available assessment data. listening, speaking,
reading, and writing. Uses
3.6 Addressing the multiple measures for
needs of English assessing English
learners and student learners’ performance to
with special needs to identify gaps in English
provide equitable Provides adapted language development.
access to the content materials to help English
learners access content. Attempts to scaffold
content using visuals,
models, and graphic
organizers. 9/15/23
Identifies language Integrates knowledge of Engages English learners
proficiencies and English English language in assessment of their
learner strengths in the development, English progress in English
study of language and learners’ strengths and language development
content. Differentiates assessed needs into and in meeting content
instruction using one or English language and standards. Supports
more components of content instruction. students to establish and
English language monitor language and
development to support content goals.
English learners.
Develops and adapts
Creates and implements instruction to provide a Is resourceful and flexible
scaffolds to support wide range of scaffolded in the design, adjustment,
standards-based support for language and and elimination of
instruction using literacy content for the range of scaffolds based on English
strategies, SDAIE, and English learners. learners’ proficiencies,
content level English knowledge, and skills in
language development in the content.
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
order for students to
improve language
proficiencies and
understand content.
I use various instructional
strategies to meet the
needs of English learners
and students with special
needs. The aim is to allow
equitable access to
content. I provide
language support with
sentence prompts for
English learners and
Evidence arrange seating to
accommodate various
learning opportunities
(pair/group discussion).
Additionally, I integrate
ELD, SDAIE, and academic
language components into
lessons, embedding
language development
within content
instruction.
Has an awareness of the Seeks additional Utilizes information on Integrates Guides and support the
full range of students information on the full the full range of students accommodations, full range of student with
identified with special range of students identified with special adaptations, and special needs to actively
needs through data identified with special needs to assess strengths extensions to instruction engage in the assessment
provided by the school. needs to address and competencies to for the full range of and monitor their own
challenges or supports in provide appropriate students with special strengths, learning needs,
3.6 Addressing the
single lessons or sequence challenge and needs to ensure adequate and achievement in
needs of English
of lessons. accommodations in support and challenge. accessing content.
learners and student
instruction.
with special needs to
Attends required meeting Communicates and Communicates and
provide equitable
with resource personnel Cooperates with resource Communicates regularly collaborates with collaborates with
access to the content
and families. personnel, with resource personnel, colleagues, support staff, resource personnel,
para-educators, and para-educators, and and families to ensure para-educators, families,
families during meetings families to ensure that consistent instruction. leadership, and students
and activities in support student services are Supports families in in creating a coordinated
of learning plans and provided and progress is positive engagement with program to optimize
goals. school. success of the full range
CSTP 3: Understanding and Organizing Subject Matter for Student Learning
Element Emerging Exploring Applying Integrating Innovating
made in accessing of students with special
Learns about referral appropriate content. Initiates and monitors needs.
processes for students referral processes and
with special needs. Refers students as needed follow-up meeting to Takes leadership at the
9/15/23 Seeks additional in a timely and ensure that students site/district and
information on struggling appropriate manner receive support and/or collaborates with
learners and advanced supported with extended learning that is resource personnel to
learners to determine documented data over integrated into the core ensure the smooth and
appropriateness for time, including curriculum. effective implementations
referral. interventions tried of referral processes.
previous to referral.
I plan accommodations
tailored to students with
special needs (social,
emotional,
developmental, etc.).
Some examples include
alternative
communication options,
Evidence extended time, and
supporting materials and
equipment in the
classroom.