One of the ways that we engage students in learning is utilizing the Workshop Model (Direct Instruction). See the diagram below as a reminder.

No one, whether an adult or a student, likes to be either bored or rushed in completing a task. Keeping things moving, within a well-defined structure, is one of the marks of an experienced teacher. And since much of student learning results from their reflection on what they have done, a well-designed lesson includes time for reflection and closure.

• Plan for a Clear Structure:
  • Start with a brief introduction to set the context and activate prior knowledge.
  • Use a sequence of activities that logically build on one another (e.g., modeling, guided practice, independent work).
  • Plan clear transitions between lesson segments to avoid downtime.
  • Incorporating highly motivating tasks and challenges into lessons
• Set and Maintain a Productive Pace:
  • Keep the pace brisk but flexible, ensuring all students have time to engage deeply.
  • Incorporate time checks to keep students on track (e.g., "You have 5 minutes to complete this part").
  • Vary the pace to align with lesson components (e.g., faster for reviews, slower for introducing complex ideas).
• Use Active Monitoring:
  • Move around the room to gauge student understanding and adjust the pace if needed.
  • Be responsive to signs of disengagement by asking reflective or clarifying questions.
• Engage Students in Active Learning:
• Incorporate strategies like Think-Pair-Share, collaborative activities, or hands-on learning to keep students involved.
• Use formative checks (thumbs up/down, quick writes, etc.) to ensure understanding before moving on.
• Pose questions that invite students into a conversation
• Incorporating Teaching Techniques from Teach Like a Champion:
• Technique 17: RATIO – Increase the cognitive work students do by inviting input during lessons: increase answering, talking, writing during lessons; involve students by having them explain why/how, provide evidence and examples, more precise, richer answers.
• Technique 26: EVERYBODY WRITES* – Writing gives students time to reflect on/clarify/process/refine thinking to prepare for more rigorous thinking and discussion.

Dive into a quick video and discover how much you can learn in just a few moments!

For K–5 teachers, the Possible Responses PDF is a handy tool located in the Unit Overview under Printable Resources. This PDF consolidates sample student responses for all prompts in a unit’s Investigation Notebook, enabling you to quickly utilize these insights without having to navigate through individual activity slides.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the reports you can access today:

• The Writing Prompts report pulls the AWE scores from Formative Writing Prompts across an entire unit.
• The Solos report pulls raw scores for all selected-response questions (multiple choice, drag and drop, etc.) in Solo reading assignments.
• The Exit Tickets report pulls the raw scores on selected-response questions from all Exit Tickets in a unit.
• The Reading Assessments report pulls submissions data from the selected-response questions in the Unit Reading Assessment.

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Looking for additional information on this feature and more? Our help library is always available with resources and guidance to support you.

Create custom targeted question sets to improve instruction. This resource has thousands of real test questions, allows the user to filter questions, and then export into a PDF if needed. Follow the link below for access!

SAT, PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10 Educator Question Bank

Elicit student thinking:

• Tell us your thinking.

Support student thinking:

• What were you thinking when you decided to ______?
• Use wait time: Take your time… We’ll wait…

Extend student thinking:

• Now that you have solved the problem in that way, can you think of another way to work on this problem?
• How is your way of solving different from _______'s way?

Increase participation of other students in the conversation:

• Restate someone else’s reasoning: Can you repeat what ___________ just said in your own words?
• Apply own reasoning to someone else’s: Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Probe specific math topics:

• How can we check to be sure that this is the correct answer?
• Is that true for all cases?

Click on the above title to view the evaluation documents for staff!

Below you can find the new, updated required instructional minutes by grade level and content area. Each grade level also includes a sample schedule.

Teachers are encouraged to monitor student progress regularly using formative assessments and adjust pacing as needed based on classroom data. However, teachers should aim to stay within two weeks of the pacing outlined in the guides to maintain alignment with district-wide goals.

The documents attached outline K-8 curricular resources, standards and pacing. This can also be found by clicking here on the LSD website.

The document attached outlines 9-12 curricular resources, standards and pacing. This can also be found by clicking here on the LSD website.

A resource to use as you see fit.