In order to provide high-level learning experiences for ALL students, it's essential for collaborative teams to work together on high quality tier one instruction to guarantee a viable curriculum.
Here is a Lesson Planning Document designed to guide collaborative teams. By working together, teams can tap into a wealth of perspectives and strategies to enhance the learning experience for our students. This ensures that our lessons are well-rounded, engaging, and aligned with learning goals and essential standards.
Dr. Ferguson's observation points can be seamlessly woven into the lessons and enrich the learning for our students. Teams can use the document to intentionally alternate between whole class, small groups, and individual work. It also causes teachers to plan how they vary class time activities, incorporating a mix of technology, traditional whiteboards, and paper-based exercises. This fosters a classroom environment that accommodates various learning needs/styles and preferences.
Drop down menu also includes interventions and extensions. Intentionally planning both gives teams the the ability to address individual student needs during the class period ensuring that every student receives the support they need to succeed and are appropriately challenged to reach their full potential.
In response to the feedback from November's Time Traveler Newsletter about the Instructional Playbook, Social Studies C&I is working on including a 90 minute lesson plan into UFD with Stage 3 resources paired with high yield instructional strategies from our Social Studies Playbook.
Mackenzie Borchardt --Walnut Grove High School-- World History
My name is Mackenzie Borchardt and I graduated from Oklahoma State University this past May before starting my first year of teaching at Walnut Grove. I decided to become a teacher because of all the amazing teachers I had growing up, but also because of my grandmother. She was one of the first ever teachers in Frisco ISD at the one room schoolhouse, and Ruth Borchardt Elementary School in Frisco ISD was named in honor of her. She and so many other teachers inspire me every day!
Lisa Demarco- Prosper High School- World Geography & U.S. History
Hello Prosper ISD! I am new to teaching, but not new to Prosper. I have lived in Prosper since 2014. Both of my children attended various Prosper schools. My son, Michael, graduated from PHS in 2020 and attends Texas A&M. My daughter, Sophia, graduated from RHHS in 2023 and attends The University of Oklahoma. My path to teaching had a few stops along the way. After I graduated from Penn State, I joined the Army as a Signal Corps Officer and then worked in the corporate world. Later, I started a small business. Recently, I decided to become a teacher because I wanted to help make a difference in the lives of our students. I especially wanted to work in Prosper ISD and was thrilled to know that I would be working in the same school attended by my children. I find teaching very rewarding. There is no place I'd rather be right now! Go...Eagles!
Caroline Herrod-- Rushing Middle School-World Cultures
Hello! Since I was little, I have always known that I wanted to become a teacher. I had amazing role models in my family who were teachers. When I saw the impact they made through the field of education, it drew me straight to it! This job brings me so much joy and gives me the opportunity to keep learning everyday. I recently graduated from Texas A&M this past May. You will always find me talking about Aggie Sports! I am so grateful to be in Prosper and cannot wait to see what the future holds!
Nigel Mitchum--Reynolds Middle School-- Texas History
Rogers Middle School: 6th Grade World Cultures
The 6th Grade World Cultures Team at Rogers is a consistent source of excellence when it comes to backwards design, data-driven discussions, utilizing the UFD and keeping to an “our kids” not “my kids” mindset. This team holds each other accountable to be the best they can be for their students. They learn and grow with each other daily. Their success is shown through the way students thrive in their classes!
Team Members: Kristy Smith, Olive Avila, Mike Hoffman
Cross District Collaborative Team: Humanities
Beyond their regular campus collaborative meetings, the PHS, RHHS, and WGHS Humanities teachers come together monthly via Google Meet, fostering a district-wide PLC. They address the four Professional Learning Community (PLC) questions at a district level, exchange high-yield instructional strategies, and work collectively to streamline assessments.
Prosper H.S Humanities: Megan Gonzales and Ben Whiteside
Rock Hill H.S Humanities: AJ LaNier and Corey MacGorman
Walnut Grove H.S Humanities: Rachel Dunn and Kristen Harris
RHHS AP US History
RHHS AP US History collaborative history are always trying to make CED relevant and engaging. They made history come alive last week by using by looking at primary documents to learn about the Sugarland 95. Students got a chance to ask questions directly to Chassidy Olainu-Alade when she joined the classes as guest speaker over a Google Meet.
Team Members: Samantha Cates and Mandy Murphy
Claim-Evidence- Reasoning
RHHS Honors World Geography students researched Latin American countries and created business pitched by pairing a country’s resources & Socio-Economic Indicators data with existing companies for a mutually beneficial partnership using the C-E-R format. At the end of class, students got to write a check to the companies they decided to invest in.
Click here for the C-E-R Instructional Strategies.
8th Grade Reynolds Human Spectrum
Mr. Smetzer used the Human Spectrum strategy to have his students analyze the Bill of Rights. Students ranked each of the ten amendments from most to least important. Students then had to justify why they ranked each of the amendments where they did. This was a collaborative effort and helped students demonstrate their understanding of the significance of each of the amendments.
Click here for the Human Spectrum Instructional Strategy.
7th Grade Rushing Philosophical Chairs
Ms. Davidson's 7th grade student reviewed documents outlining the presidencies of Sam Houston and Mirabeau Lamar. After analysis, students decided if the document demonstrated that Lamar or Houston had a bigger impact on Texas. After all documents were analyzed, students then participated in a Philosophical Chairs debate.
Click here for the Philosophical Chairs Instructional Strategy
Wicked Hydra and Consensus Placemat
RHHS U.S. Government Students wrapped up the semester by reviewing each unit using Wicked Hydra instructional strategy followed by answering the questions “What makes a government work? What makes a government last?” using consensus placemat!
Click here for Wicked Hydra Instructional Strategy.
Click here for Consensus Placemat Instructional Strategy.
This month we added the following strategies that pair wonderfully with any text! Great way to add discussion in your classroom with low prep on your end and excellent engagement for students.
- Say Something: A comprehension strategy during which students take turns reading aloud to each other, stopping occasionally to comment on the text.
- Text Talk Time: A comprehension strategy during which students take turns reading aloud to each other, stopping occasionally to comment on the text.
Please reach out to Jessie and Mandy if you want a brainstorm on how to add strategies to your course!
Using the book "Starting and Ending with Thinking in Social Studies", we have created one pagers to breakdown strategies focusing on Change Over Time, Interpretation, Evaluation, and Synthesis.
All four will increase critical thinking and authentic engagement in the classroom. Ask your IC or Campuses' HTTF representative.
